“What are your intentions?” he asked.
“That’s really none of your business, Cole.”
“I just want to know if you’re serious about him. That’s all. He’s been through a lot. And before you growl at me, I know you have too, but he’s… well, he’s-” He ping-ponged his phone between his hands. His fingers were as thick as Matt’s and dotted with the same blond hairs. “I guess what I’m trying to say is I hope this isn’t a rebound.”
Even though I didn’t appreciate his mistrust, I couldn’t help but admire the consideration he had for August, which was the only reason I answered, “It’s not a rebound.”
“Cole,” August said sharply, emerging from the closet dressed in army fatigues and a cream thermal tee molded to his torso.
Cole straightened up, raising both palms in the air. “Just watching out for you, man.”
“Thanks, but stay out of it.”
Cole’s jaw set tightly. “Sorry.”
As August leaned over me and nuzzled my neck, I said, “August?”
“Yeah, sweetheart?”
I pivoted to face him, forcing him to stop making my skin tingle. “This right here”-I pointed to Cole-“what he just asked… That’s the reason why I don’t want people to find out. The others will have the same reaction. It doesn’t matter that Liam and I broke up three weeks ago, or that he’s already slept with someone else; I’ll be seen as that girl.”
August’s gaze tightened before glowing greener. “If anyone so much as insinuates-”
I pressed my finger against his mouth to calm his rising wolf. His hair had begun to lengthen and thicken. “Let’s not discuss this anymore. Not with everything that’s happening.”
He dragged in a long, long breath, and I lowered my hand. “Fine. But if anyone says something-”
“I’ll clock him over the head with the hammer from that state-of-the-art toolbox you got me last Christmas,” Cole offered.
“Thank you,” August said, rising up to his full height.
“You’d do the same for me.”
“I would.” August grabbed a muffin, bit into it, swallowed, bit into it again, swallowed again. Two more bites, and he was rubbing his hands together to get the clingy crumbs off. “Ready to go?”
I got down from the barstool. “If you don’t mind me keeping the shirt, then yes. If not, I can put the dress-”
“Keep the shirt.”
He pocketed his car keys, wallet, and phone from a hand-carved wooden bowl on the island, while I stuck my feet back into my heels and grabbed my dress. When I drew the front door open, brightness flooded the loft-like space.
Sunny days heralded good things.
Today would be a good day.
Julian would take out Cassandra.
It struck me that he would inherit her pack. Would all of them move to Boulder? I hoped not because a thousand more werewolves in the area would not only clutter our woods but also instigate territorial skirmishes. I turned away from the bright sky to see what was holding up August. I imagined it was Cole, but both of them were staring at me.
I shifted a little. “Are you coming?”
August smacked his buddy’s chest, tossed him a murderous look, then walked over to me. He wrapped his arm around my waist and ushered me out. The warehouse parking lot was full of cars and trucks, so I stepped out of his reach.
His eyes, that hadn’t lost their homicidal glint, swept over me. He didn’t say anything, but I felt a tug deep in my stomach, and the tug had me sidling back up to him.
“August-” I gasped, tripping on my heels.
He reached out to steady me. “What?” His tone was innocent, but his expression wasn’t.
“You know exactly what,” I grumbled, quickly scanning the lot.
Thankfully no one was outside.
When we reached the pickup, he opened the door. “Ness, I have a physical need to keep you close to me. It’s beyond my control.”
I shook my head. “Says the man with the greatest amount of self-control.”
“Not when it comes to you.”
He dipped his chin into his neck, and then the hand that wasn’t holding the door brushed my waist before opening like a flower in front of me. Sighing, I slipped my hand into his proffered one and climbed into the truck.
Once he was settled behind the wheel, and we’d pulled out of the lot, I scooted closer to him and rested my head on his shoulder. His arm came around my waist and held me against him.
“Do you think Julian will win?” I asked.
August sighed, and his sigh fluttered pieces of my uncombed hair. “We’ll know soon enough.”
“This fight-to-the-death tradition is so barbaric.”
August pulled away to look down at me. “Says the girl who signed up for the Alpha trials.”
“I didn’t know that was going to be the ultimate test. The elders just said I would have to leave if I lost. They didn’t mention dying.”
He stopped in the middle of the road. Thankfully there were two lanes, so although we got honked at, the cars went around us.
“I thought you were aware of the final trial.”
“No.””Would you have signed up had you known?”
Before I could answer, Liam’s voice filled my mind. The fight will take place at noon on the lawn of the inn. I hope to see you all there to support our allies, the Pines.
I checked the time on the car’s dashboard. “That’s in-in one hour.”
August’s fingers cinched around the steering wheel. “I don’t want you to go, Ness. These fights… they can escalate. Spark other fights.”
“And you don’t think I can hold my own?”
“Of course I think you can, but do I want to risk it? No.”