Page 98 of Caelum

I processed that. “In preparation for when you do it on your own.”

“Yes.” He cut me a look. “We’re good, Eve.”

That had me scowling at him. “Obviously not that damn good if Nestor came back with half his throat missing. Did a Ghoul try to eat him or something?”

Eren’s dark complexion paled. “Yes.”

Sickness had me drawing to a halt. “No!” I cried. “No.”

“For fuck’s sake, he’s alive, isn’t he?” Dre growled, making me jump when I realized he’d been behind us all the time.

My eyes flared in irritation, and the Hell Hound, still not burieddeep after the situation in the common room, had me spinning out of Stefan’s hold and untangling my fingers from Eren’s so I could stare at Dre.

“What. Is. Your. Problem?”

Dre snarled, “You. You’re a pussy and that’s the last thing we fucking need slowing us down.”

Taken aback, I growled, “I’m not a cat!”

“For fuck’s sake,” Dre spat. “How the fuck can you even argue with her when she doesn’t understand what you’re talking about?” I wasn’t sure if he was railing at Stefan and Eren or the universe as a whole.

“I don’t understand why you thinking I’m a cat makes you think I can slow you down,” I retorted, and I couldn’t help it—my finger straightened and I dug it deep into his chest as I prodded him.

My Hell Hound packed a punch into the move so he staggered back a few feet, gaping at me in surprise as he straightened up.

When he moved toward me, Eren was there, sheltering me from Dre’s wrath. “Back off, Dre,” he warned, and I heard the growl of his own Hell Hound. Mine and his almost saluted one another as I pressed my hand to his sides, clinging to him in thanks for him trying to protect me.

A warmth blossomed in my chest as I pressed myself into him. Though he stiffened at my touch, he relaxed a second later.

“You know what? Fuck this. I’ll be at the party if any of you give a shit about where I am.”

Dre stalked off, but only when I looked over my shoulder and saw that he’d headed through the gate did Eren and Stefan relax some.

“What party?” I asked.

Stefan shook his head at me. “Since when was your Hell Hound so strong?”

I shrugged.

He frowned. “Eve?”

“I don’t know,” I replied. “The Were and the Hell Hound are different ever since I came here. I just used to be moody and feel like my skin was too tight for my body on those days. Now it’s different.”

“You’re allowing yourself to feel,” Eren stated softly. “It’s empowering the animals. They run on emotions even though their strength seems to be sourced elsewhere.”

Stefan nodded. “That could be it.” He grabbed my hand. “Still, don’t pick fights you can’t win, yeah?”

I decided it was best not to tell him about the dude back in the common room. Clearing my throat, I murmured, “Will Nestor be okay?”

He winced. “Yeah, but he’ll scar.”

“But he’ll be alive. He can’t deal with a scar if he’s dead.”

“That’s one way of looking at it,” Stef said dryly. “But I meant… the scar might bother you.”

I frowned at him. “Why would it bother me?”

“It’s not going to be pretty,” Eren warned.

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