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Phillip looked genuinely confused for a second. “Me?”

“Yes. You said some asshole things to him, too. You weren’t exactly nice to Nigel from the start, and you’re just as much to blame for how out of hand things got. So, yes, you need to say sorry.”

Phillip sighed loudly while Sloan smirked, clearly tickled by the very idea of me lecturing the much-older Hunter. Nigel, however, stood there, saying nothing and face devoid of emotion. It wasn’t like the Shifter, and I stopped for a second to watch him.

But then my eyes were on Phillip again, demanding he stop acting like a damn child. “Phil, you’re old enough to know when it’s time to let bygones be bygones.”Like, really, who’s the teenager here?“Or what, do you think you’re too old to apologize?” I emphasized the word “old” knowing it would get under the defiant Hunter’s skin. And when Phillip’s face distorted, clearly not happy, I celebrated my victory.

Nigel rubbed the back of his neck, suddenly uncomfortable. “No. He’s not the one who has anything to be sorry for. I provoked him. I said and did more than I should. So, sorry about that, bro.”

Arms crossed over his large chest with his blue eyes aimed at Nigel, Phillip lifted his chin, not sure what to believe. Slowly, his gaze strayed over to where I stood, and I urged him to say something with a nod of my head. Carding both of his hands roughly through his hair, Phillip groaned and then let his arms fall laxly at his sides in defeat. “Fine. I apologize.”

The Austrian’s eyes found mine again and I huffed, not the least bit satisfied. Lips pursed, I gestured for him to make it sound more genuine. Rolling his eyes with a sly smile, Phillip scraped along his jaw and directed his stare over at my friend, who stayed quietly waiting, never saying more than he should.

At least that makes one of them.

Phillip stepped forward, closing in on Nigel. Sloan tilted his head and crossed his arms, expressing curiosity over Phillip’s unusual actions. Something told me Sloan wouldn’t bother to get between them if something happened.

Guess that leaves me. Surprise, surprise.

Resigned to my fate, I took a step forward and prepared myself internally to intervene if necessary.

But Phillip spoke up, low voice sincere, “I’ll protect her with my life. Believe me when I say that nothing and no one will get to her as long as I’m here to fight by her side. And I’ll train her so that if I fail, she won’t.” The Austrian’s gaze drifted over his shoulder to me. “I vow to make her stronger than anyone who seeks to harm her.”

The Austrian’s words hit my chest, and my heart throbbed with the intensity of his gaze and proclamation. Even though it was said to Nigel, it really felt like he’d said it to me.

Well, hot damn. Be still my heart.

The moment fled, and I quickly realized it wasn’t an apology. I opened my mouth, irritated. “Hey. That’s cheating.”

Laughing, Phillip shrugged. “You didn’t say I only had to apologize.”

My mouth clamped shut, and I sighed. Sadly, I couldn’t hide my amusement, still bothered but completely won over. I hated it when Phillip was right, but at like, the worst times.

Sloan’s mouth was swept up into a tender smile, making him, if possible, more beautiful than he’d ever been. The mood quieted, and my eyes stayed with Phillip’s as long as he stared. The moment was brief because the Austrian finally glanced back at Nigel. Despite the earlier good humor, the two men stared at one another in a way that stole my smile. A moment passed between them before Nigel put his hand out.

“I’ll hold you to that, Hunter.”

Looking down, Phillip reached out, shook Nigel’s proffered hand, and smirked in his usual sexy manner. “As you should, wolf.”

I breathed a sigh of relief, a heavy weight lifting from my shoulders with one handshake.

Go figure that’s all it took.

Men.

*

SHOULDERING MY PACK, I glanced back at the town where I’d spent my entire life. It was weird to think I’d leave this all behind and go somewhere else when all I ever knew was this town. And in only a few days, I’d be eighteen.

But my life as a Hunter started today.

I hadn’t gotten to say goodbye to Kate or Nigel the way I wanted to, or really graduate, but something told me that was just the life a Hunter led. It was what Grams reminded me of every day for the last nearly eleven years of training. Always on the move. Never rooted to one spot. A life dedicated to the creatures we hunted. It was just the way things were, and I wasn’t given any other choice from the time I started to train.

From the moment of conception.

“Keep only the things most important to you and protect them with all your heart, skill, and perseverance,”she’d told me. I hadn’t really thought about it until now, but it made sense. All the things I loved would be in danger. When I realized I’d have to leave everything behind, the emotion in my chest was agony. It wasn’t the same anguish as nearly dying from poison, but it hurt in its own way to leave all the people I’d spent years cultivating relationships with. Mostly, to leave everything that reminded me of Grams.

Peeking at my phone, I dragged a finger over a text sent from Nigel and another one from Kate. But still no word from Grams. Her mission was top level and dangerous, and Phillip said it was likely we wouldn’t know anything for weeks, if not months.