Chapter 87: Sadie: Third On The Menu

SADIE

I peek at Ezra’s mother from behind Trey and realize expecting him to be a decent person may have been ambitious. With his father and this woman raising him, who was going to teach him how to treat people? Unless someone slipped a lesson into his breakfast, I can see how he missed it.

Until now, I wouldn’t have thought there was an upside to not knowing my parents, but Celia has me reconsidering. I’ve spent years wondering what I missed out on, and I’d be very annoyed to find out it was something like this.

She frowns. "Ezra did—"

"Luna."

I glance down the hallway, where an older woman is hurrying toward us. She bows to Celia, then to Trey, but hey, I’m chopped liver, so she doesn’t bother with me.

"Forgive the interruption, Luna. There’s something that needs your attention," she says.

I hope it needs her attention somewhere far from this doorway. At this point, I’d be happy with another pack.

Celia turns to her, and the woman leans closer to whisper the rest. After a brief exchange, she steps back and walks away, leaving Celia free to return her attention to us. So much for hoping she had somewhere better to be.

She looks around Trey to find me. "You. Step out from behind him."

With a small exhale, I try to move past him, but he blocks me. When I go left, he follows.

"Trey, move aside," she warns.

"I’ll tell you what you need to know." He doesn’t budge. "Your son rejected his mate. I’m assuming he kept that shit to himself. If that’s all, we were busy before you interrupted."

He starts to close the door, but Celia plants a hand against it. "Don’t provoke me, Trey. It’s this omega who’ll suffer for it."

Okay, she’s more insufferable than I thought.

"Ma’am." I shove Trey aside enough to speak to her. "I am—"

"It’s Luna to you," she cuts in, looking me over from head to toe as though I’m standing shoulder-deep in poop. "Coming into my home uninvited is enough of a mistake for one day."

I swallow, my fingers tightening. "We’ve never met before."

"All the more reason you should feel ashamed of this display." Her gaze slides to Trey, then back at me. "I know you are or were Ezra’s mate, so I won’t ask what’s going on here. I’d be too disgusted to hear it."

Talk about selective morality. The side chick of the century has concerns about my choices. I’m surprised Ezra even told her about me.

"Ezra rejected me, ma’am." Luna isn’t happening, especially with Trey beside me. "It’s been more than two weeks, and we’ve both moved on with our lives. I hope you understand."

Her nose wrinkles. "I can certainly see why he did that. Ezra has always been very particular. He has no tolerance for cheap, stubborn, and unresourceful people."

I open my mouth, but Trey beats me to it.

"Then he must fucking hate you."

He turns toward me, his hands closing around my waist to pull me nearer. I look up, but his attention stays on Celia, his jaw clenched. Whatever I was going to say can wait. His answer is better anyway.

"Coming here is one thing. Insulting Sadie is another. If you want a repeat of last year, try it again." He glances past her. "No guards this time, either. Those cameras you installed won’t do shit if you’re..." He makes a small poof sound. "Gone."

For a moment, Celia looks scared. She tries to hide it, but I’ve already noticed, and I look between them, wondering what happened last year.

She forces a smile. "The Alpha will be back tomorrow. You’d better be gone by then."

Then she turns and prances away in her long red dress. I can still see the gold on her wrists and around her neck halfway down the hallway, so at least she won’t be sneaking back up on us. Once she disappears around the corner, Trey guides me inside and shuts the door.

When he turns to me, the displeasure on his face lets me know I haven’t escaped being told off.

"I told you to stay put."

"She obviously wasn’t going to leave until she saw your guest."

"I would’ve made her leave." He rubs his nose. "Now that she’s seen you, do you think she’ll just let it slide? Celia’s crafty, okay?"

I understand she’s not a good person. She’s been very helpful in clearing that up. But isn’t Ezra better off with Paige, who’s a Lycan? His mother should be pleased, and I should be enjoying the benefits of no longer being her problem.

"It’s not like they can force me to go back to Ezra." My shoulders lift in a shrug. "Whatever she comes up with, I’m sure I can handle it."

He closes the distance and cups my face. "You’re getting stubborn."

"I’m just—"

"I’m used to them, Sadie. That’s why I’m telling you. You wouldn’t even know what hit you."

Heat creeps into my cheeks while he holds them, and there goes my attempt to look like someone who has everything under control.

"Then protect me."

He tilts his head. "I charge a lot."

"I’m sure I can afford it. How much?"

