I wake with a pounding migraine and a throbbing ankle, my heart heavy with last night's welcome home. Jacob's missing, and I can't help but feel like I'm to blame. No, I didn't kidnap the boy, but I'm weighed down by the guilt that if I had been smarter, if I hadn't gotten caught, Killian would have put his efforts into finding him and bringing him home safely.

I pop a few painkillers Dr. Tiernay gave me for my ankle, not bothering to chase them with water, and get up, agonizingly slowly, to sit by the window. It's still dark out, but I can see the shadows of pack guards pacing the property line, some as humans, but most in their wolf forms.

Without much thought, I put on my boots and head downstairs. I need to clear my head, but staring out the window of my room felt a little too much like staring out the window of my cell door. Fresh air is what I need, and my feet carry me past the same guards I saw moments before to the one place I know will make me feel better.

I take off at a sprint, removing my clothes as I go so I can let my wolf out for a run, carrying the clothes between my teeth. Being trapped, I wasn't able to let her out for weeks, and I can feel her pent up energy needing to be released.

We both feel instant relief when our paws connect with the dirt floor. We bound up to the lake's edge, the same lake Patrick brought us to what feels like forever ago, and I see the silhouette of someone sitting with their feet in the water. I change back into human form and get dressed before walking up to him.

I sit down next to him and rest my head against his shoulder.

"Still a little cold out to be dipping your toes in, don't you think?" I ask softly.

"Most of the snow has melted, and besides, being a wolf has its perks. It feels warm enough to me," Patrick replies.

We sit in silence for a while, just watching the sun come up in peace, but when Patrick starts to fidget, I know something's bothering him.

"Patrick, what's going on? You're not going to have any fingernails left if you keep chewing on them like that."

He drops his hand from his mouth and attempts to grin at me, but it doesn't stick. He rubs the stubble on his chin and opens his mouth to say something several times, but nothing comes out.

"I know my stunning good looks have rendered many a man speechless, but I'm going to need you to spit it out, beta."

Patrick finally rewards me with his signature grin and scoffs at my comment, playfully pushing me on to my side.

When he finally looks back up to a spot between the mountains, he says, "I'm just so angry. I've never felt this helpless before. First you're kidnapped with four others, then we find out Marcus was working with Sage, and we still had no clue where Jacob could be. I want you to know, Rey, I didn't agree with Killian calling off the search. I knew you'd want us to find Jacob first, but Killian was beside himself when you didn't come back, and I still have to obey Alpha's orders. No matter how bullshit I think they are."

"What he says goes," I agree. "I know Killian did what he thought was best, but Jacob is just a kid. He should have had more faith in us. In me. I would have gotten us all out of there alive."

Patrick looks at me with that knowing glint in his eyes and I narrow mine at him in return.

"What?"

"So that's what that whole screaming match was about last night then, huh? You're mad because your big, bad Alpha mate didn't trust your Warrior skills."

"That's absurd," I scoff.

"Is it though? I know you care for Jacob, but don't kid yourself. This is the first time you've ever considered a romantic relationship with someone and you don't want them treating you like some poor, defenseless she-wolf."

"Whatever."

I stand up and start taking my clothes off, enjoying a silent victory at the look of absolute horror on Patrick's face. He slaps a hand over his eyes childishly and turns his back to me.

"What the fuck are you doing?" He cries.

"You said the water is warm enough for our wolf blood. I want to go swimming."

I jump in, in just a bra and underwear, despite his protests. At first the water shocks my system, sending shivers down my spine, but Patrick was right. I warm up to is quickly and the water feels nice on my skin.

"He doesn't think that, you know. That you're a poor, defenseless she-wolf," he continues on.

"Whatever," I repeat.

"I'm just saying, he really does admire you. He knows you're a total badass, and you're probably the only person who's ever intimidated our fearless leader. But he's afraid to lose you, and he just wants to protect you. It's in his nature."

Despite the relief I feel wash over me at his words, I roll my eyes and splash him, not wanting him to know how much I needed to hear those words.

"Get in, pussy," I taunt.

In an instant, Patrick is in his boxers and barreling towards me, a devious smirk on his face. He belly flops directly where I'm swimming and I narrowly escape his crushing weight on top of me by submerging myself deep underwater.

When we resurface, we're both laughing so hard we're crying.

"Is that fear I saw in your eyes, Warrior?" Patrick says as he tries to catch his breath.

"Well, I can't say I've ever had a hippo fall on top of me, but I was afraid today was going to be the day," I retort with mock sincerity.

"Oh, that's it," he yells.

He puts his hands on top of my head, trying to push me under, but I wrap my arms and legs around his torso and squeeze to keep myself above water. We're both spewing insults back and forth at each other and laughing so hard that we don't even hear footsteps approaching until that delicious scent, the one I'd know anywhere, hits me full force.

I look up to see Killian standing next to our clothes, looking down at us curiously. There's no anger on his face seeing his best friend and mate wrestling half-naked, but that could just be wishful thinking on my part.

"Rey, I've been looking for you all morning," He says nervously.

"Well you found me."