Page 48 of Wild

“We don’t need him.”

“We never did.” She set her hand on my shoulder and met my gaze. “You’re strong all on your own.”

I nodded. “Yes. I think I’m just realizing that.”

Audrey smiled. “And you’ve got me. After tonight, I’ll be a Wolf, and you’ll have a family here. With all of us. That is, if you want.”

I moved and sat on the edge of her bed. “Well, it doesn’t look like I’m going back to school.”

She crossed her arms over her chest. “Oh yes, you are. You’re getting that degree.”

I threw my arms in the hair. “How? I don’t have the money for the tuition. Even if I picked up a full-time job on the side, I doubt it would cover all my expenses. God, I’m so naive, setting myself to be like this. I should’ve known and been prepared.”

“I have the money. I’ll give it to you. You’re not dropping out because our father is an asshole.”

I laughed at that, completely unused to her swearing.

“School’s important,” she continued. “I know you don’t love your field of study, but you could always switch majors.”

I held up my hand. “Oh no. I’m not switching now and adding an extra year on. Besides, I don’t know what I would switch to. It would be a waste of money to—”

“School isnota waste of money. It’s good to have a degree, even if you don’t go into that field for work. You can be whatever you want, Marina. You always could. Now you get to decide. You could transfer and go to school here in Montana. Or do an online program. I’m sure Colton would want you to be nearby.”

A little jab of pain ran through me at that. “Colton? He’s going back to North Carolina.”

She tilted her head. “Is he?”

“Well, he’s not sticking around for me.”

She frowned. “He didn’t say he wanted you to stay?” She was watching me closely.

“Definitely not. We didn’t even hook up last night.” Despite the fact that I’d chalked this up as a fling from the beginning, that fact hurt more than I expected. “He hasn’t touched me since yesterday. I don’t know, I guess the fling is over. He’s made it quite clear where he stands now.”

She frowned. “Um, Marina, he carried you upstairs to his room. We could all hear.” She blushed hotly, even though it was me who’d had sex, not her. “I don’t think he’s lost interest.”

“He has. That… yesterday, well, it was punishment for what I did at the motel room. He was mad at me. The fact that I knew who he was and didn’t tell.”

“Didn’t sound like punishment to me.” Her mouth tipped, and her eyes were alight with amusement.

“He got even, in a good way. A very good way. But that was it. Nothing’s happened since. At least, not sexually.”

Her eyebrows winged up at that. “What? Seriously? That can’t be possible.”

“It’s possible. Trust me.”

She bit her lip and was lost in thought. “There’s no way he could be like this. Not with tonight and all.”

“What, the wedding?” I shrugged.

She didn’t say anything for more than a minute. “Give him time.”

I rolled my eyes. “I’m leaving. He’s leaving. The United States army doesn’t have late slips, I’m sure.”

“There’s more there, I’m sure of it.” She put her glasses back on.

“Well, I can’t expect him to want a relationship after knowing each other for two days. That’s crazy.” Even if we did seem to fit in every way possible. And our chemistry was off the charts.

“We’ll see.” That was all she said, and I wondered what she was leaving out.