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Then I shove that thought down. We didn’t. And allowing my mind to wander down that path will bring nothing but guilt and questions without answers.
Cassius pauses before me after he’s finished. “Take your time bathing, then sleep. One of us will come by to check on you every few hours to make sure you’re all right and see if you need anything.”
I open and close my mouth a few times before I can respond. “I’ll rest for a bit, but I should be helping.”
He shakes his head. “Your part will come later. Right now, it’s time for us to do ours. Rest and regain your strength. Something tells me you haven’t given yourself the time you need to fully heal.”
I want to deny it, but Varin’s unintelligible grumbling only confirms what Cassius is saying.
***
My eyes snap open, and I inhale sharply. I’m disoriented. It takes several seconds to remember where I’m at. I keep perfectly still, listening for whatever sound yanked me from deep sleep.
The fire in the hearth has burned down, giving off a soft glow. The window drapes are drawn tight, making it impossible to know what time it is or how long I’ve been asleep. It feels too long.
Another sound. Two sets of footsteps. Downstairs, a door opens and closes, then a long silence. None of it seems like the noises of someone moving about their own home.
Slowly, I sit up, pushing the downy blankets away, and lower my legs off the side of the mattress. I am careful to be quiet as I gather the clothes laid out on the bench at the foot of the bed and get dressed.
I slip from the room and make my way down the hall. I pause at the top of the stairs to listen. At first, I don’t hear anything. Then I catch two deep, unfamiliar voices. My fingers wrap around the hilt of my dagger and pull it from the side of my boot.
With the wall at my back, I gradually shift my weight to prevent any floorboards from creaking as I make my way down.
I have no idea if Cassius, Della, or Lawrence have come back and left again or if they’ve returned at all.
More whispered speaking is cut off by a harsh shushing. It’s coming from the kitchen. There’s a clank followed by a warning growl. My pulse thunders. I focus on keeping my breaths steady and quiet.
If I ran, I could get away, but it’s likely whoever is here would follow. They probably know the town more than I do, so it’s better to face these intruders in a place more familiar to me than to them.
Beside the kitchen door, I take a few seconds to calm myself. I reach for the doorknob just as it swings open. A man I’ve never seen before strides through. The stranger’s golden brown eyes grow wide.
I react, aiming to strike. But my wrist is halted mid-motion, inches from my target’s chest.
“Do try not to stab our guests, little bird,” Cassius drawls.
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
CLARA
I meet Cassius’s gaze,green eyes sparkling with amusement. The corners of his lips curl slightly as he releases his hold on my wrist.
I back up several steps, hiding the dagger behind me. The gesture feels childish and causes my face to warm. Though, it’s more to show that I don’t intend to make another attempt on his life than to pretend I’m not holding a weapon.
“Sorry,” I say. “I heard noises and…”
Cassius sweeps past him and out into the hall. He stands beside me, casually throwing an arm around my shoulders. “Worry not. No harm was done.”
I’m relieved when an amused smirk replaces the shock on the stranger’s face. He and his companion join us in the hall.
“We could really use our own murderous human,” the second says. His eyes are a similar dark honey color, but where the first man has striations of gold, his are a richer brown. “I’ve been meaning to increase security.”
“Bram,” my-almost-victim hisses in admonishment, then sends me a dubious look.
Before either man can speak further, Cassius says, “Clara, this is Lewis and Bram López. Lewis and Bram, this is Clara Valmont.” Then, with a wink in my direction, he adds, “She isn’t usually this feral. I think we just startled her.”
“You shouldn’t lie,” I say, leaning into the well-deserved teasing, wanting to dispel the last of the uncertainty. “I’m usually far more feral.”
Cassius ushers us into the sitting room. Lawrence arrives just as he’s explaining that Lewis and Bram are the alphas of a neighboring pack west of Progsdale. He lingers just inside the doorway, reclining against the wall as he listens.
