When she didn’t answer, Cas took charge as usual.
“Now that you’re a little more awake, we’ll introduce ourselves. My name’s Casimir, but you can call me Cas, if you’d like. That’s Zane, the obnoxious one.”
“I prefer ‘charming,’” I interjected. “Or ‘debonair rogue.’ Maybe ‘devilishly handsome scoundrel.’ Just throwing out options.”
“Iprefer ‘quiet,’ ” Cas snarked back.
Ko took over, his intensity dialed way the hell back, replaced by a gentleness that didn’t seem to fit him.
Or maybe it fit him too well.
“And I’m Koa, or just Ko. You’re safe with us, beloved.”
She hesitated, her gaze darting between us like a trapped animal searching for an exit. For a moment, I thought she wouldn’t answer, that she’d retreat into herself and leave us standing there like fools.
Then, in a soft whisper, she said, “Serafina Bell.”
“Serafina.” My grin widened, the name rolling off my tongue like honey. “Pretty name for a pretty girl. Good choice.”
“Idiot.” Cas gave me a look, his expression as dry as the winter wind. “It wasn’t a choice.”
“Then she got lucky.” I smirked at him.
Her lips twitched, the smallest, most tentative smile I’d ever seen. Maybe half a millimeter before she caught herself, but victory hummed in my veins.
“Don’t lie,” I teased, leaning in just enough to draw her gaze without making her flinch. “You’re secretly thrilled to have such a badass name.”
For the first time, I saw something more than fear in her eyes. Maybe amusement, maybe curiosity. Whatever it was, it was enough to make me feel like I’d just won the damn lottery.
“You can call me Seri, if you want.” She relaxed, just a little, the tension in her shoulders easing.
“And this guy?” Koa gently picked up the wolf pup, who squirmed in his arms and licked his chin. “Who is he, sweet girl?”
“Brumous.” Her shoulders hiked to her ears as Ko flipped the pup belly-up, her gray eyes tracking every movement like a hypervigilant mom friend watching a frat boy hold her newborn.
“Wintry fog,” I muttered. “Perfect for a dire wolf whose brain’s about as clear—”
“Nothing’s wrong with him!” Frostbite sharpness was in that whisper, and her spine went ramrod straight. “If you hurt him—”
“Whoa! Easy, momzilla.” I held up my hands. “Just shitty jokes. My specialty. I love the fluff monster. Really.”
She blinked, anger dissolving into shame. Embarrassment. Her fingers murdered the blanket.
“I’m sorry. That was— I shouldn’t have— It’s just, my stepmother tortured him. I can’t bear to see him hurt anymore.”
Thwack!
Cas’ palm connected with my skull hard enough to reboot my brain, but it did worse to Seri. She flinched so violently, the headboard smacked against the wall.
Cas, Ko and I exchangedthat look. The one that meant someone’s days were numbered. Someone named Arabesque Harrow.
“Okay, full evil stepmother trope, huh? That’s horrifying. I was hoping for more ‘wicked in a bad fashion sense’ and less ‘straight-up animal abuse.’ Poor pup. Sorry, Seri,” I said, sincerity heavy in my voice. It was the first time I meant it so deeply. I gave her a real smile. “Brumous, though? That’s also a dramatic name. You two match.”
Ko set Brumous down gently beside his food bowl, where the pup attacked his chicken scraps with the focus of a SAS operative breaching a compound.
“Zane deserves far worse than harsh words, beloved,” Ko told her softly. “And there’s never a need to apologize for speaking honestly.”
“Here. Soup.” Cas shoved a steaming bowl into my hands, broth sloshing dangerously close to the rim. His glare said,Fix it or become wall decor.
