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Almost. At least she had answered my question.
“What about Lawson?”
“Of course she’d be worried about him like she never worries about her actual family,” she muttered, and my curiosity about Lawson spiked up yet again.
“Dead? Not dead?” I demanded, giving her a thumbs-down then flipping it right-side up.
“Tell her to come home.”
I was pretty sure that meantnot dead, even if the brat was going to fight me. “Yeah, I’m not going to do that until I know Nathan is six feet underground. But thanks for the advice.” I looked at Tee. “Let’s move on.”
Teresa actually listened for once without any argument. She usually bickered with me recreationally. But she handed Rose a small card as she stood. “If you need any help, you can call me. I’ll always answer.”
I wasn’t sure if she just hated Amelia, or she was genuinely worried about Rose, or if she just had an elaborate plan she’d formed to use the two against each other until she’d cracked open the Longroad pack.
But I hated the thought that Amelia had a sister who hated her.
Then, as we were getting into the car, she ran into the parking lot. Her face creased as if she might cry, and I was reminded that she was really just a kid.
“Not dead,” she whispered to me, then she ran back.
Teresa slammed her car door shut, already drawing her gun as if she was worried we’d have to fight our way out. “That whole family is as unreliable as a fart. I hope you know what you’re doing with Amelia.”
I smiled at her as I started up the car. “We both know I have no clue.”
Why pretend?
But as I pulled out, I caught a glimpse of Rose watching us. And even if I had to watch our backs, I was glad Amelia’s little sister obviously still loved her, despite whatever lay between them.
CHAPTER31
Amelia
The next day,Janie and I made small talk as we walked. She invited me to come to their next book club, and I laughed. It seemed like a strange activity for shifters—but the idea also filled me with delight.
We stopped at the fork in the path where we parted ways. This time, she had the baby in a carrier on her chest, and she bounced back and forth to keep the baby happy, her short blond hair brushing her shoulders.
“You don’t have to read the book,” she assured me. “Half of us don’t. We’re moms. But between you and me…” She leaned in like she was going to tell me a secret, and instant nerves spiked through me, before she whispered, “I mostly go for the sangria and a night where my husband does bedtime.”
I grinned. I couldn’t imagine myself not being there for Dylan at bedtime anyway, and I didn’t plan to keep living in Stone’s house any longer than I had to, and yet… “Maybe.”
I couldn’t bring myself to say no.
Her eyes brightened. “I’ll drop the book off at your house!”
My house. I stumbled over the very thought, but I just said, “Thank you.”
After life in the Longroad pack, I couldn’t help feeling skeptical when someone was so nice. What was she trying to sell me? But as we parted ways, I couldn’t help but feel a little lift of hope.
As soon as I had left her behind and was alone, I could’ve sworn I felt someone watching me again. I couldn’t find the wolf in the woods, but I could’ve sworn I felt him.
Joshua was waiting for me on the path again. My heart seized, afraid of what I’d hear.
“Aiden’s alive,” he greeted me.
It felt like the ground had dropped between my feet and then returned, and I swayed. He reached out and grabbed my arm. “Are you okay?”
“I’m so much better now,” I said. “Did you get to talk to him?”
