Chapter 16

Xander's POV

“You shouldn’t have come.” I fight down the growl rising in my throat. “We’re barely going to be here before camp. I’d hate for you to have travelled so far just to head home tomorrow.”

“Oh, don’t be silly, babe. I’m going to stay here, spend time with your family and the girls. I’m not going home tomorrow.” She beams.

Mum’s eyebrows climb higher, and from the look on her face this is news to her. She doesn’t look thrilled about my so-called girlfriend inviting herself to stay.

Before I can say a word, Zach and Mara walk in from the hall. They stop short. Zach’s eyes lock with mine.

‘Dude, what the fuck is she doing here?’

‘I have no fucking clue. She just turned up.’

‘Ah shit. The girls are going to go nuts.’

‘You just wait.’

I Grimace knowing what the guys will say, when their mates all complain to them.

They exchange pleasantries with Helena, and she and Mara share the fakest cheek kiss I’ve ever seen. Mara’s grimace is barely disguised.

Goddess, why haven’t I dumped her already?

I need a drink.

As if he can read my mind, Zach hands me a beer from the fridge.

“Why are you so wet Babe?” Helena asks me once she’s siting down again, and she’s reached for me, and I’ve stepped out of her reach again. I hate her pawing me.

“Greg had us in the lake for training. I’m exhausted, I’m going to head for a shower, and change”

I glance at mum, and she says “dinner is in about 30 mins, BBQ and salad.” I grin at her. She knows my favourites.

Without a backwards glance, I head up to my floor.

‘Mum, please can you find Helena a room on the guest floor? I don’t think the girls will want her up on our floor’ I link mum. I don’t want her on my floor either to be honest.

I can hear mums surprise even through the mental connection ‘sure darling. She can go on the opposite corridor to Zahra, I’ll have lacy prepare the room for her… how long will she be staying exactly.?’

Ha! fucked if I know, I didn’t even know that she was coming!

‘Not, sure, she could be tricky to remove.’

Mum groans back, but says nothing else.

The evening drags like a bad hangover. Helena chatters away, oblivious to the fact that no one is really listening. Every time she says something especially stupid, the others exchange glances and mind-link furiously behind her back. More than once, Mum catches my eye and gives me her infamous “what are you thinking” look. The girls stay unusually quiet around the fire pit, stiff and polite, and I know exactly why—they’re uncomfortable as hell.

But instead of stepping in, instead of finally doing what I should have done months ago, I let it ride. I excuse myself early, claiming exhaustion, and head upstairs. Tomorrow cannot come soon enough.

We’ve already agreed the girls aren’t coming to Zahra’s graduation. The last thing we want is to overwhelm her with strangers after three years of isolation. That excuse alone means Helena won’t be coming along, but I’ll still need to come up with a way to get rid of her before the trip home.

Goddess help me, I don’t want her anywhere near Zahra.