And holy fuck, was he hot.
“Here,” Noro said again, urging me to eat the piece of fruit in his hand. He must have disappeared to pick it from a tree. “This will help the dizziness.”
I ate it, grimacing at the sweet-sour taste of wild crabapple, but it did make me feel better. “Thanks.”
“I have a bit of a confession to make,” Noro said. “After I was injured, part of me did want to return with you to your home. But I realized that I couldn’t shift to my human form, and obviously, I couldn’t join you all as a gryphon.”
“You did?” I cried, feeling horrible for him. “Oh, Noro, I’m so sorry.”
He shook his head. “Don’t be. It was mostly my own shame that kept me here on this island. I didn’t want to be a burden to anyone.”
“So you suffered here in silence?” I grumbled. “That’s not right. I wish I’d come to help you sooner.”
“No.” He smiled at me. “You came at the perfect time.”
“So, wait. Now that you’re healed, does that mean you want to return with us?” I asked.
With his shift into human form, I was able to see the full range of Noro’s emotions across his face. Now he seemed a bit shy. “If you would have me, then yes. If not, I’m fine staying here on the island until things are settled.”
There was no way I could abandon Noro here any longer.
I hesitated. “You don’t want to return to the pride?”
The corner of his lips twitched, giving him a slight frown. “I’m afraid I’ve been gone for quite some time. If I return now with no good reason to give them, they’ll be suspicious, and I’ll be questioned. Not to mention the fact that I probably reek overwhelmingly of wolf.”
“Right.” I couldn’t help smiling. “Well, I guess you have no choice but to come with us, then, don’t you?”
Noro chuckled. “I suppose not. Lead the way, Matheson.”
As we approached the canoe, Crystal immediately growled and tensed to attack. “Matheson, there’s someone behind you!”
“Wait!” I said quickly. “It’s okay. This is Noro’s human form. He’s coming with me back to Eric’s place.”
Crystal eyed him up and down, and I realized that Noro was still completely naked. I blushed and ignored the overwhelming urge to glance down for a good look of his lower half.
“If you say so,” Crystal muttered, then began setting up the canoe to leave.
“We really have to get you some clothes,” I said to Noro as we took off from the island. “I hope my mates have something that’ll fit you.”
Noro smiled, a gleam in his eyes. “I don’t mind nudity. In my pride, it is common for gryphons in human form to be naked.”
That I can definitely get used to,I thought, forcing myself not to sneak a peek.
I laughed. “If that’s the case, then I think you and Colton are really gonna get along.”
