Forever Mine

TWENTY

Isaac was sitting in his office chair with his leg jiggling nervously while Tobias stood next to him. Now showered and in dry clothes he was waiting for Roxy to meet him, although nothing could wash away the feeling of her hands against his skin. Like the tattoo on the back of his neck, her touch was branded onto him. He dared himself to wonder what could've happened if he'd caved into his desire; how her lips would feel moving against his, the taste of sweet rain on both their tongues, her wet hair knotting around his fingers. Isaac was no longer sure what was more dangerous. Driving himself crazy by denying himself to even daydream those things or playing with fire by allowing his mind to think of all types of situations and wishing more than anything it could be real – especially when most of those situations didn't involve clothes for the both of them.

Isaac managed to put a blockade on those thoughts and moved them to the impending meeting with Roxy. Raking his fingers through his wet hair, he leant back in his chair to look to the ceiling. It was rare he worried about others' emotions and it wasn't often he struggled with having to break devastating news. But this was Roxy. How did he even begin to tell her that his worst fears had been confirmed? And how did he reveal the source of the information without betraying the man's biggest condition – to keep his true identity a secret.

Then there was the moment they'd just shared in the rain minutes ago to rub grains of salt into it all.

What a shit show. His eyes found the photo frame on his desk, a wash of shame pouring over him as he looked longingly into the smiling faces of his parents. It was taken on the front veranda of the house, the very same wicker chair Roxy had glared at him from in the background. They were younger in the photo. His father was leaning against one of the posts, a strong arm draped around his beaming soulmate's shoulders. Isaac discreetly moved the frame so it was no longer facing him.

'So are you together now?' Tobias' voice broke into Isaac's thoughts, his eyes wide with curiosity.

Isaac gave a short growl. 'No.'

'You can't keep messing with her head like this,' said Tobias lowly.

Isaac glared at him. 'You can give me soulmate advice when you stop sneaking around with your own.'

Tobias' jaw clenched and if he dared to say a smart remark, it was halted in its tracks by Roxy approaching the hallway. Before the door had even opened Isaac could sense Roxy, the smell of vanilla and berries putting both him and his wolf to attention. Her footsteps were nervous and soft, coming to stop on the other side of the door before a gentle knock rapped.

'Come in!'

Isaac swallowed past his desire and hushed his purring wolf when she poked her head through the ajar door before stepping in fully. Her washed hair sat against her shoulders exposed by the camisole she wore with a pair of cut off shorts. Roxy hovered by the door, drawing her bare feet around the carpet with eyes downcast. It was a stark contrast to the confident and determined soulmate he'd had in the rain moments ago.

'You said you needed to tell me something?' Roxy's lifted to dart between him and Tobias.

Isaac cleared his throat, the heaviness of the situation quickly descending on the room. 'Uh, yeah. You might want to sit down.'

Next to him, Tobias went rigid.

After a rough swallow he forced his eyes to look into hers. 'Remember how I was always afraid of the rogues who attacked your pack were after you?'

Roxy's breath hitched and she looked to Tobias. 'Something's wrong, isn't it? That's why you were talking about the rogues so much during training yesterday!'

Isaac drummed his fingers against the desk. 'Tobias knows he shouldn't have said those things about the rogues, let alone allowed you to train with the pack without my consent.'