“We’re all werewolves, and then there’s Cady.”
“I wasn’t going to tell you like this,” Isaac spoke up, face straining with a silent plea.
“Were you planning to tell me at all?”
His guilty expression said it all. “No one knows. No one has ever known.”
“Do you want some dry clothes or an explanation first?” Cady chimed in, her voice gentler than before.
I forced myself to look at Isaac, to hold back my reaction when I noticed the blood on his skin. “Tell me why I’m here.”
He rubbed the back of his neck, eyeing the crowded kitchen and asking, “Can we step outside for a minute?”
The anger I wanted to feel came bubbling up. Everything that came out of his mouth over the past month was a lie.
So, I drew on my anger and threw it at him. “I don’t want to be alone with you.”
Regret crystallized like ice in my middle the moment the words left my lips. Isaac’s entire body shuddered, his breath hitching.
“I understand.” He turned to Cady, refusing to meet my eyes as he rasped, “Can you help her?”
Then the front door opened and closed. Isaac disappeared into the evening. I felt the loss immediately, a gust of cold air stealing in and giving me shivers.
“That wasn’t very nice,” Saul said, leaving the kitchen to plop himself down on a leather couch.
I twisted, trying to keep him in view.
“Isaac lied to me.”
“Everyone’s a liar.”
Cady tapped Eli on the shoulder and whisper-shouted, “Why is he here?”
“I need more buckshot,” Saul answered for him.
“It’s in the garage,” Eli said.
Saul didn’t move. Eli sighed. “I’ll get it. I was going to check on Isaac anyhow.”
“I’m going to see if I can find you something dry to wear,” Cady told me, stepping around the couch and tapping Saul on the shoulder as she passed. “You Barbeauxs can make a woman feel as welcome as a skunk at a lawn party, you know that?”
Then Saul and I were alone.
The quiet was painful. His gaze settled on me, heavy and unblinking.
“So you’re Jacques’s girl.”
“Was. Briefly.”
“And you have no idea what’s going on?” There was an accusation in there somewhere. I could hear it.
“None. I didn’t know he was—you were—" My mouth felt dry. “I haven’t said anything to anyone.” Who would I tell?
“Good.” Saul stood, pacing toward me.
I forced myself to freeze, keeping my eyes on him as he circled me. At the last minute he turned, coming around the island and putting it between us.
I let out a shaky breath.