Chapter 13 - My Wolfblood Girl

Rhydian's perspective….

Rhydian finished up making the arrangements with Mr. and Mrs. Blake. He'd get Maddy's parents to help him pick up the furniture and transfer it to the new rental tomorrow. Satisfied with a chore taken care of more painlessly than he'd expected, Rhydian began walking down Main Street looking for any sign of Maddy. As he walked the weather turned sour, the wind rocketed up to whipping speed, and the clouds overhead darkened as if some giant were pouring black ink into them.

Rhydian found the urge to surrender to his wolf, to meet Mother Nature with instinct.

No time to go frolicking now. There'll be time enough for that when I find Maddy he thought hopefully. It wasn't hard to follow her scent trail, not at first—but as the skies opened up and rain pummeled every centimeter of cobblestone it quickly became another story. He was relieved when he saw a soaked Maddy streaking down the hill, running almost too fast to be human.

He turned just in time to prepare for impact as she catapulted into him, her arms wrapping him up tighter than a bow around a present.

"Mads." He put a hand on the back of her head, caressing her wet hair affectionately as he brushed his lips across her brow. "Did you find Jared and the others?"

"No." Her voice sounded strained. Odd.

He drew back. "What's wrong?" Were those tears in her eyes? Between all the raindrops dripping down Maddy's beautiful face it was impossible to tell. He cupped her cheeks. "Mads, tell me, what is it?"

She blinked and seemed to gather up some hidden reserve of strength. "I'm too exhausted to talk right now. Come on. Take me home."

Rhydian was tempted to say something, but when a flash of lightning lit up the world and blinded him, he decided a better opportunity would come along.

"OK, let's go on then." The young wolfbloods huddled together, buffeted by rain and wind as they made their way through town. Then, once they were out of sight in the woods, they dashed like wolfbloods pursued, seamlessly knifing between the trees. Suddenly there they were, huffing yet exhilarated from the run, standing at the foot of the Smiths' driveway.

Rhydian glanced at Maddy, saw that her color was better and she seemed less distraught. But he couldn't put that tortured expression he'd seen for a split millisecond out of his mind. Something major had happened. He wasn't stupid.

Maddy practically shoved him through the door and quickly flung off her wet t-shirt, leaping up the stairs three or four at a time.

"Come on, Rhydian!" Rhydian followed, a little confused as he walked into Maddy's bedroom. Maddy had already flung her pants off and was just pulling up her pajama shorts when he walked in. He stopped, his wolf only too aware of her. Maddy's slim figure shifted but she didn't turn toward him. Her intoxicating scent surrounded him, and the fact that he could see that she was wearing only her bra above the waist didn't help.

He didn't move, waited to take his cue from her. When she looked so vulnerable he felt the instinct to be extra careful, like she was a priceless jewel he had to protect.

"Rhydian, you know how you said I need to be more honest with you and you need to trust me more?"

"Yes."

"Well I'm going to need to put that to the test twice in one day." She slid under the comforter and sheets of her bed, shivering. "Come here and warm me up. Just hold me, OK?"

The wolfblood boy took off his wet jacket, standing uncertainly for a few seconds.

"Mads, I know your parents aren't home yet. What will they think if they find us—?"

"Honestly I don't really care right now." Maddy's voice sounded so tired, as if her very spirit had been sucked dry and needed replenishing. "Just take off the wet clothes and come hold me."

Rhydian gingerly did as she asked, sliding into the bed beside her. Immediately the wolfblood boy felt the girl relax as he cradled her with his body. With their current state of semi-undress he was self-conscious at first, but it quickly became very clear that Maddy was every bit as exhausted as she'd said.

There was just this simple, beautiful calm with the rain pattering in the background like an endless stream of comforting whispers. Time locked in stasis as he slipped his arm around Maddy's abdomen, holding her tightly and listening to the even sound of her breathing, the precious sound of her steady heartbeat. His wolf could sense everything about her, drinking in her aura, her scent, every shift she made as her lungs drew breath.

My wolfblood girl. I've got you, Mads. Whatever it is that's wrong, we can get through this. Together.

Within minutes Maddy had stopped shivering. He risked a peek over to look at her delicate face. The serenity of sleep had her completely relaxed in his arms now. Even though he was wide awake, he didn't dare move.

He wasn't sure how long they lay together like that, cozy, warm, and safe as the thunder rumbled and the lightning flashed shadows on Maddy's bedroom walls. However long it was, it wasn't long enough for Rhydian's satisfaction. Not when he heard Maddy's parents unlocking the front door.

The wolfblood boy moved fast but at the same time he was determined not to wake her—no easy balance to achieve.

He had managed to pull up and secure his still-soaked jeans, grab his dripping-wet jacket, and close the bedroom door behind him only to find Daniel and Emma standing right in front of him like a rude surprise.

"Hello Rhydian. Is Maddy in there?"

Bollox.

"Please, she's asleep," Rhydian whispered. "We got caught out in the storm, soaked to the bone. I only warmed her up, that's absolutely all I did. I swear on my life." He cringed, waiting for the accusations, the damning assumptions, the outrage.

Instead he felt Daniel's hand clamp him on the shoulder a little harder than necessary but saw only rueful kindness in Daniel's eyes.

"That's a good chap. We believe you, don't we Emma?"

Maddy's mum stifled a snort. "If we didn't, you'd already be out on your ear. Come on downstairs," she said gently, turning and moving toward the stairs. "I'll make you some hot chocolate. Let's see if we can find you a dry towel or three while we're at it. Your head's still soaked enough to catch a cold. Down you come."

