“I think the animal inside of her is making her a little more aggressive than she used to be.”Maddie wiped away a stray tear.“Who the hell knows what being a wolf is going to do to you?”
This made all three of them laugh.Maddie wasn’t wrong.
“There’s got to be a different way,” Lola whispered.“I can’t lose you, Katy.”
“I can’t let those women die, Lo.I’m sorry.”Katy shook her head.“I’m terrified.I won’t lie.I want this life.”She looked around the room, trying to get a feel for what Gage must be like.The room was masculine, and yet not ridiculous.It was warm and inviting with the warm colors, greens, browns, and touches of deep red and gold.It was like he’d brought an autumn day inside his bedroom.“But I don’t think it’s meant to be.”
“Are you freaking kidding me right now?”Lola snapped.“You’ve been chosen to be the mate of a mythical being, the last of his freaking kind, and you think it’s not meant to be?”
“No.”Katy shook her head.“I don’t doubt I’m his.I just think that my life has a different purpose than being his mate.And I have to find a way to be okay with that.I need you two to find a way to be okay with that.”
“Nope.”Maddie practically growled.“I will never be okay with you sacrificing your life.Sorry.I’m just not as good a person as you are.”
“That’s not true, Mads.”Katy sighed.“I’ve seen you drop money and tell someone else they dropped it because you knew they needed it more than you.You’re totally the martyr type.”
“Dammit.”Lola cursed again.“There’s got to be another way.”
Katy shook her head.“Visata made it pretty clear.This is the right thing to do.Those women are innocent.”
“So are you!”Lola and Maddie yelled at the same time.
“Shhh.”Katy put her finger to her lips.“I’m not ready to tell Gage.”
“Oh, don’t worry about that.”Lola laughed, though it was not a humorous sound.“I’ll tell him for you.Callon, can I see your phone?”
“Lola Katz, don’t you dare,” Katy snarled.
“It’s Lola Leo, butthead, and how about don’tyoudare?Don’t you dare give up on life, on hope, on us figuring something out so that you aren’t signing your own death warrant.Because I cannot, Iwillnot, just stand by and let you sacrifice yourself.I can’t.”
Katy’s lip trembled, and her gut twisted as she stared at her two best friends.“It’s not your decision to make, Lo.I’m sorry.”There was a knock at the door and then a voice Katy had come to love.
“Kat,” Otto said tentatively.
“I have to,” she said quickly.“I love you both.So much.”
“Don’t you dare end this call, Katy Dire,” Lola warned.“Don’t?—”
“Sorry, babe.But I gotta.”Katy hit the end button and then quickly wiped her tears.She took several deep breaths.“You better have some food in those little lizard hands.I’m starving.”She climbed off the bed just as Otto opened the door.His eyes lit up when he saw her.Then frustration clouded his face.
“I bite you,” he growled.
“Yes, you did.But I forgive you.”Katy pulled her shoulders back and raised her chin.“It was sort of my fault, after all.”
“All you fault.”Otto walked in, carrying a tray with a sandwich, chips, and a large glass of water.
He set it down on a small end table next to a plush chair then looked up at her.“I heard.You not pretend for me.”
Otto watched her with large, sorrowful eyes as he climbed up onto the chair and took a seat.The little lizard was distraught, and she had no way of offering him any comfort.
“I can’t let those women die for my sake, Otto,” she said fiercely.“Their lives matter just as much as mine.I won’t trade one life for another and call it fair.”
Otto shook his scaly head sadly.“But Katy is good.She helps people.If Katy goes, who helps?”His voice wobbled with emotion.
Katy’s heart squeezed.Her dear friend only wanted to protect her.But she wouldn’t budge on this.
“You’ll find others to help people in my place,” she told him gently.“But if I choose myself over innocent lives, what does that make me, Otto?How could I live with that shame?”
The little lizard peered at her for a long moment.Then his shoulders slumped in defeat.“Katy is brave good.Like Visata.”
