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A small smile pursed Jules’ perfect mouth into a pout.

“They are local lore people made up about me over the years. I never bothered to correct them.” He shrugged apologetically and laced his fingers through mine. “Vee is right, Iamdangerous to humans. But not the way you think. I am not joining the Wild Hunt. I have a pet Wolpertinger and chickens. I could never leave them alone for so long.”

Max snorted and pushed away from the wall. He held out his hand. “Good to meet you.”

“And you, Nachtkrapp.”

My teammate cringed at being addressed thus.

“Just call me Max, yeah?” He rubbed the feathers at his nape, looking flustered.

“Jules.”

Arne shook his hand as well, as did Guns who’d just entered the restaurant’s side room.

“Good to meet you, man. And you. Hey, bud.” Guns dropped to one knee and greeted Barnabas who was hiding between Jules and me. He extended his neck as far as he could to sniff Guns’ fingers.

“Oh, look, baby,” I said to Jules. “He likes Guns.”

Our goalie snorted and shook his head at my dumb joke but kept his eyes on Jules’ pet.

“He is very sweet,” Vee agreed.

“Guns? Or the Wolpertinger?” Decks asked in an innocent voice.

The enormous Elvertritsch cocked a heavy eyebrow and turned his head to look at his husband. He flung an arm around Nate’s back and pulled him close to his body as if he weighed nothing.

“I was talking about the Wolpertinger. No offence, Martin.”

“None taken,” Guns muttered gruffly.

“Cheeky frat boy.” Vee kissed his husband’s cheek. I couldn’t imagine being kissed by someone with a beak.

Yeah, I’m Team Antlers.

Barely an hour later, Bo and Ollie had joined us, too, and Jules had told Vee his story. It was even sadder than I’d anticipated. It made me never ever want to meet his mother.

I need to introduce him to mine, though. He deserves to be fussed over by a mum.

Fifty-four

Jules

Barnabas,Nikolai,andIwalked home through the warm summer evening. Veitsreuth was simultaneously larger and smaller than I had expected. I’d never been in the city before, and only visited smaller villages to do my shopping. The sheer number of buildings confused me, but it felt cosy.

It’s a nice city to live in.

I also liked his apartment. The court gardens it overlooked reminded me of my forest. It made me happy that Nikolai had a safe home here in the middle of all these people.

Once he’d prepared a little nook in his kitchen for Barnabas, Bunny spread me out on his bed.

He doesn’t want him to watch. Neither do I.

My beautiful mate folded me in half and made love to me until I fell apart around his length.

“You feel so good, baby,” he groaned into the kiss as he reached his climax and filled me up with his warm release.

“Oh, Bunny.” I sighed and pulled him down on my chest, stroking his sweaty back and feeling happier than ever before.