“Ames. Ames?” Ivy croaks out, snuggling into Tyson.
“Ivy, oh God.” Relief sweeps through me. “Hi Ivy. How do you feel?” I move closer.
“You’re being dramatic,” Ivy accuses as her eyes flutter open. She shivers some more.
“Hi,” she then says, but it’s not directed at me. She’s looking at Tyson who she’s lying on top of.
“Hi,” he greets with relief in his deep voice and it’s like it’s just the two of them, like nobody else is even here. “Are you feeling okay?” he asks.
She snuggles in, teeth chattering. I grind my teeth at seeing her looking so frail.
“Amelia, are you here or am I hallucinating?” she asks.
The way she’s snuggled into him, she doesn’t seem angry with him. And this confounds me.
“I’m here. Mom’s here, too.”
“Mom?” Ivy calls out.
“I’m here, baby girl.” Mom leans over and kisses Ivy’s cheek.
“Amie, did… did… you get claimed by a werewolf too?” Ivy asks.
And the way she asks, it’s like it’s neither the strangest thing in the world nor even a problem. Like she’s asking me what I had for lunch.
“Looks like it,” I mutter.
“Has he done that knot thing?” Ivy asks. “Did he make a neck clit on you?” She then giggles.
My face flames. I close my eyes, so I don’t have to look at anyone. God, Ivy.
“She’s delirious,” Mom mutters. “Ivy?”
Ivy eyes me questioningly.
“Yeah, Ives, he did,” I admit, making sure I do not make eye contact with the ‘werewolf’ that did that to me.
“A neck clit?” Mom asks, eyes wide, mouth dropping open.
Ivy giggles, nuzzling into Tyson.
Oh yeah, she’s totally delirious. Or totally drunk on the hot shifter that has her. My eyes roll.
The look of shock mixed with intrigue on Mom’s face is so comical; I can’t help but smirk. But I wipe it off quickly.
Tyson chuckles, snuggling my sister closer and also tossing me a grin.
And I’ve got to admit, I warm up to him just a little seeing them snuggle together. The way they look into one another’s eyes. He looks like a giant lovesick puppy dog. My sister deserves to have that.
My thoughts then stray to the fact that this isn’t real for my sister, either. Just like with me. We’re both here with these ‘neck clits’ and these supernatural hotties not because they really want us, but because our aunt messed with nature instead of leaving these guys to find other shapeshifters to mate with.
Looking at how Ivy and this guy gaze at one another though, I’m wishing right now that it was real for her sake.
My eyes hit Mason’s and I have to turn away because sadness washes through me.
“Ivy, are you still taking that birth control pill every day?” Catrina asks. “It just dawned on me while I was on the phone with the doctor in Scotland.”
“Yeah,” Ivy replies groggily.
Tyson’s mother looks at me with relief. “And we have our culprit. I think.” She looks back to Ivy. “When did you last take it?”
“What’s this?” Tyson asks.
“Ivy?” Catrina prompts.
“When I wake up every morning. What time is it?”
“It’s almost seven in the morning. We’ll see what happens over the next few hours. Let’s take your temperature.”
“Still up a little,” she says, eyeing the machine after the beep, “but definitely better. How are your chills, Ivy?”
“I’m still c-cold.”
“Let’s let Ivy rest for a bit, everyone. I think it’s safe to be optimistic here that we’ve found the culprit. We’ll wait a few hours. Once she’s about thirty-six hours from her last pill, I’ll do more bloodwork and send the results to my contact. Her hormone levels are totally out of whack here. You should all get some rest.”
I try to protest but Mom says she wants some sleep and makes me roll my eyes when she adds, “I feel like Ivy’s in great hands.”
“Mom?” I’m shocked at how nonchalant my mother seems. Not to knock Catrina Savage, but still…
“Aunt Nelle went to a lot of trouble to put all this together, apparently, and something tells me it’s all gonna be okay,” Mom whispers.
I frown.
“I have a guest room. Come on up and you can get some rest,” Tyson’s mom tells my mom. “Amelia?”
“Yeah, I’ll go lay down with Mom,” I agree quickly. I need space from Mason. I need time alone with Mom. To talk some sense into her about all this for starters.
“Crash on your couch, Cat?” Mason asks.
She replies, “Absolutely, honey.”
“Nice to meet you, Tyson,” Mom says, “And you, Mason.” She then leans over and kisses Ivy, exchanging some whispers, and then Mom kisses my forehead and gives me her signature reassuring look.
“Mason, can you show them upstairs? I’ll be right there,” Cat says.
21
Mason
I walked Amelia and her mother upstairs and introduced them to Cat’s half-awake partner Stan who offered to make coffee and cook breakfast. He directed the girls to the guest room when they declined.