I’d seen the message from Cora, along with Emme’s expression, which was somber as she slowly read it. I hadn’t had a chance yet to do more than offer basic help with her reading, but it was next on my list. Tomorrow morning, I’d drag her from bed again, all naked and perfectly adorable as she glared at me. Almost from the first moment she’d met me, she’d lacked a true fear in my presence, and fuck if that didn’t add another facet to my interest in unraveling who she was.
“Emme wants to go,” I told him shortly. “We’ll make sure it’s safe.”
Warrick nodded, slapping a huge smile on his face, and I narrowed my eyes on the smiley asshole. Outside of Kellan, I trusted no one who was this happy.
Shifters should be fierce, not fucking jolly. Christmas season or not.
“I’ll see you later, Alpha Warrick,” I told him, effectively cutting off further conversation.
He didn’t show any offense as he nodded. “Nice chat, Alpha Slade.”
When he left, I checked on my pack via our security cameras. Hunter was in the office, Kellan in his Bugatti, heading out to Stockyard Motorsto grab Emme’s new custom bike, and Finley was at home with the omega. The bear had been on his best behavior lately, but it wasn’t ideal when he was the only one around.
Another scan through more security footage had me satisfied that she was safe.
Nothing was amiss.
In her room, Emme grabbed a familiar black device from her desk drawer and then hurried into the bathroom. Switching views, I smiled as she ducked into the corner with no camera view.
Clever omega. It made me proud that in the relatively short time she’d had to study my security wall, she’d managed to note where cameras were and weren’t. I anticipated the scrambling of footage, and sure enough, a second later my screen went fuzzy.
It was the same interference she’d tried before, and when my system overrode it, a bark of laughter escaped me. Every shifter in the training facility jerked to a halt, staring at me like I had two fucking heads.
“Back to training,” I snarled, and all of them swung away just as fast, finding anything else to occupy themselves with.
Switching my phone screen off, I decided not to watch her prank this time. I wanted to experience it firsthand. My little omega kept life interesting, and for the first time, I had hope.
Hope that I’d found a reason to keep fighting for my soul—a five-foot-eleven, strawberry-blond-with-freckles, kind of reason.
Bring it on, Snow.Show me your best.
CHAPTER 47
EMME
Slade’s prank was probably the best prank in history. I’d been impressed, amused, and highly intimidated by his dedication and skill level, even as I slept with the soft glow around me. With the early morning light filtering through my open shutters, there was once again no sign that anything was amiss in my room. The fact that my glow-in-the-dark sheets, furniture, and accessories all matched my old ones perfectly had me completely bamboozled.
How had he pulled that off in the time he’d to do it? Was it all painted? Dyed? What were his secrets?
There was no way I could match it, but I did have a couple of ideas of what to try next to keep the game alive. The first step was to recruit Cora once more, and when she dropped off my new supplies she said, “You need to tell me everything at book club tomorrow. I can’t stay now or I’ll be late to my meeting with Downings, but you owe me an explanation, Ems.”
Framed in the doorway, her gaze glanced over the second bite I was sporting, and the deeper meaning was clear. I had to update her completely the next time we were together.
But the thought of attending a book club gave me hives.
When I remained silent, she shot me the saddest face she’d ever shown. “Please be there. It’s Sissily’s night to choose a book, so of course it’s a horror without a single romantic element in sight. I need you to keep me from losing my mind.”
She shuddered likeno romancewas a fate worse than death, and from my brief foray into audio, I had to agree. “I haven’t read the book, and I won’t be able before the meet up.” For the first time, I didn’t feel ashamed to add, “I have trouble reading. Slade thinks I might be dyslexic, which makes book club difficult.”
Her face softened. “Oh, sweetheart. I didn’t know that, but it’s honestly not anything you need to worry about. Most of us don’t read the books in advance. We just go for socializing and drinking.”
That brightened my day; socializing and drinking I could handle. “Well, okay, then. I’ll check with the alphas about security measures, and if it’s all good, count me in.”
Cora cheered and leaned forward to kiss my cheek, taking me by surprise. “I’m so excited. I’ll text the details and let you know what time I’ll pick you up.”
“I can drive,” I shouted as she ran down the front walk to her car. “Want me to pick you up?”
I had a shiny new Merc to play with… even if it was only a temporary loaner.
