Chapter 33

"What now?" I whispered.

"We kick back and wait until Donna leaves, what else?" Gunner asked as if I was stupid.

"What if she hurts him? I don't like this?" I hugged my middle.

"Relax, she needs him," he replied.

"He's a defenceless old man, Gunner."

Gunner threw himself on the old mattress. "He knows something too. Why did you refuse to help me, Zora?"

I gasped. "Because you're a dick!"

"Hey," he grumbled.

"You banned me from the pack house."

"Okay, I may have gone over my head. You'll have to work with me if you care about this man's safety, Zora."

I sighed. "I do care… I'll need something in return."

It was weird talking to him in the dark. I could barely see him unlike Gunner who had excellent night vision because he's a wolf.

"Name your price," Gunner replied.

"I need your help. I need to know how my parents got me. They didn't adopt me legally. The hospitals don't have records of me either."

"That's going to be a tough ask, Zora," he grumbled. "But fine, fine. I'll ask around."

A door closed in the hallway. Donna was finished. Gunner appeared behind me and whispered in my ear. "We can leave now." His hot breath brushed against my cheek. "Unless you like it in here. Just us two."

I brushed him off. "Ugh, let's go. The last thing we need is someone seeing us."

"Yeah, you'll be my little spy."

"Better be a paid spy," I grumbled.

***

After my shift, I sat in my car. Dash wanted to talk so did Kaleb. My heart couldn't take all this. I just wanted to sleep or have a drink.

I got to Kaleb's apartment and the urge to call Cassidy was stronger than ever. Maybe girl's night wouldn't hurt. I was welcomed by the faint scent of booze and the sound of laughter.

Cassidy's blonde hair was the first thing I saw. No need to call her! I also saw Oliver and Russel the Alpha's beta wolves, Rachel sat next to Christine and Hayley walked in from the kitchen holding a glass of wine.

Whoa, I didn't know this was a party.

"Zora! There you are. I was about to call."

Cass was like my sister we knew each other well, but I think she was about to call me because she was worried about me.

"Hey Zora," Kaleb said walking into the room.

I could feel Christine's hot eyes on me.

"Sorry, Zora, you'll be spending the evening alone. Luther's throwing a party tonight."

"Werewolves only," Christine's petite voice mocked me.

"No, it's not. Zora can come," Cassidy protested.

"You're not going either, Cass. I'm taking you home," Kaleb deadpanned.

Cass and I gasped.

"What are we sixteen?" Cass yelled.

"You don't want to go to this party. Trust me. We can hang out together another time."

"Sorry guys, I'm sure we won't have as much fun without you," Rachel purred. "When I see Dash I'll tell him you say hi," she added.

Does she live to frustrate me? Feels like it.

The rest of the group got up to leave. Kaleb shot me an unapologetic look. I rolled my eyes. A beer sounded nice but I didn't want to spend my night dancing anyway.

"I'm not going then. I'll keep Zora company," Cass said.

Her brother shot her a look but I think he realized it was a good idea and let us be.

"Can you believe him?" Cass gasped.

"It's okay, Cass. We don't need a party with loud music and a ton of people."

"That's such a Zora response. Luther throws the best parties ever. I can't believe Kaleb thinks we're sitting this one out."

"Cass… we can't!"

She threw her head back and laughed. "You've known me a while you know we will."

I sighed heavily. "I don't know what to wear. I didn't bring my whole closet here."

"Leave that to me."

***

Close to two hours later, we were at a raging party! I never smoked a day in my life but five minutes in the living room and I inhaled an entire cigarette pack worth of smoke.

"The real parties happen upstairs on the roof," Cass cried over the music.

"There's space on the roof?" I yelled back.

She nodded. "They have a pool."

Luther's house or his Dad's house was massive. It was on the outskirts of town close to a lake and surrounded by mountains. Shifters loved nature.

"I've never been swimming on a rooftop. I should have brought my swimsuit."

"We can skinny dip!"

She whirled and pranced off. How much had she drunk already? Cassidy waded through the crowd leaving me alone in a packed living room with nameless faces.