Page 136 of Roaring Flames

“Is everything okay over here?” Hale hurries forward, his eyes volleying between Silas and Kyle before focusing on me and Izzy.

Trailing along after Hale is another shifter I recognize. Dane, I think his name is. Or is it Dan? I’ve been away from the other wolves for so long, I’m beginning to have trouble telling them apart.

Izzy’s voice is glacial when she clips out, “Everything is perfect. I was just telling these two gentlemen that I’m going tofuck my vice principal because I have a lot of unresolved daddy issues.”

I practically choke on my own spit.

“Izzy!” I rasp out, unsure of what else to say.

Hale’s expression crumbles, something akin to understanding filling his eyes. “Oh, Izzy…”

I’m completely lost, and Silas and Kyle appear confused as well. The former’s fur has receded into his skin, and the latter is no longer growling at me.

Kyle brushes at his sandy-colored hair and smiles at the two of us sheepishly. I notice that he doesn’t make eye contact with Izzy.

“Sorry about that. I just get a little…protective of my students. It’s hard for me to forget that I’m no longer in the classroom.” He chuckles, but the noise lacks any genuine humor.

Kyle’s words only serve to piss Izzy off even more. I can tell by the way the muscles begin to twitch faster in her jaw. Her hands ball into fists.

“Yeah. That’s the reason.” Her voice is dry as ice.

Silas doesn’t justify his behavior with an explanation. He simply gives the two of us one last loaded glare before stalking towards the cooler to grab another beer.

Kyle watches his packmate warily. “And I’ll apologize on his behalf. He’s super protective of his employees, especially after what happened with Minnie.”

“Silas always claimed that Minnie was the daughter he never had,” Dane chimes in, his voice slightly slurred from all of the alcohol he consumed. He stumbles slightly, and Kyle reaches out to keep him upright. “It’s horrible what happened to her.”

Izzy flinches as if she was physically struck, Hale pales, and Kyle suddenly appears as if he’s going to be sick.

“I’m sorry Silas lost his…daughter.” Izzy stumbles over that word. “I didn’t know Minnie well, but she seemed like a good person.”

Dane nods seriously, but his attention is already elsewhere. He waves at someone over Kyle’s head and takes off in their direction.

“Izzy…” Hale tries again, taking a step towards my mate.

Izzy spins on her heel and calls over her shoulder, “I’m going to grab something to drink.” And then, under her breath, she adds, “Hopefully something strong enough to get through the day.”

I don’t bother saying goodbye to Hale and Kyle as I take off after Izzy, unwilling to lose her in the crowd. Her golden hair is a glimmering beacon that captures my attention as the two of us weave through the shifters.

Someone steps in front of me, blocking my view of Izzy.

“Christian,” a sweet voice says, drawing my gaze down to her face.

My throat swells shut as an indecipherable emotion arrows through me.

Lacey Heart looks exactly as I remember her—soft brown hair cascading around her shoulders in loose curls, rosy cheeks, and emerald eyes framed by thick lashes. At one point, I thought she was the most beautiful girl I’ve ever seen.

I first started dating Lacey when I was a freshman in high school. She was on the JV cheerleading team and always had a smile on her face. It was that smile that drew me in and demanded I get to know her. We dated for years, and I thought she was the one for me.

Then we both turned eighteen.

Lacey discovered she was the Heart of a pack—though she still has yet to find her mates—and I realized I was a lone wolf. She told me that the mating mark didn’t matter, that she stillloved me, that she wanted to be with me, but I knew all of her words were lies. She may have believed them to be true then and there, but I knew the second she found her mates, she would forget all about me.

For the longest time, after I retreated into the forest, I would dream of Lacey and what our life could’ve been like if we were normal humans. But then my dreams started changing and distorting without me even realizing it. Where her face once was, I now saw a faceless, nameless woman with flowing blonde hair.

When was the last time I even thought about Lacey?

I try to wrack my memories but realize that it’s been way too long. She hasn’t crossed my mind once since…

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