so relieved he came to thank me afterwards.
“I appreciate your patience this morning. Really. Your wolfdogs did great,” he said, just as dawn lit the tips of the evergreens surrounding us. “You were right. Tempers were running hot, and I’m sorry.”
“It was a great suggestion to get a stand-in. Whoever it was did very well.”
He shrugged. “My ass was on the line too. Anyway, I really like those mutts. They’ve had it pretty rough, haven’t they?”
“Not like some of their kind.” Wolf hybrids lived in the liminal area between wild and domestic animals. There were only a few states where they were legal to keep as pets, and California was not one of them. They were prized in the black-market world of dog fighting and exotic pet collectors who got off on owning animals who belonged in the wild.
Deacon held his hand out, and we shook. “I’m glad we worked it out.”
“Me too. I’m sorry you had such a tough morning.”
“You don’t know the half of it.” He sighed. “Now that we know Mads is so uncomfortable around dogs, we’ll need to plan ahead.”
“Just let me know how I can help.” Persephone tensed as someone new entered the clearing. It was the stand-in, wearing Mads’s sexy, silky costume and heels. How they thought an actress could walk over this turf in those, I had no idea. The stand-in stopped.
Deacon smiled brightly. “Here’s the man of the hour now. Stone Wilder, meet Sebastian Keye?”
Keye was the stand-in? The dude everyone said was so temperamental was the person who’d saved the day wearing a dress and heels?
Keye stepped forward shyly. “I wondered if I could introduce myself to Hades and Persephone.” Sebastian hesitated before taking off his wig. Sunlight fell on the tangled strands of his pale hair, making it glisten like frost. I couldn’t help but stare. “Maybe some other time, though, if it’s not convenient.”
I shook myself. “It’s all right. You can come closer.”
As he moved toward us, Persephone went from wary to curious. She sniffed at the air and even wagged her thick tail. Hades stood still beside her to check out the newcomer, but he was always reserved.
“They’re not weirded out by him like they were with Mads,” Deacon observed.
“Because he’s not afraid of them.” I turned to Sebastian. “You should be, though. They’re not trained to work with humans like the huskies are.”
“I know.” The actor nodded. “I was very cautious when they weren’t penned.”
“I saw that. Thank you.” I’d watched, not knowing he was the person under the wig and gown. He’d been calm and careful. He’d moved with grace and poise and confidence. He also really sold the dress and wig. I thought for sure they’d called in a stuntwoman. “Thank you for making it easy for them.”
“I think they’re wonderful,” he gushed before lowering his lashes as if he’d said too much. “I love animals.”
“Me too.” At this, he lifted his gaze to mine, and I was struck anew by the boy’s unusual coloring. His hair was nearly white, but his eyebrows and lashes were darker. His eyes were as gray as chimney smoke. I wasn’t used to working around industry people, especially actors. Their perfection seemed to exist only to exacerbate the ugliness around them.
My ugliness.
I had worn my scars long enough that I was used to them, yet I started from scratch with each new person I met. It was sheer hell waiting for others to react.
Except Sebastian didn’t react, unless his sweet smile could be called a reaction. “May I please meet Hades and Persephone? Or would that be too much for them on top of the shoot today?”
I stepped aside. “Move a bit closer to the pen and squat down on their level, but don’t stick your hands out, and don’t stare them down.”
His lips twitched. “I should cluck like a chicken, though. Right?”
I didn’t bother to answer him.
“God, they’re so beautiful.” He picked up the hem of his gown and carefully knelt four feet away from the fence where Seph stood, staring at him. “Pretty Persephone. Is Hades your boyfriend?”
“They’re desexed so they can’t reproduce,” I told him. “They’re a bonded pair.”
“Yeah?” Deacon reacted to someone on his headset. “Shit, okay, okay. I’m coming. Stone, sorry. I’ve gotta go. Thanks again for your patience. See you later, Bast.”
“See you.” Keye was so focused on the animals he didn’t turn to say goodbye.
I waved. “Bye. Thanks, Deacon.”
“Desexed?” Bast asked. “I’ve never heard that term.”
“Ah. Yeah. Male dogs are castrated. Females