We’d just finished the luncheon, but the food had all been eaten over three hours ago, and my new shifter metabolism was rearing its head again. My stomach gurgled at the mention of food.
“Sure. Why not,” I said.
He took me to a local burger joint. Not very romantic, but by the time we got there, I didn’t really care. I was starving, and I spent more time eating than I did talking to Anders.
“Why don’t you come back to my place after?” Anders said.
I nearly choked on my bite of food, coughing into a napkin to keep from gagging on the lump of fries at the back of my throat.
“Uh…I’m sorry?”
Leaning back in his chair, he gave me a knowing grin. “You heard me. This has been a fun day. Why not have a little more fun?”
A hundred excuses ran through my mind. I wasnotready for that. I needed a way to stall.
“Well, uhm… Anders, we’re courting. You know there can’t be any, uh, funny business until after we’re official,” I said, trying to sound as serious as I could.
He waved a hand through the air like he was swatting at a fly. “Come on, June. That’s old-fashioned bullshit. It’s more a formality than arule.” He leaned forward, eyeing me like I was a piece of meat. “Besides, don’t you want to have a little sample of what you’ll get to enjoy the rest of our lives? Huh?”
A hot and uncomfortable fist clenched inside my stomach.
“See, Anders, my grandparents are really old-school. I’d prefer to keep things the way they are until the actual Mating Ceremony. I hope you’re okay with that. It would mean a lot to me if we did it the right way.”
Please. Please let it go.
Ander sat still for several long seconds before slumping back in his chair. “Whatever. I guess that’s fine.”
He acted a little petulant after that and only started to warm back up as he walked me to the door of my grandparents’ house.
“Well, if we aren’t fucking, can I at least get a kiss?”
Wow. What a charmer. Ugh.
“Sure,” I muttered. Maybe I could polish some of his rough edges over the years.
“Sweet,” he said, then leaned in.
Despite everything, as I closed my eyes and pressed my lips to his, it wasn’t Anders I was thinking of. It was Levi. I cursed myself for the betrayal of my subconscious, and almost to spite my head, opened my lips and allowed Anders to slide his tongueinto my mouth. Even then, knowing Anders was my chosen mate, and the man I’d spend the rest of my life with, I nearly gagged, fighting back a flinch of revulsion. Anders must have mistaken my shiver of disgust for arousal.
“Just you wait, baby,” Anders said, pulling away. “There’s better than that once we’re mated. See you tomorrow.”
With that, he shifted and trotted off. I cursed myself, and once and for all tried to shove Levi from my mind. Ihadto. This was my life now.
51
LEVIATHAN
The weather was turning. The morning was warmer than any over the last three months. Spring was on the way, a season of hope and rebirth. It made it all the more ironic that I stood beside a grave.
Rainier and two other men lowered Stephen’s body into the pit we’d dug. Dozens of people stood around the small graveyard, heads bowed. Stephen had been well-known and well-liked in Hidden Grove. Other than the few supply runs Rainier made every month, Stephen had been our main source of outside items. For years, he’d smuggled in things that were deemed less important than the flour, canned food, sugar, clothing, and repair supplies Rainier brought back. Bringing in comic books for kids—and some adults—books, candy, toys, and other items. He was a bit like Santa Claus in that way. People were always happy to see him coming, because he’d have something fun in the giant backpack he always carried.
Grinding my teeth together, I watched Rainier scoop up clods of dirt and toss them into the grave. I’d already said a few words, and the crowd began to disperse back to town. This poor man had been part of our community. He’d only come around every now and then, preferring the open road to typical town or citylife, but he had been an honorary member ofourvillage. This would not stand. I wouldn’tallowit to stand. It was bad enough that the Red Maw was spying on us and probing our defenses. This? This was something else. An escalation. I didn’t start this, but by God, Iwouldend it.
Rainier handed the shovel to another man. My beta tilted his head to the side, gesturing for me to follow him. I gave Stephen’s body one last look before turning to join him.
“Got more news from our scouts this morning,” Rainier said once we were out of earshot.
“What is it?” I grumbled. The look on his face told me I wasn’t going to like whatever he had to say.
