A brassy whooshing sound jerked me awake. I’d meant to rest, not sleep. How long had I beenout?
I rubbed my lids and stared at the gated airstrip. “We’re flyingprivate?”
Nodding, Liam lowered his window to press on an intercom. The gate clanged open, and we glided right through toward a gleaming silverjet.
I gaped atit.
“It was Dad’s, but it’s at the disposal of the entire pack. If you ever need to use it, all you have to do isask.”
My enchantment withered. I’d despised Liam’s father so much that my hatred extended to anything he’d touched orowned.
A man in a navy suit drew open my car door. “Morning,Miss.”
“Good morning,” I said, grabbing my backpack and scooting out of theSUV.
“Morning, Captain,” Liam said, rounding the bumper of hiscar.
He sported jeans—like me—and a black V-neck, which reassured me that my white tank and zip-up hoodie weren’t toodire.
The man in the suit nodded at Liam. “Morning, Mr. Kolane. We’re ready to go when youare.”
Liam gestured to the staircase that led into the belly of the sleek, winged beast. I moved toward it, my wolf bristling under my skin, as though trying to stick her claws into the tarmac to avoid taking to theskies.
We were land animals afterall.
I battled through her reluctance and climbed the stairs. The air smelled of leather and flowery air freshener, which did little to appease my pacing wolf. My nails began to lengthen. I stopped in the narrow hallway, focusing on pushing her back. I doubted the captain or the flight attendant smiling at me from the galley in the back of the plane knew what wewere.
“It’s safe,” Liam whispered behind me, his words blowing through the hairs thickening on the nape of myneck.
He set his hand on the small of my back and guided me onto one of the buttery beigearmchairs.
After taking the seat across from me, he said, “I’ve never much enjoyed flyingeither.”
We weren’t even airborne yet. How would I react then? The pilot pulled in the retractable staircase, and the door shut with a suctionnoise.
“Let me know if you feel like you’re losing control,” Liam said, studying myface.
I nodded andswallowed.
The air hostess strutted over toward us, her lips a shade of fuchsia so bright they were almost blinding. “I’ll set out breakfast after takeoff. Would you like coffee ortea?”
“Coffee,” Isaid.
She didn’t wait for Liam’s answer. She must’ve known his orderalready.
She flitted back to the galley, leaving behind a pungent cloud of rose-scented perfume that reminded me of my aunt and her prizedrosebushes.
“Do you have any news aboutLucy?”
“Lucy?” Liamfrowned.
“You know, my two-timingaunt?”
Liam’s lips curved into a crooked smile. “Oh . . .thatLucy.”
I rolled myeyes.
The engine turned on, and the entire plane began to rattle. Or maybe I was the one rattling. I gripped thearmrests.
