Imprint.

Eleven

"Are you sure you really want to work at a hardware store?" Gage asked. He stood behind me, his face inches from mine. There was a slice of pizza in his hand.

I sighed. "I'm like completely broke. And I hate making Carter pay for my house."

"Then I'll get a job."

I turned to look at him. "I couldn't ask you to do that for me."

"What do I need money for?"

"Gage-"

"Just say yes."

"Gage, please be reasonable."

"I am. I want to help you."

"This isn't weird for you?"

"What do you mean?"

"Will and I bought that house together. We-"

"That doesn't bother me, Victoria." He sat down beside me and took the application from.

I watched him erase my information and put his own in its place.

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"Why do you have books under here?" I asked, pushing textbooks toward Dean. I'd already found several missing socks under the bed along with the textbooks. I was expecting some odd stuff when I agreed to help him clean his room but nothing like what I'd been finding thus far.

"I was wondering where those went to." He said, stacking them by the door.

I rolled my eyes as I pulled on a light blue piece of fabric. On further inspection, I realized it was a pair of girls' panties. "Pull me out! Pull me out!"

Dean grabbed my legs and pulled me out, a smile on his face. "What now?"

"You're disgusting."

"Oh, man. I have to see this." He lifted the bed from the foot end and scanned the remaining contents. There were more shoes and socks along with a bra that didn't match the underwear. He was sick.

I grabbed the broom and swept everything out, avoiding touching the underwear at all costs. "I can't believe you have this here. Is it even clean?"

"I doubt it."

I covered my hands with my eyes. "Gross. So, so gross."

He laughed. "You don't want them?"

I smacked him with the back of my hand. "I'm done. I'm going to go drench myself in bleach."

"Can I watch?"

I tossed the broom at him as I left the room, feeling completely disgusting and dirty. Will was never as gross as Dean was. I never had to worry about finding garbage in his room or underwear under the bed...

On second thought...

I walked out of the hallway to see Carter sitting on the counter, a beer in his hand. His hands were covered in dirt and he still had his work clothes on.

"Bad day?"

He nodded. "Bentley bit someone today."

My eyes widened. Out of all the boys, Bentley was the least likely to turn anyone. He was so calm and at ease. It blindsided me.

"Well, where is he now?"

"Bentley's with him outside."

"You just left them?"

He glared at me. "You think I'm any good if I'm mad enough I could kill him?"

"You wouldn't do something like that."

"Human me wouldn't but wolf me would."

"The beer is helping?" How could beer help him if he was so mad? I knew drunk people often got worse than their sober state and I couldn't imagine Carter any more mad than he currently was.

"I don't need a lecture, V."

I held up my hands in surrender. "Sorry."

"Would you get Dean and Gage? I can't leave either of them alone right now."

"Gage isn't here."

"Where is he?" He asked, pausing with the bottle raised near his mouth.

"He got a job with Evan and Noah."

He raised an eyebrow. "Gage."

I nodded. "Don't look so surprised."

"I'm sorry but he's not not the type to have a job. I just didn't expect it."

"I wanted to get a job but he told me no. He got one instead."

He grinned. "Look at you, cracking the whip."

"I'm not doing that."

"Yeah, you are. He was never that motivated to do anything of the sort. But then you come along and he's changed."

I shook my head. "That can't be the reason."

"Trust me. I know Gage."

I took a soda from the fridge. I really wanted to talk to Gage about the job situation but I knew there were more important things to worry about. I couldn't let my overreacting get in the way of pack matters.

"Go tell Dean to put the bra down and go outside."

"How'd you know about that?"

He tapped his ear before chugging the rest of the his beer.