“No. Half shifting your arm,” Mr. Dawson said.
“I doubt Imogene would agree with you.” I held his gaze. “Am I in trouble?”
He raised one eyebrow over his hazel eyes. “No. Imogene shouldn’t have taunted you, but she’s been trying to gain Dastien’s power since they were pups. She was dead set on becoming his mate, regardless of how he felt.”
A little growl slipped through me.
“Mate,” Dastien said softly to me.
I tried to breathe through the jealousy. Dastien placed his warm hand in mine and calm poured into me.
“She’s furious that you’re more powerful than her,” Mr. Dawson said.
I cleared my throat and tried to focus on what Mr. Dawson said. If I really was more powerful than her, why would she attack me?
“She was counting on you not realizing it,” Mr. Dawson said. “You’re dominant to Imogene.”
Right. Meredith had said that too.
I leaned away from Dastien. “See, this is where I’m having problems. Who the hell talks about people being dominant?” I waved my hand to stop Mr. Dawson. “I know. I know. I probably should’ve read that stupid book instead of going for a hike.”
The side of Mr. Dawson’s mouth tipped up.
Great. At least my frustration was amusing to someone.
“In other words, when you give her an order, she has to obey.” He let that sink in. “That and the possibility of you being mated to Dastien is more than she can stand.”
Frustration burned into anger. “It’s not like I deliberately stole Dastien from her.” Dastien stayed silent. “Right?”
“I’m not something to get stolen from anyone. Neither are you. We’re equal partners in this.”
I put my head on his shoulder. Partners sounded much nicer than mates.
Mr. Dawson stood up and brushed the leaves off his jeans. “It’s time to go back to campus.”
Dastien nudged my shoulder with his. I felt connected to him in a way I couldn’t describe. Like he was a part of me. I was losing myself to him and the wolf. Would there be anything left for me?
Dastien stood and reached down to help me up. He sighed when I hesitated. “This is hard on me, too.”
Was I really that self-centered? I hadn’t thought about his feelings. “I guess you seem so in control, I didn’t think you had a hard time. Ever.”
“Both of us have to learn to adjust. I’m taking it better than you because I’ve been a were my whole life.” He let out a little growl. “But my wolf is out of control. I’ve been restless for the past year. And then I see you and everything else disappears. And you keep fighting it.” He ran his hands through his hair. He was even hotter with it mussed. “My wolf wants to claim you. To make you mine. To protect you. But I’m trying to give you time, give you a choice even if it’s killing me. It’s why I keep messing up. I should’ve just staked my claim and let you deal with having me attached at your hip.”
Knowing that he was shaken up made me feel better. I didn’t feel quite so crazy. Or alone. I reached my hand up.
He yanked me to standing. “I admit I’m having a hard time and she’s finally smiling?” Dastien said.
I chortled and it felt really good.
The back door slammed. Dad walked down the back steps in his work clothes. Even in this heat he wore a suit.
“Just what in the hell are you doing to my daughter that she runs—runs—the whole way home from school?” His tie hung loose around his neck. “You’re supposed to be taking care of her because apparently we can’t and it seems to me you’re doing a shit job of it!”
Mr. Dawson tried to step in front of us, but I skirted around him.
“Dad!” I swallowed him in a hug. He smelled good, even if it was an overwhelming mess of things—anger, dryer sheets, shampoo, relief.
He pulled away and looked at my face. “You okay?”