Chapter 65

Shirley

My question has still gone unanswered even days later. In fact, the last time I saw Keith was when we met in his office with the nanny, but upon hearing my question he had eventually thanked the woman, said goodnight, and excused himself.

I understand though. As I acknowledged before - I’d presented Keith with a whirlwind of information in mere hours, and now he’s probably trying to take it all in. Still, it makes me feel as though I’ve been left in the dark, causing me to do nothing but work and eventually go to sleep with a restless mind.

However, today I can’t stay cooped up inside. I need to get out and escape my thoughts a little - especially the memory of that fierce kiss as it tries to stay fresh in my mind. Only, I find for once I don’t care to venture around the town alone - I’d rather have someone tag along.

I consider Ruth at first, but she seems to be busy with her own tasks, considering I haven’t really seen her lately. I also think to ask Ron, but then decide I’d rather have some genuine girl time.

And that’s when I come up with a plan. I reach out to Kai, thankful that I have his number due to the company group chat. I ask him if he would mind giving me Gwen’s number, and he happily obliges.

Once I text her, she agrees immediately to a shopping trip, suggesting we meet up at the mall in an hour. I smile to myself as I approve and then I jump to text Warren next.

Exactly an hour later, Warren drops me off at the entrance of the mall. I can already see Gwen waiting for me by the doors, giving me a warm smile as I draw closer.

“Hey,” I say once I come to a stop. “Thanks for coming. I really needed a day out.”

“No problem,” she replies. “I was looking for an excuse to hang out again anyway.”

That has me smiling as we enter the mall, instantly joining the small crowds of people as we weave through to the better stores.

“How are things with the company going?” Gwen asks as we walk.

“Fine,” I say before shooting her a look. “Doesn’t Kai ever talk about his work?”

Gwen shrugs. “He does, but it’s fun to hear other people’s opinions. Especially when you’re the only woman in the room.”

I laugh at that. “Not the only woman,” I remind her. “Lily is usually there too.”

“Oh, yeah,” Gwen says dryly. “Lily.”

Again, I give a small laugh. “You really don’t like her, do you?” I can’t ignore how she seemed to have a similar reaction the last time I’d seen her, though I can’t blame her. Lily isn’t exactly my favorite person either.

“I don’t,” Gwen says, shaking her head. “A lot of people put her up on a pedestal and she doesn’t deserve it.”

“I can see that,” I reply, thinking of the way a lot of other wolves smiled at her with adoration. Even her brother, Ron, spoke about her as if she could do no wrong.

“She even had a drunk driving incident a few years back and walked away without a swat on the wrist,” Gwen tells me, causing my eyes to grow wide.

“What?” I ask. “Does Keith know about that?”

“No,” she states. “From what I heard, her family had the whole thing covered up. She thinks she’s untouchable.”

Goddess. Lily really was a whole other level of awful. Apparently Ralph wasn’t the only one of Keith’s friends pulling the wool over the Alpha’s eyes.

No, I tell myself. We’re not thinking about Ralph or that whole situation today. We’re having fun.

Bouncing back, I change the subject as I point to a store that quickly grabs my interest. Gwen is more than happy to go inside, leaving us to veer off and go through the front door.

As we shop together, Gwen makes me laugh as she holds up some of the most hideous pieces she can find before I begin to toss jackets and tops at her that I think would compliment her red hair and tanned skin. She even hums at one navy piece, immediately deciding to buy it.

Gwen and I continue to enjoy our afternoon that way, sharing pleasant moments as we discuss horrible fashion choices we made in our teens. Once we’ve made a decent dent in our wallets, we decide to go up to the food court to get something to eat.

However, as we’re going up the escalator, I feel my phone go off, causing me to pull it out. My eyes nearly light up as I see it’s a text from Keith, causing me to quickly open it. Only, I’m disappointed when it’s just a text about a meeting the following day.

“Something wrong?” Gwen asks.

“Oh no,” I tell her as I look up, putting my phone away. “Just a text from Keith…about business.”

Gwen’s lips press together as she studies me. “How are things going with Keith? I mean, staying in his house and all?”

“Good, I think,” I say, though I release a sigh.

