Page 81 of Revenge is a Witch

Derek sighs, looking between me and Sebastian. “Yeah, I guess I do.”

Sebastian just shrugs, smirking as we head out of the house. “No rush, wolf boy. We’ve got all the time in the world.”

As we settle into the living room to wait for dinner, Phoebe makes a beeline for Sebastian, plopping down next to him on the couch. She’s not exactly subtle, staring up at him with wide eyes like he’s some kind of superhero. Honestly, it’s adorable, especially when Sebastian gives her an awkward smile, clearly unsure of how to handle the attention.

I stifle a laugh, watching as Derek, who’s sitting next to his dad, rolls his eyes and mutters, “Gremlin’s got a new victim, I see.”

Richard chuckles, shaking his head as he leans back in his chair. “Phoebe, give the man some space. He’s not used to little wolves like you hanging off him.”

Phoebe ignores him completely, leaning in even closer to Sebastian. “Are youreallya vampire?”

Sebastian, bless him, glances at me like he’s looking for an escape. I shrug with a smirk. “Yup,” he says, trying to sound casual. “I’m really a vampire.”

Her eyes widen even more, and I swear she’s about to start asking if he sparkles in the sunlight. Meanwhile, Derek leans forward, steering the conversation before his sister can go full-on vampire fan girl.

“So, Seb and I have a couple classes together, but not a lot. Most of his are for vampires, and most of mine are for shifters. There’s not much overlap, except in a few core classes.”

Richard’s brow furrows, looking mildly surprised. “Vampires and shifters don’t usually take many classes together,” he says, turning his gaze to Sebastian. “How’d you two become friends?”

I hold my breath for a second, but Sebastian handles it smoothly. “We’ve got a… unique situation,” he says, giving a half-smile. “We met through mutual... interests.”

That gets a small smirk from Derek, and I can’t help but jump in with a grin. “Yeah, you could say we’re all very close now.”

Richard raises an eyebrow, clearly intrigued but not pushing it further. “Well, that’s good to hear. It’s not every day you hear about a vampire and a shifter getting along so well.”

Just as the tension starts to ease, Richard glances around the room and then asks, “By the way, where’s Sam? Isn’t she usually around?”

Derek’s smile falters slightly, and he rubs the back of his neck. “Yeah, uh… we broke up last week.”

Right on cue, Karen strides into the room with a steaming pot of food. “Oh, did you now?” she says, setting the pot down on the table. “Well, I’m very sorry to hear that, Derek, but I have to say, I never thought she was right for you. That girl was always trouble.”

Derek looks a little embarrassed but shrugs. “You’re not the only one who thought that.”

I exchange a glance with Sebastian, both of us trying not to laugh at Karen’s bluntness. Honestly, I’ve always liked Derek’s mom for her no-nonsense attitude. She doesn’t sugarcoat anything.

Karen looks at Sebastian with a warm smile. “Now, I hope you’re hungry, Sebastian. This pot roast is my specialty.”

Sebastian, who is clearly still navigating the awkward waters of being a vampire in a house full of wolf shifters, nods with a polite smile. “I’m sure it’s amazing.”

“Oh, it is,” I tease, nudging him. “You’ll be dreaming about it for days.”

Phoebe, still sitting beside Sebastian, beams up at him. “Maybe you can come over more, Mr. Vampire. We can play games next time!”

Sebastian looks over at Derek, who just smirks and shrugs. “She’s not going to let up.”

“Yeah, I’m getting that,” Sebastian mutters, but there’s a flicker of amusement in his eyes as he ruffles Phoebe’s hair.

As we settle around the dinner table, the smell of Karen's famous pot roast filling the room, the conversation drifts back to where it always seems to go lately—me, Derek, and Sebastian. I can feel Richard’s curious gaze as he slices into his food, clearly trying to figure out the dynamic between the three of us.

“So, how’d you all end up as such close friends?” Richard asks, trying to sound casual, but I can see the curiosity behind it.

Sebastian glances at me, his eyes flashing with a flicker of amusement, and Derek, sitting on my other side, just sighs. “We’ve been spending more time together lately,” Sebastian answers, keeping it vague but polite.

Karen, though, isn’t one to beat around the bush. “Oh, come on now,” she says, giving me a knowing look. “Zaria, are you dating Sebastian?” I freeze. Karen's always had this knack for cutting through my walls, and I’ve never been good at lying to her. I adore her too much for that. My eyes dart to Derek, silently pleading for help, but he's conveniently busy with his fork.

“It’s... still a new thing,” I admit sheepishly, trying to sound as nonchalant as possible.

Karen beams, and Richard chuckles softly. “Well, you kids grow up fast. It’s hard to keep up these days. I did honestly think you'd end up with our Derek though. You've both been through a lot when you were younger.”

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