The White Wolf

Twenty-Six: Check

The door is half-closed. Imagine someone could hide behind there, ready to grab you.

I tried to shoe away that thought that was previously ingrained in me with my true crime podcasts and my father's publications, but now I had my own reason to even consider that someone could really be lurking.

"Jaycen?" I called out.

"Sydney? Are you okay? Where are you!?" Jay fired out.

I wanted to be annoyed, and while I didn't appreciate the ambush of questions, I knew he was concerned about me. "Chill dude. Yes, I'm okay. No, I'm not hurt, and your bathroom is my destination. That all right?" I tried to ask in a joking tone, but the tone fell flat.

"Sorry, I'm a little on edge with everything. Damn. But, what do you need babe?"

I frowned at this. "Remember bud, we may be mates but we're starting out friends. Especially after..."

I heard him sigh. "I know that Star, but can't a guy call his best friend babe?"

"One, you're not my bestie and two, no, no you cannot!" I could find myself somewhat humored by this.

"Well, I hope that I'll be able to gain your trust and eventually the ability to call you babe."

Heat rushing to my cheeks out how sweet that was.

Get it together Sydney! You're swooning like a silly schoolgirl... I prepped myself.

"We'll see about that, but I was wondering..." I stopped wearily of the fact that I seem like a damsel in distress asking this.

"Wondering what?"

"I know it might make me sound like I'm desperate and that I'm needy, but I really don't want to come off that way, and truly I'm not usually that way, it's just, I was wondering-"

"Spit it out already Star, I won't think of you as desperate and needy, just tell me what's going on."

"Can you check the bathroom for me? I know it sounds silly bu-"

"No, it doesn't sound silly. You are scared and though I don't like you being scared, it's perfectly normal. I'll be there in a moment Love."

I gasped. Love?

☽✣☾

Jay

After our talk, Sydney excused herself to the deck to consider what she was just told.

I sighed, my mood dampened by my mate's distress over this horrendous situation that I got us into.

"She'll be okay Alpha," Ash said sounding sure of himself, but the look in his eyes said otherwise.

Mat rose from the table. "I'm going to go talk to her."

A low growl permeated from me before I even realized it.

His hands snapped up as he surrendered. "Hey, I'm just going to talk to her. I haven't spoken to her since the other day. I just want to see how she's holding up, the way she's always done for me."

Very reluctantly I gave him a nod to tell him to go on, knowing that he could probably help ease my stressed mate. Even though it made nearly every inch of me furious that she needed someone other than me, the reasonable side of me knew that even though it wasn't me comforting Sydney, she would feel better, and in the end that was all that matter to me. Sydney.