Chapter Eleven
Wednesday…
Destiny would be starting her substitute teaching position soon. Another week and she would have her classroom. She was probably happy. God, Dodger hoped she was happy.
He’d gotten out early so she didn’t get too attached.
He was doing a good thing. An honorable thing.
That’s what he kept reminding his wolf. “We are protecting her.”
The wolf wasn’t buying it.
He had remained as the wolf after the fight with Nathan last night. It felt better that way. He didn’t hurt the same when he was the animal. He didn’t feel as sick.
He’d actually gotten a couple of hours of sleep out in those woods, curled into a snowbank.
Dodger grunted as he stepped wrong on his bad leg. He and Nathan had torn each other up. He hoped he was healing up well this morning. Hopefully Delta was taking care of him.
He grunted again as he stepped up onto his porch stairs.
“What did you do?” Liam asked. His voice carried across the space between their houses.
“I’m doing my best,” Dodger called back to him.
“Everyone can smell it.”
Dodger slid him a dirty look and then looked down at his bare leg. He didn’t remember where he’d dropped his clothes before the fight. His leg had a long gash, but it was healing. “It’s not infected,” he told his Alpha.
“I’m not talking about your injuries.
And dammit, Liam was heading this way.
“I have to get to work,” Dodger ground out. “I don’t have time for whatever you have to say.”
“You’ll make time.”
“Piss off, Liam—”
“Who is she?”
Dodger had been reaching for the door handle, but froze, his eyes trained on the woodgrain pattern on the door.
“You have a mating bond you’re trying to break. Anyone here can feel it and see it. And now we can smell it.”
Dodger didn’t smell anything but the copper scent of blood from his oozing leg.
Exhausted, he leaned forward and rested his forehead against the cold door. It felt good against his burning skin. “I barely know her.”
“I don’t think your wolf cares about that. Did she reject you?”
“I am rejecting her.”
“Why?”
“Liam—”
“Why?” Liam demanded louder.
