“Of course. For the moment, we have privacy. And I won’t share the details of private conversations unless I ask first.”
“Do you swear?”
“I do.”
“Fine. Nothing is shared from this point forward unless you ask me.” I sat across from her. “I lied,” I said flatly. “Oh, Luke really is annoying me with his whole Puritan attitude,” I assured her when she glanced at him. “I lied about something else. Rather, I didn’t tell you everything. But for a very good reason. Now, I need you to trust me.” I smiled. “Funny asking for trust after admitting to a lie,” I said with a shrug. I took a deep breath, reached for Nana’s hand and stared into her eyes so she would see and feel the truth of what I had to say. “Joshua is not one of you. He’s an Urbat.” Her eyebrows rose in question, but I hurried to explain. “I couldn’t say anything before because I hadn’t figured out what to do about it, but I have a plan now.”
“What’s an Urbat?”
“The Urbat are a cousin to the werewolf. Not quite the same, but very close. There’s more, but we don’t have time or the privacy to get into it.”
She sat quiet for a moment. I knew she had many questions for me, but hoped she wouldn’t push for more.
“What do you plan to do?” she asked finally.
I sat back with a slight smile. “That’s where I need your trust. I can’t tell you yet because it depends on Joshua believing me and you. I’m a great liar to your kind. I know the tricks. Scent. Heart rate. All that stuff. If you can’t lie, I need you to stay here. If you can lie, I need you to back me up.”
“I don’t understand,” Nana said slowly.
“We need to go back in that room, tell them Luke won’t let me Claim him, which is the truth by the way, and I’ll explain to the room why I need to Claim someone. If...when Joshua offers a solution, I want us to go along with it.”
“What do you think he’ll offer?” she asked.
“Something that will lead me away from here and to my other potential mate.”
Luke growled from behind me.
“No one asked you,” I said not looking at him. “I won’t go, of course,” I said to Nana.
“Will whatever you plan put you or the pack in danger?”
I gave a dry laugh. “I’ve been in danger since I started having those dreams. What I plan shouldn’t make it worse. As far the pack goes, that’s what I’m trying to protect.”
Another dream started tugging at me, and I rose to my feet, cringing at the pain in my stomach. “I swear I have the perfect plan, Nana. All I need is your support and trust.”
“I would feel more comfortable if you shared your plan first.”
“Me too,” Luke added. His voice was laced with concern and sprinkled with suspicion.
I was already shaking my head. “Sorry. If I do that, you’ll both try talking me out of it because you don’t understand everything.” She opened her mouth, “and I don’t have time to explain it all. We need to start this quickly. Joshua is a huge threat that can’t be dealt with through reasoning or a drawn-out fight.”
Nana nodded and stood. “I’ll give you my support.”
Luke made to follow Nana and me, but I stopped him with a raised hand. “No, Luke.”
He flicked a glance at Nana. “I will keep her safe,” she promised him.
My heart thumped heavily, and I fought to keep a perfectly straight face when his suspicious gaze fell on me again. “What are you planning?” he asked stepping close.
His fingers tangled in my hair, and he leaned in, nuzzling my hair aside so his lips rested near my ear. Shivers ran down my arms, and my eyes closed.
“You smell like sweet pears and cinnamon,” he whispered. “The last time you smelled like this you left me at the laundromat waiting for a burger.”
My insides froze and my mind told me to push him away. My arms rose to his chest, but not fast enough. Not before he did the unexpected. His tongue darted out, and he lightly licked the edge of my ear. I went stupid. Forgot how to talk. Forgot how to move. I forgot how to breathe. Darn the man.
“Are you running again, Bethi?”
I struggled to gather my wits. His questioning, boyish look helped bring back a little clarity. He’s scared, I realized. “I will come back here when I’m done,” I managed to say. My internal self was chanting “More kisses, more kisses!” at the top of its lungs so I couldn’t be sure my words came out coherently.
Luke stepped back, his uncertainty clear on his face. “Watch her closely, Winifred. She’s up to something.”
“Of course I am,” I said indignantly. “I already said that.”
His lips twitched and a full smile lit his face. It melted my insides, which made me nervous. He might not forgive me for this.
Containing my doubts, I left the apartment. Nana followed me quietly.
We let ourselves into the padded room, once again stopping conversation.
“Is everything all right?” Sam asked Nana.
She held out a chair for me. “Bethi, sit. You’re looking pale again.” She turned to Sam. “I’ll let Bethi explain.”