Blackthorn Moon

Chapter 24

Blackthorn Moon

Jade had spent the entire ride back to Silverwood trying not to think about Ryker.

It wasn't going well.

He's handsome.

Ash.

Responsible.

Ash.

Tall.

Jade groaned aloud.

Several birds immediately fled from a nearby tree.

You are impossible.

I learned from you.

Unfortunately, Ash had a point.

Which was rude.

The days following her visit to Blackthorn passed quickly.

Training with Devin.

Patrol reports.

Investigation updates.

Pack gossip.

The closer she got to her eighteenth birthday, the harder it became to ignore Ash's presence.

Not because something was wrong.

The opposite.

The bond between them felt stronger than ever.

Ash's emotions bled into hers more frequently.

Her instincts became sharper.

Sometimes Jade could almost predict what Ash would say before she said it.

Sometimes she wasn't entirely certain where one of them ended and the other began.

Her mother had warned her this would happen.

More awareness.

More connection.

More wolf.

Which sounded mildly concerning.

Especially when Ash refused to stop talking about Ryker.

---

Three days after her visit to Blackthorn, another joint meeting was held at Silverwood.

Jade arrived late.

Entirely because Ash insisted on changing clothes twice.

The blue one.

We're discussing border security.

Exactly.

That doesn't make sense.

Neither do males. Yet here we are.

Jade hated everything.

By the time she entered the meeting hall, Blackthorn's delegation had already arrived.

Immediately, Ash became alert.

There he is.

Jade followed her gaze.

Or whatever the mental equivalent of a gaze was.

Ryker stood beside Knox studying a map spread across the council table.

Something warm settled in her chest.

A feeling she was becoming alarmingly familiar with.

Then Ryker looked up.

And smiled.

The feeling intensified.

Definitely the blue one.

---

The meeting itself yielded little.

The symbol remained unidentified.

Shadow Pines Camp remained a mystery.

Another damaged marker had been discovered.

And nobody could explain why wolves kept disappearing near the eastern forests.

"Whatever they're doing, they're organized."

Garrett pointed toward several reports.

"This wasn't random activity."

Knox nodded.

"They know how to stay hidden."

Rowan folded his arms.

"Then eventually they'll make a mistake."

Beside Jade, Ash stirred uneasily.

Or they'll force us to make one.

The thought sent a chill through her.

Unfortunately, Ash was often right.

The realization remained deeply unfair.

---

When the meeting finally ended, dusk had settled across Silverwood.

Most wolves drifted toward the packhouse.

Others headed home.

Jade intended to do the same.

She made it approximately six steps.

"Jade."

Ash perked up immediately.

Blue shirt worked.

Stop.

Ryker caught up beside her.

His expression looked strangely nervous.

A rare sight.

And therefore immediately suspicious.

"What?"

"Walk with me."

Jade narrowed her eyes.

"That sounded like a request."

"It was."

"Concerning."

His laugh eased some tension she hadn't realized she was carrying.

Together they followed one of the quieter paths leading toward the forest.

For several minutes neither spoke.

The silence wasn't uncomfortable.

Just full.

Eventually Ryker stopped beneath a grove of pines.

Moonlight spilled through the branches overhead.

Silver across dark green.

Beautiful.

Now kiss him.

Ash.

I'm just saying.

Quiet.

For once, Ash actually listened.

Mostly.

Ryker took a breath.

Then another.

"You know," he said, "for someone who argues constantly, you're surprisingly difficult to talk to."

Jade blinked.

"What?"

His smile appeared.

"There she is."

"You make no sense."

"I've been told that."

The words felt familiar.

Comfortable.

Then Ryker's smile faded.

Not completely.

Just enough.

Enough for honesty to show through.

"I'm serious."

Something in his voice made her stop teasing.

Stop deflecting.

Stop pretending she didn't know where this was headed.

The realization made her nervous.

Which was ridiculous.

Jade Sullivan wasn't nervous.

Ash immediately laughed.

Liar.

---

Ryker stepped closer.

Not enough to crowd her.

Enough that she noticed.

Enough that her pulse quickened.

Again.

"I keep trying to think of a smart way to say this."

His voice was quiet.

"And?"

"I don't have one."

A smile tugged at Jade's lips despite herself.

"That's reassuring."

"I know."

His eyes never left hers.

And suddenly the distance between them felt very small.

"I like you, Jade."

The world stopped.

Everything inside her became strangely still.

Even Ash.

Which was perhaps the most shocking part.

For once, her wolf said nothing.

Ryker laughed softly.

Apparently mistaking her silence for concern.

"That sounded better in my head."

The warmth in his expression made something ache beneath her ribs.

Not painfully.

Hopefully.

Dangerously.

"I figured I should tell you before someone else does something stupid."

Her eyebrow rose.

"Someone else?"

"Devin."

Jade actually choked.

Ryker looked pleased with himself.

Which lasted approximately three seconds.

Then Ash exploded with laughter.

Oh I like him.

Not helping.

He's jealous.

Ash!

---

Before Jade could recover, Ryker reached for her hand.

Slowly.

Giving her every opportunity to pull away.

She didn't.

His fingers intertwined with hers.

Warm.

Steady.

Certain.

The contact sent a wave of awareness through her.

His scent.

His heartbeat.

The way his thumb brushed across her knuckles.

Everything suddenly felt louder.

More important.

Ash let out a contented sigh.

Definitely keep this one.

Jade agreed.

Terrifyingly.

Entirely.

Without hesitation.

Ryker's gaze dropped briefly to her lips.

Then returned to her eyes.

A question.

An offering.

A choice.

This time there was no interruption.

No horn.

No meeting.

No responsibility dragging them apart.

Just them.

The moon overhead.

The forest around them.

And one impossible moment.

So Jade did the bravest thing she'd ever done.

She stepped closer.

Ryker smiled.

That soft, genuine smile she'd come to treasure.

Then he kissed her.

Gentle.

Careful.

Like she was something precious.

The world disappeared.

No investigation.

No gossip.

No missing wolves.

No Sabrina.

Nothing.

Just warmth.

And moonlight.

And the realization that she never wanted the moment to end.

When they finally pulled apart, neither moved far.

Neither seemed eager to.

Ash sounded suspiciously emotional.

I knew it.

For once, Jade couldn't argue.

Because as she stood beneath the Blackthorn moon with Ryker's hand still wrapped around hers, she realized something important.

For the first time in years, she wasn't afraid of the future.