Page 86 of Marvelous

---

Then he said, “Fucker couldn’t hold it. And since we couldn’t risk our cover... fucker smelled like piss the whole way back to base.”

I winced, “Ew.”

He chuckled.

Then, tentatively, I asked, “How did you get the handle of Ghost?”

He was silent for so long that I thought he wouldn’t answer me.

And if he didn’t, then that was alright with me.

But he opened his mouth and said, “Was in training when I earned that. I had been hidden in a way that nobody could find me. And when they called the training to a close, I said, up here.”

They all looked up and then started laughing.

“I was right in front of them, and they couldn’t see me.” He said.

And then... last night... he had the first nightmare that I was present for since that night I met him.

Carefully, I had placed my hand on his cheek and then waited.

It took a few minutes, but his jerking stopped.

And then his breathing, which had been rapid, had slowed.

For the rest of the night, I lay awake, keeping watch over him and protecting him the only way I could.

Alec

I looked over at Cassie, who was singing along to the radio as we headed to Clover Valley.

She didn’t know it, but she was about to meet my team.

It was something we all did the day after New Year’s.

When we pulled up outside of Jackie Graham’s house, I put the truck in park.

Cassie turned her head and smiled at me.

Then I got out of the truck, rounded the hood, and opened her door.

As she was climbing down, I heard the front door open.

Then I heard Dalton say, “Fuck me. There’s your better half.”

Cassie’s head whipped around me.

Then I introduced her to Smoke, aka Dalton.

Followed by Ice, aka Zane.

Then Wolf, aka Josiah.

Then Jekyll, aka Noah.

Then lastly, Hyde, aka Tyron.

She smiled at all of them and said hello.

---