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“I get why,” I admitted, knowing the entire situation was technically our own fault. Students and teachers didn’t fraternize. Period. It was a hard and fast rule we’d played loose and easy with, and while I’d love to blame biology for it, it really wasn’t that simple. We’d bonded, and it wasn’t just because my genetics allowed me to have shifter babies. Dom had protected me at every turn, listened even when it went against his nature, and given me the space I’d needed to decide if this was truly the life I wanted.

“It’s not like you were ever inappropriate,” Leah argued, completely on my side. “And really, the principal’s lucky he still has a job after allowing the Sheriff to leave with you without even calling your dad.” I shivered and this time it wasn’t because of the cold wind. Leah noticed and gave me a quick sideways squeeze, and I sent her a grateful smile as I wrapped my arms around myself as we walked down the sidewalk. The Hanley’s had sent the Sheriff to the school to grab me after creating a trumped up charge. It was only because of Dom’s sister, Sam, that I’d managed to escape.

“Trust me, Dom would love to tear him apart for that alone,” I agreed and Leah gave me a startled glance. I paused, curious about what I’d said had caught her attention.

“When you say Dom would tear him apart, you mean that literally,” she stated and I nodded. She shook her head. “That really takes some getting used to,” she confessed as we started to move again. “I mean it’s hot, but also terrifying.”

“That’s what you get when your boyfriend can shift into a massive wolf,” I answered, my heart giving an extra bump as I said boyfriend. I knew Dom would gladly use mate instead, but I hadn’t been raised in the Pack life and still stumbled over the word.

“Your life is weird,” Leah muttered again, her eyes wide as she stressed the words. “I don’t know how you do it.”

“You’re the one who stitched a guy’s guts up,” I retorted, bumping her shoulder. “I consider that equally weird and kind of gross.” I squished my lips together at the thought and suppressed a shudder. I was not that great with blood and guts.

She let out a snort. “Talk about the blind leading the blind. That was a Hail Mary job. I had no idea what I was doing.”

“You saved him,” I said with a lift of my shoulders. “That’s all that matters.”

“You know my dad wants me to be a veterinarian like him,” she revealed and I nodded in acknowledgement.

“Dads are like that, always wanting their little girls to grow up to be like them. Veterinarian, motel owner, you know….the usual.” A laugh burst from her as I made fun of my own newly acquired career path. Dad and I jointly owned the motel since he’d used my college fund to buy and renovate it, a fact I’d originally hated but now appreciated. The motel sat at the boundary between Hanley and Navarre lands and was essentially a no man’s land. Or had been before I’d thrown my lot in with Dom and the Navarre Pack.

“I didn’t want to be a veterinarian,” she confessed and my eyebrows lifted at the knowledge. She smiled mockingly at my surprise. “Yeah, crazy, right? Who wants to go to school for eight years, and then spend their lives trying to save sick animals?”

“Well, when you put it like that,” I responded, seeing some of the difficulty. “It sounds really noble,” I added, trying to be helpful.

“It does,” she agreed. “And really, really sad too,” she continued. “I’ve been there with my Dad. He always insisted I help him and I’ve seen him save a lot of animals and also lose a lot of them too. I couldn’t figure out why he did it. Why put yourself through that when you know you can’t save them all?” I shrugged one shoulder, staying silent. “Then I saw Liam dying and I was the only one who knew enough to even try to save him.” She turned to stare at me, “Which, by the way, you were crazy to let me try. I had no idea what I was doing. We’re lucky it worked.”

“I think Liam would disagree about how crazy it was,” I answered softly and she ducked her head.

“Maybe,” I heard her say softly before inhaling deeply. “Either way, I got it. I understood then why my Dad does it. Why he put in the years of schooling and the pain of knowing he’ll lose some.”

“Good?” I asked hesitantly, not exactly sure where this was going, but willing to listen.

“It was good,” she paused, glancing upward as she corrected herself. “It is good. I wasn’t sure I could do it. Now, I know I can. Saving Liam gave me courage and made me realize that maybe there’s a need for a specialist around here,” she added, a mischievous smile on her face. I laughed as we came to a stop in front of Wren’s old room. She’d moved to the room next door with Dylan since Liam had basically bleed out all over her room. I was pretty sure Leah’s dad’s emergency vet case was still in there on the floor unless Wren or someone else had moved it.