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“Something’s different about you, Aliza.” Dad took up position next to Mom.
Shit. Everyone in the world knew that when a parent used their child’s full name, it meant the child was in trouble.
I forced myself to smile. No way did I want to tell them why things had changed. “I’m glad you noticed because I feel different, but not in a bad way.” I pulled my hands out of my mother’s death grip.
“In what way?” Mom asked, worry etched on her forehead, the corner of her eyes, and around her mouth.
“Free. I feel free, Mom.” I took a step back and reached over my head, stretching languidly.
My parents shared a look of concern, but neither of them pushed for more information, instead turning the conversation to more mundane things.
I smiled to myself as Mom and Dad chattered on and on about the new flowers they’d planted in the garden beds. The strain from earlier had disappeared, and my parents even seemed glad that I’d found happiness, no matter the reason. I wasn’t exactly sure what had caused the sensations of peace and confidence, although I had a feeling it had a lot to do with Ty.
“Do you want to stay for dinner?” Mom’s question broke through my train of thought. “I’ve got a roast cooking in the crockpot, and you could help me bake those rolls you love with the garlic and cheddar seasoning.”
“That sounds delicious, Mom.” Some of my best recipes came from her. “But I’m pretty tired. I still need to stop by the gas station and fill my car up.” I turned to Dad. “The flowers look fantastic, by the way. I noticed them as soon as I pulled into the driveway.” I sighed. “I mostly just wanted to stop by and check in with you. Make sure you’re doing okay.”
Dad beamed with pride over his garden and squeezed my shoulder. “Take care of yourself, okay?”
As I made to open the door, Mom stopped me. “Liza? If there was something going on, you would tell us, right?”
“Of course.” It wasn’t often that I didn’t tell my mother the truth, but this was a lie. Only in the sense that there were some things I would never be able to talk about with my parents.
No way in hell was I ever going to tell them I’d finally lost my virginity and that the sex had been pretty fucking extraordinary. However, if I had concerns about the other areas of my life, I would come to them in a heartbeat. Right now, though, my life seemed to be moving in a positive trajectory.
I smiled back at her. This wasn’t a lie that would hurt anyone. Not that I knew of, anyway.
After filling my tank at the gas station, I went inside to pay. I handed the cashier the exact change.
“Thank you so much, Miss. Have a wonderful evening.” It seemed as if everyone in town was in a better mood because I’d got laid. I laughed aloud at the thought and shook my head as I walked out of the station toward my car.
I stopped in the middle of the parking lot. Stone Black stood at the rear of my car, his hip resting against the trunk, arms crossed over the wide expanse of his chest. I hesitated, not sure whether I should approach him after the scene at the ice cream shop. Although, I couldn’t just stand here all day, and I couldn’t get home by ignoring him.
Ty hadn’t told me what happened between him and Stone, and I hadn’t felt like it was my place to ask about it. I assumed that, as the future alpha, he’d dealt with all kinds of high-stress situations in the past. I figured Stone’s issues were business-related since they’d talked in private.
But now he was leaning against my car. It was very odd for us to constantly be running into each other. I couldn’t see a reason for it. If he had business with Ty, I wasn’t a part of it, but he had no business with me, and it begged the question of whether or not he had followed me here. I couldn’t imagine what he wanted with me.
“Hello, Liza.” Stone stood up straight and shoved his hands into his pants pockets. A slow smile slid across his face. He was handsome enough, but not my type. I had Ty. “You’re waking up.”
I cocked my head to the side. I really hated people who talked in riddles and assumed the rest of the world was either on the same page or beneath them because they didn’t understand. I sighed. “Excuse me?”
“I hate that it took someone like Tyson Keller to make it happen, but I can look past that.” He took a step closer to me, and I backed up a step. I didn’t want him near me.
I stared at him in confusion. “What are you talking about?”
He scoffed, then shook his head. He was an arrogant and mostly condescending prick. “You’ll figure it out soon enough. Now that you’re waking up, you’ll start remembering things. The pieces will fall into place, and when they do, I’ll be waiting for you. Come find me.” He cocked his head, gave me one last look, then started walking.
He didn’t give me a chance to let the words sink in enough so I could form a coherent thought, but as he walked past me, his scent washed over me, and I wavered. My wolf jumped to attention as Stone’s smell penetrated my memory.
The scent was so familiar that tears filled my eyes. Why?
I turned and watched Stone walk away. For a brief second, he’d felt like home. I closed my eyes and waited for the sensation to fade. When it did, I wanted it back, and neither of those things made sense to me—not that he had brought with him a sense of home, and not that I longed for it.
Pulling out of the gas station, my phone buzzed with a text from Ty.
I want to see you tonight. How about a movie?
I couldn’t shake the sensation I’d experienced when Stone walked past me, but spending time with Ty would keep me grounded. When I was with him, I was safe.
