ONE
Tristan
“No, you’re being too subtle,” Jessie told Aurora, Alpha Austin Steele’s niece.
They all sat in the front room of Ivy House, empty coffee cups in hand, having a conversation about Edgar’s new attack flowers. The vampire was on version four or five or— Tristan had lost count after flower versions Y and T. No one was quite sure if Edgar realized the alphabet and number systems were different, or if he knew the alphabet at all.
Aurora angled her head a bit more, her meaning plain.I just don’t get it.
Jessie’s face scrunched up, and everything tensed.What the hell is she trying to tell me???
Tristan hid a grin. Well, the meaning was plainto him.
Aurora was in charge of helping Jessie learn body language in anticipation of meeting shifter packs, headed up by stoic alphas that took every subtle body tic as a complete sentence. Being Austin’s mate and the co-leader of this territory, Jessie would need to sit in on the meetings and help bring these newpacks into the convocation, a merging of various species and groups of magical people that could hopefully push back against the corrupt Mages Guild and their biggest ally, Momar.
These alphas wouldn’t be as lenient with Jessie as Alpha Steele was, or as patient as Alpha Kingsley Baraza, Austin’s brother. Many likely wouldn’t be as reasonable as the alpha they’d met in Los Angeles, either. These would be shifters at the top of the power scale who wouldn’t want their rule and command overshadowed by a new, made-up faction, regardless of the aid they’d provided Kingsley. Or so the alpha rumor mill claimed.
Jessie would have to show that even though she was a past Jane—a non-magical person—and now a gargoyle, she still understood and respected shifter culture. Which wouldn’t usually be hard for her…except for the body language aspect. That was…tough going, it seemed.
A smile budded on Aurora’s lips.It’s funny when you get annoyed.
Jessie’s brow crumpled.Smiling isn’t allowed.
“You’re still advertising your every thought,” Aurora told her patiently. “Literally, every single one. Even if you don’t know what I’m saying with my body, you need to keep your thoughts and emotions buttoned up. It’s like poker. Remember when you taught me poker?”
Jessie sighed and leaned back.Defeated.“I do, yes. As I recall, you took all my money.”
Aurora laughed, very free and expressive with Jessie—for a shifter, at least. She never showed this side of herself to anyone else, not even her uncle. Jessie had a way of thawing even the hardest, most severely trained people.
Not for the first time, Tristan wondered if Jessie shouldn’t just stay a free spirit. Respecting shifter culture was one thing, but she shouldn’t have to bow to it. She was looser than evena gargoyle cairn leader with her crew, and that worked. She managed alotof power with a distinct style of leadership. Changing who she was…minimizedhow well her style worked. Conformity wasn’t her strong suit—in Tristan’s opinion, anyway.
Then again, shifters were a rule-based, prickly breed. This was Alpha Steele’s show. He’d know what might work best to get other packs on his side.
“I think the answer is Xanax,” Jessie said, and leaned forward to put her mug on the coffee table. She paused when she didn’t see a coaster.
“Here.” Tristan dug into his jeans pocket and pulled out a scrunched, oblong doily. Edgar had grown worlds better at making flowers but somehow worse at the doilies. He really needed to find a new hobby for the quiet hours of the night. “Use this,” he said, and tossed it onto the coffee table in front of her.
She hesitated as she stared down at the craft item, her gaze tracing the large hole in the design and the loose strands of fabric making up the other side.Bewildered. Resigned.
Aurora started laughing again.
“When Mr. Tom berates me for this”—she set her mug on top of it and glanced at Tristan—”I’m blaming you.”
“Blame Niamh,” he replied, leaning away and throwing an arm over the back of the couch. He made sure to bend his elbow to keep his hand from resting behind Jessie’s person. If he didn’t, in shifter culture it would hint at a claim, despite how far apart they were sitting. He was practicing shifter rules as well, and a faux pas likethatwouldn’t be easily forgiven.
Aurora looked over at him with a delicately curved eyebrow.Questioning.
He still wasn’t great at nuances. Brochan, Austin’s shifter beta, probably would’ve read a novel within her posture.
“Right,whydo you have Edgar’s doilies in your pocket?” Jessie asked.
“Yay!” Aurora clapped at her. “You got it!”
“I mean…you were being pretty obvious about it,” Jessie replied, back to sagging against the couch.
Tristan moved his hand a little further away from Jessie. “Not allthatobvious.”
“Not at all obvious,” Aurora said supportively. She might have Alpha Steele’s wild streak and fire, but she had her dad’s patient and levelheaded way when in a teaching role. She’d be onehellof an alpha someday, especially since she watched everything Alpha Steele and Brochan did. She was eager to learn and quick to apply. “I’m now challenging Tristan’s grasp of body mechanics. I’m just as expressive with him as I am with most shifters.”
