Destined for Disaster ✔️

Chapter 39

Had Ryleigh been free – really free – the sheer desperation in his voice might have made her reconsider. But she had been chained long before Alder got his hands on her, and those fetters weren't as easy to break.

His heartfelt agony clenched her heart. It was hard enough to have to disappoint him, but to have a direct link to his emotions made it even more impossible. And yet it had to be done. She was certain of few things in life, but that, at least, she knew for sure.

"I have to."

She didn't look at him – didn't know how to – but if she had, she would have seen that his eyes had turned dark, his wolf sharing every bit of his anguish. Her own wolf, in turn, pushed her to stay, consequences be damned. It wasn't often that Ryleigh had to reality-check her wolf, and she wished she didn't have to. It was hard enough convincing herself.

"You don't have to," he said. "You can stay here. I know we haven't exactly seen eye to eye so far, but there's something between us – whether we like it or not. And it's more than the mate bond."

It wasn't a romantic statement, not nearly. He cared about her against his will, even against his better nature.

"I think I know what this is," Ryleigh said. "You're heartbroken over Julie and you're afraid to be alone, so you're grasping at straws. Anyone's better than no one. Only that's not true. We're not good for each other."

"You don't know that. We haven't had a chance."

"You only broke up with Julie two days ago. You're desperate."

"This isn't about Julie. I'm not trying to replace her. I couldn't. And I don't know how I feel about you – I don't – but there's no going back from rejection. Won't it be better to wait until we're sure?"

She raised her eyes to his, gold tinging the black. "I'm sure." Her heart crumbled as his hurt was channelled through their bond. She hadn't thought it possible, but she'd found something that hurt worse than silver.

"Are you, though?" he said. "When we kissed –"

"I have to go," she said, cutting him off. The last thing she needed was to have him remind her of what it felt like to kiss him. "I have made it very clear from the start that staying was never an option. If I stay here, I'll be found. And when I'm found... It's not safe to stay here. Not for me, and not for you. I'd be putting you and your entire pack in danger. Trust me when I say I'm not worth that risk."

"We can protect you." 

"I don't need protection. You do. Are you hearing me? There are people out there looking for me and they're not going to stop until they find me. It's never going to end."

"We'll figure it out."

"I have figured it out. I know what my options are, and staying here is not one of them. I can either go home or go far away."

"I refuse to believe that."

In general, Ryleigh appreciated stubbornness. She liked when people knew their minds and stuck with it. But Goddess, was he impossible.

"Look, I'm going to be straight with you. Even if things were different, I wouldn't stay either. Too much has happened. Have you forgotten that you left me for dead? You didn't want me and to be frank it's really confusing that now suddenly you do."

"I know," he said. "I can't commit to never seeing you again." Was this another one of the Goddess' jokes? Putting two of the most headstrong werewolves together? If so, she was probably having a blast.

Never was an awfully long time, Ryleigh's wolf reminded her. Could they commit to that? It would all be different once the bond was broken, she told herself. They wouldn't feel that burning need for him anymore. Leaving him would be easy.