Page 128 of Haze

Cade grins. “It’ll show you tracking information for the four of us in the event that you were to need one of us or couldn’t find one of us.”

The heavy hint of ‘us’ indicating Lena makes it significantly easier to justify letting her go to class by herself come Monday.

I open my camera and scan his phone. A software download starts automatically.

“Of course, that will let me see where your phone is too,” Cade informs me after the fact. “But I think it’s a good compromise.”

With a nod, I tuck my phone into my pocket to let the technology update.

“I’ll walk you out.” Cade gestures to the door behind me before he follows me out of his office and into the kitchen. When we get there, Lena’s still upstairs.

His next words are measured. “How are you liking living in the Ardelean Pack?”

It feels like a trick question. I stall. “It’s different but not a hard adjustment. You haven’t asked for much. And expectations have been reasonable. Obviously, there are some things to work out with my mate, but overall I like it here.”

Cade nods. “I appreciate you helping me handle the issue with the paparazzi who jumped the fence. It was good to have someone cool under pressure.”

“You’re welcome,” I assure him.

He hands me the keys to the apartment next to Lena’s. “Keep her safe, please.”

“With my life,” I promise him.

* * *

Surprisingly, Lena lets me help her carry our bags to the SUV. There’s only one objection to me driving, and it’s so half-hearted that I think she feels the need to be contradictory for no good reason whatsoever. I suppose that’s her charm. If she submitted easily to me, it wouldn’t be her. It sure as fuck wouldn’t be the woman I’ve fallen for.

We’ve settled into the drive, and Lena’s engrossed in her phone for a few moments before she releases an enlightened huff.

“Problem?” I ask, dragging my eyes off the road to look at her.

“You’re only a little older than Cade.” Lena shrugs and laughs faintly. “Not awful.”

“What do you mean not awful?” I’m twelve years older than her. It hardly makes me old. Though, it’s probably an eye-brow-raising difference to others.

Lena gives me a sly smile. “I’m saying you can still keep up with me. I was with Doctor Thorpe for a while, and while it was good, he had a hard time keeping up.”

My vision turns red. “You were fucking Thorpe?!”

“It was a few summers ago. There weren’t any ongoing projects and he wasn’t my superior at the time,” Lena defends. “Completely above board.”

“Doctor Thorpe has seen you naked.” My fist clenches, and the steering wheel creaks in my hand.

The judgment and snide remarks from him are starting to make sense. This feels like justifiable violence. He touched what’s mine.

My wolf snarls, snapping his teeth. He touched ours.

Then he has the gall to allow that predator into the lab with women he’s taken responsibility for.

Why the fuck did this never come up when I asked about her exes? He’s not some one-night stand she’ll never see again. He sees her every fucking day. I wonder how many times he’s thought about fucking her while working alongside her.

I’m so mad I can’t even see straight. I pull off to the side of the road and unbuckle my seatbelt. Once I’m out of the SUV, I’m fighting my wolf for control. Thorpe is probably back on the pack property for the weekend. I could go back and end him. End him right now.

I pace back and forth in front of the SUV, then down and back across the road, trying to walk the anger out of my system.

“Finn.” Lena’s right behind me.

“I can’t, Kathleen. I fucking can’t.” I shake my head.

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