Bookz Chapter9
“Third day away, Rya, heard you caught your first mouse by yourself. That’s my female. Hard work, isn’t it?” I laugh at how proud he is of me. How does he know all this?
I keep listening to his messages, day five going into twelve, turning into day twenty–five, to day forty–two. He’s been leaving me messages every single day.
I’m lying in my bed now with the covers to my chin, ready to fall asleep. He knows everything that I have been going through, all the little accomplishments and setbacks that I am having out there.
He told me in one of his messages that his father or mother is keeping him updated. They have spotters out there just in case I ran into trouble. I never saw anyone else out there, just the wolves. He said that there is a fail safe that if it looked like I really couldn’t cut it, they would have rescued me before death took me. I feel kind of happy knowing at least I wouldn’t have died out there.
The next message has me dropping the phone.
“Rya,” It’s one word that has my whole body responding to the tenor of it, my body’s traitorous response to my mate
“Don’t delete this, but I understand if you do. I’d delete myself too, if I could “I can hear the way his lungs fill with air and the way he Jexhales it
out.
“I had this whole speech written out.” He takes a long sigh before I hear crumpling paper, I think he must have tossed it because I hear it hitting something, maybe the wall?
“Sorry–is that what you want to hear? It’s not good enough. I can say sorry a thousand times and it’s just not good enough for what I have done to you.” His voice makes me cringe slightly, it’s clenching my jaw, curling my shoulders in
“I think I should start at the beginning when I figured out you were my mate, tell you my story. It’s not going to be a good story, Rya. It’s not going to be one of those fairytales that you females like to read about. I’ve had a lot of time to think about things, to think how I should have done things differently.” Sitting up in bed, my hands are shaking, I’m shaking. I think I should delete his messages. I can’t stand to hear his voice because it does things to me. Makes me long for him at the same time it makes me want to end him. The message ends; his time’s up.
I click to the next message.
“Rya, heard you caught your first winter rabbit–who’s the beast? You’re the beast of the woods.” Dallas is laughing in joy for me.
click to the next message.
“Where was 1, Rya? Oh yeah..how I found out you were my mate.” Clayton’s voice holds no tone. It’s just him telling a story to someone who shouldn’t be listening
“Kennedy had a soccer game. She was a few years older than you. I was going to watch her play. While I was sitting there, your team was just finishing up. You scored the final goal, winning by one. This smile was on your face when you were celebrating with all your friends, jumping up and down, and our eyes connected for just a split second and I knew. It took my breath away. I couldn’t stop watching you. Your parents were there, I think your sisters. You were really good for a pre–juvenile.” I can tell he’s smiling slightly with the way his voice now sounds happy with a memory
“I watched as you ran to your parents, giving you hugs. I thought what a nice familly you must have. I just sat there trying to breathe. Then Kennedy walked up to me with her beautiful smile, kissing me on the lips, asking what the matter was, and I told her nothing. I turned around and walked away from you and your celebration, knowing who you were to me. Thinking back on that scene, what sticks out in my mind is that your smile was even more beautiful than hers if only I would have looked closer at you.” The message ends again; his time’s up.
Clicking again on the next message, Dallas is excited about me learning to play fight, not sleeping at the edge of the pack anymore. Making friends on my own and them liking me. I can hear the slight emotion for a fraction of a second in his voice before he gives a little cough, saying how proud he is of me.
A few more messages from Dallas before Clayton’s voice has my heart squeezing tight.
“I kept seeing you everywhere, Rya. You and your friends hanging out here and there, I had this fascination with looking at you, but you were this little thing with no hips, no chest, you weren’t developed at all. You were a little pup, and I couldn’t have thoughts about you
62 Chapters
like that it just wasn’t right. So I watched you. You started highschool the next year, I knew you were getting close to shifting by the way your hips started to become rounder, the way you needed to start wearing a bra. I noticed every change in your body. I noticed the way you were growing into your face. I noticed how you were really good at all the sports you played, how you had many friends, how when you came into the room, you shined with confidence. You always walked with your shoulders straight and head up. That type of confidence you hist have in you, It’s not learned. Always a smile on your face. I noticed all the hair styles you went through. Do you know that I can’t remember any of Kennedy’s hairstyles, not one? I’m sure she had many, but thinking back, all I can remember is your style.” He sounds sad about this.
Bookz Chapterio
te messages from Dallas, with such pride in his voice. Everything I’m going through documented in his messages to me
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“Rya, you’re probably wondering how I got your number. Well, I stole it off my mother’s desk a few years back. I never called you, but for some reason, I wanted your number.” He hangs up this time, not allowing the time to run out.
Dallas’s voice comes over the phone. “I delivered a male today, mom and pop doing good. I don’t think I can do that again.” His voice sounds slightly slurred as if he’s been drinking.
Clayton’s voice is in the next message. “Rya, where was 1? Oh yes. I had to sit through assemblies at school and watch you up on stage because you’re part of this play or doing something with the student council. Thinking back all this time, Kennedy never participated in anything like that, she never led, but you did. You organized, got involved. You were a naturally good leader, perfect Luna material.” His voice sounds melancholy before he ends the call.
It’s getting late. I should put the phone down and go to sleep, but I just can’t. I tell myself just one more message and I’m going to go to brd.
“Clayton is up and walking around now, Rya. I thought you should know. I don’t want to keep anything from you. Kimberly’s pregnancy
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is going all right. She is still very low in her measurement, and her weight really isn’t improving. I’m having Aurora talk with her. Maybe that’s what she needs.” Dallas sounds lost slightly on how to handle the pregnant female.
Another message has Clayton’s deep voice coming over the speaker.