Page 271 of His Hungry Wolf

“Some people need a little encouragement to talk about things,” Quin added.

Cage looked at Quin. “Says the guy with no filter.”

“Yes. There were things about me that I wouldn’t have told you if it wasn’t for Lou.”

“So, I owe all of my happiness to Lou?”

“I’m hoping I can take a little credit for it, too,” Quin said with a smile.

“Baby, I give you credit for making my life everything I’ve ever dreamed of. I can honestly say that I wouldn’t be the man I am or have anything I do without you.”

“Ohhh!” Quin said tilting his head back and kissing his love. “Let’s take the house. I want to live here with you, Cage Rucker.”

Cage looked up at me. “What do you say? Should we take the house?”

I looked at the couple I wanted to be. “You should take it,” I said with a heavy heart.

I knew I shouldn’t think this way, but it felt like the end of everything I had loved. Them buying this house knowing how much I hated being under the protection spell was their way of saying they wanted me out of their lives. I had to make things work with Kendall. If I didn’t, I was going to be left with nothing and no one.

Miss Roberts, the realtor, was as excited as Cage and Quin were that they were going to take the place. She promised to draw up the paperwork saying that we would be able to move in in about a week. Quin thought it was fast. I had no clue about these things.

Deciding to spend the day with them, I tagged along when they headed back to Dr. Sonya’s bed and breakfast. I had only been there once before and I hadn’t passed the doorway. This place was very nice as well. It was starting to feel like everyone had more than I did. It wasn’t the first time I had thought that. But seeing how other people lived, it had never been clearer.

“Oh good, you recruited another shifter,” Dr. Sonya said with her usual high energy. “I was hoping we could add someone who grew up here to the brain trust,” she said squeezing my arms in delight.

Seating us in the living room, Dr. Sonya asked where we thought the shifters should gather for the run and then left to get snacks. Her son walked downstairs, saw us, and immediately headed to the door.

“How are you getting out of helping plan this?” I asked recognizing him from high school.

Cali was a freshman when I was a senior. He was also second string on the football team. I remembered him not being much for talking. That hadn’t seemed to change.

Ignoring my question he said, “You just started at East Tennessee, right?”

“Yeah. You thinking about going?”

He looked back at Quin.

“I was thinking about it.”

“You’re a senior, right?”

“Yeah.”

“You still a kicker?”

“He made a 60-yard field goal in a game last week,” Cage said proudly.

“Jesus! That’s insane. You could be a walk-on as a freshman with a foot like that.”

“He could get a D1 scholarship with a foot like that,” Cage confirmed. “East Tennessee would be lucky to get him.”

Cali turned red as we talked.

“Well if you need me to put in a word with the coach, let me know,” I told him.

“Mr. Rucker said he would take care of it for me.”

“Mr. Rucker?” I asked confused.