Reese (Pack of Misfits #2) - Raven Kennedy Page 0,25

pack rat.”

“First of all, there is no just. You are not just a pack rat. Be proud of what you are,” Hugo tells me, his expression stern. “Every animal here is worthy. Preds, prey, injured, scarred, different, small, big, old, young—we are all worthy. Secondly, we may not know you on a personal level, but we know your story, and that story is similar to many others. So yeah, I’m offering you a place here. I don’t make that offer lightly, but I’m a good judge of character. I think you’ll fit right in here.”

My eyes are a bit watery, and my head is swimming, but I nod. “Thank you.”

Addie grins. “Welcome to the pack.”

9

Reese

I follow behind Hugo, Igor, and Lug Nut as we make our way outside. Addie is walking beside me, my arm slung over her shoulders as I go. I didn’t think I’d ever go outside again—not as a human, anyway. And even though my feet are bare, and even though each step is wobbly and my gait is anything but steady, I’m in too much awe to care. I’m outside. I’m outside, free, and I’m walking, and if Sid comes for me, I won’t have to face him alone. That knowledge keeps a constant lump in my throat as I walk, Addie’s steady presence beside me.

My rat is lounging inside of me. I thought that she’d be pouting a bit for being shoved inside since she’s been the boss for the last few years. But honestly, it’s like she’s enjoying the break.

She’s also enjoying the view.

Every few seconds, my eyes go from watching my feet to looking up to stare at Lug Nut’s ass. I can’t help it. It looks tight. And his shoulders as he walks do this sexy bunching thing, while his arms swing slightly as he moves—it’s like a weird, hypnotic sex pendulum. My rat wants to crawl all up over him and burrow under his shirt.

“You’re staring.”

Wrenching my eyes away, I find Addie smirking at me. “What?” I ask, deciding that playing dumb is my best bet.

“I heard about your rat sneaking into his room every night,” she says, blonde brows wagging.

For the love of all that is shiny, my cheeks are on fire. “You make it sound dirty!” I hiss under my breath. “She just liked stealing from him.”

“Sure. Stealing his virtue,” she snickers.

“Oh my God,” I groan, praying to the shifter gods that Lug Nut and the others don’t hear. Luckily, they’re talking amongst themselves. “Okay fine, I will admit she has a little crush on him.”

“Hmm. I don’t think it’s little. And I don’t think it’s just her.”

“Seriously? I’ve been human for an hour, and I’m already that transparent?” Worry laces my tone, because the last thing I want is for everyone else to read me this easily.

“I’m good at reading people,” she supplies. “Don’t worry, he’s a good choice. Trust your rat. Our animals hardly ever steer us wrong.”

I don’t know if that’s true or not, since my rat’s never had a crush on someone before, but she twitches her nose inside of me, all smug about it.

Oh, shut your rat trap. You just like him because of his shiny nuts.

She gives me an indignant squeak. At least, I think that’s what she’s going for.

We head down a short dirt path that leads away from the cafeteria building, and we head for another building that looks just as large. It’s made of the same metal siding as the cafeteria, but everything has a cool, urban feel to it, complete with the graffiti I can see tagged on some of the walls. Instead of making it looking trashy, it just gives the building a cool urban vibe.

It’s clear that the artist has real talent. I can see writing and depictions of all kinds of different animals. There’s even a painting of Hugo on one side, with his signature scowl. It looks incredibly life-like and colorful.

There are smooth rock pathways leading to the building, and various bushes and flowers are planted around, each planter encircled with bricks. Picnic benches and solar lights are placed around the exterior, and once we get closer, I see a basketball court, a graded track off to the side, and something that looks like a sparring circle encased in a low wooden fence.

But aside from those details, it’s also the other things they have—the things humans might not notice. Like the fact that there are troughs of water set up for all sorts of animals