Page 60 of Beasts of Mine

She called you annoying, Luca told me, following the bank at a normal pace while his green-gold eyes flashed briefly in my direction.

Exactly. She understands me, I told Luca, jumping down from the stone and landing several feet ahead of him.

Luca shook his head while Malek started toward home. I followed for a few steps before climbing onto a fallen trunk running beside the trail. The bark was slick from recent rain, which made walking along it considerably more interesting than using the ground.

Malek looked back.

We do this carefully, Malek warned me, pausing beneath a curtain of hanging vines while his gaze moved pointedly from me to the trunk.

I can be careful, I told Malek, walking another few steps along the log before jumping down beside him.

Luca came around the opposite side of the trunk.

Neither of them said anything.

I looked between them.

I can, I repeated to my packmates, beginning to suspect the silence was deliberately insulting.

Malek turned and continued walking.

Luca followed him.

I fell into step behind them and managed nearly half a minute before another thought occurred to me.

Do you think she'll keep calling you Cat after she finds out? I asked Malek, speeding up until I was walking beside him.

Malek didn't even turn his head.

Go away, Malek told me, increasing his pace as sections of the old stone path began appearing beneath the moss.

I grinned.

I think she will, I told Luca, moving around Malek so I could address someone willing to appreciate the importance of the question.

Very likely, Luca told me, glancing toward Malek while unmistakable amusement curved his mouth.

A low warning sound came from Malek. I decided not to push my luck.

For perhaps thirty seconds.

The forest thickened around us as we headed toward home, the creek disappearing behind layers of vegetation while the old stone paths became easier to recognize beneath the moss. Somewhere ahead waited the temple, our usual routines, and the life that had made perfect sense before a human photographer wandered into our territory and started feeding our Head Alpha chicken.

I didn't know what Evie would think when she learned the truth. She might love the temple or think it was far too isolated. Our customs might feel natural once we explained them or completely ridiculous to a human woman who'd never known shifters existed. None of us knew yet how three men rooted to one hidden territory would fit with someone who spent half her life chasing the next assignment.

Those were problems for later.

For now, I wanted another afternoon with her. I wanted to make her laugh again, see what she pointed her camera at next, and find out how quickly I could convince her that Luca being quieter did not automatically make him the polite one.

That last part might take some work.

I glanced toward Malek as we walked and caught him listening behind us again, one ear turned subtly toward the direction of the creek and the trail Evie would use tomorrow.

I bumped my shoulder against his arm.

Malek looked down at me.

I said nothing. I didn't need to.