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“I can put a tail on her,”Bransonoffers. “Someoneto keep an eye and see if she’s showing any signs.PerhapsanotherWere, who can smell it if her scent changes?”

“That’s a good idea.”Inod slowly. “Butmake sure it’s a femaleWere,”Iadd darkly. “Ican’t fucking stand the idea of some other male breeding her.”

“I can do that,”Bransonsays. “I’llhave someone go there immediately.Ifshe does go into—what do you call it? ‘BreedingFever’—thenI’llhave you informed at once.Youcan decide what to do from there.”

“Thank you,Branson.”Isigh tiredly. “Iguess that’s the best we can do for now.Ofcourse, she still might turn out to be human, butIdoubt it—Ithink she hasWereblood for sure.”

“We’ll soon see,”Bransonmurmurs. “Thefull moon isn’t that far off.”

“I know.”Ishake my head. “God,Ishould have told her earlier.ButIwanted to wait untilIcouldShiftand prove it to her so she didn’t thinkIwas crazy.”

“Hindsight, as they say,Sir, is twenty-twenty.”Bransonrises and places a comforting hand on my shoulder. “Takecourage—this too shall pass.Ido believe it will work out in the end.”

I wishIhad his confidence.Butat least talking to him has put my mind slightly more at ease.

“Thanks,Branson,”Itell him.

But what shouldIdo ifSunnysuddenly goes intoBreedingFever?ShouldIbring her here to my mansion and breed her myself?TheMoonGoddessknowsIwant to, but would she ever trust me again after that?

I just don’t know—Idon’t know anything.IguessI’llhave to play this situation as it goes and just hope for the best.

In the meantime, there’s nothing to do but wait.

32

SUNNY

The next week is possibly one of the worst of my life and that’s including the timeIspent grieving after firstNan, thenDaddyand thenMommapassed.Ihate the man who pretended to be my brother.Butat the same time,Ican’t deny it—Imisshim.

FakeKane, asI’vestarted calling him in my mind, seemed so sweet and kind.Hewas so understanding—we could talk for hours and never run out of things to say.Andthen there was the way he made me feel…sexually.

Now that he’s gone,I’mhaving a hard time admitting whatIdid with him.Whatwas wrong with me, acting like that whenIthought he was my brother?DidIgo crazy for a little while?Hejust felt sorightto me—like we belonged together.Whichis insane, right?

Of course,Ihave to explain toCookiethatFakeKanewasn’t who he said and that he’d been lying to all of us.Cookieis sympathetic and tells me not to worry about it—it’s not my fault.Heoffers to get me someone else to help with the pies in the morning, butItell him no.I’drather be alone—it would be too painful to work with someone else now thatFakeKaneis gone.

Cookie does hire someone else though—a nice new girl namedSamantha—Samfor short.She’sapparently living with her aunt in the next town over and needs a job.Shetakes over the dishwashing and table bussing.

Sam’s very efficient but every timeIlook over and see someone else besidesFakeKanespraying off the dishes or clearing the tables,Ifeel it like a stab in the heart.Shetries to make small-talk with me, butIjust can’t.I’mnot rude, butI’mnot interested in getting close to anyone new for a while.

Speaking of being close to someone,Annabellesidles up to me about two days afterFakeKaneleft and asks me ifI’mokay.

“You can seeI’mnot,”Isnap at her.Infact,Iburned a whole batch ofRaspberryRipplepies that morning.Ihaven’t burned anything inyears.YouknowI’mgoing through it when my oven-sense is off.

“Sorry!”Annabelleholds up her hands in a “don’t shoot” gesture. “Iwas wondering because, well…because of somethingCharlesis saying around town.”

“What?”Ifeel sick.Thisis my greatest fear.CharlesandIhaven’t spoken since he caught me andFakeKaneon the couch butIwas hoping he would keep what he saw to himself.

Which was foolish, really.Charleshas always been a terrible gossip.He’sone of those people who likes to know everyone’s business so he can spread it all around.Andbecause he works at hisDad’sdealership and knows so many people, he has a lot to spread.

“What is he saying?”Idemand ofAnnabelle.

She shifts uncomfortably and won’t meet my eyes.

“He’s saying he, uh, saw you and the guy we all thought was your brother together when he came to warn you that he wasn’t reallyKane.Imean like…togethertogether—you know?”

I feel even sicker.Idon’t like to lie, but if this gets around, it’s going to ruin me.Insteadof being the “pie lady”I’llbe known as the girl who screwed her own brother—or at least, the guy shethoughtwas her brother.

“He’s really saying that?”Iask in a weak voice.