Page 14 of Moonlit Nights & Northern Lights
“What?”
“That guy is a model, you know. A literal model. For underwear. A literalunderwearmodel. I never had a chance. Guess that’s how they met—Dev does modelling on the side.”
I blinked, trying to process this information. The idea that Rory thought Ezra was somehow an upgrade was… ridiculous. Sure, the man was polished, but in that artificial way that reminded me of mannequins in shop windows. All surface, no substance. Nothing like Rory’s natural energy. Ezra’s cheekbones were no match for the way Rory’s whole face lit up when he smiled, or that sparkle in his eye that always spelt trouble.
“Calm down. He’s not even hotter than you,” I said before my brain could catch up with my mouth.
Rory froze mid-stride, staring at me for a long moment. His eyes caught the hallway light, shifting between blue and green like the uncertain edge where shallow waters meet the deep. I could never quite decide what colour they truly were—sometimes as clear as a winter sky, other times harbouring the verdant depths of a Highland forest.
Not that I spent a copious amount of time thinking about Rory Thorne’s eye colour, of course.
Those eyes narrowed. “Well, you’re hardly qualified to judge, being a straight man.”
I snorted. Was this guy for real? “I certainly fucking am. Just because I’m straight doesn’t mean I don’t have eyes. Let me reassure you, thatman is a posh prat. He’s got nothing on you.” I cleared my throat. “Objectively. So shut up about it, alright?”
Rory’s eyes widened slightly, and a hint of pink crept across his cheeks. But then his expression flickered—confusion chasing across his features like clouds across the sun. He opened his mouth as if to say something cutting, then closed it again.
…why is he being nice…what’s his angle…don’t fall for it…
He stared at me for a long moment, shuffling his weight between feet. Eventually he said, “Thanks, Teddy,” using the Killigrew code name he’d assigned me just to wind me up. Yet the ghost ofthatsmile played at the corners of his mouth, already transforming his whole face. Something twisted in my chest at the sight—probably indigestion from the coffee. But still, I forced myself to look away from the curve of his jaw, the light catching on his ridiculous number of silver ear piercings.
All of sudden, I couldn’t bear our proximity, so I set off at a brisk pace, not talking again until we were back in my car.
“So, who were these wolves you recognised?”
Rory yanked his phone from his pocket, thumbs flying across the screen. “Give me a sec.”
His knee bounced up and down, making the whole car vibrate.
“I don’t know them well,” he said, still scrolling. “Well, I sort of know one of them. But anyway, they’re both lone wolves. Packless.”
“Huh. Like you?” I knew Rory had left his family pack, who were based up in Scotland, for reasons that had only been hinted at.
A deep crease appeared between his eyebrows.Ah, fuck.Clearly this was a sore spot.
“I have Kit,” he said finally, voice soft.
…not alone…not like them…
“I’m tethered to him. Sort of. And I have Killigrew Street. They’re my pack.”
“Right. Sorry. Of course.” I shifted uncomfortably in my seat. Foot, meetmouth.
“Found it!” He thrust the phone at me, nearly smacking me in the face. “That was one of the guys, right?”
The photo on Rory’s phone showed a pale man, around six feet tall, with close-cropped hair. The background was a blur of neon streaks.
“Looks like it. Where was that picture taken?”
Rory’s eyes met mine. “Undertone. You know it, right?”
Ah, Undertone. The “vintage vinyl shop” that fronted one of London’s most exclusive supernatural haunts. All sorts of questionable activities went down there, though I made a point of staying clear unless Killigrew work demanded otherwise. The less I knew about what happened behind those hidden doors, the better.
“Yes.”
“These two wolves are regulars there.” Rory practically vibrated in his seat. “We need to go tonight.”
Need?I bit back a groan. It was supposed to be my day off. I’d planned to catch up on sleep this evening, maybe actually cook something instead of living off takeaway.
