Page 91 of Unforgivable

I want her nulla venia status lifted. As harsh as it's going to be, I want Lyri to have a normal life again. She deserves to be free of exile with us. That means being able to go into town on occasion without being shunned. Jax made the first move, having his luna invite us to that stupid barbeque. Now, I plan on pushing Lyri in their faces. Let them see the little teenage female they tried to destroy.

"Just a few minutes, right?"

"Yeah," I promise. "I just want to get some pies for dinner with your parents," I say casually.

Her eyes look greyer today as they sharpen on my face. I feel my wolf perk up, wagging his tail. We both love the intelligence swimming in those pretty eyes.

"Anne's pies?" she asks.

"Is that her name?" I smile at her.

Her eyes narrow. I do not fool her for one minute. "My family has eaten at her bakery once a week, for, like, ever." My smile softens as she sounds like a teenager for, like, once. She's a little grown-up wolf most of the time, and she rarely sounds her age. It's a reminder that she's much younger than I am. I'm pushing thirty, but I don't give a fuck.

"So, we'll get some pies for dinner. Perfect."

"You cut your hair!" her beaming smile makes my breath catch, but she's not even looking at me.

I growl out loud at the look of smug pleasure on Thjis' face as he swaggers out of Ezra's room with a buzz cut and trimmed beard. He looks... presentable, less like a crazed cave dweller who wrestles with bears in his spare time.

"Wow," Lyri breathes, rubbing her hand over his shorn head, his face. "It looks amazing, Bear."

I'm secretly hoping that he says something Thjis-like and fucks up. Mainly because I'm Lyri's least-liked-wolf-in-the-room right now.

"Inuit told me that Penny said you like shorter hair on males," he says with a smile.

Fucker.

Lyri's smile grows even bigger, lighting her eyes up. "I do like it. I love it."

"We need to go," I say firmly.

Her smile falls, and I want to kick my own ass.

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