Page 50 of Roaring Flames

Damn him to hell.

“I’m not sleeping with Desiree,” Emery blurts, spinning to face me. “I haven’t ever touched her in that way.”

“But you want to.”

“No!” He actually looks disgusted by the prospect, his skin taking on a green tint. “Not at all.” He resumes his pacing. “I know about the picture you were sent and what it must look like. But I promise you—despite what Ashton wanted you to believe—none of us is in a relationship with Desiree. Things with us are…complicated, and I know you don’t understand?—”

“What don’t I understand?” I prop my hip against the teacher’s desk and fold my arms over my chest. “That you guys are wolf shifters? Or that I’m apparently your fated mate?”

Time seems to stand still. I’m not even sure if Emery’s breathing as he turns to gape at me, his face devoid of all color.

But I’m on a fucking roll now. “What about the fact that you got my best friend arrested for a crime he didn’t commit? That you stormed into my house like a damn neanderthal? Hmmm?” My anger roils in my stomach, white-hot and blistering, and tiptoes up my neck. I ball my hands into fists. “Do you think I’m an idiot or something?”

“Who…?” He pauses, swallows, and then licks his lips. “Who told you?” Rage distorts his features into something unrecognizable. “It was that asshole Kain, wasn’t it? He told you?”

“Kain?!” My voice turns embarrassingly high-pitched in disbelief. “He’s a wolf shifter too?”

Emery opens and closes his mouth repeatedly. “I…”

“You know what? It doesn’t matter who told me. What matters is that youdidn’t.” I stalk forward until I’m directly in front of him. I jab a finger into his solid chest. “I can understand keeping this world a secret from me. But I’m, apparently, your goddamn mate! You should never have keptthatfrom me!”

“I know?—”

“Do you know what happened on my eighteenth birthday?” As I speak, I twist my arm so he can see the mark on my skin. “I felt unbearable pain. It was like… It was like my body was on fire. I was confused and scared and freaked the fuck out. Nobody told me it was the mate bond coming into play!”

“We didn’t know?—”

“You want to know why I’m pissed at you?” I take another step closer until I’m practically stepping on his shoes. I have to tilt my head to maintain eye contact, but I refuse to back down. “It’s not just because of the whole Desiree thing. It’s because you kept this world-altering secret from me with no concern for my safety or well-being. What if I’d been driving when the pain came? What if I passed out and hit my head? If he hadn’t been there to explain things to me, I probably would’ve thought I was insane.”

“He?” Emery’s brows scrunch together. “Grayson?”

“No,” I say stiffly, refusing to give up Christian’s name.

I have no idea if he’ll get in trouble for telling me the truth about the guys, but I don’t want to take any chances. Besides Grayson, he’s the only ally I have in this new world I’ve found myself in. Jake and Ansel don’t seem to know about the supernatural world.

Emery looks as if he wants to question me further but quickly decides against it.

Instead, his features pinched in pain and regret, he says, “Izzy, I’m so damn sorry?—”

I shoulder past him and move towards the door, then I unlock it and wrench it open.

“Save your apologies, Emery.” Just before I exit the classroom, I turn to him. “And you don’t have to worry about having a human as a mate. I reject you, Emery. I reject your entire pack.”

And with that, I leave the room.

I don’t look back.

Nineteen

GRAYSON

The park is almost empty.

It’s too cold to really enjoy it, and with school in session, there are no children to grace the play set. Still, every once in a while, I’ll see a couple jog past in workout gear or a mother pushing a stroller down the sidewalk.

I don’t know how long I’ve been sitting on the park bench when I become keenly aware of a presence directly behind me. I inhale, but with my vampire powers muted, I smell nothing but pine trees and crisp winter air. It’s only when he steps closer do I detect a hint of…dog.

Matthew sits beside me on the bench, rubbing his hands together to ward off the chill.

---