Page 33 of Gone Hunting

Gemini’s twin wolf stops a few paces in front of us. He whines, his dark eyes peering ahead. He’s about excited to visit Mimi as the rest of us.

“Watch,” Gemini tells him.

The wolf takes point beside the elk as Gemini lowers it to the ground. “I feel bad that you have to do this,” Celia tells Gemini. “I’m not sure when or how, but I promise to make it up to.”

Gemini turns away, embarrassed. I can’t blame him. Out of all of us, he’s the most quiet and shy around females, especially cute ones. Except Celia isn’t one of those cute types, those who know they’re cute and who toss their hair to get attention.

Celia is muddy. Her skin glistens from the run and she’s covered with cuts and scratches.

She’s also the most beautiful girl I’ve ever seen.

“You owe me nothing,” Gemini says. “Just stay safe.”

She watches him. “I wish you could meet my sister, Taran.”

Gemini perks up. “Why? Is she pretty?” he blurts out.

This time, I’m not the one blushing.

“She’s gorgeous,” Celia cautiously replies, but then she laughs. “She’s also mouthy, loud, temperamental, and completely inappropriate.”

Gemini cocks his head. “That doesn’t sound like anyone I’d be attracted to.”

“I don’t know about that,” Celia muses. “What I do know is Taran would make you smile. I think you could use a few more smiles.”

She eases away from him and closer to me, looking in the direction where the trees thin to reveal a small worn path. “That’s the way to Mimi’s home?” she asks.

“It is,” I reply. My wolf is on edge, his jaws firmly shut and his keen senses surging mine further.

I reach for Celia’s hand and lead her forward. “Come on. The sky is getting darker and Mimi’s vision isn’t the best. The last thing I want is for her to think this is an ambush.”

Celia’s focus flickers back to where Gemini’s twin waits beside the elk. “Will he be all right without us?”

“He’ll be fine,” Gemini assures her. He takes point behind us, not bothering to explain that the wolf won’t just guard Mimi’s payment. He’s our back up and who we’re counting on to warn us if something else appears.

I ease Celia behind me when we reach the path. “Step where I step,” I tell her.

“Take nothing from Mimi, not even a blade of grass,” Gemini warns.

“If she offers you something, wait for our signal before you ingest it,” Koda rumbles.

The path opens up to a misshapen clearing, roughly the size of an acre. My mother’s garden is neat and tidy, made up of rows of raised planter boxes Dad and I constructed throughout the years. Herbs line one side, vegetables the others, the entire section covered with carefully fastened wire to keep animals out.

Mimi has two gardens on either side of us. Each look like the equivalent of a toddler’s bedroom following a vicious tantrum, except, instead of toys, waist-high plants spring up between tall sections of weeds and grass.

Liam prowls forward like it’s a walk through a field of daisies and not some crazy hag’s much-guarded territory. “You guys are making too much of a big deal out of this,” he says. “Mimi isn’t that bad. Besides, I’m her favorite.”

Koda rolls his eyes as he takes point beside me. Liam thinks he’s everyone’s favorite. Stupid and often asinine comments aside, Liamisa good guy. If he could just keep his trap shut, he’d make great strides in thewerecommunity. The problem is, Liam can’t zip it, and we usually end up in trouble because of him.

Liam turns around, grinning ear to ear when he sees me reach for Celia’s hand. “So, are you two a thing? Or are you just using each other for a few kisses and cuddles?”

Did I mention Liam can’t keep his trap shut?

I keep my features locked on him as my face goes up in flames. “We just met,” I remind him.

Liam laughs. “You’d never know it, Juliette.”

He means Romeo, but I’m not going there with Liam. I’m just hoping he won’t mention marriage and making babies next.

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