Chapter 0199
+25 BONU
How was it possible that she could tell I’d gone for the hunt by merely looking at me?
Delight spread over her face, making her eyes gleam as she came to stand in front of me.
“Yes,” she breathed again.
As I looked at her, only one thought echoed in my head.
A werewolf like me.
“It was Jet, wasn’t it?” She asked excitedly. “He took you back for the hunt.”
“How can you tell?”
The fact that she could, the new feeling inside me, these things proved everything Jake revealed last night.
Sara clenched her lips at my question, perhaps calling to mind that she was supposed to be secretive. I waited, wondering how she would save herself this time.
“I’m like you, Jane. That’s how I can tell,” she replied truthfully.
“C’mon, let’s go inside.”
I had another question. But what was the point? I already confirmed that Jake was not messing with me. I had known for a long, long time now that Sara and I were indeed alike.
I also knew that she wouldn’t say more than that, especially not here at our workplace. She would be as reticent as ever. Careful not to leak the secret to a human.
As we entered the elevator, I wanted to mention the big W word so much but also dreaded doing so.
Other people joined us, erasing the temptation to open my mouth. Soon, we reached our office floor. As we exited the lift, the questioning began in hushed whispers: >
“So did he tell you anything else? The meaning of the hunt? What to expect in a month or so?”
He, who?
Right. She assumed Jet was the guy who went with me.
“He told me most of it,” I replied. “The full moon and werewolf part.”
I watched her face for a reaction. It was all delight and joy.
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Chapter 0199
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“I really want to say congratulations, but you look scared,” she said, the look in her eyes were a mix of excitement and genuine concern. “You shouldn’t be. It’s gonna be okay.”
What I did last night was a big deal in her world, huh?
Well, scared was an understatement. I had mixed feelings. They were many. Dread and anticipation were among. Add to them was the sunken feeling about what happened between Jake and I afterwards.
Sara was still talking. Something about the fact that she had to go to the city, but she would definitely be around often. She may actually have to quit working at the council by the end of the month. Maybe she would take a job at the new park, working alongside Aylin Carlisle.
Wait, who Carlisle?
Jake’s mother or wife?
Great, now I was being downright ridiculous.
The man can’t be married to two people at the same time, Jane.
“Again, nothing is decided yet. It’s not cast in stone,” Sara went on.
“Aylin Carlisle, you say,” I cut in. “Who’s that?”
How did I sneak in my real question? How did I get her to talk about Jake without seeming too interested?
“Yeah, I doubt you know her,” she remarked. “She’s new in town. You’ll probably meet her soon cuz she’ll be sticking around for a while. So you and Jet, huh. I saw the odd look he gave you yesterday.”
“It’s nothing. I met someone, like I said. If anything, Jet and I will just be friends.”
“Oh. But did he make a move?”
Wait, now she was eager for gossip? Since when was THE Sara James interested in my personal life? The girl I knew would never pursue this type of conversation.
It took me a while to learn that she avoided all boyfriend gossips so that she didn’t have to talk about Alex’s dad. Well, that was in the past now, wasn’t it?
Nick Reign was back in her life and here to stay. He was spoiling her so much that she was eager to talk about him too, I’d bet.
“I’m meeting him for lunch,” I said with a sigh. “But just lunch.”
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Chapter 0199
Her eyes widened as she smiled knowingly.
“That’s a start. Or maybe last night was the start. He’s not bad, Jane, honest. In fact, he’s great. A royalty, but without all of the responsibilities and troubles. I think you two would be good together.”
I deposited myself in the seat across from her and reached for my phone. How could Jake not show up in the house? Would he call this morning to scold me about the kiss?
“So who’s this other guy you met?” Sara interrupted my thought.
I opened my mouth to lie when another question followed.
“How long will he be in town? Excuse me, but I just can’t picture you doing long distance relationship at all. Hey, what did you hunt last night?”
“Sara,” someone called.
Oh, thank God.
It was Jeremy Colt, our boss, to my rescue. How would answer any of those questions without a slip–up?
“You got flowers,” the boss announced. He’d just come in too.
Sara’s eyes lit up some more.
“Someone from the resort delivered it. Archer’s in reception. I saw him having a look before they send it up.”
Archer? That name rang a bell. Yup. Sara’s bodyguard.
She nodded knowingly at the boss as her cell phone started to ring.
“They’re checking the flowers sent to you?” I scoffed.
“There’s a reason for that. I’ll tell you soon,” she replied absently.
Her focus was on her phone screen. The look in her eyes revealed who was calling. It had to be the same person who sent the flowers.
My gaze moved to my phone on my desk as she stood up. No call or text from the hubby. Not even an email of the copy he said he would send. Maybe he forgot. Again.
Should I call him? But where was the courage and what would I even say?
****
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Chapter 0199
At lunch, Sara offered to drive me to meet with Jet. I was eager to see him to put last night behind me. We met at a local restaurant near the hotel Jake first took me for coffee.
“I see your prelim hunt went well. You should be feeling great,” he said once we were seated.
Prelim hunt, huh. That’s what it was. And he could tell too. Asking how he knew would be redundant.
“You said you’re making friends, so here I am,” I replied, redirecting the topic elsewhere.
“Sara says you’re royalty.”
He gave a brief laugh before joking,
“Yeah I left my crown at home, so I’m afraid you can’t see it today.”
When I rolled my eyes, he sucked in a deep breath. Resting his arms on the table, his expression grew serious as he said,
“You know, many years ago, my father took us to New Orleans on a holiday. The mardi gras, to be precise. I’m guessing that’s where I saw you.”
“I have never lived in New Orleans,” I replied with a frown.
Because my mother had.
“Is your grandfather’s name Didier? He ran a gift shop within hotel du Cap–Ferrat. Didier
Royale, I think, is the name of the shop?”
