Page 36 of Grave Matter
“Until what?”
He blinks, a somber look. “Until the next phase.” He swallows hard. “Well, I’ll be sure to give Clayton a talk.”
“No,” I say quickly, leaning forward in my chair. “No, please. It’s fine. I’m an adult. I can handle him.”
“He’s distracting you. But you’re right. I’m sorry. I can get…protective at times.”
I recall the way he held my face when I’d fallen, something like madness in his eyes.
“Anyway, I hope this talk has been helpful,” he says, moving in his chair like he’s about to get up.
“What? No. What about the wolf?”
He hesitates, then settles back down. “Ah. Yes. The wolf. Tell me about the wolf.”
I can’t help but glare at him. He’s being so dismissive, like it’s all in my head. So I tell him what happened, all the details, making sure I sound as measured and rational as I can.
“I know it’s not possible, but that’s what I saw.” I end my story, my tone firm.
“I see,” he says carefully, scribbling in his book again. “And what did the fruiting bodies look like?”
“I didn’t see any. It looked like it was just mycelia.”
“Looked like, but you can’t be sure?”
I let out a caustic laugh. “Sorry, I was too busy trying not to die to get a closer look.”
He stares at me patiently. I would kill to know what he’s thinking, what he’s written down in his notepad. I bet I wouldn’t like any of it.
“The forest can play tricks on us,” he finally says, and I grit my teeth in response because of course he’s going to say that. “You were obviously emotionally upset from your interactionwith Clayton. You haven’t been eating right or sleeping right, and you haven’t taken your medication that keeps your emotions in check. I have no doubt you came across an injured and dying wolf. You probably surprised it, hence why it both attacked you and quickly ran away. We’ll send a drone out later to the area and see what we can find. If I had to guess, I’d say the wolf won’t be bothering anyone anymore.”
I can’t help but glare at him. “Fine,” I grumble, getting out of my chair.
He swiftly gets out of his and steps around the desk, reaching out and grabbing my arm before I have a chance to leave.
“Don’t make me worry about you,” he says, his voice gruff, his grip hard.
I glance at his hand, and he slowly removes it.
“Don’t make me worry either,” I tell him.
I leave.
CHAPTER 11
“Shirt of the day,”Munawar says as I approach the horde of students standing outside the lab building.
I glance at it. It saysMorely Greywith a picture of a morel mushroom.
“Get it?” he asks. “Like morally grey characters.”
“Oh, I get it,” I tell him. “In fact, I might just steal it from you.”
“You can have it if you want,” he says, grabbing the hem and starting to lift it up, his round belly poking out.
“No, no,” I cry out, laughing.
“Munawar,” Lauren says with a grin. “Look at you, willing to give your shirt off your back.”