Page 36 of Alpha's Choice
“I’m glad I can help.” I took her hand, ignoring the sour look on Lisa’s face. “You and your wolf are important to the pack.”
“Yes, we all want you to feel better. It was such a devastating loss. My wolf felt it too.” Lisa emphasized wolf as if to draw attention to my lack of one.
Jenny tensed. Even in her grief, the undercurrents ramping up the tension had to be obvious. I willed it away, relaxing my shoulders and focusing on the warmth of what I was coming to call my Luna energy. Jenny relaxed as her wolf picked up on it.
“We can’t stay long. We have to go back to the summer program, but I wanted to drop by and see you.” I squeezed Jenny’s hand. “If you need anything, just ask. I’ll be back tomorrow.”
Kylie and I said our goodbyes. Lisa followed suit, fawning over Jenny and her mother. But her energy was insincere, and I could see the discomfort in their faces. I hated to leave them feeling like this, but suspected Lisa would stay as long as I did.
Lisa turned on me as soon as we got outside. “Are you having fun playing at being Luna?”
“She’s not playing at anything.” Kylie leaped to my defense. “Unlike you.”
“My wolf felt for Jenny. Emma can’t say the same.”
“I don’t need a wolf to feel empathy for another.” My voice was sharp with frustration. “But you need to learn to read a room.”
“Tobias is going to realize you’re a mistake any day now.” Lisa tossed her hair over her shoulder. “And who do you think he’ll turn to?”
“Not you.” Kylie jutted her chin out. “Besides, Emma is already proving she’s the right one for him and this pack.”
“Lisa, I don’t understand why you still want Tobias, even knowing he isn’t your mate.”
“She doesn’t care about Alpha Tobias, she just wants to be Luna.” Kylie raised her brow at Lisa, daring her to protest.
Lisa growled and flounced off toward her friends, who were waiting in front of the school for her. I noticed Megan, Tobias’s sister, watching us. I wondered if she had heard the interaction.
“Come on. The others are waiting for us in the teachers’ lounge. They picked up our lunch for us.” Kylie motioned for me to follow her.
“Why are we eating there? What do we need privacy for?”
“We want to hear all about you and Alpha Tobias, and figured you wouldn’t want the entire lunchroom listening in.” Kylie winked at me. “Werewolf hearing can be a pain sometimes, and we want all the details.”
* * *
Tobias
My cell phone dinged. I glanced at it, grabbing it when I saw Emma’s name. I couldn’t stop the smile at the cat picture, remembering our first date.
“Are you smiling at a cat picture?” Matthew tried to peek over my shoulder. Danny’s head popped up at Matthew’s words, and I could see him getting ready to tease me.
“It seems Patrick found his mate.” I distracted them with the news, not wanting to share the inside joke Emma and I had. “Just you left now Danny.”
“Who is it?” Matthew asked.
“Emma didn’t say.”
Danny tapped his fingers against his thigh. “He went over to the summer program to present. Must have been someone there.”
“The entire pack was together yesterday, except for the wolves on patrol,” I pointed out. “It would have to be someone whose birthday is today, or Patrick would have found them yesterday.”
Matthew pulled out his phone and did some checking. “Elliot Green.”
“He was aiming for the warrior program.” Danny leaned back. “Shouldn’t be too hard to shift his focus to the Gamma mate’s duties.”
“Patrick shut his link off. No surprise there.” Matthew turned to Danny. “You realize your mother is going to be all over you about finding your own mate now, right?”
Misery spread across Danny’s face, and he let out a groan. “That’s a thought I’d rather avoid.”
