At one point, their shoulders stiffened, although they continued to sing along to the radio with me. It wasn’t until we were laughing together that I realized I felt eyes on me. By the time I turned to face the kitchen window, whoever it was disappeared. So, the boys knew someone was there before I did. Hmm. Well then, I guess the only question was who would spy upon me? Obviously not anyone dangerous since Riff and Char tensed versus freaking out. I doubt either of the young men would be all right with allowing someone nefarious to stare at them. They’re too confrontational for that.
Shaking my head, I refocused on dinner, letting Riff handle opening the can to add the tomato sauce to the meat. Chuckling, I watched Char heat some tortillas, waiting to add the filling so we could get dinner in the oven. A fun, upbeat song played over the radio, and we laughed while we danced and finished dinner. A brief sense of disappointment thrummed through me, and I shook my head in surprise, shrugging it off after a moment. It didn’t come from me, I know that, nor Marcus. Wait. Why can I feel anyone’s emotions other than my own? Ah crap, I’m right, aren’t I? I hadn’t consciously thought about it, but no matter how hard I tried to avoid it, deep within my mind, I put the puzzle together.
Once dinner was in the oven, I stepped outside for a moment to the alarm of Riff and Char, who scrambled to follow me. I smiled when they stared at Ky uneasily, and I shrugged. I hadn’t explicitly known he was out here, but I felt a need to go outside, so I figured he must be nearby like he was the first time I went into the forest. Sharing a glance, they offered privacy so long as I came inside, and I rolled my eyes but agreed. Ky wagged his tail, trotting into my apartment as if he owned the place, and I chuckled. On him, the behavior was cute. Not so much on what I assumed to be his other half, although I hoped I was wrong.
After Riff and Char retreated to the guest room to discuss who knows what, I sighed and sat on the floor with my back against the couch. “So,” I sighed, and he chuffed, sitting to my right with his beautiful amber-gold eyes watching me intently. “You’re a werewolf, aren’t you?” I asked, glancing to my right as I did, and he looked pleased. When he nodded, I sighed again but also nodded my acceptance. “So are Marcus, Ava, Riff, Char, and most of the people I’ve met too, huh?” Another nod. Chewing my bottom lip, I allowed myself to think more about the clues I received. “Marcus is an alpha, and Ava is his mate.” Ky nodded again, wagging his tail a little, and I chuckled. Ruffling the fur on his head, I laughed under my breath when he chuffed and nuzzled my hand for more.
“I’m not telling them I know,” I mused, and the wolf by my side oozed amusement, which made me grin. “I want to see how long I can play dumb and get away with it. You guys are not as dangerous as some books or movies make you seem. Which makes sense, because they are guessing. Unless they know the truth and are misleading the general population of humans, so they don’t realize you live among us. That would make sense, and it’s what I would do if given a chance to offer what protection I could.” Ky wagged his tail, and I chuckled. At least this explained why he seemed so well behaved. “Is Riff Marcus’s second in command? His beta?” I asked, and the colossal wolf nodded after a moment. “And Char is his third, the delta?” Another nod. Here I began chewing my lip again, “so when I came, they abandoned Kyler for Marcus. No wonder he hates me. I took his pack from him. Because that’s why everyone visited Marcus and why he got so annoyed, is it not? He didn’t have a pack or not a big one, and that’s what he wanted. How are two alphas living so close together without bloodshed?”
Chuffing, Ky nuzzled my chest, and I chewed my lip for a moment. “The dear friend who died before his time, he kept the peace, didn’t he?” I asked after gasping in realization. “He was like me, and he kept them calm.” This time, Ky whined, albeit it was soft, but also heartbreakingly sad. “He took Marcus in off the streets, gave him a home, and helped him shake loose the chains of his past, and Kyler’s father let him because it made him happy. Although, I’m sure there were a few arguments…?” A soft snort was my answer, and I chuckled. “And after this group of humans who hate you guys killed him, this arrangement stayed in his honor?” Another soft, heartbreaking whine was my answer, and I sighed. Oddly enough, I could feel his sadness and see how upset he was by his drooping ears and the desolation in his eyes.
“The bond Marcus speaks of, he means that he’s somehow brought me into his pack, doesn’t he? Somehow, without my knowledge or awareness, he claimed me, right?” I asked quietly, and Ky nodded again, his eyes still miserable from his fallen pack member. “How is that possible? But it explains why he affects me the way he does, although Riff could do so when he didn’t belong to Marcus. I suppose
