“I wanted to be the cool aunt to your kids,” she said with a pout.
I nearly spit out my coffee. “We hooked up one time. We weren’t even an official couple and you were planning on us having kids?”
She shrugged. “I was pretty sure it was one of those soulmate forever things.”
“I have a mate, remember. He tried to kill me. I’m not sure I’m in the market for one ever again.” Maybe it was good that Alec and I didn’t go further. I wasn’t sure I’d ever be in the place to give my heart to someone.
“That’s why it was perfect. Alec lost his mate tragically. Yours deserves a torturous, fiery death. Oh, please tell me he went down when Kyle started the fire.” Sheila jumped a little in her seat, a bit too excited about the thought of someone dying horribly. But then again, this was Tyler.
“I don’t think so. I’m pretty sure I still feel the bond and if he was dead, I don’t think I would,” I said.
Her shoulders slumped. “That sucks.”
“Tell me about it,” I said.
“You up for the party tonight?” She lifted her cup in the direction of the pile of wood ready for the bonfire.
“I’ll be there.”
She quirked a brow. “Tell me that means what I think it means.”
I grinned. “I’m going to shift.”
She squealed and nearly dumped the remains of her cup on me as she leaped from her chair to give me another hug. “You are going to have the best time.”
My stomach twisted into nervous knots, but I knew I had to complete the shift before I could attempt any of the other things I needed to do. Connecting with my wolf would bring additional perks. Aside from being faster in wolf form, I should have added strength and healing. Plus, I could connect better with those in my pack.
I frowned, a little sad about that. Would I feel the emotions of shifters in Wolf Creek or would that be barred from me since I wasn’t there? I had no idea how this was going to play out. There wasn’t much choice other than taking it one day at a time.
“Tell me what I missed while I was away,” I prompted. A subject change was very much needed. I was tired of the constant worry and speculation.
She told me about her dates with Anja and how they’d decided they were going to try a long-term thing for a while. It was adorable how her whole face lit up when she talked about her.
“Mind if I cut in?”
I’d been so engrossed in Sheila’s conversation, I hadn’t noticed that we had a visitor. Malcom was standing in front of us, a camp chair in his arms.
He set the chair down in front of us, forming a little circle. “Welcome back, Lola.”
“Thanks.” I wasn’t sure how to engage with Malcom. He’d been the one to warn me about Alec. Did that mean he’d known the plan the whole time or was he just wary of the camp’s leader?
“I’m glad to see you’re okay,” he said. “I’m sorry for what he put you through.”
I narrowed my eyes. “You knew.”
He nodded. “I’m sorry.”
“Wait, you were in on this but nobody told me?” Sheila gasped. “Since when are you inner circle and I’m on the outs? What the fuck?”
“I was the backup plan. I didn’t find out until Alec came back to camp,” he said. “If they didn’t make it out by the full moon, I was on deck.”
“Why the full moon?” I asked.
“Cause there was a chance you could both shift your way out on the full moon if you were trapped.”
All my anger returned. “You do realize my mate was threatening to complete the bond without my consent? His father was encouraging him to do so. If he’d gotten his wish, I’d be trapped in a bond with him. What were you two thinking?”
Malcom’s expression darkened. “He did what?”