People kept looking at us, but Clay was ignoring them entirely.

“I don’t want to spend it with Silas or Hunter,” I said, as we finally reached the elevator. My room was on the top floor, so it was a lot of stairs. Especially while Clay’s arm was over my shoulders, feeling ridiculously nice.

We stepped into the elevator, and the doors closed in front of us. I clarified, “I just don’t know if it’s a good idea for us to keep doing this.”

“Being friends?”

I flashed him a look. “You know this isn’t just friendship, Clay. Between washing my underwear and offering to let me live with you, we crossed that bridge during heat, and I don’t think we can uncross it.”

“Who said I wanted to uncross it?”

“You did, when you kept saying we were just friends.”

The doors opened on the fourth floor, and a few people got in. They were chatting—and stopped abruptly when they saw me and Clay.

He nodded at them, so I tried for a smile.

The way they turned back around quickly told me I had failed. Oh well.

We got off on the top floor, and they disappeared down one hallway while we headed down the other.

“Hunter said he has a new phone for you in his office, but he forgot to give it to you when you were there earlier,” Clay said.

There was something in his voice.

Curiosity, but darker.

“I told him I’m done with the meetings. Dates. I wasn’t interested in any of the guys, and I felt like shit for basically leading them on. Hunter agreed that I can be with whoever I want, and he’ll figure out how to control his wolf. We’re done.”

Clay’s arm seemed to relax on my shoulder. “Finally.”

“Yeah.” We reached my door, and I typed in my code to unlock it. I didn’t bother trying to hide it from Clay. “Our conversation about the friend thing isn’t over. You can’t just change the subject to avoid it.”

He stepped inside the room beside me, and inhaled.

Then checked my closet, and dresser. The smell must’ve been off.

“Where did your stuff go?” he asked.

No matter how I answered, he was probably going to be pissed. So, I picked the blunt route.

“Hunter gave me a cabin as an apology present. He also turned a room on the ground floor into a studio for me, and bought me a new Jeep.”

“Hewhat?” Clay’s words came out a growl, his eyes flickering with his wolf. He clenched his jaw, closed his eyes, and took a staggered breath in. “Fuck. Give me a second.”

I stayed where I was, studying him.

Those didn’tlooklike the eyes of a wolf who didn’t give a shit about me.

He looked furious.

“Are you sure your wolf isn’t claiming me?” I checked.

“Yeah. Just—” Clay grabbed my shoulders and pulled me to his chest. I collided with anoof, and he inhaled the scent of my hair deeply. “You don’t smell like Hunter.”

“Of course I don’t smell like him. We’re not together. I don’t think he’s ever even hugged me,” I said against his chest, since he was holding my head smashed against him.

Clay’s chest rumbled. “Good.”