Page 35 of Adored By the Wolf

“Everyone except me,” Finn announced smugly.

“Wow! Really?” I was actually impressed. Finn wasn’t the brightest person around here, but he had always been kind to me.

“Don’t look so surprised. Theo trusts me, so he didn’t suspect anything, but Pac let me know early on what he was doing and brought me into his secret. As a result, I never drank any of the tonics, so I’m well and good while the others are figuring out what’s wrong with them.”

My eyes had gotten big. If I’d had any interest in Finn, I would have given him a kiss. How had I not known he was so crafty? “Sounds like you have it under control.”

“Of course, I do. Pac has put together an army, and I’m his messenger to the other groups out there. You’d be surprised to hear there are many who feel they’ve been wronged by the McCullough pack. The family has no idea what’s coming.”

“Wow. That’s quite some trust he’s given you.”

“I know, and I’m sure he’s more than happy to help you.”

“Thank you, Finn!” This time, I did wrap my arms around him and gave him a huge hug. His came around me, squeezing tight.

Millie

Music driftedacross the apartment as I spun in slow circles around the kitchen, spatula in one hand while the eggs fried in the pan.

“Someone’s extra happy today,” Lira said, coming into the room after her morning shower.

“I had a wonderful day yesterday. I very much needed it.” Though, you’d never know with how little sleep I got last night. After Jacob dropped me back off with Becca, I had helped her plan more of her wedding while doing our nails and watchingThe Princess Bride. It had been a late night by the time I’d headed home later that evening. But even though I went to bed at a reasonable time, my eyes remained wide open as my brain went through every single detail of my date with Jacob. It felt as though a silly smile was permanently spread across my face, which hadn’t helped with the sleep issue, either.

I couldn’t believe I had told him that I liked dance parties and hang gliding. It was true I liked to dance, but I rarely went out to loud club parties, and I didn’t plan on going now. As for hang gliding, it was something Lira and I had wanted to do when we were younger, but as I got older, my fear of heights had soon put an end to that. Whatever possessed me to tell him I liked those things? And how had I initiated holding hands with him?!

My heart had raced on remembering the warmth and comfort that flowed down my arm and through my whole body at the touch of his hand around mine.

At about two in the morning, when I was just starting to drift off to sleep, the front door opened, and a very loud Lira came falling into the apartment. I had screamed into my pillow before going out to confront her, but by the time I did, she was already sprawled on my sofa, fast asleep. It was while watching her to make sure she was breathing that I realized I had been channeling Lira during my date. The realization that we were going on a date had shocked my system, and somehow, I knew I couldn’t be myself. No one like Jacob would like someone like me. I was too orderly and quiet. On the other hand, everyone loved Lira, so I had channeled my twin without realizing it. That realization had kept me up for the rest of the night that I didn’t fall asleep till about six in the morning.

“I saw you came in late last night,” I said, putting the eggs on a plate and walking over to where Lira had plopped down on a stool at the kitchen counter.

“Last night was great fun. I got invited to a last-minute rave in the woods. Can you believe it? Big open fields, with people just jamming and dancing. It was awesome. You should have been there.”

“You know that’s not for me.”

“You’ve never tried it.”

“No, thank you.”

Lira’s phone rang at that moment, and her eyes grew big.

“Everything okay?” I asked as I finished off my eggs.

“Yeah.” But it came out raspy, as if she couldn’t catch her breath.

I looked over to see who it could be that had gotten her all shaken up. But all I saw on the screen was an unknown number. Before I could ask her who that could be, she was already standing and heading to my room.

“I’ll be right back.” She ran into my bedroom with her phone and shut the door.

I could only stare after her, wondering what in the world had gotten into her. I hoped it wasn’t something I would have to help her fix later.

Five minutes later, Lira came back out, her face glowing.

“What was that all about?”

“Oh, just a guy I was interested in. I forgot he had my number.”

“How come I haven’t heard you speak about him before? Anyone I know?”