Page 10 of The Mating Game
I snort. What an asshole. Anincident. What, does he think, I’m going to start howling at him and begging for his dick or something? Fucking shifter men. Which I assume he must be, given that the pleasant scent of sunshine and rain lingered long after he shut himself in his bedroom, something I’m now gathering was most likelynotcologne.
And not to mention his obvious disdain at my being here in the first place. I spent most of the night fuming over his snideLittleMiss Fixitcomments—having half a mind to spend the rest of the evening boarding that asshole up in his own bedroom just to show him I’m perfectly comfortable around a hammer.
He’s lucky my brothers are bringing all the tools.
I want to know how he could even tell what I was in the first place. It’s not like there’s some sort of sign stamped on my forehead now, is there? Willeveryshifter I meet know that I’m some sort of medical anomaly right away? That seems…inconvenient. Hopefully there’s more information in the pamphlets Dr.Carter gave me.
“Did you pack appropriate pajamas?” Ada asks. “Are your toes in danger of frostbite?”
I roll my eyes. “I brought plenty of wool socks. Ihaveseen snow before, you know.”
I catch Ada’s shiver even on my tiny phone screen. “I could never.”
“You’ll have to leave Southern California sometime,” I laugh.
“Right. I could join you in Axe-Murderer Land and lose my toes. No thanks.”
“What happened with Perry’s school yesterday?”
I peek over to catch her teeth worrying at her lip. “He’s acting out in class again.”
“What does that mean?”
“He refused to participate.”
“He’s six,” I scoff.
“I know that,” she says. “I just worry about him socially. He doesn’t seem interested in making friends at all. I thought moving him to private school this year would help get him some more one-on-one attention, but he keeps saying he hates the place.”
“He’ll adjust,” I assure her. “I wouldn’t worry about it too much. He’s still so little.”
“I hope you’re right.” She sighs, then waves a hand in front of her face. “Now tell me why you’re not sleeping.”
“It’s not a big deal…”
I’m just apparently something entirely different than I thought I was for my entire life. Oh, and my new employer not only doesn’t want me here but might think I’m going to rampantly hump his leg at some point.
Ada narrows her bright green eyes, leaning in a little so that her auburn hair falls into her face. “Tess.”
“Fine,” I sigh. “Just…still feeling a little under the weather.”
An understatement, really. I tossed and turned the entire night—the meds the doctor gave me hardly even touched the cramps, the night sweats, and the strange itching sensation all over my skin. Between that and my irritation with Hunter, I’m positively exhausted.
“I thought you said it was clearing up?”
“I know.” I spin to plop down on the edge of the bed, frowningat my phone, which I propped up on the dresser so I can look at my friend properly. “And it…is. Technically. Sort of.”
“Oh my God,” she groans. “Tell me you aren’t dying.”
“I’m notdying,” I huff. “I’m just…not entirely well.”
“If you want to make sense anytime soon, that would be great.”
“Look, it’s not a big deal, okay? The doctor said it’s not unheard-of and that when I’m fully adjusted, everything will be as normal as—”
“Tess.”
“I’m not a beta.”
