My mouth went dry. His jaw clenched as his eyes roved over me again. I looked away. I didn’t care. I didn’t want his attention, I didn’t need him to avenge me. I didn’t need anything from him, not now and not ever. “He had strong magic in his blood. This was a ploy.”
“Where is the rest of the Bruiser Pack?” Rafe’s mom asked. I just couldn’t get past the part where everything in this night had been fabricated and not real.
Rafe ran his tongue over his teeth. “I spoke with Gamble already. They’re leaving and they’re leaving their traitor with us.”
I had thought I had heard Rafe angry, I thought I had seen his many faces and masks. But I wasn’t prepared for the icy tone in his voice.
Then I remembered. “You were watching us. Are you a voyeur or something?” I pushed my fingers into my hair. “Why can’t you just stay away from me?”
A growl sounded from behind me and I jumped as Alice spoke in a booming, growly voice. “I know he isn’tyourAlpha but he saved your life. He didn’t have to. That wolf was likely out for blood. You should be thanking Rafe.”
I took a deep breath. I wasn’t going to back down. I wasn’t going to be gaslighted. I had a right to be upset. Rafe had already taken so much from me. He wasn’t going to take my voice too. I shoved my chair away from the table and stalked to him with my finger raised. “I don’t care who you are. You have violated my trust countless times and now this. Let’s not even get started on why I am even here. I am here because of you and I don’t want to be.” Tears burned my eyes as I jabbed him in the chest. I ignored the feel of his warm firm chest as I did so. “I didn’taskfor any of this. Excuse me if I am trying to just live a normal life. I didn’t ask for a Mate’s Meet or whatever that is. I just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.Again.”
Chapter 32
Jade Rivers
I didn’t care about what anyone said as I marched out of the Manor and looked for my car. The moisture that had been burning my eyes was now spilling over. My shoulders shook as I realized that I didn’t have my car. That I had ridden with Carden to the party and then with Tracey back to the Crimson’s property. I couldn’t call this pack lands. Not yet. They weren’t my people. Even if Rafe had saved my tail. I couldn’t admit to anything yet. My senses were starting to come back stronger now that the wolfsbane was leaving my system. I could almost feel my neck patching itself back together under the bandage. I swiped at the tears under my eyes and stalked to the line of the woods. I wasn’t going to ask any more from this pack. I wasn’t going to continue to inconvenience them. There was nothing left for me to do but go home.
Exhaustion continued its assault on me as I trudged through the darkness. I could practically smell the roasted tofu and knew that my senses would bring me home. I had to learn to trust this extra part of myself, even if it was foreign. I was thankful for a moment that I had worn Converse.
The hairs on the back of my neck stood up. I knew he was there before he said anything. “What do you want?” I whipped around.
Rafe left the shadows of the trees behind me and shoved his hands into his pockets. He had changed and was no longer in torn clothing. “These woods aren’t safe. I wanted to make sure you got home.”
“Why do you care?” I turned back around and continued in the direction of my home. It couldn’t be that far.
“I did save your ass tonight, I would like to see that all of these cuts, bruising and pain are worth something. If you die after I went through all of that, what’s the point?” He snickered but I could still smell the blood on him. It wasn’t Carden’s.
“You aren’t healing,” I kept walking. If he wanted to talk he would have to follow me.
“No, wolfsbane will do that to you and whatever other magic he had in his blood. I could hardly get out of my wolf form once I got him down.”
“I didn’t see you drinking tonight,” I hadn’t thought the Alpha would have put himself in such a compromising position.
“You didn’t see a lot of things tonight.” His voice was clipped and he was right but how was I supposed to know my date was glamoured?
“My senses healing has come back, why hasn’t yours?” I knew the answer before he muttered it.
“I dranka lotmore than you did.”
I nodded my head, unsure of what to say now. But then he surprised me. “I’m sorry for watching. I didn’t mean to. I don’t trust the Bruiser Pack and I wanted to make sure you were safe.”
“I didn’t pledge to your pack.” I shrugged. It didn’t make any sense. I didn’t want to think that I needed him to keep me safe, but after tonight, there was a part of me that was relieved he had shown up. What would have happened if he hadn’t?
“No, you didn’t, but I turned you and I feel responsible. I just wanted to make sure. My instincts are never wrong. If he hadn’t put his teeth on you and you hadn’t told him to stop, I would have left. I want you to know that.” His voice was soft, almost a whisper. “I wouldn’t have stayed.” I looked at him then. His eyes were a soft honey and his head was mostly angled away from me. His jaw was clenching and unclenching.
“I don’t understand you, Rafe.”
“I just want to keep you safe.” Then he was gone and I couldn’t wrap my mind around the conversation we had. There hadn’t been any anger or fear. I sighed as I walked around the fence that labeled my yard. I tried to rub under my eyes to make sure no makeup was smeared there but they would know.
I was walking up the driveway when the front door opened. My mom was the first to rush out. “Are you okay?”
They had seen the smudged mascara on the cameras. I nodded my head as her arms wrapped around me and I smelled home. My shoulders relaxed as I took a deep breath. She smelled like oats and honey. Everything that kept me calm and right. My dad was out the door next and my heart lurched at the sight. My stomach did a flip-flop when I noticed the shotgun grasped between his hands. I let out a wheezing laugh as I looked between my helicopter parents. I shook my head as my mom’s arms squeezed me back into a tight embrace.
“Did he hurt you?” My dad’s voice boomed as my mom escorted us into the house. Her small hands rubbed up and down my arms. I wanted to bottle up the comfort and save it for later. Deep inside of me, I knew I was going to need it.
Chapter 33
