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“I bet you say that to every werewolf who massages your feet,” he said.

She kicked him gently. “Seriously. You’re good at taking care of people.”

“When I get out of my own way,” he prompted.

She beamed at him. “Exactly!”

He slid her socks back on, rolling his eyes again at the face she made at putting on dirty socks. Then he pulled her boots on for her, even doing up the laces.

“Averygood boy,” she cooed.

“Shut up,” he told her, cheeks burning. “I just want this over with. I saw how long it took you to do these up before.” He finished the second boot and stood. “Ready?”

She straightened, easing her weight from one foot to the other. She was smiling, but he could see the wince. She was spoiled, sure. But it really did hurt.

He sighed. “Alright.”

He slung the backpack around to his chest.

“What are you doing?” Luna asked. “What’s?—”

Her question cut off with a yelp as he hoisted her onto his back. Her flailing arms locked around his neck, legs coming up to circle his waist.

“Oh!” she said. “This is—this ishappening. Okay.”

“Youcouldsay thanks. You whined about this for an hour yesterday.”

“Yeah, well, I didn’t think you’d actually…” she trailed off in a mumble. “How’s your ankle? Is this too much weight?”

“It’s like lifting a bag of chocolates,” he assured her.

She made a strange noise behind him. Half-laugh, half-stammer, hands squeezing together over his heart.

Fifteen

Luna was still clinging to his back when they made the last turn that would lead them into the parking lot. She could even see the car through the trees.

Oliver stopped. Luna assumed this was her sign to get off, even if he hadn’t let go of her yet.

“Thank god,” she sighed, climbing off him and stretching mightily. “I was cramping from holding my legs like that for so long.”

She mostly said it to make him roll his eyes. But he didn’t even look at her. His head was cocked, his nose flaring.

Luna shivered, rubbing her arms against the chill. “What?”

He shook his head and set off down the path. Luna jogged behind him, eyeing his ankle warily. He’d been limping for the last hour, denying it every time shebrought it up. She’d been tempted to start kicking his leg just to prove herself right, but they’d already been stranded here for one night. If she got them stuck out here for another, he’d harp on about it until she was waving Claw Haven goodbye in the rearview mirror of her rental car.

She turned the corner into the parking lot and came to a skidding halt.

There was another car sitting opposite theirs. Sabine and Ben stood next to it with one back door open. Ben carried a light backpack while Sabine munched on a peach.

“Oh,” Ben said. “Hey. There goes that plan.”

He tossed the backpack into the back seat and slammed the door shut.

“Told you,” he said to Sabine.

She shrugged, biting another hunk off the peach. “Good morning! How was your night?”