Page 48 of Hart's Redemption

“Please tell me you see what’s going on,” Eric said.

I shifted my focus back to my best friend and the sour pull of his mouth. “I see the love of my life talking with another lycan that he assumed would hate him for all eternity after successfully running with four other wolves.”

Eric’s arms fell out of their stubborn cross. “You know what I mean. Don’t stand there and tell me you don’t see it.”

It was my turn to sigh as I leaned against a tree and crossed my arms. “I see it.”

“And? Did you know about this?”

“I had my suspicions. Tonight just confirmed them.”

“Full moon at midnight, Red. You could have fucking warned me.” He threw his hands up and walked a short distance away before turning back and advancing on me. “Have you at least talked tohimabout it?”

I dropped my gaze to the forest floor and rolled my shoulders.

“You haven’t told him?” he asked in disbelief.

“Would you keep your voice down?”

“Seriously? Haven’t you learned your lesson yet about keeping things from him? He’s your mate, and he deserves honesty from you.” Eric’s words weren’t intended to wound, but they cut me nonetheless.

“This isn’t like that.”

Eric recrossed his arms and scowled. “Please enlighten me on how this is in any way different from all the other monumental things you’ve failed to tell him about.”

I ran a hand through my hair and hated how right he sounded. In the past, I’d always been able to rely on Eric to call me on my shit, but right now I was less than grateful for that ability. “You don’t understand. His life is complicated enough. He doesn’t need this on top of that.”

Eric shook his head, his face a mask of incredulous disbelief. “You’re smarter than this. You can’t keep sticking your head in the sand. Ignoring it won’t make it go away.”

“Don’t you think I know that? I just…” I didn’t have a good way to end the argument, because there wasn’t one. Eric was right. Yet again, I was keeping important information from Josh.

“Conrad will never let him join the pack.”

“I know.”

“Especially once he figures out—”

“Iknow.”

Eric held up his hands in mock defeat. “You also know how to fix all of this.”

I cut my eyes at him in an angry glare that, unsurprisingly, was joined by a warning growl. “Let it go, Eric.”

Completely unaffected by the threat, he stabbed a finger at my chest. “You can’t keep hiding from this.” He glanced over at where Tommy and Josh were now laughing and dropped his hand. “Neither of you can.”

I slammed my head into the trunk at my back as he walked away to gather his charges. I didn’t want Eric to be right, but wanting something rarely made it true. My gaze shifted to Josh saying goodbye to Tommy and Kale. Everything about his body language interacting with the two reaffirmed Eric’s argument.Eventually, I’d have to ruin Josh’s life in a whole other way, and I was running out of time to do it.

Chapter 16

Josh

Mytimewasup.It had run out while I slept, while I drowned in every tiny moment I could steal with Elijah, while I hid from the inevitable. Now the inevitable was here, and there was no running anymore. I glanced over my shoulder at where Elijah was passed out after yet another epic night lost in each other’s embrace. Gray tendrils fell across his face, an interesting contrast to his youthful tawny-colored complexion. His breathing remained deep and even, and his body was still curled around where I’d been nestled against him half an hour before.

Tempting fate, I brushed the hair from his face. He took a deeper breath when my fingers touched the smooth skin of hisforehead. I froze, and he let it back out again without stirring further. With a sigh, I withdrew my hand and stood up from my seat on the edge of the bed.

Why did I have to waste so much time? He’s going to be livid.

I swallowed hard and pulled the bathroom door shut. It was tempting to lock it, so I could finish without him asking what I was doing, but he’d gotten better about not following me everywhere, and I was pretty sure locking it would cause more concern, not less. Besides, if he came in anyway, then I’d have no choice but to explain myself. Which I had no idea how I would do without jeopardizing everything.