Page 11 of Fallout

“Because you’re my alpha’s mate. It’s my job to protect you,” he says.

I motion around us. “What are you going to protect me from? A rabid squirrel?”

He shoots me an unimpressed look but doesn’t say anything further.

Just what is he wanting to protect me from?

Will leads me toward a bench that is under the shade of the tree. It’s right by the walking trail, so I’ll be able to hear the humans from here.

Just half a mile more. I can do this. I will be ready for the marathon…

What am I going to cook for dinner tonight? Uh, I really don’t want to go to the grocery store.

Will snaps his fingers in front of my face. “Henley.”

I shake my head. “Sorry.”

“Focus. We’re here so you can learn to block thoughts,” he says.

I nod, turning so that I can face him. “How should I start?”

He rubs a hand on the back of his neck. “Uh, I was hoping you’d have an idea.”

“If I knew how to do this, I wouldn’t have passed out in front of the entire class today.” I roll my eyes.

He shrugs. “I don’t know. I guess… try to focus on me.”

I do as he says. I look into Will’s brown eyes and try hard not to think about the humans. About that time, a younger guy jogs by. He’s not thinking about anything except the music he’s listening to, which is so loud in my ears it makes my head throb. My head spins, be he jogs by quickly and the volume gets lower.

“Come on, Henley. Focus.” Will puts his hands on my shoulders. “If you pass out again, Parker will kill me.”

I take a deep breath through my nose. “Okay. Sorry.”

I spot the two women with strollers coming closer.

“Focus,” Will says.

I look into his eyes, trying to imagine a wall between me and the other two women.

Have her eyes always been this green? How have I never noticed?

The voice doesn’t belong to the women. Instead, it’s Will’s voice in my head. If I hadn’t been looking at him and hadn’t seen that his lips didn’t move, I would’ve thought he had spoken out loud.

But that can’t be. I can’t hear the thoughts of supernaturals.

I shake my head. The two women are long gone now.

“You look confused,” Will says.

I nod. “I think I blocked them. But I’m not sure I just… we’ll have to try again.”

Will grins like he’s proud. “We’ll keep practicing as long as it takes.”

3

Stuck with him.

Henley