Page 9 of Until the Stars Fall

“I know,” I said with a meekness that sent fresh warmth over my skin. This was not going well, but stars above, I wasn’t going to give up now. “You’re worth breaking the rules for though.”

Silence.

Look at him! Don’t be a coward!

My thoughts shouted at me, but my body wouldn’t listen, remaining frozen in this awkward standoff.

He stepped toward me and stood so close the air warmed around me, making it difficult not to melt into him.

“Go home, Lieke,” Brennan whispered, placing his hand on my shoulder as he stepped past.

CHAPTER 5

Connor

I had been so distracted by Lieke’s confession that I nearly missed the approaching female. Brennan would surely be following soon after. It wasn’t until I had darted off that I realized I had left Lieke behind, unprotected, vulnerable, and stupidly smitten over my idiot brother.

I should have nudged her back home, but who would listen to a wolfhound?

I could have shifted in front of her, but I didn’t want to frighten her more.

So you abandoned her,I mocked myself.Good job, Connor.

No matter. This would be quick enough.

In no time, I locked on to the scent of the female. I soon found her in a small clearing in the forest. She stood leaning her back against a tree at the far end. With a roll of my body, I reined my magic in, pulling the wolfhound back until I was once again in my fae body. I didn’t have time to appreciate the feeling of being back in my own skin, though, and with a single breath, I shoved my hands in my pockets and stepped out from the trees.

The female didn’t bother looking up from where she pretended to pick at her well-manicured nails.

“Hello, shifter prince,” she said, her voice a sultry velvet, slow and smooth. “Come to steal away your brother’s plaything?”

At this, her gaze flicked up, and she peered at me from under her long lashes. A devilish half-smile pulled at her red lips, which highlighted the shades of red in her hair.

I shot her a bored look. “In a manner of speaking, Marletta.”

Lithely she pushed away from the tree and stepped toward me.

Watching her, I kept my senses fixed behind me, waiting for any hint that Brennan was approaching. When she was within arm’s reach, I lifted my hand to her shoulder and forced her to stop.

“That’s close enough,” I said, ignoring how her dark eyes shifted down to my lips and then back up.

She wrinkled her nose. “Agreed. You smell like dog.”

“Brennan isn’t available,” I said, though I knew this wasn’t going to be that easy.

A laugh rumbled low in her throat as she shook her head. “Seemed otherwise when he invited me here.”

“Seems he still lacks any sense of self-preservation.”

Footsteps. To my right. He was here.

“Hello, brother,” I said, never pulling my eyes away from the female sneering at me.

Brennan stepped into my periphery and lifted his arms out to his sides, stopping just inside the clearing. “Connor, interrupting my fun twice in one day? What am I to think?”

I snapped my glare to him. “Maybe you should think about what the king will do to you if you fail to obey his orders.”

“You mean what he’ll do toyouifyoufail,” he countered. I really should have stopped covering for him years ago. Should have let our father unleash his anger where it was warranted instead of across my back.

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