Total pages in book: 72
Estimated words: 69734 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 349(@200wpm)___ 279(@250wpm)___ 232(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 69734 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 349(@200wpm)___ 279(@250wpm)___ 232(@300wpm)
“Fuck.” Abe starts picking up fifty pound bags of flour and tossing them to me, so I can stack them neatly in large plastic tubs with lids. The warehouse sits behind the quaint main-street bakery. In the early 1900’s, it was a small flour mill until competition with the larger Hayden Mill in Tempe shut it down. Now, it’s a large, empty brick building that Mrs. Angelson uses to store extra supplies.
“So what happened? Seb and Markley said you lost it.”
I shrug. “Damonella pissed me off.”
“I heard he had Carlotta James’ panties.”
My upper lip curls, but I manage to keep my growl choked down.
“So you taught him a lesson in manners?”
I throw the bag of flour so hard it splits when it hits the wall, sending a giant cloud of whole wheat flour into the air. Dammit. A ripped bag was the whole reason Mrs. Angelson had me in here cleaning to begin with. She wants everything spic and span, so rodents can’t get to anything.
“Dammit,” I mutter. Now I’ll owe her the cost of the flour.
“So you were defending the honor of a female teacher. That’s a legit defense. I don’t see what the problem is.”
I grunt in reply. “The problem is everyone in this town thinks I’m destined to be trouble like my dad.”
“What is it with you and Ms. James?” Abe tosses me another bag.
I catch it but throw it back. “Hold up. I have to move all these to sweep up the mess again.” I shove the bins in his direction to empty the stack against the wall.
“You dodging that question?” Abe leans against the wall, arms folded over his chest.
I consider telling him the truth. I mean, Abe just marked a human. And he’s been dealing with some kind of seizure thing that he hid from us for who knows how long. It’s not like Dr. Oakley’s perfect son is actually perfect.
“You had the hots for her when we were in middle school. I mean, we all did. She’s cute as fuck. But I know her mom was responsible for getting your dad kicked out of the pack.”
I shake my head. “She was. Lotta–” I cut myself off, the bitter taste of betrayal making my tongue thick. I hate this story so much. I’ve never told anyone–not even my mom, and I don’t want to start now.
Abe watches me with curiosity.
Fuck it. I’m going to tell him. “Can you keep a secret?”
He steps closer, dropping that habitual smirk of his. “You know I can, man.”
“She was directly responsible.”
“Yeah?”
I nod. “Yeah. I told her–I don’t fucking know why–that my dad was stealing from the brewery. I told her in confidence. She swore to me she wouldn’t tell.”
“But she did?”
I nod. “She sure as hell did. It was her mom who got him kicked out.”
“Shit.” Abe shoves his fingers through his hair. “It’s not your fault, man.”
I suddenly feel like the wind got knocked out of me. To have Abe understand the level of guilt I feel for being responsible opens a wound I haven’t even examined myself. I locked that shit up tight at the time. Too ashamed to tell my mom what I’d done. To admit it’s my fault she became a single mom five years ago.
“There’s more.” I got that off my chest, I might as well tell him everything.
“What?”
“Fate fucked me.” I lift my brows and leave that dangling in the air, waiting for Abe to understand.
It takes a moment, and then his eyes widen. “Are you saying–”
I nod.
“She’s your mate? Fuck. That’s harsh. So harsh, man. I’m sorry. Does she… I mean, have you guys–”
“She doesn’t know.” I leave out the part about us hooking up last night. I’m not a kiss and tell kind of guy. Plus my wolf is insanely protective of Lotta despite my hatred for her.
I see sympathy in Abe’s gaze, which pisses me off. It’s the same sympathy I got from my friends after Alpha Green threw my dad out of the pack and the rest of the town shunned me and my mom.
I grab the last sack of flour, my upper lip curling in a snarl, but before I can front, Abe surprises me. “Can you keep a secret for me?”
My brows pop. “Course.” I shovel the lost flour from the floor with the dustpan, dumping it into the trash.
“Lauren’s not all human.”
I stop and stare at him. “What?”
He tosses me the broom. “She’s part bear. We think her grandfather might be that old bear that was hanging out on pack land last month.”
I whistle. “No shit. So that’s why fate put you with her.” I start to sweep up the remaining flour.
Abe nods. “So maybe there’s a reason, you know?” He shrugs. “I tried to resist her, but it just drove my wolf nuts.”
I work the corner with the broom, trying to get it all up. “You think there’s a reason Fate chose Carlotta for me?” I shake my head. “No way. I mean, she’s hot as fuck, so in theory, we’d make cute pups, but that won’t happen.”