Page 62 of Ruined Wolfsbane

My blood runs cold. “How do you know that?”

“I asked my dad.”

“You said you wouldn’t talk to him about Ava or me!” I yell in a shaky voice. The absolute last thing I need is getting on Valentine Wyldhart’s radar. Patrick will also lose his shit if he finds out I’m hanging out with the Wyldharts, which means a beating for me.

Great.

“I didn’t mention you, Briar. I just asked my dad who was on his business trip. He and Patrick are gone until Monday,” Malachi attempts to reassure me. I deflate in my seat as Malachi talks. While I’m relieved he didn’t mention me, I feel like a psycho for yelling at him.

No one says anything on the rest of the short car ride to Patrick’s. I give Malachi the code to open the gates. As soon as he pulls the car to a stop in front of the front doors, I get out. I fast walk to the doors like I can out walk my embarrassment.

“Hold up, pretty girl!” Bastian shouts from behind me.

I groan as I stop and face Bastian. “I’m perfectly capable of getting stuff myself, you know.”

“I know, but I like spending time with you,” he tells me with a genuine grin. “I also want to snoop in your room.”

I snort. He’s not going to find anything. I’m not stupid enough to leave anything in my room that I don’t want Patrick to find. I don’t rain on his parade by telling him it’s pointless, though.

When we reach the front doors, I pull them open and jog up to my room. I want to spend as little time in this house as possible.

The first order of business is changing into normal clothes. I head to my walk-in closet and close the door. Stripping out of my uniform, I pull on an old sweatshirt and my favorite black leggings. Ah, the sweet, sweet feel of leggings. They’re like a hug for your legs. The best part is that I don’t have to worry about flashing anyone like I do in a skirt.

After stuffing my dirty uniform in the hamper, I grab a duffle and fill it with my extra uniforms, a few long sleeves, and another pair of leggings. I throw in socks, undies, and bras. Slinging the bag over my shoulder, I scoop up my Nicks boots and head out to the main room. I’m a little nervous leaving Bastian unsupervised in my space for too long. What he could do, I don’t know. I’m still wary, though.

I sit on the cream upholstered bench at the foot of my bed and put on my boots. While I’m lacing them up, I hear Bastian snort. I look up and find him staring at my poster collection over my desk, and I grin. My posters are one of my favorite parts of my room—not that I have much decoration to choose from. My room’s pretty barren, but that’s not the point.

The posters say inspirational things like:

Live, Laugh, Lurk

Be the Weird You Wish to See in the World

Embrace Your Inner Emu

“I like your posters,” Bastian says between laughs. “Especially the ‘Unhinged Vibes Only’ and ‘Choose Chaos’ ones. Where’d you get ’em?”

“I made them.” It’s not like Patrick gave me money to decorate. If I wanted my room to have any decor, I had to make it myself.

“Really? That’s dope!”

I smile at his praise. “I’m ready to go whenever.”

“Cool beans.” Bastian strides over to my bag and slings it over his shoulder. I raise my brows, and he grins at me in response. Grabbing my hand in his, he walks us back out to the car. This is probably the most I’ve smiled in Patrick’s house since my mom died.

CHAPTER 26

BRIAR

Glancing at the clock on Malachi’s nightstand, I see it’s two in the morning, and I’m still awake. Unlike last night, I didn’t fall asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow. I probably won’t get any sleep tonight.

Awesome.

I love being sleep deprived, said no one ever.

Letting out a quiet breath, I know I need to get up or my fidgeting will wake one of the Wyldhart brothers. No one else needs to suffer for my insomnia.

I slowly shimmy out from between Malachi and Xander. With pausing every few inches to make sure I don’t wake anyone, it takes a while to free myself.

---