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Ian shrugs, always more interested in the end result than how we reach it. He’s always been like that. Again, optimism sweats out his pores. “Who cares? She’s here and she’s perfect. And besides, we've spent enough of our lives being split apart; I think it’s only fair that we get a mate that keeps us together. We can figure out the rest later.”
I can’t deny the appeal of sharing a mate and never being split up again.
Ian and I have spent almost our entire lives separated from each other. The cruel arrangement our parents made, while from a place of good intention, felt like a bad decision on the best of days. When our mother discovered she had a second mate bond when we were merely six years old, she chose to go and live with him instead of staying with our father, her original bond.
They made the decision to split the two of us up. Ian stayed with our Alpha father, and our mother took me to live with her and her new Alpha mate.
It was only months ago that we started really speaking again, both of us suddenly driven to reunite once again. I didn’t know what the driving force was, but something told me we weren’t meant to be a split family for the rest of our lives.
It’s starting to make more sense now that we’ve stumbled across Quinn.
And just in time to save her from something.Something bad. My wolf is still on edge from finding her in danger. I’m not sure who those wolves were, they seemed too organized to be rogues, and I’m worried they’ll be back again eventually. They were hunting Quinn too carefully to give up so easily.
“Let’s get back.” I jerk back into motion. Before Ian can start in on me again, I continue, “Of course she’s perfect. I’m just antsy. Let’s agree on one thing before we get back okay, we’re going to have to lie.”
“Lie? Why?”
I suck in a deep breath and let some of my neuroticism break free. “I want Quinn in the cabin with us tonight, but I don’t want her to feel like we’re backing her into a corner. We’ll tell her that we found Charles but there aren’t any cabins available. That way we can keep her where she’s safe—close to us.”
“Yes.” Ian nods enthusiastically. The grin that had split his face dims a second later, and he hedges with a bit of hesitancy, “I don’t want to make her upset with us, though.”
“She won’t be,” I say confidently. It might be false bravado. Maybe she’ll be pissed as hell if she ever finds out, but we have to keep her safe. So a little white lie feels like the best bet. Sort of. “Not as long as she doesn’t find out that we lied.”
Neither Ian or I are particularly used to being sneaky or deceitful. Despite the shitty decision our parents made, we were both raised in good homes, and the only thing we ever wanted for was each other.
But to keep Quinn close, I’m willing to throw my morals temporarily out the window. If she finds out andismad tomorrow… Well, we’ll just deal with that when the time comes.
“Okay.” Ian takes a deep breath, and I know he’s preparing himself. He’s a terrible liar, so I can only hope he keeps his involvement to a minimum.
We return to our cabin so quickly I’m worried it won’t be believable that we actually went and talked to anyone, but I can only hope based on how much Quinn was yawning when we left her that she’ll overlook the little details.
I fall back to let Ian use the key he’s holding onto to open the cabin door. He knocks on the door frame in warning and calls out, “We’re back.”
I trail behind Ian into the small living and kitchen area where Quinn is perched anxiously on the edge of the couch, worrying her hands in her lap as she sits with her spine ramrod straight.
“What’s wrong?” I brush past Ian to go to her side instantly, already peering out the window beside the couch to make sure there’s nothing there. I eye the distant tree line warily but can’t pick out any unusual movement.
“Nothing.” She shakes her head.
I take in the state of her eyes, dark, puffy circles forming under her lower eyelashes. It’s easy to get lost in the unusual pink shade of her eyes, and that must have kept me from realizing the full extent of her exhaustion before. If it weren’t for her forced posture, I’m sure she’d be sagging with the weight of it.
“We should get you to bed,” I tell her, putting my hand on her knee even though I have no right. I’m so desperate to touch her, though, that I can’t help myself. From the second I got close to her, I’ve wanted an excuse to make physical contact.
I would handcuff us together right this second if I had access to handcuffs and didn’t think I would freak her out beyond repair.
“Did you manage to find a cabin for me?” she asks hopefully.
I open my mouth to tell the agreed-upon lie, but Ian beats me to it. “No cabins available,” he announces resolutely. “Just this one. We can sleep outside, though.”
Panic spears through my gut, and I just barely resist the urge to jab my elbow into Ian’s stomach. “You can’t sleep outside,” Quinn says, and the panic dissipates. She frowns, her eyes moving around the cabin and taking in the slim options. “There’s just one bed,” she adds, her brows furrowing.
She must have snooped while we were gone because the bedroom door is closed, and she would have had to look in there to know there’s only one bed. Ian and I have been taking turns in the bed or on the couch, but I’ll sleep on the floor outside the bedroom door if it keeps Quinn here tonight. I tell her as much.
“Don’t be ridiculous, you guys. You saved my life tonight. It’s a little weird to stay with strangers, but if you’re letting me stay, I’m not going to take your bed.” She sinks a little deeper into the couch. “I can sleep on the couch for the night.”
“No!” Ian yelps.
We both turn and gape at him.
