That got a groan. She peeled one eye open, then winced as the light stabbed it. “Why is it morning?”
“Lunarion hates us,” he said. “Up.”
He levered himself onto an elbow, tightening his hold so she didn’t roll straight off him. The blanket slid; cold bit every exposed inch of skin at once. She swore under her breath and scrambled for her coat.
They were both rumpled, hair a mess, clothes creased. His wolf liked it. A lot.
Dani caught him looking and arched an eyebrow. “If you say one word about how I look, I will hex your boots together on the way down.”
“You look fine,” he said honestly. “Cold. But fine.”
A flicker crossed her face that he couldn’t quite name. Soft. Uncertain. She shook it off with a snort. “Come on, you’re right. We should go.”
They packed the basket in companionable silence, shook out the blanket, then picked their way back down the trail. The world was oddly quiet. Snow squeaked under their boots; their breath hung white in the air.
Halfway down, Dani reached for his hand without seeming to think about it. He took it. Didn’t comment. The bond hummed, pleased and possessive.
At the bottom of the hill, the town was yawning awake, smoke from chimneys, faint clatter from the docks. Instead of turning up toward the alpha house, Dani angled toward Thistlehouse.
“She slept there?” Arthur asked.
“Lavinia stole her from Chase,” Dani said, waving a text message in his face. “Apparently, witches are the only ones qualified to supervise dental hygiene.”
He grunted. Not offended. Just… aware of the way Dani’s shoulders eased as they approached the coven house. Wards brushed his skin, uncomfortable and electric.
Edith opened the door before they reached it, as if she’d been standing there listening, pale hair in a lopsided braid, mug in hand, expression unimpressed.
Her gaze swept over them, mussed clothes, cold-reddened faces, the way their hands were still linked.
One eyebrow climbed. “Well,” she said. “Nice of you to remember you have a child.”
“Good morning to you, too,” Arthur said.
“She was fine,” Edith added to Dani, ignoring him. “I don’t know why onearthyou left her with that wolf. I stopped by to check in atten p.m.,and they were up watching a horror film and eating ice cream.”
Arthur snorted and Dani elbowed him in the side, her smile tightening. “Thanks for watching her.”
“I’ll talk to Chase,” Arthur said, wilting slightly under the older witch’s withering glare.
A small blur shot out from behind Edith and latched onto Dani’s waist. “You didn’t come back,” Aurelia accused, voice muffled in her coat.
Dani wrapped both arms around her, holding tight. “We were on the ridge,” she said into Aurelia’s hair. “Sorry. We fell asleep.”
Aurelia leaned back, eyes flicking between them. Caught the linked hands. The rumpled clothes. The way Arthur couldn’t quite stop staring.
Her mouth made a tiny, smug curve. “Right.”
Arthur cleared his throat. “Morning,” he said.
Aurelia eyed him, then stepped out of Dani’s grip and, to his shock, walked straight over and wrapped her arms around his middle, too.
He froze.
Then, carefully, he hugged her back.
Her scent hit him full force, no longer blunted by distance or shock. Salt and ocean and something that matched the pull in his bones exactly. His wolf made a helpless, stupid, pleased noise inside his head.
“You all right, kid?” he asked, awkwardly patting her hair.
