Aurelia hesitated. “I like it here,” she admitted. “And I like him. Them. He’s still grumpy, but…he tried with breakfast.”
Arthur. Of course.
Before Dani could answer, a knock sounded downstairs. Her stomach dipped.
“Wish me luck,” she muttered.
Aurelia rolled her eyes, miming being sick.
“Rude.” Dani kissed her forehead anyway. “No sugary snacks after eight.”
“Boring,” Aurelia sighed. “Go. You’re keeping the alpha waiting.”
“He can wait,” Dani said. Her pulse disagreed.
Arthur was in the hall, coat and boots on, hair tied back, a basket in one hand and a rolled blanket in the other. He looked up as she came down; something in his face went very still.
“You’ll freeze,” he said.
“We have winter in Massachusetts, you know.”
“Not this kind,” he muttered, but his gaze did a slow, unguarded sweep, hair, sweater, nerves.
Heat prickled under her skin.
“You ready?” he asked.
“No. Yes.” She squinted at the basket. “If this turns into an endurance hike I’m divorcing you and we’re not even married.”
“Half-hour up,” he said. “Gentle incline.”
Chase appeared behind him, “You two have fun,” he said. “I’ll keep the small witch alive. No horror films, no new swear words, no letting her drive the truck.”
Arthur raised a stern eyebrow, and Chase shrugged unapologetically. “Having a niece isfun.”
Dani rolled her eyes, pushing at Arthur’s arm. “Lead on, Alpha.”
He snorted and opened the door.
Cold night air wrapped around her, sharp and clean. The sky was clear, stars knifing through the dark.
They walked. Snow crunched under their boots, trees crowding close. For a while, they were just breath and frost and easy silence.
“You’re really okay with Chase babysitting?” he asked eventually.
Dani shrugged. “He offered, and I feel bad asking Edith nearly every day. Besides…he’s her uncle, right?”
“Unfortunately for us,” Arthur muttered. “He’ll teach her all sorts of mischief.”
Dani laughed despite herself, something strange and warm settling in her stomach at the easy way he had saidus. “The coven’s pretty strict. She could do with some mischief every now and again.”
“How much do you wanna bet you’re gonna regret saying that?”
“He’s your brother,” she said with a grin. “If it gets too chaotic, you can just bash him back into shape.”
He laughed, low and gravelly, his shoulder bumping into hers. She tried to pretend it didn’t make her skin tingle.
The path leveled. He ducked between two firs, and they stepped into a shallow hollow carved into the hillside, rock cupping them on three sides, the sky open above. Below,Skymist glowed in scattered lights; beyond that, the sea was a dark scythe.
