“What is this? Twenty questions?” Sabs huffs. “Faye, this is Ren. He and my brother are half of the Silverwood Pack.”
Laz and Ren are in the same pack? Now I’m definitely going to be imagining how it would feel to… No!
I fiddle with my bunny ears and avoid looking at them, but I can feel both of them watching me.
“I didn’t think you went to parties, Ren?” Delilah asks.
He hangs his head, antlers protruding toward me. “Not usually.”
“I’m surprised he left the greenhouse to come tonight,” Laz snickers. “He’s basically been camping out in there when he’s not making a mess in the kitchen. You should have seen the state of it the other day. He was blending and crushing herbs like a nutty professor. I found him crashed out on the counter with his head in a pile of rose petals.”
Ren catches my eye then looks away. Is Laz talking about the blend he made for me?
“Not everyone takes such a lackluster approach to their studies, Lazlo Maverick,” Kady teases. “Do you even know where the library is?”
“You insult me!” Laz clutches his chest like he’s wounded. “Why do I need to go to the library? All I need is my graphics tablet.”
“Laz studies design,” Delilah explains for my benefit.
“You should speak to Faye about herbs, Ren,” Sabs gestures to me. “She’s studying health botany with Professor Grub.”
Laz raises a eyebrow. “Oh, is she now?”
Ren shifts from one foot to the other, ignoring him.
“If Ren’s struggling, you’ll help him out. Won’t you, Faye?” Sabs is definitely a little drunk, slurring her words. “Faye workedin her grandmother’s teashop forever and knows everything about plants.”
“Not everything,” I mumble.
The girls tease Laz about his costume while Ren steps closer. I can feel the heat rolling off his body.
“I am struggling with an essay for my health botany elective,” Ren admits shyly, fidgeting with his watch. “If you wouldn’t mind taking a look?”
“I mean, I guess I could.”
Ren’s face lights up. “We could meet at the library tomorrow at 2? Drinks on me?”
I find myself nodding in agreement.
Laz points to the crowd. “Look who decided to join us.”
I don’t need to look to see who it is. A familiar dark and dangerous smell makes its way toward us like a shark zigzagging through the water.
It’s him.
“That’s Damon Cross,” Delilah whispers in my ear. “Moody AF. Not a people person. He and Laz are total opposites.”
“What animal are you supposed to be, Damon?” Sabs meets his grumpiness with her usual sunshine energy. “You could have at least tried to make an effort.”
Damon grunts. He’s clearly a man of few words and looks as if he’d rather be anywhere but here. His lips are turned down in a scowl, and his gaze strays to the exit. He’s not dressed up at all, wearing a plain black T-shirt and jeans. My inner thighs clench. Thankfully, he can’t read minds. Otherwise, he’d know I’ve been sleeping with his hoodie every night since we met. In truth, I’ve been hoping not to see him again because I don’t want him to ask for it back. Since building my nest, it’s become a staple item.
“This is Faye.” Sabs introduces me. “Our newest Stella.”
Damon barely looks in my direction, acting as if we’ve never met before. While that’s better than me having to explain how he saved me, it still stings. Maybe he forgot.
“Where are your ears?” Laz turns to Damon in mock-horror. “Put them back on!”
Damon glowers as he begrudgingly pulls a fluffy headband out of his pocket and puts it on, giving him adorable brown ears.
