winked like a cocky bastardo and I snorted a laugh as I rolled over to get up.
"Come find me in a week and we'll see," I said, winking right back and he groaned.
"That's a promise, sex pot."
Hastings moved to take my arm as I got to my feet and he offered me a small smile as he led me towards the door.
Rind and Nichols fell in behind us as we walked down the corridor to the exit and I waited patiently as Hastings flashed his security badge at the scanner before pressing his palm to the device so that it could confirm his magical signature.
I resisted the urge to moan in pleasure as we stepped out of the isolation unit and Hastings led me straight to the elevator.
"Oh shit, it's embarrassing how much I've missed my old cell in D block," I cooed as he hit a button and we began to ascend.
He was still holding my arm and I looked up at him with a flutter of my lashes despite the fact that I knew I looked like shit right about now. By the stars, my hair alone was enough to turn anyone off, but I was flirtatious by nature and I'd rather cover up my utter relief at escaping that hell and my desire to sob over it with an attempt at acting naturally than embarrass myself with the truth.
"Even better than that," Hastings said, grinning at me in that cute choir boy way that made the good girls swoon as he leaned closer like we were sharing a secret. "We just dropped the masses off at the Order Yard. I assumed you'd wanna free your inner Wolf after all this time."
I blinked stupidly, then threw my arms around him with an excited squeal. "Thank you, ragazzo del coro," I gushed, squeezing him even though I knew this wasn't exactly his doing and more a matter of perfect fucking timing, but I didn’t give a shit. I hadn't had a hug in a damn long time and I was so excited I could burst. Wolves needed hugs dammit and okay, he wasn’t returning my embrace or anything, but this was more than I’d had in months so maybe I was going a little bit limpet on his ass.
"Step back, inmate," Hastings warned, pushing me back gently but firmly and I released him with an apology, biting my lip like I was embarrassed as I batted my eyelashes again. Thank the stars that they were so long naturally because I definitely didn't have the luxury of mascara in here.
The elevator came to a stop on the first floor and Hastings guided me out of it and along the corridor to the elevators which led up to the Order Yard while I tried not to bounce with excitement and failed miserably.
Hastings pushed the call button and then I pushed it again. And again, jamming my fingers down on it over and over as I tried to force it to hurry the fuck up and Hastings tried to hide a smirk as he watched me.
When the doors finally opened, I hurried inside, grinning widely as Hastings caught my eye in the mirror and couldn’t help but smile back. I nuzzled against him before I could stop myself. But he was like a cute little Wolf pup with those big eyes on and I guess being a Cerberus at least meant we had the canine thing in common, so I was pretty sure he got my need for the contact after so long alone.
Rind and Nichols were glaring at me and I dutifully put some space between me and my little choir boy as the elevator began to ascend and the sweet, sweet scent of the antidote washed over me, releasing my inner Wolf from the prison inside me.
We finally reached the top floor and the doors slid open, offering me a view of the lockers in the room which opened out onto the yard where I could be freer than I'd been in fucking months.
"Be careful out there. We'll leave your jumpsuit and standard uniform waiting here for when you return," Hastings called, but I was already gone, running and stripping out of the ugly ass isolation unit uniform and tossing stuff everywhere without a care for if I ever saw it again.
I sprinted out into the trees and cupped my hands around my mouth as I spotted the moon lighting up the dark sky above me like it had been