Choice

Chapter 28

Choice

Jade should have been sleeping.

Instead, she was sitting on the cottage porch staring into the forest.

The night air was cool.

Quiet.

Peaceful.

At least outside.

Inside her mind, Ash was wide awake.

You're waiting.

I'm not.

Liar.

Jade sighed.

Ash was becoming increasingly difficult to ignore.

As her eighteenth birthday approached, the connection between them felt stronger than ever.

Clearer.

More immediate.

The wolf picked up on emotions Jade tried very hard to avoid.

Especially one particular emotion.

You miss him.

He was here two days ago.

Exactly.

Jade hated everything.

A familiar scent drifted through the darkness.

Ash immediately sat upright.

There he is.

Jade froze.

Because this time, Ash was right.

Moments later, a soft knock came from the cottage gate.

No one visited this late.

Except one person.

Jade tried very hard not to smile.

Failed.

Completely.

"You look ridiculous."

You look happy.

Unfortunately, Ash had a point.

Again.

Jade opened the gate.

Ryker stood there.

Moonlight caught in his dark hair.

The sight of him immediately settled something restless inside her.

Something she was becoming alarmingly accustomed to.

"You're here."

His smile appeared instantly.

"I noticed."

Smartass.

Ash approved.

Keep him.

We haven't had that conversation yet.

I have.

Of course she had.

Ryker tilted his head.

"You busy?"

Jade looked around dramatically.

At the empty porch.

At the silent forest.

At the middle of the night.

"No."

"Good."

His grin widened.

"Come with me."

---

Forty minutes later they sat atop a rocky overlook beyond Silverwood's main territory.

The same place Ryker had taken her once before.

The same place where things always seemed to become dangerous.

Emotionally.

Not physically.

Though Jade wasn't entirely ruling that out.

Ash stretched contentedly inside her mind.

Good place.

You said that last time.

Still true.

The moon hung low above the trees.

Everything below glowed silver.

For a while neither spoke.

The silence felt familiar now.

Comfortable.

Then Ryker exhaled slowly.

Immediately, Jade became suspicious.

"What's wrong?"

His smile appeared.

Small.

Nervous.

"Nothing."

"That's a lie."

"I know."

The honesty surprised a laugh out of her.

Then the smile disappeared entirely.

And suddenly Jade's pulse quickened.

Because she realized he looked nervous.

Actually nervous.

More nervous than she had ever seen him.

Which meant whatever he was about to say mattered.

A lot.

Ash became very still.

Watching.

Waiting.

Listening.

For several moments Ryker simply stared at the forest below.

Then finally spoke.

"You ever notice how everyone talks about fate?"

The question caught her off guard.

"What?"

"Fated mates."

He shrugged.

"The Moon Goddess."

"Destiny."

His voice carried no bitterness.

Only honesty.

"I grew up hearing about it."

Jade nodded slowly.

Most wolves did.

It was part of their world.

Part of their stories.

Part of their faith.

Ryker laughed softly.

"You know what's funny?"

"What?"

"For years I assumed that's how my life would work."

His gaze found hers.

"I thought one day I'd find my mate."

Ash's ears twitched.

Storm stirred beneath Ryker's thoughts.

For the first time Jade could almost feel him.

Not words.

Not thoughts.

Just emotion.

Hope.

Fear.

Love.

Strong enough that even Ash noticed.

Storm is nervous.

That realization shocked Jade.

Because Storm never seemed nervous.

Neither did Ryker.

Yet tonight they both were.

And suddenly she understood why.

"I met you first."

The words stole her breath.

Ryker looked away briefly.

As though embarrassed by the admission.

"I wasn't expecting that."

Jade's heart pounded.

Neither wolf said a word.

Neither wanted to interrupt.

"I keep thinking I should slow down."

His laugh held no humor.

"Probably because every reasonable person would."

Jade smiled.

Small.

Soft.

Real.

Ryker stepped closer.

Close enough she could feel his warmth.

Close enough that leaving would suddenly feel impossible.

"But every time I leave Silverwood..."

His voice lowered.

"...I miss you."

The admission struck hard.

Terrifyingly hard.

Because she felt exactly the same.

Storm pushed closer beneath the surface.

Ash met him there.

For a heartbeat their wolves simply acknowledged one another.

Not mates.

Not bound.

Just comfortable.

Just safe.

Storm liked her.

Ash definitely liked him.

Good wolf.

Ash.

What?

Hopeless.

Absolutely hopeless.

Ryker's eyes never left hers.

"I don't know what happens when you turn eighteen."

The reminder tightened something in her chest.

Soon.

Too soon.

"But I know this."

He reached for her hand.

Slowly.

Giving her the opportunity to pull away.

She didn't.

His fingers laced through hers.

Warm.

Certain.

Deliberate.

"If fate chooses us someday..."

A hopeful smile touched his face.

"I'll be the luckiest wolf alive."

Jade's heart nearly stopped.

Then his voice grew steady.

Certain.

Powerful.

The voice of a future Alpha making a promise.

"But if it doesn't..."

Storm stood tall behind his eyes.

Loyal.

Unwavering.

Choosing.

Ryker squeezed her hand.

"I'm not waiting for fate to decide how I feel."

Emotion clogged Jade's throat.

Because she knew exactly how difficult those words had been for him to say.

"I choose you, Jade."

Silence.

Absolute silence.

The entire world seemed to stop.

