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“You’ve been out there a minute. Don’t you have any patience?”
“Nope, none at all. Ty says I have the attention span of a cocker spaniel.”
“Ty might just be right,” I muttered, as Alder barged past me into my own apartment. “Come in,” I said.
He turned to look over his shoulder as he walked through to the kitchen. “I’m already in. Close the door, Waggoner, you’re letting the heat out.”
I closed the door and followed him in.
“Alder, I don’t have the energy for this.”
He stood in my kitchen and appraised me. I felt very exposed under the bright lights. Alder could make a person feel reallyseen, and it wasn’t always a pleasant experience. I always got the impression he saw right into my brain. It wasn’t entirely comfortable.
“You look better than I expected, for someone who was beaten up by a mugger.”
“I wasn’t beaten up, I was just knocked over.”
“That’s not the impression I got.”
“You weren’t there. I think of the two of us, I would know.”
“Yes, but I got an account from the alpha who witnessed it and not the person who hit his head. So I know what I’m talking about. And that alpha was growly. They don’t get like that for nothing.”
“So you’re going to believe him over me?”
In typical Alder style, he just swept past that question he didn’t want to answer. He said, “I’m happier now I’ve seen you. I was imagining you in a full body cast or something.”
“Liam said he’d rung you to tell you what happened.”
And it was only as I said it that I realised letting someone else do my talking for me wasnotmy usual MO. I actively stopped others talking for me at all times. So why had I let Liam talk to Alder on my behalf and not bothered to contact him myself?
I didn’t even know.
It was a worse shock to realisethatthan the mugging had been. I felt actively shaken.
“You ok, Waggoner? You’ve gone pale.”
“Yes, I’m fine. I just… need to sit down, that’s all.”
I pulled out one of the chairs and sat down at the table. Waggoner poured me a glass of water and I sipped at it.
“Thanks.”
“You know, I’m glad you’re taking some time off. This has affected you more than you want it to.”
“I don’t—”
“You know, this Liam sounded really concerned about you.”
“He’s a good person. Of course he was worried about me.”
“Iwas worried about you but it took me two days to come and visit.”
I managed a weak laugh. “Maybe Liam’s nicer than you are.”
“Probably. But even I had to visit eventually. I can’t have you on your own for days on end.”
“I’m not alone, Liam—”
