“I’m still not sure what’s happening.”

Breathing through my mouth, I gathered the self-control that she was shredding as fast as I could rebuild it, and offered her a shrug. The door to her apartment swung open and I held up a finger for her to hold back, letting Troy and Trent sweep the room first. The large wolven were the only shiften I’d ever met who were unable to shift, but they communicated just fine using telepathy, or as we called it, ruhi.

All clear, Troy sent, padding across to the couch and making himself comfortable. His brother, Trent, flicked his ears and growled, shoving Troy over before sitting his ass down next to him.

Thanks, guys, I sent back, letting Blue push past me and following her into the tiny kitchen. Seriously, how the hell did humans cope with such tiny living areas. My shoulders were nearly brushing the walls on each side of the doorframe and I didn’t even have to stretch to touch my fingertips to the sunny yellow paint.

Blue giggled, smothering it with her hand as my hands dropped back down to my sides. “Yeah, you’re a big one, all right.” Her voice was muffled inside the fridge, and I wasn’t one hundred percent sure she knew I had heard her. Her ass wiggled in the air as she dug around, bottles clinking.

My growl escaped before I could force it back down.

She glanced over her shoulder, the corner of her mouth creeping up. “Nial?”

I shoved my hands in my pockets. “Hmmmmm, what?”

“You’re staring.”

“You’re wiggling your butt at me.”

Standing, she turned around, brandishing two beers. “I was foraging for essentials.”

Accepting a bottle, I twisted the cap off and took a long swallow. “And I approve of your methods, Ma’am.”

She froze, bottle halfway to her mouth. Lowering her gaze, she blew out a breath of air then took a drink. “Do the guys want anything?” She wrinkled her nose and I knew she was still questioning her sanity, but for now she was running with it.

Trent, Troy, you guys need anything? Blue’s asking.

Nah, we’re good, Troy sent back, his thoughts tinged with amusement.

Trent huffed, the sound carrying to my mind. You could turn on the tv though.

Sure thing, I sent back. Once they were set up with a wildlife program, Blue turned to me, indecision in her eyes.

“What is it?” Following her into the hallway, I waited for her to spit out whatever was bothering her.

Mischief brightened her eyes as she turned toward her bedroom. Bracing herself in the doorway, she stroked the frame, tilting her head as her eyes traveled the length of my body. “Nial?”

It was taking everything I had not to go to her, to convince my feet to stay exactly where they were. “Yes?” I managed to grind out, my knees weakening as her scent deepened, the spice of cinnamon spearing through the apple.

“Is this a dream?”

I’d taken a step forward, before I’d realized. Hitting the brakes, I shook my head. “No.”

“Pity, because if it was I’d invite you in.”

The door shut in my face, leaving me stranded in the hallway with an erection that could punch through walls and two wolven chuffing with laughter.

After adjusting myself, I returned to the living room and pointed at them. “You would do the same thing. It’s honorable.” Throwing myself into the chair, I hugged my beer to my chest and bit back a growl.

Nope, I’d be in there showing her just how sweet a dream can be, Troy grumbled, sounding more than a little wistful.

Trent didn’t answer, just looked away, his head resting on his paws.

“Aw, shit guys, I’m sorry. I’m a dick.” Rubbing their noses in the fact that they couldn’t turn human, wouldn’t find a mate.

Trent lifted his massive head and looked at his brother, before settling back down. We understand. Just don’t mess it up, okay?

Troy nodded, his eyes glued to the screen where a lion chased a gazelle.

Gratitude filled me as they let it slide. My gaze fell to the marking on his shoulder, shaped like a bomb falling from the sky. “Our renqua are similar,” I commented, jerking my chin at my shoulder, then at Troy’s.

Kind of, Troy agreed. Yours has a halo around it, though. His attention turned back to the program, but his words stuck with me. A halo. Like the mark of an angel, perhaps? Or a half-angel? Finishing off my drink, I set it down. Didn’t matter either way, Blue had marked my soul the second I’d set eyes on her. Even when I’d thought her nothing but a normal human she’d been it for me. And there would be no one else, in this world, or another. Even if she was never mine.

