Page 77 of Their Promise

Kayden glanced at me then back at the portal and back to me again.

“I didn’t try to go through it,” I snapped and turned away from him. “It opened in front of me and I fought the hellhounds, then Dad and Tony showed up. That’s all.”

“I didn’t say anything,” he muttered.

“You didn’t have to,” I hissed and shifted into my human form.

The portal closed, the necklace cooled, and I took a deep breath to slow my heart.

“We’ll leave you to your walk,” Caleb said. “We just wanted to make sure you were safe since we sensed the ward break.”

“Thanks, I’m good. You can all leave now,” I said, still not looking at them.

Dad and Tony headed back towards the house, but Kayden and Mason lingered.

After another second, they walked away as well.

The little pup stuck its head out from behind the tree and looked at me.

“Yes, the coast is clear,” I told it and squatted down with my hand out.

Slowly, tail still tucked beneath itself, the pup walked to me and sniffed my hand. Its quills were black with a red tip, the eyes were odd and looked smoke-like, and yet was still veryexpressive. The pup looked up at me, raised its tail, ears perked up, and barked. The little tongue lulled out the side of its mouth as it wagged its tail at me.

“I’m not sure what to do about you, pup. I didn’t show the others, but they’ll smell you for sure. How do I know you won’t grow big and try to kill me in my sleep or something?”

It canted its head, sat on his rump, and continued panting with its tongue hanging out one side of its mouth.

Groaning, I said, “You’re just too cute!” Reaching out again, I ran my hand down the top of its head, surprised that the quills felt almost furlike when stroked in this direction. Using my nail, I lifted one and looked at the sharp tip. “These definitely don’t feel good when going the opposite way.”

It whoofed softly and wagged its tail more.

Sighing, I put my face in my hand and muttered, “What have you gotten yourself into, Lily?”

The pup rubbed its head on my hand and licked it.

“Fuck, you’re too cute. I can’t let them kill you,” I grumbled. Pointing my finger at it, I said, “You have to do exactly what I say, you understand?”

It woofed, stood, and wagged its tail harder.

“Come on, let’s go to the barn. It’ll be easier to hide you there than in my room, since my parents don’t go into the barn often. Plus, they’d hear you in the house and definitely smell you easier there.”

Walking towards the barn, I was pleased to see the pup trotting next to me, ears perked and tail up, ridiculous tongue still out the side of its mouth.

Shaking my head, I said, “Don’t make me regret this, pup.”

In response, it looked up at me with adorable puppy eyes and woofed again.

I was so screwed.

Chapter

Nineteen

Turned out the pup could eat meat and snored softly when it slept. I convinced my family that I wanted to stay in the barn because I’d neglected shifting while at college, so I wanted to refamiliarize myself with my snake form and spend a lot of time in it.

The pup listened to my instructions with an above average intelligence and anytime someone from my family came to visit me, he would run and hide behind a crate I’d put behind my rock for that very purpose.

I crafted a carrying bag for him since his quills hurt when I tried to hold him. He loved the bag, curling up inside and huffing a soft, contented sigh each time I put him in it.

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