“He obviously didn’t leave without a fight,” Charlie said, looking at the side of Jase’s face, which was getting puffier by the second. “Is he coming back soon enough for us to prepare, or do we need to hit the road?”

I balked. Sure, I was okay with Talley taking off while we figured out the situation, but we weren’t cowards. If anything was going to happen, I was going to stay and fight. “He’s not coming back,” I said.

Charlie looked from me to Talley, who was going to have to have her fingers surgically removed from her hair, back to me again. “How did you manage that?”

“I told him Talley had a mate, and he just left.”

Even before his zombification, Charlie didn’t startle easy. So when his eyes did the whole size of saucers thing and his chin dropped open, I knew this was some sort of big deal. Being the self-absorbed person I am, I assumed it was my quick-fire wit that was the cause of awe.

“Jase, man, tell me you didn’t…”

“I made a declaration,” he said between clinched teeth. Talley sniffled.

We all just stood there for a long moment. I thought about suggesting we move out of the tiny foyer and into the living room where the sit-down type furniture lived, but I was afraid to speak up. The tension in the room was palatable. Charlie rubbed at his eyes; Talley blinked rapidly, pulling on the corners of her lashes to keep the tears at bay; and Jase looked at each of the walls as if trying to decide which on to put a hole in with his fist.

Talley was the one to finally end the silence.

“I’m sorry,” she said so softly I only caught every other syllable.

Unable to pick a wall, Jase grabbed his head with both hands and attempted to crack his own skull. “I don’t want to hear it.”

I was in his face before Talley could suck in a breath. “Don’t speak to her like that! What on earth has she done to you?”

“Her? Nothing.” Jase’s hands fell to his sides as he leaned in towards me. “It’s you who has screwed us all over. Again.”

“What did I do?”

“What did you do? What did you do?” Suddenly the foyer felt way too small. “That’s the problem. You just go around doing stuff you have no idea about, never thinking that there could be consequences.”

“I’m sorry. I…” I looked to Talley for help, but instead discovered she’d lost her battle against the tears. “Just somebody tell me what I’ve done so I can fix it.”

Jase laughed, a mocking and cruel sound.

“If he made a declaration there is no going back,” Charlie said, the pity in his voice almost as horrible as Jase’s laugh.

“What do you mean ‘a declaration’? No going back from what?”

“See what I mean? She doesn’t know anything about being a Shifter, but she keeps coming into our world and making a mess of things.”

A spike of anger stabbed through me, but it was almost instantly replaced by guilt. Yes, I was a Shifter now. And no, I didn’t ask for it to happen, but Jase was right. I was an outsider who kept hurting everyone I loved over and over again.

“Jase, why don’t you take Talley upstairs?” Jase snarled up his nose and opened his mouth to snap something back at Charlie, but then Talley muttered something that might have been “I’m okay” or “That’s okay” or, possibly, “No freaking way.”

“Come on, Tal,” Jase said, moving his hand as if to put it on her shoulder but stopping so it hovered a few inches from her actual person.

“You don’t have to —”

“We’re mates now,” he said, sparing me a glare. “We might as well start learning to act like it.” Her shoulder dipped in as she wrapped her arms across the top of her stomach. “Please, Tal. I can’t stay down here anymore.” Another go-to-hell look shot in my direction. Talley nodded and, without even sparing me a glance, went with Jase up the stairs.

“Have you eaten yet?” Charlie asked as he watched them go.

I shook my head slowly, the mere thought of food making me ill.

“Come on. I’ll make you toast.”

I wanted to tell him I didn’t want toast, and I most certainly didn’t want him making it for me. The absolute last thing I wanted was to talk to Charlie again, but I followed him to the kitchen anyway, too drained by Jase to put up a fight.

“Peanut butter and honey or butter and jelly?” he asked, moving around the cupboards as I slid onto a kitchen chair.

“Dry,” I said.

Charlie raised an eyebrow and grabbed some Nutella.

I was completely confused by his actions. Six months ago this was exactly what I would’ve expected from him, but now? After the last two months? After last night? After this morning? He should have been filled with the same hostile energy as Jase, not flitting about the kitchen making me toast.

“Charlie, you have to know, I honestly didn’t think this mate thing was going to be a big deal.”

“Of course you didn’t.” The bread popped out of the toaster, a beautiful golden brown. “And it’s probably the only thing that would’ve worked short of taking down an entire Pack in a Dominance Challenge, which I’m fairly certain we’re not up for.” He slathered Nutella onto the toast before bringing it over to me. “Here. You need protein.”

I took his offering, sniffed it as if the chocolate and hazel nutty goodnes might be rancid, and took a small bite. It was possibly the best food I’d ever put in my mouth.

“Charlie, why are you being so nice to me?” I knew I was opening up a Costco-sized can of angsty worms, but I had to know.

Charlie looked as if he didn’t understand the question. “You’re one of my best friends.”

I will not cry again. I will not cry again. I will not cry again…

“Even after… everything?” It couldn’t be that easy. “Charlie, I kissed you and then ran away. Twice. In less than twelve hours.”

“Yeah, not the most stellar thing for my self-esteem, so can we never speak of it again?”

“Then, why…?” I took a deep breath. “I thought you would be mad.”

Charlie slid a second piece of toast across the table. “I’ve never really been good at staying mad at you. The longest I’ve ever lasted was when you told your mom that Jase and I had been playing soldiers on the roof.” He smiled. It was just a tiny little thing, but it was real enough to make my heart do a merry skip. “It took you most the afternoon to worm your way back into my good graces.”