“I thought about you every day,” he said. “I—”
George growled and Alex broke off and stepped away. I looked at the scratch marks left by Mr. Lexington, my skin tingling where his fingers had touched me. The red lines had already begun to fade and scab. I stared at my skin, stunned that that I’d just healed five times faster than ever before.
“How’d you know I was here?” I asked, deliberately changing the subject.
“You told me, remember? When you called and asked me to act as your diversion.”
Right. I’d forgotten. Or tried to. Because now that it was done, I felt like I owed him, and I didn’t particularly enjoy the feeling.
Alex turned to George. “What about you, wolf-boy? If you can’t beat ’em, join ’em? Is that it?”
“I told you, it was Miles. He injected George with the serum before I could stop him.”
Hurt flashed across Alex’s face and was gone again. I clamped down on the guilt of not telling him back at school. I’d done what I had to, to protect George. I refused to feel bad about that.
“You don’t trust me,” Alex said quietly. It wasn’t a question, but I could hear the accusation.
“You’re on a scouting team. For Kane. You chose a side,” I said.
He looked at me. “It’s that black and white? I’m on this side, you’re on that side, and that’s it? Give me a break, Tara. Our friendship means more than that, doesn’t it?”
“Yes,” I said quietly.
His words were my own, from our conversation on the hill, all those weeks ago. When I’d screamed at him that it wasn’t so black and white, that it was wrong to label someone solely based on his or her DNA.
Alex walked over to me, not stopping until we stood almost toe to toe. “I came here for you. I left Kane’s group. I’m not going back.”
My head came up. My eyes searched his. “What?” I whispered. “Are you saying you’re not going to hunt anymore?”
“I’m saying there are things going on I’m not sure about. And I’m saying I need you to be safe. So I’m here. As long as you need me.”
I nodded. It wasn’t exactly the answer I’d been hoping for, but it was a more than I’d ever expected.
Behind Alex, George cleared his throat. Or growled. I wasn’t sure which. “Tara, it’s not safe here.”
“We should head back,” I said, stepping away from Alex. I needed some distance between us. I needed to think clearly. He hadn’t come here for me, not in the way I’d thought. And what if he had? What would I have done? I’d made my choice.
So why did the idea of losing Alex always tug at something deep inside me? And why couldn’t I let him go?
I watched him slide the stake back inside a sheath attached to his belt and reminded myself he hadn’t committed to anything past this moment.
“You coming with us, Rambo?” George asked.
“If you’ll have me,” he said, directing the comment to George.
George cocked his head to the side as if considering. “You ran those two hybrids off.”
“I did.”
George grunted, which apparently meant, “You’re in,” because Alex fell into step beside me.
Chapter Sixteen
I made it to the edge of the shade, the exact spot where the pavement met the chemically darkened soil, and stopped. Parked in the circular drive was a familiar-looking pickup truck. Standing on the other side, halfway to the front door, were the last three people I’d expected to see: Cord, Logan, and Victoria.
I didn’t have time to react before another car pulled in behind them—a dust-coated Aston Martin.
“What are they doing here?” George asked, stepping around me to get a better look.
Instinctively, I sidestepped, putting space between Alex’s shoulder and mine. Cord’s frown turned into a scowl as she caught sight of me. I pretended I hadn’t seen it but made a mental note not to be left alone with her. She looked furious.
My breath caught in my chest at the sight of Wes as he slid from the car. His jeans and T-shirt were wrinkled, as if he’d been wearing them for a while. It made him look vulnerable. He pulled his glasses off and broke into a smile. His expression, though lined with exhaustion, mirrored the relief and excitement inside me, and I couldn’t stand still any longer. I ran to him and threw myself against him, wrapping my arms tight around his neck.
I was dimly aware of Logan and Victoria staring at George in obvious confusion. But then Wes’s mouth found mine and I forgot all of them. It was only Wes and me.
And then it wasn’t.
