Page 31 of The Untamed

Raegan tries to complain, but one scathing glare from Dad and she bites back her words. She glowers at me like she has the power to intimidate me. She doesn’t.

While me and Ronan gather up our sisters, I avoid Mya altogether. She’s fucking weird and I don’t have any plans to spend another second near her. We’re almost to the cabins when I feel another presence. Glancing over my shoulder, I notice Rowdy trailing behind.

Ronan goes inside his cabin, most likely to grab his things, and the girls trail after. I stop to give Rowdy an assessing look.

“What are your plans?” I ask, crossing my arms over my chest.

He shrugs. “Probably sleep on your hammock if you have an extra blanket. If not, Spirit can keep me warm. Not going back to my place anytime soon.”

Not because of the momma bear and her cubs.

Nah, he’s here to keep watch just as I am.

“Think we should take turns walking the perimeter tonight?”

He nods, scooping up Spirit and nuzzling the wolf pup’s fur with his nose. “I’d feel safer if we did.”

“Me too.” I stifle a yawn. “You want first watch?”

My older brother smirks. “Yeah. Get your beauty sleep, princess.”

I’m stunned for a moment as I realize Rowdy is teasing me. Like old times. Like before he went on his fateful trip. Maybe he’s on the road to recovery. It’d be great to see him laugh again.

I flip him off but then abandon him to go into my cabin. I briefly see Raegan dart in to steal Mage’s food and water bowls, before she disappears again. Her and Ronan’s muffled voices can be heard outside and then a few minutes later, he joins me in my cabin.

Normally, I don’t mind being alone, but tonight I’m glad to have my brother with me. I start the fire in my fireplace and then shed all my clothes down to my boxers. Ronan is being fucking weird, staring a hole into the ground.

“Dude,” I say with a laugh. “You can’t sleep in your boots.”

Giving my back to him, I crawl into my bed, taking the spot by the wall. Soon, I can hear soft thuds as he removes his boots and clothes. He still won’t look at me as he slides into bed, which makes my chest squeeze painfully.

Something’s wrong with Ronan.

“You know you can talk to me,” I murmur, propping my body up on one elbow so I can look at him. “You don’t have to suffer in silence.”

Ronan’s lips thin out as if he’s trying to hold words inside his mouth. I want to pry them open with my fingers, freeing them for me to consume greedily. Playfully, I tug at his bottom lip with my fingers.

“Tell me,” I order, grinning at him.

He smiles back and then bites my finger. Fucker. I howl in exaggerated pain that has us both cracking up. When we settle down, he’s no longer being strange and smiles happily at me. My heart hammers in my chest with pride. I’m thankful I can make him feel better.

Since he doesn’t seem keen on speaking, I stretch out beside him, resting my head on the pillow beside his. He doesn’t push me away when I drape an arm over him. Something tells me he needs to feel like he’s loved and a part of this family. That’s something I can endlessly give him.

He’s my brother.

My best friend.

Mine.

Those fuckers—Logan and CJ and Jace—don’t get to steal my people from me.

Ronan sucks in a sharp breath when my fingers dance over his lower abs. He’s always been ticklish. I’m not going to terrorize him by pinning him down, but gently tickling him and listening to his breath hitch is amusing. Again, he doesn’t stop me.

“Do you ever feel like you want something you’re not allowed to have?” he asks, voice barely a whisper.

I think about Raegan. Beautiful and sassy and arousing and fucking off-limits.

“Maybe,” I say, allowing a little of my truth to bleed into the word.

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