“He’s not using your bathroom,” I said. “That’s all yours.”
“Good. I’m glad you came home.”
“I’ll always come home, kiddo,” I said, pushing myself upright.
Maybe I should’ve stuck around to talk to Beryl, but I needed a shower and to touch base with Eran and Vatten. I also needed to eat something before I really did take a chunk out of someone. I hadn’t eaten since the night before and my lion wasn’t having it. No one wanted to see my lion hangry.
“Too late,”my inner beast sounded off into my thoughts.
***
Jondi played with the babies while I took a shower. I scrubbed my skin clean under the hot water and then shifted to use the wall-mounted fur scrubber because it felt as if I was the one who swam around in the pond searching for Jondi’s rock. Sooner or later, I’d need to swing into Franny’s Fur Salon but finding the time to do that was unlikely.
I dried off and wrapped my hair in a towel before grabbing my phone. I avoided opening any social media app on purpose and just checked my texts from Zevna. She’d done a sweep of the building as soon as she received the news Ferrick was gone. Tomorrow we’d open back up. I’d only closed so no one was out and about because of Flight School if shit hit the fan because of Ferrick.
ZEVNA:I’ll handle it tomorrow. From what I’ve heard you have your hands full with a runaway kiddo and Beryl. If he doesn’t mind his manners soon let me know and I’ll flog his ass.
ME:Zev, you’re not a dominatrix anymore.
ZEVNA:Says you, but I’ll use my wings and he won’t like it.
ME:I think it’s complicated for him. I don’t know why but it is. Hell, it’s complicated for me too. Like I just met this dude and want to trust him. That feels like dark magic. Seriously, dark magic. I trusted him to find Jondi’s rock.
ZEVNA:That’s the true-mate response for you. It makes everyone crazy. You’re on edge because of the trolls, threats, and that damn memoir. Out of all the true-mates in the universe very few sets end up like Ferrick and Roster. Besides, if Beryl ran around like that Diamond would castrate him herself.
ME:I’ll probably come in at some point. It doesn’t feel right not to be there with so much going on.
ZEVNA:Amorti is on the guard rotation tomorrow. We’ll be fine. I swear he has a sixth sense for things. I never got to tell you but Michael’s daughter, Gretten, got tired of flying and tried to nap midair. She plummeted and before I even realized what happened Amorti like slid his big bear ass across the room like he was sliding bases at a ball game and caught her. She laughed her scaley little butt off but she took a decade off my life. If that guy ever quits the Cuddle Club, we should hire him. Anyway, why are you texting me instead of climbing Beryl like a tree or whatever you plan to do to him?
ME:Because romping is still low on my to do list.
ZEVNA:Okay, Mister I’m-Going-To-Use-Pheromone-Swap again.
ME:It was simpler than this.
ZEVNA:You’re not happy??
ME:I don’t know how I feel. It’s been a rough start. Like I said I want to trust him but I just met him.
ZEVNA:You better figure it out before the magic takes over. Now, go play or whatever with him. At least talk to the man. I’m making tacos. I’ll send some over to you guys.
ZEVNA:Hey! Wait! Is Eran still there?
ME:Yep.
ZEVNA:Send him home!
ME:I’ll do no such thing! I asked him and Vatten to come and stay.
ZEVNA:Jade, I think sometimes you enjoy the drama.
I didn’t but I also didn’t feel like arguing with her about it again. She said that a lot any time I brought up Eran before he met Vatten.
“Besides, if Eran and Vatten go home, us and Jondi will be alone with Beryl when he comes back,”my lion chimed into my thoughts.“He’s our Alpha but we don’t know him.”
I wanted to bang my head on the wall but that would’ve been a horrible example to set for Jondi. Instead, I dried my hair and pulled it back into a low ponytail before I got dressed. The first thing Eran did when I walked into the living room was offer to load up his brood and go home.
“You can stay another night. I mean it’s almost dinner time already,” I shook my head.
