I looked up the stairs to see my wolf come down. Croy looked freshly showered and so unfairly handsome this morning.
“Croy,” I chimed, he looked up from his phone and happiness filled his bright green eyes. The phone forgotten in his pocket now, he flashed me a charming smile and drew me into his arms.
“Sugar.” He drawled in his southern accent, making me smile. As his golden, muscular arms tightened around me, I couldn’t help but notice how his forearms were a stark contrast against the rolled sleeves of his white shirt.
My fingers traced the ridges of his muscles, body twisting, to the flashy gold watch on his wrist. Honestly, I had an issue with noticing sparkly pretty things. Croy was very noticeable and you would never guess from his youthful energy that he was a few hundred years old. I could feel his wolf pacing between us as I ran a hand through his honey blonde hair that was messy enough that it made the dressed-up man look somewhat relaxed.
“Are you excited to be doing something new today?” I asked curiously because I knew he had lived in Los Angeles for a very long time before he decided to follow me back here. I had felt a bit bad at first, but he had told me that it had simply been a convenient place for his business ventures although somewhat lonely. Plus, once he had found me, he said it was no longer an option.
“I’m excited we will only be miles apart today,butwould much rather spend all day together.”
“We could skip out on school and your meeting,” I offered as his smile grew. I really did not want to go to school today. Wasn’t sure what Croy had in mind, but it would no doubt be far better than what I would do in school.
“I love that idea. What would we do instead...”
“No,” Henry cut him off, “If anyone makes one more sexual innuendo before I’ve had coffee, I won’t be able to handle it.”
“Aww, Sugar, I’m sorry, I put Henry in a bad mood.” Croy offered me a smile while rubbing his nose against mine before leaving through the door.
Atlas followed with a wink and hip squeeze, my eyes dipping to both of their butts. What? They had nice butts. I didn’t know if that was a thing, but in dress pants, they looked fantastic.
Henry and I watched them drive away before I ventured a glance at Henry.
“Maya,” Henry stepped towards me, “are you planning on torturing everyone all day?”
“I’m not torturing anyone,” I exclaimed, “everyone keeps getting worked up and I’m not sure why.”It’s because they liked me.I knew because I got that way as well sometimes.
Speaking of, I could feel my pulse race as I stepped back towards the stairs. A flighty feeling in my chest. Excitement urged me.
His eyes darkened on my movement and I smiled at his tracking like action. He was the predator and I was the prey. It was only occasionally that I felt it, usually with Henry. His dragon just had a very predatorial energy.
“You are,” he determined, looking over me head to toe before adding, “I’m about two seconds from ripping that robe off of you.”
“Well,” I walked backwards up the stairs as he followed, looking sort of dangerous, to be honest, “I do need to change for the day...”
I let out a laugh as I sprint to my bedroom door, slipping in and locking it right as Henry pulled at the knob. I let out another laugh but my amusement was short-lived.
“Honey,” he drawled, “you will have to come out of there eventually.”
Did I though? I didn’t want to go to school. I would much rather have painted, especially since the sky was so peaceful and grey today. I would have loved to catch the blue and grey hues.
I heard Henry walk away and I unlocked my door, knowing if he wanted to come in here he’d find a way. He was resourceful like that.
I looked around my massive bedroom and my large fluffy cream colored bed. Honestly, it reminded me a bit of a nest. The entire room was my own personal space and while I hadn’t realized it initially, this room had come to mean a lot to me. My eyes teared up a bit thinking about what a sweet gesture it was.
I walked over to the bay of windows as I searched the thick, deep green forest surrounding us. I liked Los Angeles, but this was starting to feel a lot like home.
I’d never had a home before. At least not what I understood it now to be.
Looking over my painting easel, its bright orange and red colors making me feel a warmth in the center of my chest.
I was a shifter.Well, that was what my mates said. I was apparently some type of shapeshifter but honestly, I felt like I would have changed into a phoenix by now if that was the case. Right?
Then again, I had died and was reborn...so I didn’t really have a rationale worked out for that yet. I lifted a hand to the depiction of the fiery creature that I couldn’t imagine being part of me. Rubbed the center of my chest before I nodded to myself, knowing that after school today was a fantastic time to focus on figuring out how all of this worked.
I really didn’t want to disappoint Marco or the other boys...or for them to realize that I’m not as special as they thought. I’d already become so attached to them. I couldn’t imagine my life without them, honestly. Mostly because I didn’t have a life before them. I swallowed nervously. I wasn’t certain what love felt like, but what I felt for them was powerful.
It felt like my heart was filled wall to wall with love. The six of them, like orbiting planets filled with affection and safety, had lit a flame in me.