Hunted

Chapter 24: Nightmares

Rykan was leading a run, apparently something the pack did at least once a week. He said it brought them closer, to all run together, it wasn't even just for training purposes, it was to make the pack feel more connected and so almost everyone was involved.

I'd been feeling weird because I got off schedule with my medicine so I opted out of going to see him off. Rykan almost sent Luke in his place to run because of me but he'd sacrificed enough time for me so I managed to talk him into going by promising him quality time with my phone on silent where Les and Annie couldn't interrupt with their constant texting.

They were just checking on me, super worried from all that happened. It didn't bother me, but I could see how it affected Rykan to have practically every time we had together include me on my phone. I didn't mean for it to be that way, everything was just so tense right now but I owed him some quality time. So I promised him the phone was gone if he led the run and he practically sprinted out the door while I told Les and Annie I'd be going silent for the rest of the night. It would be a hell of a lot easier to explain my absence if I could tell them about Rykan but I wasn't ready to open that can of worms when I couldn't explain he was a werewolf and we were mates.

Yeah, that would send me right back to psychiatric.

Rykan's surprise for me was a room for myself. A room that proved how much he'd been listening to me when he asked all those questions. I'd complained to him that I didn't have my own space with Evan so he made sure I did have one with him. He filled it with books, my favorites plus more, as well as a pool table, a desk, tons and tons of plants, a mix of my old ones and some new ones I'd told him I wanted.

To say I already loved being in the same house as him was an understatement.

After spending a ridiculous amount of time getting to know my new plants, I skipped down the hallway and stairs to get something to drink. I paused when I reached the kitchen, seeing someone I hadn't met yet, leaning against the counter with an apple in his hand. He had dirty blonde hair and honey eyes and was also shirtless and built like apparently everyone in this pack was.

Damn, did anyone in this pack own a damn shirt?

"Hi Luna," he greeted "I'm Patrick, the Gamma."

"Oh." That's right. I remembered Rykan mentioning him. "Hi, I'm Kora."

"I know," he said, the corner of his mouth turning up in a half-smile. "Need something?"

"I was just going to get some water," I shrugged.

He nodded and turned, grabbing a glass from the cupboard and filling it from a water cooler while I walked over.

"Thanks," I said. What was it with this pack and their need to do everything for me? He offered the glass and I smiled as I took it. "How come you're not running?"

"I was on a run earlier," he shrugged. "And Alpha wants at least one person in the house in case you need anything."

"You guys don't have to wait on me, you know," I said. "It's kinda weird."

"Sorry," he chuckled. "We're just happy to have you. Having both pack leaders is a big deal to us. We just want you to feel at home."

"At home I don't have people waiting on me," I pointed out.

"Fair enough," he said, snatching the glass. "Pretend I didn't get this for you."

"Oh my God, one of you finally has a sense of humor," I said, raising my eyebrows.

That made him laugh and he handed the glass back to me. "I take it you've probably only met Luke, then."

"So far," I nodded. "And Elizabeth."