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Leah rubbed her hands together, tucking the ends of her sleeves over bare knuckles. I shivered lightly in the open doorframe, but Anna either didn’t feel or didn’t notice the cold. I was going with didn’t feel it since none of the wolves I’d met seemed to notice the freezing temperatures.
“I came to get my dad’s bag,” Leah explained and it took me a second to remember what she meant.
“Oh, yes. Of course,” I answered, nodding as I spoke. I pointed to the row of motel doors on the first floor. “I think it’s still in Wren’s room. Which is now Liam’s,” I continued, babbling to fill the awkward silence as Anna continued to stare at Leah, and as she worked to avoid the heavy stare. I cleared my throat pointedly, wishing the telepathic bond I shared with Dom extended to Anna as she inspected Leah. Finally, I was forced to say, “Anna, don’t you have to go help your mom?”
“Yes,” she answered, not lowering her gaze from Leah as she added stiffly, “Thank you, Leah.”
The unexpected words of gratitude did what the staring had not as Leah glanced at her in surprise. I had to hold back my own shock. Anna had made no secret of her dislike for Leah, especially after Caleb had indicated interest in her, and adding in the fact that Leah was purely human and therefore had no incentive for keeping the Pack’s secrets, I was surprised Anna had bothered.
“You’ve proven to be a friend to the Navarre Pack and it is noted,” Anna continued, the words oddly formal. “If you ever need anything, you need only ask.”
When it was clear Anna had finished speaking, Leah had to swallow before she could speak. “Um, thank you. That’s kind of you, and unexpected. I appreciate – ”
“Goodbye,” Anna cut her off without hesitation, nodding to me before jogging toward the forest edge.
“Ooookay,” Leah said, the word dragging from her throat. “That was weird.”
“Yep, gonna have to agree with you on that one,” I replied, both of us watching Anna disappear into the forest. “She had a rough afternoon,” I offered in a halfhearted apology for her rudeness. It wasn’t my job to apologize for her behavior, but I also thought Leah got the raw end of the deal. I’d been the one to introduce her to their world, my world, I corrected myself ruefully, and therefore she was my responsibility. She kept the Pack’s secrets out of kindness and probably curiosity, but I knew it was a fine line we walked.
“I’m really glad you came by,” I told her and her gaze shot to mine in surprise. “This world is weird and dangerous and at the moment kind of fucked up. It’s nice to have someone who sees it the way I do.”
“I’m not sure anyone can see it quite the way you do,” Leah countered. “But I will agree that it is weird and dangerous.” She smiled. “And I’m still glad you invited me to the party that night.”
I groaned at her mention of the party, and the night she’d witnessed the Hanley Pack challenge Caleb for control of the Navarre Pack. She’d been thrust right in the middle of it as she stood behind Caleb as he was presented with the challenge. She’d held it together when I’d explained who or more accurately, what the Pack really were, surprising me once as she chuckled and said, “We had no idea how perfect our nickname was, did we?” She startled a laugh from me as I’d agreed. When I’d first arrived at Banks High School, there were a group of diverse students who kept themselves separated from everyone else, a group the other students referred to as the Pack. It wasn’t long before I realized how true the nickname was, as I found myself under their scrutiny.
“It’s been weird not seeing you at school,” Leah continued, changing the subject abruptly, and causing the smile to slide from my face. “I miss you.”
“I miss you too,” I replied, my voice thick at the reminder of what else had changed so quickly in my life. I’d been heavily encouraged to graduate early as rumors swirled about my relationship with Dom, who happened to be an assistant football coach at the high school. It was a position that allowed him to keep a protective eye on Caleb even before he’d become Alpha and since it was Dom’s job as his Beta to protect him, he needed a reason to be near Caleb, especially with the Hanley Pack threatening all of us. “It’s for the best,” I told her, trying to convince myself and from her quick glance she could tell. “Dom needs to focus on Caleb right now, and I’m a distraction.”
“I would think you being here and him being there would be a bigger distraction,” Leah said knowingly and my lips quirked at the truth of that statement. Dom had grudgingly continued to go to work after I’d made him promise not to kill, maim, or otherwise harm the principal after he’d basically kicked me out of school. Dom’s continued good behavior required the occasional reminder from me through our bond, but so far the principal was still breathing.
