“And I meant it, Atticus.”
He blushed. I thought he might kiss me, but instead, Atticus pivoted back to the stove, and after a few clicks, the gas burner lit up. He drizzled oil into a pan, and when the oil was hot enough, he added the steak. The sizzling sound made my mouth water.
“How do you like it?” he asked.
“Medium rare.”
“Very well.”
“You never answered my question. Is there a reason you don’t have any mirrors in your house, or are they all in your bedroom?”
“Do you think me vain enough to need them?”
I strolled to the outside of the counter and sat on one of the upholstered chairs so I could watch him. “It’s peculiar, that’s all. Especially in a house this large with so much wall space to fill.”
Atticus pulled a plate out. “Mirrors remind me of who I am—ofwhatI am.” He added butter to the pan. “I like feeling ordinary. I’ve lived a privileged life but also a brutal one. If you want to know the truth, I’ve grown bored. Humans are no longer a constant threat, the Breeds are no longer at war, and life has become a series of mundane tasks.”
“Maybe living alone has something to do with it. Why did you move to the country? The city is far more interesting.”
He set the bowl of bean salad in front of me and a glass of milk. “No matter how much time goes by, humans are interesting to watch and interact with. When I worked in a bakery for a short while, I coveted that feeling of being ordinary. But city noise is too much. This suits me better.”
“So you bought a club?” I smiled at the contradiction.
“Fair point.” Atticus presented a beautifully plated meal of steak and potatoes. I greedily dug in while he cleaned up.
“Humans were torch-wielding fanatics,” he continued. “Well, some still are, but to a lesser degree. Being around them reminded me of how different I was. They’re innocent, curious, and emotional. Those differences made me feel more and more like a monster. The appeal of country life grew on me, but I needed a lucrative business to fill my account. I also wanted to live in a Breed community. Investments are important, as you know. That’s why I own this property.”
The delicious meal kept me quiet as I devoured it. Even the salad, which I had been skeptical about, was scrumptious.
Atticus wiped down the counter. “Country air is cleaner, and when I grow tired of the noise at the club, I can separate myself from it. You can’t do that in the city. Noise pollution surrounds you. When I bought this land, I made sure to pick a location that wasn’t along a major flight path.” After washing his hands, he sat in the chair beside me. “How is everything? To your satisfaction?”
“And beyond. I didn’t realize how famished I was until I started eating. Everyone’s right about protein. I crave meat more now than I did in the beginning of the pregnancy.” I dabbed my mouth with the napkin. “Must be a wolf thing.”
“You’re a proper lady,” he remarked.
“What makes you say that?” I set my napkin down.
“Because I know a lady when I see one.”
“You might not say that if you knew everything about my past.”
“Who you once were doesn’t matter to me.”
“That’s what you say.”
“That’s what I know.” He tossed the rag into the sink. “If you define yourself by your past, how can you ever change? We all have different versions of ourselves.”
I resumed eating my potatoes and mulled over his remark. Joining my pack had given me a second chance, and I liked that Atticus didn’t ask me to elaborate about my past. He’d worded that in a way that made sense, because I wasn’t that person anymore.
Then again, he knew nothing about me.
Atticus stood across from me. “Salem didn’t choose you as his mate, but you still defend him. I never liked how aloof he was with you. Even if you were only pretending, he wasn’t attentive to your needs. That’s inexcusable, especially in your condition.”
“Salem is… different. He’s a practical man, not an emotional one. But he took care of me. You’ve never seen that side of him, so you can’t judge. I talked him into a fake relationship to improve our odds of the Packmaster selecting us, but we didn’t agree to any public displays of affection. Would you have more respect if he faked the intimacy by kissing and groping me in public? Salem could’ve left me long ago, but he stuck around.”
Atticus folded his arms on the counter, his brow furrowing. “I thought him a fiend, but now it’s clear he did the honorable thing. I still can’t overlook that he was so blinded by responsibility that he never realized what he had right in front of him.”
I scoffed. “And what’s that? A pregnant woman with a shady past?”
