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Nigel’s jaw tensed and his whole body told an overall story of discomfort. He wasn’t the only one. I struggled to keep myself together. A stranger was in the midst of fighting to protect my honor, and I didn’t exactly know how to feel about it.

“Tiff,” Nigel warned gently. “I think this probably isn’t the time—”

Topher let loose a breath. “Guess I’ve been a bit unfair.”

Hold the phone.

Surprise didn’t get close to how I felt when Topher all but caved into the impish fairy of a woman, who looked like she expected him to give in at some point.

That’s a big sister for you.

Not that I had any experience, but I watched enough dramas to know siblings had a certain mystical power over one another. Maybe this was that—a bond no one could understand.

“A bit is the understatement of the century, my dude. She’s just trying to live her life. It’s never a good idea to make judgment calls about someone without bothering to get to know them,” Tiff lectured with a sneaky smile at me. “We women don’t need to saddle ourselves with any one man if we don’t want to.”

I definitely liked her.

Phillip grunted beside me, the lines of his face deepening with fury. “I hate to agree with someone like this one, but V doesn’t have to explain her reasons to anyone.” His light eyes narrowed on Topher. “Especially not some wolf who didn’t even bother to greet her properly the first time they met.”

Burn alert.

Phillip surprised the entire group with his angry interjection, mostly because the vampire hunter hadn’t bothered to interact much more than a few grunts or nods of greeting. Which was also sort of ironic of him when he laid into Topher for not greeting others properly.

But what perplexed me the most was how irritated my partner sounded. I could count on one hand how many times I’d seen Phillip get upset, and it intrigued me that this, out of all the times he could have been ticked off, bothered him.

“We don’t have time for pleasantries. We’re losing daylight. I’ve given you a map of a few locations you need to check. V and I are waiting for another two Hunters, so you’re free to go at any time.”

Topher growled low in his chest, but Claude came forward and clapped the taller man on the shoulder. “I heard you were a bit...well, something, and I’m not disappointed.”

What one noticed first about the final Shifter, Claude, was that he sported bright blue hair. It was definitely not a color I would’ve chosen because it very easily made him a target, but maybe it didn’t make much of a difference when they shifted into wolves.

His way of dressing was lazy-casual. Grey sweatpants, because why not. AStar Warst-shirt because, also, why not. Pierced nose and lip because, well, his look wasn’t disjointed enough. But Claude seemed a character by his whimsical, directionless attire. Not exactly what a normal person would wear on a mission, but I wasn’t in any place to judge anyone else’s sense of style.

Nigel caught Claude’s gaze for a second before nodding, and the other four disappeared into the trees beside us. “I’ll join you two.”

Phillip looked ready to say something, but I cut him off before he could. “You’re welcome to come along.”

Phillip sighed, not happy at all. It didn’t matter, though. Partners meant I, just as much as he, got to make decisions.

“Thanks, V,” Nigel muttered as he came to stand beside me, touching my shoulder awkwardly. “You okay?”

My throat constricted with his quiet sympathy. “I’m trying.”

“Grams will come back,” Nigel uttered softly. “Don’t let it worry you, okay?”

He had every reason to think so, but I knew better, and it killed me not to be able to tell him. To keep up appearances, I nodded and shrugged. Then I clapped a hand on his shoulder, attempting to bridge the awkwardness between us.

“I’m really glad you’re here.”

“Me too,” he agreed with a bright grin. “Not going to lie, you had me really scared there for a while I wouldn’t be able to talk to you anymore.”

It hurt to see the despondent look on his face. It hurt worse knowing it was I who gave it to him.

“Sorry about that. Things are complicated right now. I can’t get into the details, but it’s just the way it has to be for the moment.”

Nigel brushed hair from my face, knuckles lingering on my cheek. “No matter what, V, I’m here for you. I may have treated you like you were made of glass before, but I promise not to anymore. I know better than anyone else how strong you are.”

Smiling, I touched his hand before Phillip appeared in the middle of us and urged me another direction. “Let’s go. The Hunters will be here soon, and I don’t want to waste any more time chit-chatting.”