Lake appeared at my side, his purple irises glowing. In his current tense state, his nails had sharpened into claws and his canines had elongated. A tenseness that reflected in the lines of his brow as he watched Maddox and Rowan. I knew without a doubt if a fight ensued, he’d bolt off the porch to protect them.
Rowan lowered his dagger and stepped back. The hooded stranger rose from the grass, slowly, as if to not seem like a threat.
My anxiety flared up again.
Who was it and what did they want? And would they tell anyone about Lake? With Rowan safe, that was my biggest worry. Someone hurting my wolf.
Maddox looked toward the porch and said something to them. Rowan nodded. The three of them then approached, allowing me a closer look at the stranger. Taller than Rowan but several inches shorter than Maddox and dressed in black from head to toe. A male’s physique, muscled but not brawny.
A low growl worked its way up Lake’s throat as they reached the steps. I grabbed his hand, and he shakily exhaled, instantly calming.
The unknown man wore a black cloth mask that covered his face from the nose down, showing only his eyes and forehead. Two swords were sheathed at his belt.
Who was this Assassin’s Creed-looking dude and why had he been hiding in the woods?
“Sweetheart?” Maddox’s gentle tone contradicted the hard set of his brow. “Why don’t you go inside and warm yourself by the fire? Rowan and I will be in shortly.”
His way of protecting me. But I didn’t need to be protected. I needed answers.
“I’ll do you one better.” I slapped on a shaky smile. “All of us can go inside where it’s warm, and I’ll provide refreshments while you chat.”
As expected, Maddox’s jaw tightened. I held my ground.
“Very well,” he said tersely. “We’ll do it your way.”
“It’s the best way.” I slid my arm through Lake’s and walked toward the door. “You’ll see.”
Once in the kitchen, I made quick work of brewing a pot of coffee and arranged cookies on a platter. Maddox and Rowan stood against the wall, and Briar sat on a barstool at the counter. Lake stayed close to me, always within reaching distance.
The maybe-assassin was the only one sitting at the table. As I placed the cookies in front of him, he watched me like a hawk. Now in the light, I noted thin leather armor beneath his cloak and small daggers strapped to his chest. For throwing? Or placing them between his fingers and punching for swift attacks. Was that even a thing or had I played too many video games?
“Um.” I cleared my throat. “Hi.”
He kept staring. Saying nothing.
“Do you like cookies? I have chocolate chip and oatmeal cranberry. Today was my day off, but you can’t keep a muffin out of the kitchen, as they say.”
Still no response. Just more staring. Did this dude even blink? It gave me time to notice the threads of gray in his baby blue eyes. And was that a peek of silver hair beneath his hood? Pale blond, maybe. The lightest possible shade.
“Answer him,” Lake said with a growl in his voice.
Blue Eyes tore his gaze from me and focused on Lake. “Why should I?”
His voice caught me off guard. It was deeper than expected and held a unique cadence. If he lived in my old world, I’d compare it to a Russian accent.
“Because you are a guest in our home,” Briar told him. “He’s showing you hospitality despite not knowing a thing about you or why you’re here.”
“The boy’s words run together,” Blue Eyes said. “I find it amusing.”
“Yeah, I call those rambles.” I pushed the platter closer to him. “Please help yourself. You’ll have to take off your mask though.”
“Mask stays on.”
“Then how do you eat?”
“I eat when alone.”
“Oh. Is it a religious thing?”
