“Stop talking or I’ll resend my offer.”
I slipped my arms into her cloak. “What offer.”
“I was going to let you stay with me tonight.
I took her outstretched hand, letting her pull me to standing. “I was going to sleep here, curled up in my wolf form.”
“You’re not doing that. You’re saying with me.” I opened my mouth, but she stopped me before I could get a word out. “Don’t say anything. This is a one-time offer. Follow me before I change my mind.”
“If I wasn’t so exhausted I’d kiss you.”
Luce’s tent was simple: a fire burned in the small stove in the corner, there was a bed and a small table and a chair, but that was it. The table was stacked high with books, the surface covered with papers. Clearly, Luce had been busy.
Tomorrow, I’d ask her what she’d been up to.
Tonight, I needed sleep.
I made my way to the bed. Crawling onto the plush surface.
It was nowhere near as comfortable as an actual mattress, but compared to the ground and with how exhausted I was, it felt like a cloud.
I curled into a ball on top of the blankets, wrapping my arms around myself as my eyes pressed closed.
“Fucking wolf,” Luce murmured. “Scoot over.” Icracked open an eye. She had removed her jacket and was filling in the space next to me. She pulled at the blankets. I shifted my body to help her. She pulled the blankets out from underneath me and placed it over the top of both of us.
“Goodnight, Lucy.”
“Goodnight, Nico.”
I awoke to Luce’s arms curled around me, our bodies pressed together.
“It was cold.” Her voice was thick with sleep, but her eyes remained closed.
“Don’t worry, Lucy, I won’t tell anyone we cuddled.” She groaned but didn’t make a move to untangle herself.
“How are you always so warm?”
“It’s a wolf thing.”
“That, I’m jealous of.”
“Of all the things to be jealous of—my good looks, my sense of humor, my hot body, huge dick?—”
She attempted to swat at me but failed. “That’ll do it.” Luce rose from the bed, throwing the blanket at my face.
“We need to gather everyone to meet in an hour. Tell the wolves.” She threw on her jacket and was gone.
I made my way out of Luciana’s tent after her.
I needed to find a shower. Or a river. Anything would do at this point.
The camp was still quiet, the sun had only just risen. I didn’t spy any of the wolves. I hoped they were all getting sleep wherever they ended up last night.
Maybe I wasn’t a very good leader, but my direction hadbeen to get them here. I’d never be their leader. I wasn’t truly a part of the pack anymore—I wasn’t a leader by default. That was left to my parents or Stellan.
I could trust them to find a place to sleep.
And besides, when Luciana Ambrose called I answered.
