“I’m fine.”
“I heard what happened and I came, you know, when I heard about your loss of control.”
“Oh, yes, right. I think I saw you. I’m doing fine. No reason to worry or to stress. I’m not going to start killing everyone.” She frowned. “You know, I don’t think there has ever been a documented case of a rogue wolf terrorizing her own pack.” She shrugged. “I think I’ll be safe. Gage told me that it can happen to late bloomers.”
Constance had no idea why she was talking with him. They had never shared a conversation together.
“I’m sorry,” he said.
“What for?”
“I want you back.”
Constance frowned. “Huh? What?”
“You heard me. I want you back. I want you for myself.”
She shook her head. “No, that’s not how this works.”
“Damn it, I have tried, okay? I have tried to stop having feelings for you, but it doesn’t work. I think about you all the fucking time. Even when I’m fucking Tiffany. I imagine it’s you. That day, I have never been so scared in all my life. I missed up. I want you.”
“No.”
“Damn it, Connie. I’m the one you’re meant to be with.”
“Do not ever call me Connie.” Hearing that name from his lips was wrong. “No.”
He had stepped into the room, and she made sure to keep her distance.
“I’m not going to hurt you.”
“Damn it, Tanner, I don’t know what this is all about, but you rejected me, remember?”
“Yes, but I made a mistake.”
“So being mated to the ugly fat girl wasn’t so repulsive to you after all.”
“I can’t stop these feelings. Seeing you with my dad, hearing you with him.”
She saw his hands clench into fists.
“It’s more than I can bear.”
“Oh, right, so when you thought I would be left alone in a corner of nowhere, freezing cold and pining for you, that was okay?”
“Fuck, no. That’s not what I meant.” He groaned.
“Then what? You see that someone can actually want to be with me, and you’re not happy with that, and you want it now.”
“I wanted you, okay? For the past three years since I turned. I have wanted you every single day. You were the only one I wanted.”
They stared at each other. Silence rang through the room.
The sound of a deep voice clearing had her gasping. She saw Gage standing a little behind Tanner. She had been so focused on telling Tanner what she felt, she hadn’t looked to see if he was there, but he was.
“Gage.”
“I’m fucking out of here,” Tanner said. Within seconds, he was gone.
Folding her arms beneath her breasts, she looked at Gage. She’d been dancing to try to distract herself from the fear of why he was avoiding her. Was Tanner the reason?