Page 96 of Savage Claim

“You were such a cute little pup.” Ephraim ruffled Fane’s dark hair like he was a kid and not a dangerous killer.

A door leading to the side of the house opened, and Wrath walked in, bringing a wave of tension. “I managed to make everything fit in the freezer, but I’m sure you guys can go hunting for deer if you run out of the eight hundred pounds of meat within a week.” He laughed at his own joke while no one else did. “Tough crowd.”

“Thank you, Wrath.” Kesa gave him a bright smile, attempting to ease the building tension. “I’m sure there’s enough food to last a while.”

“I wouldn’t be so sure,” Preston muttered, staring Wrath down like he was sizing him up before a fight.

Wrath was a high demon, and if he was anything like Ruin, Preston didn’t have a snowball’s chance in hell.

“No problem.” Wrath looked so much like his brother yet so different. There was something a little unhinged and rough around the edges compared to Ruin. The high lord could resemble a marble statue, perfect, breathtaking, and cold, while Wrath seemed unable to remain still for too long. He vibrated with manic energy and was too unpredictable.

He looked more like his brother when he posed as the warden of Heldrok. Had he been trying to emulate his twin the whole time?

“Got it!” Dylan’s excitement shattered the heavy atmosphere, and he hurried in my direction with a Tupperware container. “I brought your favorite.”

My mouth watered as he opened the lid. “Spicy brownies.” The candied bacon and jalapeño topping gleamed under the globe lights hanging above the center island. “I’ve been dreaming about these, Dyl.” I snatched one and shoved a huge bite into my mouth, moaning as the sweet and spicy flavors popped over my tongue.

The youngest Anders beamed. “I brought some other stuff to make. Maybe we can do it together.” He bit his bottom lip, peering at me under his shaggy mop of caramel and copper hair.

“That would be fun,” I said after swallowing. “You can show me all your secrets.”

Dylan’s smile stretched all the way to his reddening ears. “Well, I can’t tell you all of my secrets.” He turned to the high demon still loitering near the door. “Try one, Wrath. These are the brownies I was telling you about in the car.”

The high demon strolled across the kitchen, towering in front of Dylan as he plucked a brownie from the container. “Thanks, little man. These look—interesting.”

“Go on and try it,” Dylan urged.

Wrath took a bite, nodding as he chewed. “I need to go OD on some milk now.” He coughed and marched to the fridge as crimson crept into his cheeks. “Preston was right. Tate’s taste buds were formed in the fiery bowels of the Underworld.”

This earned him a few chuckles around the kitchen, and the shifters relaxed.

Fane broke off a piece of the second brownie in my hand and popped it into his mouth. “They’re not so bad. You’re being dramatic, Wrath.”

“Dramatic would be me dowsing myself in this jug of milk.” He poured another glass and lifted it to his mouth. “Ruin is the dramatic one. Instead of politely seeking relief in a bottomless glass of milk, he would have made a whole spectacle. My brother loves being the center of attention. Not me.”

Kesa scoffed. “That’s why you used to dress up and put on plays at my house in Vlehull. Because you hated attention.”

He pouted. “I was ten.”

“Such an adorable age for any creature.” Kesa chuckled as she turned to Nora. “And then they grow up and get so serious.”

Nora shook her head, tossing her honey waves around her shoulders. “My eldest still acts like he’s ten sometimes.”

“Hey!” Preston yanked his head out of a white cabinet. “I’m just trying to hold onto my youth for as long as possible before I turn all moody and grumpy like Fane.”

The demon shifter flipped him off. “I am not grumpy.”

Preston scoffed. “If you were one of the Seven Dwarfs, you’d definitely be Grumpy.” He winked at me. “And I’d be Happy.”

I snorted on a laugh and snagged another brownie as Dylan set them on the island. My chest ached as their laughter echoed around the kitchen, feeling something I hadn’t experienced since my short time with Jayla.

Could these people—minus Wrath—really be my family?

I wanted that so much it hurt, but somewhere deep inside, I feared it wouldn’t last. They would either see the real me and decide to kick me out, or something horrible would rip them away.

Chapter

Thirty-Four

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