“Sometimes I wish I didn’t.”
“What other things can you smell?” I shot out.
“I’d rather not say… How about I get us some lunch instead?” he asked.
“I guess…”
He stood up and walked inside, leaving me outside. Could he smell everything—fear, anger, excitement, sadness, lust? He sensed my fear and anger this entire time. That day when I escaped, I really didn’t have a chance. Not only was I weak, but he could smell me.
He could shift into a wolf at any time. I wasn’t sure how to process that. What if I set him off and he shifted and decidedhumans were good eating after all? Maybe he lied about hunting humans. He found way too much joy in hunting me that day.
Chapter 16
The days dragged and flew at the same time. Ten days since Izayuh was born. Yesterday and a lifetime ago all at once. Some days were cooler, leaving us both inside. We created a system for watching movies—rules, really. We would alternate who picked, and nothing we’d already watched in the previous three days was allowed.
This evening we planned to go to Blockbuster and rent some different movies. Sometimes I opted to take a nap or read instead of watching his pick. I picked up some romance novels when we went shopping. I wanted something that felt magical and didn’t bore me with more information. Something I could daydream about my life, instead of what it was.
Ring.
Ring.
I flinched as the landline rang. It rarely ever rang. Each time it rang, I jumped, startled that it existed. At home, our phone rang all the time. Either my friends or Paxton’s were calling, but while I was kept in that cell or closet, no phones rang. Quinnlyn jumped and answered.
“Hello?”
“Hey, sis.”
“How are things?”
“Do you think he believes it?”
“What do you mean?”
“Has he grilled you on where I went?”
“Just tell him you have no idea!”
“Did he buy the dead body?”
“Fuck.”
“If shit goes south, I want you to get out of there and come here.”
“No. No. We’re fine. She’s fine. We can make room, or Titi said you could stay there.”
“Um, we’re getting there,” he said, before shooting a look at me.
“How’s… Daxyn?” he whispered his name, but I still heard him.
“It’s better he thinks they are both dead.”
“I have a friend up there who can bring you here.”
“Of course, I’m worried about you. You’re my baby sister, and Raph has his head too far up Ravik’s ass.”
“Okay. Okay. Call me if you need anything.”
“Love ya, sis.”
