Page 38 of Semi-Rejected Life

“I don’t–”

“Please,” he sighed. “Everyone and their brother has seen you and Vince at the cafe. Not to mention on the beach, around his apartment, and anywhere else you two end up.”

“How do you know all that?”

He raised an eyebrow in my direction. “I make it my business to know. And Vince is one of my first wolves and a special case. I keep an eye on him all the time whether he knows it or not.” Sam marched across the kitchen, getting inches away from me. “You stink like him, among other things, so I know you were just there.” He reached out, placing a firm hand on my shoulder. “What are your intentions with that boy?”

It looked like I was getting the interrogation whether I liked it or not. I didn’t realize Vince had such protective friends, but it was nice to see, regardless. I couldn’t fault them for being suspicious. I didn’t exactly have the best track record with this sort of thing.

“I… I like him,” I said at last, swallowing my embarrassment. “I think he’s my mate.”

“You either know or you don’t,” Sam replied. “Mates aren’t something you think about.”

I nodded. “He is my mate,” I corrected. “I can feel it.”

“And he feels that bond too?”

I nodded again.

“Hmm,” Sam hummed, letting me go. He took a step back, giving me a good once over. “So? What are you going to do about it then?”

“What do you mean?” I asked, furrowing my brows. “We’re talking to one another, isn’t that enough?”

“For fuck’s sake…” Sam shook his head as he grabbed me by the collar and hauled me over to a chair at the end of the stainless steel workbench. “Sit down while I make you breakfast. Obviously you need this whole relationship thing explained.”

I sat in confusion as he moved around the kitchen gathering up supplies for a hearty breakfast. I hadn’t asked for anything to eat, but I didn’t want to interrupt him. Sam obviously had a method. And, judging by the fiercely determined look on his face, it might be unwise to oppose him. Finally, once he’d gathered everything up and slapped a pan on the burners, he turned back to me.

“Do you love him?”

My heart nearly dropped out my butt. That was a terrifying question.

“I… I don’t know…”

“Well, you better fucking figure it out,” he replied, grabbing a knife and a cutting board before he went to town on some potatoes. “Because you’re leaving here in less than two weeks and you told me you have a pack to go home to that needs your leadership.” He gave me a stern look. “I bet they wouldn’t accept a male pair, would they?”

I shook my head, letting out a long sigh. “No. They wouldn’t.”

“So what are you going to do?”

“I don’t fucking know!” I snapped, the stress finally getting to me. “You’re asking me if I’m going to give up everything I’ve ever had and my entire future for Vince. As much as I want to sit here and tell you yes, I don’t know if I can.”

“Why not?”

“There’s lots of reasons.”

“Like what?”

I stared up at Sam, obviously irritated with his constant questioning. I wasn’t sure if he was just being nosy or he was trying to help me. Either way, I failed to see how telling him anything would help me. Then again, I wasn’t sure it could hurt me either. I’d been practically dying to share all the things I’d been bottling up inside me for months now.

“You have to swear,” I said, my voice low. “That you won’t repeat a single thing I’m about to tell you. I want to share it with Vince, but I need to do it my way.”

“Why would I tell him?”

“Because you run the fucking rumor mill of this town, Sam.”

He opened his mouth to argue, thought better of it, and nodded. “Yeah. You’re right.” He held out a hand to me, his pinky extended. “I promise I won’t repeat a single thing you tell me.”

I took his pinky with mine, feeling childish and silly, but it was the best I was going to get. Pulling my hand away I let out a long, heavy sigh.

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