Page 42 of Seduced Wolf

As I get dressed, each question makes me more uneasy than the last. Bane’s red eyes send shivers down my spine. And the man with the black mask is just as dangerous, but in a far more cold, calculated way.

Brushing my hair, I gaze at myself in the mirror. Despite the tension coiling through my chest, pulling everything tight, I’m steady. Strong.

I’m a woman who can bring the Big Bad Wolf to his knees.

I’m a woman who can take him to soaring heights.

I’m a woman who has a mate beside her.

I get dressed quickly. Once Chase finds out what Peter’s divulged, he’ll tell me. We’ll talk. Decide what to do next.

Because we’re in this together.

Which means I’m going to do my part. I call an Uber as I make my way down the stairs, then out the front door.

I need to talk to Holly.

* * *

When I reach Holly’s house, her car’s there on its own, which is a relief. The last time Holly and I spoke was a tire fire. I expect this conversation might be best done in private. I’ve never met her father Rykard, and considering how important he is to Chase, I’d rather not do it under these circumstances.

I knock on the door and wait, but no one comes. I press the doorbell and wait, and get the same response. Frowning, I glance at the driveway. Holly’s car is most definitely there, suggesting she’s home.

Which means she’s probably avoiding me.

Like hell she is. I raise my hand and knock again, this time harder and longer. Then press the doorbell for good measure.

There’s a faint rustling on the other side and the door opens. I take a step back, my eyes widening. Gone is the bubbly friend I was drawn to that first night at the club. Her hair is a mess, her face drawn, the strap of her tank top hanging loosely down her arm. A tired, haggard woman stares back at me almost blankly.

Holly blinks. Then blinks again. “Oh hey, Aria. Sorry, I didn’t hear you. I was asleep.”

I pull up a smile. “I was hoping we could talk?”

I expect her to tell me this isn’t a good time, but Holly simply nods. She turns around and walks in, leaving the door open for me to follow. I do, closing it behind me quietly. The foyer I find myself in is as opulent and fancy as Chase’s, but I’m not surprised. I already knew Holly came from money. She offered to pay Peter’s ransom, after all.

Which once again has me wondering why I met her working at Club De Lune.

I follow her retreating back until I find myself in a lovely sitting room decorated with whites and grays. Holly sits down on a large couch and curls her legs up underneath her. Empty bottles litter the coffee table in front of her.

My lips flatline as I look around, seeing a kitchen beyond a doorway to my right. I walk in and rummage around until I find a glass, then fill it up with water from the large fridge. Bringing it back, I pass it to Holly.

She takes it as I sit on the couch beside her, one leg tucked under as I face her. “Tough night, huh?”

Holly downs the glass of water, giving me a chance to study her. She looks worse than I first thought. The dark circles under her eyes are only emphasized by the smudged mascara.

“I look that bad, huh?” she asks, focusing on her empty glass. “You don’t need to worry, I’ll be fine….”

I wait to see if she’s going to add anything to that blatant lie, but she doesn’t. Holly stays silent as she cradles her legs. For a few moments, she barely moves until I hear her sigh.

When she finally raises her eyes to me, they’re watery. “I tried to tell Chase. More than once.” She sighs, looking down to empty glass again. “The first time I tried, we got attacked. The second time I tried, you….” Her mouth twists. “And we all know how that turned out.”

“Holly—”

“I’m so sorry, Aria,” she says earnestly. “Even if Chase explained the reasons behind what I did, what matters is that I still chose to do it”

I sigh, then reach out to squeeze her hand. “If I got mad at you for trying to survive, I wouldn’t be much of a friend considering I still haven't paid you back for all you’ve done to help me.” I watch her closely. “I’m more worriedwhyyou did it.”

The look on Holly's face changes, suddenly looking fragile enough to be blown away if a harsh wind were to gust through the house. I wait again, wondering if she’ll tell me the truth.

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