Reese (Pack of Misfits #2) - Raven Kennedy Page 0,32
of sense the call coming out, but if you don’t want it beckoning whoever it chose, you can shut it off.”
I think of the way Luca walked away from me, and a pang of hurt slips beneath my skin. I know I’m being unreasonable, but I wish he wouldn’t have left. I wish he would have offered to help me ride my wave. “Can you tell me how to turn it off?”
She makes a face as she turns the wheel and whips us down another road. “You sort of just...stop it. I’m not sure how to explain it,” she admits. “But if you’re not able to, it’s probably because you haven’t gone through a heat in too long. You might not be able to suppress it.”
“But doesn’t that mean that my wave will be even worse?” I ask nervously, biting my lip. “With an unfulfilled mate-call going out the whole time?”
She shoots me a look. “You want me to lie to you?”
The expression on her face tells me enough, and I groan, resting the back of my head against the seat. “This is gonna suck.”
“I know. I’m sorry,” she says with commiseration. “If you’re up to this sort of thing, we could always see who in the pack is willing to help you out for a casual, ‘let’s get naked together’ heat party.”
“No thanks,” I quickly say with a shake of my head. Having to beg some dude to fuck me during my heat so that I’m not so miserable? I’d be even more humiliated than I already am. And honestly, the thought of anyone touching me other than Luca turns my stomach. My rat straight up sneers.
Addie lets the subject drop, while I stare out the window miserably. Dammit, why did I have to go into heat as soon as I turned human?
I’ve liked Luca since the moment I stole his lug nut—my rat and I both. I wish his first impression of me hadn’t included me trying to attack him and force him into a mate bond. I wish we could’ve gotten to know each other before I tried to jump him. Now I’ve ruined it. He’ll probably always look at me like I’m that girlfriend meme with the crazy eyes.
I guess things could be worse, though. What if Sid had come back and made me shift back into human form? Then I could’ve put out a mate-call to him. That thought immediately makes me want to gag. I’d rather die than ever mate that male.
But Luca...I wouldn’t mind being shacked up with Luca. But it seems he did mind shacking up with me. Unless… “Does Lug—I mean Luca—have a girlfriend?”
“No, he’s single. No casual girlfriend or mate.”
That...doesn’t make me feel better. I sigh and drop the subject.
“So...what kind of animal are you? If you don’t mind me asking,” I add quickly.
“I’m a duck,” she grins over at me proudly.
My eyebrows rise. “Wow. A rattlesnake, a jaguar, and a duck. You guys really are a pack of misfits.”
She chuckles. “You mean we are a pack of misfits,” she corrects. “And yes, yes we are.”
“What are some of the others?”
“We don’t reveal each other’s animals around here. Some people are very private about it. Old habits and even older scars, you know?”
I totally get that. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to pry.”
“You’re not,” she tells me, giving my leg a little pat. “Besides, it’s more fun to guess and then see what people are.”
Of course, now I can’t stop thinking about what Luca might be. Maybe some kind of feline. Or bear. I’m guessing predator from the vibe he gives off. Which means he’s even less likely to ever want someone like me. No one wants to mate with a rat, even if I do have an amazing nest.
“We’re here,” Addie says brightly, unaware of my change of mood as the car jolts to a speedy stop.
I pick my head up and look around, readying myself to spot the serial killer cabin at the edge of the woods, but my mouth drops open in surprise.
“This is the sanctuary?”
“Yep,” she beams. “It’s awesome, isn’t it?”
She hops out of the car, and I follow her, closing the door behind me as I skate my eyes over the building. It’s like a luxurious spa resort in the middle of nowhere.
Pretty, smooth white stone makes up the exterior, with trimmed hedges so dark green that they match the trees in the woods behind it. There’s a small trickling waterfall made out of a pile