The council had ordered that the wolves allow their hobgoblins to leave freely, and all the wolves had, no issues with them. That was when most came to us right away. Others hadn’t and knew they could come later and had, once they saw how awesome the sanctuary or other places were. But there weren’t any being held by wolf shifters.
None. Funny how one group could have their act together like that, and they were one of the bigger groups.
The only slipup or bad moment was actually mine. Councilman Chin had asked me when we were thinking of starting to produce the cloaking device, and I had almost answered honestly, I’d been so at ease with them. I had almost said that we would start after I got Zack and Ray’s mates out of Faerie.
What a fucking disaster that would have been. Luckily, Ray seemed to know I was getting tired, or just not on guard, because he answered for me, talking over me even, and they only heard his answer. He had played it off and apologized, but it made me realize what I’d almost said and snapped out of my chill mood.
These people weren’t friends or anyone I could let my guard down with. Wolves were fairly chill though, and not all uptight—even more so than the dragon royals, who I liked—so it was easy to get in that headspace.
“Thank you for all of this, and the evening,” Brooks said as we wrapped up. “Everything was lovely and so you are, Ms. Vale. We would love to extend an invitation to you next time.”
“I would like that, but if I’m on your turf, we both know someone bad will try something and that means you’d have to pick a side. I won’t ask that of you, and I have to be smarter than that,” I said as he took my extended hand and kissed it. “But I’d love to have dinner with you again, along with your mates and invite my boyfriend next time. Maybe at one of the Cherrywood resorts to sample a menu?”
“That would be lovely. I hear the new ones are divine,” he accepted as the others nodded. “And providing many jobs for some of our people.”
Yes, yes, they were. Nice.
No, really, it was nice of him to acknowledge that, when too many had been brushing it off or acting like I was blessed to have their people and I should get on my knees to thank them. That wasn’t how it worked, and if I was male, no one would take that attitude with me, so it was nice that someone was finally acknowledging it the way they should.
With some damn respect.
5
The night had been successful but long, and we had several things to handle after at HAVEN, so the last thing I wanted was any more surprises… And yet there sat Lucca in my kitchen when I arrived home. All I had wanted was to take Darby up on his offer and maybe add ice cream and instead, there was drama to handle.
We hadn’t made up was the real issue. Even if he still sat with us, and now Hudson did again, the tension could be cut with a knife. But we had to keep up appearances, and no one knew about us. It made things a difficult balancing act.
Really, really difficult most days.
I wasn’t sure what I was going to say, but then I saw the stacks of bakery boxes. “Did you rob a fucking bakery?”
“No, I paid,” he chuckled as he pushed to his feet. “Though that would be one weird ass heist and hard to flee with. This took three trips and I had help.”
I wasn’t sure what he meant until I looked around him and saw my entire kitchen table was covered with stacks of boxes. And it was a damn big table, able to seat a lot of people. “What is all this for?”
“My apology,” he mumbled, moving closer. “I’ve been trying to—”
“Don’t,” I cut in, holding up my hand and sort of warding him off as well since he was still coming towards me. “Just don’t.”
“Please, kitten,” he whispered. “I can’t take you being mad at me. I’m so, so sorry. I fucked up. It was—I seriously messed up, and it was not only horrible to do, but when I did, it was so—you melted my brain, and it was just an errant thought, I actually blurted out. I wasn’t trying to use what we’re building like that. I just had a thought how he could help me please you more and it came out.”
“While you were still coming in me,” I snapped, crossing my arms over my chest and trying to back away. I bumped into the island, and he trapped me there, nuzzling my neck.
“I was,” he groaned. “Fuck, it was so good. You are so amazing. You melt me and my mind, kitten. I’m sorry I was so stupid. Hudson kicked my ass all over the place for upsetting you and my being such a bad mate. He was furious—”
“Wait, stop,” I sighed, shoving at his chest but he wouldn’t move. “I don’t want that either. I don’t want to be in the middle of you both.”
“Tamsin, you very much loved being in the middle of us,” he argued, his voice going deeper.
“Not what I meant,” I hissed, my body shivering as I remembered how good it had been. “I don’t want him hurting you because of what you did, and I don’t want you trying to butter me up for him. It’s not—I don’t want that. I feel like…”
“You’re not a toy we fight over or play with,” he growled, lifting me up and setting me on the counter before I could blink. It made it so I couldn’t duck his gaze as
