The Amber Shift

Twenty-One

Noelle

It's only been two days since Elijah told me the truth about what I am, and everything since has felt so...off. He has been avoiding me more than usual, as if him being the one to drop this life-changing bomb on me has pushed him even further away.

The rest of the guys have just amped things up, though, and while I, of course, love the little stolen moments we've had over the last forty-eight hours, I still feel like something is wrong.

Probably because my blood feels like it's lava in my veins, my nerves are frazzled all the time, and no amount of sexual activity is enough. Even on the plane ride back to Charleston, I spent the entire time with my thighs clenched trying not to jump Asher as he sat across the aisle from me. I wanted to pull someone into the lavatory with me, but I couldn't stop thinking about my father and what I was. It didn't seem right to demand sexual release when my heart and mind weren't craving it as much as my body.

Corbin has a lot of answering to do, like why in the hell didn't he warn me that this was happening to me? Why would he not tell me that I am part lycan? He's always been honest with me before; why change it up now?

When we land in Charleston, I make it back to the house without letting a man put his hands in my pants, but given the way they've been eyeing me, I think that after my talk with Corbin, someone will be available to help me blow off some steam.

I don't waste any time dropping my bags in my room and rushing straight to Corbin's office. I knock twice, listening for his permission to enter.

I slip inside his office and close the door with a gentle click. My uncle is sitting behind his desk, his fingers steepled against his lips. He can barely look me in the eye as he says, "Hi Noelle. Welcome home. I trust you had a wonderful birthday with the boys?"

I nod curtly. "I did. And I saw my new car when we pulled in. I love it," I say, because I do. And I am grateful for everything he has done for me. But I need answers. "Corbin. Why didn't you tell me?"

His eyes flutter closed, and he takes a deep breath. He can't be shocked that I'm jumping right into something so life changing. It was only days ago that I believed I was an orphaned human girl. Now I'm none of those things.

"Losing your mom is a heavy burden to carry. I couldn't add to your grief. I promise I was going to tell you. I was just waiting for when you didn't hurt so badly."

I believe him; my uncle would never want to cause me harm. But it took too long for him to find the right time. So Elijah had to do it for him. And that wasn't fair to any of us.

"I get that, but I was completely blindsided by it. And I could tell Elijah was really uncomfortable about telling me, so I felt bad about that too."

Corbin's eyes flashed. "He was only supposed to tell you what you needed to know when you needed to know it. I will have a talk—"

I shake my head and hold up my hands in surrender. "No, no. Please don't do that. I practically forced him to tell me. He told me you wouldn't like it, and I just wouldn't let it go. It wasn't his fault."

Corbin doesn't quite look convinced, and he is probably still pissed, but he says, "Fine. I won't say anything to Elijah," he agrees, leaning back in his chair.

"In fact, you should probably thank him. He was so gentle, so patient with me while I fired questions at him, comforted me. He was pretty amazing, actually," I say, chewing the inside of my lip as I remembered his mouth on my skin.

"I know he is. He wouldn't be my commander if he wasn't."

It's there in his eyes, the admiration and love he holds for Elijah. And the emotion is reciprocated. Elijah didn't want to rob Corbin of his chance to tell me everything. He tried his best to put up a fight while respecting my need to know what was going on. It pained him that he was overstepping a boundary with his alpha.