I jolted down off the counter. “Who’s that?”
She held up her hands. “I’m sorry, baby. I had to call them.”
“You didn’t.” My own mother turned me in? That was so messed up.
I peeked around the corner to the front door. Through the window I could see Mr. Dawson and Dastien.
I flew out the back door, slamming it shut behind me.
Chapter Thirty-Four
I jumped off the back porch. Before I made it to the first tree, a hand grabbed my arm. I almost fell as I skidded to a stop. Dastien’s scent enveloped me.
Why wouldn’t he let me go?
I yanked my arm, trying to break free.
“Stop it,” he said.
I stayed very still and slowed my breathing. He let go of my arm, and I took off. I didn’t know why I was running, but if I stayed still, I would have to face him. Face what I had done. And what I was. Face our relationship or lack of it.
Screw that. Even if it made me a coward.
I hadn’t taken more than a couple of steps before his hand gripped my arm again. He spun me around until my back slammed against a tree.
“Stop running from me. Please,” he said.
“Let me go.” My voice rumbled with the demand.
“No.”
“I’m not going back.”
His eyes turned the color of melted gold. “Why not?”
“Is Imogene okay?”
He took a deep breath and his eyes faded back to their normal amber. “She’ll be fine. Because you’re a Were, the wound will heal slowly. Not as slow as if she were human. But slow enough that she’ll hate you.”
“Not like we were destined to be bosom buddies anyway.”
“I guess not.” He set his knuckle under my chin, guiding my gaze. “What happened back there?”
“I could ask you the same thing.”
His eyes flashed bright again and he released me. “What did I do?”
“I saw you. With her. After everything you said, you kissed her.” I couldn’t keep the hurt from my voice, which was mortifying. I looked away.
“Who?”
I gave him a second to figure it out.
“Imogene?” He let out a long breath. “Christ. If you think that, then you didn’t stay long enough.”
“I stayed plenty long. You left with her yesterday. You kissed her today. You’ve dated her before. Look, I know I’m not the most experienced person when it comes to guys—let alone werewolf guys—but seriously it doesn’t take a ton of brainpower to know when your…whatever it is you are to me is cheating.”
He sputtered and I held up a hand.