Page 138 of The Good Boys Club

Nana said, “I heard he has a few topiary cocks now.” She looked at Mam. “Probably for balance.”

“Probably,” Mam agreed.

“No, fuck this.” I absolutely was not about to let them sidetrack me with talk of box boxes and privet pricks. “You both knew he was a shifter, but you never said anything?”

Nana closed her newspaper. “At that point, I didn’t know the relationship was a sham. I thought you were trying to convince me, and the rest of Lykos, that the man you love deserves a place amongst our ranks. And . . .” she said, raising her voice so I knew not to interrupt. “Your mother and I were so frightened you might run off again, we were doing everything we could think of to persuade youbothto stay here.”

My head was spinning, aching. I wolfed down the sandwich.

“More?” Mam asked.

I gave her my best, most pleading puppy-dog eyes. The effect was probably ruined by the blood flakes shedding from my cheeks.

I needed to get my thoughts in order before I asked Nana my next question. “So . . . it doesn’t matter that Cian’s a shifter and not were? If, say, things were different and he hadn’t run off or didn’t hate me, would he be allowed to stay as my beta?”

Nana took a big inhalation. “You’ll upset a few folks in town for sure, but you’ll be the next alpha. You’ll get to decide who is and isn’t allowed into your pack.”

“My pack,” I repeated.

“Do you remember when I said it was important to accept the call before you exchange mate-bites?”

I nodded.

“That’s because once you’re alpha, your decisions are not as easily contested. If you’d bitten him before accepting the call, you leave the pack open to a power contest. But with you as alpha . . . well, I can’t imagine many people would want to challenge you, Mash.” Nana picked up her coffee mug and tossed back the last few sips.

A bubble of unadulterated hope rose in my chest.

Mam placed another plate in front of me. This time there were two bacon butties on it. “When did you realise you loved him as more than a friend?”

“I guess,” I said, taking a bite of my sandwich and speaking with my mouth full because I couldn’t resist the scent any longer. “I guess I’ve always known something was different about him.”

“Does he feel the same as you?” Mam asked.

I shrugged. “Sometimes I think so, and other times—”

“Of course he bloody does,” Nana said. “I’ve never seen two people more in love with each other. You remind me of your father and Kimmy. He’s obsessed with you.”

My jaw snapped shut. The bacon fell out of my sandwich and slapped wetly against the table.

Nana continued. “Not to mention the scent bond. That isn’t just the smell of any old couple, that’s fated mates right there. You mark my words.”

I looked at Mam, who was nodding her head in agreement.

“Wait, for real?”

“You’d better not let him get away, Mashew. Where would he go?” Nana asked.

I didn’t answer at first. Couldn’t answer.Don’t let him get away,my brain echoed. But also . . . he didn’t want me around. He’d have left me a note, or a message, or something, anything telling me he didn’t hate me.

Damn it, I wished I remembered what happened last night. Wished I at least knew why he left.

“Um, probably Remy,” I said, my mind about four hundred miles away. “Back to his apartment. I dunno. It’s like eight-hours drive.” There was no way he’d have headed to Bordalis. To his parents. Or would he?

“You can borrow my truck.” Mam stood and fetched her keys from the dish by the window. “But first, I really think you ought to have a shower and get dressed.”

I slapped a hand to my jaw and more blood flaked away, drifting to the tabletop like dirty snowflakes.

“I can’t go after him.”

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