“Thank you.” She gave me an appraising look in return. “You don’t look half-bad, although I’m used to seeing more of you when we go out.”
I shrugged. “Less is more, right?”
Her laughter rang out in the hallway. “Since when have you ever followed that philosophy?”
“True.” My smile dimmed a little. “I wasn’t in the mood for shorts tonight. I feel… I don’t know…” Struggling for words, I held out my hands, hoping she’d let it go. I was thrilled to finally be leaving the house, but the idea of putting everything on show tonight didn’t have the appeal it usually did.
“Hey.” She bumped my shoulder when I reached her. “I’m only teasing. Wear whatever you want; you don’t have to explain anything to me.”At least Talis won’t growl so much with less skin on show, she thought.
Wait,what?
Talis would be there? I struggled not to react. Max and Gabriel might be aware of my magic now, but it was still strictly on a need-to-know basis. Lady Sarhin had been particularly keen on reminding everyone of that.
“So,” I said, gesturing towards the door. “Who’s going tonight?”
Subtle, Axel.
Dathal would be appalled at my lack of finesse.
Sasha paused, hand on the door. “Rys and Gabriel are picking us up.” She tilted her head slightly. “In fact, they’re almost here.” Smirking at me over her shoulder, she added, “He also sent a couple of pack members ahead of us to check out the club. You know what he’s like.”
I did.
And despite feeling smothered recently, Rys’s overprotectiveness wasn’t something I would ever complain about. He’d accepted me into his pack and made me feel safe when it was the absolute last thing I thought I’d ever feel again.
Giving up all pretence of nonchalance, I finally asked the question I should’ve just asked in the first place. “Will Talis be there tonight?”
She turned fully and rested against the door. “Yes. Is that going to be a problem? I notice the two of you haven’t spoken or seen each other since the other night.”
“We haven’t. And I honestly don’t know.” I heard the crunch of gravel outside as presumably Rys’s car pulled up. “It won’t be a problem for me. I don’t know about Talis.”
“No, because the last time you spoke to him, he couldn’t answer back.”
I bristled because that wasn’t entirely fair. “He could’ve shifted back at any point.”
Her sigh was a mix of defeat and frustration. “Yes, I suppose he could’ve. And I’m sorry; I know this isn’t all your fault, but the two of you are just so—” She growled, making me jump. “—fucking stubborn. And blind. And so many other things I could mention but won’t.”
I crossed my arms and leant against the wall. We might be all of those things, but it also wasn’t that simple. “As much as I love you, Sasha, you need to let it go, because we’re alsonot your problem.”
Silence.
Her fingers flexed, then curled into fists, and for a second I wondered if I’d pissed her off enough to be concerned. But then she deflated. “You’re right. Sorry. Again. I just hate seeing either of you like this.”
“I’m not too fond of it either.”
She snagged my hand and tugged me into a hug. I went willingly, my head resting in the crook of her neck. She smelt good, felt good, but by mutual agreement, we’d never flirted. Not with any intent anyway. Like Rys, Sasha felt more like family than the rest of the pack. Maybe that was her beta status. But as she held me tight, one hand rubbing up and down my back, I wondered why I’d never once thought of Talis that way.
“We should go,” she said, easing me back. “Before Rys gets pissy and sends Gabriel in to fetch us.”
“After you.”
I locked up after us and followed Sasha to the black SUV parked outside.
As soon as we got in the back, Rys glanced over his shoulder. “I have Syl guarding the house while we’re out and others patrolling the woods. So try and relax tonight if you can.”
“Thank you.” I hadn’t actually thought about leaving my house unattended, too eager for a change of scene. Thank the Goddess someone had. I’d half-expected some comment on why we’d taken so long, but Rys didn’t say anything more as he turned the car around and set off.
As we passed the main pack house, he glanced in the rear-view mirror and muttered, “And I don’t getpissy.”
