Read Online Wolves at the Door by Veronica Blade - Free Book Online

attention to Zack, I noticed he’d stopped eating and was just staring down at his tray. “I don’t get it. I thought you wanted a real date,” I asked.
    “I do.” He took my hand and traced circles in my palm, sending little shivers up my arm. “But I can’t imagine being much fun if my mom doesn’t get better. With Trevor and Maya there, it takes the pressure off so I don’t have to be entertaining.”
    “Who says you’re off the hook?” I nudged his shoulder with my own.
    Zack smiled halfheartedly. “Maybe you shouldn’t go to the hospital. I can take the Jeep and you’d have your car. Or better yet, Aunt Cara is going there anyway. She could pick me up.”
    My brows drew together. “Why?”
    “Well…” He rubbed his hand on his jeans and looked around the room. “The more attached you get to my mom, the harder it’s going to be for you later.”
    “Yeah, better not get too attached.” I chewed my lip. “But it’s too late. I already love her.”
    “It’s not just her, but my whole family. And me.” He glanced at Trevor and Maya who were still busy talking, then he lowered his voice. “I think about what it’s going to be like for you when I leave.”
    “What?” I stared at him. Why bring this up now?
    “I’ll never regret my time with you. Ever. But maybe you shouldn’t invest so much in us.”
    My mouth hung open. Shouldn’t he have thought this out before he allowed me to fall in love with him and his family? At the very least, before he asked me to be his girlfriend and invited me to prom. Bringing up his same objections at this point was just cruel.
    “Excuse me.” Eyes stinging from tears of fury, I steadied my hands and picked up my tray, then walked to the garbage can and stacked it with the others. As if he didn’t exist, I exited the lunchroom and walked to my next class alone.
    We still had six minutes before English Lit started. Zack had that class with me. Damn. As I took my seat and faced the chalkboard, I could sense him close by. Sure enough, he strolled in and claimed the seat next to me. We sat there, just the two of us as the clock ticked.
    Five minutes until start of class. Four.
    I turned to face him. “Almost since we first met, you’ve been reminding me that you’re leaving. Kind of hard to forget. And didn’t anyone ever teach you how rude it is to return a gift?”
    He looked puzzled.
    “Love is something you give freely. The recipient can’t get a refund or re-gift it.”
    Zack started to rise. “Wait—”
    My palm shot out to stop him and he sat again. “I shouldn’t invest so much, Zack? This isn’t a business deal. You and your family aren’t something I bought to make a profit. And anyway, friendship and loyalty aren’t things you ration out.”
    “That’s not what I meant. Maybe that was poor word choice.” He fidgeted with his pencil, rolling it between his hands. “You’re very… involved with my family and… the deeper you get, the harder it’s going to be later.”
    I shot out of my chair to loom over him. “ I knew the situation from the beginning. But if I get in too deep, it’s on me, so you don’t need to feel guilty.”
    My throat felt thick and swollen. It’s not like I was under the delusion that Zack and his wonderful family were mine to keep, but I didn’t want to be limited in how much I was allowed to love while I had them.
    He stood, too. “I’m thinking of you. I don’t want you to get hurt.”
    “You’re really pissing me off, Zack.” A fresh round of tears waited just behind my eyes to be set free. I backed away as someone entered the room and lowered my voice to a hiss. “If you’ve changed your mind and don’t want to be with me, then just say so.”
    The sounds of the classroom filling up were drowned out by the roaring in my head. I plopped down in my chair next to Zack, turning away to avoid looking at him. But I could feel his gaze on me. How dare he pull that crap on me again? He’d been