Yeah, I was fucked up.

Because I couldn’t bring myself to care.

* * *

I heard the bedroom door crack open, the soft padding of bare feet on wood. “You’re still here?” She phrased it half like a question and half like an accusation.

Stretching my arms over my head, I managed to extract myself from the chair—leaving a possibly permanent Nial shaped butt print on the cushions—and pressed a finger to my lips, pointing at the wolven. We’d taken turns through the remainder of the night guarding Blue, and Trevor and Troy were owed a little more shut eye.

Nodding, she followed me into the kitchen, spinning around and folding her arms over her chest. Her jaw jutted out, the accusation still there.

I swallowed a chuckle, but it partially escaped. She was rumpled from head to foot, her flannel pajamas bright pink and clashing with her hair, some of which stuck out in tiny little corkscrews from the top of her head. Little ducks marched across the soft fabric, with little speech bubbles peeking out of their mouths. “I like your pajamas.”

Her arms tightened, squishing some of the ducks tighter. “I like ducks.” And all at once, just like that, I was irrationally jealous of ducks.

“Me too.” Yep, mouth before brain. Always a good start. Scratching the thick stubble on my chin, I wracked my brain for something to say. Anything that might paint me with a tiny bit of intelligence in her eyes.

“You didn’t come visit me last night.”

I almost swallowed my own tongue, a strangled noise escaping. I was looking down by this point, unable to control my expression.

Her feet shuffled, purple painted toes tapping before my eyes. She had tiny feet that got really cold if she didn’t tuck them up under the blankets. I should know, she’d used my body to warm them up a few times. “If I really was dreaming, then you’d have come and ravished me last night. I’m not dreaming, am I?”

My head snapped up, almost giving me whiplash. I shook my head, then I couldn’t help myself from asking, “Ravished?”

Her arms loosened, a sly smile tugging her lips up at the sight of me panting like a dog. But I couldn’t help it, just the thought of her lying there last night, waiting for me, had saliva pooling in my mouth. “Devoured.” She dragged the word out, curling her lips around it. At her amused giggle, I realized I’d leaned away from the counter, my breathing ragged.

“Little minx.” Shooting her a scowl, I nodded at the cupboard. “Breakfast? Usual?” Better to keep my hands busy. At her nod, I pulled out a bowl and shook some cereal into it.

“Why are you doing this?”

“Doing what?”

“Protecting me.”

The spoon clattered into the bowl. I chose my next words carefully. “Because I’m drawn to you.”

“Because I’m your mate?” She didn’t sound worried or freaked out.

Raising my eyes, I splashed some milk into the bowl and passed it to her. “Yes. I will always protect you.”

Her breath caught in her throat, milk splashing into the bowl from the spoon which hovered in front of her mouth. “Did I dream you up?”

“No, I’m flesh and blood, same as any male.” When her eyes dropped lower, fixing on my groin, I shook my head and chuckled. “Everything’s the same as you remember, sweetheart.”

I expected a nervous giggle, or a flush of heat, but when she licked her lips, I forgot to breathe. Cursing silently, I lowered my hand and gripped the counter, the cheap plastic buckling under my fingers.

“Then why are you acting like this?” Her eyes shot up, fixing me with a no-nonsense glare. “And don’t give me that bullshit about a prophecy. We’ve been together and the world didn’t fall.”

“I didn’t claim you—”

She took a step forward, pushing away from the wall. “So don’t. Don’t claim me, if that’s what it takes, but don’t act like an asshole.” She reached me, stopping inches away from me. All five foot nothing of her staring up at me with a defiance that sang from her soul. Pushing back her unruly hair, she reached up onto her tiptoes and placed her hands on my chest.

Every part of me vibrated with the need to touch her. The counter yielded with a sharp crack.

“I’ve been rejected all my life, so I’m kind of used to it,” she murmured. “But I thought you were different. I trusted you not to hurt me.”