“I feel the same way,” I murmured.
Suddenly Colton’s voice called out, “Hey, I know you two are kissing, but check this out.”
Eric raised a brow, scowling, and I pulled away from the embrace to look towards the stairs.
Noro descended in a pair of ill-fitting clothes that were obviously meant for a smaller man. His muscles bulged out, particularly in his biceps and width of his shoulders, and the length of the shirt was just short enough that his six-pack was revealed beneath the hem. The pants were in a similar situation, looking more like capris.
I stifled a laugh. “You look… dressed.”
Colton beamed. “Doesn’t he look good in my clothes?”
“No,” Eric said bluntly.
Colton frowned. “Really?”
“Yes.”
“I thought I looked all right,” Noro murmured, looking over himself.
By this point I was choking back laughter. Eric sighed and made his way for the stairs. “Come on. Let’s see if my clothes fit you any better.”
“I have to see this,” I said, following them to the bedroom.
Noro peeled off Colton’s clothes, thanked him for trying, and waited patiently for Eric to finish going through his dresser. He sat primly on the edge of the bed, still totally naked. I noticed Colton staring at him.
“Like what you see, Colt?” I teased.
Colton nodded innocently. “He’s very handsome.”
Noro smiled. “Thank you. You are as well.”
“You guys are too cute,” I said with a chuckle.
Eric finished and returned to drop a pile of clothes in Noro’s arms. “Here. If these don’t fit, I can ask Tansy to try and alter them for you, but it might take a few days for adjustments.”
“Then it’s all right if I stay?” Noro asked.
Eric rolled his eyes. “I’ve made that clear already, didn’t I? You’re welcome to stay as long as you like.”
I grinned and looped my arm with his. “Eric pretends to be tough but he’s secretly a softie.”
“I am not,” he grumbled.
I smiled. It was nice to see everyone getting along, especially since Eric still had some lingering wariness about Noro given the circumstances, but I didn’t think he held on to those beliefs anymore. Noro was a trusted member of our--team? I didn’t know what to call it. He wasn’t one of my mates, but he wasn’t just an acquaintance either…
I looked at Noro, fitting in just right with Colton and Eric, and for a moment I had a vague thought about him as something more than just a friend. But the train of thought was quickly derailed when I realized this little get-together was missing somebody important.
“Eric,” I said suddenly. “Have you seen Ramsay since I left for the island earlier?”
Eric shook his head. “No. I thought he was with you, or at least goofing off by the beach.”
I frowned. “No, he told me he needed to go for a run. But I just assumed he would meet me back at the shore when I was done healing Noro.”
The light atmosphere that existed moments ago was shattered, replaced by quiet tension.
“I can go look for him,” Noro suggested. “Flying will be easier than any of you going on foot, wolf form or no.”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Eric said. “Even if the packs know you as an individual, they won’t take kindly to seeing a gryphon flying over our territories.”
