Page 93 of Shifter Marked and Claimed

“Zoe is not coming with us. She will stay with Patchnew. He will keep her safe.”

“Patchnew?”

Vedar did the most human thing I’d ever seen on him. He rolled his eyes.

“Sir Cuddles.”

“You mean you want to leave her behind?”

“Yes.”

“No.”

“Yes.”

I crossed my arms and glowered at him. “These are the moments that make me want to strangle you.”

He stepped in and grabbed the back of my head, reeling me in to rub his cheek against mine.

“I know,” he whispered.

But between the rubbing, the clicking, and his smell, all my annoyance evaporated. Not my original thought, though. Determined, I pulled back an inch.

“She’s my sister, Vedar. It’s my job to keep her safe, and I can’t do that if we leave her behind. What if something happens to her while we’re gone? What if the giant comes back?”

“It’s no longer your job to protect her, dear one. It’s mine,” he said as he continued to soothe me. “I will keep her safe because I know she holds a piece of your heart like you hold mine. Nothing can get to her inside my home where she has Patchnew to care for her. But something could get to her out there if I’m distracted by protecting you.”

His explanation for leaving her behind sounded so completely reasonable. More so when he dipped his head to rub his cheek against mine again. Damn it.

I tried to fight it.

“Why would Patchnew do anything you say after the way you’ve treated him?”

“It was an act to draw out what I wanted most. I would never harm something I treasure.”

I knew he meant me, and my heart gave a thump as I thought back to all the times he’d emerged from his house to yell at his rock. He’d been doing it to attract my attention. He’d wanted me all along. I remembered how he’d said “Finally” when I’d faced him to save Zoe.

Between that knowledge and his touch, my resistance faded to nothing.

“I don’t like when you do this.”

“You do.”

“Ugh, I do. Why do I like it so much?” I gave in and rubbed my cheek against his.

The clicking grew louder, but instead of pulling me closer, he stepped back.

“Come, my treasure. We will free your friend and return to swim.” He held out his hand, and I threaded my fingers through his even as I grumbled.

“You better not sneeze me into the pool again.”

“I didn’t mean to do that. My nose is sensitive. It’s how I found you.”

“What do you mean?”

He spun me into his arms and leaned forward to inhale deeply close to my throat.

“I smelled you long before I saw you. Treasure always calls to my kind.”

---