Page 25 of Same One
Bay disappeared inside, and Tru deflated, heaving a sigh. That kid sure could piss her off sometimes, but she tried to be understanding. He was still ramped up from a Change, and he had gotten into a fight with something. There were gashes across his cheeks and neck, and he was a fast healer. Something hurt him.
She followed him inside. “I went to see Tabian,” she said softly.
“The Rogue from the coffee shop? Come on, Trudy. You’re smarter than that. You learned a lesson with my dad. Surely you’re a more intelligent woman than throwing yourself at another werewolf.”
“Bay!” she snapped. “Don’t talk to me like that, and don’t talk to me about who I decide to spend time with. I’ve given up a lot, haven’t I?” she asked.
He dropped his glowing gold eyes to the floor and didn’t answer.
“Haven’t I?” she asked softer. “He was nice, and open, and introduced me to most of his Pack.”
“Let me guess. Most of them, but not the females?”
“All of the females, who are paired and happy with mates. He’s not a Rogue. Not really. His Alpha kept their Pack together after the Elders dissolved them.”
“We are okay the way we are,” he gritted out, eyes still on the floor.
And she got it. He was just now getting settled into a routine after his father had done what he’d done. She did understand that he didn’t want anything to derail what they’d worked so hard to build.
“I’m lonely.”
“Then date a human.”
“Would you get along with a human?” she asked honestly.
“Who cares what I think, right? You’ll sneak off and meet a whole Pack behind my back the second I’m out of the house.”
“What are you angry with? That I met up with a guy? That he is a werewolf? Or that I didn’t tell you?”
“All of the above!” he barked out.
“What happened out in the woods?” she asked.
“What do you care?” he asked low. “You didn’t answer a single one of my text messages.”
“I was driving.”
“Never stopped you before.”
“Bay, I really hate when you talk to me like this.”
“Go whine about it to Tabian.”
“Bay!”
“You’re not my mom, Trudy. Do whatever the fuck you want to!”
He stormed into his room and slammed the door. She flinched with the sound of it and closed her eyes, praying for patience.
She had missed the small years, where they were supposed to build a bond and where he learned to respect her as a mother figure, and now she was trying to play catch-up with a sixteen-year-old, testosterone riddled, wolf-driven teenager with abandonment issues and a dad who hadn’t taken the time to teach him how to be a werewolf.
“Hey, Bay?” she asked, knocking softly at his door.
“Go away.”
“You didn’t take my car tonight. How did you get there?”
“Ride share dropped me at the mouth of the park. I ran back.”
