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“Yes,” Shay says, shaking her head. “And she shut it down – but I was just…surprised.”

“Ugh, I’m going to kill them,” I whisper, glaring hard at the nursing tent.

“Get in line,” Cole snarls.

“But why Shay?” Grace asks, the only one of us not giving in to her rage. “Why didn’t they say anything to Nadia or me?”

“I don’t know,” Cole murmurs, again rubbing his cheek, thinking deeply. “I need to…talk to dad about this. It’s a weird development, but…potentially useful information.” He looks over the three of us. “Anything else weird happen? Noteworthy?”

I shake my head. “Nothing beyond not wanting to be seen by humans, which doesn’t seem out of the ordinary for what we’ve learned about Children of Solace wolves. But Jeanie was running around all night managing that – she might have heard something.”

Cole nods. “I’ll talk to her. Will you speak to the other nurses? See if anyone else had a particularly bad experience?”

We nod, agreeing to it – quite eager to help, if we can.

“I’m very sorry that happened to you, Shay,” Cole says, leaning towards her, holding her gaze very seriously. A little smile curls her lips. “You didn’t deserve that.”

And I sigh because even if that Cole is being polite and saying precisely the right thing…damn it, but I can see that he means it. That he reallyisjust…kind.

Which does not line up, at all, with my childhood memories.

Inwardly, I scowl and tuck the thought away, knowing we have other things to worry about. All of our eyes turn to Greg as he comes over, his rifle evenly balanced in his hand. “Sir?” he says, eyes on Cole. “I was supposed to relieve you of your post about half an hour ago. Can’t do that if you’re still at it.”

Cole sighs and stands, nodding to him.

I frown, looking between the two wolves, wondering what the hell Greg is talking about. Because Cole can’t have been assigned to guard the empty damn fire circle –

But then I scoff and whip out a hand, smacking Cole on the calf. “Did you put an extra guard on me, wherever I am, at all times?”

He laughs and smirks down at me. “Why would I do that, Nadia?”

My mouth pops open, but the words still on my tongue – because I can’tsayit! Not without revealing to stupidGregthe ridiculous claim that Cole has made on me –

“Besides,” Cole says, yawning and stretching his hands over his head. “The extra guard is on Shayne. Not you.”

“Yes, I’m incredibly important,” Shayne says, lifting her chin, preening.

I scowl as Grace laughs.

Chapter 25 – Long Days

Nadia

“Fine, whatever,” I say, working hard to be breezy and failing completely. “If it’s Greg’s shift now, let him take it.”

Cole gives us a cursory bow that seems more instinctual than deliberate as his way of saying goodnight, but it sets Shayne beaming regardless. He goes one way to the command tent as Greg walks with us to the nurse’s quarters, sending us off to sleep.

“So, you’re all in love with the Prince?” Greg asks, his voice terribly disappointed. “None left for us poor regular guys?”

“I wouldn’t say we’reallin love with the Prince,” Grace says, shooting me a wicked glance. My fingers itch to shove her, but I magnanimously refrain.

“Well, it’s not our fault,” Shayne says, turning at the dormitory tent to give Greg her prettiest smile, looking up at him through her lashes. “The Prince pays such nice attention to us. How could we help it? Maybe the regular guys just need to…step up their game.”

Greg smirks at her, clearly enjoying her gambit and playing along. “Well then. Maybe we will.”

Shay shrugs, looking adorable and coy. I groan, grabbing her wrist, starting to haul her inside. “Night, Greg! Sleep tight!” she calls. “Don’t dream about metoomuch, though I know it will be –“

I pull the rope holding up the entrance flap, letting it slap shut, cutting off Shay’s words and the sight of Greg’s grinning face. Shayne just bursts out laughing.