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Uriel scrunched up his face, trying to figure out why Bruiser would be nice.

Then he looked at the bump in his shirt, and dismissed the thought. Bruiser couldn’t possibly be trying because of Cassie. He was an asshole.

Maybe he’d really hit his head on something.

Uriel steadily unpacked, trying not to listen when the shower came on. He knew what Bruiser looked like without his clothes; after all, they went on missions with their other friends sometimes, and Bruiser had to be naked if he didn’t want to ruin his clothes with every shift.

Most of the time, Uriel could ignore it. It was harder now that Bruiser was showering.

He jumped when the doorbell rang.

Bruiser emerged from the bathroom in a cloud of steam, a fluffy towel wrapped around his hips. Water trickled down his chest. His hair was sticking out in all directions, and he was barefoot.

He answered the door dressed in nothing but a towel.

What in the blazes is he doing? Uriel thought, trying not to notice the slope of those broad shoulders, the muscles on Bruiser’s back when he moved to accept the bags of food.

Then Bruiser turned, and that flash of red on his hip—palm-sized, red like a fire—burned itself into Uriel’s retinas.

He hurriedly looked away, but he couldn’t help the nervous stutter of his pulse.

He would have to be so damn careful when he bathed Cassie.

Bruiser was watching him too closely when he made his way over. “See something you like?” He cocked his hip, putting himself on display. “I’m still up for that di—” He glanced at Cassie. “I’m still up for that measuring contest, in case you were feeling too adequate. Although I think if you were... proportional, you wouldn’t measure up.”

Uriel rolled his eyes. “Seriously? The fuck is with you and your measuring contests?”

“You’re swearing in front of your kid?” Bruiser said mockingly.

Something sharp and angry rose up in Uriel. Cassie was in her playpen and distracted with her toys; she was safe there. Uriel stood, prowling toward the alpha.

Bruiser smirked. “Oh? Want a fight?”

“You can’t beat me,” Uriel growled.

“You’re just afraid of me pinning you down,” Bruiser purred.

He got under Uriel’s skin, burrowing like barbs that Uriel couldn’t yank out. Uriel bared his teeth; his magic surged in his veins. He would’ve tackled the alpha right there if Cassie weren’t in the same room.

Bruiser dropped the bags of food and took a few steps back, his smirk growing as Uriel prowled closer.

“Get out,” Uriel said, shoving at Bruiser’s chest. It was bare, and his skin burned hot against Uriel’s palms. “Get out of here. I don’t want to destroy the cabin when I destroy you.”

“You’re not the one with combat experience,” Bruiser said. But he was backing up, out of the door, his steps measured and sure.

There was a large empty space in front of the cabin, lush grass surrounding a dirt driveway. Bruiser stepped onto the grass in just his towel, still wet from his shower, and beckoned at Uriel with his fingertips.

He was underestimating Uriel because Uriel was smaller, because Uriel was younger and human.

Uriel was going to teach him a lesson.

He leaped at Bruiser, only for the alpha to twist at the last moment, neatly side-stepping Uriel’s fists. Uriel snarled. Bruiser grinned and caught Uriel’s wrist, yanking him sideways at the same time he moved behind Uriel to attack.

Uriel’s pulse spiked. He twisted around on instinct, aiming a kick at Bruiser that the alpha barely dodged.

“A kick in the shin?” Bruiser said doubtfully.

“You didn’t lay down any rules,” Uriel said. And he drew a rune, one of those he’d invented for himself in case of an emergency.