Page 87 of The Safest Place She Knows

Venka grinnedand walked over to give Lya a kiss. “I won’t.”

“She’s a gearhead in the making. This is just the nymph stage.” She winked.

The two alphassprinted out of the house, laughing.

Lya turned toAllor. “Thank you for not being an alpha. I am still outnumbered,but it isn’t as absolute. And yes, I know that a delta is nearlythe same.”

Noh asked, “Whydidn’t you mention you had family?”

“Ah. Zelle. Shewas put in custody when she was an infant for profound neglect. Herparents drank themselves into a stupor, and Zelle nearly died.” Shesighed. “My mom wanted to take her in, but she was a single motherherself, and they didn’t want to give her another baby to dealwith.”

“When did youmeet?”

“She wasadopted by a family with an alpha and his beta. They gave her anexcellent upbringing. She ran into a grabby alpha when she wasfifteen, and we ended up at the book club on Thursday nights andthen again at circus training. One of the alphas pointed out thatwe smelled the same, so since she knew she was adopted, she askedher parents and found her records. Cousins.”

She looked atNoh and shrugged. “She’s a crafter of the highest order. That iswhy she was tapped for the show. We hugged when we saw each other,but they didn’t know we were related until we told them. Then itbecame a hidden joke.”

She looked atthe screen. “You might want to release the pause because you don’twant us burned into the television.”

Noh smiled.“Who says?”

Allor turnedher head and kissed her, stroking her tongue with his.

Noh laughed,and they sat kissing and cuddling until the chicken arrived. Shewas holding out for fish.

ChapterFourteen

Lya signed her newregistered name, and Venka scrawled next to her on the enrolmentpaper. Noh’s signature followed.

Tamara wasalready on her way to her first class with Bennet and Denel. Lyawas free to fun around with Venka for the rest of the day.

They didcouple’s massages and facials. Lya’s short nails were extended andpainted a glow-in-the-dark colour. They stopped for lunch, andVenka tended to emails on her phone while Lya got her nailsdone.

When Zelle camein, Lya started laughing. “Fancy meeting you here.”

Zelle smiledtiredly. “Lya. It’s good to see you again. Tell your daughter Idon’t begrudge her the tattling.”

Venka blinkedand looked over. “Oh, Lady Zelle. Very glad to see you in bettercondition.”

Zelle nodded.“It’s good to be up on my own feet, even if it means I have lostjust about every bit of freedom I had and have been disqualifiedfrom the show.”

Lya frowned.“That isn’t right. You were fantastic.”

Zelle’s handswere being massaged, and the woman that Lya knew as scrappy andwild was dressed in expensive clothing and looked exhausted. Shewore embroidered silk, and her hair was up in a very elaboratetwist. The bright mark of an alpha’s bite was on her neck.

“He put moneyinto the show, so that means I am tainted by association. Itdoesn’t matter that I didn’t meet him until the day before theshoot or that I had no idea who he was.”

Lya sighed. “Iknow, cuz. You just thought he was pretty.”

Zelle chuckled.“He is very pretty.”

“I would grabyour hand, but my alpha would complain about me wrecking mymanicure.”

“Have you beenhere all day?”

“Since Tamarawas dropped off at her new school.” She smiled. “I don’t have tofight to afford tuition anymore. So, yay.”

“How is yourarm?”

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