Page 57 of Rejected Exile

After a long moment I tell her, "I'm not sure if I know how to move on. But I think I have an idea."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. It starts with getting this damned thing out of my neck." I crane my head to the side and feel along the edges of the scar. "It's been in there too long. If there is a wolf inside me, I want to find out, and I want to meet her."

"I think that sounds marvelous."

"You do?"

"Yes."

"Somehow I thought you'd disapprove."

"Oh, I fully approve. Just on one condition."

I narrow my eyes at her. "If you're cooking up another scheme to get me half naked and locked alone in a room with one of the guys, I swear—"

"No, not that," Cat says, though I swear her eyes dance with wickedness. She's definitely going to try something atsomepoint. "I just want you to promise me that you'll let me make an appointment at asterile, hygenicclinic or doctor's office tomorrow so someone professional and sanitary can have it removed."

"Huh." I cock my head at her. "That's actually a good idea. It hadn't occurred to me to do it that way."

"I know it hadn't," she answers dryly. "Which is exactly why I'm making you promisebeforeyou're a bottle of white wine deep and decide to grab the bottle opener to do it yourself."

I shoot her a mischievous grin. "Obviously I'd use a paring knife."

"I've seen you in the kitchen." She snorts and shakes her head with disapproval. "Considering your knife skills, I'd be mopping arterial blood off the ceiling."

"Aw, it wouldn't bethatbad."

"The thing with the carrot?"

"That one time!Onetime I mistook my finger for a wild carrot and nearly sliced it off. It could happen to anyone, anyone!" I pound my hand on the table to emphasize my point. "Though I guess that thing with the bread loaf that happened the next day probably proves your point."

Cat throws her head back in laughter. "Oh, Lilah. What are we going to do with you?"

"Find out who I really am, I guess."

"Sounds like a plan. And tonight?"

"We drink!"

I raise my glass, and Cat clinks hers to it. As soon as she's drained her glass, she grabs the wine bottle again—and this time, she leaves it out on the table.

It doesn't feel like drowning my sorrows to spend the night polishing off a good bottle of white wine with my foster mom and my closest confidant.

What it feels like is the start of something new. An unloosening of my inner, hidden self. There's something unknown just around the corner, and while I'm more than a little anxious and uncertain of it, most of what I feel is excitement.

Soon enough I'll discover what was hidden from me my entire life: the truth about my deepest, most inner self.

* * *

The morning sun cracks through my window way too early considering how much wine I drank last night. Yawning and stretching, I shake the sleep off my face and grab my phone as I step into the bathroom. Tired lines criss-cross my skin, but a good splash of warm water, gentle cleanser, and all my AM skincare products takes care of most of that. The rest of the under eye circles and bagginess disappears with a swipe of concealer.

While I'm brushing on eyeshadow, I check the weather forecast—still unusually warm for Oregon, but a cold snap is coming—then swipe over to the news. Nothing good to report but a few fluff pieces about baby penguins being born at the local zoo. Cracking a yawn, I swipe open my messages app and thumb down until I find the group text started with the guys.

It's nothing but back and forth aboutthishardware supply order orthatpaint color. I've been too nervous since getting their numbers to make a one-on-one thread with any of them. They haven't reached out individually either, which I would normally take as a brushoff if they weren't werewolves. Mates like them care about the harmony of the pack. If I get a one-on-one text from any of the three that's about something deeper than screwdriver bits, it'll only happenafterhe's cleared it with the other two.

Something that could happen any day now if I don't do the choosing first. Too bad for me, and for these three hotties, I can't seem to decide which one to pick—or if I should even pick in the first place.

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