Iwoke with my head pounding so hard that, for a minute, I wondered if it was the result of a hangover. Maybe lying to myself was silly, but that was wishful thinking and when you knew something was wrong, lying to yourself was sort of okay. I knew I was just trying to lie to myself now, and as I kept my eyes closed, my senses took over.
Stifling a shriek when I realized I was bound to a chair, I slowly blinked my eyes open and winced. God, my head hurt, and my body felt stiff and—
“If you wanted kinky sex, you could have just asked!” I joked, my mind attempting to make light of this even now because the alternative scared me so much I almost wet myself.
Okay. Okay. Don’t panic.
My wolf screamed, her cowardly ass whimpering loudly when I looked around me and saw where I was.
This wasn't my trailer, and I wasn't living out some kinky sex scene with Caleb. Oh no. This was me in a strange place, tied to a chair and sporting a splitting headache because someone hit me over the head and knocked me out.
Girl, if Caleb had hit you over the head, I’d have ripped his throat out and lectured him about what good sex requires.
“Would you shut up!” I hissed, tears filling my eyes because this wasn’t funny, and it was no time to joke.
Oh, God!
“Stop it. Sheesh, you’re such a baby.” I hissed at my wolf, a nervous giggle escaping when she kept trying to tell me this wasn’t real.
Just a sex game. Just…
“Well, well, well. Still talking to yourself and telling yourself those lies.” A voice mused, the familiar snarl turning my blood to ice right before Shane walked into the kitchen and smirked at me.
Okay. Now I know we’re dead. I told you we’re going to hell for our inner thoughts! Being dead with this bozo means we’re damned.
I snorted, a small hysterical cackle leaving me as I rolled my eyes.
I wasn’t dead or in hell. I only wished I was when I took a look at my rat-bastard ex and sneered. I should have known!
“You don’t seem surprised to see me, baby.” Shane mused, his grin turning my stomach.
“Not that much. I should have known you weren’t dead. Cockroaches can survive a nuclear blast.” I spat, a cry leaving me when he suddenly lunged and slapped me, rocking my head back.
Pain burst through me, the sting in my left cheek burning even when he slapped the other side and shoved his face into mine.
“You shut your mouth, bitch. You’re already on thin ice with me after fucking that feral mutt, Caleb Chase.” He screamed, spittle hitting my cheek and making me gag before I twisted my head and held my breath.
Still the same angry, drunken asshole, I thought, old fears rearing up along with my temper, which thankfully was so strong, I didn’t start crying.
“Oh, puh-leeze! Like, I give a shit. We’re divorced, asshole, and you’re supposed to be dead.” I huffed, ignoring the anger in his icy gaze and the way my coward wolf kept whimpering.
I’d deal with the idiot later, I decided, high-fiving my inner voice when she agreed and sniffed with disdain.
“Only because you fucked my life up. You think I wanted to fake my death and leave my pack!” he yelled, twisting to stalk to the fridge and punch it.
“What I think is, you’re a freaking idiot coward, and you’ve made a huge mistake. Caleb is going to kill you.” I sang, chuckling when he stiffened and turned to glare at me.
“Shut up!”
“What’s wrong, punkin’? You scared?” I taunted, my giggle turning evil when he shuddered. “You always were a coward, you know. Beating up on a woman—”
“Female! Jesus, why can’t you say male and female like normal shifters? You always have to be different.”
“Uh, hello, I am different, and I like it. Caleb likes it, too, and so do Cole and Trey. I don’t care what you think.”
“Bitch—”
“Don’t. Those two baby slaps will still go unnoticed. I promise you if you leave marks, Caleb is going to rip your intestines out with his teeth and chew on your swollen, cirrhosis-riddled liver!” I warned, snickering every time he flinched at the mention of Caleb’s name. “We’re fated. Trust me, he’s going to get testy when he finds me. Might as well not annoy him more.”