Chapter 84: Mate

Cruz came to the door of the Clinic to get Bailey but wouldn't come in. "Ready?" he asked her, ignoring me. If there's one thing I hate, it's being intentionally avoided. But that was beside the point.

Bailey nodded, smiling sweetly. "Let me just get my things." She disappeared into the back for a moment.

"You okay, Cruz?" I asked, noticing that he wouldn't even look at me.

I was surprised. When I first met him, and he brought me to the Blood Moon Choosing ceremony, he had three girls when I left. I found it hard to believe that things could change that much between us and that drastically over just one kiss that night before I met Elias and Xander.

He shrugged. "Okay."

Just then, Bailey bounced from the back of the Clinic, her eyes bright. "Ready?"

Cruz nodded, giving her his signature impish smile. "As ready as I'll ever be."

"Have fun!" I chirped, my voice a bit too cheerful, even to my own ears.

Bailey waved over her shoulder and then headed out. Then Cruz waved, too, smiling. At