Page 26 of Carnage Island

Or maybe she’s too broken to even realize what’s happening.

With a yip, the wolf jumps to her feet again, her agility impressive considering she nearly drowned thirty minutes ago, and she takes off down the hallway.

I follow with a shake of my head, amused.

It’s like having a puppy.

Except this female is definitely full grown.

She heads into the guest room first because it’s the closest to the living area. “This is where you’ll sleep, if you’re good,” I tell her.

She snorts like she can understand me, and scoffs at the bed before turning around to march back into the hallway toward the back stairs.

“It’s rude to take yourself on your own tour,” I say conversationally as she bolts down the wood stairs to the level underground. “Tieran wouldn’t appreciate this.”

Not that I care.

He’ll live.

She walks right by the two offices at the bottom of the stairs and toward the rooms near the back. Mine is first, the door partially ajar.

She slips inside, her nose leading the way.

I take advantage of her self-possessed tour to grab a pair of flannels and tug them on.

She doesn’t even notice, too busy sniffing every inch of my room. When she spies my bed, I narrow my eyes. “Do not—”

She jumps right into it and starts to roll around, scenting off my sheets and blankets.

Sighing, I just shake my head.

This little thing is going to cause all sorts of trouble.

She hits Caius’s room next, noting his penchant for blue silk and rolling around happily in his formerly made bed. I don’t bother fixing it. He’ll know she was in here by her scent alone. May as well ensure he knows just what she was up to.

The final door is closed.

She paws at it and grunts.

“You don’t want to mess up Tieran’s bed, sweetling,” I tell her. “He won’t be pleased about it.”

She sits down in defiance, staring straight at the door.

“How about we go upstairs for some food instead?” I offer, suggesting a meal again.

The daring little wolf just huffs and lays down, clearly wanting inside Tieran’s room.

“You’re a bit of a brat, aren’t you?” I say it endearingly because I’m amused by her antics. “All right. If you want to piss off the Carnage Island Alpha, I’ll allow it. But don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

She perks up as I open his door.

Then she darts inside to start her sniffing tour all over again.

Tieran’s room is the darkest in terms of tones and general aura. But his bed is made with the same precision as Caius’s—which the little wolf promptly destroys.

She shoves her snout between his pillows, the black silk at odds against her white coat. A loud snort follows, her tail wagging happily.

I lean against his door frame, grinning as she uses her little claws to dig at the blankets.