Page 53

“Watch me,” I deadpan.

Old Betty and Old Joe are eating breakfast at the other end of the bar, too absorbed in their own conversation to pay much attention to us. The bar doesn’t actually start serving alcohol until afternoon, of course, so I’ve been keeping myself busy serving coffee to the few patrons.

“You would have slept with him, though,” Zahra says, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively.

“Keep your voice down!” I hiss. “I’m at work.”

“Oh, whatever. You absolutely would have taken a ride on the pretty Alpha prince if the post-nut clarity didn’t have bad timing.”

“‘Pretty Alpha prince’?”

“Am I wrong?”

“No, it’s just big talk for someone who was cursing him out and then bowing her head to him when he started growling.”

Zahra glares at me. I cringe, offering her an apologetic smile. It was natural for her to respond to Rowan’s anger like that. Her natural position in a pack is much lower than mine, given that I was apparently Fated to become an Alpha’s Mate. Lowering her eyes and bowing her head are not only instinctive, but an important and precious part of her identity.

“Sorry,” I mumble.

“It’s okay, Lina. Obviously. It’s just—I mean, yeah, I talked a big game when I was ranting about that stupid prophecy you mentioned, but as soon as he was there in the same room as you, I felt the shift. There’s a serious connection between you two.”

“Yeah, it’s called a Mating bond.”

“It’s more than that. There are tons of mated pairs in West Pond, but I don’t get goosebumps from standing near them. The hairs on my arms don’t stand on end from the tension caused by their proximity.”

“Well, it’s probably just because the bond was rejected and is trying to become un-rejected. Or whatever.”

“Or you’re both extremely powerful shifters in your own right, and even the universe itself recognizes it.”

I huff in annoyance. “You’re being way too dramatic for a Monday morning.”

“Whatever. So, what happened after you and Rowan picked Noah up from his slumber party?”

“Not a whole lot. Rowan looked after Noah while I ran errands and picked up groceries. I think Noah tried to teach him how to draw.” I shrug. “And then Rowan was in Greenbriar territory for most of Sunday.”

“But he slept at your house every night?”

“In the driveway. In his truck.”

“At least let him take the couch or something, Lina.”

“That’s a slippery slope.”

Zahra snorts. “Well, he already knows all about your slippery slope, girl.”

“Ew! God, Z.”

She takes a sip of coffee, then slowly becomes more serious. “By the way, I passed along what Rowan said about the Whiterose shifter who is apparently messing around with Blackburns in their territory.”

My stomach drops. I had wanted to forget about that detail. I wanted to forget about all of it. Life would be easier if we could go back in time to before the Blackburns started causing trouble.

Honestly, life would be easier if Samson Blackburn would just keel over and die.

“Yeah?” I prompt Zahra.

She leans in, lowering her voice further. “I told one of Henry’s Betas. He said he’d look into it. It’s not really my place to ask for further information on what that means, but…I did my best.”

I shrug. “Maybe it’s nothing.”