Changed by Fire (Phoenix Rising #6) - Harper Wylde Page 0,23

reappeared with two roses from the fake flower arrangements set up at the edges of the room, a way to bring a little cheer and color to an otherwise white winter. He tucked the flowers behind both ladies’ ears, grinning and bowing at the waist before kissing the backs of each of their hands.

Rini’s death grip on her fork would have given away her irritation if the steam billowing out of her ears wasn’t already an indication. Her claws slid in and out as she held back her Sun Bear.

“Excuse me,” Rini growled with a huff, heat shooting from her eyes as she pushed away from the table with a death glare leveled on her Puca.

“Babe,” Barrett murmured at the same time I said her name.

“Rini,” I warned, but I doubted she heard either of us. Still, I had to try. “Remember what I said earlier.”

Rini’s lips pursed so hard it looked like she was sucking on the world’s sourest lemon before she stalked from the room with clipped steps.

The door slammed shut behind her, echoing loudly through the cavernous space, drawing Ciarán’s—and a bunch of other shifters’—attention.

I saw the briefest flicker of regret in his lingering gaze before he turned back to the rebellion leaders and excused himself.

Sighing, I sat back and watched him head after his fuming mate.

I had no idea what would happen between the two of them or how they’d solve their problems. What I did know was that I did not want to be Ciarán right now.

Five

Rini

I slammed the door to my cabin hard enough to make the windows rattle. That self-centered, overbearing, noncommittal jerk. I seethed as I stormed into my kitchen, tugging open the freezer to pull out a carton of ice cream.

“You’ll need this.” I froze for a moment before turning to glare at a grinning Ciarán who leaned casually against my counter holding up a pair of spoons.

I shoved around him, snapping open a drawer to grab my own spoon only to watch them turn to mist and disappear. I snarled, my Bear scraping against my skin as she itched to take a swipe at the Puca currently driving us to distraction, before heading back to the freezer to deposit the frozen treat I had no means of eating. “You’ve been ignoring me all day and now you’re going to talk to me?” I seethed. “Besides, you seemed to have plenty of company a few minutes ago, so why are you here? I don’t remember letting you in.”

“I thought you said to consider this our cabin,” Ciar told me, innocence radiating from him.

I slapped a palm against his chest, taking the spoons and chucking them toward the sink. “Yeah, that was when you wanted there to be an ‘our’ anything.”

His hand clasped my wrist, the innocuous expression falling away. Ciarán and I had spent time together almost constantly since he had come to Alaska, but it was still always a treat to see him remove the mask he wore around others. “You know I want this place to be ours.” His green eyes flashed, darkening from jade to nearly emerald. The light caught the copper color of his hair, causing strands of gold and bronze to stand out. I fought the urge to lick my lips, focusing on the fury radiating through me instead.

“Then mate with me. With us.” I threw the words out, a whip of challenge between us. That was the crux of our argument, of every argument lately. My bears had been waiting for me to agree to the mating for years. I’d always held something back, always felt like something was missing. When Ciarán had arrived, it was like the last piece had finally fallen into place. Things weren’t easy at times. My bears, though they logically accepted Ciarán, had found it emotionally difficult to establish a place for him in our family. But they had felt my own reaction to him and had worked with me to find a way to make this happen. And just when I thought things were perfect, when we had finally reached a stable place, Ciarán had decided he was unsure of our relationship. Instead of being excited at the idea of completing the mating ceremony, about being tied with his true mates forever, he’d become distant.

“We’ve been through this, Rini,” he protested. “With everything going on, I don’t think now’s the time.”

“With everything going on, it’s the perfect time,” I retorted, tugging my hand free of his grasp. I squared