Page 116 of Shadow City: Silver Wolf

"Maybe bringing you here was a bad idea." Killian pouted and bounced a leg. "Between your comments and Griffin pawing at Sterlyn, I’m going to have nightmares." He pointed at me. "What happened to keeping your legs closed nice and tight?"

Laughter spilled out of me, and I hadn’t realized how much I needed the release. During the first week I’d stayed with Killian under the ruse of dating him, he’d found out I was a virgin and been shocked. I’d made that comment to explain things to him.

"Oh, don’t worry." Griffin wrapped an arm around my shoulders, pulling me into his side. "She still does for everyone else but me."

Killian huffed and stared at the television like he was too disgusted to look at any of us.

"Well played," Sierra said, as she saluted Griffin. "He’s speechless for once."

Comforting warmth expanded in my chest. In this moment, things felt normal; four friends hanging out, trying to get a reaction from one another. In fact, I’d never gotten to experience things like this until I found Killian and Griffin. They’d given me a piece of normalcy that I hadn’t been able to find with my birth pack—a sense of belonging that let me know that life might be shitty, but there were bright spots.

Spots that I cherished more because of the bad.

Not that I wouldn’t love to have my parents here with me, along with the brother I’d never gotten to meet. I would—sodamn much—but that wasn’t possible, no matter how much I wished it.

There’sa sense of happiness ebbing from you.Griffin intertwined our fingers.I’ve never felt this from you before.

Is that a problem?I teased, able to feel how pleased he was.Should I be broodier?

God, no.He tucked a piece of my hair behind my ear.I hope you feel like this more often. You look even more breathtaking right now.

"Ew," Sierra groaned. "Maybe I was wrong to give you hell. It is kind of sickening to watch them be all lovey-dovey."

"Nope, you sided with them." Killian crossed his arms and bared his teeth. "You don’t get to complain. That right is solely reserved for me."

The flapping of wings notified us that Rosemary had returned. The back door swung open, and her rose scent swirled into the room as she stepped inside with a black duffel bag slung over her shoulder.

"Well, come on in." Sierra snorted. "Make yourself at home."

"I believe I just did." Rosemary strolled to us. "Which bedroom am I staying in?"

As usual, we could count on her to get straight to the point.

"The bedroom down that hallway on the right." Griffin gestured in the same direction that Sierra had come from. "You’ll be on the other side of the hall from Sierra’s and Killian’s rooms. Sterlyn and my room is at the very end of the hallway."

"Good, I’ll be close to Sterlyn?" Rosemary frowned and gestured to me. "If someone attacks, I’ll be her best ally."

"Uh...I’m the alpha of the protectors of Shadow City." Killian pounded on his chest. "If anyone—"

"You and your pack are the protectors by default." Rosemary flipped her hair over her shoulder. "And only because angels have more important jobs than watching for potential threats.We come to your aid in wars, but Sterlyn’s pack was always meant to be the true protectors."

Killian growled.

She’d kind of insulted me and praised me in the same breath, and made Killian feel inferior. "We need to work on your manners."

Are you sure that’swise?Griffin asked.

I trusted my gut.We’ll find out.

"Excuse me?" She frowned, her twilight eyes blazing. "I’m only speaking the truth."

"Being rude and speaking the truth are two different things." That was part of the problem—no one ever tried to explain to her why what she said was uncalled for. If no one was going to correct her, I would. "Killian and his pack have sacrificed a lot to protect Shadow City and their own. To the point of losing his entire family. Do you think calling him weak and telling him he does something you find worthless is the way to make him want to help protect you?"

"It’s not worthless." Her face fell. "I just meant that angels—"

"Stop." I stood and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Angels have other things they are responsible for, but they don’t mind coming to help fight when an adversary rises."

"That’s what I said." She blinked and looked at the others.

---