Page 20 of A Pack of Lies and a Big Bad Wolf

Packing tape. On leather. The adhesive has gone amber and bled into the spine, and whoever did this is lucky I don't know their name, because there is no statute of limitations in my heart.

"You're petting the books."

I jump about a foot. Peyton is standing in the doorway with an armload of notebooks, watching me with an amused smile.

"I'm assessing the books," I say with dignity, which would land better if my hand weren't literally resting on the herbal the way you'd rest it on a sick friend's arm.

"Nobody comes in here but healers." She sets her notebooks on the table. "All our old remedy books live in this room. Half of them we're afraid to open anymore — the pages come away in your hand."

"They don't have to." It's out of my mouth before I've decided to say it, and then I'm at the shelf pulling the cracked-hinge ledger. "This one would take an afternoon. It needs a new hinge, toned to match, you'd never see the repair. The red rot needs consolidating before it spreads to its neighbors. The herbal needs washing and resewing, that's real work, that's weeks. And the tape—" I have to breathe through the tape part. "The tape can be removed. Slowly. By someone who isn't an animal."

Peyton is looking at me with interest now.

"I'm a bookbinder," I admit. "I mean, as a hobby. Well, I was." She cocks her head. "I had a full bindery back in Mississippi. I sold the tools before I came here.”

“Why?” She gives me a puzzled look. “It’s clear that you loved your work.”

I make myself put the ledger back on the shelf, square to the edge.

“It just seemed like the thing to do at the time.” I shrug. My financial situation is embarrassing and not up for discussion.

"Huh," Peyton says.

“Anyway, I should go. I need coffee, and then I want to go check on my brother.” I give the books one last regretful look before I leave.

Chapter 9

Kieran

My wolf is doing the smug happy dance this morning, and for once, I have to agree with the unruly animal. Life is good. My mate will be back again tonight. The fact that she’s denied it is hilarious.

“Sir, the smile on your face is genuinely alarming.” Teresa gives me a worried look. “Also, you haven’t refused anyone’s requests this morning. Are you feeling all right?”

I smile and recline in my comfortable leather office chair. Teresa is sitting in a chair angled to face mine, taking notes and squinting at me suspiciously. “You’re doing a wonderful job, Teresa. Have I ever told you that?”

Her eyes widen. “You’ve been hexed.”

I chuckle. “Your concern is touching. It’s so good of you to care. You care about everyone, don’t you? When was the last time I gave you a raise?”

“That’s it!” She leaps to her feet. “I’m calling your sister.” She frowns. “Oh, wait, she’s busy with Stephen right now. I can call in the other healers or wait til she’s done.” She actually walks behind the desk and puts her wrist on my forehead. “No temperature. Have you eaten anything different recently? Accepted foods from strangers?”

I bark out a laugh at her, then give her a puzzled look. “Why is my sister with Stephen right now? She already evaluated him.”

Teresa shrugs. “She needed to do some additional tests.”

Fine, I’ll circle back to that later.

There’s a knock on the door, and Peyton walks in. “Good morning, Alpha. I just need to run some numbers by you for the cost of the new booth decorations for our market stall.”

“Whatever you think is best.” I shrug.

Peyton shakes her head in amusement. “My goodness, consummating with your fated mate certainly agrees with you.”

“Oh! That’s it!” Teresa throws her hands up in exasperation. “That explains the personality transplant! I thought he’d been bewitched.”

“Right?” Peyton shakes her head, an amused smile curling her lips. “That smile on his face is genuinely frightening.”

“Excuse me,” I say in annoyance. “I’m sitting right here. I am the Alpha. I can end people. Also, how did you know?” I demand of Peyton.