Page 5 of True Wolf

“If I don’t leave, they will know the truth. The minute he’s around me, he will know. I slept in a bed for one hour and that was enough for him to scent me days later. If we’re in the same room, he’s going to know and they’ll hate me.Hewill hate me.”

She believed the same. I saw the realization in her eyes so I exhaled the disappointment of knowing what had to be done. “I have to leave, Mina.”

When she straightened her spine and rolled her shoulders back, I already sensed what she was thinking.

Then we’ll go together.

“No. I’m one person. This pack is your family now.”

“You’re my family,” she argued.

I opened my mouth to debate the point but she cut me off. “Either you stay or we both leave. That’s the only option, Nessah.You can’t change my mind. Youwon’tchange my mind. What’s it going to be?”

I exhaled a slow breath, gently shaking my head. “I can’t stay. They will turn against me, if not because I let him leave without speaking up then because I’ll have to reject him. The rejection will kill him and they will hate me for hurting their brother, their beloved Alpha.”

“You don’t have to reject him. You could…”

“I can’t and you know why. I’m leaving.”

“Then so am I.”

I nodded, knowing I wouldn’t be able to change her mind. My heart felt full that she was choosing me when my own parents had not. “Thank you,” I said lowly.

“You don’t have to thank me, cousin. We’re family, true family.”

“How did you find out he was coming home?”

“I was with Jo when Laz came to tell her. There was something about him finding Keerah and how she rejected him.”

I frowned. “But if I’m his fated mate, she can’t reject him. That doesn’t make sense.”

“I don’t know all the details but Laz never believed she was Zion’s fate. He told Jo Zion also doubted she was his mate but is trying to make sense of why he felt so strongly that she was.”

“They’re going to find out I was the one in that room, in that bed, and he was attracted to me. Oh God, we have to leave. They’re going to hate me, Mina.”

“And me. I’ve kept this from them too. Relax. We’ll be gone before he gets here.”

“And you won’t have a pack. You just found them. You’re happy here.”

“I can be happy anywhere. We’ll be fine. Come straight home. I’ll start packing while you’re finishing up here.”

I shook my head. “I should go now.”

“No, he won’t be here until this evening. Jo said they were expecting him for dinner. She’s planning something big for his return. You need to stay, finish your shift. If you run now, it will seem odd. They’ll want to know what’s up. Maybe even search for us to find out why you left. We need a head start. Finish your shift. When you’re done, we’ll leave.”

My eyes darted to the door.

“It’s only a few hours, Nessah.”

“Okay.”

She nodded. “I wish you would consider staying. They’re not terrible people. You could explain things, give them a chance to…”

“No, I can’t.”

“Then the decision is made. We’ll leave.” She hugged me. I hugged her back, then she left. I looked around the coffeeshop and my heart sank. For the past three months, this had been home. I felt the universe had finally righted the wrongs in my world but I supposed happily ever after didn’t exist for people like me.

CHAPTER THREE

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