“But not quite as deadly…” Mei trails off, her gaze fixed on the open doorway with an amused smirk spreading across her lips.
Sitting on the other side of the door is a very guilty-looking wolf shifter flashing me big eyes because he was explicitly told to stay out front. Wolf shifters have obnoxiously good hearing, and this was supposed to be a private conversation.
The cat gives me a ‘told you so’ face before crowding my legs and hissing again. I cross my arms and stare at the wolf, letting the silence do all the talking.
“Come on, Callie. Have a heart,” Mei pleads on Rand’s behalf, walking up beside me. “Look at his poor cold paws.”
Rand nods, lifting up his right paw and attempting to look even more pathetic. Even though our small bit of snow has already melted, the February air does still have some bite to it.
“Don’t let the big wolfy eyes fool you,” I warn, doubling down on what I hope is an intimidating glare. “I’ve watched these big idiots roll around and play in the snow with complete disregard of the freezing human standing amongst them. They are built like walking furnaces.”
“But they are cute walking furnaces,” she reasons, giving Rand a good scratch around his ears, her fingers digging into his sandy-colored fur.
He perks up at the compliment and leans into her hand, forgetting he’s in trouble. I know I should cut him some slack because he’s probably here on some overprotective order of Connor’s, but sometimes a girl just needs some privacy with her bestie—especially when said girl is talking about her world-ending powers, illegal activities, and boy troubles.
“Mei, I know he looks cute and fluffy now, but he’s also a teenage boy, and you’re currently petting his face,” I remind her with an amused smirk of my own.
She snatches her hand back. “Right. I keep forgetting that. They just look so sweet like this.”
Rand looks disappointed, then remembers he’s in trouble and goes back to giving me big wolf eyes.
“And they know it,” I mutter, considering how many times Connor has pulled the same look with me over the past few months. I question my ancestors’ decision to make their guardians so cute in their fluffy state. Remembering the sharp teeth and claws, I realize it makes sense.
Mr. Mischief hisses again as if to remind Rand that the cat’s wrath is something to fear too. He’s caught a hard swipe across the snout before, hence the desire to keep them separated and his swift step back.
“Alright, nosy,” Mei declares, crossing her arms and giving him a squinty glare. “What do you want?”
He hops from foot to foot, huffing anxiously. In order to give a proper answer, he would need to shift back to his human form. Before I can inform Mei that he can’t answer her, there’s a very naked Rand with his hands hovering over his groin.
“Damn it,” I curse, slapping my hands over my eyes. “Warn me first.”
“How can I warn you if I can’t talk?” Rand reasons, now hopping from foot to foot for a different reason. “Can I come in? It really is cold out here.”
Not wanting to be blind to the situation in case Mr. Mischief gets any bright ideas to claw at Rand’s more vulnerable places, I peek through my fingers, being careful to look directly at his face while also shoving the cat behind me with my foot. Luckily for me, he complies.
Rand’s head is silhouetted by the thick gray clouds filling the sky, announcing the probability of afternoon rain. When it isn’t snowing, it’s raining lots and lots of rain. At least this is normal and not due to my emotional distress. Yay, progress.
“So you’re more of a grower than a shower, huh?” Mei comments with bland interest.
“Hey, like I said, it’s cold out here. Check again in the summer,” Rand replies with male indignation.
She shrugs and doesn’t move, making it impossible for him to walk into the much warmer greenhouse.
His amber eyes flick from both of our stone faces. He sighs. “Look, you’re the alpha’s mate, and it isn’t right for you to be alone when you’re not on pack grounds. We watch each other’s backs. That’s what it means tobepack.”
“He told you!” I shriek, my hands dropping into fists at my sides. Even though I may not have directly said not to tell anyone until I told the rest of the guys, Connor totally should haveknownnot to tell anyone until I had the chance to tell the rest of the guys. And probably Mildred. She’s going to be so pissed when she finds out.
Rand winces at the loud screech before explaining, “Shifters don’t need to be told when someone takes a mate. Your scent is marked by his, and his by yours. How else would anyone know not to mess with you?”
Blanching at the thought that every wolf shifter in all of Twin Cedar Pass knows that I’m Connor’s mate, I whisper, “Words. Normal people use words.”
“You’re mated to Connor?” Mei shouts so loudly, I’m pretty sure the next town over heard the exciting news. “How am I just finding this out?”
“I was going to tell you… eventually,” I defend, turning to face her. “I’m still wrapping my head around it, and I haven’t decided if I’m going to do something about it.”
“What do you mean ‘do something about it?’” Rand asks with genuine curiosity, huddling closer to the doorway. “Shifters mate for life.”
“Yes, I’m aware, but as you might have noticed, I’m a witch, not a shifter. So, ya know, different rules.” Glancing his way, I remember once again he is standing out in the cold in his birthday suit and move from blocking the doorway. “Come on inside. I’ll explain everything, and I swear if you tell a soul what you hear, I will skin you alive and wear you as a coat.”
