13. Zander

Chapter thirteen

Zander

T elling Killy no was hard. Opening myself to uncertainty was too much, and I didn’t want it.

You fucked up, Crow thought. Killy offers us normal, which you’ve been asking for all our life, and suddenly it’s too much, and you don’t want it?

I didn’t answer, and he stopped talking to me. It was too early to go home, so I headed to the diner, which didn’t close until midnight, so the Pride members could eat after the humans went home.

The place was packed, and the only stool open was mine at the end of the counter.

“Well, there you are!” Charlene smiled. “What can I getcha?”

“Pie?” I raised my eyebrows, and she smiled.

“Musta had a dinner meetin’ if you don’t want tonight’s special,” she grinned.

I smiled back, and the stool beside me creaked as Barnham set one foot on the floor.

“Talked to Sophie today. She’s mighty French,” he said and took a swallow of his iced tea.

“She’s a Blood-right,” I murmured.

“So, we got foreigners runnin’ the place now,” Barnham sighed. “Don’t know which is worse. A Shifter from another Pride or them groovy ones with uppity appetites. Why look at what that Axl done did to my Maisy.” He pointed to the booth behind us, and Maisy cut her eyes at me. The young man in the booth with her was speaking in harsh whispers. “Gerald don’t want her no more. We contracted an’ everything.”

I took a closer look at Gerald. “Where did he come from?”

“Oh, now, he’s a MacGetty. That’s a fine Pride right there. Maisy woulda been outta this hell hole,” Barnham continued. “Gerald’s breakin’ the contract. His King done signed off on it.”

“I see,” I murmured and set two twenties on the bar before Charlene came back with my pie. I pretended to trip, and the tip of my little finger touched Gerald’s hand as it rested on the table. He’d be dead by midnight. I left the diner then and drove home to change. Wouldn’t be stoppin’ Gerald’s death. I would be there to make sure he didn’t take anyone with him.