“Then do it somewhere else,” Aurelia said, already hopping off the step. “I’m going to help Layla.”
She jogged across the street, leaving Dani staring after her, mortified.
A silence settled.
“She gets that from you,” Arthur said lightly.
“She gets her bluntness from Chase,” Dani muttered.
“No,” Arthur said. “That’s all you.”
Despite everything, her mouth betrayed her with a tiny curve.
He watched it.
He watched her far too closely.
“Dani,” he said finally, voice low. “About our argument…”
Her heart stuttered painfully, “I’m sorry,” she said, “I should never have sprung that on you and expected you to be all…okay with it. I was just scared that you were all words.”
He gave her a lopsided grin. “Aye, because I’m famous for my pretty speeches and lack of action.”
She elbowed him gently, mindful of his bruises, “You know what I mean.”
“I do,” he said, gaze fixed across the road, at the remnants of my pack, “and I’m sorry. For everything.”
He pulled her close, tucking her against his side, and she snuggled into him for warmth.
“You cold?” he asked, huffing a laugh as she nodded. “Maybe…maybe you could warm us both up, then.”
She glanced up at him, mouth slightly open, “You mean…”
“Unless you’re too tired,” he said in a rush, “I know you…you used a lot of energy.”
“No! No, in fact…”
Dani reached inside herself, fumbling around for her magic. It gave a groan of protest as she pulled at it, but it was just enough that a pleasant warmth radiated from her skin, settling over them both.
Arthur sighed, closing his eyes and pressing his lips to her hair. “That’s more like it.”
They say a while, on the edge of awareness, just enjoying each other’s embrace. Dani took his acceptance and hugged it tight, smiling stupidly at the lumbering male wrapped around her.
Eventually, he nudged her, his head tilting towards the house. “Come on. You can sleep. Properly. Not sitting on a freezing step.”
“What about everything else?” she asked quietly. “Fenred. The hybrids. Whatever happens next?”
“Dominic and Rory are coordinating patrols,” Arthur said. “Leonid is helping. But the border’s held for now. And I’m not letting you fall over from stubbornness before I even get a chance to use my full alpha voice on you.”
She shot him a look. “Don’t even try.”
“Wouldn’t dream of it,” he said, deadpan.
She followed him, past the clinic, snow cracking beneath their boots as they crossed the compound. Witches nodded to her as they passed. Shifters dipped their heads to Arthur. The air still thrummed with aftershocks of magic and fear, but beneath it all, life had resumed its slow crawl toward normal.
Inside the alpha house, warmth enveloped her immediately. The fire Chase had stoked was still going. Someonehad left soup on the stove. Aurelia’s shoes lay abandoned by the couch.
Home.
