.”
“Then how do you even know what building to be next to?”
“I don’t.”
“Well, then, just shut up.”
“You’re really crabby,” Mark grumbled.
“I’m not crabby.”
“You’re crabby,” Mark said. “I think it’s because you miss your little wolf friend.”
“I think I’m crabby because you won’t shut up,” I countered.
Mark rolled his eyes. “Whatever.”
“We’re not trying to hear what’s going on in the house anyway,” I said.
“We’re not? But Blake said … .”
“We’re waiting for them to leave, and then we’re going to eavesdrop on what they say,” I said. “We’re going to get more information from disgruntled wolves than trying to listen to a meeting.”
“How can you be sure?”
“Girls eavesdrop on each other a lot,” I said. “You learn a few things in high school. Granted, very few of those things are helpful, but the art of eavesdropping is one that might come in handy from time to time.”
“I guess I’ll take your word for it.”
“That would be great.”
We were silent for a minute, a state that Mark obviously found uncomfortable. “So, how are things with Paris?”
I sighed. “She’s fine.”
“Is she seeing someone?”
“No.”
“Is … .”
I slapped my hand over his mouth. “Shh.”
Mark looked like he was going to argue, but the sound of the door opening at the far house caught our attention. I removed my hand, crouching lower so I could listen. I recognized the two figures exiting the house – my heart flopping painfully at the sight of both of them.
“I don’t understand,” Will said. “Why did you want to talk to me away from everyone?”
“I know what you’ve been up to,” Aric said, his tone grim. I wasn’t close enough to see his face, but I could imagine the look of disdain flitting across it. I’d seen it a time or two – sometimes directed at me.
“I haven’t been up to anything,” Will argued.
“Don’t,” Aric said, his voice tired and harsh. “Just don’t. I won’t stand for it.”
“I don’t even know why you still care,” Will challenged. “You’re out of her world now. She’s not your responsibility.”
I straightened. Was he talking about me?
“You’re not going near her,” Aric said.
“Do you really think you can stop me?” Will asked. “It’s not like she trusts you.”
“She might not trust me,” Aric said. “I can’t change that. I’ve tried … I … there’s nothing I can do about that.”
“And you’re all heartbroken,” Will said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “She crushed you.”
Aric grabbed Will’s shoulders, lifting him a full foot off the ground. “Don’t forget your place here, Will. You don’t have the power to take me on.”
“I don’t need your power,” Will said.
“No, you’ve allied with another faction,” Aric said. “Again.”
“I have not,” Will protested. Years spent together told me he was lying. “I’m not with anyone.”
Aric shook his head. “I’m warning you,” he said. “Stay away from her. There’s no reason for me to even catch a hint of your scent by her. If I do … .”
“You’ll what? Kill me?”
“Perhaps,” Aric said, dropping Will to the ground and starting down the steps that led from the porch.
“You know you can’t save her,” Will challenged. “Sooner or later, you’re going to have to accept that.”
“I don’t.”
“Come on, Aric,” Will said. “She’s going to die. She has to die. It’s either her or us. You can’t protect her. You don’t have the power.”
The growl emanating from Aric’s throat was loud, reverberating across two lawns. I could feel his anger from here. “Stay away from her. I’m warning you. I’m more powerful than you realize. When it comes time to take care of her, I’ll be the one handling that particular task.”
Nine
“He said he’d handle you? What is that supposed to mean?”
I’d been home for less than a half hour, but I’d
“Then how do you even know what building to be next to?”
“I don’t.”
“Well, then, just shut up.”
“You’re really crabby,” Mark grumbled.
“I’m not crabby.”
“You’re crabby,” Mark said. “I think it’s because you miss your little wolf friend.”
“I think I’m crabby because you won’t shut up,” I countered.
Mark rolled his eyes. “Whatever.”
“We’re not trying to hear what’s going on in the house anyway,” I said.
“We’re not? But Blake said … .”
“We’re waiting for them to leave, and then we’re going to eavesdrop on what they say,” I said. “We’re going to get more information from disgruntled wolves than trying to listen to a meeting.”
“How can you be sure?”
“Girls eavesdrop on each other a lot,” I said. “You learn a few things in high school. Granted, very few of those things are helpful, but the art of eavesdropping is one that might come in handy from time to time.”
“I guess I’ll take your word for it.”
“That would be great.”
We were silent for a minute, a state that Mark obviously found uncomfortable. “So, how are things with Paris?”
I sighed. “She’s fine.”
“Is she seeing someone?”
“No.”
“Is … .”
I slapped my hand over his mouth. “Shh.”
Mark looked like he was going to argue, but the sound of the door opening at the far house caught our attention. I removed my hand, crouching lower so I could listen. I recognized the two figures exiting the house – my heart flopping painfully at the sight of both of them.
“I don’t understand,” Will said. “Why did you want to talk to me away from everyone?”
“I know what you’ve been up to,” Aric said, his tone grim. I wasn’t close enough to see his face, but I could imagine the look of disdain flitting across it. I’d seen it a time or two – sometimes directed at me.
“I haven’t been up to anything,” Will argued.
“Don’t,” Aric said, his voice tired and harsh. “Just don’t. I won’t stand for it.”
“I don’t even know why you still care,” Will challenged. “You’re out of her world now. She’s not your responsibility.”
I straightened. Was he talking about me?
“You’re not going near her,” Aric said.
“Do you really think you can stop me?” Will asked. “It’s not like she trusts you.”
“She might not trust me,” Aric said. “I can’t change that. I’ve tried … I … there’s nothing I can do about that.”
“And you’re all heartbroken,” Will said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “She crushed you.”
Aric grabbed Will’s shoulders, lifting him a full foot off the ground. “Don’t forget your place here, Will. You don’t have the power to take me on.”
“I don’t need your power,” Will said.
“No, you’ve allied with another faction,” Aric said. “Again.”
“I have not,” Will protested. Years spent together told me he was lying. “I’m not with anyone.”
Aric shook his head. “I’m warning you,” he said. “Stay away from her. There’s no reason for me to even catch a hint of your scent by her. If I do … .”
“You’ll what? Kill me?”
“Perhaps,” Aric said, dropping Will to the ground and starting down the steps that led from the porch.
“You know you can’t save her,” Will challenged. “Sooner or later, you’re going to have to accept that.”
“I don’t.”
“Come on, Aric,” Will said. “She’s going to die. She has to die. It’s either her or us. You can’t protect her. You don’t have the power.”
The growl emanating from Aric’s throat was loud, reverberating across two lawns. I could feel his anger from here. “Stay away from her. I’m warning you. I’m more powerful than you realize. When it comes time to take care of her, I’ll be the one handling that particular task.”
Nine
“He said he’d handle you? What is that supposed to mean?”
I’d been home for less than a half hour, but I’d
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