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“Just out of the blue. Your Ms. Ebon has been kind of nice, though.”
She reaches out to touch my purple hair. She must guess that this was all her old advisor’s doing. A scowls returns right after as she meets my gaze. “So, you have a mate who’s trying to get rid of the bond and a ticking time bomb over your head that says you’re going Feral? It’s not like they’re going to let you back in the pack unless idiot boy accepts you.”
“Exactly. I’ll have to go Feral either way.”
Nathan growls. I want to reach over and comfort him, but that would be a mistake. Kinsey glances between the two of us. “I want to help you. I don’t know what I can do right now other than make sure Sean doesn’t kidnap you again.”
Tears linger behind my heated eyes, threatening to spill over. “We’re worried he might do worse if he can’t sever the bond.”
“What does he think he’ll accomplish with that, anyway? It’s not like you’ll be free.”
My jaw hardens, and I breathe through my nose to try to steel my words. “He doesn’t care. He knows I’ll go Feral, but he’s only looking to not feel badly about it when I do.”
Kinsey’s mouth parts. She looks like she could strangle someone. “So, he feels it. He just acts like he doesn’t?”
“Pretty much. Not that I care because I don’t want him, anyway.” My lips thin. “His poor wolf, though,” I add. “I saw him when I first got here, and his wolf forced a shift. He told me it was the first time his wolf had come out since he rejected me.”
Kinsey’s mouth pops open. “He’s going against his wolf?” She shakes her head. “That’s not good.”
I saw the way his wolf looked at me. Sean and his true shifter form are at odds. It’s not both of them, so I should stop imagining Sean getting hit by a bus. If he gets ran over, so does his wolf.
A few minutes later, Jonah walks toward the driveway. We watch as a silver sedan pulls up, and there’s a short exchange before the car drives away again. Jonah makes his way to us and hands me a burner phone, but Nathan plucks it from my fingers to set it up. “Sean will be here soon. Make sure you’re prepared. I’ll get this going for you.”
“Thank you,” I tell him. I then peek at Kinsey and Jonah. “You guys, too.”
Kinsey waves my gratitude away. If it wouldn’t be over-the-top, I’d throw myself at her again. She’s like a life preserver in the middle of the ocean, and I haven’t even seen the girl in months.
She asks if I need to get changed, and I tell her I’m not allowed to wear anything else. Her gaze narrows. “Not that you wanted to dress up for him, anyway.”
“Exactly.”
“Don’t even bother rolling your skirt.”
I chuckle at her reference. Her first morning at Greystone, I told her to roll the top of her skirt a couple of times because the length was too modest. She’s right about that. I’m letting it all out, showing off my Band-Aids so he can see what he did to me.
Exactly an hour later after my mate’s call, Sean’s green SUV pulls up to the cabin. Kinsey gets to her feet. “Don’t worry. I’ll tell him we’re coming.”
“You were serious about that?” Jonah asks. “I have to check in.”
“With your dad?” She smirks. “Just tell him I need you tonight. He’ll be okay with it.”
“Thank the universe he never had any girls. He’d be wrapped around their fingers, too.”
Kinsey smiles. She and Jonah walk forward as Nathan holds back on my wrist. He glares over my head when Sean’s vehicle shuts off, and he passes me the phone. “Be safe. Okay?”
I squeeze his hand, making sure my body is blocking everyone else’s view. “I’ll be fine.”
Before we can drag out the goodbye, I turn around. Kinsey and Jonah are already introducing themselves. I get there at the good part when my friend beams and announces, “Thanks so much for inviting us over for dinner tonight.”
Sean’s gaze shutters, and he peeks at me briefly. I smile at him. “Kinsey just got into town,” I relay as an excuse. I don’t want him to think that I called in reinforcements. Though, I doubt his mind went there since mate bonds are a private topic. I’m sure he hasn’t thought of me discussing him with anyone.
He’d be wrong.
“So, we’ll follow you?” Jonah asks. Without waiting for an answer, he grabs Kinsey’s hand to lead her to their car.
“Oh no,” Kinsey pouts. “I’d much rather get a tour of Daybreak from someone who’s lived here. You don’t mind, do you, Sean?”
He swallows, clearly not happy. He doesn’t show it though. “No problem at all.” His forced smile thins when he turns.