I really thought I’d get through the meal without anything awful happening, but fate had other ideas.
Beatrice and I were just dumping our plates in the trash and walking them over to the sink when Aubrey saw me. She switched off the water and turned to face me, hands on her ample hips.
“Well, if it isn’t Callie McCoy. Finally decided to show your face?”
My spine instantly stiffened at her tone, my hands fisting on their own. “I’ve been away. Not that I have to answer to you.”
I turned around to leave, which in werewolf culture is the ultimate insult. It meant I didn’t care enough about her to finish the conversation. It meant she wasn’t worth my time. And mostly, it meant I thought she was so weak and insignificant that I didn’t need to keep an eye on her. I could be vulnerable and give her my back because I didn’t fear her at all.
Powerful meaning for such a simple action, but it did the job.
“You bitch! Turn around and look me in the eye and tell me you ratted me out to Wyatt! Admit you’re so pathetic you need to make up stories to make yourself look better!”
I spun around slowly, my hands already trembling. “Excuse me?”
She took a step closer, bringing her bitter lemon scent with her. “You heard me. Just admit you’re a loser and need to make me look bad to get to Wyatt because that’s the only way you’ll get him.”
The trembling was in my legs now as I desperately fought off my wolf. I hadn’t lost control and shifted since I was thirteen and my sister stained my favorite shirt. I was grown now. There was no excuse for losing control.
“Aubrey, you better keep your opinions to yourself before I make you keep them to yourself. I don’t know what kind of fantasy land you’re living in, but I don’t think that much about you and I’m not threatened by you. If I wanted Wyatt, I wouldn’t need to make you look bad to do it.”
“So, you’re not only a pathetic loser, you’re also a liar.”
“What did I lie about?!” I asked as I threw my hands in the air.
I really didn’t want to be having this conversation, but the fact that what she was saying didn’t make sense was bothering me. We’d never been best friends, but we’d also never had a confrontation like this. What could have happened to make her so mad?
All I knew was she better get to the point quickly because I was running out of patience.
She took another step closer and lowered her voice. Not that it mattered much. Every single eye in the kitchen was on us, the room silent and still as we all waited to see where this would lead. I knew no one would interfere though. I’m sure my sisters were all biting their tongues, but they’d hold their ground. This was my fight and they’d let me handle it.
“You told Wyatt what I said about him being a half-breed. You had to have. You’re the only one I said it to. And then you went and blabbed to him to make yourself look better, but he still sent you away so he could talk to me. I guess your little plan didn’t work and now you just look sad.”
This again.
“I didn’t tell him anything. He heard you himself, you half-wit,” I spat between gritted teeth. “I don’t need to make you look bad, you do a good enough job of that on your own. And I don’t care that Wyatt wanted to talk to you instead of me. For all I care, you can have each other. I don’t want anything to do with either one of you. I just want to be left out of it and left alone.”
“What did you just call me?” she asked slowly.
“Do you have a hearing problem, or are you having trouble understanding?”
We were practically nose to nose now, and I was seconds away from shifting. It would only take the slightest provocation and my wolf would take over.
“Listen here, you princess bitch. I don’t give a shit who your brother is. You call me stupid one more time and I’ll make you regret it.”
“Is it only stupid you don’t want to be called? Or would moronic, imbecilic, and simple also trigger you?”
She growled low in her chest before using both hands to push me backward. I caught my balance quickly, but the damage had been done. The vibrating reached its peak, and with one loud crack, my clothes ripped off my back and I landed on all four paws.
I caught Aubrey in my sight and growled, ready to go for her throat.
Chapter 25
Callie
“Ladies! That’s enough!”
I wasn’t sure who was talking, but it didn’t matter. All I cared about in that moment was eliminating my enemy, and right then, that was Aubrey. It took a little longer, but her body started contorting too, and soon she stood before me a light brown wolf, teeth already bared.
Once she was fully shifted, she wasted no time pouncing toward me. I met her advance with a swipe of my paw before barreling into her.
We went rolling across the kitchen’s tiled floor, claws and teeth catching anything they could find. When we finally came to a stop, she was on top of me, but not for long. I wedged my hind legs between us and kicked, sending her flying away from me. She slammed into the sliding glass door, making it shake violently.
Aubrey growled and came running at me again. With plenty of time, I reached out a paw, raking my nails down her face while also lunging far enough away that she couldn’t touch me. She howled in pain as
