Page 44 of Alphas Like Us

I can’t imagine what crossed her mind when she heard we’d been in a car crash. Two of her brothers, her best friend and her best friend’s boyfriend,andher little cousin. I can’t imagine what any of our family wasthinking.

“Have you looked at any news articles about the accident?” sheasks.

“Not yet.” I’ve been prolonging that, but I’m sure the crash made headlines. I’ve actually tried not to check social media too much lately. Not since I’ve been public withFarrow.

Muffled voices grow louder on Jane’s end. “Sorry…hold on, we’re solving a mini-directional crisis. Too many people in this car believe they know Philly roads thebest.”

I keep her on the line, but I let her deal with the directions. And I catch Farrow peeling a thirdchocolate.

“Are you really going to eat all my chocolate?” I wonder. Aunt Daisy brought the heart-shaped tin as aget well soonthing. She says chocolate candy is second best to chocolatecake.

“You can’t eat anything before surgery,” he reminds me. “I’m doing you a favor. Less temptation, wolf scout.” He pops the third one in hismouth.

“It’s working. You’re making them lookdisgusting.”

“Must be why you keep watching me eat them,” he says, one-upping me with absoluteease.

Goddammit. “I wasn’t,” Ilie.

“And there goes your honesty meritbadge.”

I watch him put aside the tin, and he uncaps a permanent marker with his teeth. His brown eyes flit to the machines next to the bed. Numbers scroll over the screen, lines bounce up and down, and I can barely make sense ofit.

But hecan.

As quickly as Farrow looked, he’s back on course. His large hand runs from my knee down to my ankle, the touch full of hot affection, and he holds my ankle with strength but tenderness that pools warmth inside ofme.

Farrow starts scribbling something on top of my leftfoot.

“That better not sayfuck me,” I tellhim.

Farrow stops writing, and his gaze lifts to mine, all humor in his eyes. He blows out the cap from his mouth. “If I were going to writefuck me, it wouldn’t be on your foot.” With another thought, his smile widens in near laughter. “Unless…you want me to fuck yourfoot.”

“Fuck off,” I say, about to reclaim my leg, but his grip tightens. That, I like evenmore.

I crane my neck and catch sight of the scrawledletters.

NOT THISFOOT

My brows pull together as I stare at him like he’s flown to the garbage planet Sakaar. “If I’m even having surgery, you do realize it’s nowhere near myfoot?”

“Can’t be too careful,” he says casually and moves onto my calf. “That’s rule number one in the Wolf Scout Handbook. In case you’ve forgotten your own rules.” He pulls back to view hishandiwork.

NOT THIS LEGis evenbigger.

Dear World, why am I smiling? Best Regards, a smilinghuman.

“I’m back,” Jane says with a giant breath. “So, we have a lot to discuss when I arrive. Like how you were bought by a pornstar.”

Just as the wordsporn starboom in the air, the door opens to my hospital room—and I’m pretty positive the doctor just heardthat.

I’m repping the Hale Curse hardtonight.

I lift the phone to my mouth again. “Jane, the doctor just gothere.”

“Good luck, oldchap.”

“À tout à l’heure, ma moitié.”See you soon, my otherhalf.