Behind me, someone cleared her throat. The lack of subtlety left no doubt who’d made the noise. Wes eased away but kept an arm around me as we turned to face Cord. She glared at both of us, arms crossed. In that moment, I was grateful that she was fond of at least one of us. Hopefully, it would be enough.
The rest of the group wandered up behind her.
“If you two are done sucking face, will someone please explain to me what the hell is going on?” Cord demanded.
“Where would you like me to start?” Wes asked, entirely too calm for the way Cord was eyeing him.
She pointed at George. “Let’s see, that one’s a full-blown Werewolf, but his eyes are just this side of sane.” She pointed at Alex. “He’s standing next to a Werewolf and not trying to butcher it.” Finally, she pointed at Wes and me. “And you two are having some sort of lovers’ reunion, which means either you haven’t been gallivanting around the country together this entire week or your simple trip to the store awakened Tara’s abandonment issues.”
“All valid concerns,” Wes said.
His eyes roamed the group. First to Logan and Victoria—and I could tell we were all wondering what they were doing here. I didn’t dare ask yet. Not with Cord looking ready to punch someone. I winced as Wes caught sight of Alex. His jaw hardened and then twitched as he worked the muscles there. “Alex.” He nodded.
“Wes. Nice to see you again.” Alex’s voice was strained. They didn’t attempt a handshake.
“Tara?” Wes’s eyebrows shot up. I could tell he was thinking exactly what Cord had just spoken aloud: What the hell?
“He just got here,” I said. It was the shortest and least descriptive answer I could’ve given, and obviously not enough, but he didn’t pursue it.
“And George?” he asked.
“Turned,” I said. “Safely.”
“I see that,” he said. “How?”
The front door opened, saving me from an explanation just yet. Professor Flaherty took in the scene with a quick glance, her mouth widening into a welcoming smile.
She zeroed in on Alex first. “Alex, what a surprise.” She stepped off the porch.
“Professor,” he said. Something about his tone sounded off, like he wasn’t quite as surprised as one would expect, running into a former teacher here. But then he smiled and shook her hand and said, “What brings you out here?”
“Astor DeLuca, the man who lives here, is a friend of mine. I was just visiting during break,” she said. Then she switched her gaze. “Logan, Victoria, a pleasant surprise.”
“Professor,” Logan said, shaking her hand. Victoria did the same.
“What is everyone doing here?” Professor Flaherty asked.
I couldn’t help but redden when every single person except George and I answered with a loud and resounding, “Tara.” Cord punctuated hers with a glare aimed at me.
“I see.” Professor Flaherty’s smile never wavered and she extended her hand to the open doorway behind her. “Let’s get you all out of this heat, and we’ll get everything sorted out.”
“Professor,” Alex called. “A word?”
“Of course.” She huddled with Alex out of hearing range, both of them casting glances my way. After a moment, Alex jogged toward the trees.
“What’s that about?” Wes asked.
“I’ll tell you inside,” I said, heading for the door.
Logan gave me a quick, one-arm
ed hug on his way inside.
“Hey,” he whispered.
“Hi,” I whispered back. He moved on when Victoria tugged his hand. I felt her eyes on me but didn’t look up as I thought of what I was about to tell her.
George walked inside just ahead of me, still in wolf form, his tail wagging a little. Mathias simply raised a brow at him as he passed. Halfway down the hall, George turned back. “Tay, I’m going to stop by my room to, ah, change.”
“Come find us when you’re done,” I said as he trotted off.
Wes came up beside me and took my hand. I looked down at our joined fingers and then up at him. He stared straight ahead, his jaw flexing. “I’m glad you’re here,” I said, squeezing his hand. He tugged on my arm until we were a good distance behind the group and then stopped and pulled me close.
“I missed you,” he said, his voice husky. He pressed his lips to mine and then trailed quick kisses over my jawline. He moved back to my lips, lingered there, and then pulled away.
His eyes danced and he looked down at me with a wry expression. “Don’t think this means I’m not going to yell at you later. You were supposed to wait for me before doing anything with George.”
