Page 25 of Haze

“Do what?” Cade comes through, ferrying more grocery bags.

Shit shit shit shit shit. My wolf and I both panic knowing how Cade will respond.

My body tenses, already anticipating the coming reaction.

Thalia looks at him with a smile. “I’ve agreed to help Lena test her drug. She isn’t a hundred-percent-sure if it protects against pregnancy. So, it’s a compromise.”

Cade’s whole body shifts, and he squares to me. The coward inside me retreats so hard that I can’t help but shrink against his harsh glare. My shoulders rise toward my ears.

He shakes his head and growls at me, “No, absolutely not.”

Diverting my gaze, I regret being excited about this. I should have known better.

“I volunteered. She didn’t ask. Don’t go all alpha jerk on her,” Thalia scolds him,

It’s so unexpected for Thalia to defend me that even Deacon stops from where he’s been pilfering food out of the grocery piles.

Looking up, I see her hand on his arm, looking at him with a discerning gaze.

It’s not unexpected, in the sense that she would purposefully let him be hurtful toward me, but because each day, Thalia’s growing much stronger. She doesn’t notice it herself yet, but she’s having significantly fewer panic attacks and is managing her body better. No more hangry incidents where she almost bites people’s heads off.

That’s my personality trait anyway. It’s about time she finds her own.

“Not for your first heat. I can’t.” Cade’s faltering over his words. “I know you don’t understand my logic and reasoning. But, this isn’t—Thalia, heat is hard. Adding something more, untested, isn’t the way to do this.” Cade softens while speaking to her, and when he turns back to me, he’s altogether different. “I’m sorry I pushed you, but my answer is still the same.”

With a nod and forcing myself to physically relax under the strain of his gaze, I respond, “It’s okay. I’ll test it first. That way, I’ll know some potential side effects.”

“No,” Cade growls. “Lena, fuck. Don’t force your heat for this.”

I end the conversation. “I’ll find someone, not Thalia, to do it.”

Cade grumbles but lets it go.

I’m returning to my computer when the doorbell rings.

Deacon looks around the room. “Did anyone else hear that?”

“When did we get a doorbell?” Cade’s furrowed brow matches the frustration in his voice. “I’m pretty sure I asked not to have one in the schematic.”

“Oh, I thought you were joking.” Thalia covers her mouth with her hands.

It’s too much; I start laughing but walk to the door to see who could possibly be ringing the bell. If it’s Finn, oh fuck, don’t be Finn.

I meet Lauren halfway to the door and tell her, “I’ve got it.”

She whispers, “I thought Cade said he didn’t want a doorbell. Something about being too loud and you can’t pretend you didn’t hear it?”

“Apparently Thalia thought he was joking?” I shrug, trying not to laugh.

Lauren covers her mouth. Shaking her head, she turns around to return to whatever magic she’s making happen. That woman is an organized army.

Opening the door, I put on a small smile. “Hello. Can I help you?”

“The Leviathan should be expecting me,” a brunette woman says with a slight Eastern European accent.

She’s flanked by two larger wolves, both intending to look intimidating, but they’re not the ones to fear.

Power radiates from the woman in the same all-encompassing way it does from Cade. Her eyes are the same frosty shade of blue. Something isn’t right.

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