Page 25 of The Wolf's Kidnapped Mate

“Mates,” she mocked with traces of laughter lingering. “You’vegotto be kidding me.”

She slammed the door, the pressure of it whacking the frame and reverberating through my body. Her laughter faded as she walked up the cobblestone path to her apartment home, but I could still feel it in my bones. I felt it vibrating like the engine when I started the truck.

It hurt. I couldn’t figure out why, but it did. More than that, I was about to break a promise to a friend.

My Nokia went off. I yanked it out of my pocket and checked the screen, translating the coded text in my hand to an alarming command from Jermaine to get Kylie the hell out of Dodge.

Shit.

I had to think of something else to make sure she was protected—and I had to do it fast.

At all costs.

Chapter 8 - Kylie

“What a day.”

I say that to my apartment like it can respond. With the way things have been lately, I wouldn’t be surprised if the walls started spitting back some things I’d told them in confidence. These old mustard-yellow walls needed a fresh coat of paint. That would probably perk them back up, no doubt, and I kept thinking about it as I stared at them.

This half of the house was mine. I had a tan carpeted staircase on the right side of the living room that started at the entry door. To the left was a fireplace that sandwiched the doorway leading to the kitchen. Sparse furniture surrounded me, picked through from yard sales, thrift stores Faye had visited, and a few items donated from the pack when I first arrived.

Three beanbag chairs, two couches, and a coffee table somehow fit into this cramped living area, but it felt good to stand here. It felt good for something to be stationary and mine. And yet, at the same time, it felt odd.

Because I didn’t have Liam with me.

Fred had dropped me off an hour ago. Or I should say that I left Fred an hour ago, sitting in front of the cobblestone path next to the mailbox in his borrowed truck as I laughed my way back to my apartment. I stepped onto the porch, unlocked the main door, and walked inside to head to the left where my side of the house was located.

It wasn’t until I was inside that I realized he had left. The truck’s engine had roared to life and then chugged off when he drove away. Somehow, it left me feeling empty.

I shook my head as I wandered into the kitchen. Yellow and clay-red tiles made up the floor, and the walls were covered with lighter yellow wallpaper hosting little dancing marshmallows. I remembered when Faye had helped me pick it out. We’d spent an entire Sunday decorating the kitchen. Sandy tan counters held plenty of appliances and pots. The sink sat against the far wall under the window, with the fridge on the right and a door leading into the backyard. The door was bolted. I never really used it much. It was too overgrown back there.

As I glanced around, I furrowed my brows. “What did I come in here for?”

Maybe tea. Maybe a change of space.

Maybe nothing at all.

I went to the fridge with a sigh. Nothing appealing.Great, now I was stuck in my head while trying to figure out what in the world had changed Fred’s mind about giving the mate thing the old college try. He’d been pretty firm about usnotbeing mates. One trip into town had done…what? Given him perspective?

Cool air hugged my midsection that was exposed by my pink crop top and white spandex shorts. I shivered and shut the fridge door.

Fred was up to something. I couldn’t determine what precisely, but I could tell he was hiding some pretty big details about our trip to Beaufort. The offer was sudden, my presence was demanded, and then he received a strange phone call on his ancient Nokia phone while we were out that had changed his entire energetic structure.

It was like he was watching out for danger.

I frowned at the marshmallow wallpaper.Is he up to something with Liam?

My jaw ached from pressing my teeth together. Goodness, I was going to get a headache at this rate trying to think up things that didn’t even exist. I had no proof of Liam even being involved. My brother was sneaky, but he wasn’tthatsneaky, and he was a terrible liar.

Then again, I hadn’t seen him since he dropped me off last year. Things had been bumpy since then, and at the same time, I felt like I’d been able to experience a completely different world. This one was safe, kind, and boring. Excitement was few and far between these days—and that was why I’d let Fred kidnap me with his monstrous truck and grouchy demeanor.

I had loved every second of it. I adored the way he took care of my body, guided me, and ordered for me. Never in my life had I experienced someone taking the lead with the intent to please me instead of impressing me. Because Fred gave zero F’s about whether or not he was impressing someone.

My ears twitched, and then I was at the kitchen sink staring out the window into the dimly lit yard. Part of me felt like I was being watched. That was a feeling that kept coming these days. Maybe it was partially paranoia, or maybe it was the fact that I had Jermaine and his security detail keeping tabs on me.

Was someone back there tonight?

I want to hang out. Fred had said that like we were old friends. Yeah,duh, it was true. Wewereold friends. We had a long history of being friends.

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