84

84
ELLA
That thought process was also problematic. I didn’t want to accept his offer of a relationship just because he was nice to me. When I looked at it that way, it felt more transactional than mutual.
I needed it to feel like we both wanted it—more than me doing it because he was showing he wanted me in his life. I wondered if I could use this moment to my advantage.
He could’ve taken me shopping himself, but he asked Eve to do it, and that pointed to something. If he was trying to get me to bond with his family through these seemingly small activities, then I would make the best use of it.
“I won’t tell him anything. And thank you for doing this—I had a great time,” I said after a short silence.
“I’m glad you enjoyed it, and no need to thank me. You’re practically family. I’d do anything for you,” she replied in her usual upbeat manner, and I smiled.
“Besides telling May I’d like to work around the house?” I asked teasingly.
She laughed and bit into her bun while her other hand held the wheel firmly. For the first time since I arrived, I could see the similarities she had with Quincy.
Being with her felt like I was sitting next to the happy-go-lucky part of him that I didn’t have time to experience when we were with Lyla and the others.
“Yep, anything but that. You’re on your own there,” she answered, and we chuckled in unison.
“What about telling me more about Quincy?” I inquired, and she glanced at me, then shrugged.
“What’s there to know? He’s a great guy, he loves his family, girls think he’s dreamy and are willing to do anything to get his attention. He can be annoying sometimes, but that’s how brothers usually are. Besides that, I don’t think there’s anything else to know.”
“Yeah, all that’s surface-level stuff. I mean…” I started to say, and she turned to me, then wiggled her eyebrows.
“So, you think he’s dreamy too?” she asked with a grin.
I threw the last piece of bun in my hand into my mouth and shrugged. “He’s not bad-looking. Dreamy might be a stretch, but I get why other girls would want his attention.”
She turned her eyes back to the road as we took a right turn and entered a familiar street. “You think ‘dreamy’ is a stretch? No wonder he’s attracted to you—he’s always had girls fighting over him. You don’t seem to care.”
“I have bigger problems than the need for male attention,” I wanted to say but held my tongue. “He said he’s attracted to me?”
“Every chance he gets. He doesn’t even have to say it—I can see the way his face lights up when you’re nearby. It’s great to see him like that. He’s been through so much. He deserves every bit of happiness life has to offer.”
“I… I don’t know what to say,” I muttered, and she smiled.
“Say yes,” she replied and took a left turn. I could see the house in the distance, and I was happy I’d finally be alone in bed.
“Yes?” I asked with feigned confusion.
“He’s asked you to be his mate, hasn’t he? Why are you stalling?”
“It’s… a lot more complicated than just saying yes. I wish I could jump right into it, but I have to get a few things sorted out first,” I answered, slightly taken aback by how direct her question was. Perhaps it was time for me to ask something direct, too. “Tell me something about Quincy. Something beyond surface-level information—something I wouldn’t be able to tell right off the bat.”
She glanced at me, and for a moment I caught something in her eyes—an emotion I had never seen her express before. It seemed like a cross between grief and something fierce, but before I could decipher what it was, she had turned away, and it was gone as quickly as it came.
She returned to her usual cheery demeanor and waited until the car slowed to a halt in front of the house before answering.
“There are a lot of things about Quincy I could mention off the top of my head, and I still wouldn’t scratch the surface of how amazing he is. But this is a decision you have to make on your own. For the same reason why we rarely visit Claire, I won’t say anything else. If you truly want to know about him, then you’ll give him a chance. I think the best way to know a person is to experience them—flaws and all.”
“That’s a lot of words to say you’re not going to tell me anything,” I remarked, and she chuckled, then turned off the ignition.
“Exactly. Today was great, Ella. I hope we can do this again soon.”
With that, she reached for the lock and opened her door. I knew the conversation was over, and I followed suit. We took the bags inside the house and waved goodbye as we went to our rooms in the different corners of the house.
I lay in bed, happy to have time alone and trying to fall asleep, but I had my thoughts to wrestle with. The conversations I had with Claire and Eve replayed on a loop in my mind, keeping any form of shuteye as far away as possible.
After my exchange with Eve, I knew that finding ways to bond with the pack would only bring me closer to them—and make leaving harder than I’d like it to be. It would also yield no results when it came to learning about Quincy.
If Eve, who was often ready to talk, wouldn’t say anything, no one else would. Which left me in the same dilemma I’d been in from the jump: did it make sense to trust a guy I met just a few weeks ago?
I had already taken the risk of skipping town with him, and while that had turned out well, who’s to say anything else would from this point? And what happens if I refuse to become mates with him?
The part of the pact where I had to be mated to an alpha echoed in my mind, and I tried to think about the possibility of finding another alpha I would want to share a bond with. My options were slimmer with every passing thought.
Everyone here had treated me better than the Blackthorn twins ever did, and the longer I stuck around, the more they’d encourage me to get whatever it was holding me back over with.
They wouldn’t be wrong, as that was the one thing I needed to get done—once and for all. The sooner I got it out of the way, the better for me. The twins would want me to do it too; their rejection was enough indication.
I finally decided I would go see Claire to kickstart the process, and that was my last thought. As soon as I came to a conclusion, I felt a wave of relief wash over me and instantly fell asleep when I closed my eyes.