Page 92 of Unforgivable

Lyri

I concentrate on breathing deeply. I haven't seen these wolves, walked down these streets, listened to these voices in over four months.

It's painfully surreal. I feel like a ghost as if the old Lyri died and left this scared shell in her place. Places that I used to hang out with my friends, echoes of memories of having fun, of pushing through the pain of rejection and moving forward one determined step at a time...

Now I'm barely able to make myself move forward.

My fingers wind into Ezra's jacket pocket. I keep my gaze on Rhet's back and try my best to keep from tripping on Ezra or tripping up Thjis, who is hovering at my back. My goal is to keep a steady pace so that I don't fall flat on my face.

I'm about to be surrounded by strange males for the first time since the night of my Shaming. How ironic that my wolf and I are seeking comfort and protection from these three? How things change in a few months.

"It's alright, Lyri. We're just going to pop in and pop back out, right?" Rhet tells me, again.

I nod, miserable. This is a test. I'm not stupid. Rhet wants to see if he can intimidate Anne, the baker, into selling me a pie when I'm with him. She can't. I know she can't. Rhet knows she can't. Anne knows she can't. So why is he pushing this?

Because he's a stubborn ass. He's a relentless, arrogant, alpha ass. Maybe my wolf and I can't tell exactly what he is, but I can scent dominant blood in him. So here we are. Ass.

"Please, reconsider this, Rhet," I whisper.

"I need to see this for myself, Pretty," he murmurs back. "They invite us here, knowing full well that you would be shunned officially. Fuck it. I'll test the strength of their balls." Without breaking his stride, he walks confidently into the bakery and through the gaping crowd to the front counter. Offering Anne a nod, he places an order.

"Four pies, please," his voice deepens. His wolf is demanding the pies. His 'please' means diddly-squat. There's no give, no wiggling away from the command his wolf empowers him with.

"Um, what flavor?" she whispers. Her face is turning red, her eyes are darting everywhere but Rhet and me.

"Apple," he says.

I'm a little astonished as I watch her take out a box without argument and start grabbing the pies and placing them inside. One, two, three... three.

She starts to close the box when Rhet interrupts. "I asked for four."

She meets his gaze for just a brief second. It's just long enough so that we can all see the tears shimmering in her eyes. "I can't give you more," she says.

I lick my lips, ready to step in. What can Anne do to stop the nullavenia Order? She stands to lose everything, all over a stupid pie.

"Rhet," I whisper. He squeezes my side gently. A silent admonishment to keep my mouth shut and let him lead.

"I want four pies, Anne," Rhet says sternly.

Anne's eyes dart to me, then Ezra. They linger on Ezra. Maybe she is hoping that a packmate born here may be helpful, but apparently, Ezra doesn't flinch because she looks away.

"Um... maybe you want six?" she offers. I have to applaud her cleverness. As long as it can be justified as her serving the males two pies each and none for me, she'll get away with it.

"Four."

Damn it, Rhet. I go to take a step closer when the bell chimes over the door. A familiar scent hits me. My fingers whiten on Ezra's sleeve. I can't stop the whimper of fear that drops from my lips.

Alpha Jax steps into the bakery. All three of my males let loose rumbles of warning from their chests.

Right behind Alpha Jax is one of them. No, no, no. Shit. This is bad.

I peek out and feel my heart sink to my toes. My wolf flashes fang, her fur ruffled. Alpha Jax is staring at Rhet while ignoring my presence, but the male behind him is looking at me with greedy eyes.

Todd. He was there that night. I don't remember his face, but I can place his scent. He's older than me by a few years. He's related to Drew, somehow. A cousin, maybe a second cousin, or something. He's on the outer fringes of that inner circle with Daan, Cloe, Drew, and Mari.

It makes me sick to even look at him. I know, without having a clear memory of that night, that he was particularly brutal. Todd is an entitled, sexist jackass on a good day. Someone should have bitch-slapped that male into good behavior years ago.

"Rhet," Alpha Jax and Rhet are posturing to each other, both males standing to full height, backs straight, hands held loosely at their sides with fingernails already bleeding black as they start to shift to claws. Violence and aggression shimmer in the air, but all I can taste is blood in my mouth from biting my inner cheek.

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