Burn.
He glared from Kaja to me. “Why don’t you both mind your own damn business?”
Kaja growled, low and deep, and I could see her losing control over her wolf. “Did you hear about Nai’s attack?” Her words were barely coherent. “Aren’t you going to ask how your cousin is doing?”
Nolan crossed his arms. “Yeah, I heard she pissed off a wolf at the beach party and they got into it.” Waving at me, he said, “Obviously, she’s fine.”
Kaja took one step closer to him, holding up the completely useless plastic spatula as if it were a lightsaber. “Where were you during the party, Nolan?”
My muscles tightened, and I sighed, pushing myself out of my seat. Might as well get it all out there. I rounded to his other side just in case he bolted, trapping him in.
Nolan laughed, legit barked out in full-on laughter. “You thinkIattacked her?” When neither of us disputed it, his face went deadly serious. “There’s a time for contesting her future place as alpha. It’snotnow.”
Okay. His not so thinly veiled threat made it sound like we were being absurd.
“You’ll never take the pack from me, Nolan.” My wolf surged to the surface with my declaration, fur rippling down my arms, and I had to force her back down.
Nowshe wanted to come out and play? What about when I was dying?
More important than the pissing match, he’d not given a direct answer or told me why he was wearing that stupid sweater. It was perfect for hiding a still-healing wound, and I’d damaged that wolf's throat. Sneaky as a rat.
“Answer the damn question or I’ll report my suspicions to the Midnight brothers. Then, where will you be?” At least he had the decency to pale when I spoke of them. “Where were you when I was attacked, Nolan?”
Nolan drew himself up to his full height, and his nostrils flared. “Screw you, Nai!”
He turned to leave, and I realized he wasn’t going to answer. But… that turtleneck! I had to know why he was covering his throat. Kaja must’ve been on the same wavelength because, when I lunged for him, she did the same. We both grabbed at his shirt, high on the collar, and tugged. The seam ripped, and Nolan spun.
The force of his movement threw me off balance, and I crashed into Kaja, both of us tumbling back into the row of cabinets.
“What the hell,psychos!” He waved his arms as he bellowed. “What is wrong with you?”
Oh. My. Mage.
I stared, unable to take my gaze from his neck, now fully exposed. I shook my head and glanced toward Kaja, who likewise stared, jaw gaping, at the bright, red …hickey.
Dammit.
“Oops,” I said lamely, wincing as I climbed to my feet.
“So… sorry. We, uh… slipped.” Kaja smiled and raced to the stack of golden pancakes. Holding a short stack of three on the spatula, she extended the peace offering. “Want one … or some? I heard it takes a lot of sucking to do that well—”
I snickered as he ripped the stack of pancakes from her and stormed out of the room.
“Well, there goes that theory,” I told Kaja.
She eyed the doorway Nolan had fled through. “I dunno,” she said, shaking her head. “His voice was raspy, and that hickey could be a magicked mark. I still don’t trust him.”
Yeah. Definitely not. He was sketchy as hell, but was he a killer?
Kaja checked her watch. “We have class in thirty minutes. Time to go.” She pointed to my left hand and said, “Better get Nell to cover that.”
Crap! My mark was slowly coming back. Hopefully, Nolan hadn’t seen it.
I nodded, grabbing two pancakes to munch on the way. “Thanks for all your help, girl.”
She put down the spatula and gave me a hug. “Just watch your back. I hope this was an isolated incident, but…”
Yeah. “You and me both.”
