AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“So you aren’t mad that we’re… together?” Levi hedged. Niko and I had this conversation already, but I was still taken by surprise.
“No…” My eyebrows wrinkled in confusion. “Why would I be? It’s fairly common for there to be multiple relationships in a pack.”
“Some don’t like that level of sharing,” he said evenly. “We have a history.”
“So do we now. I just can’t remember it,” I pointed out. “I promise that I don’t feel that way. It’s just some inner shit I have to work on.”
“We’ll get there. Be gentle with yourself. We’re patient men, and more than that, we’re honest. If you do something we don’t like, we’d tell you, and I know you well enough to think that you’d do the same. Correct?”
“I would,” I agreed easily.
“Then no need to dwell on that. This is us getting to know each other, but that won’t work if you let your doubts win. You’re strong, Farren. Give yourself a bit of credit.”
“Okay,” I said as I swallowed down the lump in my throat. His words were encouraging and sweet, exactly what I needed to hear. Sometimes it was hard to be the cause of pain in others, even if it wasn’t intentional or actually my fault.
“Farren!” Connie’s voice cut through the air the moment we opened the door. She moved fast for a woman of her age, and she was around the corner in seconds, nearly taking out a whole family on the way. Levi braced me so I didn’t fall when she practically tackled me in a hug. “I’m so glad to see that you’re alright. I’ve been so worried. They give updates but not enough information to ease this old woman’s mind.”
“I think it was the coffee and donut that did it,” I joked to lighten the mood. She grinned at that, patting my cheek before returning to her spot behind the counter, moving much more calmly this time.
“Are you staying for food?” she asked.
“We are,” Kane said. “I’m going to put these tables together.”
“You’re VIPs here. Do what you like.” She grinned. I didn’t think I’d ever seen her this cheerful, and for someone as bubbly as Connie could be, that was saying something.
“Her fried chicken is one of today’s specials.” Levi groaned. “I’m going to have to wear sweatpants tonight. It’s all you can eat.”
“Oh my god, have you had it with her cheesy potato casserole?” I asked. My mouth was already watering at the thought.
“No,” he gasped. “They have that?”
“Shit… I don’t know. Maybe not anymore,” I whined as I flipped the menu. When I didn’t see it, I turned back to Connie in horror. “You took off my potatoes?!”
She rolled her eyes. “Oh god, not this again.”
“Lucky you, I forgot all about it, so tell me… What reason possibly justifies this?”
Connie barked out a laugh and threw up her hands. “You were the only one who ordered them, so it was wasteful to keep them,” she countered. “We have a business to run here.”
I put on my best puppy dog eyes. “And you’d add them back in for me, right? I’m pregnant and can’t remember anything. This might make me feel better.”
“Holy shit, you’re pregnant?!” Connie screeched loudly enough that everyone in the place turned. She was back around the counter again, wrapping me in another hug. I was happy to use the surprise to my advantage if it got me potatoes. “Hell yes, I’ll add them back. Come in tomorrow.”
She stuck around long enough to take our order then went back to her post. Now that things had settled a bit, we all turned to Niko. He pulled out a pen and drew a sigil on his napkin. With a quick whispered word, I felt magic tingle along my skin and settle there.
“We’re safe to talk,” he promised.
“Holy shit, you can do that?” I gasped. “I’ve heard of barriers and shit, but right in the middle of a room?”
“I’m well practiced. I worked for a man who liked to keep his secrets,” he reminded me. “Speaking of, things gotveryinteresting at the university.”
We hung on every word as he explained everything from their tense arrival, to the missing body, and the entire board being thrown into jail.
“Good!” Levi thundered. “Fucking pompous old witches think they can rule the world with their venom. I hope they rot like they wanted us to.”
“Oh, don’t be delusional,” Kane scoffed. “We were never meant to rot. We would have been given a very public execution.”
“Excuse the fuck out of me?” It was crazy that I was shocked by the words, but an attack in the shadows seemed far different from public murder. “And everyone there allowed this?”
