Second Chance Mates

-27- 🌹 Your Friends

I frown and shake my head. "No, actually," I admit, and Lucca raises an eyebrow at Landon.

"It's not my story to tell," Landon simply responds.

"But you told me Ryland's story, so what's the hold up?" Lucca retorts, and my jaw drops.

"You told him that I'm feral?" I blurt out, feeling slightly hurt that he gossiped about me.

"No!" Landon immediately defends, making me furrow my brows. "I told him that you were rejected while I was explaining how the whole second mates thing works. I didn't say anything about... that."

"Oh," I say, the cogs in my brain slowly turning. Oh.

"Wait, you're feral?!" Lucca shouts, and I grimace. "Dude, that's so fucking cool!"

My face goes blank. The fuck? "What's so cool about being feral?"

"No, it's not just that," Lucca jumps up onto the couch, crouching like a hyperactive frog. "Think about it. You're the only feral wolf who's not really feral. So, like, you're feral, but you're not. See?"

I tilt my head to the side, pursing my lips in confusion. Lucca sighs, dropping his head as he places a hand on my shoulder.

"Look, Fido," Lucca starts, and I choke on my own spit at the nickname. "From what we know of feral wolves, they don't have the abilities to think like a human, right? They're completely animalistic. We've never been able to ask a feral wolf what it's like to be them, because they've never been able to have a conversation with us. But you're different. Your wolf half is feral, but your human half isn't, yeah?" I nod my head slowly. "So you're the only one who could tell us what goes on inside the mind of a feral wolf, since you share a body with your wolf."

"But it doesn't work like that," I say, making the excitement slip off his face. "The only time I've been in wolf form since River's gone feral was once, five years ago. And I woke up with no memory of what happened. I don't remember what it was like to be feral."

"Huh," Lucca deflates. "Well, that was anticlimactic. Can you at least hear his thoughts?"

I shrug. "All he does is growl and snarl. Besides the occasional purr whenever he senses his mate," I add, throwing a wink in Landon's direction.

"Boo," Lucca pouts, flopping back onto the couch with his arms crossed. "Anyway, whatever. So, you said your wolf's name is River?"

"Yup. What's yours?" I ask in return, feeling slightly silly. We sound like fur moms showing off their pets at a dog show. The thought makes me inwardly chuckle as River growls lowly.

"Lincoln," he answers me. "He's a bitch. Really snarky, sarcastic. Pretty much my best friend."

I smile sadly, remembering how I once felt that way about River. He was my best friend before I lost him.

Changing the subject, I ask him, "How does Lincoln handle being a rogue?"

Lucca pauses as he thinks for a moment before shrugging. "I'm not gonna lie, we've had our fair share of fights over it. He doesn't like that we're rogues, but it's been a long time. He's just grown to accept it, I guess."