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Cole

“Nadia,” I sigh, lifting a hand to my face and scraping my calloused palm down over my features. “How much of that did you see?”

“Oh, I didn’t see any of it,” she says, still smiling like a cat when a dozen mice have stumbled aimlessly into its path. “But what Iheard–“

“Nadi,” I groan, dropping my hand, my shoulders slumping, every physical inch of mebeggingfor her to go easy on me.

“Actually, I take that back,” she says, tilting her head. “Ididsee a rathergorgeousshe-wolf bolting topless from your tent not two minutes ago –“

“Would you get in here?” I growl, my hand slapping back, smacking the door to my tent open. “And lower your voice?”

“Cole, it’scanvas,” Nadia says, laughing and not moving an inch,richlyenjoying herself. “I don’t think it’s going to muffle the words atallwhen Irub this in your facefor the nextsixhours –“

To my surprise, a laugh stumbles from my lips – an angry, snarled one, but a laugh nonetheless. My feet move without me, striding for her, my hand wrapping as gently as I can around her arm and pulling her to her feet. “In, you damned demon –“

Nadia laughs at this as well, letting me pull her up, grinning at me.

And even though I am still rattled – and completely out of my mind with fury and embarrassment and anxiety – some part of me registers that this is…better. So much better. Nadia is messing with me,playingwith me rather than hating me, resisting my every move.

She smiles up at me –smiles–

I mean, a vicious little smile that lets me know she knows she’s got me under her thumb right now andlovesit. But it’s a smile nonetheless.

And damn it, I’ll take it.

“Calm down, Cole,” Nadia says, rotating her shoulder to pull her arm from my grip. I let go in an instant. “I’ll take my victory lap and rub it in at a reasonable volume.”

I snarl lightly, and her smile deepens.

“Just, give me ten seconds,” she says, turning away, looking down at the ground.

My heart leaps as she starts away from me – because no – I don’t want her out of mysightforanynumber of seconds if the Children of Solace know anything –

What is she even doingup– I assumed she would be asleep –guardedin the nursing tent –

“Nadia,” I growl, starting after her.

“Eightseconds!” she calls over her shoulder, frustrated with how close I am on her tail.

“No! I –“

But she dips down and grabs something from its spot propped against a tree, turning back to me. I go still when I see that it’s some kind of thermos.

“Soup,” she says, shrugging. “And…they put little crackers in the bin on the top.”

I stare at it and then at her.

“For you,” she says, quieter now, taking a step closer to me. “You were gone over dinner. I thought you would be…hungry. And then I watched, but you didn’t come out of dad’s tent for hours, and the cooks were happy to pack it up for you.”

She shrugs again, a little awkward at my nonresponse.

I just stand very still, staring at her.

Which is…acompletebetrayal ofeveryinsane thing that’s happening in my mind right now. My wolfhowlshis stupid head off, the sound filling my mind, sprinting wildly in my soul.

She loves us – she brought us dinner – that was so sweet – she’s so nice – she wants to feed us – in her heart she’s just like us – she’s so pretty – snatch her up – carry her back to the tent – we need to mark her or at least rub our scent all over her - she will be so cute when she smells like us it will be so perfect she’s so perfect I –

“Cole?”