Page 14 of Laverna

"So you're checking up on him like a mother hen? I didn't think something like this would warrant your attention," Laverna said through a mouthful of protein bar.

"My wolves are my family," he replied, worry eating away at him. "I might be their alpha, but that just means I am responsible for keeping them all safe. Usually, I wouldn't be so concerned, but the witches attacked you. Makes sense they would target me next."

Laverna chewed her way through another mouthful before asking in a small voice, "Did you really never sleep with Canidia? Because she boasted about it. Like...a lot."

Rom shook his head. "I never did, Laverna. I swear on my wolves." It was about as sacred as a vow he could ever give anyone. He had never held any gods sacred because he knew too many of them. "I wouldn't join her schemes and share the city with her. She took it personally. Though I can't believe she told you that we fucked or why she thought you would care."

Laverna just hunched further into her big jacket. "Yeah, I don't know either."

Rom could sense the lie but was wise enough not to call her on it. He liked this strange and tentative peace they currently held.

Sidonius lived in a penthouse apartment in Parione, not far from the Piazza Navona. Rom pulled into an illegal parking spot and opened the passenger door for Laverna.

"You know you can't park here," she commented with a sly grin. "I hope I'm not starting to rub off on you."

"You haven't rubbed off on me once," Rom replied with an innocent smile. Laverna rolled her eyes, but her grin widened. "The police will call me before it gets towed. That's how I knew where you left the Ferrari the other night."

"Ah, friends in low places. Lead the way," she said.

Rom keyed in the security code of the building's front door, and they stepped inside the warm hush of the building's foyer. He pressed the elevator button and glanced around.

"What is it?" Laverna asked.

"There's no one at the desk," Rom pointed at the empty counter.

"Maybe, they are just peeing," Laverna said, but her smile was gone. "Can you smell anything strange?"

Rom shook his head. "Only cleaning products and whatever air freshener they are using."

The elevator opened, and they stepped inside. Laverna leaned against the steel walls. "Maybe we are just getting paranoid in our old ages," she said and chewed her bottom lip.

"We got to our old ages because we are paranoid," Rom pointed out.

Sidonius owned the whole penthouse floor, so Rom wasn't shy about banging on the white and gold door and shouting his name. When they got no reply, he turned to Laverna. "Okay, goddess, you are up."

Laverna raised a brow. "Me? To do what?"

"Break in. Are you a goddess of thieves or not? Surely you can pick a lock," Rom replied, putting his hands on his hips. "Why the surprise? You didn't think I wanted you to come along because you are so pretty?"

Laverna pulled two hairpins from her messy braid and side-eyed him. "Since when have you thought I was pretty?"

Rom's neck went hot as she knelt down in front of the door. "Since the day I saw you standing by the Tiber. I just never assigned your value to your looks."

"One day, we are going to have a conversation about the day we met because I think we remember it very differently." Laverna slid the pins into the deadbolt. "I suppose that's complimentary in a way that you don't think I'm just a pretty face. You assign value to my lock picking though?"

"It's a skill," he said. "One I've never learned."

Laverna turned her attention back to the locks. "If we survive the witches, maybe I can be convinced to teach you sometime."

"I might take you up on that," Rom replied as the locks clicked and she let the door swing open. The scent of blood hit him like a punch, and he pulled Laverna behind him as his wolf roared to the surface.

10

How do I get myself in these situations, Laverna thought. Romulus's eyes were glowing, and he looked ready to tear apart anything that moved. He walked slowly into the entry hall of the apartment, his footsteps not making a sound.

Laverna followed, not wanting to be alone. She could feel a wrongness in the air but couldn't identify what it was. Hair rose on the back of her neck, and a chill swept down her spine. What the fuck had happened in here?

Blood stained the floor like a body had been dragged along it. She stepped carefully around it. Romulus was already walking into a trashed lounge room, a low growl coming out of him. His skin was rippling like the beast inside of him was getting ready to pull itself free.

---