Page 44 of The Wolf and the Chimera
“So, it’s a plan,” Melanie said and wiggled her fingers together like some kind of cartoon villain.
“What’s a plan?”
At the sound of Kalli’s voice, we all jumped. Instinctively, I drifted toward Elle but tried to maintain nonchalance. Kalli strode toward us. Though her eyebrows rose in surprise at the sight of all of us together and not at each other’s throats, her wary smile didn’t indicate she suspected us of treason. I wondered if Lyall had told her about our sneaking around last night.
“The bonfire!” Kieran said and smiled. “We were tellingthem about how fun it is and how Eddie gets way too drunk every year.”
Kalli raised her eyebrow and crossed her arms over her paint-stained sweatshirt.
“That’s no way to speak about your elders,” she chided, “even if it is true.”
We chuckled, but Melanie laughed way too loudly. Bo glared at her, and she feigned a coughing fit to try to disguise her nerves.
“Um,” Kalli said and shook her head as if to clear it. “I came here to check on you, Elle, and invite both of you to tonight’s bonfire. The equinox is very important to our pack.”
Which is code for you have to attend.
In her years of being with Lyall, it appeared Kalli had picked up on his habit of never saying what she actually meant.
“We would be honored,” Elle said. “And thank you for checking on me. I’m feeling much better thanks to Lyall’s help.”
As she spoke, her heartbeat remained smooth and steady. Her gaze remained centered on Kalli’s, and her scent didn’t change. I was both impressed and disturbed by the ease with which Elle lied.
Kalli grinned. “It’s nice to see all of you getting along. Tonight will be fun!”
We all voiced our agreement, and Kalli was appeased. She sauntered out of the gym, but none of us took a breath until the door clicked shut.
???
In the grassy field behind the chateau, a huge fire stretched toward the horizon. Twilight cast the sky in shades of blue, purple, and vibrant orange. All around us, werewolves milled. It was the most relaxed I had ever seen Lyall’s pack. Plates were stacked high with barbeque, red solo cups werefilled to the brim, and music blasted from speakers set up on the back patio.
As Elle and I descended the sandstone steps down to the party, I couldn’t help but return my gaze to her. Her braided hair was coiled into a crown, and her lips glistened under the light of the setting sun. She wore a thick, orange sweater tucked into a tight black skirt and tall, leather boots. Her leg muscles flexed with each step she took.
My thoughts tumbled from my lips. “You look beautiful.”
“Thank you,” she said and smiled cordially but didn’t meet my eyes.
I cursed under my breath, and Elle frowned. She searched for something array in our surroundings.
“What’s wrong?” she asked.
“That’s what I’d like to know,” I grumbled.
When we reached the bottom of the stairs, I tugged her elbow, and we faced each other. With the music, conversations, and crackle of fire, I was confident no one would pick up on our voices.
“I’m sorry for not telling you about Freya,” I said.
“It’s none of my business,” Elle interrupted. “It’s not like we’re really together.”
Frustration loosened my tongue.
“Really?” I asked. “Then why have you been treating me like I have the plague all day?”
Her own anger cracked through her careful façade, and I relished it. Finally, she showed me something real.
“We both know you didn’t want a mate,” she whispered. “It’s not hard to tell that the only thing binding you to me is duty and magic. I’d rather not muddle things up with pretending to be more.”
I frowned in confusion.
