Page 36 of Scheme
Kit: Are you avoiding Violet because of me?This is the second Monday night dinner you’ve missed.
I tapped my thumbnail against the screen, debating whether or not to reply. It would be a lot easier to stay mad if Kit didn’t appear to be genuinely contrite. He’d also won over Asher in their five-minute interaction, and now I had my brother pestering me about Kit as well.
Ugh, plus he was still showing up to scentmark my house. And he’d been nice to the Clarksons downstairs.Andhe hadn’t told Nico and Violet about my brother when I’d asked him not to.
He also hadn’t mentioned the looming deadline of my nana’s birthday party and Dad’s stupid ultimatum.
It was really rude of Kit to be so considerate after he’d basically called me a scheming omega to my face.
Me: You think awfully highly of yourself.
Kit: I’ll take that as a yes.
I scoffed silently, locking my phone screen.Stupid, cocky alpha.
“Kev said he’s running late,” Michelle said in apology, heading back into the room with her eyes glued to her phone, a still sniffling Luna trailing behind her. “He said he can still give you a lift home but it might not be for a couple of hours.”
“Oh, tell him not to worry.” I unlocked my phone again, debating whether or not to take the train or call a cab. It really wasn’tthatlate, and it was all one train line to my place…
Kit: Don’t avoid Violet because of me. Preferably, don’t avoid me either, though I get why you are. I’ll go out next Monday so you can be assured of a Kit-free evening at Nico and Violet’s.
“I’ll take the train,” I said decisively, suddenly eager for some fresh air.
“Oh, are you sure?” Michelle twisted her fingers nervously. “It’s so dark out—”
“It’s really fine. You’re only five minutes from the station.”
“Yes, but it’s at least double that walk on your end,” she pointed out, lips pursed in disapproval. “I’ll call Kev, see if I can hurry him along.”
“No, no, I insist. I can always get a cab up the road from the station.”
I wouldn’t, but Michelle didn’t need to be stressing about me when she was already at the end of her rope looking after the three kids alone.
She hurried over, easily plucking Freya from my arms without much effort to avoid waking her, though Freya didn’t stir. I headed for the entryway, grabbing my denim jacket off the stand and shrugging it on before slipping my feet into my flats.
Michelle exhaled. “You’ll message me when you get home, won’t you?”
“Absolutely.”
I bent down, giving Luna an apology hug for not supporting her evil revenge plans, before giving Michelle a quick air kiss. Shouldering my purse, I let myself out into the surprisingly warm night air.
Michelle’s neighbourhood looked much like mine—rows upon rows of Victorian terrace houses—though she was a little closer to one of the forests, and there was more greenery around here.
I pulled my phone out of my bag to check the time, finding Kit’s name flashing across the screen.
“Impatient, aren’t you?” I said by way of greeting. “I was going to reply.”
“You were taking too long. I don’t have much in the way of alpha instincts—”That was a lie, though I didn’t think it was a conscious one. He was just out of touch with them“—but between you and Violet—who was sad all through dinner—I’m feeling like I need to urgently… I don’t know. Fix things. Make things better, somehow.”
“It’s really fine, Kit. There’s nothing to fix. Violet is sad because I told her about my brother. And I’m not sad. I’m not anything—” A car sped past, and I paused for a moment before I continued so he’d be able to hear me. “We put this whole thing to rest the other day—”
“What was that?”he interrupted.“That sound.”
“What sound?”
“It sounded like a car.”
“Oh. A car. We can continue this conversation later—I guess? I don’t really think we need to—I just got to the station—”
