Chapter 54
36 – Kennedy
As much as I want it, nothing else happens between Alpha Ryker and I again. In fact, I only caught glimpses of him coming and going from the pack house during the week and I didn’t see him at all the last two days we had before heading back to Silver Crescent. I know he’s busy running a combined set of packs with probably thousands of pack members, but his room is right next door to mine and I can smell his cologne in the hallway and even on the balcony, so I know he’s still here. He’s just out of reach.
Realistically we should have come across each other at least once or twice, but I feel like he’s avoiding me. And then I want to smack myself, because why should I even care? I have never wanted a second round with any of the guys I have been with. I even kept Ben at a distance, even though I’ve been with him a few times. I don’t know why this is different, but it is. As much as he riles me up, something about him settles me, although I’ll never admit that out loud. I haven’t had a nightmare all week. I haven’t woken up screaming and terrified since we have been here. Jeremiah asked me how I was doing one morning over breakfast, since I hadn’t called for him, or any of the guys, he assumed I wasn’t being honest about it. I told him it was Greta’s fault and that I needed someone like her in our pack to train me to exhaustion everyday. Not a total lie, she’s kicking my ass. He left it at that, but I know he and Rayna are watching me more closely too.
All my thoughts of Ryker went out the window when I got to play with the pups again the third day we were here. This time Rayna, my guys, Bennet and Danny joined in too. The game was so much more fun with all of us. It seems like Todd and the boys learned their lesson, because Emily was schooling all of us. I think she actually got better in just the time that we have been here. These big guys are really good with the kids. They would challenge and taunt the teenagers, while letting the littles walk all over them. Rayna showed me around the pack hospital where she would help out, everyone seems to love her here. They are really going to miss her.
I also got to wander around the pack this week, I was never alone though after they ‘lost’ me the first day and Jer’s suspicions of my lack of need for him get bigger every day. Ben and Bennet seem to think that I needed a dual escort everywhere. I tried really hard to not let that offend me. I am a guest and really shouldn’t be left on my own, but I know that neither would do the same if I had a wolf.
Even though someone was with me pretty much all of the time, every now and then I would feel the hairs on the back of my neck stand up, like I could feel eyes on me. Someone was watching me, following me. I could feel it, but anytime I looked around, there wasn’t anything unusual to see. These guys were making me paranoid and the twitchy feeling is pissing me off.
Bennet’s a great host and guide, he seems to know everyone. I found probably my favorite ice cream shop, which I made them go back to every day since I was introduced to the handmade goodness. I have never had desserts like cookies and ice cream that made me want to cry because it was so delicious.
There was a tiny shop that had handmade jewelry, bags and other small knick knacks. The owner was quirky in a hippie sort of way and made me laugh with all the stories about how she came up with her ideas and designs, many of them x- rated, much to Ben and Bennet’s embarrassment. She became my second favorite person here, next to Emily.