CHAPTER SIXTEEN

"What did you just say?" I ask.

She stares at me as I feel my eyes growing wide. I'm trying to figure out if I heard her right.

"I said I want you gone," she laughs. "Isn't it obvious? I want Max all to myself. And I don't want you hanging around distracting him."

I stare at her in disbelief. I mean, I'm not surprised she feels that way, but I can't believe she's just coming right out and saying it. I'm so shocked I'm not even sure how to respond.

"Don't look so surprised," she says. "You think that Max would want someone like you? Someone that he can't trust? Someone that isn't loyal?"

"I'm loyal," I say.

"Oh, yeah?" she says. "Then why don't you have a pack? Why were you out there alone?"

"Because they were all murdered," I say.

That shuts her up.

She steps towards me and looks me up and down, as if she's trying to decide if my words are true or not. She seems to decide that they are, and she backs up.

"Well, whatever," she says. "I'm sure you're a very nice person, but M