Tarnished(12)

You have to leave her alone, man. Following her will only make things worse. It won’t earn you any brownie points.

Taking a few steps in the direction of her scent to ascertain the path she’d chosen, he then turned the other way and loped into the woods, leaving her to herself and increasing his pace until all he could do was concentrate on the terrain to avoid his thoughts.

He raced through the forest until he couldn’t run another step. Hopefully he could sleep tonight if he wore himself out completely exercising. Yeah, don’t bet on it.

When he finally returned to the spot of her clothing, she was gone. Her scent still lingered, but she’d retrieved her clothes. A shame. He bet she was fabulous naked. Not that he’d ever get the chance to find out at this rate.

He had to go back inside the hall. His family would be searching for him eventually, if not already. He’d been gone far longer than expected. After a quick dash to his truck, he hurried into his clothes, adjusted his zipper over his cock, and attempted to walk as naturally as possible into the meeting hall.

People still milled about in every direction. It was dinner time. The sun was setting. Scott and Daniel approached him immediately when he came through the door. Scott swatted him on the back. “Hey, d’you go for a run? You’re missing all the fun.”

Drake lifted a brow. Sure. If only Scott knew that all the fun had just been sucked out of Drake’s life and bottled up in a glass jar. He’d never see “fun” again as long as Mackenzie Davis sequestered that jar for safe-keeping and didn’t return it.

“You okay?” Dan asked. “You look … strange.”

“Fine. Just hungry.” He trotted toward the cafeteria. “You comin’ or what?”

If he acted natural, would anyone notice? After spending a half hour with Mackenzie, would he ever have a “natural” again? He doubted it. His thoughts would always be consumed with her. There would be no escaping her, even in sleep. Her sexy smile. Her soft, brown curls he’d wanted to wrap his fingers in. Her blush when she’d been embarrassed. Ugh.

He got in line with many other hungry shifters. “You guys seen Jerrod?”

Dan nodded. “Yep. He’s eating with the others in his group. Made friends with several guys.”

“Mom and Dad?”

“They’re over there.” Scott pointed clear across the room. “With some other old folks.”

Drake shook his head. Old folks? His parents were in their early fifties. They were hardly what he would consider old.

Drake made quick work of grabbing a tray and loading it with a hamburger and fries. He didn’t know if he could eat, but he hadn’t had lunch. He’d barely eaten anything before they’d arrived this morning, either. Just a quick breakfast sandwich from a local drive-through.

As soon as he took a seat, he spotted Mackenzie’s family. They sat at a table not far from him. He recognized them from this morning. She’d been traipsing along behind them when he’d collided with her.

One of her sisters made eye contact with him. She smiled and turned to say something to her parents. Seconds later she stood and headed his way. When she slid into the seat next to him, he swallowed the bite in his mouth without chewing.

He glanced across the room. Scott and Dan still stood in the food line. They’d stopped along the way to talk. Thank God.

The brown-haired girl, who had to be Mackenzie’s sister, spoke first. “Hey. Have you seen Kenzie lately?”

“Um, no.” How did she know he’d seen her at all? Had she mentioned her time spent with him to her family already?

She drummed her fingers on the table and tipped her head, eyeing him knowingly. “I saw you with her earlier. You two were walking across the parking lot all cozy-like a few hours ago.” She grinned.

“That’s true. But I haven’t seen her since then. She was…”

“Not receptive to your advances?” She giggled. “Shocking.”

He stared at her. What should he say? Did she know anything that could help his case?

“Mackenzie is … how shall I say…?” She tapped her fingers on her chin and glanced at the ceiling for answers. “Stubborn.”

“Ya think?” The words slipped out before he could rein them in. He cringed.

She laughed again. She was so much freer than her sister. Not nearly as closed off. She had the same long curls and dark eyes, but she didn’t do anything for him. Now, why on earth did fate have to go and match him up with a woman who would rather send him to the guillotine than be mated?

“Is she yours?” she asked. The woman had no restraint. She was an open book.