Page 120 of Wicked Savage Wolves
“So, the classroom was—”
“A mistake. And not sex. He just…” I look away and swallow.
“Aw, you like him!” Isa sing-songs and now it’s me throwing a pillow at her.
“I’m getting food.” I jump to my feet and rush off to grab some coxinha I made earlier. They’re these little deep-fried balls of heaven filled with shredded chicken that my mom used to make for my dad. She doesn’t make them anymore, but I still do from time to time, and hopefully with food in their mouths they’ll drop the Jordy stuff, and we can get on with our night.
“Oh, what are these?” Meiying asks, popping one into her mouth when I return. She closes her eyes and moans. “Oh, my god,” she says around a mouthful because really, coxinha aren’t small enough to be eaten in just one bite. “Soooo good.”
I laugh as I grab one of my own. “Thanks. I figured since I dropped the baby bomb on you, I’d feed you. You know, in case having a kid was a deal breaker or something, I would bribe you with my culinary ways.”
“You can drop as many bombs as you’d like,” she says, eating another. “As long as you make these, I swear I will never care or hold anything against you.”
“Deal.”
We watchFive Feet Apart, which has all of us girls teary-eyed by the end, and then take pity on Zheng and put onEnola Holmes. It’s still probably not his cup of tea, but he doesn’t complain, which I give him props for. I’m sure hanging out with four girls, one of whom is your little sister, is probably not the highlight of his week, but he takes it all in stride and he seems pretty close with Isa so what do I know? Maybe this is how he likes to spend his Friday nights.
“I’m going to make some popcorn,” I say, hopping up from my seat and heading to the kitchen when it gets to the part when her brothers show up. I’ve watched this movie at least a dozen times and know the script almost by heart.
“I’ll help you,” Zheng says, getting up to follow.
“She totally needs help,” Meiying mocks, and he throws a pillow at her, not bothering to respond.
“Did you want a drink or anything?” I ask once we’re in the kitchen. I toss a bag of popcorn in the microwave and then grab two glasses from the cupboard, filling them both with water and handing one to Zheng as we wait for the popcorn to pop.
“Thanks.” He accepts the glass and then leans against the kitchen island, a serious look on his face. “So, uh, I wanted to ask you something.” His eyes are bright, which I’ve learned with KeAnna is a sure sign his beast is paying attention. I’m not sure if I should be worried about that.
“Okay. What’s up?”
He rubs the back of his neck in a nervous gesture. Is he gearing up to ask me out or something? No. That can’t be right. Zheng hasn’t shown even a hint of interest in me as anything more than a friend, and even that is still up for debate. Right now, he’s tolerating me because of Isa, just like the wolves. So, I have no idea why he’s acting so nervous all of a sudden.
Besides, shifters date other shifters. Sure, people like Jordy might fool around with non-shifters for fun, but in the end, they all want to find their mates. Something only another shifter can be, right?
“You said César is nine months old, right?”
I nod, not really sure where he’s going with this.
“And you hooked up with Jordy two summers ago?”
My body goes on high alert.Shit. Shit. Shit.
I nod again. What else am I supposed to do?
“Meiying’s right. He doesn’t really look anything like you.”
I frown. “Uh, okay.” Where is he going with this?
“But he looks a hell of a lot like Jordy, especially if, like me, you’ve grown up with him in the same Pack. Have known him since he was a pup.”
My mouth drops open. The microwave dings and I quickly retrieve the bag. “I don’t know what you’re—”
His nostrils flare and he makes an obvious show of breathing in the air around him. “I’ve known Jordy almost my entire life. I’ve seen the pictures of him that decorate his walls. The timeline adds up. You moved eighteen months ago. You hooked up with Jordy before you left. Tell me I’m wrong.”
My back is still to him as I squeeze my eyes closed. This isn’t how anyone was supposed to find out. What if he tells Jordy? What if—
“I can scent a lie,” he adds before I even have a chance to utter a response. “You need to tell him. He’d want to know. He’ll want to be a part of that little boy’s life.”
I fist my shaking hands and force myself to turn around and face him, exposing myself in a way I haven’t had to do before. “And what if he doesn’t?” I ask, voicing my biggest fear. The thing that keeps me up at night when my mind refuses to go quiet. “What if he doesn’t want the responsibility of a child? He hasn’t shifted, Zheng. He might never shift.” I force myself to slow down and take a deep breath. “We had a one-night stand. It was never supposed to lead to anything more. He didn’t sign up for this and I’m not what any of you guys would have planned for your futures.” I wave my hands around me. “You know as well as I do that a shifter wants a kid who shifts. Mine doesn’t. He isn’t a wolf. He’s like me. He’s a psyker—”
