Page 62 of Wolf's Fate

“Tell him I said hi.”

Sliding my hand down Willow’s arm, I laced our fingers together. “Come on, let’s go.”

“We’re going?” She looked between me and Ned, torn. “I’m supposed to go to Black?—”

“Change of plan,” I told her easily. “I’ll tell you on the way.” I took two steps away, but Willow, stubborn and frustrating as always, hesitated. “Willow?”

“Ned’s been here for the last few days,” she said, looking back at him. “It’s really rude to just leave with no warning.”

Sweet stubborn girl.

The slight squeeze on her fingers made her step towards me, and I felt more open to listening to her concerns when there was more distance between him and her. Why was I acting like a jealous idiot? I would analyze that later, but seeing him holding her in his arms, it had rubbed me the wrong way.

“Ned,” I said with a sigh, and I watched his eyes narrow suspiciously. “While I do not have to explain myself to you, for Willow’s sake, I will. I’m heading to see a shaman. I need Willow with me. Do we have a problem with that?”

His look was shrewd and assessing. “Which shaman?”

I gave a tight smile. “That’s not your concern.”

“The one who licks blood?” Willow asked, looking at me with doubt.

I saw Ned hide his smile at her innocence. Leaning into her as if divulging a secret, I whispered, “I hate to break it to you, but they all do that.”

Her nose was wrinkled in distaste. “I’m sure you’re all half vampires,” she muttered. “It’s not normal behavior.”

“You coming anyway?” I asked her, my tone teasing.

Biting her lip, she looked back at Ned, and I thought I would have to outright kidnap her, but instead, she surprised me. “Is it okay if I go with Caleb?” She didn’t know her hand tightened in mine, but I felt it, and I felt insanely smug that she did.

“Is that what you want?” Ned asked doubtfully. “He has a habit of leaving you stranded.”

“Watch your words,” I warned him again. “That’s twice I’ve warned you now. There won’t be a third.”

I felt my wolf rise, and Ned saw it in my eyes as they changed color. “Alpha.” He dipped his head in supplication. He pissed me off by asking Willow again. “You want this?”

Willow stepped into my body, her sweater warm against my arm. “We need to figure this out, and everyone keeps saying we need me where Caleb is, right? So…shouldn’t I go where he’s going?”

Ned had no comeback for that. “I’ll tell Alpha Cannon to expect your call?”

I merely held his gaze as Willow thanked him for stayingwith her, and he had no choice but to break the stare as she prattled on nervously until a slight squeeze of her fingers encouraged her to just say goodbye.

Ned handed over the small bag with her stuff in it, and as we walked away from him, I had no doubt he waited to see where we were going, and I was pleased I had the foresight to park the stolen car out of sight.

Willow slowed as we neared the car. “Whose is this?”

“A friend’s.”

“You don’t have friends.”

Looking down at her, I saw her face flush as she looked away. “A few days in the hospital, and you become brutal in your observations.”

“Sorry.”

“Don’t be,” I assured her, opening the car door. “You’re right, I stole it.” Willow froze in a half-in-half-out position, and I laughed at her uncertainty. “If they want to leave their doors unlocked and the spare key in the glove box, they deserve to get their car stolen.”

She considered the validity of my argument before she nodded and got in the car.

Opening the back passenger door, I pulled out her backpack. “Thought you may want this?”