Page 121 of Drama Queen

“Tamera… what are you doing here?” My fist tightens against the door handle, trying not to scream at her, demanding to know if she’s been messing with me.

“Tamera? Why so formal? You always call me Tam.” She tilts her head, trying to be cute. It doesn’t work, and right now, I don’t know why I always defended her to my brothers.

She tries to walk in, as she normally would, but I don’t move, blocking her way. “What do you need, Tam? I’m getting ready to head out.”

Double blinking, she studies me, narrowing her eyes. “You’ve not been into the office, so I wanted to stop by and check onyou.” She inches closer. “Oh, and to bring you more tea.” She holds up another tin of her homemade herbs for tea.

My wolf growls, but I catch the noise in time before she notices. “Thanks. I’ll put it in the kitchen before I go.” The couple of sips of tea I took earlier relieved the withdrawal symptoms but didn’t slip me back under any influence, offering clarity for the first time since high school.

“No.” she says slowly and then gestures inside. “You want me to make you a cup? Are your brothers home? I could make them some, too.” She has done this several times, annoying me further, knowing she’s trying to influence them as well.

“Naw. I’ve got somewhere to be.” Dismissing her cuts another invisible tether.

“Are we okay?” she asks, tilting her head again. “You seem off.”

“Did you slip me something the night of our senior party?” Might as well figure out one piece of the puzzle, while I wait for the lab to return the other.

Her eyes widen, but quickly settle, trying to exude calm. “What… What’re you…”

“Remember, I’ll smell your lie.” No matter how she spins it, the smell of rotten eggs surrounds her before she finishes her first sentence. Her mouth opens and closes like a fish on land, and I have my answer. “How could you?”

“It’s not what you think!” She reaches for me, trying to push her sincerity through touch. “I just wanted us to loosen up and have a good night.”

“By what? Drugging me out of my fucking mind! I still can’t remember half the night. Do you know what you cost me?”

“You weren’t supposed to drink both cups!” She yells back at me. “You downed yours and then grabbed mine. I couldn’t stop you before they were both gone.”

“You think maybe you should have told me—or told my brothers, so they could have helped me. What if I overdosed?”

“Oh, please. You were fine. All you did was follow Ares around like a fucking stalker when you were supposed to be my date! Then you snuck off with her! Do you know how embarrassing that is!” She slaps her hand over her mouth.

My eyes lock onto hers, my wolf baring our teeth in a threat. “How do you know I was with her?”

“Nothing. No…” She backs quickly off the porch as I step closer. “I mean… I followed you… but I left. I didn’t stay. I don’t know what happened after.”

The stench of lies thickens in the air around us. “Lies. All of it.” As I advance again, my phone rings, distracting me. It’s Kato.

The moment I glance down, Tamera scurries to her car and drives away, dust kicking up in her wake. My wolf doesn’t like that we let her go, but getting to our mate is our priority.

Instead of giving chase, I answer my phone without greeting. “I’m on my way.”

“You better fucking be. She’s been asking about you, and I told her you were coming. Don’t fucking let her down again—or us. Get your ass here, now!”

The reminder that I fucked up weighs heavy on my chest, but I’m not about to compound it.

When her address is plugged into my GPS, I realize she’s only thirteen miles from us. This entire time my mate and baby have been within grasp, and I’ve been too busy wallowing in my own guilt to see clearly.

Only a handful of steps towards Ares’ door and her sweet honey and caramel scent envelopes me like a warm blanket—like coming home.

There’s a moment of hesitation before knocking, doubts plaguing every thought. How can she contemplate forgiving me? I don’t even forgive myself, and that’s the biggest issue.

Knox opens the door and yanks me inside by the shirt. “It’s about fucking time. She doesn’t have much longer before the heat takes her completely, and we wanted you two to have time to speak before things progressed. You owe her that much, asshole.”

My wolf growls but knows he’s right.

When we round the corner into the living room, her scent hits me like a mack truck, calling to my very soul—the exact sensation I’ve only experienced once before.

My fated mate.

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