Page 39 of Prince with a Chance of Darkness

“Handle finding out she’s been rooming with a monster for years now?” she questioned and I had a strong suspicion she’d played the scenario in her head to the point she was sure what others would say or do. “That I’m a freak?”

“You’re not a freak,” I shot back, hating hearing her refer to herself as a monster. “You’re my sister, who just happens to turn into a wolf once a month. I think Astria will be able to deal with that knowledge. She could help be another set of eyes.”

“And do what? Watch as I manage to break free, and then watch as I attack her?” she asked, her voice going up several octaves.

I grabbed her by the shoulders, ready to shake some sense into her if need be. “Willa, stop. You’re spiraling again. Astria could watch the cave from a safe distance and find me if you get free or if someone else comes here.”

“It would put her at risk,” Willa said, looking for reason it wouldn’t work. “We like her—a lot. I don’t want her in danger.”

“I don’t either. But we have to start trusting someone,” I said. “We need help. I can’t be here the entire time because I have to hunt baddies.”

Defeated, she nodded. “I’ll reconsider letting you record me shifting. You’re right. It could help us figure out how I’m getting free.”

I hugged her quickly and let her go. “We still need to consider bringing in help. I still vote for Astria. I think Stevie would be a good backup.”

“They’re both good picks,” she said.

They were great picks and she knew it. They’d be around next year, working on their graduate degrees with us and we’d known them three years now. We trusted them. “And both will be here next fall.”

“Maybe, just for tonight, it might be better if you use the tranquilizers I lifted from the lab.” Willa bit her inner cheek.

I fought the urge to slap her. “And I’d feel better if you didn’t ask me to shoot you.”

“With a tranq dart,” she added fast like I didn’t know her better than she knew herself.

The idea of slapping her sounded better and better. “I think webothknow the request is deeper than that.”

She conceded with a nod. “I’m what we hunt. Youshouldput me down and protect humans from me.”

“It’s taking all of me not to bitch slap you,” I warned, touching the white lock of hair she had. Hearing how much she hated herself and what she was broke me inside. It was all my fault. I did this to her. She was suffering because of me and I hated every second of it. Emotion lodged in my throat. “I wish you could see yourself when you’re shifted, Willa. You really are beautiful. Your coat is pure white.”

She pulled my hand from her hair. “Keep talking about my wolf form like that, and I might start to think you’re going soft on supernaturals.”

I couldn’t stop a tear from escaping. I wiped it away quickly as Willa drew back from me.

“Chin up, babes,” I said, drawing on all of my resolve to keep from breaking down in front of her. I’d cry when I was alone and when she couldn’t hear me. “If anyone ever asks how you spent your weekend, you can tell them with all honesty that you spent it chained up—kinky. That has got to win cool points in something. I’m not sure what, but go with it.”

She shoved me lightly. “I’m not telling anyone that. We’ll stick with the same story. That I’m volunteering at the animal shelter all weekend.”

“Boring,” I mouthed. “Besides, I already told them you were going on a date tonight. They’ll think it went really well, and you spent the weekend knocking boots with a hottie.”

“What? I’m not going on a date.” Her eyes were wide.

“I know, but it sounded cooler than volunteering for the night,” I said, knowing it would keep her mind off wanting to be hunted and killed.

“Yes, but what am I supposed to tell them when they ask how my date went?” she questioned.

With a grin, I pulled on my wet T-shirt. “Tell them it involved you getting chained up, and that made you wet.”

“No way,” she stressed with a shake of her head. “Emily will demand the dirty details, and I’ll be left trying to invent some guy who never existed. Plus, I’m guessing Stevie will see right through the lie. I swear that girl doesn’t miss much.”

“I know, right?” I snorted. “It’s like her last name being Holmes was taken to heart.”

Willa canted her head. “What do you mean?”

“Holmes,” I replied, waiting for it to click. “Sherlock.”

She chuckled. “Never thought of that, but you’re right.”

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