Your future husband Tobias: Hey, Cole. I'm very, very sorry. I swear I didn't mean to leave you hanging, but we had a minor emergency at home. I'll understand if it put you off, but I'm seriously sorry. If you don't want to see me anymore, I understand. Your Tobias.

The way he signed that text has not left me cold. It was just a detail, seriously one word, but it meant so much to me and my wolf. Your.

I'd read Tobias's message at least twenty times, and it still hadn't helped me figure out what to text back let alone what to do next.

"Everything okay?" Cobe's voice echoed in my head. "I sense unease from you." As I had said before, my brother and I were extremely close, and it just so happened that we could sense each other's emotions if they were strong enough. I hadn't even realized that my dilemma had consumed me so much.

"I'm fine," I replied out of habit. "Kinda." I really wanted to confide in him, but I knew then he would be an accomplice, and I couldn't put that kind of responsibility on his shoulders. Cobe had worked so hard to be as much of an asset to the pack as possible, he couldn't jeopardize his position for my sake.

"If something's bothering you, I'm here for you," he assured me right away. Even though he had no idea what was going on, his words were reassuring.

"Thanks, Cobe." Even though he'd only been home for a little while, I knew it would be hard to say goodbye again when he had to leave for an extended period of time. Sam may have been my best friend, but Cobe was the most important person in my life if that made sense.

Perhaps the second most important...

For the twenty-first time, I read the same message as if it were about to suddenly change, but of course, nothing did, and my eyes eventually rested on the last two words for the longest time.

Part of me thought it would only be fair to ignore him the same way he ignored me, but I knew it was childish, especially when he wrote that he was having problems at home. On the other hand, I still couldn't shake the idea that his problems at home were related to the hunters' attack on our pack.

With a sigh, I put the phone down on the bedside table and decided it was about time to get my mind off things.

"Anyone up for a run?" I sent my thoughts to my mindlink, and instead of waiting for a reply, I automatically walked out of the house and headed for the woods.

I didn't have to worry that others wouldn't find me if they wanted to join, as they were able to sniff me out easily.

I stopped at my usual spot from where I often headed out into the woods and decided to wait a while to see if anyone would show up. And I didn't have to wait long, as more people showed up than I expected.

"You asked the wolves if they wanted to go running. I don't know what you were expecting." Sam immediately noticed my surprised expression and decided to comment on it.

Even though I rejoined the pack a long time ago, I still managed to forget what a community we had built here. I was used to running alone in the city, and suddenly having five other people in front of me wanting to join was something that automatically grabbed me by the heart.

Sam, Cobe, Rhea, Reuben, and Sophia.

Reuben was Rhea's brother and, if I'm not mistaken, had recently celebrated his seventeenth birthday. He and his sister looked incredibly similar, and although there was an age difference between them, anyone who saw them for the first time automatically assumed they were twins. However, that was only valid about their appearance. While Rhea was dangerous to look at, Reuben constantly had a welcoming smile on his face.

Sophia was Reuben's best friend, and the two of them did practically everything together. Honestly, we were all waiting to see if they'd find out they were mates at eighteen since they were a great match, and judging by the looks they gave each other when the other wasn't looking, they thought so too.

"Less talking, more running," Rhea decided, and following her words, she shifted right away. Everyone, including me, immediately followed her example and together we ran towards the forest.

"To the ruins?" Sophia asked, her she-wolf staying close to Reuben's.

"Hell yeah," Sam agreed immediately. We didn't often approach the ruins unless we were in a larger group. It wasn't exactly a stable place, but there was no denying that it was beautiful, nonetheless.

The run quickly turned into a race, and full of energy, I was determined not to be beaten. My wolf was smaller than Sam's and Rhea's, so he was a little faster, mainly because I was better able to avoid obstacles in the road. Reuben and Sophia also had smaller wolves, but they in turn had a disadvantage over me since they didn't undergo intense training.

Rhea, however, had the most competitive spirit, which quickly became apparent when she was only a fraction behind Sam and me.

"I hope you like my tail, you idiots. Because it'll be the only thing you'll see," Rhea's mocking voice echoed in my head.

