I watch her over the rim. Her tail stiffens and her ears go alert.
Then, she hisses.
I take a longer sip of coffee, set the mug down, and look behind me. Then back at her, confusion rising.
“Huh? Did I miss something?”
She hisses again, the sound sharp and defensive.
“She does not like me.”
“Who?”
Then I hear them.
Footsteps on the front porch. The door opens without a knock and my mother walks in first. Jacob is behind her with a covered tray that even from here smells like spaghetti and meatballs.
“Good. You’re up.” My mother beams. “And you look well, considering what you went through yesterday.”
Jacob nods at me as they both come into the kitchen. I step aside and he sets the tray down on the counter.
“I made you some spaghetti and meatballs with some bread.”
“I can smell it already.” I smile at her, trying to defuse the tension I can feel building. “Thank you, Ma.”
“You never complained about my cooking before.”
“And I’m not starting now.” The exchange is familiar, comfortable, but there’s an undercurrent that wasn’t there before.
She glances over at Mara.
“Hmph.”
Mara hisses, the sound primal and defensive.
I freeze with my coffee mug halfway to my lips. There has always been tension between these two. They’re nice in front of me because they love me. But this is something else. Something happened while I was unconscious.
I look at Jacob and he shrugs.
“Did I miss something?” I ask, looking between them.
My mother turns her back on Mara and starts unpacking the tray, the gesture deliberately dismissive. “I didn’t bring you a plate, Mara. I know you won’t eat it.”
Mara looks away from her. Her tail goes flat on the floor, a gesture of submission that makes something protective rise in me, fierce and immediate.
“I will go to the Academy and leave you with your family,” she says quietly.
I set the mug down. “Oh, hell no.”
She walks around the island. I step around my mother, catch Mara by the arm, and pull her back to me.
“We just talked about this. Don’t leave me.” The naked plea in my voice would embarrass me if I had any pride left where she’s concerned.
“I’m coming back. But I do have to explain to the Headmistress why I haven’t shown up for?—“
“I already got that covered,” my mother interrupts. “Headmistress Ebony said to take the rest of the week off and work on your mate bond.”
Mara scoffs. “I haven’t even had this position a month. I cannot cancel work like this.”
