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I’m not sure I’m ready to face my mom yet, but being away from Arielle is killing me. I can’t stop worrying about what she’s doing in my absence. I know I’m guilty of coddling my younger sister sometimes, but she has a wild streak that I don’t trust. She’s liable to do something crazy, something that I woulddefinitelydiscourage her from doing if I was around. But I’m not. And that scares the hell out of me most days.
Besides, I left behind other people that are counting on me. I can only wonder how many shifters have arrived at Cupid’s Pack looking for me only to be turned away in my absence.
Not everyone comes to Cupid’s Pack for my mom anymore. I’m failing the people that really need me and that hurts something deep inside of me.
“Baby, you have to calm down,” Ian croons into my ear. I’m on the verge of hyperventilating as my breaths come in ragged spurts. “Tell me what’s wrong, and I’ll fix it.”
I shake my head. I have too much pride to admit I’m crying because Sailor hurt my feelings.
The guys walked on eggshells with me all last night after the uncomfortable moment at the training grounds. Otto followed Sailor when he stormed away, leaving the guys to quietly usher me back to the cabin. I managed to sweet talk Willem into bringing dinner back to me so I didn’t have to brave the cafeteria-style dining hall that most of the population here uses.
I feel pathetic.
A heavy fist pounds on the door, startling us both. “That better not be Mason. I told him to give me a minute with you,” Ian grumbles, releasing me so he can answer the door. Immediately, I miss the comfort of his warmth.
He yanks the door open, spluttering his annoyance with his brother but chokes on his own spit when he swallows his words too quickly. I peek around him and can’t help but scrunch my nose when I see a grumpy-looking Sailor standing there. I hate how handsome he is, even with a surly frown pulling his lips down at the corners.
“Do you mind?” Sailor says.
Ian scoffs. “Seriously, dude? I think you’ve done enough.” Ian tries to push the door closed in his face, but Sailor catches it with his foot and shoves it open.
Sailor steps into the small space, crowding into Ian’s face even more than necessary. My heart pounds with worry that this could quickly turn into something very, very bad. It doesn’t matter that Sailor has size and training over Ian, I know Ian well enough to know he won’t back down if he thinks he’s defending my honor. I don’t want either of them getting bloodied up over me.
“It’s okay, Ian. Let him say whatever he came to say.” I steel myself, trying to prepare for whatever hurtful thing he wants to hurl at me before I go.
“I want to talk to you alone,” Sailor says, turning his head to stare at me with his dark eyes. If he can tell that I’ve been crying, he doesn’t acknowledge it.
Asshole.
“No.” The protest leaves my lips before I give myself time to consider it.
Sailor frowns.
“We’re getting ready to leave.” He doesn’t need to know that only minutes ago I was asking to delay our departure. Ian catches my eye—he knows, but he won’t call me on it. Not in front of our shared… I stop mid-thought. I might be hurt by Sailor’s reaction but calling him an enemy feels wrong. Not when someone like Jakob MacKay exists in the world.
“I know. My bag is packed.” He jerks his thumb over his shoulder behind him, and I look through the doorway to see a navy duffel bag sitting in front of the cabin. I gawk for a moment, mind tumbling through one reason after another to make sense of what’s happening here before I outright laugh.
“Is that a joke?” My laughter sounds slightly hysterical, and I can only imagine I look crazed as I raise my arms and drop my hands on top of my head, threading my fingers together as I shake my head back and forth. He has to be joking. I can’t make it make sense otherwise.
Sailor’s frown deepens, and my fingers loosen and my arms go numb, falling to my side.
My laughter cuts off abruptly. “You’re serious? What on earth would make you think I would ever want you to go with us?”
“Quinn…” I can hear the warning in Ian’s voice. I know I’m being rude, but I can’t help myself. I spent my whole night crying because of this man, as pathetic as it was, and now he’s strolling in here like he owns the place. And with a bag packed, nonetheless.
Sailor isn’t the least bit deterred. He elbows past Ian to get to me, snatching my bag off the bed and holding it between us as he stands as close to me as possible. He jerks the handles apart so that the bag gapes open, showing off my glowing heart stone at the bottom of the bag.
This is why. Because I want to know what the hell this rock is and why I keep getting this creepy sensation that I can feel it trying to get to me. And if that’s not a good enough reason, then I think that kiss yesterday was.Sailor’s words scream interest, but his face says the opposite. He looks surly.
If you wanted to talk about my stone or that kiss, then maybe you shouldn’t have run away from me,I point out.
You’re absolutely right,Sailor says, shocking me.I’m glad we’re on the same page.
It takes me a second to realize that he’s backed me into a corner. This time, I’m the one scowling as I rip my bag away from him. I let out a frustrated groan and barely manage to hold in the urge to stomp my foot like an angry child.
I leave both of them behind in the cabin as I storm out. I practically run right into Willem.
“Will you hold this a second?” I ask, already thrusting my bag into his arms.
