Page 7 of Forbidden Virgin Mate

I nod, trying to fight the tears. "I know. I know. Billie's nice, she came out to che—"

"None of them arenice, Tanya," my mom snaps, the sweet tone gone from her voice. "Don't fall for it. I warned you about this."

"I know, Mom, I'm sorry. You're right. Where's Dad?"

"Oh, you know," she mutters. And unfortunately, I do.

"He's drunk, isn't he?" I ask sadly.

"He can't help it," she snaps, making me think she might also be partaking in shifter beer. She's almost as bad as he is. "That's why you're there. We can't put this right, but you can. We've stood by you."

I hear a crash in the background, and Mom shouts something, presumably at my dad, all but confirming they've both been drinking. Not much gets a shifter drunk or high except specially formulated brews. My parents have a couple of dealers who keep them well-stocked. The drinks make them essentially useless as parents.

I hate this town for doing this to my family. And I hate Zack's family most of all.

I get my mom off the phone as quickly as possible. I can't deal with either of my parents when they're like this.

I can't deal with them, full-stop. My mom is bitter, mean, and treats me like garbage. I've been nothing more than a burden to her for years. My dad is a difficult man, so crushed by his situation in life, he barely makes sense anymore.

But they're also all I have left.

Determined not to fall apart, I finish putting the groceries away. After making a fresh pot of coffee and taking out one of Saffy's cupcakes, I try to shrug off my lingering sadness. I retrieve my encrypted laptop from the safe and settle on the sofa.

One of the best bits about my work with the FBI is my heightened access to encryption. With so much more computer power at my disposal, my systems run better than ever. I'm not sure the government even realizes how much more I can do now, piggybacking off their networks. Or maybe they just don't care as long as I help catch the bad guys. People way worse than me.

It's a win-win situation, really.

After a few weeks here, my plans are coming together. I bring up my most recent files and log into the fake back office I've created, which links me to the community accounts the two packs have created for their joint ventures. The accounts are looking pretty healthy after an apparent round of fundraising. Most of the money goes to projects like joint sports games, winter fairs, new college buildings and programs, and new infrastructure both packs can enjoy.

But the packs will never see any of this money; only one person is going to benefit from all this hard work. After today, I'm tempted to accelerate my plan and deliver one massive blow, but I pause, my fingers hovering over the keys.

No. First, I'm going to make Zack fully understand what his family did to mine. The accusations and whispers that built and built before we were finally cast out. I'm going to destroy his life bit by bit.

And Saffy's,I think, but immediately shrug that thought away.

I set up two wire transfers for smaller amounts that will trigger notifications. Enough to prompt questions, but not enough to look like grand theft. The money is heading to a very well-disguised account. It will require someone with a lot of know-how to discover who that account belongs to.

That person, of course, is Zack.

I close the laptop and take a bite of the cupcake, ignoring the fact that the frosting suddenly tastes like cardboard in my mouth. I swallow it down, fighting the voice in my head, whispering uneasy thoughts.

Chapter 4 - Zack

"Are you kidding me?" I hear Saffy's incredulous laugh behind me. Spinning around, I see her in my bedroom doorway, doubled over in hysterics.

I turn back to the mirror. "What?" I demand.

"You cannot wear that shirt." She giggles, waving her hand in my direction. "You wear it every time you go out."

I look down at the blue and black plaid shirt. "And what's wrong with that? It's smart enough."

Saffy walks into the room and sighs. "Firstly, it's not—it has a hole in the side. And second, it's just a bit...basic hillbilly."

"Basic hi—" I start, but then I look down at the shirt and spot a hole in the side seam. How long has that been there?

Saffy walks over to my closet and disappears for a moment before returning with a black button-up. "Wear this and your other jeans. The good ones."

"It's just a casual thing, Saf,” I say. “We're going to the fair and then maybe Henry's for a drink. That's it. That shirt’s a bit fancy, don’t you think?"

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