Page 54 of The Wolf

I’m dangerously close to losing my shit, and today isreallynot a day for that.

“And I’m under strict orders fromthe Kingto guard you,” he continues, his unearthly voice entirely too relaxed for someone who just scared me half to death and probably got a peek at my completely nude body.

“From my bed?”

He shrugs—yes,shrugs—his leathery wings gently lifting and dropping in sync behind him in the barest hint of life. “I followed the command. Your discomfort is irrelevant.”

“You’reirrelevant, you… winged boulder!” I mutter, clutching my non-existing pearls. “And somehow, I highly doubt the orders were to go check what a great rack the Queen has.Mebeing said Queen, mind you.”

“Don’t let her out of your sight—to be precise.”

“He didn’t mean itliterally!” My eyes roll habitually. “What, are you going to walk into the bathroom after me too?”

“I don’t see a problem with that.”

“Of course you don’t.” I grit my teeth. Obviously, Alex doesn’t trust me to stay out of trouble without an audience, but with the stunt he pulled the gargoyle is as good as dead. “Ugh, I don’t need a babysitter—and a grumpy one at that! I swear, Meg with her weapon in hand is a better protector than you.”

“Perhaps he doubted your friend’s ability to handleyou, not fighting off danger.”

I narrow my eyes at him. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

His expression doesn’t change—still stone-cold—but there’s a faint flicker of something in his violet eyes. Amusement, maybe. Or condescension. Either way, I don’t like it.

“It means,” he says slowly, like he’s savoring the words, “that I am better suited to enduring your… temperament. You’re tiny but a handful.”

“Oh, you think you’re funny,” I say, tossing my head back and letting out a humorless laugh. “Newsflash, buddy: just because you’re made of stone doesn’t mean you’re immune to me chucking things at you. I’m very good at that.”

“Your pillow was ineffective,” he deadpans.

“You want me to upgrade?” I grab the nearest object…no, not the vibrator. Why is it always the vibrator?

I grabthe secondnearest object—which turns out to be a glass of water from the bedside table—and dash it at him.

He steps aside with grace, letting it shatter harmlessly on the floor. “Temperamental,” he repeats, almost to himself, like he’srelishinghow easy it is to rattle me.

I groan. “This is going to besucha long day. You know what? Fine. Brood in the corner. See if I care. But you better keep your creepy statue act away from my bed, or I promise you I’ll figure out how to chisel you into a garden gnome.”

For a second, I can see the faintest twitch in the corner of his wide mouth. “I don’t understand why you’re getting upset,” hesays flatly, buthis voice carries the minimal undertone of smug satisfaction. “I’ve done nothing to harm you.”

I’m fuming at this point. “Notyet.”

“You should rest. Seems like you had a long night,” he says, mocking my crankiness. And the disrespect is beyond me.

“Excuse me?!”

“You’re very loud, Your Highness,” he whispers innocently.

I’m not having sex in this place again.Ever.

Actually,no. Fuck that. I’m going to start having sex evenharder. Alex will be pleased. Others are not my problem.

Then it happens. His glowing eyes dim, his wings fold neatly behind him, and his entire body hardens into lifeless stone. He just…freezes. Yet, there’s a hint of emotion playing on his lips.

“Yeah, that’s what I thought,” I practically bark at him.

Statues don’t smirk… Do they?

The worst part? As much as I hate to admit it, I feel safer with him here. But I’ll die before I let him know that.

---