Page 52 of Rejected Nanny Mate
“Good. Go back to the cafe. Take Rhie with you. I'll walk Mia and Rose back.”
“I—” I wanted to argue, and I really didn't want to leave Rose with how she was looking at me, like she wanted me to save her from her own mother, which made no sense. I knew I was being ungrateful. Mia had saved us all, and I should have been kissing her feet, but something just didn't feel right.
Or maybe I was just jealous. That was the simplest explanation, even if I hated it.
“Let's go,” Rhie whispered, grabbing my arm. When I looked at her, she looked desperate to get away, and still a total mess from her run-in with the surge before I'd shown up. It looked like the blood was mostly from a small cut on her forehead, since head wounds bleed so much, but otherwise, she was unhurt.
I took one last look at Joe, Mia, and Rose, seeing Joe's head bowed close to Mia as he spoke to her. Rose was still looking at me, and it took all of my self-control to tear my eyes away and let Rhie lead me back to the cafe.
I should be thankful,I kept repeating to myself.We'd all be dead without her. She's a hero.
But if that was true, why did everything feel so wrong? And why had Rose looked at me like that?
Chapter 19 - Joe
It had been a week since Mia had defeated the surge in the woods near downtown Crystal Creek, and things had been tense among all of the packs, to say the least.
Mia was hailed as a hero, and I was eternally grateful that she had saved Rose; however, there were many things that didn't add up. How had she known where to go? And how did she know how to defeat a surge when she'd been attacked and knocked out by one when I first found her?
Gwen shut down completely after the attack. I'd snapped at her, but I understood my part in the blame, too. As much as I had enjoyed driving Jayce off, if I'd handled things more calmly, Gwen would have never felt the need to take off and get some air in the first place. I couldn't seem to get a minute alone with her since Mia had arrived. Mia made sure she was always present, and Gwen was always busy taking care of Rose. I couldn't fault her for that. It was what she was paid to do.
But still, I missed her.
Everyone was on edge. There had been zero movement in the investigation of the magic surges, and while Nayeli and Kiera had been working hard, they were baffled to find almost no literature about anything like the moving surges. It felt like we'd hit a dead end and were just waiting for the next surge to attack.
As September bled into October, I decided something was needed to lift everyone's spirits, so I planned a huge bonfire party for anyone in the four packs who wanted to attend. I knew most were staying inside out of fear of the surge, but if anyone wanted to come and blow off some steam, I wanted to provide a place for them to do so. It was a small offering, but it was all I could do for the time being.
Plus, I needed to blow off some steam, too. And I needed an excuse to talk to Gwen that wasn't about her being Rose's nanny.
The night of the party, I dropped Rose off with Nayeli, who claimed to be much too pregnant to stand around a fire all night, and went to set everything up. I'd cleaned the backyard behind my house, set up the bonfire, and asked Kiera to make a few charms to keep the wind from blowing the smoke over us. I could have asked Mia, but she was becoming increasingly persistent in her pursuit of me, so I tried to avoid one-on-one time with her whenever possible.
I'd brought the food, drinks, and ample firewood. All that was left was for people to show up. The crowds started to arrive after dark, just as planned, and while a lot of wolves had stayed home like I predicted, the turnout was better than I'd thought it would be.
I'd invited everyone from the packs, but my invitation to Gwen had been personal. I was glad to see people enjoying themselves and relaxing, but she was the only thing on my mind, and from what I could see, she hadn't shown up yet. It wasn't like her to be late.
We hadn't been speaking much lately, and when we did, it was usually about Rose or if I wanted to know how many diapers she needed me to pick up for the week. She'd been distant ever since Mia had come to town. I knew part of it was that I'd snapped at her, but I also wondered if it had something to do with Jayce. The two of them had been close and smiling, and it made me sick to my stomach to see them chatting together like old friends. I didn't want Gwen to be his friend. I wanted her to be mine.
Well, I wanted her to be a lot more than a friend. I wanted her to be my Luna. My mate. My lover. My partner in life, in everything. That was naive as hell, and even thinking about it made me feel like some young wolf that had zero clue how pack structure worked. Gwen wasn't even part of my pack, and despite the plethora of single Brokenclaw she-wolves, all I wanted was the Saltfang witch that had invaded my every thought.
I'd told Gwen she was important to me, and I meant it. If she was going to keep her distance, that was fine, but she'd better get used to me trying to force myself back into her life.
I poured myself a drink from the big punch bowl in the kitchen and made my rounds, talking to wolves and shaking hands like a good Alpha should, but the entire time, I was looking for Gwen out of the corner of my eye. It had been almost two hours since the party started, and there was still no sign of her.
Mia, though, had arrived. And she was seeking me out just as single-mindedly as I was searching for Gwen. She found me standing near the fire and handed me a freshly filled cup of punch, a knowing smile playing on her lips. She was dressed alluringly, in a strappy dress that hugged her curves and showcased her long legs, but I felt no attraction towards her. Mia's eyes glittered in the firelight.
“You're not having fun,” she said, her tone teasing as she gave me a once-over, then frowned. “What's wrong?”
“Nothing,” I lied. “I'm just keeping an eye on everyone.”
“It's your party, Joe. You should be out there having fun, too.” She leaned in close to me, and I fought the urge to step back. “You know, you've been avoiding me ever since the surge attack. Are you okay?”
“I'm fine.”
“Okay...” She didn't sound convinced. She sighed and then asked, “Can I talk to you inside for a moment? Alone?”
I should have said no, but Gwen was nowhere to be found, and maybe I'd have a chance to let Mia down once and for all and end the speculation that I'd attempt a relationship with her for Rose's sake. I nodded once and followed her into the empty guest room across from the one Gwen was using. I wasn't sure what Mia wanted to talk to me about, but whatever it was, I hoped it would be quick.
Once we were in the room, she shut the door behind us. The air was suddenly thick and uncomfortable, and I had to fight not to shift uncomfortably on my feet. I was Alpha, and I could handle myself. I wasn't going to squirm.
