Page 57 of This Pack of Ours

No.

I’d made sure Kit’s money was on time this month, and she’d only threatened to come by if we missed something.

I froze, my blood going cold.

Oh shit.Her birthday.

I burst into the living room. “Where’s Kit?”

“Oh. His grandmother met him downstairs. Took him out for a birthday dinner.” Jhin glanced up from his laptop.

“And you let him leave with that monster?” I snapped. It was the guilt talking; they couldn’t have known.

There was an awkward silence.

“He told us it was fine,” said Vander, who had the audacity to sound annoyed.

“That’s because he can’t say no to her! He at least took a car, right? So he can leave if he needs to?” I stalked to the window, looking down.

Nope.

Our SUV was still parked in our spot.

“I’m going to find him,” I said, grabbing my keys from the counter.

“Wait… Juniper, you shouldn’t drive right now.” Adrian stood up, worried.

“Then fucking drive me,” I snapped. A surge of guilt came over me as he flinched slightly. “Sorry.” I ran my fingers through my hair. “Can you drive me, please? Now?”

* * *

I had to admit, it felt good striding into the restaurant with a pack at my back. I’d face off against Esme any day for Kit’s sake, but now I had allies. People who would fight for him, too. Plus, they’d get to see me wield my powers of anger against someone who 100% deserved it.

Besides Vander.

I spotted Kit’s pink hair at a table around the corner and breezed past the hostess, making straight for him.

Esme was in top Cruella form this evening. She looked skinnier; her wrinkles deeper. What hadn’t changed was the depth of loathing that seared within me when I saw her.

“Don’tinterrupt me, Kristofer. You want to make things right? Go find a pack withmoneyand lock them down.”

Fury tore through me, and I stomped up to their table before Kit had a chance to reply.

“That’s enough of that,” I snapped at her. I pulled Kit to his feet. He looked shell-shocked.

Fuck. How much damage had she done? In half a fucking hour?

“Excuse me,” said Esme, glaring daggers at me. “We’re in the middle of dinner.”

As if she had any claim on his time. To any of him. I wanted to pounce on her and strangle her with her gaudy fake necklace.

I think one of the most satisfying moments of my life was two years ago. We were at Dee’s funeral and Esme had just found out she’d been cut from Dee’s will. Esme had the audacity to say Kit was better off without her. I’d slapped her right in her smug, wrinkly face.

And that wasbeforeall the valuable items and jewelry that Dee had left to Kit had mysteriously vanished from her house.

“No, you just finished.” I grabbed my wallet because money was all this bitch wanted. Usually, I’d argue that giving in to terrorists was a bad plan, but I needed her to fuck right off—now—and this was the best way. I took out a wad of cash, inwardly wincing at the amount, and put it on the table.

“Honestly, I was just going for a nice dinner with mygrandson,” she sniffed, scooping up the cash and putting it into her handbag’s insatiable maw. Her yellowing, hateful eyes snapped to mine. “Jealousy doesn’t look good on you, dear. Just because you don’t have any family, doesn’t mean you have to ruin special moments for other people.”

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