Page 139 of All Packed Up

A soft nudge against her head. A nod.

Wendy’s chest cracked open at the silent confession, heart dripping down into her stomach where butterflies took flight.

“Okay,” she agreed.

Tension she hadn’t even noticed beneath her relaxed, and she suddenly realized how nervous Nic was. It was so endearing.

It was giving her a choice.

Because for once in her life, she had the power to decide who was in her life.

And as Nic kissed the top of her head, she came to the realization that she wanted him in it.

* * *

After a heavenly shower, a cup of coffee to go, and two aspirin down, she began to feel a little more awake. Now she felt… floaty. Light and excited for the shopping.

She’d practically skipped to the truck, and now they were heading toward town, the rumble of the truck somehow calming.

Nic had given her his card, shiny black with his name engraved, and she was only slightly panicking about using it without him. But it was tucked safely in her pocket, because he hadn’t taken no for an answer and with one look she knew better than to argue.

At first, the ride was fine. She and Griffith sat in a comfortable silence, but the words he’d said were still sitting in her mind, waiting to be analyzed and over thought and stored away.

Last night they hadn’t needed words, now she couldn’t think of any.

But the radio played some patchy tune she couldn’t quite understand from the static, and that was enough for Griffith.

The closer they got to town, the more her thoughts raced, returned to the last monsters she wanted to think of. The alphas were actively looking for a way to find them. And even though Derek felt far away in their bond, they knew who Nic was, where he worked, and where he lived.

Why that seemed so scary suddenly, she didn’t know.

Would they be able to find her here? In this little town, at Griffith’s house?

Even with Tate and Arlo and Griffith to help protect her, she still… worried.

What would happen if the Sterling Pack found them?

“Wanna share with the class?” Griffith said suddenly, breaking the silence in the truck.

It startled her, broke her out of her thoughts. “What?”

“You’re getting upset, I can smell it,” he announced.

Heat rushed to her face, and she hid the burn by looking out the window. “Sorry,” she muttered.

“What’s up?” he pushed, reaching up to turn the music down.

“I smell like I’m about to go into heat, right? Won’t someone in town notice?” The last she remembered, they weren’t supposed to draw attention to themselves.

“Upton’s a lot bigger than this place. We’ll be lucky if we even run into anyone, especially in the middle of a workday. Besides, with me at your side, no one would try something anyway.”

Wendy gnawed on her bottom lip, crossing her arms as she sighed. “Okay fine. What happens if they do find us?” she finally asked.

Griffith took a breath, held it. When he released it, he glanced at her before turning back to the road. “Do you wanna know the truth?”

“Of course,” she answered.

“Alright, but don’t go cryin’ to Nic when I put it straight, okay?”