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After I woke up from a post sex nap, it was already dinner time. I got cleaned up quickly and then we walked out. I almost tripped over my feet when Crew reached over and laced our fingers together.
It made me feel like I matter to him. Like maybe I’m important.
It’s not a feeling I’m used to, and it makes me want to squirm right where I’m standing.
“I know that look,” is sneered from behind me.
When I turn around, I’m meet with the derisive looks from the woman I saw approach Crew yesterday morning at breakfast and another woman I’ve only seen from afar. Both of them are staring at me with open contempt that makes me want to turn around and run the other way.
Instead of giving into that need, I pull my shoulders back and stand tall with my head held high. “Are you speaking to me?”
Pity fills Gabrielle’s features as if she’s got me all figured out. The other woman, whose name I don’t know, curls her upper lip as she looks me over. “You’ll be used up and spit out just like the rest of us. Alpha Crew doesn’t like to settle down and he likes variety.”
Even though her words don’t surprise me, the sudden and sharp pain to the center of my chest that accompanies them does throw me off balance. This is much more than the ache I was feeling before.
“Shut up, Trina,” Tilly growls, the threat in her voice easy to hear.
“I’m just telling it like it is, Tilly,” Trina flashes me a sympathetic grin, but I can see right through it. She’s not sorry. She’s doing this on purpose and her goal is to hurt me.
Well, mission fucking accomplished.
I have no idea what she plans to gain from this game, but if she wants Crew then he’s a grown ass man. He could be with her if he wanted to.
Instead of pointing that out to her, I bite my tongue. They’re not worth the energy. Without a word, I put my plate down on the buffet table, not caring that it’s half full or that someone else is going to have to deal with it. When I turn and head toward the back entrance, Trina’s laugh nips at my heels.
“Where are you going? Don’t let those bitches run you off from dinner,” Tilly hisses in my ear.
“I need some air,” the words come out clipped as my steps quicken.
I know I shouldn’t let those women get to me, but they did. The knowledge that Crew was with them both has my blood boiling. I realize I don’t have any room to be pissed or hurt, but the fact that those women wanted to come up to me and try to hurt me is just as much of a blow as her words.
It’s not like I was under some delusion about who Crew is. Neither of us made promises to the other.
The moment I make it outside, I close my eyes and take a deep breath. The hand on my shoulder surprised the fuck out of me and I let out a yelp as I turn toward the person. Tilly is fighting the smile that wants to come out for scaring me.
“I really need to be alone right now,” I insist.
“No,” Tilly’s voice is firm as she shakes her head, “I’m not leaving you out here alone. I’ll go with you.” I open my mouth to tell her that the last thing I want to do with her is talk about her brother, but she doesn’t give me the chance. “We don’t have to talk,” she insists, “but I can’t let you walk in the woods alone.”
I heave out a sigh as I remember I made a promise not to go into the forest alone. “Fine,” I grit out through my teeth.
Tilly gives a curt nod, and she doesn’t stop me when I spin around and start to march off in whatever direction I want to go. Anger and hurt battle it out inside of me. The worst part is that I know I’m overreacting.
Whatever Crew did before I met him is none of my business. Frankly, I could have gone my entire life without it being thrown in my face. The ache in the middle of my chest is not only back, but it’s grown.
I almost trip over my own feet when I hear a growl close by coming from the bushes. My heart starts to pound in my chest and my fight or flight instincts are firmly pushing me toward flight.
“Fuck,” Tilly mutters the curse as she reaches over grabs me. “I’ve let the pack know where we are and they’re coming to help.”
“Help with what?” I hiss the words softly as every hair on my body stands on edge.
Before Tilly can answer me, a mangy looking wolf leaps out of the forest and onto the path in front of us. My best friend moves so fast that I don’t even register it happening. She stands in front of me and snarls at the beast which must be larger than a wolf normally is.
How the hell is this wolf so massive?
Just when I think it’s possible that Tilly has frightened the creature and he’s going to back off, a second wolf comes out of the shadows in the forest behind the first. I barely stop the scream from ripping from my throat.
Neither wolf looks healthy, but that doesn’t take away from their sheer size or how sharp their teeth look. I almost turn and run, but one of them locks their eyes on me and my body locks up. Fight or flight my ass.
