“Grayson.”
Of course. Those wolves don’t know the meaning of privacy. Ghost smiles faintly, a light blush high on his cheeks. He runs a hand through his hair, then sighs, leaning back in the seat. I can’t help but follow the movement of his breath as his chest lifts, his taut stomach flattening on the exhale beneath his t-shirt.
Silas and Grayson are huge—thick, brutish men. They have earthy, olive tone skin, and valleys and ridges that define their muscles. Their nearly identical faces have harsh angles with cutting jaws. Silas’s appearance is almost an armor in itself—a labyrinth of scars cutting across his skin, slicing up the tattoos hiding the rest of him. Orion is leaner, nearly as tall, with lighter skin, a short, blond, scruffy beard. He moves with more grace, suggesting he’s built more for speed than blunt force. His features are the most refined, I think, with high cheekbones andstunning blue eyes. And when he smiles, his eyes crinkle at the corners, and it makes my knees weak every time.
Ghost is smaller. Not small, just… shorter than them, more trim. Lithe. His skin is darker, golden brown with bronze undertones, with thick dark lashes and black hair, which makes the way his eyes shine bright gold absolutely breathtaking—when he deigns to look at you, that is. His forearms are corded, and they stretch and flex as he cracks his knuckles, searching for his words—allowing me to stare and take him in. I might never get the chance again.
If he wanted, Ghost could sneak past you without being noticed. Maybe it’s his magic, but he holds in on himself, like he’s hiding from the world.
But the moment you look up—it’s like a kaleidoscope.
I get the feeling he’s shown very few people his true self. Me, included. I don’t know him at all. And he’s keeping it that way.
“What’s your real name?” I ask him, assuming it isn’tThe Ghost.
“I need to know about your interactions with Deidre,” he replies, without answering.
He won’t even tell me his real name.
“What do you mean?” I ask, trying to hide my hurt, nudging a little further on the seat, as if an extra few inches of distance will save my heart.
“She has your blood, Mona. How did she get it?”
“I don’t know,” I say honestly. “I’ve never met the woman before.”
He hums but doesn’t look at me. He doesn’t seem to like eye contact. He continues, almost to himself, “Silas bit you, and you shifted for the first time. You met other wolves while on the run, and were eventually led to Silent Peak. Likely your wolf and your mates bringing you together. The Moon Goddess’s magic works like that. So… who did you meet on the road?”
He turns finally and faces me. He’s so fucking hot, his eyes are so sharp and bright, I find myself stuttering over my words. “N-no one. Just other wolves. But we were on the run the whole time. It’s not like we stopped for tea, ya know?”
He looks away, and I can breathe again.
“Your human guardian—he never took your blood?”
I shake my head. “My father, you mean? No, never.”
“He wasn’t your father. Your father is…” he trails off, then changes course. “Do you understand why it’s such a problem that she has your blood, Mona?”
“Please don’t say my name like that,” I huff, crossing my arms across my chest, slouching against the seat. I’ve already had my suspicions about my supposed father not being my real father, since he was human and all, but I’m not dwelling on that asshole anymore.
“Like what?”
“Like I’m stupid. I may be new to this world and not understand all the logistics, but yes, I can fucking imagine why her having my blood is an issue.”
“Right. My apologies. I’m sorry, I’m not used to…”
“What?” I ask, tilting my head toward him. I want him to keep talking. He’s so reserved, I want to open him up and see what’s inside.
And you call me the psycho, Beep snorts.
To be fair, it is usually you.
At least I’m not trying to peer inside my mate.
Aren’t you?I counter. To that, she stays silent.
God, I missed her.
Oblivious to my internal discussion, Ghost elaborates. “I’m not used to having someone I’m responsible for.”
