think.” Reule cuts me off, his eyes turning more and more feral by the second. “I just know you guys are going to love her, and honestly, tell me she isn’t the most beautiful woman you’ve ever seen in your life.”
“Reule!” I put enough of a roar in my voice to make the window above the kitchen sink shake, and everybody gives me their attention. When Reule blinks at me, I hold my hands out in a disbelieving shrug. “What are you doing? You know we can’t make her our wife. I can’t believe you’re even considering it! She can’t consent!”
“We can try to explain things to her,” Audun suggests unhelpfully. I glare at him and shake my head. We can’t even talk to her. How could we possibly explain something so complicated?
Isla makes a humming sound and looks around at each of us, and then she focuses on Reule. “Beasts’ Full Moon?” She has an accent and her pronunciation is off, but it’s obvious what she’s attempting to say. She says a few more words in her language, and looks around at us questioningly.
“Yes!” Reule nods vigorously, giving her the most pleading, pathetic look I’ve ever seen. “They think you don’t understand, sweet girl.”
She points to the crown on her head and looks at each of us like we’re stupid. I exchange a glance with Audun, silently asking if he understands her, but he shakes his head and shrugs. Isla rolls her eyes and hops down from the counter.
Reule cringes and reaches for her, calling after her like he’s reprimanding her. “Isla! Your ankle!”
She peers at him curiously over her shoulder, and he points exaggeratedly at her foot. She wiggles it a bit, holds her thumb up to him with a coy little smile on her face, and walks toward the hallway where our bedrooms are.
I feel like I’m in shock as I stare after her, and my heart does this ridiculous little somersault. Caelan nudges my elbow, a smug expression on his face. “Did you see that? You’re standing here screaming and roaring like a lunatic, and she just rolled her eyes at us.”
Isla returns a moment later with a few books in her hands, and she sets them on the counter where she was sitting. My brothers and I watch her curiously as she holds up the Book of Guardians and flips to a page depicting an illustration of a group of Guardians surrounding their chosen wife while they’re in their beast forms.
First she points at the Guardians, and then around at each of us. I know Reule said she knew about our beast forms, but I’ve never met a single person who isn’t terrified when they see us shift. Isla doesn’t appear fazed in the slightest, and my heart races faster as I continue to watch her. Dear god, if this is how I feel after being around her for half an hour, no wonder Reule is unable to think clearly.
When she points at the Guardians’ wife next, then to herself and the crown on her head, I inhale sharply and widen my eyes at her. My face suddenly feels like it’s on fire, I’m blushing so hard. There’s no way she realizes what she’s insinuating, is there?
“What?” Audun coughs, and he stares at Isla in shock. “Is she…does she mean it?”
Reule bites his lip and looks at her like he’s a second away from claiming her right here in front us. He taps his finger against the illustration of the Guardians’ wife. “Is this why you’re wearing a crown, Isla?”
I look closer and realize the woman in the illustration is wearing a crown too, and my stupid heart practically leaps out of my chest. Isla nods, touching her fingertips to the crown upon her head. She looks a little embarrassed, and I hate that I can’t explain what her gesture truly means to us.
“Sure looks like she’s consenting to me.” Caelan gives me this self-assured smirk that would normally make me want to punch him in the mouth. But underneath his cockiness, I can tell he’s genuinely delighted. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen him so happy.
He’s going to hate me for not allowing him and our brothers to claim Isla and bond her to them.
“You guys aren’t thinking clearly.” I growl in frustration. “This is a girl who was taken from her home and brought to a strange world where she doesn’t know anyone or speak our language. You’ve known her for