Page 151 of Court of Beasts

“Oh, erm . . .” Jai blushes so hard, I think he might overheat.

“She was teasing him,” Vale supplies happily. Marie glances from me to Jai, a wide smile curving her lips.

“Oh, well, you just lie there for a moment until it goes down. Quinny, stop winding the poor boy up.” She huffs at me.

I hold my hands up but grin as we wait in silence.

“Is it down yet?” Marie asks.

“Dear God, let me sink into the earth,” he mutters as I grin wider.

“It must be big. He’s practically off the ground,” Marie mutters.

Lucien falls backwards, roaring with laughter, as Jai buries his face in the grass.

“Mother,” I admonish, and when he’s not looking, I part my hands to show her. Her mouth opens in shock and she nods.

“Congratulations, both of you.” She wiggles her eyebrows at me.

“I am just going to lie here and let the ground take me,” he mutters.

“No, you’re not. Mother, stop,” I mumble. Grabbing him, I help him to his knees. His shirt falls off, and my eyes rove over his built chest, my tongue dragging across my lips.

“Stop looking at me like that,” he says. “You aren’t helping.”

“Sorry.” I grin, meeting his mismatched eyes as I lean in and kiss him. “Don’t put yourself in danger like that again.”

“No promises.” He sighs. “We are extensions of you. Plus, we have a lot to make up for.”

“Not to me,” I tell him, but he smiles sadly.

“We do.” He nods. “Human or not, I cannot sit idly by.”

“But you could get hurt?—”

“Then you will heal me.” He kisses me softly. “Thank you.”

I offer him my hand as I stand, and he goes to take it, but he falls back, gasping. “Jai—” I reach for him, but I stop as he begins to glow, my eyes widening.

A female voice echoes around the clearing. “Your sacrifice is to be rewarded. Anyone willing to risk their life for innocents should not be punished. Anyone willing to sacrifice half of themself just to be with their love deserves to be whole. Don’t say we are not merciful. Enjoy, warrior, and stand with my chosen until the end.”

“What?” I whisper. The voice was female.

The goddess, I realise, but how? Why?

Jai roars, his back arching so severely, I’m afraid it will break. I reach for him, but Vale holds me back as we watch fur sprout across his skin, and he suddenly explodes. Blood splatters us, and then in Jai’s spot, is a wolf.

Jai’s wolf.

Jai is a wolf.

He whines, nudging me, and then he shifts back to a very naked human Jai, his eyes wide. “She gave me my wolf,” he whispers, astonished. “I’m a werewolf again.” He tackles us all to the ground.

“Dude, you’re naked,” Vale complains, but we are all grinning.

Goddess blessed indeed.

Jai’s head presses to mine as he smiles. “My Quinny.”

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