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“You need to be careful around him,” I managed, though it wasn’t what I’d meant to say.
“I don’t need you to tell me to be careful around him.” Her words were like daggers aimed right at my heart. They hurt, but I was so desperate to talk to her that I’d take the verbal abuse without flinching.
We stood in silence, and I couldn’t think of a single thing to say; it had been way too long. She wasn’t the Pearl I used to know, but on the flip side, I wasn’t the Rylan she had known either. Life had changed us, and I desperately wanted to get to know her again.
“Do you need help with something?” she asked, apparently remembering that she worked here and being polite was in her job description.
“What happened to your arm?” I asked, startling her with my question.
“It fell asleep,” she said, dropping her right arm back to her side. I could tell immediately that she was lying.
My eyebrows pinched together as I wondered why she would lie about something so trivial. But what if it wasn’t trivial? She was good at misdirection, I remembered. Never show an enemy weakness. I hated that she considered me her enemy, but I vowed to rectify that in time.
One day soon, I’d make it up to her. I didn’t know how, but I was determined to win back her friendship and her heart. She could fight and deny it all she wanted to, but Pearl was mine. I just had to convince her of that fact.
Chapter Seven
Pearl
Ledger left, and now I was stuck with the one person I didn’t want to be around. The interaction with Ledger hadn’t been completely useless though. I realized that he had been the one by the pond, not Rylan. They looked and sounded freakishly alike, so I couldn’t blame myself for getting the two of them confused.
As much as I hated to admit it, I knew Rylan wouldn’t have said what Ledger did at the pond when he threatened a child. Putting our issues aside, he was a good guy, and I knew he’d make a great beta, but that was where my affection ended.
I couldn’t afford to let him back in, not now or ever.
Another wave of tingles swept through my arm, and I gritted my teeth to keep from reacting. Between burning with Ledger and tingles with Rylan, I was about ready to saw my arm off myself.
“Is there something you need help with?” I asked Rylan again, wanting to end this conversation quickly.
“I’m looking into something,” he answered, unhelpfully.
“Okay…” I prompted, hoping he’d continue, but he didn’t. He just stood there and stared at me.
I met his eyes, wondering what he was thinking. His face was wiped of any sort of emotion—a skill he had more than likely perfected while he was away. It was annoying, but he’d obviously changed.
“I think starting with the Moon Spirit would be the best.” Rylan turned to eye the shelf on his left.
“Anything specific?” I prayed that it was a coincidence that he was looking in the same section as me.
“I’m not sure yet.” He pulled a random book from the shelf and flipping through it.
“All right, I’ll leave you to browse.” I grabbed the blue-covered book from where I’d placed it on the shelf then headed down the aisle in the opposite direction. No way was I walking by him. My arm might have had a mind of its own and whacked him.
“Pearl?” his deep voice asked, sending shivers down my spine.
I turned around and raised an eyebrow at him in question, not trusting myself to speak. Who knew what would come out of my mouth?
“Have you ever heard of the Alpha Seeker?”
My heart seized while my breath got caught in my throat.
“Uh, no.” I hoped he didn’t catch that I was lying. Dominant wolves could scent dishonesty in spoken words, or so I’d been told. It wasn’t a good idea to lie to one, but I wasn’t about to tell him the truth.
He nodded. His lips pressing together in a thin line told me that he didn’t believe me.
“I can search for it if you want.” I offered, hoping to throw him off.
“That won’t be necessary,” he replied, flippantly perusing the shelves once again.
