Page 67 of Wolf's Fate
How the hell was I going to get her up Shadowridge and explain all the shit if I couldn’t even say the wordalphato her?
“I’m sorry,” Willow spoke quietly. “I don’t understand.”
“It’s an alpha thing.” The knot in my gut tightened as I told her things that humans need never know. “The mountain, Shadowridge Peak, is mine.”
“Did you buy it?” she asked, not trying to hide her confusion. She wasn’t being sarcastic or a smart-ass, she was genuine.
“You think of ownership as something you bought and paid for. Something you get a receipt for,” I scoffed. “Not everything is about money.”
“Okay.” Willow moved in her seat so I could see her more clearly without having to take my eyes off the road as much. “Not everything is about money, but how do youownsomething if you don’t pay for it? Was it a gift?”
“Of sorts.” I pointed to the roof of the truck. “Luna gave it to us, technically.”
“Us?”
“Pack.” Even now, with her in the car, and only her, I still struggled to say the word. “Each pack, or group, who forms has the right to claim somewhere they feel is their home.”
“Is it one pack per mountain?” Willow sat forward, peering out of the windshield to take in the mountain range that looked closer than it was.
Her question was naive, but I reminded myself she was stillclueless about so much regarding shifters, and up until now, that had been the way I wanted it.
“Not all shifters pick the mountains for their homes. We’re fairly spread out, and still so close together.”
She settled back in her seat, her attention back on me. “You sound disappointed.”
I gave her a tight smile. “What can I say, I like my own company.”
Willow cocked her head, studying me with those intelligent eyes of hers, seeing far more than I wanted to admit. “You say that, but I don’t think it’s company you avoid.”
“And what do you think it is?” My voice was as dry as my sense of humor, given the topic.
“Memories.”
The word hung suspended between us, filling the car with a feeling of discomfort, the kind you get when something cuts too close to the bone. I tried to keep my expression neutral, unwilling to give anything away.
“Or, maybe I like the comfort that comes with solitude,” I answered, keeping my voice smooth.
Willow snorted, folding her arms across her chest. “So, what are you saying? It’s the mountain that keeps you away from everyone?” She tsked. “It would be less insulting if you remembered Iknowthat youjustwent back to it.” Willow had a shit poker face, so I could see her anger.
My jaw clenched. “I’m not insulting you. Just because I haven’t been on the mountain doesn’t mean I’m sociable.”
“The shaman says that being alone is dangerous for you.”
“The shaman told you that?” I asked her doubtfully.
“Okay, Cannon told me the shaman told him that.” Shehesitated for a moment, considering her next words carefully. “They said that without a pack, you go mad.”
“Superstition.”
“Really?” I understood why she sounded so doubtful. “The spirit guide and the alpha are superstitious?” Willow shook her head as she looked away. “You are either delusional or you’re avoiding whatever is going on with you and you’ve become an idiot.”
“I’m not avoiding anything.”
“Then why do you keep running away?”
Looking over at her, I saw the determined look in her eyes, unflinching when she saw how pissed off I was.
“Sometimes, being alone is the safer option.”