“That’s a lie,” she spat.
She didn’t know why she said it, though. She knew next to nothing about werewolves, after all, so maybe the woman was telling the truth.
In response, the woman threw her head back and laughed with malicious glee. “Oh, honey. Cliff didn’t tell you. The truth is, Cliff isn’t planning on being your mate at all. You’re just his latest toy, his latest plaything. He’s every bit as much of a whore as his brother Grant, but he’s a lot more manipulative about it. He gets a thrill out of it. At least Grant is open about the fact that he’s just a man-whore.”
Queasiness washed through her. Cliffhadadmitted that he was conniving and manipulative.
Celia rolled her eyes. “Obviously Cliff isn’t going to bother wasting his time training you when he’s got what he wanted from you.”
“He told everyone that I’m his intended mate.” Taylor’s voice trembled as she said it, and she hated herself for that.
Celia raked her with a scornful glare. “That old line. Yes, that’s how he reels them in. And his packmates know better than to tell you the truth, at least until after he’s gotten what he wanted. You think you’re the first slut he’s manipulated into his bed? You’re not even the tenth, or the twentieth. Welcome to the wonderful world of werewolves, sweetheart. The men are all whores – before, during, and after their mating ceremony. You should run while you still can.”
Taylor stood there, heart pounding in her chest. She was rocked to the very core.
Now Celia’s gaze turned pitying. “I do feel a little sorry for you. After all, you’ve probably only got a couple of weeks to live, and if you stay here, you’ll spend those weeks watching Cliff waltzing one woman after another into his bed. If you want help sneaking off pack lands, I’ll take you right now. It’ll be your only chance.”
Leave? Sneak out? Yes, she wanted her freedom, but not like this. Not running away.
And damn it, if Cliff had lied to her, then she wasn’t going to slink off like she’d done something to be ashamed of. She still wasn’t convinced that he had, because this woman had obviously had some kind of agenda from the start, but if it was true…she’d spit right in his face.
She took a deep breath and did what she always did when somebody was bullying her. She summoned her inner Chantelle.
She had been a shy, chubby child when she’d met Chantelle in kindergarten. Chantelle had stuck up for her for years. But one day, Carol had taken the two girls aside and said, “Chantelle isn’t always going to be there to stick up for you. You’ve got to learn to defend yourself too.”
“But how?” Taylor had asked. “I don’t know how to.”
“Yes you do, because you’re a very smart girl. You’ve seen Chantelle do it dozens of times. So next time somebody bullies you, first of all, tell yourself you’re worth too much to let anyone push you around, and when someone insults you, they’re the one with the problem. And secondly, just ask yourself what Chantelle would do in that situation.”
Chantelle wouldn’t let some random bitch make her question her self-worth.
The fact was, the woman was almost certainly lying. Who knew why?
But she just didn’t see Cliff as being that conniving or dishonest. Why would he go to such great lengths just to mess with her head? Frankly, if he’d asked her out on a date – before she’d known he was a werewolf – she would have said yes.
“We’re done here,” she said. “I’m going back to the house to get something to eat. If the only way to learn how to be a werewolf is by having you train me, I guess I’ll be blissfully ignorant.” She started back down the path between the hedges.
Celia quickly moved to block her. “Bad move,” she said. “And did you know? Some people don’t even survive their training.” Her eyes glowed with malice, and her pupils grew unnaturally large. Fangs shot down from her gums, and her ears turned pointy.
Taylor felt a jolt of alarm. If Celia went wolf and attacked her, Taylor had no chance.
Before she could fully shift, Taylor hauled off and punched her in the face, hard. She heard the crunch of bone; she’d broken Celia’s nose. Celia fell back with a shout of rage, and fur began to cover her skin.
Taylor took a step back, heart hammering in her chest. If she ran back to the house, would she make it in time?
There was a frantic rustle of leaves, then Cliff burst through the row of hedges, followed by Roger, Dax and Serafina.
“There she is! Told you so!” Roger said triumphantly. “Told you I’m a super-smeller.”
“Oh, thank God you’re here!” Celia sobbed, suddenly turning all weepy and helpless. “She went crazy! She tried to kill me!” She tried to fling herself at Cliff, who stepped back in disgust.
“I did not,” Taylor protested, shaking her hand, which stung from the punch.
Cliff put his arm around her shoulders. “Of course you didn’t,” he said, and she felt an enormous weight lift from her.
“Of course you’d take her side!” Celia spat at him. Hmm. A moment ago she’d been acting like Cliff couldn’t wait to get rid of Taylor. “I demand an Elder Assembly!”
Minutes later, they bustled into the town square and hurried up the steps of the town hall. It looked so ordinary – a squarish red brick building with white shutters and geraniums planted out front.
