Page 17 of A Wolf's Wound
Right.Shifters, I remember.It’s one big family business.Keeping up with everything the pack needs is a full-time job, and if Gavin’s the alpha…
“So, you’re Gavin’s beta?”
“That’s right.”He pauses, his chopsticks still stuck in his kung pao chicken.He spears it like he’s hunting for meat.I really shouldn’t find it charming.
His brown eyes shine at me like he’s pleased that I know about his role.As beta, he’s Gavin’s second-in-command, so tightly sewn into the fabric of pack life that it’s difficult to see where the pack members’ lives ends and his begins.
The next bite of chicken nearly sticks in my throat at the thought.I can’t let myself forget that he’s a pack member first—as thoughtful and sweet as he seems now, hierarchy is everything in a pack.And I am not about to become the property of some possessive, authoritative shifter.
Ryder seems a little puzzled as the conversation dies down, but he helps me clean up and lock up the office, only speaking when necessary.
But that annoys me too.It’s like he knows what I need before I do.
I slide the office key into my purse before striding down the sidewalk, and Ryder walks beside me.His chin is lifted, all senses on alert, and his eyes sparkle strangely beneath the streetlights.The wolf in him is on guard, and I selfishly feel a bit grateful for it, even as I chafe against how secure I feel next to him.
There won’t be any surprise attacks with Ryder next to me.
But dammit, I should be able to look out for myself.
“This is me.”I can tell that Ryder would like to walk me upstairs to my apartment, but the last thing I need is April looking out the peephole and seeing us together.
Ugh.All of this is disgustingly complicated.
“Listen…” Ryder doesn’t touch me, but the heat between us is… It’s doing something to my head.I take a small step back, but Ryder doesn’t notice.His eyebrows are knitted together, like he’s trying to work up the nerve to say something.“Um, if you wanted to grab dinner with me tomorrow, in a restaurant instead of a tiny break room, I’d love to show you around town.”
Shadow, picking up on my discomfort, hisses at him.
It should make me feel better than it does.Instead, I almost feel as if I’m disappointing myself when I turn him down.
“I… can’t.”I quickly spin and head toward the stairs, tossing a single word over my shoulder before I disappear.“Sorry.”
His face falls, but he doesn’t push it.When I make it to my apartment, I shut the door behind me, leaning against it while Shadow wanders off in search of a snack.
None of this makes any sense.I’ve never had any problem turning guys down before, especially guys who went on a date with my best friend.So why does it feel like we’re still connected, even though there’s a thick door and a million reasons not to date between us?
Chapter 9
Ryder
Thevetclinicopensat nine, and I’m there five minutes before with a bouquet of colorful tulips in my hand.Right on cue, Hannah crosses the street.Her white vet coat flaps in the breeze, and a strand of her hair unfurls from her neat braid and curls near her cheek.
My fingers itch to tuck it behind her ear, but I manage to stop myself.Barely.“Good morning.”
Hannah rolls her eyes, but she can’t quite hide her smile.“The flower shops must be happy with you.”
“Mrs.Thorne gave me a punch card,” I joke.“The tenth bouquet is free.”
I didn’t get any punch card, but I did get Mrs.Thorne smiling happily to herself as she carefully bundled up the flowers.A busybody at heart, she seems to be thrilled that someone’s caught my attention, and I suppose the extra income doesn’t hurt.Flowers, chocolates, sets of toys for Shadow—I recognize the need to win them both over—every day, I’ve been dropping off small gifts.And every day, she says—
“No,” Hannah tells me firmly.
But she’s still half-smiling.And she lingers in the doorway, one hand twirling the edge of her hair and the other reaching for the flowers.
“I didn’t ask anything.”I hand her the flowers.Our fingers brush, and she doesn’t pull her hand away.For the most fascinating half-second of my life, she lets her thumb trail against mine before she shakes herself and turns around.
“I’m not changing my mind.”
She stomps away toward the office.I know she hasn’t thrown any of the gifts away or regifted them—my mom Lori told me she’s been taking them home.I leave a small bouquet for Mom, too, as well as a small box of chocolates.It pays to have a spy on the inside who’s rooting for me.
