Page 50 of Pack Scratch Fever
She scoffs. “Okay, well, I like what I do. Unlikeyou.I appreciate the plant, though. I guess it’s a start,” she adds.
I try not to stare at her exposed neck, or the delicate skin that peeks out through her purple tank top.
It would be rude to stare at her mating gland, especially after how I’ve acted.
I nod curtly. “Good,” I say.
Another chirp sounds from the floor, and Piper stands to look over the counter, laughing when she sees Alvin. “The curse of smelling like catnip,” she chuckles. “You’re a cat magnet, whether you like it or not.”
I sigh. “It’s my burden to bear, I guess.” I reach down and scoop the cat up, and Alvin nuzzles the scruff of my cheek. I rub the top of his head gently, and he lets out a loud, rumbly purr.
Piper watches me fondly, a tiny smile gracing her lips.
Does she not know how beautiful she is?
Why doesn’t she have a pack?
What was her last relationship like?
I have so many questions, and I haven’t earned any of the answers.
“So, why don’t you like them?” she asks suddenly. “In another life, you could be working at a cat rescue like me.”
I shake my head.
In another life, I would have my shit together, and I would be biting you right now.
In another life, the four of us are mated, and you have a home filled with as many cats as you want.
“I don’tnotlike them,” I say, my thumb rubbing under Alvin’s chin. “I’ve just never had a pet before. And they’re unpredictable, unlike dogs.”
“Yeah, but that’s the best part,” Piper says excitedly, leaning over the counter to pet the cat as well. “You have to earn theirtrust. If they choose you, it’s a big deal. Every cat is complex, with different temperaments.”
Alvin headbutts my cheek, and I make a face at him. “Yeah, and what if they don’t like you?”
“Then you do your best to make them like you or at least treat them with respect.” Piper jolts her hand away when her fingers accidentally graze mine. “Look, I could go on and on. I’m sure you think I’m some crazy cat lady?—”
“I don’t think that?—”
“I like all animals, and of course you have to earn a dog’s trust too,” she adds quickly, waving her hand in dismissal. “I’m sure you don’t want to hear all this. I could talk your ear off with cat facts, but uh—” she motions to the plant—“this is more than enough. Thank you.”
I can almost feel the way she pulls back from me, a part of her shutting down.
The light in her eyes dims slightly as she places her invisible walls back up.
I know I have no right to want her to lower her defenses for me, especially after how I’ve behaved around her.
But I want more of Piper, even if it’s just small glimpses of who she is.
“Maybe I just need to give cats a try,” I murmur. “Maybe it’s worth it to see if I can win them over. Get to know them better.”
She knows I’m not talking about the animals.
A tentative, shy smile crosses her lips. “Maybe they’d like that,” she admits. “If you can make time in your busy schedule, with those twenty-hour workdays or whatever you have.”
At the mention of it, fatigue washes over me.
Weariness seeps deep into my bones.
