Page 56 of To Hunt A Wolf
He nods at the crowd. “This is my pack.”
“Your….”
I can’t even say the word. It’s too busy punching me in the gut. The word “pack” suggests a bond closer than family. Closer than, in this case, a mate. And it stings even though it shouldn’t.
“Your pack,” I manage through gritted teeth.
He nods. “Mac, meet the Jades.”
Another sucker-punch.
The Jades.
NotaJade.
There is no girl he’s running off to be with instead of me. I should feel relieved at the misplaced jealousy I felt back at that hotel. But I don’t.
Somehow, I think this is worse.
Instead of one girl, he’s traded me for a whole new family. He’s truly moved on with his life, and the evidence is staring back at me, reflected in every face in this room.
ChapterThirteen
My eyes widen as I look out over the sea of faces. They’ve begun to notice me now too. Slowly and then all at once, conversation begins to quiet until the entire room goes silent and they’re all staring back at me with some sort of expectation I already know I can’t meet. Or don’t want to.
“Everyone, this is Mac Quinn,” Levi says. “Mac, this is everyone.”
No one speaks.
“They’re staring,” I say to Levi.
“They heard you were hunting me,” he says.
I whip my gaze to his. “You told your entire pack?”
He shrugs. “Our bond runs pretty deep. I couldn’t keep it from them. Not when there was danger.”
Their bond.
The words are a knife twisting slowly.
I stare back at every one of their curious faces, resentment simmering in my blood. It’s not their fault Levi used them to hurt me. But they’re going to feel the consequences. I couldn’t reject him three years ago, but I can reject his people now.
“What are you looking at?” I demand of a woman closest to where I stand.
At my harsh words, she ducks her head and turns around.
Levi stiffens, but he doesn’t comment.
Slowly, conversation resumes around us, but I can feel their edginess. Like they expect me to attack Levi right here in front of them.
I arch a brow at him. “You must think I’m dangerous if it means warning your pack about me—and locking me up to keep them safe.”
But instead of hurling an insult or a threat, he grins, and my knees nearly buckle at the sight of it. After only a slight wobble on my part—and honestly, it’s a miracle I don’t crumple—Levi’s grin turns to a smirk.
“Mac, you have no idea what kind of danger you put me in.”
Something about the way he says the words makes me wonder if we’re still talking about the fact that I want to trap his ass and then turn him over to our enemy.
