Ugh.
He smiled.
“You’re impossible,” I muttered.
“Pot calling the kettle black, sweetheart.”
I shook my head, but a smile made its way to my lips. “Shouldn’t you be working?”
“Shouldn’t you be leaving?”
My smiled increased; his, too.
I started toward the van, glancing over my shoulder as I left. His posture had straightened again, and his eyes blazed with renewed assurance.
The future was uncertain, and not just because we were werewolves fighting for our land and pack, but because we weren’t diviners. Yet I sensed August would stand by me even if he couldn’t hold my hand.
The only certainty I possessed in this uncertain world.
I remembered feeling beat-up after the first contest in my pack’s Alpha trials, but two hours into training with Liam and I felt like I’d been fed through a trash compactor and dumped in a landfill.
When my back hit the sweat-slicked mats for the hundredth time, I didn’t get up. I just lay there, gaping at the exposed metal tubing on the ceiling with great fascination until Liam’s barely perspiring face appeared in my line of sight.
I closed my eyes so that maybe he’d leave me alone, but no such luck.
“Up, Ness. We’re not done.”
“You might not be, but I am,” I muttered.
“Is that what you’ll tell Justin if you end up having to fight? Up!”
I snapped my lids open and glared, even though I wasn’t truly mad at him. I knew he was pushing me because he had my best interests at heart.
“Chicks are so fragile.” Lucas’s voice made me lurch up.
I sent him a chilling look that made him simper. He winked at me at the same time as Sarah smacked his chest so hard the sound echoed against the brick walls.
“Geez, blondie, I was just motivating her,” he said.
I’d invited Sarah along for moral support. At least, that’s how I’d presented the invite. In truth, I was worried about leaving her alone after the phone call I’d had with her on my way back from August’s construction site.
Last night, her brother called her to tell her that, sure enough, Cassandra inquired about the Pine’s stock of Sillin. After he told her they’d run out of the drug a couple months back, the Alpha apparently lapped it up. I doubted Cassandra Morgan lapped anything up.
On the plus side, it assured me the Sillin was important to her.
Now if I could just fig-
Liam swiped my ankle with his foot, sending me flailing backward. Air whooshed out of my lungs with an audible, “Oomphf,” and little stars spangled my vision.
I blinked. The stars glittered less fiercely, but they were still there, brightening the maze of metal tubes crisscrossing the ceiling.
I was never getting back up.
Ever.
Liam brushed his brow with his forearm, pushing back the locks of dark-brown hair plastered to his forehead, before extending his arm. Even though my hand felt attached to a massive dumbbell, I heaved my fingers off the mats and latched onto Liam’s. He hauled me up so fast I stumbled against him. The contact had me pitching backward. Thankfully I stayed upright, but that had little to do with my footwork and everything to do with his solid grip.
Averting my gaze from his piercing one, I slid my hand out of his and rubbed the back of my hot neck. “I’m beat, Liam. I’m not even sure I’ll be able to run tomorrow morning with Matt.”
He observed me slowly and silently, his musky, minty scent ribboning off his gleaming skin and filling the air, stirring many conflicting emotions within me.
After an entire minute, he nodded. “Okay.”
“Okay, we’re done?”
When he nodded, I contemplated fist-pumping the air, but the effort that would take felt remarkable.
“And okay to canceling your run. You’ll do enough running on Sunday night.”
It took my frazzled brain a second to remember that Sunday night was the full moon-the entire pack’s night out in fur. After a certain age, werewolves could only shift during the full moon.
Last month, I’d run with the pack for the first time in my life. I’d experienced another first that night too. I wondered if Liam was also remembering our kiss. Even though so much had happened since then, I’d forever cherish that night.
As we walked over to the bench where Sarah was trying to convince Lucas to cut his hair or jump on the manbun-trend wagon, I said, “Shouldn’t we be training in fur?”
“We’ll get to that,” Liam said.
“And shouldn’t we be practicing with Sillin?”
“We’ll get to that too.”
“When?”
“You visit the Watts’ construction site, and suddenly, you’re in a hurry?”
So he knew . . . Had he smelled August on my fingertip, or had Matt informed him?
“Why are you suddenly so unhurried?” I volleyed back.
His expression, which had been far from open, shuttered up. He snatched a bottle of water from the bench and tipped the rim to his lips, squashing the plastic between his fingers.
Concern edged Sarah’s features.
“You told me I wasn’t allowed to date him or hang out alone with him. I wasn’t alone, and we’re not sneaking around, so I don’t get why you’re giving me attitude about this.” Suddenly, I wasn’t exhausted anymore.
“Hey, Lucas, can you show me where the water fountain is again?” Sarah asked, springing off the bench.
Lucas pointed to the back of the gigantic room. Rolling her eyes, she grabbed his outstretched finger and heaved him up, letting go as soon as he was on his feet. If I wasn’t seething, I might’ve laughed at his stunned expression.