Page 36 of Fallout

I lean into him again, hoping to distract him. “I missed you.”

He embraces me tightly. “I missed you too. I’m sorry that I couldn’t be here. I wanted to be.”

“I know.” I pull back, looking into Parker’s blue, blue eyes. My heart skips a beat and Parker smirks. “That’s so unfair. I don’t have your shifter hearing,” I complain.

The smirk falls off his face as he watches me. “I will talk to Will.”

I shake my head. “Don’t, please. He and I will work through this and figure it out. I don’t want you to force him to be nice to me.”

Besides that, I feel guilty enough about things as it is. I invaded Will’s private thoughts when I read his mind. Even if I didn’t mean to, it was wrong of me.

Parker looks at me with his blue eyes, like he’s trying to gauge if he should listen to my request or not.

“Fine,” he concedes.

I grin. “Thank you.”

She has no idea how beautiful she is.

“What?” I furrow my brows, confused.

“I didn’t say anything,” Parker says, giving me a look. “Are you okay?”

I nod, turning away from him.

Did I just read Parker’s thoughts? I’ve really got to learn how to control that. I didn’t mean to. Until I do, I just won’t hold anything I hear against him since it isn’t his fault.

“Do you want to go to my house for dinner tonight?” Parker asks. “Technically, I’m not supposed to be here without a chaperone.”

“Sure.” I grab my sweater and slip it on. “Do you think I could use my wings tonight? It’s been a while and I’m feeling a little itchy.”

Parker rubs a hand at the back of his neck. “I don’t see how we can keep you from it, but we’re going to have to figure out a plan to keep you safe. It’s not like I can protect you when you’re in the sky.”

“It’ll be fine,” I assure him.

He doesn’t look convinced.

Parker puts his hand on the small of my back as he leads me to his Jeep. The entire way there, I wonder if I’m right to keep the truth about Will from Parker. But Blaine is right… if Parker knew, he would hate Will.

No, keeping quiet is definitely the best choice.

8

The full moon.

Henley

Tonight is the first full moon since I found out that Parker is my mate.

Everybody in the pack is going out for a run. Even though wolf shifters don’t have to shift on the full moon, apparently it’s exhilarating to do. They always make a big deal out of it and use it for pack bonding.

I have never felt less like part of the pack than I do right now. Everybody is excited, even my dad. Meanwhile, I’m going to be stuck in the house, not able to go with the pack.

I’m not a shifter. Whatever I can do with my wings isn’t shifting. My wings are always with me, they just come and go as I will them to. From what I understand, a shifter’s magic is completely different than mine.

Maybe Will was right when he told me I don’t belong. Even if I am Parker’s soulmate, how am I going to fit in with the pack when I can’t even participate in runs on the full moon?

Parker, sensing my bad mood, attempts to cheer me up.