Page 36 of As The Shifter World Turns

My wolf was chanting,Micah. Micah.He expected me to get up close and personal with the guy.

No, I told him.You don’t understand.

“I have to say hello. Ryder’s my boss.”

“Of course.”

“And they’re my friends. I’m not going to ignore them,” Neil explained.

“Okay. I’m storming out. Meet you in five.” I didn’t want to catch Micah’s eye but couldn’t resist and I glared at him, hoping he was checking my ass as I flounced past.

14

KELLAN’S TWIN?

Micah

“Wanna beer?” Ryder walked over to where I was sitting on the roof. It was a nice evening out and normally I’d have used it to run, but I wasn’t in the mood to do anything but sulk.

Fate sucked. Or was it even fate? Maybe that whole fate thing was just a bucket of bullshit fed to us as kids so we didn’t feel like shit when the only omega you want is a stupid wolf who you can never truly be with.

Being a unicorn sucked.

“That wasn’t a trick question.” Ryder sat across from me, holding out the beer.

“Thanks. Yeah, a beer would be great.” I took it and tried to twist off the lid. It was a pop top because of course it was.

I fished the keys out of my pocket and used my bottle opener keychain to pop it off and Ryder did his best to hold back his laughter.

He failed.

“Like you haven’t done that.” I took a long sip.

“I mean yeah, I have, but you know not when I was sitting across from someone who opened theirs with a bottle opener less than five seconds earlier.”

How the heck did I miss that? “You…I guess I wasn’t paying attention.”

“You’re too busy thinking about your sexy wolf?” He leaned back in his seat.

“He’s not mine. We just… he’s not mine.”

The door slammed shut down below and I couldn’t help go over and look. It wasn’t unusual for it to slam. It was one of the many things that needed some repairs, but I was nosey. I admit it. I wanted to see Archer.

I talked a good game, but it was all a facade. I missed him. And it sucked.

“Looks like they're heading out for the night.” I didn’t see who he meant until I glanced down to find Archer, Ivor, and Neil wearing theirniceclothes and headed around the corner.

They were going out—without us. Why would we be invited though? Ryder was Ivor’s boss, and I was the one who pulled a fuck and go with Archer. And really being a boss shouldn’t matter, but Ivor was super weird about money so I got that. But Archer? He had every right.

Maybe I should’ve gone for a run.

“Ivor looks good,” Ryder started, which was great because I really didn’t want to return to the Archer convo. He went back to his seat, and I waited until I was sure Archer was truly gone before heading to mine.

I was such a loser.

“He does. I think he’s getting things back on track.” I wasn’t sure how true that was but I was rooting for him. He seemed a bit happier though and that meant a lot. “He doing well at the office?”

“Yeah. He acts weird around me at work, but he does a good job. It’s odd. Like he doesn’t realize I’m the same person in both places.” He drained the rest of his bottle and set it down.

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