Rebecca’s Wolves(62)

She lifted her gaze. “Because everyone I know is mated to wolf shifters. It’s the latest rage,” she joked.

“You left out the phantom black shadow that’s out to get us.” He kissed her nose as he teased her again.

“Right. That too. Hell, that’s so out there I can’t even process it.”

“Baby, even I can’t process it. I’m not sure Miles has his head wrapped around it, either.”

“So, what do we do now?”

“We go for that run.” He hugged her tight.

•●•

The idea of the run went off without a hitch. Neither Rebecca nor Griffen had any problem getting changed and putting on running shoes.

However, the second they left the house to start jogging, the shit hit the fan.

Rebecca tipped her head to the previously blue sky and stared at the ominous clouds that had gathered in the last forty seconds. “You have got to be fucking kidding me?” She blew out a breath as she stretched her legs while the first few drops hit her face.

She was so not going to be daunted by a little rain. Let the fucking clouds open up. She didn’t care. A little water wouldn’t hurt her. She was determined.

As she started to jog, Griffen muttered behind her, “Guess we’re running in the rain.”

She smiled. “Wuss,” she shot over her shoulder.

His eyebrows went up, but he simply shook his head and caught up with her.

Was a little storm enough for nature to toss at her? Hell no. Not the new Rebecca Larson. Not the woman who’d had her entire life together just one week ago. Fuck no. This new Rebecca took her punches to the face and then asked for more.

Goddamn hail fell. She shrieked when less than a mile into her run they had to duck under an awning to avoid getting pummeled.

The temperature dropped too. So by the time the hail passed, she was huddled up with Griffen, her teeth chattering, her muscles stiff.

And then it rained harder.

Now she was pissed. Soaked. Cold. And pissed. “Son of a bitch,” she screamed. “I cannot catch a break.” She stomped her foot as she paced under the tiny storefront. Luckily the little shop didn’t have any patrons inside to watch her tantrum. The only person she spotted through the window was an older woman who was working the afternoon shift at the gift shop.

The woman opened the front door after a while and invited them inside.

Rebecca shook her head. “Thanks, ma’am, but we’re soaked, and I don’t want to trail water all over your store.”

The woman frowned at her. “Okay. Well, if you change your mind.” She let the door close and wandered back to the cash register.

“Baby, I don’t think this is going to happen today,” Griffen hedged.

She glanced at him to see him wince. “It is going to fucking happen. It is.”

“Okay.” He was smart enough not to press her further.

Thank God.

Because her mini-tantrum was about to explode into an all-out rage, the likes of which Griffen had not been subjected to before.

Hell, she hadn’t had such a fit since she was five years old, but she could feel it coming on. There may not have been a dark shadowy presence in front of her to mark the occasion, but it sure as hell felt like it. The cold and annoyance pressed in on her chest until she wanted to scream.

And then she had an idea. The gym. She could at least get on a treadmill. Three hours on a treadmill wasn’t her idea of fun, but it was better than nothing.

“We’re going to the gym,” she shouted over the now pouring rain. She spun on her heel and jogged out onto the sidewalk, not one bit concerned about how wet she was. She was soaked. At this point, who cared?

Downtown Cambridge wasn’t very big, and there were only two gyms. She belonged to the one closer to her apartment.

Griffen followed about one step behind her and to the right. She didn’t blame him. She wouldn’t want to face her wrath at that moment, either.

Six blocks one way and four blocks another and she reached for the handle to the gym door.

It was locked. Her wet hand slipped through the cold metal handle with a snap, making her fingers sting. She narrowed her gaze and then lowered it when she saw the sign taped to the inside of the glass door.

WE ARE WITHOUT POWER. SORRY FOR THE INCONVENIENCE. WE WILL REOPEN WHEN THE ELECTRICITY COMES BACK ON.

“You have got to be fucking kidding me.” She screamed louder.

And then stomped away from the gym, not bothering to keep up the pretext of jogging as she made her way back to Griffen’s apartment.

He didn’t say a word. When they reached his front door, he pulled the key from the pocket inside his shorts and opened the door.

The second they were inside, she screamed again. She turned around, flattened her hands on the door as it shut behind her, and smacked it so hard her palms hurt.