"Two hundred bucks a minute."

My mouth falls open before I smack him. "A minute? Are you that greedy? What kind of capitalist heart do you have?"

"You’re forgetting I’m the heir." He scoffs, gesturing around the room with a pride that really doesn’t need my encouragement. "This body is precious. Even the hair on my head is worth millions."

Trying not to laugh only works for a second, and my hand barely reaches my mouth before it escapes.

"That sounded so weird coming from you." Still shaking my head, I wait until I can speak without laughing. "But seriously, does she always do that? Target you?"

He ruffles his hair. "She’s trying to get me out of the way so her son can become heir. I can handle her."

"Like you did last year?" My brow arches. "What happened?"

He shakes his head. "You were picking up every fucking word, weren’t you?"

"Was I supposed to stop listening halfway through?" Celia’s face is still fresh in my mind. "She looked scared, Trey. What happened?"

He shrugs . "I lost control of Trex. Almost mauled her."

"Trex?"

"My wolf. He’s wanted to eat her for years."

My lips part, but nothing comes out. For a heartbeat, I wait for a laugh or something that tells me I’ve taken that the wrong way. He seems perfectly comfortable leaving it there, though, and my stomach starts to turn.

Eat her. As in, actually eat her?

Having never shifted, I can’t claim to know everything my wolf might want, but surely we’ll agree on not eating people. I’m willing to make a few adjustments when she arrives and finding out what a person tastes like isn’t one of them.

Bile rises in my throat before I can work out what to ask first.

"You look like you’re about to throw up." Trey says.

"Your wolf eats people?" I lift a hand over my mouth.

What if he gets annoyed with me one day and decides it’s my turn? Is this something other people worry about? I’ve never asked Lola about her wolf’s diet, but surely she would’ve mentioned if being chomped up was a possibility.

"Trex is offended by your hostility," Trey informs me. "He’s very fond of you."

I straighten, still feeling sick. "Is... is he thinking of eating me now?"

He laughs as he steps closer. "He hasn’t eaten anybody. Okay, once. I was seventeen, and I threw up for a whole fucking week every time I remembered it. We’re not doing that again."

"But it almost happened last year." My voice drops to a whisper.

"You should’ve seen what Celia did to piss him off." He tips his head toward me. "Relax. You’re first on his friends list. Even Nash and Walker are below you."

Before I can get too comfortable with that information, he smiles.

"Make that third. He says you’ll need to pet him if you want your spot back."

I lick my lips, wondering how far I’ve actually fallen. "How many people are on this friends list?"

"Three."

"W-what?" I splutter.

"Three," he repeats. "He’s granted immunity to three people."

"And I’m at the bottom of the list right now?" I press a hand to my chest, and he nods.

That is one scary wolf, though his bond partner isn’t much better. Wolves are matched to their people based on personality, so I’m starting to question that story about throwing up for a week. These two seem to get along just fine, and now they want me to pet my way back up a list I didn’t even know existed.

"How am I supposed to pet him?" The fact that I’m asking should count toward getting my spot back. "Will you shift, or...?"

Trey brings his face closer. "You can pet me. He’ll feel it," he whispers. "We’re a package deal."

"So what? I stroke your hair? That’s not—"

He scoops me off the floor before I can finish, and my hands catch at his shoulders.

"Trey, what are you—?"

He carries me to the bed, and the mattress dips as we land, his body settling over mine before I can finish the question.

With him this close, all I can do is look at him. His breath brushes my face, and my fingers stay curled against his shoulder. It’s hard to remember what I wanted to ask when his mouth is this close and he seems in no hurry to use it.

Then his gaze moves slowly down to my chest, and warmth spreads through me.

"First step." He says slowly. "Get me in the mood."

His mouth crashes into mine, and the kiss is rough against my already bruised lips, but my hands slide into his hair. I can’t get enough of it, which makes it unfair when he pulls back before I’m ready.

"You’ve got me hooked." He pauses, watching me while I steady my breath. "Two. Do you know what’s going to happen next, Sadie?"

After a moment’s hesitation, I shake my head.

Keeping up with what’s happening now is difficult enough, though somewhere beneath all this, I remember we’re supposed to be taking things slow. We are, right? Fast means naked, and we’re still wearing clothes, so I think we’re doing fine.

His hands slide slowly beneath my shirt, and the first touch sends shivers across my skin. My breath catches, but his hands keep moving lower until a small pop tells me my jeans are unbuttoned.