Chapter 18

#Chapter 18: Keeping Secrets

“Olivia?” Nathan furrowed his brow and sat up abruptly, looking both confused and awkward. “What are you doing?”

I quickly moved my head away from Nathan, feeling embarrassed that I had just been leaning over him and looking at his long eyelashes.

“Um… The officer at the police station wanted me to give this to you,” I said, picking up the bag of black tea and handing it to him as I secretly hoped that he wouldn’t notice my red cheeks. “It smells good. You should drink some now, since you’re clearly tired.”

Nathan gave me a puzzled look. “What were you doing at the station?” he asked.

I shrugged. “I just wanted to inquire about the issue with the house, but it seems like you’re already on the case. Although, while I was there, the officer mentioned. my dad…”

Suddenly, Nathan sighed. “Look Olivia,” he said, “I can’t help you with the case.

about your dad. I’m sorry, but I just can’t. The information is too sensitive, and we could get in trouble if my dad or one of the elders found out that we were snooping. Especially so soon after your return.”

I couldn’t help but smirk. “Don’t lie, Nathan. The officer already told me that you spent the last ten years trying to get information from my dad’s file despite everything.”

My friend’s eyes went a little wide. His cheeks turned slightly red, and he quickly looked away and ran a hand through his hair. “Da mn those gossips,” he growled.” They should all be given gag orders…”

“Hey, don’t blame them.” I nudged his shoulder. “But you could have just told me that you tried. Maybe I wouldn’t have been so upset. You could have mentioned that you were looking into the house, too.”

Nathan was silent for a moment as he chewed his l*p. “My only intention in regards to your dad’s file was to find a way for you to come back,” he finally admitted. “There

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was nothing that I could do about his case. But yours… I really did try, Olivia.”

I kept staring at Nathan with a keen eye.

“I don’t believe you,” I said quietly.

Finally, Nathan sighed and surrendered. “Fine. I did look into it. But I didn’t find much, and even if I did, I can’t divulge it. All I can do is promise that I won’t stop you from looking into it yourself, if you want. Just keep me out of it.”

Suddenly, Nathan stood before I could say anything. I opened my mouth to speak, but then promptly shut it when I saw something that was sitting underneath him.

It was a stack of what looked like por nographic magazines that he had tucked away underneath him, keeping them hidden from me.

Nathan saw it at the same time. We both lunged for it, but I got it first and jumped to my feet with a grin, waving it in the air.

“What’s this?” I teased, laughing. Nathan growled and lunged for it again, but I jumped out of the way and ran a bit onto the lawn, still holding the magazines up.

“That’s mine!” Nathan yelled. “Give it back! It’s none of your business!”

I couldn’t help but laugh even harder, and I darted out of the way as Nathan tried to grab the magazines again. I started to fl*p through them, oohing and ahhing at the photographs of women in the nude or in lingerie in lewd pose while Nathan yelled and chased me around the lawn.

Finally, Nathan caught up to me and sna tched the magazines out of my hand. His face was red, but so was mine.

“Don’t be so judgmental,” Nathan said as he quickly rolled the magazines up and hid them behind his back. “I’m a man, and I was supposed to be married by now. I have… needs. It’s perfectly normal.”

I had to stifle a laugh. “Well, whatever keeps you company at night, I guess,” I teased.

Nathan said nothing. A silence fell between us. I slowly looked up at him, and our eyes met. It was then that I realized just how close we were standing together

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without even realizing it.

Nathan was practically towering over me. When did he get so tall? And the smell of grapefruit salt on his skin… There was something magnetic about him. Everything. from the way that he looked, even to the way that he smelled, seemed so different. from the awkward teenage boy who I used to know.

In fact, now we were standing so close that I could feel his minty breath on my face while he breathed deeply, out of breath from chasing me around the yard.

He seemed to almost be trying to lean a little closer to me, and I thought I saw his eyes flicker down to my l*ps.

D amn it, Nathan, I thought to myself.

Just in time, I pulled out of that strange ambiguity and took a step back, running a hand through my hair.

“I’m sorry,” I said, averting my gaze in order to hide the redness in my face. “I was just teasing. It’s okay if you look at things like that.”

There was a silence between us. Finally, Nathan sighed and picked up the bag of black tea, and shook it slightly. “Let’s go inside and try this, shall we?”

I smiled and followed my friend inside, where he put the kettle on the stove to boil. I sat at one of the stools by the counter island and leaned on the counter with my elbows, listening to the sound of the flames on the stove.

Neither of us said anything for a little bit. I had a sense that Nathan picked up the same awkward energy between us on the lawn earlier, and it seemed as though neither of us wanted to look each other directly in the eye.

Finally, the kettle began to whistle and Nathan poured the tea over the leaves, then gave us both a cup.

“By the way,” he said, clearing his throat uncomfortably as he sipped his tea. “The pack is hosting a resident hunt and picnic soon on Full Moon Day.”

“Oh?” I asked, blowing on my tea. Every year, there was a hunt and some sort of celebration for Full Moon Day. It was a tradition across most packs on the first full moon of the year, but I never went. I didn’t go before I left the pack because I was too

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young to shift….

And since then, I didn’t go to the Full Moon Day celebrations for another reason. It was something that I hoped Nathan wouldn’t ask me about, because I was too embarrassed. My wolf was dormant, and so I couldn’t shift anymore.

I specifically avoided Full Moon Day celebrations so that no one would know.

“Yeah.” Nathan nodded. “You’ll be expected to attend with me… as my ‘fated mate’, after all. Which reminds me…”

Oh no.

I felt my heart start to quicken, and I hoped that Nathan wouldn’t notice the way that my hand shook slightly as I set my cup of tea down.

“Olivia… Why haven’t I been able to sense your wolf since you got back?”

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