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“No, really. Thanks for the update.”

I scrub a hand down my face and turn away before I make it worse, because I will. I know myself well enough to know that when I’m rattled, pissed, and hard from one stupid kiss, the next thing out of my mouth probably won’t help anybody.

“I’m gonna go load the feed.”

“Great. Go manhandle a bag of pellets. Seems on brand.”

I almost turn back, but I don’t.

The tailgate rattles harder than necessary when I yank it open, and the first feed bag hits the truck bed with enough force to make dust jump. I keep my back to the truck because if I look at her right now, I am going to see that closed-off look again, and I’m not sure what the hell I’ll do with it.

Behind me, Autumn mutters, “Fucking asshole.”

Yeah. Fair.

Chapter

Twenty-One

Autumn

I wake up sweaty, and not a cute sweaty either. The gross kind where the blanket somehow feels too heavy, and is twisted around my legs while heat sticks to my skin like somebody cranked the thermostat up overnight just to piss me off. My tank top clings to my back, hair damp at the base of my neck, and the second I shove the blanket off, cooler air hits hard enough that I almost groan.

“Jesus Christ,” I mutter, dragging a hand over my face.

The room smells faintly of detergent, but underneath it, black cherry and almond hangs sweet enough that my nose wrinkles before I even sit up. Something uncomfortable sits low in my stomach in a way I don’t know how to explain yet, and the second I shift my legs, awareness crawls across my skin like my body suddenly decided to become deeply annoying overnight.

Not today.

My phone lands in my hand before I’m fully awake, thumb already pulling up missed calls, even though I know exactly what I’m gonna see.

Nothing.

Still nothing from Hunter.

Still nothing from Gidge.

I stare at the screen for a second too long, jaw tight while irritation creeps under my skin even more than whatever weird hormonal nonsense is already happening.

I fucking love that the two people responsible for keeping me from becoming a complete disaster suddenly forgot phones exist.

I text Hunter again.

Me- Answer your fucking phone.

Me- Seriously. I’m running out of patience and am out of suppressants. I can feel my heat coming on. We’re days if not hours out from my first heat hitting while I’m trapped in FUCKING MONTANA!

Pause.

Me- Also if you’re not dead, I’ll kill you myself.

Then I text Gidge.

Me- HELLO???

Me- Need you alive and answering your damn phone ASAP before I lose my shit.

I toss my phone onto the bed harder than necessary and push upright, immediately regretting it when warmth rolls over me again. Everything feels wrong.