“What?” sheasked.
“We seem to have company,” Stella offered. “The mute kind ofcompany.”
“Kale?” Heatherasked.
His gut clenched as she saidhisname.
Stella turned to look at him. “You don’t look like kale.” Her eyes narrowed and she tapped her lip. “Cabbage,maybe.”
Heather and Kara both choked on their laughter, and Kale rolled his eyes. Like he hadn’t heard that one before. If he could respond, he would, but it would be pointless since they couldn’thearhim.
Nick whistled low. “These healers aresomethingelse.”
Ciro made a grunting sound that Kale took to mean hisagreement.
“We’re just, um…” Kara stumbled along as she pushed the other two girls. “Heading that way.” She pointed toward the door at the end of the hall. “So, yeah.” Her eyes jumped to Nick more than once, and when the biker winked at her, she turned bright red and made Heather and Stella movefaster.
“What’s the deal, Kare Bear?” Heather asked over her shoulder. “Why are you so eager to get to the bathroom? You do realize we aren’t showering together, right? Unless you’re into that sort of thing. Makes me no difference. It’s not like I can see what you have tooffer.”
“Stella,” Kara pleaded as she duckedherhead.
“Don’t Stella me. I don’t have any control over her mouth. That will beRomaine’sjob.”
“His name is Kale.” Heather huffed, and then laughed. “But that was agoodone.”
Kara glanced over her shoulder at him. Her eyes widened at his narrow and no doubt glowing eyes. “He’s looking more like the Iceberg variety at themoment.”
“Bloody hell,” he muttered. “Just get in the damn bathroom already.” He said and chuckled, even though they couldn’thearhim.
When the three hens were finally behind the closed door, all three of them let out the breaths they’d beenholding.
“Damn,” Bannan exhaled. “I don’t know whether to envy you or pity you with that bunch. Feisty is putting itmildly.”
Kale shrugged. “One day that feisty healer will grace my bed. Bet you won’t be pitying me then.” He turned to Bannan and grinned a devilishsmile.
“Arse,” the Third muttered as he headed down thestairs.
Kale turned his attention back to the closed bathroom door. “Why did they all go in there at the same time?” heasked.
Nick chuckled. “Haven’t you heard about the unspoken rule of restroom etiquette amongwomen?”
Kale’s brow rose as he stared attheBeta.
“They travel in packs. They’re like wolves. If one goes to the restroom, they all go. Something to do with safety innumbers.”
Kale shook his head. There were just some things he would never understand about women. He closed his eyes and reached for the bond between them. He could feel her joy, but there were still lingering feelings of doubt and inadequacy. He’d felt them during the introductions, just before she’d approached him. He hated that she doubted herself. He could tell she was feeling apprehension toward him. He wanted to reassure her that there was no way she could ever be anything less than amazing to him. In two weeks’ time, he’d be able to tell her and show her through his touch. He smiled to himself. He very much looked forward to the moment when he could wrap her tiny form in his arms and reassure her that she was perfecttohim.
* * *
Nick feltas though his wolf was going to claw his way out of his human flesh. He hadn’t been prepared for the reaction he’d have at seeing her again after being separated from her. He kept trying to remind himself that she was still a minor. Seventeen, he chanted to himself. She’s only seventeen. But that felt like just a number when he looked at her. Her eyes weren’t seventeen. The haunted look in them spoke of a person who had seen much, much more than any seventeen-year-old should ever havetosee.
The look she’d given him when she’d said his name in the forest had made his chest swell. She’d been happy to see him. Her eyes had lit up and she’d taken a small step in his direction, but he hadn’t been able to respond and it had pissed him off. Breaking a tree hadn’t been one of his finer moments. Since then, she’d kept glancing at him but never just held his stare. It was driving him and his wolf crazy that they couldn’t at least talk to her. Instead, he could just stare at her like acreeper.
“Should we go downstairs?” he asked the other two, his eyes on thebathroomdoor.
“Probably,” Ciroanswered.
“Aye,” Kaleagreed.