“I don’t think that,” I said, a little dazed. We started walking again. “What does it mean?”
“It means I love you, even though you’re impulsive. And I don’t want that moron outside to think otherwise and do anything stupid.” Despite the words, his tone was light, and I could tell he wasn’t nearly as angry as he pretended. Still, I was glad Alex was out of earshot.
“Oh, well, if that’s all.”
I was relieved to find the sunroom empty. I wasn’t sure if it was by chance or if Professor Flaherty had carted Astor off somewhere, but either way, it was probably better, at least for now, if he wasn’t present. This many people were sure to set him off, especially with tempers raised like they were.
Logan and Victoria filed in behind Professor Flaherty and sat together on a loveseat by the windows. Victoria whispered something to Logan and he kissed her cheek. They didn’t look over at me. I wondered what they were doing here and how in the world they’d hooked up with Cord.
Wes kept a firm grasp on my hand and led us to a space near the breakfast table where a wicker couch and chairs sat. I stood behind the couch and braced my hands on the frame. I was too wired to sit.
Professor Flaherty brought everyone glasses of water and then drifted back toward the door. I got the impression she was going to let us have it out with one another without interruption.
Cord was the one to speak first. “This is ridiculous. Why is everyone standing around like nothing is going on? George is a Werewolf, except his eyes aren’t yellow and he’s not trying to rip everyone’s throat out like a wolf-zombie.”
She stalked over to me and leaned in, sniffing heavily. She leaned back and made a face. “You’ve been giving me goosebumps since I opened my car door, and you smell like dog.” Everyone’s eyes shifted to me.
“I can explain,” I began.
“She was attacked,” Alex said from the doorway.
He didn’t look at me, but I knew he’d spoken up so I wouldn’t have to. I wondered if he was keeping my secret as a way to prove I could trust him. “When I found her, she was about to be dinner for a couple of Miles-made hybrids. Their scent is probably still all over her, not to mention saliva. He was practically drooling on her.”
“What? Why didn’t you say anything?” Wes asked.
“There hasn’t been time,” I said.
“Perimeter’s clear. I chased them off,” Alex said, settling on a spot against the wall. “Wounded the female, but she’ll recover. There wasn’t time for more.”
“Thank you,” Wes said, nodding at Alex like it pained him.
Alex nodded, though he didn’t quite meet Wes’s eyes. “There was another complication,” he said. “They were familiar.”
“Familiar how?” Cord demanded.
I took a step forward, looking past Cord to where Victoria and Logan sat. They stared back at me, Victoria’s expression as neutral as Logan’s, and for a moment, all I could see was the memory of her, sobbing in our dorm room after her parents had gone missing, and the dejected set of her shoulders when she realized they weren’t coming back.
She edged forward in her seat as if she sensed the words on my lips. I let go of Wes’s hand and went to her, lowering myself onto the table so I could face her. The fact that she sat quietly, instead of insulting me or telling me to get away from her, let me know she already suspected.
In that moment, we weren’t enemies. We weren’t rivals. We were friends—two of a kind, completely understanding of the other, no agendas.
“It was your parents,” I said quietly.
“Were they—?” She stopped and bit her lip. Logan took her hands in his.
“They’re Werewolves,” I confirmed. “They asked about you.” The wetness in one of her eyes spilled over onto her cheek. She’d never looked less like a bully.
“They wanted to take Tara to the one in charge of the hybrids now, a woman named Olivia,” Alex put in, saving Victoria from the stares of the rest of the room.
Wes rubbed his chin and cheek with the palm of his hand, a gesture of exhaustion. “Do we know an Olivia?” He looked at Cord.
“Not that I can think of. I can’t keep up with all of Tara’s enemies anymore,” she said.
“Give me a break,” I grumbled.
“Do you know what this Olivia wants from you?” Wes asked.
“No,” I said. “They never told me. All I know is they are determined to bring me in. They called Olivia their master.”
“Of course,” Cord said. “Heaven forbid we get any peace and quiet.”
