Page 90 of Partnering with the Artist

Side-eyeing him, Lukas smirks. “See? You do care.”

“Don’t push it.”

Shifting his attention, Lukas nudges Kaleb in the shoulder. “Kyran’s the same, Viktor’s the same, Zakery’s getting married. How’ve you been? Plant any great flowers lately?”

Kaleb chuckles. “Viktor’s also getting married, actually.”

Lukas whirls, blurting, “What?You and Crisis? Finally?”

Soft, Viktor murmurs, “Yeah. I wanted to tell you in person. I invited her to come today, but she said she didn’t want to risk our limo getting a flat on the two-hour drive, then when I said we could account for up to three flats, she began listing other disasters, ending withoh yeah, and also I don’t want to go.”

“That Crisis.” Lukas grins, baring canines just short of looking like fangs.

The reunion chatter comfortably drowns out the overwhelm of the setting, giving me the space to breathe as I peruse the scene further. Tables with food and beverages line the walls on either side of the room while waiters in white tailcoats and bowties meander with trays of flute glasses, offering them to the guests.

The flute glasses remind me of my picnic with Zakery, the toast, theus.

I like us.

I likethis. The warmth of being in this circle, surrounded by this family. I like it, even amidst the unfamiliar.

“Are you hungry?” Zakery murmurs in my ear. “Do you want me to make you a plate?”

My head shakes. “Absolutely not. I know how this works in stories. The second we separate, my ex will appear, and I’ll have to experiencehardshipin order to getcharacter development. I do not want character development.”

Zakery laughs. “Maelin, if anyone in wolf ears tries to getclose to you, Lukas will break his legs.”

Lukas perks, halting his conversation with Kaleb. With more excitement than makes sense, he asks, “Whose kneecaps am I turning inside out?”

“Maelin’s ex is supposed to be here. He’s probably wearing faux fur wolf ears and hanging around someone known online asMoonWoof.”

Lukas’s face contorts. “Moon…Woof?”

“Yep.”

“Hm. Never heard of them.”

“They’re a niche. You run in more of a…widespread, top of the charts, double platinum sort of crowd.” Zakery relaxes, devious. “They’re more…run in circles…chasing their tails…sort of people. Or at least he is. I don’t want to do MoonWoof the disservice of my ire until I meet her. If I meet her. I may never. I might be so lucky.”

Lukas’s hand lands on my shoulder. “If you point him out, I will break his legs for you. No worries. I’ll even enjoy it.”

I shudder. “Um. Thank…you?”

Reassuring, Kaleb says, “You’re guaranteed to be with at least one of us all night, Maelin. Try to enjoy yourself. We’ll make sure you’re safe.”

I appreciate that, more than words can express, especially since it is at this exact moment…I see the swish of a fake tail following behind a familiar man, as he swiftly marches toward me.

Chapter 33

?

So……………thisis Harry without the rose-colored glasses…? Respectfully, no.

Maelin

“Maelin?” Harry takes me in, takes in the company I’m clearly with, and scrunches his nose—which is painted brown. His dark hair’s grown an inch, hanging around his wolf ear headband in a disarray that looks like it hasn’t been brushed in weeks.

Viktor and Lukas, almost instinctively, close my circle when Harry leans forward, dramatically sniffing. His lips curl in a growl as he snuffs.

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