We arrive at Shadow Suds, I pull into a parking spot, and cut the engine.
“Ready?” Imani asks.
“No.”
She laughs. “At least you’re honest.” She squeezes my hand. “It’ll be quick. I promise.”
We walk in together, and I immediately feel out of place. Imani walks up to the front desk like she owns the place.
“Hey, Sarah.Is Derrick in?”
The receptionist looks up, her eyes going wide when she sees me looming behind Imani. “Um. Yeah. He’s in his office. Should I?—“
“I’ll just go back. Thanks.”
She takes my hand and leads me down the hallway. I have to duck slightly to avoid hitting my head on a low-hanging light fixture. Everything in this place feels too small.
Derrick’s office is at the end of the hall. The door is open, and I can see him inside, sitting behind a desk covered in paperwork.
He looks up when we appear in the doorway.
His eyes go to Imani first, then to me, then to the mark on Imani’s neck. I see it in his face. Surprise. Realization. And underneath it, a sadness that he quickly tries to hide.
“Imani.” He stands up, smoothing down his shirt. “I wasn’t expecting you.”
“I know. I should have called.” She steps into the office, pulling me with her. “But I needed to do this in person.”
Derrick’s eyes flick to me again. I can smell his emotions even if his face is carefully neutral. Disappointment. Resignation. A thread of something that might be longing, quickly suppressed.
“So it’s true,” he says quietly. “You and Ironwood.”
“Yes.” Imani’s voice is steady. “Things happened fast. I’m sorry I didn’t reach out sooner.”
“No, it’s... it’s fine.” He manages a smile that doesn’t quite reach his eyes. “I’m happy for you. Both of you.”
The words are genuine, even if they cost him something to say. I respect that.
“Thank you,” Imani says. “But that’s not the only reason I’m here. I need to talk to you about the cleaning solution.”
Derrick nods, his expression shifting to something moreprofessional. “Ronan reached out to me about that. About the scent masking.”
“So you know.”
“I know.” He moves around his desk, leaning against the front of it. “I’ve been looking into the ingredients, trying to figure out what’s causing it. For now, we’ve pulled that solution from rotation. We’re using something different until I can get to the bottom of it.”
“Good.” Imani relaxes slightly. “I was worried about other shifters. Other potential mates. If it blocked my scent, it could be doing the same thing to others.”
“It’s a serious issue,” Derrick agrees. “I’m taking it seriously.”
Derrick won’t look at the mark on her neck. I won’t mention how he looked at her when we walked in. The air between us gets tight.
“There’s something else,” Imani says. “I’m quitting.”
Derrick’s shoulders drop slightly, like he expected it but was hoping he was wrong. “I figured.”
“I’m moving to the clan. Starting a new life.” She pauses. “I wanted to thank you, Derrick. For giving me a chance when I first came to town. For being patient when I was still learning. For sending me up to that cabin even when everyone else refused.”
His laugh is rueful. “If I’d known what would happen, I might have sent someone else.”
