“How do you know that?” Matt asked.
In truth, I didn’t know. I’d never told her it was a secret. I could only hope she would keep it to herself. “What’ll it change if she does tell them?”
“They’ll keep me away during the duel,” August said softly.
I stared up into the hazel depths of his eyes.
“Yeah,” Cole said. “They’re always worried about the reaction of mates. Some turn feral if their partners get hurt.”
“Eric told me,” Matt spoke slowly, “that some mates-when both are wolves-can control the other’s body. Apparently, that ability’s linked to how much they crave the other as a mate.”
Whoa . . . I averted my gaze and rubbed my palms against my running shorts.
“Can you guys do that?” he asked.
“No,” August said.
I frowned at him, then at the grass, wondering why he was lying. Was he afraid Matt and Cole would tell others about our ability, or was he embarrassed by it? But then it hit me . . . it wasn’t our ability.
It was his.
I wasn’t able to move his body. We’d assumed it was because he was so much bigger than me, but the true reason had nothing to do with size.
He backed away from me, his large sneakers crushing the earth beneath him. “We should get back. I promised my parents I was going to have lunch at their place.”
I sensed his desire to get down from the mountain had nothing to do with being on time for his meal and everything to do with what Matt had just told us. Was August ashamed by how much he wanted me, or was he angry by how little he thought I wanted him?
I hadn’t tried to pull on the tether since the night I’d slept in his bed, but considering how my feelings for him had grown and solidified, I was pretty certain I could drag him all the way down the mountain if I tried.
I didn’t try, though, because if I moved his body, it would destroy all the work I’d put into keeping my hands off it.
Off him.
I sent August several text messages during the weekend to ask how he was feeling. His answer to all of them was the four-letter word: Fine. He wasn’t fine, but I didn’t think that had to do with the Sillin.
Throughout Sunday night dinner at Frank’s, Evelyn kept asking me what was wrong, and I kept telling her I was nervous about starting college. While Jeb told stories about his college days, especially about what a formidable running back he’d been, Frank kept casting glances my way. He probably thought my mood was sullen because of the imminent duel.
During the ride back to the apartment, Jeb was acting so uncharacteristically giddy that I worried something could be wrong. My uncle wasn’t a giddy person.
“Are you all right, Jeb?” I asked after he’d parked the van on our street and we’d gotten out.
He grinned so wide his teeth gleamed in his gray-blond beard. There was definitely something up with him.
“I know your birthday isn’t until Friday”-he dug into his pocket-“but I’m going to give you your present early.”
“You don’t need to give me any presents.”
He tsked and plucked my hand from my side, then dropped a car key into it. “The payment for the inn came in, so I got you something. It’s not brand new, but it doesn’t have lots of mileage.”
“You got me”-my voice caught-“a car?” I finished quietly.
He pointed at a compact silver SUV with a big red bow on the back fender. “Here she is.”
I let out a breath that sounded a lot like a whimper, and Jeb grinned, eyes all glittery. I flung my arms around his neck and hugged him tight.
“Thank you thank you,” I whispered.
“You’re very welcome.” He patted my back. “How about we take it out for a spin?”
“Yes! Absolutely yes!” I detached myself from my uncle and strode over to the car, running my fingertips along its shiny, smooth body.
Mine.
It was mine.
Jeb was still grinning. “Let’s get ice-cream. I noticed our freezer was depressingly empty.”
I didn’t think I could eat anything more after Evelyn’s meal, but I nodded excitedly. I climbed behind the wheel and adjusted the seat and the mirrors, my heart feeling exactly like my stomach-close to bursting.
The following morning, pumped up on caffeine and excitement, I slipped into my car and turned up the music to match my mood.
I rolled down the window and took my time getting to the campus, relishing the purr of the engine and the feel of the warm breeze twisting my hair. After I parked in the student lot, I took a map of the campus and my schedule out from my college packet. I studied both a moment before setting out toward my Introduction to Statistics course.
I dragged my hand through my snarled hair, realizing I hadn’t even checked my reflection in the rearview mirror. I hoped I didn’t look like I had an addiction to hairspray. I arrived in the lecture hall with a few minutes to spare and sat up front. As I dug out my notebook, the scent of apricot flecked the air, overpowering the smell of chalky deodorant, milky coffees, and synthetic perfumes.
“Hey, Amanda,” I said without even looking up.
She flounced into the seat next to mine. “Did you sleep last night? I didn’t. I couldn’t. I just drank my weight in coffee.”
I smiled at her exuberance.
She peered at me through her thick lashes, brown eyes narrowed. “This might be one of the first times I’ve seen you smile since you got to Boulder.”
My smiled faltered.
“It’s a nice change. Makes you more . . . approachable.”
An older man walked in then, plaid shirt neatly tucked into pressed pants. He set a leather briefcase down on the desk up front.
What Amanda said troubled me. I’d never realized that not being a high-spirited person made me aloof.
In a low voice, I said, “I thought you girls didn’t like me because I was . . . you know . . . different.”
“Ness, we never disliked you, per se. You’re just very reserved and a little prickly. But I think we’d all be if we were in your position.”
“Tamara and Taryn definitely don’t like me.”
She pursed her lips. “Taryn’s a ho, so whatever. As for Tamara, you sort of stole her boyfriend.”