CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
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EVA
This was the first political fundraiser I’d ever been to. It would be boring as hell, but I was here for Petra, not anyone else.
Sloane waved from across the room, a drink already in her hand. “Hey.”
“Hey.” She hugged me with one arm.
“Where’s Bee?”
Sloane pointed to the tangled crowd near the stage. “Got ambushed and is currently being introduced to theGidwitzpack. Don’t worry, I already plan to tell her I’ll mock her forall eternity if she bonds with a pack named Gidwitz. Up for a rescue?”
I spotted her in the mess of people. She was wearing the green dress I’d seen her in earlier today when we ran into each other at Bergman’s. It was a fine dress, but it wasn’t that flattering. Which of course it wouldn’t be, because Petra’s stepmother was a wicked witch. With a B.
“I’ve got it. I’ll get her out.” I said.
Dylan stepped up behind me. “Need any help?”
“I think I’m okay, but if I’m gone more than five minutes? Yes. Rescue.”
He dropped a kiss on my shoulder. “I’ll be watching.”
I shivered a little. I felt his amusement, and we both paused, reminding each other that we weren’t at home.
Pushing through the crowd, I reached Petra in record time. “Bee! I told you I’d be here.”
“You did,” she said, but she didn’t sound like herself. It was probably her shutting down because she was being thrust on a pack she had no interest in.
A tinkling sound came through the room, like someone was about to make a toast. Perfect timing. “Go,” Petra whispered, desperate. “Go. It was nice to meet all of you.”
She was the one to push us back through the crowd back to where Sloane was. Petra looked at our friend, eyes wide. “Help.”
“I did help, bitch,” Sloane said, laughing. “I sent Eva in to get you.”
Now that we were out of the crowd, I realized that Petra’s sweet scent was strong. Stronger than it should be. Her eyes were blown wide, and she looked dazed. That look was familiar now.
“I don’t think she means that kind of help. Look at her eyes. And smell that?” I asked.
Sloane realized. “Oh, shit. You’re perfuming?”
“What do my eyes look like?” Petra asked.
“Dilated. You kind of look like a shark. Big dead black eyes,” Sloane said.
“Thanks.” Petra made a face. “I got hit with something. A scent.”
Fuck. Yes. I was right. “Oh, hell yes. I love it when this happens. My sister found her pack like this. R.A.S.”
“R.A.S.?” Petra blinked at me.
“Random act of scenting. What does it smell like? We’ll tell you if it’s something in the air, in case it’s someone who has a really strong scent.”
She was practically shaking. “I need a drink.”
“What do you want?” I asked. “I’ll have one of the guys grab it for you.”
