Lydia started to answer that too, but Ruth cut her off with a wave of her hand.
“I want to hear whathehas to say about it.”
That was fair, Case guessed, but he didn’t like how she’d shut Lydia up like that.
“Lydia thought I’d fit the bill for what she needed,” Case said, ever-so-slightly emphasizing theLydia. “If you want any more insight than that, you’ll have to ask her.”
He would bet a hefty sum that Ruthhadasked Lydia already. She didn’t need to get his story from him too. He didn’t like talking about himself, especially when it was supposed to be flattering.
Ruth squinted at him, like she was trying to make him out through a sea of fog. “Why are you agreeing to this?”
He also didn’t like talking about himself when he had no idea what to say. The truth was the shortest answer he could give, which kept him honest.
“I don’t know.”
“Guess.”
Case was keyed up and on edge. He had come here to get bitten and either to have his entire genetic makeup rewritten or spend a week or so shivering and sweating as his body refused to accept the change he was putting it through. With all that on his mind, he hadn’t exactly gotten a lot of sleep last night. When hehadfinally dropped off, he’d dreamed about playing basketball with a furry Michael J. Fox.
He wondered what Ruth’s reaction would be if he told her aboutthat.
He meant to say something about helping out. About fate and freedom.
Instead, what came out of his mouth was, “I like Lydia.”
Beside him, Lydia flushed a dusky rose.
“You don’t know her,” Ruth said.
“I don’t know her well enough to marry her, under normal circumstances. But I can like her just fine, and I do. And if I can help her—and she thinks I can—then I want to.”
Ruth snorted. “If you already like her, you must like a lot of people.”
That rankled, but it was more or less true.
“I do,” he said calmly.
But I don’t usually feel like they’re already important to me.
Ruth was starting to look a little less appraising and a little more amused. Maybe even approving, although that could have been wishful thinking.
“You’re nice, but you don’t bend,” Ruth said thoughtfully. “That can be useful. I hope the change takes.”
Lydia lifted her chin. “I do too.”
Ruth studied her. “If your alpha forbade you to proceed with this plan of yours, would you still do it?”
What kind of question was that?
Lydia didn’t even blink at it, though. “Yes.” Her voice was perfectly steady, but Case could see that she had tensed up. She meant what she said, but it would tear her in two to go against her alpha and her only family. “I’m sorry, but right now, I have to focus on the future. I need to think about what’s good for the pack.”
Ruth leaned back in her chair. “Then you’re ready to be alpha. That’s good, Lyddie. No matter what happens, you’re ready.” She closed her eyes, and all of her years seemed to hit her at once. She had already looked old and ill, but right up until this second, she had been fighting that tooth-and-nail. Now she was giving in.
Lydia saw it too, and Case heard the sharp intake of her breath.
“Okay,” she said, almost to herself, and swallowed. She turned to Case. “Ready?”
No.
