Page 56 of Sold Rejected Mate
“I heard they all fled town,” Caspian says, crossing his arms. “I was studying abroad in Ireland at the time during my sophomore year of college. That’s why I didn’t come back to help.”
“That one was bad, but it was just the start,” Shae says, shaking her head, apparently not realizing that I never answered her question about whether I was here for it.
“The last thing I want to talk about is fires, Mom,” Lachlan says, which earns him a laugh from his dad.
“Fine,” Frederick says. “Then let’s focus on the fact that you haven’t gone on a hunt with me inweeks.”
Lachlan shakes his head. “I’ve been busy—”
“Well, you’re not busy now,” Frederick says, sitting back in his chair. “Come on, we can even bring the girls with us. Maybe your sister could come. A family hunt.”
I can already feel my throat turning to ash, and I try to think, try to come up with some excuse to get me out of this. Something more graceful than having red wine poured on my hand.
“Actually, that sounds kind of nice,” Shae says, dabbing at her mouth daintily. “The deer populationisgetting far too high, and we could have the cook make something up for us. There’s something satisfying about working for a meal, don’t you think?”
I almost laugh out loud at that—all they’ve been doing, since I walked in the door, is making me feel bad for the fact that I’ve had to work for my meals. Lachlan told me his father does something with real estate, but that his grandpa was rich to begin with.
That doesn’t sound like a life full of hard work. It sounds like a life where you treat hunting—which some shifter families around here do from necessity—like a fun, after-dinner activity.
“Yeah, let’s do it, Valerie,” Caspian says, his sharp, angled face pointed in my direction. “Let’s go for a hunt.”
Maybe Aurela and I were never reallythatclose, and maybe it’s been a long time since I talked to her, but I know there’s no way in hell she’s interested in this man. Big and burly was never her type. Neither were blond men, since I distinctly remember Aurela making a joke about being into redheads. And us joking back that she would actually have totalkto a guy to have a preference.
There’s no way she’s gettingall wrapped upin Caspian—especially considering the fact that his eyes have lingered on me from the moment I walked through the door, something hungry about his gaze. When I get a private moment, I’m going to mention it to Lachlan. Partially because it’s creeping me out, andpartially because I think Lachlan is looking for a reason to lay the guy out.
“So, it’s settled,” Shae says, clapping her hands. “We’ll go together, maybe catch an elk! I hope Aurela will come—”
“I might actually sit this one out,” I say, anxiety rising in me as they all stand from the table.
Lachlan turns, and the look on his face tells me that heforgot. He forgot that I can’t shift, which means I definitely won’t be coming with them on a hunt. I don’t know whether to be insulted or flattered that it slipped his mind.
Flattered, because it means it doesn’t really matter to him, and it’s not something he thinks about. Insulted, because we’ve talked about it at length. The way it makes me feel is to be a non-shifter. A stray.
“Why?” Shae asks. “Please, come with us. It would mean the world.”
“We’ll take it slow if you’re not used to hunting,” Frederick says. “You don’t have to worry about us leaving you behind.”
“I really—”
“It’ll be fun,” Caspian butts in. “Don’t be a party pooper.”
“Just leave her alone!” Lachlan snaps this a little too loudly, holding his arm out in front of me like his family might physically attack. “Gods—all night, it has been like this. Juststop.”
“Been likewhat, Lachlan? And youdon’thave to raise your voice,” Shae says, taking a tiny step back and bringing her hand to her chest, her mouth open.
“Yeah, slow your roll there, man, we’re just having fun,” Caspian says.
Lachlan turns on him. “I’m like two seconds from beating your ass,man. Look at Valerie one more time like that and see what happens.”
Caspian takes a step back, just like Shae. He holds his hands up in the air and looks over at Frederick and Shae, likeAre you seeing this?
“I just don’t see why you’re angry that we’ve invited her to come hunting with us,” Frederick says, crossing his arms. “You’d think that would make youhappy.”
“First—your inclusion should not be some sort of fucked-up consolation prize. And second, I’m pissed off because you’ve been taking little shots all night. I’m tired of it, and she doesn’t deserve it.”
“Oh mygods,” Shae says, her eyes swinging to me, turning from fake outrage to real. “I just remembered where I’ve heard your name before. ValerieFoley. You were one of the girls who started that fire!”
“Oh, shit—” Caspian makes a stupid face, and I hold my hands up.