“Look, this tells us they are going to keep coming,” said Alex. “The hybrids in general, and specifically the Lexingtons. We need to play offense instead of sitting and waiting—”
“We?” Wes interjected.
Alex hesitated. “I took a leave of absence from my team.”
“How convenient,” Wes said.
“Seriously,” Cord agreed. “I mean, you just happened to show up here at the same time as a couple of hybrids you’ve been looking for?”
Alex and I shared a look. He let it pass without correcting her about the Lexingtons’ whereabouts these past few weeks.
Logan looked up at him in surprise, probably the only other one besides me who realized what a huge step leaving would’ve been for Alex. “Why’d you do that?”
Alex pushed off the wall and walked to the window, his hands fisted at his sides. “There’s talk between some of the higher-ups … some of the things I’ve seen lately don’t add up. I wanted to take some time to figure it out before I commit.” He turned back to face the group, his eyes flickering over Cord and resting on Wes. “In the meantime, if Tara’s in danger, I’d like to do what I can to help.”
Wes stiffened beside me. I slid my hand into his again, a gesture of reassurance. When Wes didn’t offer an answer, Alex turned to Professor Flaherty. “Would it be all right if I stayed?”
“Of course. We have plenty of room,” she said.
“And it’s understood that my presence here won’t be shared with anyone,” he added.
“You have my word.”
I wondered what that meant. Why would it matter if anyone knew he was here?
“You saved Tara from the attack,” Wes said, startling me with the abruptness of his words. He was still staring at Alex.
“Yes.” Alex didn’t move.
“You have feelings for her,” Wes said.
Alex hesitated for only a split second. “Yes.”
“Would you die to protect her?”
“Absolutely.”
The question itself, and the certainty of Alex’s answer, startled me. I didn’t know what to say.
“Hmm,” was all Wes said.
Cord crossed to Wes and started whispering to him too low for me to hear.
&n
bsp; A sniffling sound from across the room drew my attention. Logan had his arm wrapped around Victoria’s shoulders. She was leaning into him and trying in vain to keep the tears in check. I went back to the coffee table and sat down in front of her again. Just like that day in my dorm room, comforting her felt awkward. But I couldn’t just sit by and watch her cry.
“We’ll find them,” I said.
She blinked until the tears receded, then stuck her chin out. “If my parents are … violent, and can’t be reasoned with, we’ll have to deal with them,” she said. “You have my permission.”
“Victoria …”
“Don’t apologize again. It’s giving me a headache.” Her eyes flashed and for once, I didn’t mind her snapping at me if it meant she wasn’t falling apart. “All right.”
I looked at Logan. “I should’ve told you what was going on back at school. I’m—” I started to say sorry and stopped when Victoria hissed at me. “I should’ve told you about George,” I said instead. “How mad are you?”
“Not very,” he said. “Cambria called after you left and told me most of it. I understand why you did it, although for future reference, I can keep a secret. Besides, for the record, it looks to me like whatever you did worked.”
I smiled, relieved and grateful. “Thanks. How did you guys find me, anyway? I thought Grandma was coming.”
His brows crinkled, the brim of his hat lowering on his forehead. “I don’t know anything about your grandma. Cord called me a couple days ago and asked if Victoria could use her, um, locating skills to find you. Cord picked us up a few hours later, and we drove here.”
I looked at Victoria. “You agreed?”
She smirked, looking suddenly like the real Victoria. “Anything to see you catch some heat.”
Her words lacked the same acidic coating they usually held, and I wondered if things were changing for us. It felt good telling Victoria her parents were alive, although I still didn’t understand how they weren’t in CHAS custody anymore.
“Wait, so you … located me? With your gift?” I asked. “Do you think you could use it to find Olivia?”
She shook her head. “I don’t know. I’d need something personal of hers to use. Something she’s touched. And I’ve already tried finding the hybrids.” She teared up again. “My parents … all of them are off my radar. I think it’s their lack of humanity. Whatever it is, they’re outside my scope.”
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