Chapter 9
Chapter 9
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I drove straight home and curled up in my bed. I forgot all about my phone, but I emailed Mr. Thorne to inform him that I would be taking my moving leave early because I don’t feel well and won’t be in for a bit. So, when someone rings the doorbell so I can let them in, I feel annoyed. I get up anyway and go over to my door to see that it’s my sister.
“What?”
“Bitch, what do you mean, what? I’ve been calling you for days. Let me up. I have snacks,” she holds up two paper bags.
“Thorne said you were sick,” my stomach clenches at the sound of my older brother’s voice.
I groan and hit the open button. I go to my closet and sort through the boxes for something more appropriate.
This apartment is too small, and I’ve finally bought my dream home near Thorne Labs—the four- story clock tower I’ve been after since the last owner died. My lease is up at the end of the month, so I’ve been packing slowly. I started with the closet.
“Are you moving?” Vince asks when I walk out to my siblings, who are placing Chinese food on my
coffee table.
“I told you she finally got the fucking tower,” Verona smacks him. She stands up and comes over to hug me. “How you doin, Vy? Why aren’t you at work?”
“I needed some time away. I’ve been answering my emails, though.”
“You good? I know you’re not sick,” Vince points at me with his chopsticks. I smile and go over to kiss his cheek. I miss him. I miss how intrusive his emotions were when we were teens.
“Yeah.”
“The Last time we spoke, you were upset about Riley,” Verona scoffs. Vince stares at me, and I roll my eyes before taking a pack of wooden chopsticks from the table.
“He’s a human, Vy. You know it was never going to work. What are you going to tell him when he’s fifty and you still look like this?” he motions my body.
“You do know she could claim him, right?” Verona laughs. “All it takes is a little bite.”
“She hasn’t even told him she’s the alpha’s daughter,” he points out. I hate when people call me that. As if it were the only thing that I am.
“He hates wolves.” I shrug and reach for a container with noodles. “We leveled humanity, remember? His family lost a lot.”
“Sins of our fathers. Speaking of. Daddy is forming a treaty with Sin’s Creek and we’re having a thing,” she holds her noodles over her face and sucks them into her mouth before obnoxiously
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Chapter 9
slurping them up.
“Alpha Barnes agreed to that? He hates Dad,” I say, shaking my head.
That’s fascinating information.
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“Yeah, two nights ago. Humans are cracking down on wolves, and they both agreed we need to stick together.” Vince doesn’t seem too happy about that. Does he know? Has he been close enough to feel it? “He signed the alliance. Four spots are remaining.”
“Hmm,” I nod and continue eating.
Two nights ago, the same night we fucking met. Asshole. What the fuck does that mean?
“Why are you held up here like you’re hiding?” he demands.
“Because she is. Pretty boy has been parading his new piece all over the city. It’s the first time he’s ever stopped to let the press take pictures of him and a woman who isn’t Vy.” Verona scoffs.
I have bigger problems than that, little sister, but that doesn’t please me either. I haven’t been checking in on social media. I needed this me time. A lot has happened quickly, and I don’t know how to shrink my problems to just the pack. This shit with the KNAVE is eating at me. It doesn’t help that Perry and Knight aren’t treating it with more concern.
“I know you got a sweet setup with the Thornes, Vy, but you’re better than this. You’re my twin sister. You might not be the alpha, but you are alpha-born. It’s kind of pathetic that you’re sitting here pining over a fucking human that has an eighty-year lifespan. You’re a werewolf. He’s a
mortal.” Vince continues.
Here we fucking go again.
“A new Lycan Tech branch is going up near your clock tower. Maybe you can check it out? You have an amazing resume, Vy. What are you going to do when he proposes to her? When they get married? You gonna stand there as his best man?” Verona adds to my brother’s argument and places
a file between us.
“I’ll think about it,” I say, setting the container down. How do they know? Perry just called me the other day about that, and they already have a file? “And I’m not hiding. I’m packing. My lease is up in eight days, and I want to be out of here by then. I thought you guys were coming to help me not make me feel like the biggest fucking loser in the world,”
Before they can respond, there’s a knock on my door. Fuck. Me. Sideways.
“Management?” Vince asks.
“No, it’s him. He has the code,” I groan. “I’m sick, remember?”
“Whatever,” they both roll their eyes at me.
I don’t argue and go to the door. He’s standing there with a teddy bear and a balloon that both say get well. Oh, yeah. Riley is here as well with a foam cup and a paper bag. A goofy fucking grin her
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face that says hey, we’re totally friends now. Perry would look at me like that when we first met
“Can’t answer your phone, Violet?” he asks. He knows I fucking hate when he calls me that
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“I lost it at the bar I went to the other night. I’ve been meaning to get a new one.” I step aside. “Hey” 1 greet Riley. “Come in.”
“Zan told me you were under the weather. I brought beef stew from Smarty’s” she holds up the foam cup. Zan? Could you not make me gag?
“Us too.” Verona is by my side immediately,
Fuck my day is getting worse and worse, I can’t even escape the outside world properly.
-Useless- Beverly scoffs. I smile, loving her adding to my cynicism.
“Verona, Vincent.” Mr. Thorne walks into my apartment to shake my brother’s hand. “It’s been a
while.”
“Not long enough,” Verona whispers.
I stare at her as she walks back to the living room. She doesn’t look in my direction, knowing she’s annoying me. Riley caught what she said, but didn’t say anything as she followed her in. I close the door and swallow back the knot that’s been gathering in my throat since Vince told me how stupid I am. I’ve known that for a long time, brother dearest. I don’t need the reminder, especially not from
you.
“Guys, this is Riley. Mr. Thorne’s girlfriend?” I look up at him for confirmation. He nods, but his eyes aren’t on anyone. They’re on the gray envelope sitting on the coffee table with the big Lycan Tech logo. Fuck. My. Life.
“Riley, this is my brother, Vincent, and my little sister, Verona,” I introduce them.
“Hi,” she greets them politely. “Riley,”
“We got that.” Verona nods and takes a seat. I reach out for the file and tuck it behind my back.
“We just stopped by to make sure you were feeling better,” Mr. Thorne says. “I called, but you said your phone was stolen. We should get going.”
He stares at me, almost challengingly, like he’s daring me to let him walk out that door, which infuriates me. I accept the challenge. Who the fuck does he think he’s dealing with? I’m calling the bluff.
“Sure,” I agree. His eyes stay on me for a moment-betrayal shining bright in them. I don’t even try to fight how delighted that makes me.
“May I speak to you privately?” he asks, hating that I was going to try to brush him off.
“It can’t wait?” I clear my throat. His eyes widen a little more.
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“No,” he says and moves toward the kitchen. I toss the fucking file on my sister’s lap. She gives me the biggest grin she can muster.
“Excuse me,” say, “Make yourself at home, Riley.”
