My heart rate accelerated, but then it dipped when I remembered that tomorrow night I would be deleting my cousin’s contact from my phone forever. A sharp spike in my breathing had Liam tipping his head to theside.
“You don’t want to be seen out with me?” heasked.
“What?” I tried to iron out my erratic pulse. “No, it’s not that.” I ran my index finger along the sweaty sides of my bottle. “I do want to go out with you, but nottomorrow.”
His eyes shrouded with contrition. I wasn’t sure—and didn’t ask for fear of the answer—if the remorse was for my cousin or for postponing ourdinner.
The microwave beeped then. He handed me my plate before propping himself on the stool beside mine. We didn’t speak again after that, both of us tucking into our food, lost in our respectivemusings.
I didn’t taste anything. It was just fuel for my depleted body and a means to avoid deliberating aboutEverest.
I took my plate over to the sink when I was done and scrubbed itclean.
“You don’t have to do that, Ness. I have someone who comes over every couple days toclean.”
“Been cleaning after myself and others for so long it’s ingrained in my DNA.” I smiled at him as I dried my hands on the kitchen towel tucked over the handle of the ovendoor.
“Was that really your job back inLA?”
“That, and waitressing, but I hated waitressing.” I wrinkled my nose. “What’s the cleaning company youuse?”
Liam sipped the dregs of his beer. “Why?”
“Because I’ll be out of a jobsoon.”
“You’re not seriously entertaining the idea of cleaninghouses?”
I frowned. “It’s what I know how to do,Liam.”
“You’re pack now,Ness.”
“And what?” I crossed my arms in front of my chest. “Housekeeping is beneathwerewolves?”
“I’ll help you get a realjob.”
“Housekeepingisa realjob.”
“But you can dobetter.”
“I have a high school education,Liam.”
“Tomorrow, we’ll stop by UCB and enrollyou.”
“You mean, after you off my cousin?” I snapped, voice as tight as the rest of mybody.
Liam rose from his stool and rounded the island toward me. “Ness. . . ”
I mashed my lipsshut.
“You’reangry.”
I was. I was angry about Everest’s fate. Angry about Liam’s belittling view on my job. Angry I hadn’t taken the next step in myeducation.
He set his palms on my sharp shoulders. “I get it, but don’t be angry withme.”
I glared at the dip of his midnight-colored V-neck, unwilling to look into hiseyes.
“An Alpha protects his pack, Ness. Everest is a threat to you . . . to all of us.” He hooked my chin and raised it until our eyes met. “As for your future, I think it would be best for you to go to college. I’m sure it’s what your parents would’vewanted.”
