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At his words, the anger in my chest eased. I supposed that from Devlin’s perspective, it could have looked like Rowan was antagonizing me. After all, I had been uncomfortable. I had cried. And when Rowan tried to reach out, I had pulled away.

“I was upset because Rowan told me about Ms. Cadmus’s declining health,” I said softly.

Devlin stilled, turning fully to face me.

“And Rowan was only trying to comfort me,” I continued, meeting his gaze, “but I pulled my hand away because... well, he might have had a bit of a crush on me—” Devlin’s nostrils flared. “But that was a long, long time ago,” I added quickly. “Besides, didn’t you see the ring on his nose? He’s claimed.”

Devlin let out a sharp breath, his jaw clenching. “Take it from an incubus, Jen—unless you’ve found your fated mate, claimed and married people can and do stray.”

I snorted. “Well, that’s a very pessimistic outlook,Devie.”

He shot me a withering look. “Not everyone,” he admitted. “Of course, non-mated couples can be perfectly happy and not stray.” He exhaled, dragging a frustrated hand down his face. “But... being a creature that can literally sense the true desires of those around you makes you less inclined to trust what comes out of people’s mouths.”

I tilted my head. “And what exactly did your senses tell you about Rowan’s intentions?”

Devlin arched a brow at me, and then—without missing a beat—slipped into a near-perfect imitation of my own voice: “‘Rule number one: keep your senses dampened.’”

I rolled my eyes. “That was terrifyingly accurate.”

His lips twitched. “I have layers, Jen.”

It was kind of sweet that Devlin hadn’t bent my rules—not even to gauge if the women in the bar were remotely interested in him.

“Round one toDevie,” I said, unable to keep the amusement from my voice.

Devlin rolled his eyes. “Please don’t call me that.”

I grinned up at him. “Okay, no pet names for you. But while we’re on the subject—what exactly did Brooke mean when she told you not to forget about her proposal?”

Devlin shook his head, a bemused frown creasing his brow. “Literally that. She asked me to marry her.”

I stumbled. “What?”

Brooke was eccentric, sure. She had a wild, impulsive streak. But proposing marriage to a complete stranger within minutes of meeting him? That was out of character, even for her. A strange, sharp feeling twisted in my gut. Had Devlin actually considered it?

She had reminded him, after all, which meant he hadn’t given her an outright no during their conversation. And he was looking for someone to connect with. Brooke was beautiful. Fun. Lively. She’d make the perfect partner for Devlin if he wanted something emotional, something real. Unlike me—chronically glum, emotionally unavailable me—she could be light. She could be easy.

“I’m not really sure what happened,” Devlin admitted with a shrug. “I was only half listening. She must have brushed up against me without me noticing and fell under the influence of my touch.” He shot me a sidelong glance. “She had just asked me if I’d consider marrying her when your orcfriend—” He practically spat the last word, as if still unconvinced that Rowan’s intentions had been as innocent as I’d claimed. “—tried to touch you without permission.”

His nostrils flared slightly, a residual flicker of possessiveness still simmering beneath the surface.

I probably should tell Devlin the truth—that I had recoiled from Rowan because my succubus side had once turned him into a lust-fueled stalker. But I didn’t have the energy to explain the ins and outs of being part succubus, not when it meant dragging up my parents. I was trying to avoid that conversation wherever possible.

And I had a sinking feeling that if Devlin found out that Rowan had stalked me, he’d turn on his heel and finish the job he’d started in the bar. So instead, I said, “Looking out for mewasn’tpart of the pact we made.” I hesitated, then sighed. “But... thanks.”

At some point, we had reached the edge of the forest. The last glow of light from town was swallowed by the trees, and darkness consumed the path ahead. Devlin, of course, had no problem seeing in the dark. And if my succubus side hadn’t been completely cut off, I would have at least been able to see well enough to avoid tripping over my own feet. But the sky had clouded over, completely obscuring the sliver of moonlight that had helped me on the way in.

I could feel Devlin’s amusement—could practically sense the smug little smirk tugging at his lips. Unlike before, however, he didn’t offer his hand to guide me. But there was no way I was going to ask him for help—not after telling him I didn’t need him looking out for me a second ago.

Steeling myself, I splayed my arms out for balance and took a cautious step forward. Devlin let out a low, knowing chuckle, making me more determined to get back to the cabin without his help. Unfortunately, my determination didn’t stop my foot from catching on something solid. I barely had time to register I was falling before I instinctively threw my arms up to brace for an impact that never came.

Because before I could hit the ground, Devlin’s arm wrapped firmly around my waist. A surge of heat shot through me where we touched, even through the fabric of my hoodie. His grip was effortless as he easily pulled me back upright.

Then, just as quickly as he had caught me, he let me go.

His voice dipped into a low, velvety hum, laced with unmistakable amusement. “Do you want to take my arm, Jen?”

I scowled, which only earned me another infuriatingly amused chuckle from Devlin. “Fine,” I huffed. “But only because I won’t be able to write if I fall and break my arm.”