Total pages in book: 203
Estimated words: 199654 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 998(@200wpm)___ 799(@250wpm)___ 666(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 199654 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 998(@200wpm)___ 799(@250wpm)___ 666(@300wpm)
“Pops, I want her gone. I want her the fuck out of here, so I’ll do my best to make sure we offer that kid to someone local if it makes sense and I hope it does. But even if nobody local wants to adopt, even if she thinks she’ll change her mind about leaving, she’s got no choice. She’s gone.”
He tells me Sherry wants to talk to me before they put her back under.
I refuse. My father says he understands and we end the call. Should’ve turfed my sister out when Mase wanted it, when Sherry told Amelia hurtful shit that turned Mase’s world upside down. It still shits me that my sister had the nerve to do that in the middle of Tyson and Ivy’s wedding reception. That was a happy day for the pack. And she shat on it.
I’m still fucking seething, but I’m about to go find Bailey so holding her can soothe my anger when my phone rings again with my mother’s name.
I answer. “Ma, I’m not fuckin’ talkin’ to her.”
“Jase, please… let me apologize.”
Not Mom.
“Fuck you, Sherry,” I say. “You’re dead to me.”
“I th-think it’s his evil kid in me. It’s evil, like he was, and it made me do that. I would never hurt your mate, I–”
“Bullshit. That’s exactly who you are. A vindictive, mean-spirited bitch who’s shown those are your colors your whole life. I have nothing more to say to you except this: you ever threaten or get anywhere near Bailey, you ever make any plan to cause her any harm whatsoever, I’ll kill you slowly with my bare hands. As soon as you wake up after that baby is born, you’re no longer welcome in Arcana Falls. If our parents or other family members want to see you, they can do it somewhere else.” I end the call and turn the fucking phone off.
“Hey,” Bailey whispers from the bottom of the stairs.
I rush to her and pull her close, burying my face in her hair.
“Squeezing me too tight, Jason,” she squeaks.
I loosen my grip but lift her and take her to the couch, sitting her on my lap, burying my face in the crook of her neck.
“I love you,” Bailey whispers, palms sliding up and down my back.
“Love you,” I choke out.
“She’s your sister, and maybe–”
“You’re my soulmate. You’re number one.”
“Thank you, Jase. That means everything to me. But if–”
“No,” I deny. “An alpha knows menace when he sees it and I didn’t just see it, I felt it the instant I set foot in that house. She would’ve ripped you apart. Taken all her frustrations out on you. Like she’s done her whole fucking miserable and bitchy life.”
Feeling that fear, that sheer terror through my connection to Bailey in the middle of my chest just before I got to my parents’ door is something I’ll never forget. I’ll bust my ass to never feel that again.
Why my sister decided Bailey was her arch nemesis from a young age is beyond me. There’s no good reason for it. Bailey’s always been sweet, good to the core, well-loved by everyone in the pack. Sherry has had a hate on for her since they were in kindergarten and it got worse and worse over the years. Watching Bailey get what Bailey wanted while she was stuck in post-Wyatt Meadows misery made it worse, I guess.
It doesn’t matter why; it’s just done. She’s dead to me.
I look my mate over. Her cheek isn’t bleeding, but those marks are still there and the skin looks raw and sore. “You need to shift again and heal your face.”
She nods, but mid-nod, she shifts. Her little wolf took my suggestion as a command.
She sits like a little bookend, panting, tail thumping on my lap, giving me her eyes.
I press my mouth to the top of her head. She’s part of Bailey, still a bit separate, but she gets kudos for her bravery.
“Good girl,” I say and put my forehead against hers. “Thank you for trying to keep yourself safe. Now, shift back.”
Bailey rises to her feet, lifting her dress and her underwear from the couch. Her face is healed, but there’s trouble in her eyes as she looks me over.
Bailey’s phone rings. “That’s Mom’s ringtone,” she says, eyes pinging to her bag by the front door.
I gesture for her to go ahead.
***
I’m upstairs, working on Bailey’s bookshelves, throwing myself into it. She’s downstairs and her mother just left. I was relieved when I saw the car pull away after just a couple minutes because I’m in no mood for company and the visit was short enough it probably wasn’t taken as bad manners that I didn’t go down there and say hello.
“Hey?” she calls.
I look over my shoulder and my mate is standing behind me with a plate of sandwiches. My eyes coast over her face, looking for signs of the gouges Sherry’s claws left. The fact that it took two shifts to clear it shows how deep those claw marks penetrated, which is fucking infuriating. I’m not sure how long I’ll see the ghosts of those marks. If Bailey didn’t have the ability to shift, those would’ve permanently scarred her. If I’d been later than I was, Bailey might not even fucking be here. I push the anger back, set my measuring tape down, and move toward her.