Page 53 of The Wolf

“Ah,watching. Okay!” I snap, pushing the frizzy curls out of my face. “Watchingwhat,exactly? Me having a heart attack?!”

Seriously, who watches people sleep?

Oh, God… my lovable beast totally does this, doesn’t he?

Before the gargoyle responds, the door bursts open, and Meg rushes in, barefoot and clutching the fireplace poker like she’s about to start a revolution. Her long hair is a wild, tangled mess, and she’s still in her two-piece PJs, but her eyes are fierce and ready to fight.

“What? What is it?” she shouts, looking frantically around the room. “Is there a ghost somewhere? A big spider?”

I point an accusatory finger at the gargoyle, who still hasn’t budged. “That!”

Meg squints at him, then at me, then back at him again. Her grip on the iron rod loosens. “Julia.” Her raspy voice is done with me before I even start. “That’s astatue.”

“It’s not just a statue!” I hiss. “It’s alive! Look at its eyes!”

She peers at him again, unimpressed. “Yeah, creepy. But still just a statue.”

“It’s a creepy, glowing-eyed, sneaky statue that was justwatchingme sleep!”

She stares at me for a long moment, her lips pressing into a thin line. And then, with a sigh, she drops the poker to her side.

“Ugh, I got startled,” I whine, seeing that annoyed look on her face. “Thanks for your empathy.”

Groaning, she shakes her head. “For fuck’s sake! Not only do you scream all night long getting railed, but now you won’t even let me sleep in?”

My mouth falls open. “I didnot—”

“Save it,” she interrupts, waving the tool dismissively. “I don’t care. But if you wake me up one more time, I’m moving out. Good luck with…” she gestures vaguely at the gargoyle, “whatever this is.”

And with that, she spins on her heel and marches back out, muttering something about drama queens and haunted castles with many cuss words in between.

She stops in the doorway. “Nobody isthatgood to make this much noise.Nobody.”

“Well,Alexis. And just because you’re not getting any doesn’t mean you can be so bitchy!”

I can’t even say goodbye to my wolf-man without scorn around here. And he sure wanted everyone to hear… I blush at my vivid memories from last night.

The door slams shut behind her, leaving me alone with that damn gargoyle again… who still hasn’t moved. Nothing. Not a twitch. Just a huge slab of marble with those amethysts following my every move. His eerie, silent stillness only makes it worse.

“Are youtryingto get killed?” I yell, flinging a pillow at him. It hits his chest, bounces off like a fly swatted against a wall, and lands on the floor with a pitiful plop.

Silence. He doesn’t say anything. He just keeps watching me, his eyes glowing faintly like two little spotlights on my nerves.

“So you’re not gonna talk now?” I demand. “Huh. Is this whole dark and mysterious thing your only personality trait? Because let me tell you, the fountain in the courtyard has better charisma.”

He tilts his head ever so slightly, and I think—think—he might respond. But no. Instead, he just lets out this deep, gravelly exhale, like he’s already tired of me.

“No, you don’t sigh at me!” I frown, pointing at him.

His wings shift, just barely, swirling the air in the space between us. “You talk enough for both of us.”

Not him with the attitude.

“Oh,wow!” I throw my hands up, then quickly drop them back down and fold across my chest in case my nipples are hard or something. “Youdorealize I’m naked, right? And you, what? You’ve just been sitting here the whole time? Staring at me? That’s not pervy at all,” I mutter, my sarcasm seeping out of me. “Nope, totally normal behavior. Definitely won’t be telling Alex aboutthiswhen he comes back so he can deal with you. You know,the King. And trust me, he getscreativewhen he’s in a rage.”

“I don’t sit,” he rumbles. “I perch.”

This motherfucker.

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