NINE
We neededsomething to cool the tension—literally.
Best way to do that?
An uncomfortable conversation. Awkwardness for the win.
“Do you think our bond is real?” I asked Dax.
He blinked. “What?”
“We met dozens of times before your wolf decided he wanted me. You weren’t attracted to me; you were setting me up with other guys, and I was setting you up with other girls. We weren’t even friends. So, do you think our bond is real?”
His eyes narrowed. “Of course it is.”
I waited for an explanation.
His forehead knitted slightly. “I don’t know why it took so long,” he finally said. “But it’s real.”
“Right, and you know that because you’re attracted to me now. Because now, I smell good to you. But the thing is, why would I want to be with a guy who wasn’t interested in me until some kind of supernatural magic set in, months after it should’ve?”
“I was attracted to you before,” he said with a scoff. “Otherwise, I would’ve made an attempt to be your friend. Being friends with beautiful women doesn’t exactly help with loyalty to the soulmate you haven’t met.”
“Exactly.” I tossed a hand toward him. “If we were soulmates, you should’ve known.”
He growled. “I don’t understand why it happened this way, but that doesn’t make it any less genuine, Sabrina. The main alpha has already started scheduling both medical and magical tests and shit to see why this happened the way it did, so we’ll figure the bond out.”
The use of my full name and the mention of testing only irritated me further. I wasn’t a damned science experiment; I was a person. One who deserved to be loved and held, not because of a bond but because of who I was.
But Dax didn’t exactly seem open to hearing that.
So I shook my head and said, “I’m tired. Let’s wash up and get out.”
He looked like he wanted to say something else, but I slid under the water and scrubbed my hair before he could. My waves would be glittery, but I didn’t give a shit about glitter considering the crappy situation I’d landed myself in.
When we wereclean and dry (there was nothing sexy about toweling off with Dax when I was pissed with him), he stepped into the boxer briefs and sweats he’d worn earlier while I got dressed in a lounge tank and shorts set, no bra beneath it. No bra would mean boob sweat and pointy nipples for my mid-sized knockers, but I was sore and exhausted again now that I wasn’t touching Dax, so I didn’t care.
Dax’s eyes trailed slowly over my body when I stepped out. His attention should’ve satisfied me, but after our conversation, it felt fake.
A quick knock at the door gave me an excuse to avoid a repeat of that conversation again though, so I turned and strode toward my house’s entry.
“You’re going to answer the door like that?” Dax growled at me.
“Fuck off, okay?” I sighed back.
He looked taken aback by my words, and I felt a bit guilty for them as I pulled the door open.
Lizzy, Evan, June, and Elliot were all standing on my porch, looking grim.
“Abby!“ Evan squealed, lunging toward me. I caught him with a grin, and when I nearly lost my balance, a large hand caught me by the elbow and steadied me. Deciding not to look back, I grinned at Evan.
“Hey, squirt! You look happy today!”
He babbled something I couldn’t understand, and I nodded as if I knew exactly what he was saying. “Do you want ice cream? You know I always have the best ice cream.”
He gave an excited yell and leaned up to my cheek, attempting to either plant a kiss there or blow a raspberry. I didn’t care; it felt good to hold the little dude who loved me unconditionally.
“Come on in,” I told everyone, tugging my elbow from Dax’s grip as I strode into my kitchen.