The Don guy takes a slow step back, and the group he left moves up behind him. I glance over my shoulder to see Grim’s cloaked silhouette bathed in moonlight a few feet away. I spin away from Calix, and scold, “You weren’t supposed to stay gone long.”
“Forgive me, Omnia. I had matters to attend to.” Grim’s cloak melts away as he walks toward us, revealing dark jeans and a dark shirt.
“Holy shit,” someone behind me breathes, as if he looks more frightening now than he did in his cloak. I examine him, I just don’t see it. The only thing scary about him right now is how fucking perfect he is.
“You should check in more. I worry.”
Grim dips his chin and lowers his eyes before coming to a halt right in front of me. “Are they bothering you, Damiana? I could dispatch them,” Grim tells me, but looks over my shoulder. The embers in his eyes flare, and I inadvertently shiver as his words warm my black heart.
I turn so Grim is pressed up against my back, and I have Calix and Gunnar at each side. “I don’t think that will be necessary, will it, Don? Besides, if anyone gets to kill them, it will be me. Especially Tammy.”
Don raises his hands and takes another step backward, though I can still see the slight gleam in his eye. “Not necessary at all.”
“This is pretty far for a friendly visit,” Calix addresses Don, ignoring that the rest of us just threatened his life.
“Pack like this is too big to risk falling into the wrong hands. I’ve been hearing that Torin ain’t doing so good. Not that I can blame him. Tough shit all the way around.” Don’s demeanor is decidedly more serious.
Calix nods in acknowledgement. “Well, I have some things to take care of. It’s been good seeing you. Stick around, okay?”
Don reaches his hand out to Calix and makes eye contact with me. “My apologies to you both. I didn’t comprehend the situation.”
I give him a happy grin in response. He’s not being disingenuous. “No worries. Just make sure you tell your friend. I wouldn’t want to kill her over a misunderstanding.” I chuckle.
Don scrunches up his nose and tilts his head to the side. “You’re remarkably straightforward, and a little strange,” he comments hesitantly.
“Astute observation. We have to run along now. Wolfy’s waiting.” I point over to the wide front door of the mansion, which just opened. Torin is standing in the entrance. The food has worked wonders on his physique. I can tell, even from this distance, he’s bulked up. The scowl on his face is speaking volumes too.
I wave my hand in the air eagerly. “Hey, Wolfy.” His face softens for a tiny second as he glances at me, but the snarl returns to his lips immediately when he looks at all the people congregating on his lawn. It’s good to see him out of his room; it might help him to see something other than just his grief-soaked walls.
Kim steps up next to Torin, her arms crossed over her chest and her leg kicked out to the side. “Great, it’s the joy succubus,” I mumble under my breath. “Hi, Kim, weirdest thing…” I start walking up to the front porch. “Your kitchen table broke. Don’t worry, no one was injured, but man, they just don’t make things like they used to, am I right?”
Kim’s indifferent little pout falls as she gapes in disbelief. “You broke the table?”
“I mean, was the craftsmanship that great to begin with? I probably did you a favor. Somebody could have gotten hurt on that thing.”
“How did you manage to break my table?”
I place my hand on my chest in mock outrage. “Have you no concern for my wellbeing? For the wellbeing of Calix?” I tsk. She’s so easy to rile up—fun even. Every time I’m just starting to think I like her, she somehow shoves the stick higher up her ass, and it’s blatantly obvious no one did any prep work, otherwise she might have found that she likes it.
“Hey, Becky, that skirt is killer.” I wave at one of the other ladies I spoke to last evening.
“Thanks, Dami.” She grins and walks past us to another hallway. I see the way her eyes track Torin as she goes. Yesterday, when I went for a look around the house, it was very clear that everyone here is concerned for their alpha, and that they really are grieving with him and want him to return to the pack as their leader. He’s respected, loved even.
It makes me want to push him to keep going instead of giving up. “So, Wolfy, what do you think about all these folks who have come for a visit?” Torin growls in response, and Kim perks up a little.
There might be some hope for him yet.
Chapter 13
“Tell me why you came to the city.” Torin rips a hunk of meat off the end of a rib bone. I can hear his teeth grinding on gristle and small bones, and my teeth ache in sympathy.
“To find and kill a witch,” Gunnar answers. He’s eating too, but his manners would be considered refined compared to the wolf’s.
“You came all the way across the country for a single witch?” Torin’s eyebrows rise.
“He’s a very naughty witch.” I put some distance between myself and the table. I may have a small appetite now, but if I keep hearing Torin snap bones and pulverize them, I might just decide I’ll never eat again.
“Must be to have gained your attention. What’d he do?”
