The boy held out his hands expectantly, orbs twinkling in excitement. Nico didn’t hesitate to pick him up and hitch him over one hip, and the two ventured away from the group of kids. She trailed after them, fascinated with the interaction as Nico led the boy through paths that didn’t have markers, where the trees and lushness seemed to go on forever. They stopped in a clearing set up as a garden, where root crops grew along with a tree she hadn’t seen anywhere in New York. They plucked a yellow fruit, and the boy eagerly peeled it.
“How is it, Harry?” Nico asked.
“Delicious,” Harry exclaimed. “Can we plant more banana trees?”
“It’s hard to grow in our weather, but we are finding means.”
There was a long pause as Harry continued eating. Then Nico glanced in her direction, his surprise apparent before it cleared. She stood still as light eyes assessed her from head to toe, then went back to meet her gaze. He spoke.
“Harry, you need to go to class now.”
The boy grumbled but willingly climbed down and ventured off, holding another banana. Nico’s lips quirked, then he returned his attention to her. He walked slowly, as if wanting to make it as non-threatening as possible, but the lean lines of his body and the purposeful gait told her he could snap into predator mode at any moment. The memory of how it felt against her as she fought her nightmares sent a trickle of heat down her belly, but she swallowed it and opened her mouth.
Thank you,she wanted to say. But try as she might, the words didn’t want to come out. Frustration rose and had her trembling. He moved closer and placed his hands on her shoulders, the callouses seeming to seep into her bare skin.
“You are up,” he said matter-of-factly with a hint of gruffness. “Are you feeling better?”
She nodded. He didn’t ask more. But he took her hands, turning them to check out her fingers and knuckles. A jolt caught her off guard when his thumbs skimmed her knuckles.
“No bruises. You heal easily, as most shifters do.”
There was no denying this, but she didn’t nod. His thumbs distracted, more warmth seeping into her until she couldn’t take it anymore. At the next shot of electricity, she took her hands back and placed them behind her, fisting them to get rid of the tingles. He winced.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you.”
You are not hurting me.She shook her head. Relief relaxed his muscles as a small smile played on his lips, drawing her gaze there. The firmness was gone, replaced by a softness that was just as potent.
“I’m just glad you are up. And okay. Anne…”
“Nico, they want you at the south wall for a bit.”
A head peeked in and she recognized the younger man from earlier. Charlie. Nico frowned and stepped away, visibly reluctant. But his expression transformed to urgency at whatever Charlie was saying, and it wasn’t long before he glanced at her.
“I have to go. Please explore and make yourself comfortable. We won’t harm you here.”
The words echoed in the clearing as he left, leaving no doubt that he meant every word. She stayed where she was, eyeing the garden in scrutiny and figuring out that most of the stuff here was not grown commonly. She touched a banana leaf, puzzling over how they would keep it safe during the winter season, when a distinct feeling grazed the back of her neck and had her stilling. Just like that, she knew she wasn’t alone.
Anne let go of the banana leaf but stayed where she was, her body braced to move in any direction. Her gaze swept the vicinity and stopped when she found a figure hunched over a branch, much like Nico had been where she had first glimpsed him. But this wasn’t Nico. When the figure saw her looking in his direction, he jumped down and landed in front of her, straightening to showcase a broad form.
“So, you are the famous Anne.”
It wasn’t a question. She took in the man’s features, unable to see hostility firsthand. But why did she feel it?
“You are the stranger who doesn’t talk. The one suspected of the killings in North Bear but taken by my brother under his wing and defended thoroughly.”
Something sank in her stomach as her gaze flew up. Sure enough, he had the same dark hair and blue eyes. But whereas Nico’s lighter shade had always been warm, this man was cold and calculated, openly in disagreement over what his brother had done. Danger sparked in her brain, an alarm that rang incessantly. Instinctively, she backed away a step, but he was quick to close the distance.
“Normally I don’t mind welcoming those in need of a home, but you are a strange case and it’s perplexing that Angelo didn’t question you further. You are a lone wanderer, but most are either of the two: smart enough to stay away from clan territory or too wild to even get close. You are neither.” There was a meaningful pause. “So, I suspect you hold a history that—”
“—is none of your business.”
Nico stepped in, a quiet presence that neither had noticed until now. Her eyes widened. The broader man’s eyes narrowed, and immediately she deduced that there was something already going on between the two.
“I thought you were heading to the southern border.
“I did, and it’s done. It was just a quick check.” Nico tilted his head. “And I suggest not heaping questions on Anne anymore, Michael.”
The other man’s back went up. Michael didn’t scowl, but only because he seemed to be fighting it. “We don’t know where she’s from and why she’s here. We don’t know who she is.”