Rhydian let out a huge sigh of relief. Well that could have gone more poorly than it did. At least that's something. He still had to find out what had hit Maddy like a ton of bricks. But her words stayed in his head like stubborn creatures.

"I'm going to need to put that to the test twice in one day."

What had she meant by that? Curiosity gnawed at Rhydian like a ravenous rat. He sighed as he sat at the kitchen table, gratefully distracted by the steaming cup of hot chocolate Emma handed him.

"So, how did the furniture shopping go?" Emma pulled up a chair across from him, engaging Rhydian like any inquisitive adult, and it actually put him at ease, provided a welcome distraction as they spoke. The thunder rumbled, more distant now. As terrible as the storm was, it couldn't last. Rhydian hoped that the same could be said for whatever was tormenting Maddy. All he could do for now was…just hope.

Later that evening….

Rhydian lay on the couch, dreamless in sleep. Tonight was his last night staying with the Smiths. On Tuesday Emma, Daniel, and Maddy were supposed to help him move into the rental on Aviary Avenue. He woke up in the middle of the night though, not sure why. He just lay there, listening to the silence. Of course absolute silence didn't exist. Sound seeped in everywhere at the edges. The ticking of the clock in the kitchen, the drip, drip, drip of what was left of the storm.

He heard light footsteps descend the stairs. Maddy walked into the moonlit living room. Her feet were bare but at least she had on a sleep shirt to match her pajama shorts.

She stopped, looking uncertain and vulnerable, just standing at the foot of the couch as he sat up.

"Hey. I'm glad you're awake," Maddy whispered. Her hair was adorably disheveled from her epic-long nap.

Rhydian smirked. "Your hair looks awesome. Wanna sit?" She sat beside him as he made room for her, fake-punching him in the shoulder.

"So….?" He didn't say anything else, but he didn't really need to either.

She looked up at him shyly. "What?"

Ahhh. So she's not quite ready to dig in. She wants a little more flirty small talk. All right, I can handle that.

He put an arm around her shoulders, gave her a squeeze. "So, that was some nap earlier. I don't think I've ever seen you that cold and tired at the same time."

Maddy's eyes grew distant, and for a second she might as well have been on another continent. Then she was back, his wolfblood girl looking up at him with something in her eyes. Was that gratitude?

"Thanks for being you," Maddy said, resting her head on his shoulder. Her hand gently rubbed his leg in this way that went beyond distracting to almost purr-inducing.

"You're welcome?" Rhydian said. "So…you want to tell me what that was all about earlier?"

"Yep, but then I'd have to kill you." Her eyes held a hint of humor that encouraged him more than words could.

"Seriously, Mads."

Maddy abruptly got up. She walked in a circle, glancing out the living room bay windows at the glittering night sky, her feet tracing the square patch where the moonlight hit the carpeting.

"You remember that time when I was being all 'Maddy Cool' shortly after my first changing?"

Rhydian chuckled. "Yeah Mads, I do. Little miss hair extensions and attitude? Not your finest hour."

Maddy grinned, blushing a little. "You were so patient with me even though I was being a jerk to literally everyone."

Rhydian nodded, curious where she was going with this….

Maddy sat at his feet, folded her arms across his lap and rested her head on her arms. She looked up at him, seated below him in that strange position. Her eyes looked sad and hopeful at the same time.

"Well, I'm going to ask that you be like that with me now, OK? Something happened today. I have a decision to make and it's not an easy one. I want you to give me some space and time to think about what I'm going to do. That's what I need from you right now, Rhydian. You said I needed to be more honest with you. This is me being honest with you."

Rhydian sighed. "And let me guess, if I ask you to share anything more about whatever's bothering you, I'll be violating the 'trust Maddy more' part of our new agreement."

Maddy's impish smile had exactly written all over it. Rhydian looked to the heavens and released his heaviest sigh. "I was afraid of that." His eyes narrowed. "Promise me something though."

Maddy sat up straight, looking contrite. "Anything."

"Promise me you won't be a complete jerk to everyone again? I don't think my patience ever fully recovered from 'Lady Gaga' Maddy. I'm not sure I'm emotionally prepared to encounter her again." He was laughing softly as she reached over, grabbed a pillow and began swatting him over the head with it. He shielded his face with his arms until she grew tired of the one-way pillow fight.

He was just lowering his arms and opening his eyes when Maddy straddled him, her forehead pressed to his.

"Promise me something too," she breathed.

"Anything."

"Promise me you'll be there for me when I need you." Her eyes ensnared his, her breath tickling his face as she lowered her lips to his. Their kiss began slow, soft and sensual…yet soon enough it took on a life of its own. Rhydian sensed a strange desperation in Maddy, as if she wasn't sure this was a promise he could keep. It bothered him even as her presence and the response she awakened in his wolf distracted him unbearably.

What are you hiding, Maddy? What happened that's made you so upset? So he couldn't ask her directly? Fine. That didn't mean he had to sit on his hands though. I'll find out your secret, Mads. Trust was well and good, but Rhydian couldn't handle the feeling of helplessness that tore at his heart. The idea that Maddy was in distress and that he couldn't help alleviate that—that was not something he could accept.

Later, as Maddy lay cuddled between Rhydian's warmth and the back of the couch, with him dangling precariously over the edge, he softly stroked her silky hair and watched her sleep.

Hmmm. If I'm going to discover Maddy's secret, I'm going to need to be subtle or…. What he really needed were accomplices, and that gave him an even better idea. Matching the curve of the now hidden moon, a ghost of a smile played across the wolfblood's face.