I heard Avery ask Nate, “What’s she doing here?”
“I was passing by.” I stopped next to Nate and squeezed his hand, then turned toward the blue-eyed man standing beside Liam, whose black hair was gathered at the nape of his neck in a manbun. “I don’t think we’ve met yet. I’m Nikki.”
“Ah . . . the infamous little sister.” Although his arms stayed crossed, a crooked smile appeared on his face, hiking up his eyebrows. One of them, I noticed, was slashed by an old scar.
“Infamous?” I glanced at Nate, then at Niall, wondering which one of my brothers had spilled stories about me to this stranger. “I didn’t know my reputation preceded me. And you are?”
“Lucas.”
“Ah . . . the infamous best friend.”
His grin widened. “Liam’s been filling your ears about my incredibleness, I take it?”
I looked at Liam, whose nostrils flared out. “He has. I didn’t know you’d be coming to help with the case.” I released my brother’s hand and turned toward the cells.
“Nikki, don’t . . .” Nate tried to snatch my shoulder, but I ducked out of his grasp and strode toward the first holding cell.
Curled in the middle of it lay a creature with legs and arms shrouded in silver fur but with paws in place of hands and feet. Hooked, yellowed fangs protruded from pink lips that were entirely too human in a face that otherwise wasn’t, in spite of the sparsity of fur coating the taut cheeks and elongated muzzle.
The halfwolf narrowed its glowing blue eyes and growled low. Although the sound raised the fine hairs on my arms, it didn’t make me step back or avert my gaze, because what I felt over fear was pity.
“First time seeing one?” Liam had walked over and now stood shoulder to shoulder with me. Or rather my shoulder to his bicep.
I clutched my elbows. “Yes.”
A rattling thud of the silver bars, followed by a keening yowl had me pivoting. A second, slighter half-shifted creature obscured by brown fur nipped at its front paws, whimpering.
My thumping heart decelerated as compassion bled over my distress. “Have they managed to shift back yet?”
“No. Every time we’ve given them Sillin, they throw it up.” Liam’s chin dipped, and his eyes narrowed. On me.
“What?”
You were passing by?
I tightened my grip on my elbows. “Yes. I was passing by. I went into town to grab formula for Storm.”
His nostrils flared again, as though to scent whether I was lying.
“The shopping bag’s in the car, in case you don’t believe me.”
I believe you.There was a strange crispness to his tone.
“Then what’s wrong with your nose? Early hay fever?”
You smell like a human male.
My eyebrows jostled upward. This was about Miles? I glanced toward Nate, who was busy discussing something with the four others.
“I stopped by Seoul Sister to talk with Bea,” I murmured, “but she wasn’t there. Her brother was, though.” My eyes locked on Liam’s. “Am I not allowed to fraternize with humans anymore?”
“Until we catch the perp, you’re safer interacting only with pack.”
My hands bolted off my elbows. “Are you guys thinking the perp could be human?”
I must’ve spoken a little loudly, because the others were now looking our way again.
“Just following a few different leads.” After a beat, Liam added, “Thanks for buying milk for my son.”
