Page 52 of Taming of a Wolf

“You only care about me when I’m upset anyway.”

I flinch from his words. “What? That isnottrue.” Is it? His accusation hits me like a cannonball, blowing a hole straight through any confidence I had.

“Yes, it is!” Jace’s shout fills the room, making me wince. “You’re always busy all the time!”

Guilt twists my stomach into knots. Is this how he really feels? In my own hurt, I lash out. “And you thought I wasn’t busy enough, so you got yourself suspended! Is that it? Why are you such a freaking brat?”

“I wish Mom and Dad were here instead of you!” he screams, tears coursing down his cheeks.

An ache spreads through me, like I’ve been punched in the stomach. I wish that too, so fucking much. I miss them. I need them here helping me, telling me what to do. Throat thick, I choke out, “So do I.”

I wish I’d died in their place.

Instead of coming to an understanding, we’ve ripped the scabs off wounds that have never healed, and we’re bleeding all over again. Incapable of speaking, I stumble from the room and slam the door before I say something I’ll regret. Jace’s sobs come from behind the door, making my heart break.

Tears try to dampen my cheeks, but I can’t. I can’t break. If I break, I don’t know how I’ll put myself back together. Jace needs me to be strong for him. Furiously scrubbing my eyes, I ignore Anders and head to the front door.

“Where are you going?” Anders asks.

“A walk.” I sniff hard, shouldering my bag. “I’ll be back in a bit, just… need to clear my head.”

“Aren’t you hungry? You didn’t eat a big breakfast. I could cook us something.”

A bitter laugh punches out of me. “You don’t even know how to use the stove.”

Anders is quiet behind me, and the scent of his hurt makes me want to hit myself. “Aye… that’s true.”

I want to scream, to fall apart in his arms, to rage and cry. Instead, I let the door slam behind me. At the end of the day, the only one who can take care of this family is me.

No matter how wonderful Anders is.

Chapter 14

Anders

Silence rings in myears as I watch Jamie walk out on me.

Within my soul, my wolf howls in dismay.

Our mate doesn’t trust us to care and provide for him, and the realization hurts worse than a cut from any sword or fang. Jamie has been doing everything on his own for so long. It doesn’t take any kind of magic to understand that. What must I do to show him he can trust me?

Balling my hands into fists, I march into the kitchen and throw open that giant ice-coffin thing. There’s not much inside to work with, though there’s some broccoli and a package of steak. Perfect. I can work with that. When I turn to the stove and all its dials, I lose my confidence. Scowling, I toss the food on the counter.

If we were all wolves, we could just eat the steak raw, but the lad could get sick. My wolf whimpers inside as the quiet sobs and sniffles reach my ears. I’ve never heard either of them so angry at each other. The stress they’re both under is something I’ll never understand.

If I could just find a way to ease their burdens…

Unable to listen to the lad cry, I go and knock on his door.

“Go away, Jamie!”

“It’s Anders. Are you hungry?”

The boy sniffles. “Sort of.”

“Would you like steak, lad?”

“I guess…”

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