I took my plate over to the sink when I was done and scrubbed it clean.
“You don’t have to do that, Ness. I have someone who comes over every couple days to clean.”
“Been cleaning after myself and others for so long it’s ingrained in my DNA.” I smiled at him as I dried my hands on the kitchen towel tucked over the handle of the oven door.
“Was that really your job back in LA?”
“That, and waitressing, but I hated waitressing.” I wrinkled my nose. “What’s the cleaning company you use?”
Liam sipped the dregs of his beer. “Why?”
“Because I’ll be out of a job soon.”
“You’re not seriously entertaining the idea of cleaning houses?”
I frowned. “It’s what I know how to do, Liam.”
“You’re pack now, Ness.”
“And what?” I crossed my arms in front of my chest. “Housekeeping is beneath werewolves?”
“I’ll help you get a real job.”
“Housekeeping is a real job.”
“But you can do better.”
“I have a high school education, Liam.”
“Tomorrow, we’ll stop by UCB and enroll you.”
“You mean, after you off my cousin?” I snapped, voice as tight as the rest of my body.
Liam rose from his stool and rounded the island toward me. “Ness… ”
I mashed my lips shut.
“You’re angry.”
I was. I was angry about Everest’s fate. Angry about Liam’s belittling view on my job. Angry I hadn’t taken the next step in my education.
He set his palms on my sharp shoulders. “I get it, but don’t be angry with me.”
I glared at the dip of his midnight-colored V-neck, unwilling to look into his eyes.
“An Alpha protects his pack, Ness. Everest is a threat to you… to all of us.” He hooked my chin and raised it until our eyes met. “As for your future, I think it would be best for you to go to college. I’m sure it’s what your parents would’ve wanted.”
My anger dissipated at the mention of my parents. In the last month of her life, Mom had hounded me to fill out college applications.
“I’ll need to apply for financial aid first,” I finally mumbled.
“The pack has resources. If you want to go to UCB in the fall, you’ll have a spot there. All expenses paid.”
“Even a dorm room?”
“Even a dorm room.”
So I’d only need to figure out where to live for the next month… This felt too good to be true. “What’s the catch?”
Liam smiled. “No catch. You’re part of the pack. Education is one of the perks. We like our wolves to be equipped to conquer the world. Or at least, Boulder.”
I was still going to need a job to pay back the four and a half grand I owed the bank for past rents and miscellaneous expenses, but I didn’t want to bring that up again.
Liam wrapped his hands around my wrists and dragged down the bony blockade that separated our bodies. “Don’t fence me out. I know you’ve been taking care of yourself for years, but I’m here now. And countless others are here for you too. Let us in. Trust us.”
“I’m trying.”
He pressed his mouth to mine, soft as silk, but then his kiss grew harder. It took me a few seconds to relax, but finally I sighed-more of a moan than a sigh-and hooked my hands around his waist. As though my heart had migrated into my stomach, my abdomen began to thud. I tried to squelch the offensive sensation, but it soon took over all the others.
I pulled away from Liam so quickly I half expected pieces of my lips to have stayed glued to his. His dark eyes raked over my expression, then over my body, pausing on the palm I’d pressed against my stomach. I lowered my hand, balling my fingers. The throbbing was already receding.
“Eric warned me about this, but I thought-” His Adam’s apple worked in his throat. “I hoped it would be different.”
“What did Eric warn you about?”
“He said your body would reject any advance that didn’t come from its natural mate.”
Horror filtered through me.
“The only way to void this is distance, but August isn’t leaving.” Liam sighed, and his muscular chest deflated the tiniest bit. “I don’t know if you heard, but his mom had breast cancer a while back.”
The word cancer soured my blood.
“They thought she’d beat it, but it’s back. And more aggressive this time. Anyway, she’s scheduled for a double mastectomy next week, and-”
I let out a shrill whimper before slamming the back of my hand against my mouth.
“Fuck.” He gathered me against him. “I forgot cancer was how your mom… ” He didn’t finish his sentence. Didn’t have to. He smoothed his hand over the back of my head.
I reeled from the news that hit too close to home. At least now I understood why Isobel’s husband had fretted over her back at the inn, why she’d looked so wan beside her healthy son.
“August said the doctors were confident they’d get it this time, but he wants to stay until after the surgery. He promised he’d leave after.”
I shook with anguish for Isobel, Nelson, and August, and with shame at how selfish I’d been. Not only had I believed that August had stayed for me, but I’d been ready to beg him to leave so I could be intimate with Liam. Ugh.
Liam tangled his hand in my hair. “He didn’t want me to tell you, so please keep this between us.”
I nodded, still pressing my knuckles against my mouth to stifle the dread brought on by Liam’s news. “It’s not fair,” I murmured.