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EMILY
“Are you sure you don’t want to go?” I asked Ember for the gazillionth time. “You realize you’ll be leaving me to deal with these two.” I motioned with my thumb behind me to Cassian and Griffin.
“I told you, I don’t trust leaving Morgan here. But send the Ash Hounds my regards.”
“Yeah, but we have a ton of wolves guarding her, so there should be nothing to worry about. Join us,” I begged, pouting my lips. “Please?”
When she refused to come, I added, “But you’re breaking up Team Paranormal Fighters.”
“Team Paranormal Fighters?” Griffin chimed in from behind as he and Cassian approached us. They’d packed the truck in case we needed to spend the night in a motel. We weren’t sure how long the drive there or back would take. Not to mention how long we would be visiting with the Ash Hounds.
The thought of sleeping in a motel room, just the three of us… I don’t know if I was more excited or nervous at the prospect.
“Yeah,” I answered as Cassian swung an arm around my shoulder. “It’s our team name.”
Griffin shook his head. “No way, that’s so lame. We need something badass, like Team Ass Kickers.”
Cassian barked out a laugh, and Griffin frowned in response. “You got something better?” he asked.
“Anything is better than that. Even Team Paranormal Fighters—and as you said, that was lame.”
“Alright, then, let’s hear it,” Griffin said, crossing his arms.
I felt Cassian’s arm lift around my shoulder as he shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe The Avengers of Evil?”
Griffin’s face soured, and he was ready to rebut, but I cut him off. “We can discuss this on the ride, now let’s go!”
The travel was long. Not as long as when we visited the Ancient One, but it wasn’t a simple trip to the grocery store, either. By the time we were finally away from New York City, I’d already had enough of the drive.
Cassian drove, and I sat between him and Griffin in the front seat. His truck was the type that had an open front seat. I believe he called it a bench seat, though I’d never known much about cars.
Griffin had his arm over my shoulder, like Cassian had earlier. Why did I feel like a toy they were trading off? In a weird way, I loved it. They both pined for my attention, courting me and treating me like a queen. What woman wouldn’t love that? I sure as hell wasn’t about to turn it down.
The best part was that it wasn’t like a love triangle where they were begging me to choose. No, they wanted to share their mate, which was unheard of in the wolf world. But my guys were willing to take the sideways glances and awkward looks from other wolves because it meant we could be together.
For that, I would be forever grateful.
Griffin shot me a teasing look, and I knew he was plotting something against Cassian. I couldn’t believe they’d ever been friends when I first met them. But the more time they spent together, it was like they were falling back into their old friendship. Though, I wasn’t totally sure what their old friendship was like. Maybe this was a new version they’d yet to experience? Either way, they were close—like two bickering brothers, always messing with each other or trying to one-up the other.
Griffin’s fingers gently brushed against Cassian’s arm, caressing him. Cassian reached back to grab his hand, assuming it was mine, he slithered his fingers through Griffin’s. I held back my laughter—especially when Cassian’s face was hit with a sudden realization that this hand was much hairier than mine.
“Dammit, Griffin!” He jerked his hand away, moving it to the steering wheel as Griffin and I giggled beside him. He huffed, annoyed by our antics.
I rested my head on his shoulder, showing him affection to soothe his wounded male ego. Generally, I would have more of a “get over it” approach to that nonsense, but with this newfound relationship, we were all trying to figure out a balance.
We hadn’t quite “figured it out” yet, but we were making progress. Besides, it’s hard to be in a new relationship—and I was in one with two guys—all trying to figure out the curse, Samara, and everything else that was imminent danger.
Needless to say, tensions were already high, and that was before I had two guys competing for my attention. But I couldn’t ask for two better men to do this with. And if that meant showing Cassian extra attention when he’s pouting, then I’d do it because I loved him.
I’d never said it, and I wasn’t ready to drop the L-bomb on him yet. Even though I thought he’d be happy hearing it, I wasn’t prepared. Not yet—not until we figured us out first.
I could sense the emotions that had stirred within him slowly settling. I think it was the bond growing in strength. It was weird, but lately, it seemed like these wolf senses I’d never had suddenly surfaced. But why now? Maybe it was linked to the reason my magic didn’t appear until recently. Perhaps, they were destined to emerge together.
Griffin slid his fingers through mine as my head rested against Cassian, and for a moment, it was total bliss. Nothing—and I mean nothing—could’ve topped that moment. It was one I’d remember for years. The moment when, for a brief moment, we found peace together.
Until Griffin said, “You know, Princess, you should really let him focus on driving. But don’t worry, Cass. She can use my shoulder.”
I clicked my tongue in disapproval and glanced over to see a smug, teasing expression on his face. Raising my head from Cassian, I smacked his arm for ruining our moment. “I told you, stop calling me Princess!”
