But as Ken relaxed into the grass, trying to make sense of it all, even the twisted version of Beth's story he'd created wasn't making sense anymore. Why would she go through so much effort to make up an elaborate lie that could get her into so much shit with the town?
It seemed more likely that there was some aspect of truth to her story, if perhaps the goblin part of it was exaggerated. And it seemed more likely that she hadn't come to see him first for a hundred potential different reasons.
He knew he couldn't believe everything Beth had said. She was just confused. She had to be. But maybe there wasn't any maliciousness to it at all. Maybe she was genuinely terrified. Maybe she really had no idea where they would stand after all these years—and god, could he blame her, after the way he'd treated her in the meeting?—and didn't want to run face-first into a situation she might not have been prepared to handle.
Ken couldn't blame her for any of that. And if she did perceive there to be a real threat to Silvercoast, could he blame her for going to Ryel first anyway?
A goblin threat—or any kind of wicked creature—could destroy all the progress Silvercoast had made over these past years.
He stayed in that small gap in the trees for what seemed like hours, tossing from one side to the other, just as his head whirled from one thought to the next. But no matter how many times he went over everything Beth had said at that meeting, Ken wasn't any closer to finding the truth.
The only way he was going to get it was by talking to her, and after that display at the town hall ... he wasn't sure she would even want to see him.
Ken sat up and looked around. The woods had grown dark, and he could have stayed and rested here through the night, but he'd regenerated enough of his strength that he was growing too restless to sit still. He needed more time to sort out his thoughts, even though at this rate, he didn't think there would ever be enough time for him to truly process everything that had happened today.
The wind howled as he passed through the trees, his fur snagging on the underbrush and rustling the leaves. The sky was full of stars, but the moon was gone.
How could he stay angry at Beth when she was just as beautiful as the day she'd left? Seeing her again had made his heart soar as much as it made it squeeze with trepidation.
Those endless blue eyes were so full of life, even while they'd been stricken with panic and exhaustion. Her body was to die for. And those lips ... how he wanted to reclaim those lips as his again.
Gods, what she'd spent those last fourteen years doing?
He dreaded the possibility that she'd made a new life for herself—found herself a new man, a new family, even though Ken had been here waiting for her the whole time. Unable to move on.
Was goblin magic strong enough to erase a wolf shifter's compulsion to stay true to their mate?
He needed to figure out what to believe, and what not to believe.
For another hour, Ken ran until he was too tired to go on anymore. He changed back into a human, and found himself outside his truck. He slumped into the driver's seat and drove off, but instead of going home, he'd somehow ended up pulling into the driveway outside of Rick's place.
Ken let the engine idle or not, debating whether or not to go in and talk to his friend. He felt like shit for yelling at Rick the other day, but he also knew that he needed to man up and apologize instead of being a little shit and avoiding his mistakes.
Besides, he could really use someone to talk to right now, and Rick was a damn good man, even if he was wildly different from Ken.
Since the light was on in the front window, Ken grabbed a change of clothes from the back of his truck, put them on, then went to bang on the front door.
Rick answered a moment later, his eyebrows shooting to the top of his forehead when he saw Ken. "Wasn't expecting any visitors this late," Rick said.
Ken stuffed his hands in his pockets. "Sorry. I can leave, I just ... I feel like shit after yelling at you yesterday, and I needed to make sure that we're still cool. It was a shitty thing for me to do to someone who was just trying to help."
"We're cool. Trust me, I feel just as shitty right now after trying to spend the last two years convincing you to give up hope on Beth ever coming back, only for her to waltz in this morning. What are the fucking chances?"
"Tell me about it."
"I suppose what's what you're here to talk about?"
"It's driving me nuts, knowing she's here in town somewhere, but that I can't see her. I don't know if I want to. If I should ... Fuck."
Rick stepped aside and let Ken in. "Want a beer?"
"Sure. Could use one right about now."
Ken settled on the couch while Rick grabbed them both a beer from the fridge. They clicked the bottles together in a cheers before taking long swigs.
"Where the hell have you been all day?" Rick said once he settled down. "Been trying to reach you ever since this morning. I suppose it's wishful thinking that you went to talk to her."
"Fuck no. You saw what a mess I was when I saw her. Shit, the things I said ... I don't think I can face her again."