I felt my cheeks burn as Rhys's comment hung in the air. The way he'd said it—that husky undertone in his voice—made my body react in ways I desperately tried to ignore. I stared determinedly out the window, watching the trees blur past as Ethan drove us home.
"Dude, that's my sister you're talking about," Ethan grumbled from the driver's seat.
"Step-sister," Rhys corrected with a smirk I could hear without even looking at him.
The rest of the ride passed in tense silence. When Ethan finally pulled into our driveway, I practically threw the car door open and bolted toward the house.
"Hey, Elara, wait up!" Rhys called, but I pretended not to hear him and rushed inside.
Mom and Gamma Alistair were in the living room, surrounded by luggage. Their two-week trip to the Northern Pack for Gamma Alistair's specialized treatment was today. I'd been so caught up in everything else that I'd nearly forgotten.
