~ RIG ~
‘Don’t hate me, Rig, please, don’t hate me. He was going to—’
I was so stunned, and so angry, it took me a second to pry my head out of Natalie’s grip. But before I could even curse, before I’d even properly straightened, my father’s voice boomed from the dancefloor.
“It’s about time you two stopped playing games!”
I sucked in a breath and told myself I had to loosen my grip on Natalie’s arms, not break them, as the crowd around us roared.
Whoops and hollers rang through the ballroom and over the applause as all of the gathered wolves turned their attention to me and Natalie because my father—my fucking father!—had swung an arm wide to
~ RIG ~“You bastard!”Forgetting Natalie completely, I launched myself across the room, towards Mack, only the tiniest voice in the back of my head screaming that Cara was there and I couldn’t show my wolf!A guttural snarl tore out of my throat and my hands clawed as I went for my oldest friend, who smirked.But Cara shoved Mack aside and stepped between us just as I reached for him and every instinct in my body yanked me to a halt. I couldn’t hurt my mate. Couldn’t touch her in anger.My chest heaved and rasped, “Get out of the way, Cara.”“Don’t tell me what to do you lying fucking cheater!” she shrilled.
~ RIG ~ Natalie gasped as Mack tumbled across the floor, legs flying until he hit the ground with an “Oof!” He’d been caught by surprise, but it didn’t last. He hadn’t even stopped tumbling when he turned the sprawl into a roll and sprang back to his feet, growling, sinking into a defensive stance, hands low and teeth bared. “What the fuck is wrong with you?!” “You are!” I snarled, my voice more than half the growl of my wolf. “It was a fucking bet, Rig! A bet! Why would you—” “She’s not just a bet!” Mack blinked, his eyes widening, then he spluttered a humorless laugh. “Holy shit… you’re catching feelings for a human?!”
~ CARA ~Something was wrong. Something was really, really wrong.As Charlie silently ushered me out of the hotel and into the parking lot, towards the massive, extended-cab truck that he drove, my entire body shook. And not just with tears.Oh, I was crying. But it was rage that shoved the tears over my lashes and down my cheeks, and fury that made my hands sweat.My head spun with it, and my chest was tight. I panted short, shallow breaths and my jaw was clenched so tight I was afraid I’d crack my teeth.I was furious.And heartbroken.And my
~ RIG ~I stormed out of the room, stabbing a finger on my phone to call Charlie because he was out of range of the link.Jack had made sure they’d made it out of the neighborhood without being followed, then returned while I was still working out the plan. Now he, Mack and Natalie were all behind me, getting ready to return to the ballroom to make sure no one had seen or heard anything suspicious. They’d cover for my departure by telling anyone who asked that I was just taking a phone call.But I hoped… I hoped I was going to do far more than that.“Charlie?” I growled when my best friend picked up. “Where is she?”“I just dropped her off at the house. She didn’t want me
~ RIG ~I pulled my now sobbing sister into my chest and held her while she shook, trying desperately to stifle her cries so no one would hear her. But even as I stroked her hair and held her tightly, my mind spun and fear screamed through me.Was it possible she was right? Had she really uncovered the truth I hadn’t been able to find about our brother’s death?No. There was no way. No way our father would have killed Stephen. He had been our father’s pride and joy! Dad had never stopped bragging about him. I had always been so jealous…But then, as I turned the events of those weeks before Stephen’s death over in my head, the things that had always made me uneasy started to click together…
~ RIG ~Kissing Natalie turned my stomach. Everything in my body revolted, shoved at me to throw her aside and back away, but I forced myself to sustain the kiss as long as I could, keeping my face relaxed. At least they’d misinterpret my shaking hands.Around us, cheers and whoops rose for the second time that night, but as I pulled away, Natalie’s eyes wide and following me, I only stared at her.She could feel it in me, I was certain.We’d been close before. We knew each other. She’d know that kiss held nothing but disgust for her.For a moment I saw the sadness shadow her eyes, but then she blinked, and it was as if a switch had been flipped. Her eyes grew heated. She ducked her chin and looked up
~ CARA ~Half an hour after barricading myself in my room, I had wiped my eyes and gotten myself together. I didn’t have much time. My father was passed out, but I could hear my mother crying and fussing downstairs. If he didn’t wake soon, she’d cave and start trying to revive him. That meant I had to get out of there.So I took a deep breath and pushed to my feet, pulling my bag up onto the bed and opening it. This might be the last time I stepped foot in this room. I had to make certain I didn’t leave anything important.The truth was, there wasn’t much for me to take. A few books. My old journals. And the quilt my late grandmother had made for me.I didn’t want any of the things that smelled like this place, or reminded me of my yea
~ CARA ~“Cara, thank god. I’m—”His voice on the other end of the phone made something inside me rush and swirl—but right behind that initial euphoria, was a pang so acute, I had to bite my lip. I couldn’t listen to his sudden, hurried assurances—all the lies he wanted me to believe. I interrupted him and kept my voice as toneless as possible.“I don’t want to hear it, Rig.”“But—”“I don’t need an explanation. There isn’t one. I’m not calling to make up with you. I’m… I’m disgusted by you and that… I can’t believe you turned me into a bet!”