Page 36 of Broken By Her Mate
Her eyes flickered to meet his. “What I really want to do might not be possible.”
“You won’t know unless you tell me.”
Her teeth gnawed at her lower lip as she considered telling him or not. “Well… Do you remember how we used to go on runs after our late-night snacks?”
Tolliver tilted his head and nodded. “I do. I enjoyed those midnight runs.”
“I did, too.” Back then, Laila hadn’t worried about staying fit after indulging in her snacks because she’d gotten into the habit of running with Tolliver. “I haven’t let my wolf out in five years.”
His eyes bulged. “What? How…”
“How is that possible?” Laila finished with a laugh. “I know it seems crazy to you because you’d go stir-crazy if you kept yours locked away for more than a few days.”
“I probably would.”
Laila shrugged. “It hasn’t been that hard for me because…” She paused. When Tolliver broke up with her, shetook that as a rejection. Her wolf had wanted him back then, with every instinct and fiber of her being, because they were fated mates. The end of their relationship left her animal so heartbroken that she had retreated so far beneath the surface that it stayed dormant, wounded, and withdrawn. Laila hadn’t felt the urge to shift since. Her gaze darted away from Tolliver. She wasn’t ready to admit how much he’d hurt her.
“Well, I guess I’ve just gotten distracted with human things,” she said instead. “Besides, I have to hide my true nature from the humans here. It’s been so long, I’m not even sure if I can shift.”
“That isn’t possible,” Tolliver said. “You’re a full shifter. Although it’s been a while, you’re still able to.”
She shrugged. “What I want to ask is…” She glanced at him. “I know we have to be careful, but can we go out tonight for a run? I want to let her out.”
Tolliver gazed at her without a word for so long that she thought he’d refuse. Maybe the suggestion was silly… “You really want to do this?” he asked.
“Yes.”
He sighed softly. “There’s a good chance the men looking for you have no idea you’re here. I suppose we can go out for a little bit. It’s dark, and we’ll go to the outskirts of town. We’ll be super vigilant.”
Laila’s heart soared. She knew he didn’t like the idea but was willing to risk it for her. “Thank you. I’ll do everything you say. I promise.”
After a moment of silence, he nodded. “Let’s go. We’ll go to a secluded area on foot. The car will draw too much attention.”
“Okay.” Excited, Laila followed Tolliver to the back door of the shop. When they stepped into the alley, he swept her off her feet. Letting out a yelp, she instinctively wrapped her arms around his shoulders and stared at him with wide eyes. “What are you doing?” Her words came out breathier than she would have liked. The proximity to him robbed her of breath.
“There are security cameras all over town. If one of the mysterious kidnappers happens to hack into the security system looking for you, they’ll know you’re here. We have to move fast.”
“B-but I can move fast,” she breathed, staring into his eyes. Why did she want to kiss him so badly? She should be ashamed of herself for wanting him so much.
“You said your wolf hasn’t come out in five years. No offense, Thomas, but I think your skills are a little rusty.”
Her lips twisted wryly. “You’re not wrong.”
“Well then, hold on tight.”
As soon as her arms tightened around him, he took off, and the world around them blurred into a whirlwind of shadows. The dark alley disappeared in a blink. Laila’s breath hitched as Tolliver picked up speed. Cedar Ridge’s buildings and streets flashed past as Tolliver moved through the town effortlessly. His speed and strength were impressive.
The cool night air tugged her hair and caressed her skin. She feltalive.Moving that fast without her wolf's instincts engaged was a surreal experience. When they finally left the town behind, the scenery transformed from concrete and buildings to dense woods. Tolliver stopped under the covering of massive trees that the moonlight barely filtered through. It would have been nearly impossible to see if not for their acute night vision.
He set her on her feet, and she laughed as she panted from the sheer excitement. “I can’t believe you’re the one who did all the work, and I’m the one who’s breathless. That was exhilarating! I missed this.”
Tolliver smiled as he watched her. She looked up at the dark sky and grinned broadly. Seeing her happy like that made his heart flip with joy. He also felt a spark of remorse. Had Laila kept herself locked away, refusing to access her shifter abilities for so long because of him? He wanted to ask but didn’t want to bring up anything too heavy. She seemed so content.
When she beamed at him, he decided to keep his mouth shut.
“You’re much faster than I remember,” she gushed. “Stronger, too.”
He shrugged. “That happens when you exercise your abilities often. I’m glad you had fun,” he said. “Now it’s your turn to run. What are you waiting for? Shift.”