“You think?” Gwen questions.

“Oh, I just feel bad about taking up space,” I tell her, not admitting the other reasoning behind my answer. “He hardly knows me, you know? I don’t want to be an inconvenience.”

Gwen hums at my words. “I don’t know…” she begins. “Something tells me that you know each other better than you think.”

I stare at her, blinking as I watch a small smile fall on her lips. And then she winks at me.

“I have a gift for intuition,” she tells me then, causing my lips to fall open. But then I’m smiling, realizing that she’s beat me at my own game. I try to piece together a reply, but I find one never fully forms as something else catches my attention.

We’ve just reached the top of the escalator only to stumble across someone standing near the top. However, he isn’t looking toward us. He's leaning against a pillar, checking out the crowds.

It’s the man I’ve seen out on the town streets twice before - Ralph’s “friend.” Seeing him here has caught me quite off guard, strangely making me nervous as I try to keep up with Gwen’s unfaltering steps.

And just as we pass him, I have to tear my eyes away, trying to put him out of my mind as Gwen begins to suggest a place to eat.

However, I swear I can feel the man’s eyes at my back.

~

When I return home that night, the house is quiet. I figure I’m the only one home, making me head straight to my room to drop my bags and finally get off my feet. However, when I reach my door, I find that it’s already open.

And once I step through, I discover Keith sitting on the edge of my bed.

“What are you doing here?” I ask, causing him to look up from his hands as I set down my bags.

“Waiting for you,” he replies and I’m almost knocked off my feet by his honesty. However, I keep myself steady instead.

“What do you need?” I ask.

“Not sure,” Keith admits, standing from the bed. “I guess I figured we should talk.”

I nod as he slips his hands into his pockets, both of us remaining on opposite sides of the room. He’s right - we probably should talk. But the question is…what should we talk about? The truth that I’ve spilled? The kiss we shared? How it seems we’ve been avoiding each other?

I wait as the questions swirl around in my head, deciding to let him take the lead considering he came to find me. And Keith seems to take the hint.

“I still haven’t talked to Ralph,” he admits to me. “Or done anything about what you told me.”

I nod at him.

“I just…I don’t know what to say or do,” he says. “I’ve spent the last two days trying to stomach the fact that he’s not the person I thought he was, that my childhood friendship is ruined.”

My gaze grows tender as he speaks. I feel sorry for Keith - I really do. I don’t know what I would do if I found out Jean had done such terrible things behind my back. My whole world would come crashing down.

And maybe that’s what Keith is experiencing. Because for once I feel as if I can read him - though only a little. There’s a sliver of remorse over his features that has me moving toward him. Once I’m at his side, I put my hand on his arm.

“I understand,” I tell him gently. “I know it might not mean anything, and you still don’t trust me…but I’m here for you if you need anything.”

Keith soaks in my words, his throat bobbing with a harsh swallow as he acknowledges my touch. With one shuffle of his foot, he’s facing me, causing my heartbeat to become louder in my ears.

Especially as I swear the space between us becomes smaller, his hand eventually coming up to brush hair out of my face. For whatever reason, I want to lean my cheek toward his palm, my head dizzy with his scent as I remember how his hands felt on my waist. Or how his lips felt against mine…

And maybe Keith is thinking about the same thing because now he’s even closer - I can feel his breath against my lips.

But I want it closer. I want it tickling me until he inevitably closes the distance and meets me with harsh kisses again. I want to lose myself in Keith again.

And I swear that I will as I sense his arms beginning to wrap around me, making me faintly question how we’ve found ourselves here again. But I don’t care. All I care about is being kissed.

But Keith’s lips never find mine.

Instead, we’re jumping away from each other as we hear the front door fly open, steps coming down the hallway. And then we’re both blinking toward the doorway as someone appears.

“Kai?” Keith questions as we take in the man’s frantic state. “What’s going on?”

“You have to help me, Keith,” the man says between gasps, his eyes scattered as he speaks. “Another she-wolf has been taken.”

“Who?” Keith practically growls.

And then I watch as Kai’s eyes fill with tears, causing bile to run up my throat before he even speaks.

“Gwen….they took Gwen.”