The wind.

The forest.

Everything.

Only Ryker remained.

Only those words.

Only the certainty in his eyes.

"I want another date."

The sudden shift made her laugh through the emotion.

His grin returned immediately.

"There she is."

"You ruined the moment."

"I saved the moment."

"Debatable."

Ryker leaned closer.

Smiling.

Hopeful.

Terrifyingly sincere.

"So?"

Jade stared at him.

At the wolf who had seen her before anyone else.

The wolf who chose her without fate telling him to.

The wolf who kept showing up.

Again and again.

For her.

Ash looked at her expectantly.

Say yes.

This time Jade agreed completely.

"Yeah."

Relief flooded his face.

Followed quickly by happiness.

Real happiness.

The kind impossible to fake.

"Yeah?"

She laughed.

"Yes, Ryker."

His smile was worth every ounce of vulnerability that answer required.

For a while neither spoke.

The silence settled around them comfortably.

Peacefully.

A cool breeze drifted across the overlook.

Jade shivered slightly before she could stop herself.

Immediately, Ryker noticed.

Of course he did.

Without a word, he shrugged off his jacket.

Jade frowned.

"What are you doing?"

"Holding onto my reputation as a gentleman."

"You're an Alpha heir."

"Exactly."

He draped the jacket around her shoulders before she could protest.

Warmth surrounded her instantly.

The fabric carried his scent.

Pine.

Forest.

Ryker.

Ash immediately became unbearable.

I like this plan.

You like every plan involving him.

Correct.

Jade rolled her eyes.

Ryker noticed.

"You just argued with Ash, didn't you?"

"Maybe."

His laugh was soft.

The sound warmed her almost as much as the jacket.

For several moments they sat shoulder to shoulder watching moonlight spread across the valley below.

Neither seemed eager to move.

Or leave.

Eventually Ryker reached over and gently tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

The simple gesture stole her breath.

Not because it was bold.

Because it wasn't.

It was careful.

Tender.

The kind of touch given by someone trying very hard not to ask for more than they were offered.

His hand lingered for half a second before dropping.

Yet Jade felt that touch long after it ended.

And judging by the expression on Ryker's face, he was feeling it too.

Slowly, he shifted closer.

Close enough that their shoulders touched.

Close enough that Jade could hear his heartbeat.

Steady.

Strong.

Real.

"I've never felt like this before."

His voice was almost lost to the wind.

Jade looked at him.

Ryker laughed quietly.

"That's embarrassing to admit."

"No," she said softly.

"It isn't."

The look he gave her nearly stopped her heart.

Neither looked away.

The distance between them had become almost nonexistent.

Close enough that Jade could see the tiny flecks of gold hidden in his eyes.

Close enough to notice that his breathing had become uneven.

Ash had gone completely silent.

A remarkable and deeply concerning development.

Storm wasn't much better.

The playful confidence Jade normally felt from him had vanished.

Leaving only anticipation.

Hope.

The kind that made her own chest ache.

Ryker smiled.

A small smile.

Nervous.

Almost uncertain.

"You know, for someone who argues with me constantly..."

Jade felt a laugh escape.

"Careful."

"...you're becoming my favorite person."

The confession slipped straight through every defense she possessed.

His expression immediately suggested he regretted saying it out loud.

Which somehow made it infinitely better.

"That's a terrible thing to admit."

"Yeah."

A pause.

"Probably."

Neither moved.

The moment stretched.

Soft.

Warm.

Dangerously perfect.

Then Jade made the decision for both of them.

She leaned forward.

Only slightly.

But it was enough.

Ryker's eyes widened.

Not from surprise.

From realization.

A silent question passed between them.

Jade answered by closing the distance.

His kiss was gentle.

Tentative at first.

Like he was afraid the moment might disappear if he moved too quickly.

When she kissed him back, every trace of hesitation vanished.

Warmth flooded her chest.

Ash practically melted.

Finally.

Jade ignored her.

Mostly because she couldn't focus on anything except Ryker.

The forest disappeared.

The moon vanished.

The entire world narrowed to this single moment.

When they finally pulled apart, neither moved far.

Foreheads resting together.

Breathing uneven.

Smiling like idiots.

Ryker laughed softly.

"I've been wanting to do that for weeks."

Jade smiled.

"Good."

His eyebrows rose.

"Good?"

"You looked miserable trying not to."

The wounded look he gave her lasted approximately two seconds.

Then he started laughing.

Jade joined him.

Eventually the laughter faded.

The quiet returned.

Comfortable.

Peaceful.

Ryker squeezed her hand once more.

Then lifted it to his lips and pressed a soft kiss to her knuckles.

The gesture was somehow even more dangerous than the kiss itself.

Because it wasn't driven by impulse.

It was affection.

Simple.

Intentional.

Real.

His eyes met hers.

No teasing.

No joke.

No shield hiding what he felt.

Just Ryker.

Just honesty.

"You should probably get home."

Jade smiled.

"Probably."

Neither moved.

"Definitely."

"Definitely."

Still neither stood.

Ash sighed dramatically.

You two are hopeless.

Storm agreed.

For perhaps the first time ever.

Eventually they managed to leave the overlook.

Walking back toward Silverwood side by side.

Shoulders brushing.

Hands intertwined.

Neither in a hurry to reach the end of the path.

And neither noticing that with every step they took toward the future...

Fate was quietly preparing to challenge every choice they'd made.