snort, bend down, and rub his fur there. “That’s a good little wild wolf, yes it is, who’s a good boy? Yes, you are. Now go, eat the council for all I care.”
Standing, I start back through the forest but the hair on the back of my neck rises again, so I look over my shoulder to see the wolf trotting behind me. “No! No wolf pets, Griffin will kill me!” I groan and it stops and sits down, giving me those wide eyes. “God fucking damn it. Fine, but I swear if you piss in the house he’ll try to kill you!” Turning around, I rub my hair in frustration. The stupid mutt better be potty trained, how the fuck am I supposed to explain to my mates that we adopted a wolf? Is it not bad enough I’m coming back with a new vampire and a minotaur?
Grumbling to myself, I head back through the training grounds which are empty, pretending that I’m supposed to be here. If I do and anyone sees me, they might not question it. Fake it till you make it. The wolf lopes after me happily, his tongue lolled out to the side.
I use the entrance Veyo pulled me through and easily find the steps down to the dungeon, then I take a deep breath. I willingly go back down there to the monsters that are waiting.
The wolf follows me as I pass the many, many cells, trying to remember all the twists and turns that will lead me back to Dume, but my power starts to falter. I’ve been wearing this skin for a while, not to mention I stored it and it feels like it’s stretched too tight, like it might snap.
A groan leaves my lips as I stumble into the wall, breathing heavily as sweat beads on my brow, and when I try to step forward, needing to get to Dume before I change in the hallway, I tumble to the ground.
Back bowing, hands scratching at the cement, I stop the scream in my throat as the change takes me by surprise. When it’s done and I’m back to being Dawn, I hear a snarl and look up, spotting the wolf. Fuck. He watches me in confusion, sneaking closer, and I freeze, wondering if it’s going to try and eat me again. But then he whines, and his tongue comes out, licking my face.
“Good boy,” I coo, rubbing his neck.
“What the fuck, Vasculo, is that a fucking wolf?” Griffin yells, and I turn to see him with an apron on and two trays held in each hand as he gawks at me.
“I can explain...are you wearing an apron?” I ask, cocking my head to the side. “Cute. Will you wear one at home and nothing else?”
He drops the trays to the ground and the wolf bounds over and starts to lick up the food as Griffin rips the apron away, his expression transforming into one of anger, his eyes flashing with that familiar madness that has my thighs clenching. He storms my way and yanks me to my feet, pressing his hand to my throat. “What the fuck were you doing up there? Where did he take you?”
“Oh, just out for a creepy stroll through the woods.”
Griffin roars, pushing me away and staring down at my wolf friend who is snarling and biting at his leg, trying to pull him away from me. Griffin looks up at me with an expression as if to say ‘see?’ before pushing him away and growling at the wolf.
“He doesn’t understand, he thinks you were attacking me.” I huff and get to my knees, stroking the wolf. “Did big bad Griffin scare you? He’s all bark and no bite, sweetie.”
“I’ll fucking bite you! Look what it did to me!” he yells, and I look back to see blood seeping through his pants, the material ripped along his leg.
I scoot closer, placing myself between them as Griffin glares down at the wolf who is now snarling at the fallen. Pressing my hand against the wound, I kiss around it. “Is that better? My big bad fallen, look at your wound,” I coo, and when I glance up, he sniffs and crosses his arms. Hiding my smile, I kiss my way up his body until I dot them across his chin. “Did the wolf hurt you, my love? Need me to make it better?” I whisper huskily.
“Yes,” he snaps and then sighs, melting under my touch. “You’re