Kyle led the way to his house, taking the shortest and quietest route.
As they walked towards a neat, modest little house at the end of the street, Kyle groaned and swore under his breath.
Hollie froze, her frantic gaze darting around and settling on a car idling right in front of the corner house. Who was in that car? Had the Black Blade wolves found her?
Kyle slapped his forehead. “Shit! I forgot.”
“What?” Hollie tensed in readiness to break into a run. “What is it?”
“It’s Shane and Ian.”
“Your brothers?” Hollie’s eyes rounded.
Kyle blew out a long breath. “Yeah. It’s them all right.”
As they neared the house, the car doors opened and two tall, brawny men spilled out of the car, holding pizza boxes aloft.
“About time. We’ve been waiting for forty minutes,” one of them grumbled.
“Did you forget that we’re planned to watch the game together?” the other guy huffed. “And why didn’t you bring your phone, Kyle? We’ve been calling and calling...”
The guy stopped talking when he saw Hollie standing behind Kyle.
His gaze landed on Hollie’s neck and his mouth fell open.
“Do you know anything about this, Shane?” He slapped his friend’s chest with the back of his hand, his eyes riveted on the mark on Hollie’s neck.
“About what?”
“About that!” He wagged a finger frantically in Hollie’s direction.
Hollie watched as the two men’s eyes and mouths grew rounder by the second.
It was a rather surreal, awkward and comical scene. Two big, burly men were just standing in the middle of the street, gaping at Hollie in stupefied silence. Awe and amazement were written all over their faces.
“That’s Kyle’s mark,” one of them managed at last.
“Who is she?” his friend sputtered.
“Duh! She has Kyle’s mark. She is his mate, dummy!”
They narrowed their eyes at Kyle. “You’re mated?”
“Yes...and no.” Kyle sighed.
“What the hell does that mean? Is that a yes or a no?”
“Listen, Ian...” Kyle began.
But Ian was staring at Kyle in disbelief and disgust. “You can’t even be straight with us. How long have we known each other, huh? We’ve been friends for almost all our lives, and you can’t trust us?”
“Of course I trust you...” Kyle began, throwing out his hands.
Ian folded his arms across his broad chest and sniffed. “It sure doesn’t feel or look like it. You won’t even introduce us to your mate.”
Kyle sighed and took Hollie’s hand gently. “I’m sorry to tell you that these two idiots are friends of mine,” he whispered. “They’re good guys, and usually not so idiotic.”
“Hollie, meet Shane and Ian,” Kyle announced. Grinning from ear to ear, he said, “Guys, this is Hollie. My mate.”