"Dad's gone," my cousin's voice was barely above a whisper. "You must come home for the Evaluations," she uttered and the phone line went dead.
*****
After Keri's Uncle - the Alpha of the Silver Bullets pack - loses his battle with cancer, the young...
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Love, CatMint5
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I turned the key and the engine died out. My mate's soft breaths were the only sound coming from him, his shoulders going up and down in a steady rhythm with each inhale and exhale. All of the anxiety around Lisa and my new nephew - Ollie, had tired him to a point where sleep had claimed Riley almost as soon as Riley had claimed the passenger seat of our car. I was tempted to let him rest and watch his peaceful face just a little longer, but it was much better that I took him home and into our bed before his muscles stiffened and bones cracked due to the uncomfortable position he was in.
I placed my hand over his shoulder, half-covered by my leather jacket, and lightly squeezed.
"Riley," I whispered. The boy made no reply, his breathing pattern remained undisturbed.
"Riley." This time I lightly shook him. A crease formed over his smooth forehead, under his brown locks, but still his eyes remained closed.
I unbuckled my seatbelt and leaned towards him, placing a soft kiss on his neck before murmuring in his ear.
"Wake up, my mate."
This time Riley stirred, my jacket sliding down to his lap as he straightened in the seat and rubbed at his eyes in an attempt to chase the sleep away.
"We are home," he noted in between two long yawns. He blinked slowly, his gaze eventually gaining more focus, although his lids kept lower than usual. "We should get Luna from Kelly's," he added as he removed his seatbelt and pushed the car door open. I swirled around and got out as well.
"It's late and Kelly and Steve might be asleep; we'll get Luna in the morning." I locked the vehicle and pushed the car key in my back pocked, my fingers gliding over something smooth and round.
Riley's ring.
I'd been in such a hurry after my brother's call that I'd simply shoved it in my pocket and darted towards my car. I had never forgotten about it though.
Throughout the long and stressful wait at the hospital, it had been in the back of my mind and I had checked to make sure it had not fallen out on several occasions. Whether I'd been discreet or whether everyone was too worried about Lisa to notice me, I wasn't sure, but no one had caught me doing so.
