Page 46 of Monsterland Mayhem

He’s incredibly powerful, his Shadow heritage underscored in dark magic and exceptionally unique. The moment he’s done creating a veil, he turns to me to begin undoing the cloak woven into my white shirt and jeans.

A sensation of lightness overcomes me as he frees me from my mask, one that changes my appearance to everyone else in this realm except for those in this room.

He wears a similar one, just like Ailsa does now as well.

The only one not covered in his magic is Craze.

But that’s because Craze has his own form ofmasks. Hence the skull makeup smothering his features.

Rather than go wash it off, he leans against the master bedroom door frame and folds his arms. “Ailsa, do you want to take a shower?” he asks her.

She blinks those big blue eyes at him. “What?”

“It’s a contraption you use to clean yourself,” he drawls.

“I know what a shower is.”

“Then why are you confused?” he counters.

“I don’t…” She shakes her head like she’s trying to clear it. “Why would I shower?”

He shrugs. “To wash off remnants from the Blood Ocean, the Gum Tree, the Hot Chocolate Fields, and the Orange Desert? To have a few minutes to yourself? To shampoo your hair?” His eyes travel over her. “To shave, perhaps?”

Her lips part. “What?”

He frowns. “You know, I really am starting to worry about your hearing.” He pushes off the door frame to saunter toward her. “Do you want assistance in the shower? Perhaps with the razor?”

“No,” she bites at him. “And my hearing is fine. You… you just…” She scowls. “You know what? Never mind. I think I will take a shower. To washyouoff my skin.”

His lips curl. “Are you suggesting I marked you, gorgeous?”

She makes a furious sound that reminds me a bit of a growling pup and stomps off toward the kitchen. I’m about to correct her when she freezes on the threshold and starts toward the living area.

“Ugh!” She throws her hands up and spins around. “Where is the shower?”

Craze smiles. “Through the main bedroom, Ailsa.” Before she can ask him to elaborate, he gestures to the door frame he was originally leaning against. “Just hang a right. You can’t miss it.”

She looks ready to argue but bites her tongue instead and marches into the bedroom.

The door slams in her wake, making me shake my head.

“Why are you goading her?” I ask Craze. Then I hold up my hand to stop him before he can respond. “Don’t answer that.” I’m not interested in his explanation. It won’t make any sense to me anyway.

It’s a miracle we ever connected as an Alpha-circle. His approach to life is vastly different from mine.

Which, I suppose, is actually why we’re compatible. He’s constantly thinking outside of the box, while I’m the voice of reason.

And Catum is the observant one.

“There are quite a few crows down there,” he states flatly, ignoring everything Craze and I were just saying to one another. “Vultures, too.”

Crowsandvulturesare slang terms for court sycophants and royal spies.

“That’s what the Tavern is known for,” Craze points out. “Why do you think I have such a high tab?”

“Because you’re obsessed with violet tea,” Catum responds.

Craze lifts a shoulder. “That, too.”