Lone Werewolf Duology (bxb)

27. Don't Forget Me While I'm Gone

Not engaging with Liam was a brilliant strategy. Except, Volya couldn't avert his gaze when Liam helped him out of the Mnemosyne that afternoon.

"Well?" Liam asked breathlessly, his pretty brows rising like bird's wings.

The place of power was supposed to unleash his genetic memories. Heck, Sangha had even worried he wouldn't be able to cope with the deluge of them. Instead, Volya's sleep in the Mnemosyne was dreamless. If he hadn't been such a coward, he could have told Liam it would be fruitless before he'd even climbed in. But he had chickened out and tortured Liam with hope for two more hours.

Anger swept frustration away. Why couldn't he see even one lousy dream? "Well, what?" he snapped.

"Sorry," Liam said, extending the silver cross.

This ritual used to calm Volya after the previous unsuccessful attempts. This time, he snatched the stupid thing from Liam's hand and started fixing it round his neck with shaking hands. "Stop looking at me like this, Liam."

"Like how?" Liam's voice was deceptively soft, but a sharp edge showing.

The chairs, the computers, even the living wall tinted with red in Volya's vision. He straightened to zip up his jeans. "You got the wrong guy, okay? I howl instead of singing. I don't see epic dreams like your precious kinswomen!"

"Volya, what's wrong?"

The guy was crowding him, always crowding him, always needing something Volya couldn't give. "Find a better lab rat, Liam. Or, even better, give up on this nonsense and stop locking Anabelle away because of what she is."

"I'm not giving up," Liam said evenly. "You're tired. Overwhelmed. I'll tell everyone you need an afternoon off and ask Sangha—"

"Wow. That's your take away? That I just need some rest?" Heat flooded Volya's cheeks, but he was also onto something here, the point he didn't want to lose in a fight. "Anabelle is such a strong person, Liam. If anyone could handle being the world's one and only centaur, it's her. You should just tell the world what happened here. Let her be."

Liam smiled thinly. "Do you want to know what I think? I think you should have told your red-headed friend that you wanted him to kiss you on the lips."

"What?" Volya sputtered, "what does this even have to do with anything?"

"See how easy it's to decide what someone else should do, when you don't know their fears, what they stand to lose. See?"

Volya only saw red. Liam shouldn't have brought Toshka up. His fingers instinctively curled into fists.

"Leave Toshka out of it!" he screamed.

Damir hopped from his station like a Jack from its box, mimicking a cut-it-out, boys! gesture with a thumb across his throat. Sangha followed him down the aisle. She opened her arms and advanced on Volya, with a maternal concern written all over her large, soft features. June turned paler than the moon, eyes fixed on her wife, warning her of dangers inherent in hugging deranged men.

Before any of them could put a single peacemaking word in, Liam turned on his heels and dashed out of the lab. The door slammed behind him, shaking leaves off the living wall. After a pause seemingly no longer than a blink, tires screeched outside. Gravel pelted the lab trailer.

Volya ran to the door, flung it back open just in time to see Liam's SUV speed away.

"I believe," Volya said, keeping a quiver out of his voice with a preternatural effort, "I believe, this means I have a free afternoon. Any objections?"

Volya glowered at the scientists from under his lowered brow, then followed Liam's example and dashed out of the stupid lab.

For a few minutes, he stood in the courtyard, taking deep, healing breaths. He had afternoon off, and he had told Liam the truth. Liam was no longer his responsibility. He should be happy, right?