Briar sighed. “Now that you’ve made me out to be the villain, I demand you hand over that muffin or face the consequences.”
“Consequences?” Maddox asked, amused.
“Must I remind you of my expert knowledge of plants, Captain? There’s one famous for relieving chronic constipation. How easy it’d be for one, or ten, of them to land in your morning mug of coffee. I dare say you wouldn’t leave the privy for at least three days.”
I laughed so hard I choked.
“See what you’ve done, physician?” Maddox motioned to me. “You tried to kill him.”
I laughed harder, unable to stop the tears from rolling down my cheeks.
“And now you’ve made him cry,” Rowan added. “Nice going, Specs.”
“Well, I never.” Briar put his hands on his hips. “Being bullied in my own home.”
Still giggling, I wrapped my arms around his lean torso. “They’re such meanies, huh? Picking on my sweet Briar.”
His nose crinkled in that way I loved, and he caressed my jaw. “Forgive me for being vague earlier, love. Knowing I stayed late to craft more protection stones would only worry you.”
“It makes me feel better actually.” I snuggled closer, loving how cuddly he was in his sweater and scarf. Lake had knitted them for him. “They’ve saved many lives. The knights from the Third Order who were attacked may not be here if not for you.”
A soft gleam shone behind his glasses before he brought me in for a kiss. “Your stone brings me the most pride. Now more than ever. Learning of your father and the danger you face…then the encounter with the Fenrir. I’m terrified of losing you, Evan. Of losing this beautiful life we’ve built together.”
Lupin’s warning returned to me—one of the possible futures for my men should something bad happen to me.
Lake became a blood crazed wolf. Rowan surrendered to his darker nature and hurt people, using his shadow magic to crush them to bits. Maddox lost his mind with rage and turned his back on the knights. And Briar, my sweet Briar, hadn’t been able to live with his grief and did the unthinkable.
“That won’t happen,” I said, both in response to Briar and also to that horrible prophecy. “I won’t let it.”
“Wewon’t let it.” Maddox put his arms around me. “Whatever challenges arise, you won’t face them alone. You have all of us by your side.”
I could only hope he was right.
Chapter Eight
Masked Men Come at Night
Pork chops baked in the oven, green beans with chunks of ham simmered in a pot on the stove, and purple sweet potato buns cooled on the counter. I sat at the table, reading my smutty romance novel before dinner.
The cabin boy had tracked down the main guy after their fuck fest on the ship and was currently riding his cock in the back of a tavern. Hot as fuck, yet I stared at the words like it was a math textbook.
Freaking Callum. I couldn’t get him out of my head. Not even the steamy sex scene was enough to hold my attention. And I loved smut. Especially smut involving big dicks and twinks that rode them.
Two days had passed since our walk in the snow, but the emotions he’d awoke in me remained. Had me in a chokehold. More and more, I suspected he was one of the men fated to love me.
How would the others react if it was true? My biggest worry was Maddox. He and Callum were close. Would it cause tension between them? A fight over muffins?
“Dinner smells incredible,” Lake said as he and Rowan came into the kitchen. Last I’d seen my wolf, he’d been napping by the fire. No one was more adorable when they slept—his fluffy ears twitched, his leg jerked, and he emitted the most precious little growls. Not that I’d ever tell him. “I’m eager to try the sweet buns.”
Rowan tapped the flask in his pocket. “My dinner’s right here.”
I sighed. “Rum is not dinner, you rebel.”
He smirked.
My stomach growled. “Nothing says we can’t have a snack while we wait for Maddox and Briar to get home. All that reading made me hungry.”
“Hungry for sex?” Rowan asked. “Because I saw the page you were on, you naughty little treasure. A rogue was being ridden hard. We should sit back down so you can read it aloud to us.”
