Page 34 of Adored By the Wolf
“Thank you, I’ve been wanting to get some, so that sounds perfect,” Millie said.
Millie grabbed my hand, and we walked toward the back of the store. I saw Ray send me a knowing look as we passed, and I knew the family would find out in the next five minutes that Millie and I were together right now. Sure enough, when I turned back to look at Ray, she was already on the phone.
We didn’t stay long after Ray had the flowers ready. Holding a potted plant in each hand while Millie held her bouquet of gladioluses, we said goodbye to Ray and walked back to the car together.
“I had a really good time,” Millie said.
My heart soared at hearing those words. “I did too,” I said, looking at her.
She placed her hand in the crook of my arm, and we walked like that all the way to the car. The drive back was silent as I held on to her hand.
This would be a cinch. Bruno had no chance of winning her heart.
Suzy
“I’mtired of Jacob not spending time with me,” I said to Finn.
“Why are you so flustered all of a sudden?” Finn asked.
“You should have seen the girl he came in with today!”
“Good-looking?”
“Of course! Though I think I’m better. She was completely Asian too.” I curled my hands into fists so hard that I could feel my nails digging into my skin. “How could he think she’s prettier than me? I have alabaster skin! Boys fawn over me.”
“Well—”
“I’ve told you before that his grandparents and parents have all married Caucasian people. They’re trying to wipe the Asian part of their heritage out of their blood; I’m sure of it. Jacob will ruin it all for them if he’s with her. I need to save him from making that mistake.”
I looked at Finn, only to see he hadthatlook in his eyes. He wanted me, but I was Jacob’s . . . even if part of me had been wrestling with this fact for the last few months. Finn, for the third time since I’d known him, had persuaded my family I wasn’t insane. I had much to thank him for, because he was the only reason my family hadn’t put me in a mental institute.
Finn opened his mouth and then shut it again.
“Something you want to say?”
“I think I can help get rid of the girl, but I’ll need to find out a bit more before I can tell you how. You’re not going to like it either way, though.”
I’d known Finn since kindergarten. We grew up with the McCullough brothers just like everyone else in this town. Jacob was the only one in the whole family who had the means and the want to leave this awful town. He’d always had big aspirations, and I was surprised he hadn’t acted on them yet. I would fix that, though. He needed me to help him to see them through. He was just waiting for me to make the right move, and I just had to figure out what that was . . . .
“You know how I told you I’ve been guarding the doctor that joined the McCullough pack a couple months ago?” Finn suddenly said.
“Yeah?”
“Well, the doctor turns out to be Pac.”
“What?” Being human, I’d had little interaction with the families of the pack, but everyone had heard of Pac, even the humans. I’d also bumped into him once at the grocery store. The leering stare he gave me had given me the creeps, and I’d since avoided him at all costs.
“I think he can help. I’m still his guard in his prison cell, so I have direct access to him.”
I suddenly couldn’t breathe. “Of all the shifters and witches that are part of that family, why do you need to ask him?”
“Because he’s the genius scientist. I might be a shifter with certain powers and have sway with Theo, but I’m not smart like Pac. If you want something that will be guaranteed to work, Pac is the guy.”
I steeled my resolve and nodded. “Fine. But it better be good. I’ll do anything to help Jacob.”
“Of course.”
I looked Finn over, and a thought came to me. “Why aren’t you affected by this tonic water that’s been rumored of? I thought all you shifters got affected by it in some way.”