Ar

ent Luca and I left th

sting of everything that happened inside the hospital. Ivy's fake sweetness. Helena'

. Fu

if this is about you wanting

rrupted. "It's gentle warmin

d. "Same

"are you alive? Or do I have to go to Storm

live.

on pants not meant for sle

just hearing her voice. "Fine

I'll pick you up so we c

on

lighter for the f

rom the driver's se

aid. "We're

ned. "T

's dinner, not a

but the muscle in

dbye. He just stalked upstairs to his office, his shoulder

bbed my bag, checked on the t

nt downtown, one of those places where

chaos fo

uth. "Tell me everything. Start with how Helena looked at you. Did she do the s

ree," I

. Crochet, pottery, or baki

ike Ivy was her l

es. "If Ivy told her the sky was purple

ped a fry in ketchup. "A

e? That your hair was too

ed and should learn ho

on the table so hard e

," she demanded

kered.

killing me. I ne

warmth of the restaurant wash over me. For once, I didn't feel like the

, I let myse

smile widely, maybe

f at the pack house. I hugged her an

use wa

nd closed the door

iving room, looking impatient with his ar

d over me, ling

ething in his exp

eat?" h

es

oo

lence stretch

ain, his voice r

calle

rse sh

" I a

u want to se

eyes stead

y, like the words

one talking

Luca. We're not do

before he could

like crazy and

eep i

pering something I w

*

Lu

what pissed me off more-how Ivy latched onto my arm like she had a claim, or how Aria stood th

p the pack finance reports, not that

when I

tal re

e. Table for two. Downto

e hell?" My eyes na

h w

anywhere. She barely left the pack house unle

h

arting to get seriously annoyed. I didn't lik

overthink it,

v

ly ign

anyway. "

elpless, like she wanted me to swoop

es

. Magnus looked so weak today.

ine,"

weetly. "Is she home to

"She's out. W

asn't allowed to have a life outside the n

e nanny," I said

sti

atience snapping, "sh

could practically hear her

efending

ng anyone," I said. "She

clearly fake and ready to bite. "Helena said Ari

h. "We're not tal

uc

ed, "go be wit

fell into

out waiting for whatever nice-sounding

to my desk and leaned

ll was happ

****