Page 65 of Fallout

The thought doesn’t send panic through me. Instead, I feel… at ease.

Parker’s lips turn up in the corners. “You’re not freaking out.”

I shake my head.

“Does that mean you’re open to the idea?”

I shoot him a look. “You know you have to get my dad’s permission, right?”

He raises an eyebrow in surprise. “It’s wolf custom, yes. But you always tend to think more like a human, and I thought that asking for a father’s blessing was outdated.”

I shrug. “Maybe, but I’m not a human. And even if I were a human, I’d still want you to ask for my dad’s permission.”

“I’ve already asked him,” Parker admits.

“Really?” My eyes widen. “What did he say?”

He just grins, saying nothing.

It’s probably best I not know just yet. It’s between Parker and my dad, at least for now. I want it to be a surprise.

I sit up straighter. “Since I can feel your emotions, how are you going to hide it from me when you do decide to ask? Won’t I be able to feel it through your emotions?”

“I’ll find a way,” he says. “If we were older, we’d already be married.”

Though it’s nice to have met Parker at eighteen, there are some serious downsides to having met him this young.

“Everything will work out the way it’s supposed to.” I lean closer to him. Parker slips his arm around me and I rest my head on his chest. My entire body relaxes as I feel contentment from him.

I get now why Parker wouldn’t date until he met his soulmate. Because this is worth waiting for. It was worth every moment of pain and loneliness that I felt until the bond revealed itself.

15

Teach me to fight.

Henley

Parker, once again, is out doing his alpha duties. Blaine and Will are both on babysitting duty today. Since we got back from visiting with the dragon shifters, Parker’s gotten even more paranoid about my needing protection. One guard simply isn’t enough in his eyes. Which has me wondering… am I safe? Is there a reason that Parker is so worried? Maybe it’s not just because he’s my soulmate, but something deeper.

I finish my schoolwork before Will and Blaine even head to the kitchen for their second breakfast. As it turns out, doing school at home is a lot faster than being in a classroom. I try to read a book to get my mind off of my stress, but it does little to help.

“Will you guys teach me how to fight?” I worry my bottom lip between my teeth as I study Will and Blaine, wondering what their reactions will be.

Will jerks his head toward me. “You want to learn how to fight?”

I nod.

“Why?” Blaine narrows his eyes and I can see the refusal on the tip of his tongue.

I shut my book, slipping it onto the coffee table. If I’m going to get them to agree, I need a good reason. “Well, that phoenix is after me. What if he manages to capture me?”

“Do you really think me, Blaine, or Parker would let that happen?” Will crosses his arms over his chest.

Of course Will would make this about him and not me. But this is about me. All of this is. Even if I am surrounded by the pack, it would be nice to know a little something about self defense.

I tuck a strand of hair behind my ear. “No, I know you guys will protect me. But it would still be nice to know how to defend myself.”

Will and Blaine share a look.