Page 52 of Wolf Fated
"Will do." Dawn paused. "Is there anything you want to tell me? No judgment. I mean if you and Stephen aren't getting along, I can come pick you up any time day or night."
If she only knew but telling her how I was feeling would bring up more questions than I had answers for right now. "I'll S.O.S. you if I need to. Promise."
"Love you, Brook."
"Love you too, sis." I clicked end call and picked up the papers. One was a handwritten note signed by Axel, Drake, and Nathan.
Brook,
Since we failed in our wolf code, you are hereby released from your thirty day obligation to us. We have deposited funds into your bank account for the full amount of the bet. Do as you will with it. We only ask that you return to us for three days of the full moon (one day before, the day of, and the day after) until you can control your wolf and shift at will. Each of us wishes this had turned out differently, but we cannot hold you against your will. It's not fair to you or any future we might have had together.
We checked your bite and it’s nearly healed already. With a little guidance during the full moon, you’ll make a great werewolf.
All of our memories of you we will cherish forever and hope you will too.
All the best,
Axel, Drake, and Nathan.
PS - It was never about the money for us. It was all about you.
Then my stomach felt queasy. They were telling me goodbye? Just like that. Why couldn't they come and tell me themselves? I blinked back tears, feeling rejected. Feeling like they'd given up on what, a future together? That was impossible. Three guys and one of me? And there was the issue of my engagement. What would I tell Stephen? That I was falling more in love with three strangers than I ever had been in love with him?
I read the letter again, hoping for a clue as to where the guys might have gone. I mean they could've flown a plane to the other side of the world for all I knew.
Direct deposit into my account? I quickly pulled up my bank app on my phone. By my calculation, I should have about twenty-three dollars. There were so many zeros now that I had to stop and count them twice. I fell onto the couch.
I was rich. No. Not just rich, I was filthy-stinking rich. And sure, this much money was probably a drop in the bucket to them, but I'd seen too many stingy well-to-do people in my job not to see the value of this. Most bigwigs only left good tips when they were showing off.
And now, I never had to work another day in my life—even if I lived to be two hundred years old. Which reminded me, did werewolves have a long lifespan?
The first thing I was going to do was go shopping. Get my hair and nails done too.
The doorbell rang and I practically skipped to answer it. Was it another surprise like the envelope? Maybe even flowers or candy. Though I'd love it if Axel, Drake, and Nathan showed up with both and maybe a bottle of champagne to celebrate. I'd tell them I didn't want to leave. Not yet. I wanted to stay and learn more about werewolves, but mostly about them. My heart raced at the idea of seeing them again.
Not checking the window to see who it was, I threw open the door with a huge smile on my face.
"Hey, Brookie."
I couldn't stop my face from falling and an uneasy feeling like someone had just dumped ice water over me had me backing up a step. "What are you doing here?"
Stephen flicked his cigarette onto the rose bed beside the door. "Long time no see. Aren't you going to invite me in?"
24
Something about Stephen standing on the mansion’s porch felt off, which should be ridiculous. I’d known Stephen for almost a year. He wasn’t a stranger. He had been my fiancé… was my fiancé.
Had Axel and the others let him know the bet was off and we won?
“What are you waiting for? Let’s go.”
I blinked, trying to focus on the feelings racing through me. Instead of being thrilled that he was here and flinging myself into his arms, I hesitated. What was wrong with me? Had being bitten by a werewolf made me crave only their kind and shirk humans?
“Nothing. I-I need to get my stuff.” Not entirely true. I’d come here with only the clothes I had worn here, but the guys had bought me a whole wardrobe and it didn’t feel right leaving it all behind. But I couldn’t take it all with me either.
Stephen snapped a hand on my arm, squeezing. “Leave it. You need to come with me now.”
“You’re hurting me.” I jerked back. “Let me go.”
