Fourteen

Reluctantly, I nodded, without meeting their eyes. I could feel how much they needed this, and just couldn't bring myself to refuse them, though I knew I couldn't bring myself to stay, either.

Not when Mama had been so adamant that I avoid all Lycans. The fear in her eyes at that moment was not something I'd seen in her before, and I knew she had her reasons for saying it, even if I'd never know what they are.

I glanced up at the two of them, seeing both of them watching me with looks of uncertainty, and nodded briefly again. "Okay," I said quietly, "just until my birthday," and turned to look at the clothes Haden had brought in, busying myself with picking out some to put on.

The answer seemed to satisfy them, and Saxon pulled me closer, gently nuzzling his face into the curve of my neck. "Thank you, pup," he said sincerely, before stroking my hair and kissing my cheek, then pulling off the rest of his clothes and heading for the bathroom himself.

The sound of running water follo