Page 62 of Violet

“I swear to you, Violet. I wasn’t the one who told Mayor Shchnarl.”

“Then who did?”

“We could always ask.” Because I’m telling her the truth, and I believe my brother’s mate. So it had to have been someone else.

“We could.” Violet smiles softly, and I start to feel hope.

“So you really want to give this a shot?” I ask, not daring to breathe.

Violet nods and I reach for her... but she quickly backs away.

“There’s one more thing you should know,” she says, refusing to meet my eyes.

“What?” I demand, trying to keep the fear out of my voice. Is she not really my age? Are there more people after her? Does she secretly hate pranks?!

“I have another mate,” she says softly. “His name’s Liam.”

“Were you sleeping around with him the whole time I knew you?” I demand before I can keep my big mouth shut.

Violet’s eyes widen, but instead of slapping me, she looks like she’s the one who’s been slapped.

“I’m sorry! I didn’t mean that.” I run my hands through my hair. “You don’t have to answer that.”

“I actually met him a few days ago,” Violet says, and I can’t help feeling relieved. “He’s Betty’s grandson.”

“Betty from the library?”

Violet nods.

“The uniformed troll fighting beside you?”

She nods again.

I nod in approval. “He protected you.”

“He did.” She says with this soft smile that makes jealousy course through me. One day I hope she’ll be smiling like that when she’s thinking about me.

“And where are your mates now?” I ask, because there’s one more thing I have to do.

“Waiting on your porch,” Violet’s cheeks flush.

“Then I guess it’s about time that I met them.”

Chapter 27

Violet

After Nole’s done meeting the guys—which consists of a lot of growling and posturing, followed by handshakes—Cash suggests that we order pizza.

Nole and his brothers—who look like sasquaches—jump on the idea like rabid dogs on a bone... or rabid bears on a berry? Whatever the case, I’m no better than they are, because I’m still in major pizza withdrawal.

When our order arrives, I hog an entire box. The guys grab plates, pass around drinks, and then Liam, Cash, and I squeeze onto the couch. Since there’s no more room, Nole settles on the carpet at my feet and his brothers pull up chairs. Then they put on a movie. The whole thing feels so normal—so ‘age appropriate’—that I suddenly want to cry.

After the movie, my mates and I relocate to Wes’s cabin so we can have some privacy. Just the four of us, alone, standing awkwardly in the middle of the sparsely furnished living room.

“I don't know how to do this...” I finally confess.

“This?” Nole frowns.