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Glancing down, my shoulders slump slightly as I see that bastard’s name pop up again.
Everett.
My stomach sinks as my thumb hesitates over the accept button. I haven’t seen or spoken to any of them since the memorial, since that moment in my office.
Steeling myself, I relent, knowing there’s only so long I can put this off.
“What?” I snap, pushing down the pang of regret that bubbles up at my sharp tone.
“What? That’s all you have to say?” Everett roars incredulously, and I can’t help the tendril of desire that licks up my spine. Dammit. This is exactly why I iced all four of them out. “She answered. Tell Zeke to stop.”
“Stop what?” I ask hurriedly, pushing down the fear that skitters over my skin as my pulse pounds. I answered the phone, but I’m nowhere near ready to see any of them—especially Zeke—in person right now.
“Zeke was about to head over there if you didn’t answer,” Everett grinds out, his anger vibrating through the phone. “Why haven’t you answered?”
“I’ve been busy.” My chest tightens with the lie. “Being your mate doesn’t mean I have to answer whenever you call.”
“Like hell it doesn’t,” Everett growls. “If I didn’t have wolves watching—“
“You what?” I demand incredulously.
“Something could have happened to you,” he growls, like that excuses the invasion of privacy.
“I’ve been taking care of myself for a long time, Everett,” I huff out on a breath of exasperation. “Besides, you couldn’t have been too concerned if you waited a whole week.”
Pain follows that slip. Sure, I was grateful for the space, and I would’ve had them thrown out if they showed up at my door, but it still hurt thinking they hadn’t cared to try. Ridiculous, I know. Maybe these last few weeks were a one-off, and this would be the norm—going weeks at a time without—
“Trust me, I was ready to tear those iron gates down after the first time you ignored my call,” he grinds out, cutting off my thoughts. “If it wasn’t for Zeke and Arsenio forcing me to give you some time to yourself, your front door would be in splinters right now.”
“Sure you were,” I drawl.
“Was this some sort of test?” he asks, with far more calm than I’d expect from him. Which seems to scare me more than his barking ...
“Of course not,” I scoff, balking at the mere idea. My head might be clearer now after what I just discovered, but I’m not sure what I would’ve done to them if they’d shown up even a few hours ago.
“Do I need to show you just how pointless it would be to try to run away?” Everett says suspiciously, like a wild beast stalking his prey and trapping it in a corner. “You showed your cards, little wolf. There’s no escaping now,” Everett says casually, like there isn’t an inherent threat in his words.
Dammit, I regret adding that little jibe in. Now he’s going to be insufferable. Despite how much that thought should annoy me, I can’t help the jolt of excitement that hums through me at the possessive growl in his tone.
“Careful, Alpha Whitlock. Mate or not, I don’t take kindly to threats,” I growl in warning.
“Oh, it’s not a threat, it’s a promise,” he says with a lethal edge to his voice.
I shudder at the possessive note, tingles running over my skin. He has another thing coming if he thinks he can order me around. Still, I can’t deny the electricity that runs over me as both me and my wolf preen at his insistence, at his refusal to reject the bond now, at the claiming devotion.
I glance at the still-open drawer; the sunlight filtering in through the drapes has shifted slightly to illuminate the interior. The glint of the diamond inside casts a glittering rainbow across the wood, reminding me of the ring I’d placed there a week ago. Reaching in with my free hand, I pluck it out gingerly and place it in my palm. I hadn’t been able to stand the sight of it, not after the surveillance video, but now it doesn’t feel right for the exquisite piece of jewelry to be tucked away any longer.
“We’ll see,” I say noncommittally.
“You’re coming to dinner tonight,” Everett declares, catching me off guard with the abrupt shift in conversation.
“Why would I do that?” I scoff.
“Because we have a week’s worth of plans to discuss,” he explains gruffly. “The Langleys are regrouping now, and I, for one, won’t be giving them the chance to attack us again.”
“We’re agreed on that.” I swallow thickly, knowing he’s right. The bears suffered losses at the engagement party ambush, which is the only reason they’ve been quiet for this long. We need to strike first because I won’t let them catch us off guard again, either.
“Don’t bring Monte,” he warns. “And if you do, I can’t be responsible for what my wolf does to him.”
