I arch a brow, and he shrugs. “We’ll just have to shift back quickly if we hear anyone approach.”
It feels like forever before we reach the top of the stairs. When we do, a small light under the door gives us pause.
Cautiously, since I am the one with cat’s feet, I quietly move to the opening and carefully push it back just enough to peer inside.
My jaw drops when I see Cash and Finn both in human form with a female between them. I blink several times in shock before spinning back to Kai and Nyx.
“What is it?” Kai asks.
“Yes, what did you see?” Nyx’s brown eyes search mine.
I struggle to come up with an answer, something that will not get my bond brothers in trouble.
Despite his charming and normally easy-going nature, Kai can be a stern leader. He demands that we obey the decisions he makes for our group. We chose him because he is wise and we all respect him.
Cash and Finn have always been rather impulsive and prone to mischief, but I’m shocked that they blatantly disregarded Kai’s order that we not reveal our human forms to our female yet. Kai will be furious if he sees them like this.
I cannot send them a thought communication, warning them we are here, without risking that Kai and Nyx would pick up on it as well. What on earth would possess them to be sleeping in human form with the female we’re only supposed to be guarding from the shadows?
Kai pushes past me, and I grab his arm. “Don’t!”
His blue eyes snap to me. “What are you doing? What’s going on? Why are you acting so strange?”
“Just... give it a minute,” I tell him.
“Why?”
I push the door, hoping the small creak will alert Cash and Finn so they can change forms before Kai and Nyx see them.
“She’s unclothed,” I explain, cringing from my poor excuse. “And you know how humans are about nudity. It is rude to look upon them in such a bare state.”
Kai frowns but then nods and stays where he is. I notice Nyx, however, carefully edging closer to the opening, trying to look inside.
“Stop!” I tell him. “What are you doing?”
He narrows his eyes. “You are stalling.”
“No, I am not,” I snap.
“Yes, you are. I know you. Besides, if she is unclothed, why should it matter?” he says as he tries to pass me. “It’s not as if nudity is wrong.”
“It is for humans,” I glare at him. “You know it’s true. We aren’t in a shifter village anymore. Humans are always fully clothed.”
Crossing his arms over his chest, he purses his lips. “Fine. We will wait a moment for her to dress.”
Nyx is second in command behind Kai. When we were deciding who would lead us, he was the only other consideration. Kai was ultimately chosen because of his innate ability to put others at ease. He is charismatic and able to get along with almost anyone.
Whereas, Nyx tends to be stern and unmovable. When he decides upon something there is very little that can change his mind once it’s made up. He respects Kai and they are very close, but he often dislikes being told what to do. Especially by me.
And now that we’re so close to the Chosen One—she whom we have trained our entire lives to protect, Nyx is impatient to see her. I don’t know how long I’ll be able to stall him.
I know he has dreamed of her many times, but he is hesitant when he speaks of it. We’ve been bond brothers long enough that I know when Nyx does not discuss the details of his dreams, it is for one of two reasons: Either he has had a vision of the future, or a warning.
He was more agitated than usual on our journey here today, and I believe it was because he knew we were finally going to see her. I only hope that whatever Nyx saw of her in his dreams, that it was something favorable and not terrible.
After a few moments, I peek inside the door once more, and both Cash and Finn lift their heads. Their green eyes meet mine as I try to mouth the word “shift” to them.
The two idiots remain where they are, ignoring my attempt to spare them from Kai’s anger.
I roll my eyes and shake my head in frustration. I was trying to save them from Kai’s wrath.
Having waited long enough, Kai pushes past me to step in. He stops, and his jaw drops when he sees them. “What are you doing?” he yells through the bond.
“Ella wanted us to sleep with her like this,” they both answer quickly.
“She what?” he asks, still staring at them in shock.
Nyx walks in, a stunned look on his face as well.
Carefully, Cash unwraps his arm from around the female and walks toward us. Finn, however, stays where he is. And I’m not sure if it’s my imagination, but it looks as though he pulled her possessively closer to him.
“Explain yourself, right now,” Kai demands.
With a heavy sigh, Cash rakes a hand through his light brown hair and then launches into a long explanation starting with an attack in the woods. When he tells us he killed a wolf shifter, Nyx gasps. “They already sent one after her?” he asks, alarm easily read in his features.
Cash frowns and then nods.
Stunned by Nyx’s question, I look to him. “You expected that to happen?”
I’m even more surprised when he, Cash, and Finn nod. It seems my bond brother confided in them and not me.
“I dreamed of it,” Nyx answers. “I dreamed that the Wolf Queen herself was coming to kill the Chosen One.”
I glare at him accusingly. “You intentionally withheld this from me and—” I’m about to say “Kai,” but as I look to our leader, I realize he does not appear surprised either. It seems I am the only one Nyx did not share his dream with. I snap my
