Page 97 of The Tracker's Secret
“Oh, yes, you’re the tracker who found that...vampirefor him, right?” She pronounced the word “vampire” as if she were saying “garbage.”
“The very same,” I replied, holding my chin high. “Anyway, it seems congratulations are in order.” I turned to Jake and met his gaze.
He looked pissed. Really pissed. His silver eyes were as cold and distant as I felt. When he peered at me, regret flashed across his features.
Some part of me expected him to deny his engagement, but instead, he stood silent. Rage and hatred filled my gut, brewing quickly into a toxic mixture.
“Well,” I said, my voice charged with contempt, “I’m glad you’re doing all right. I should leave you to rest and to yourfiancée.” I hurried out of the room, doing my best to ignore Walter’s satisfied smile as I walked past.
Hand shaking, I was reaching for the front door to open it when Jake dashed out of the sitting room.
“Toni, wait!”
I stopped, my attention fixed on the door handle.
He came close and placed a hand on my shoulder. “I... I was going to tell you,” he whispered. “I just never seemed to find the right moment.”
I shrugged his hand away. “You don’t owe me any explanations anymore. You made yourself clear before.”
“Please, you know I wish it could be different.”
“Do you?” If he really did wish for that, then I could tell him.
“Of course, I do.”
I turned and searched his face, looking for the truth.
“But I promised my father,” he added.
Tears burned in the back of my eyes as I asked, “Does it have to be her?”
“The match is important for the pack, for its future and that of the Knight legacy. It’s my duty.”
No. I couldn’t tell him. I had nothing to offer him. Walter and his pack would laugh in my face. I was inexperienced, an outsider without a pack.
Red felt the pain of Jake’s rejection as well as I did, but she shook it off and replaced it with cutting indifference. Drawing strength from her, I held my chin high.
“I wish you the best, Jake,” I said, then walked out of his life for good.