Suddenly my competitive streak was awakened in me, and it only took one look at the wolf next to me to see that he was up to the same thing. In a second, I picked up my pace, feeling the mud bounce off my paws, and focused solely on my surroundings.

"You wish." Sam obviously wasn't going to let me win, especially when he was training so hard all the time. Neither Rhea nor I answered him, too engrossed in the race, and Sam didn't add anything more after that either.

I ran faster and faster until I became one with nature. The wind ruffled my fur, my eyes squinted to better see what was in front of me, and my ears picked up every rustle of the forest.

I gave it everything I had, but in the end, I still saw a grey blur flash beside me. Sam was first, expectantly, and I caught up with him soon after. Rhea appeared just after me, and eventually, we waited for Reuben and Sophia.

"That was fun," Sophia summed up, even though she wasn't really involved in the race.

"Speak for yourself. Next time you won't get lucky," Rhea spoke up, obviously not liking losing.

"Whatever helps you sleep at night,” Sam replied to her.

Instead of answering, Rhea's she-wolf brushed against his wolf in a provocative gesture and moved closer to the ruins, pretending to have lost interest in him.

Ignoring Rhea's teasing, Sam rolled his eyes, something you don't often see in a wolf, and fell into step beside me.

"Let's check out the view," Sophia said, and we all jumped on board. The view was the best thing about this place, as you could see the whole city from here. Even the wolves, who had no interest in exploring the human city, sometimes came here to look at it out of curiosity.

Of course, being me, my eyes immediately went to the lake where Tobias and I had met before, and my gaze followed a trail all the way to the café where we ended up afterward. Nothing seemed to be able to distract my thoughts from him.

If I were in human form, I would sigh.

"Are you all right?" Sam rubbed against me briefly in a gesture of support, something wolves often did to show they cared for each other.

"I was just distracted for a moment," I answered him as honestly as I could. I'd lied to him before, and it seemed that my lies were there whether I had Tobias in my life or not. And not only that. Without Tobias, there was a desperation in my life that everyone could see.

At the end of the day, when I was alone with my thoughts again, it was more pronounced than before. It was the third day without my mate, and my wolf made me feel it.

In the end, I had no choice but to give him a chance, even though I still had no idea if he was a threat to my pack. It was a selfish decision, but I couldn't have cared less.

Colby: I guess I can forgive you. My baby still needs a daddy

Although his message was written in a serious tone, I had had enough rationality for three days and decided to be playful.

Even though I thought that I would have to wait a while for a reply, I was wrong. His nickname popped up on my phone in an instant, almost as if he hadn't even read what I'd written and just replied at random.

Your future husband Tobias: Cole!

Your future husband Tobias: OMG

Your future husband Tobias: I thought you wouldn't text back

Your future husband Tobias: I still wanna be your daddy

I almost choked on my own saliva.

Colby: Tobias!

Your future husband Tobias: Did I make you blush?

Colby: So bold

Colby: Shame it's only through the texts

Your future husband Tobias: I can make you blush whenever I want

Colby: I don't think so

Colby: The evidence is against you

Your future husband Tobias: I don't know what you're talking about

Your future husband Tobias: I'm nothing but charming

Colby: I'm pretty sure I said looker

Tobias paused for a moment after this message, and I hated to admit that I was starting to panic slightly. However, I wasn't the only one worried.

Your future husband Tobias: Cole?

Colby: Yes?

Your future husband Tobias: Are we really okay?

I replied without hesitation.

Colby: Of course, we are

Your future husband Tobias: You're not mad?

Colby: No

Colby: I promise I'm not mad

Your future husband Tobias: Thank you

Colby: You don't have to thank me

Colby: Rather tell me if everything's all right at home

Your future husband Tobias: It is

Your future husband Tobias: You don’t have to worry

I wrote the next message without thinking. I was simply driven by instinct, or rather my wolf.

Colby: Does this mean I can see you again?

Your future husband Tobias: Tomorrow?

Colby: That would be perfect

Your future husband Tobias: It's a date