Kat flicked him on the forehead. “Better get used to it if you want to live here. How about I call the pack house and have someone take you for a sleepover? I’d feel better if you spent time with the pack before deciding whether you want to stay here permanently. Besides, I hear they’re having a video game tournament this afternoon. I don’t know who all is there, but you can at least learn about games.”
“Sounds fun!” Rance’s grin was the widest Kat had seen so far.
“Great, I’ll make some phone calls.”
“Okay.” Rance flashed a cautious glance toward Xavier. “Could you tell Mother that I’m safe?”
“I will,” Xavier reassured the teen.
“Go pack a few things to stay overnight. It’s too late to go Grove shopping today.”
“Thanks!” Rance shouted over his shoulder as he ran from the room.
“No running!” Kat shouted back at him.
“You already sound like a parent,” Xavier smirked.
Kat flicked him in the forehead.
CHAPTER9
“I’d feel better if you went to the pack house, too,” Xavier said as they watched Dare drive away with Rance.
“I’ll be fine. Like you said, they’re looking for Rance. No one outside the pack knows how close we’ve become. Kidnapping me won’t do them any favors.”
“That doesn’t mean they won’t try.”
“Then they’ll find out that I’m more trouble than I’m worth.” Kat flexed his claws in and out of the tips of his human fingers.
“It’s impressive that you can do that. Can all shifters change small portions of themselves?”
“I can’t speak for everyone, but most of the ones I know can.”
“Huh.” Xavier always enjoyed learning new information. Like many supernatural creatures, shifters transferred most of their lore verbally. You will never understand much if you weren’t a shifter or married to one.
“Now let me see those runes again.” Kat tugged at Xavier’s shirt.
“Is that your idea of a come-on?” Xavier pulled Kat into his arms.
“If it gets your shirt off, then yes.”
“Maybe I’m just waiting for you to take my clothes off. I took yours off last time. Or do I have a lazy cat as my mate?”
Kat flexed his claws again. “If I take them off, they might not be in any condition to be put back on.”
Xavier quickly stripped. “I don’t have the budget for clothing,” he muttered.
“We can be cash-strapped together,” Kat soothed Xavier’s ego while he removed his clothes. “Does that mean you’re moving in here when you're free from your apprenticeship?”
Xavier snorted. “You don’t have to make it sound like I’m being sprung from jail.”
“Isn’t it a type of indenturement?” Kat tilted his head.
“I suppose, but I'm being trained instead of paying off a debt. I’ve learned recently that it could’ve been much worse.” He shuddered over what Jared had told him.
“From who?”
Xavier kissed his mate. “Why do we always get into these deep conversations right before sex?”
