“Okay,” I mumble. “You can just drop me off somewhere.”
“No,” he answers firmly. “I’m not letting you out of my sight. At least, not yet.”
“What? Why?”
“You know why! You might be getting tracked by a rabid wolf—what’s his name?”
“Paul.”
“Right. Paul. How long were you with him?”
“Brad,” I mutter, putting down my food. “My personal life is no longer your concern.”
I see a flash of fury on his face that just might be jealousy. I don’t take my eyes from his, and eventually, he’s the one who looks away.
“Fair enough,” he says, quietly. “But I want you by my side today, so I can keep an eye on you. I’ll put out the word with my scouts, so they know what to look for. Is that okay?”
I look up at him again, shaking my head a little.
I’m his prisoner, and he’s asking my permission?
We stare at each other just a little too long, and this time, both of us awkwardly look away. Even though I’m not wild about meeting a bunch of strangers, I don’t really want to be alone, either, so I nod.
We clean up the kitchen together and head out to the car. The whole time, I try not to look too hard at Brad.
I can’t get confused by our chemistry. This is serious stuff, and if I fuck up, I’ll end up in another situationship, and I’ve had way too many of those.
As Brad drives through the little town, I admire the old-fashioned buildings, neat gardens, and relaxed-looking townsfolk. There is an aura of safety here that I never felt in the city, or even in smaller towns.
“It’s so peaceful here,” I mutter.
Brad scoffs. “Yeah. Not all the time.”
“What is that supposed to mean?”
Brad shakes his head, clearing his throat. “Nothing. Don’t worry about it.”
I can’t hold in a little exasperated sigh.
He’s got so many fucking secrets…Like I would even care what he’s hiding!
I keep my eyes down and try not to think about how much I actually do care.
After a few minutes, Brad breaks the awkward silence. “How did you sleep?”
“Fine,” I answer, keeping my face turned towards the window. “This place doesn’t seem to have a lot of shops. Where should I go to get some clothes?”
“I actually haven’t lived here that long, so I might not be much use to you in figuring out things like that. We can ask the people at the meeting today, though.”
I frown. “What do you mean, you haven’t lived here long?”
“I told you, I took over this pack to help people. They aren’t actually my family.”
“So, you don’t know them?”
“Not really, no.”
“How did all this come about?”
