Page 36 of Half Wolf Mate
That sounded like the worst possible option. “You’ve been accommodating, have you? Telling me to get lost after I came to you for help was veryaccommodatingof you.”
Cole exhaled slowly as if gathering his patience. “I admit I didn’t handle things like I typically do.”
“And how is that?”
“With a level head.”
I stared at him, arms still folded in defiance.
“Your appearance threw me off kilter for a while.”
His confession had my arms falling to my sides. What was happening here? I was accustomed to him snarling at me and telling me to go away.
“Sit, Sydney.”
The steel-like authority of his tone made me want to listen to him. But he’d given me such a hard time I wanted to return the favor. “You don’t get to order me around.”
He made a sound somewhere between a laugh and a grunt. “Do you want us to talk or not?”
I huffed. “Do you always get what you want?”
There was the slightest twitch of his lips. “Generally.”
Rolling my eyes, I walked to the sofa and sat.
“Would you like something to drink?”
Lifting an eyebrow, I surveyed the room, taking note of the minibar, refrigerator, and coffee machine. “No. Since when are you such a gracious host to me?”
“Since I realized that I might have been unfair to you, not taking the time to hear you out.”
“So, suddenly, you’re sure I’m not working with hunters?”
“I’m still not certain, but from what I’ve heard and seen, you haven’t been in contact with anyone since you’ve been here.”
“How do you…” I gasped. “You’ve been having me watched!” The paranoia of constantly feeling as if I was being followed made sense now.
“You’re quick on the uptake. I like that.”
I tried not to let his small compliment warm me. “So, who did you give the task of stalking me?”
“Sometimes me or Damian, but mostly Alex.”
Clenching my teeth to hold back my irritation, I shrugged. “I have nothing to hide. I’ve been telling you the truth all along.”
“You’ve been cozying up to Adam.”
“That sounds an awful lot like an accusation, and I don’t like it.” I glowered at him. “And making polite conversation with someone isn’t “cozying up.” Since Cole was finally giving me a fair chance to talk, I might as well tell him everything. “I entertained the idea of Adam helping me with my hunter problem. When you mentioned he was an Alpha, I thought that maybe he’d be strong enough or have the resources to protect me from them. You refused to help, so I sought another solution.” I shrugged. “Self-preservation kicked in. I don’t stand a chance against hunters— or anyone, for that matter—on my own.”
He studied me intently as if trying to read me, and I hoped he saw my sincerity this time.
“If running to your rival for help after you refused is such a great sin, then by all means,” I spread my arms wide, “eliminate me. Killing me might be the kindest thing you can do for me at this point,” I grumbled.
Cole’s eyes widened a fraction, and I think I saw guilt flicker in his eyes. But he said nothing. Of course, he still didn’t believe I told him the truth. Frustrated, I jumped to my feet.
“You know what? I’m so tired of this. Either kill me or leave me the hell alone, Cole. I need to focus on a plan of escape if that hunter finds me. I don’t have time to constantly defend myself to you. I’m going to need that dagger Damian took from me, by the way. I have no idea how to use it, but at least I’ll have something to try defending myself with.”
When Cole continued to stare at me without a word, I snorted. “Clearly, you still think I’m lying.”