I looked down at the floor. “A mature adult would have cleaned up what he spilled earlier.”
“It’s just driving you nuts, isn’t it?” Adam said with a smug grin. “I left it there to prove a point. You keep staring at that spill. The ants aren’t going to infest the house after a few minutes, Cody.”
“That doesn’t really make the case you think it does. You never help out more around the house, and you keep asking me to teach you how to brainwash Austin. I apologized for what I said last time, but you also need to think about these things. You’re so quick to act on emotion that you could end up really hurting someone, especially when you turn into a full werewolf.”
Adam rolled his eyes as he stood.
“I’m not saying this to piss you off. Don’t you see the issue here?” I asked, standing up to place a hand on his shoulder.
“The issue is that my kuu mate can’t even touch me without you telling him to. That’s a big problem.” He pulled away from me. “Ever since I went with Roscoe to return that truck, Austin changed. He went from taking his anger out on me to treating me with indifference, and I don’t know what’s worse.”
“Is he still treating you that way?”
“Only because you told him not to.”
“The only thing I tell him to do is what you do in the bedroom. How he treats you outside of that is him trying to fix whathebroke.”
His expression softened again. “You’re not lying to me about this, are you?”
“Why the hell would I risk making things worse by lying?”
“Because none of my friends ever do anything nice for me without stabbing me in the back.” He took a deep breath and looked out the open living room window as dawn broke through the orange maples. “Every time I’ve ever had friends, they never actually cared. They just used me because I told them I had money. When I started to go half-turn, and I left home, I realized how it all really worked. All those people I thought I was tight with didn’t give a shit.”
“And you think I’m like that?”
“Why not? I met you in a café and you didn’t seem to like me. I have one of the hottest werewolves for a kuu mate, and he treatsyou like a prince. Even Darryl wouldn’t shut up about you when I went back to visit him. That night at the bar? Everyone kept coming up to you, and you didn’t even want their attention. I had to keep working the place, and I still didn’t have any fun.” He looked back at me. “So yeah, forgive me if I’m a little suspicious of your motives.”
“How many times do I have to tell you this. That night at the bar, all I wanted was to spend time with you,” I said as he looked away again. “I wanted us to talk and get closer, but I guess now I know why you kept avoiding me. You’re trying too hard for all the wrong reasons, and that’s what’s driving people away. Darryl and I had common ground with Roscoe, so we became friends. And the only reason I didn’t like you when I first met you is because you were a jerk.”
“I’m just tired of being used and thrown away,” Adam said. “I try so hard to get attention because Austin sure as hell isn’t doing that much these days—aside from lately.” His glare softened. “I guess I should be thanking you, but I keep wanting to rip your head off.”
I held out my arms, and Adam smiled before leaning in for a hug.
“Well, I know exactly how much money you have, so that’s obviously not the reason I’m friends with you,” I said with a laugh.
Adam pulled away and smiled.
“And Austin’s really trying. We just have to get through this rough patch. To be honest, I can’t wait to see what you’re gonna look like as a werewolf.”
“Think I’ll be hot?”
“I’m sure you don’t have to worry about that,” I said as Adam turned and walked into the kitchen. “What are you doing?”
“Cleaning up my mess.” He turned back around and cringed. “I just saw an ant.”
“Damn it! I told you!”
The walk downtown gave me time to dread what was coming. Being around Mosavi always made me uncomfortable.
Willa’s barbeque restaurant stood empty; most of the werewolves in town were likely still asleep or working. I had never really taken the time to learn what they all did here. Obviously, they weren’t all police officers and firefighters, though every law enforcement officer and rescue worker was a werewolf, which kind of made sense. They didn’t seem the type to work office jobs, but there were a lot of farms on the opposite side of town, away from the forested areas. If there was one thing everyone wanted a werewolf for, it was manual labor.
Perhaps when I turned, that would be the only thing anyone would ever hire me for. What a dreadful thought. Then again, if I took the path Mosavi had laid out for me, I could live a life of prestige. How had he gotten it all? Was it even his, or did his symbiosis with a witch have something to do with it?
As I passed the building, a strange gust of wind hit me from the front. When I took a few more steps, a dainty hand fell onto my shoulder, causing me to jump and let out the most embarrassing yelp.
“Jesus Christ,” I whispered, holding my chest before turning toward a smiling woman. “Where the hell did you come from?”
“You’re so adorable,” Willa said, taking me by the hand. She wore a maroon gown rather than black this time. “Did you come by to see me?”
