Chapter Forty-Four
Corey
Corey woke from her long nap, stretched, and rubbed her eyes. She’d slept like the dead. One of those crazy deep sleeps that you can’t wake up from even if you try. She threw her legs over the side of the bed and got up to go check on Riley. She hoped he was still here so she could talk to him about everything that had happened this weekend and see where his head was at.
When she walked out of her bedroom, though, she tripped over a massive rust-colored dog. She caught herself on the doorjamb. The dog was sleeping against her door and woke up when she unknowingly kicked it. She looked from the empty couch to the dog and back again. “Riley?”
In response, the dog sat up and nudged her hand. Guess it was actually more of a wolf than a dog. “Riley, why did you shift? And why are you sleeping against my door?”
She didn’t know if it was because kicking a wolf had woken her up completely or because she was upright instead of lying down, but she was suddenly aware of how sore she was. Her face ached where Bull had slapped her and her leg throbbed from her gash. She felt sick too. Just thinking that man’s name made her want to puke.
All she wanted to do was to eat some watermelon and then go back to sleep until Dom got home. “Riley, look, buddy, I’m not sure why you are a wolf instead of a human right now. But I don’t care. If being a wolf makes you feel better and helps you heal, then be my guest. I’m going to go get a snack and then get back in bed.” She headed toward the kitchen and glanced down when she felt Riley’s soft fur against her leg. “You thirsty?” She sat out a bowl of fresh water and cut up watermelon into cubes and put them in a bowl.
Corey sat and watched Riley lap up the water for a few minutes. Man, this was so freaking weird. Then she headed back to her bedroom. She looked back at the door when she heard a whine. “Really? Begging at the door? Fine. Come on. But you cannot get on the bed. That has to be inappropriate, right?”
Wolf Riley stayed in her doorway, whined, and turned back toward the living room. “Ugh. Fine. I swear you shifters are all bossy buttheads.” She gathered up her comforter, her pillows, her phone, and the watermelon and climbed onto the couch.
Wolf Riley jumped up next to her and curled in a little wolf ball. They watched crappy reality TV until they both fell back asleep. Corey woke up when she heard Dom’s truck door close.
She looked down. Riley was still a wolf and he was still asleep. But he had rotated around so that his head was resting on her stomach. When she tried to move him, he growled in his sleep. “Riley, get off me. Dom is home and he’s not going to like you sleeping on me like this. Wolf or not, it’s going to set him off.” That woke him up. He lifted his head and stared at her, then glanced back to her belly. When he heard Dom come up the porch steps, he hopped down to the floor and lay at her feet.
“Hey, honey, I’m home and I have some terrible news for—” Dom trailed off when he saw Riley at his mate’s feet. “Why is Riley in wolf form?”
“How am I supposed to know? I don’t speak werewolf. But he’s been like this all afternoon. And he’s also being pretty damn bossy about it if you want to know the truth.” In response Riley lifted his head to look at her and huffed. “Huff all you want, kiddo. Or better yet how about you go to the bathroom and shift back?”
Riley turned and looked at Dom, as if asking if he had to. “You heard her, go shift and tell us what’s going on.”
When Riley left the room, Corey whispered, “What’s up with that? Why did he want to be a wolf all day? Does that help the healing? Oh, or maybe he doesn’t want to talk about last night. Maybe he isn’t ready for my awesome therapy sessions.”
“Usually we only stay in wolf form when we are outside, running and hunting for fun. Being in wolf form in the house is too confining. I mean, unless he was really worried about you. Sometimes we do that for protection reasons. Last night must have really shaken him up. He probably isn’t ready to talk about it yet,” Dom whispered back.
A few minutes later Riley emerged fully clothed and fully human. “Okay, kiddo, what’s up? Why the wolf all day? Are you still upset about last night?” Corey shoved her blanket aside, suddenly burning up.
“No, it’s not that, it’s, uh, I…” His eyes darted from Dom to Corey and then back again. He took a deep breath and seemed to make his mind up. “Coach, close your eyes and clear your mind. Block everything—”
“Riley, man, I can’t do what you and Baze can. Tell us what’s bothering you.”
“Please, Coach, I know you can get this one. Please try.” Riley waited until Dom closed his eyes, then coaxed, “Block out everything except Corey. Focus all your attention, all your senses on her.”
“Oh. Wow.” Dom opened his eyes, an enormous smile taking over his face.