Page 28 of Make Me

“What did he mean, see you at dinner tonight?” He growled out the question as if the idea was a personal attack on him.

Bethany rubbed a hand over her face. “My mother has arranged a dinner tonight.”

Bethany didn’t know why she hesitated to tell him. That was a lie. Her lioness didn’t want to hurt him, which was absurd, because even if Cody was her mate it didn’t mean he felt anything for her other than a friendship built on annoying each other. If he did, his wolf would have already claimed her.

“Hellcat, why is he going to be there?”

Her head snapped up at the nickname. His eyes were… wild with an almost feral gleam.

Her cat whined, and the words spilled from her lips. “My mother has decided I need to take a consort before I take over the pride. And not in a decade. In a few years. Tonight’s dinner is the first of many I'm sure she’s arranged for me to meet her list of suitable options.”

“A consort?” Cody dropped his hand from her arm, and she cursed herself for missing the warmth.

Bethany nodded, her eyes on his chest instead of meeting his gaze.

“I see.” Cody’s voice was devoid of any emotion, and when her head snapped up, his face was shuttered. “I’ve got to go. I forgot my father needed me for something.”

The words were tinged with the sour smell of a lie, but Bethany didn’t have a chance to call him on it before he was walking away, leaving her alone in the clearing. Why was he so bothered by that news? Could he feel something for her? No, he couldn’t. He knew as well as she did that intermixed relationships were rejected and condemned. No, this had to be something different. Lingering protectiveness because they were friends.

Bethany sighed and dropped her head towards the ground. A glint caught her eye. Cody had left his knife and the block of wood he’d been whittling. The faint form of a cat was beginning to take shape in the wood. She picked it up and held it in her hands. She found herself slipping it in her pocket, telling herself she would return it to Cody later. But right now, she had a dinner to get to.

She slipped through the trees until she arrived at her house. Luckily, her mother seemed to already be at the meeting hall for dinner, so she didn’t run into her as she headed up the stairs. She entered the room and stopped short. A green dress was laid out on the bed with matching shoes. Her mother clearly didn’t trust her to know what dressed appropriately meant.

Bethany grinned. Her mother was right. Bypassing the dress, she chose a pair of black pants and a black blouse from her closet. The blouse was dressy enough and would send a clear message to her mother. Her mother might think she needed a consort to take over the pride, but she didn’t. She would show her mother and the pride that she could handle it all herself.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

BETHANY

Age 21

Summer after second year

Bethany was practically vibrating with excitement. The second they crossed through the portal, a warm body slammed into her. She wrapped her arms around Holly, hugging her tightly.

“I can’t believe you’re finally here!” Holly cried. “It’s been too long.”

“I know,” Bethany whispered, holding Holly tighter. Her lion was purring with happiness now that she was back with her lioness’s claimed pride.

She watched over Holly’s shoulder as Cody and Zack hugged. They drew apart, staring at each other, their faces only a few inches from each other and a soft look in both of their eyes. Were they…?

Holly released her and turned to Cody, who scooped her up and swung her around. Bethany stifled her instinctive growl. Zack pulled her into his arms, and she burrowed her face into his shoulder.

“It’s good to see you,” Zack whispered into her hair. “Holly’s right, it’s been too long.”

Warmth spread through her body, and she burrowed deeper, allowing herself to be held for the first time in too long. Her mother was not a warm person, and the pride wasn’t really a touchy group, even if shifters thrived on touch. It had been too long since she’d been hugged. That was the reason she gave herself when her purr became audible, and she felt Zack’s smile in her hair. The mating pull eased at Zack’s touch, and there was also a new warmth spreading through her body as tendrils of desire unfurled in her stomach. That had her releasing Zack and stepping backwards. She ignored how her cheeks felt heated and blamed that on the extra magic from the portal travel.

Cody had released Holly, and Holly slipped an arm through Bethany’s and started guiding her towards the Brandlevine manor house. She leaned over and murmured in Bethany’s ear, “You could cut that sexual tension with a knife.”

“Stop it,” Bethany hissed at her.

Holly looked at her and giggled. Bethany rolled her eyes but couldn’t help the giggle that slipped through her lips. By the Realm, it was good to be back with her friends and not feeling like she constantly had to be on her guard.

“Where’s Claire?” Cody asked.

“She’s at the training arena with her Triad,” Zack answered. “They’ve been there for a while now.”

“So we’re going to go rescue her,” Holly explained.

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