The teacup hit its saucer with a ceramicclinkbefore his arm looped around my waist and pulled me onto his lap.
“You mistake patience for permission, little wife.”
Then his mouth claimed mine, hot and demanding, in a thorough, devastating kiss that made my toes curl inside my new sneakers.
Somewhere beyond the dizzying rush of blood in my ears, Zane whooped, Koa cursed, and Brummy barked. I heard it all as if from a distance, lost in the possessive heat of Casimir’s kiss as I clung to his shoulders and memorized the taste of coffee and patience on my husband’s tongue.
#
Koa Cimmerian
Seri’s laughter skated across the living room, bright and unguarded in a way that made my heart hurt. I leaned against the doorway, arms folded tight, watching as she knelt beside Brumous. The dire wolf pup’s paws were comically oversized, thumping against her thighs as she scratched behind his ragged ears.
“Who’s my good boy?” she crooned, dodging a slobbery lick, her gray eyes softened to smoke.
Brummy yipped, tail demolishing a dried flower arrangement on the newly replaced coffee table, the one Zane had shattered after reading Brumous’ memories.
Speaking of the redheaded devil.
“Cas wants a council meeting,” Z said from behind me. “Apparently, our resident fluffball’s plotting world domination via chew toys.”
Should have known.
While Seri had seen Brumous’ zoomies at breakfast as healing progress, Casimir would have seen it only as a new threat. He’d probably been conducting a benefit-risk analysis ever since we left the dining room.
Sure enough, he stood by the library fireplace, posture rigid as a rifle barrel. His gaze tracked Brummy padding in behind Seri, those green eyes narrowing at the pup’s feet. Or rather, the claws clacking at the end of each one.
“We need to discuss the wolf’s long-term viability here,” he said without preamble. “His growth rate alone poses logistical issues. He’s already doubled in size, and Mrs. Wentzel has had to substantially increase her usual meat order.”
With wide eyes, Seri sank onto the couch, and Brumous flopped across her feet with a contented grumble.
“He’s eating too much?” she asked quietly, her hands knotted in her lap. “He can have some of mine. I don’t need—”
“No!” all three of us barked at once before I gently added, “Youbothneed a balanced diet to recover. Neither of you is going to go without.”
“Is it about the cost, then? Because I have some money. Not a lot, but you can have it all—”
“It’s not about cost.” Cas’ scowl deepened. “We could afford to feed a thousand dire wolves.
“And if we couldn’t, I’d sacrifice your leather jacket first, Cas.” Zane plopped beside Seri, ruffling Brummy’s scruff, and the pup’s tongue lolled. “An improvement, honestly, and a good chewy for our boy.”
“Cas does have a point,” I admitted reluctantly as I sat on Seri’s other side. “We don’t know exactly what Arabesque did to him, so we can’t predict how much more he’ll grow or when his aggressive nature will emerge.”
Her shoulders hitched toward her ears, as if bracing for a blow, and I hated to see that.
“Oh, no, three monster-hunting dhampirs can’t handle one big bad wolf!” Zane seized Brumous’ giant front paws, making them dance in the air. “Admit it, Ko. You’re just salty because he’s cuter than you.”
Brummy twisted to lick Zane’s nose, and my lips twitched with amusement, but Cas…
Cas was struggling. He paced before us, blond ponytail swinging, and all the light went out of Seri’s face at his next words.
“He’s too unpredictable, too dangerous, to be a house pet. He needs to be with other wolves. We can find him a good pack, Seri. One whose members could help him, connect with him, maybe even be able to communicate with him. We treat him like a dog, but a pack could teach him how to be a wolf.”
“You would… You would take him from me?” Her words slipped out, small and cracked.
Silence pooled. Razors scraped over my heart. Zane’s joke died on his lips. Casimir stopped pacing.
“Beloved.” My voice came out rougher than intended. She glanced over at me, wary as a cornered mouse. “You’re allowed to want things. Even unpredictable, dangerous things. I promise you’re safe here with us.”
