Free Me From the Wolves

[23] Stubborn Mate, Greedy Fate

Saturday was hell for me. My humanity wasn't fighting my wolf for control and that was the problem. Even though I told myself I'd never truly become a werewolf that phased whenever, I expected my wolf to at least try to put up a fight, but nothing happened. And that's what I hated because let's be real...I wanted a challenge.

The fact that I still hadn't talked to Ryder was proof of that much.

As I looked out of my window and saw the sun's angle make the clouds turn pink and orange, someone lightly knocked on my door. I looked over my shoulder and saw Andrew enter with his backpack over his shoulder. I looked back to watch the sky, but realized the sun was setting way slower than I wanted it to.

"When are you gonna get these boxes out of here?" Andrew asked and I heard him slide a box from maybe kicking it. I turned around and abandoned the window in order to sit on my bed. I shrugged.

"I don't know," I said. "I guess I figured not to unpack everything because I won't be here that long."

"That long?" he asked.

"Just until graduation," I nodded. "Then off to college."

"Have you talked to Ryder?" he suddenly asked and then I gulped.

"Why would talking to Ryder have anything to do with my current laziness to unpack and my future laziness for repacking in the future?" I tried to joke to cover up the tension.

"Because—"

"Alalalala, I don't wanna hear it. I know. Future plans," I interrupted before he'd get serious. Andrew smirked at my immaturity but then stood up from where he sat.

"I'm gonna be at the old Everton house tonight if you need anything," he notified.

"Mm, I wouldn't go there; Aaron's gonna be there, I think."

"I know," he said. "I'm the one who told Ryder to take him there."

"I don't think that's—"

"—a good idea with me and Ryder in the same room?" Andrew asked with a mischievous smirk. "Why not? Because you think Ryder's pissed about me training Aaron?"

I was speechless because he hit the nail on the head. Meaning, he and Ryder had talked about it. As long as he's talking to an Everton, I guess.

"He was frustrated at first because you didn't tell him beforehand, but eventually he was grateful because he's been too preoccupied to train Aaron himself," he informed. That only made me roll my eyes at the fact that I should've just told him in the beginning. Andrew continued his route out of the room, but stopped at the doorway. "Stop acting like Ryder's hard to talk to."

"I'm not," I lied in a grumble.

"He's just a guy, Ash. We're not complicated," he chuckled.

"It's Ryder," I reminded and wondered if he even remembered that less than two weeks ago, they didn't exactly like each other. "He's intimidating and stubborn and confusing and—"

"—downstairs in case you want to tell him all of this to his face," Andrew interrupted and all I could do was fall over into my pillow and groan loudly. Through a muffle, I heard Andrew announce he was leaving and then with my enhanced hearing, I was able to make out a greeting between him and Ryder on his way out.

I felt Ryder sit down on the bed beside me before I even opened my eyes to acknowledge him in the process of tossing his backpack near the wall. I had to roll my eyes because even looking at him was a challenge. I was sure more than anything that I was trying to be mad at him, but he was so damn gorgeous that it was impossible. One look at him and I wanted to kiss him, not fight with him, ugh.