Page 41 of Wolves Always Bite

“Ash!”Ishouted over the snarling.Myhappiness at seeing my best friend would not be dulled by all the big dudes posturing around me.

“Dillon,” my best friend said, smacking the fire guy lightly on the ass. “Stopthat.ThisisJeremy.You’vemet him.He’ssafe.”

Hmm…MaybeDillonwasn’t the daddy in their relationship.

“Andwho the fuck is with him?”Ash’sgrumpy-assed boyfriend demanded as he inhaled deeply.

Ipatted my werewolf’s back. “It’sokay,Adrian.ThisisDillon,Ash’sboyfriend.Thisis all just a misunderstanding.”

“Hesmells like he’s been rolling all over the wolf.Andthey reek of sex.Ithought you said he didn’t know about...”Dillon’swords trailed off as he glanced atAsh, who was gaping at me… or was he gaping atAdrian?Eitherway, my bestie looked shocked.Hispale green eyes were wide as they darted over me andAdrian.

“Wehaven’t had sex,”Ipointed out.

“Yet,”Adriangrowled, like he was staking some kind of claim over me.

Ashstill hadn’t spoken.

“Ash, are you okay over there?”Ieyed myBFF. “Wait…Didyou get a tattoo on your neck?Whatthe hell, dude?Whendid that happen?Anddoes it seriously match the one on your boyfriend?Really?Matchingtattoos?That’sa bit fast, don’t you think?Imean you just met him.”

Adriancleared his throat. “Youcould have warned me your friend is a fire mage, who is in a relationship with a hellhound.”

Iburst out laughing.

Mybest friend wasnota supernatural creature.Whereon earth wouldAdrianget that idea?Ilaughed so hardIhad tears in my eyes.MyBFFandIdidn’t have secrets from one another, especially not ginormous secrets like that.Iwiped away the tears asIshook my head. “Noway.You’recrazy, wolf boy.Ashisn’t a mage.”

Ashwinced and his face went all contorted.Iknew that look.Thatwas hisI’mguiltylook.Herubbed his chest in a way that told me he was uncomfortable.Dillon’sarm snaked aroundAsh’swaist, and he pulled him close as if to soothe him.

No.No, no, no.

“What?”Iscreeched.Notone of my better moments, but,WTF? “You’retoo short to be a superhero.”

“Whatdoes my height have to do with anything?I’ma perfectly normal height.”Ashrolled his eyes but didn’t say anything more.

Ifrowned.Whatwas going on here?

AndAshreally wasn’t a normal height…Nomatter how much he always tried to pretend otherwise.

Iwaited.Ashwaited.Notably, he didn’t denyAdrian’scrazy claim.

Shit.Adrianwas telling the truth.Mywhole life was a lie.

“We’refated mates,”Dillonsaid toAdrian, as if that was an important thing for us to know right now.Adrian’seyes widened in surprise.Hestared at the wayDillonrubbed the weird tattoo on his neck, andIfollowed his gaze.Iswore the artwork moved.Ididn’t know for sure what fated mates meant, butIdidn’t care.Ihad other things on my mind, like how my bestie’s pants should have been on fire.Liar, liar…

“Ican explain…” myBFF, theKingofEnormouslyMonumentalSecrets, said.

Icrossed my arms and stared atAsh. “Well, go on,Merlin, explain.”

“Weshould grab a seat and talk,”Ashsaid, grabbing his drink from the table and motioning toward the back of the room.

ChapterThirteen

ADRIAN

Wedecided on a table toward the back of the pub where we could have some semblance of privacy.Although, with so many supes in the room, that privacy was an illusion.Itmight keep humans from overhearing things they shouldn’t, but not anyone else.

IsteeredJeremyinto a chair.Hismouth kept opening and closing but so far, he hadn’t said anything more.Itook the seat beside him, while his so-called best friend sat on his other side.Thehellhound sat across fromJeremy.Icouldn’t believeWillowLakehad two hellhounds.EverytimeIthoughtIhad this place figured out, it shocked me all over again.

Evenin this pub, there were so many different supesIhad trouble parsing through the chaotic mix of magical energies.I’dhave some interesting information to pass along toGagelater whenIchecked in.Althoughhe’d been toWillowLake, right?He’dmetVanthere.Sohe would know all this already.Itwas weird that he hadn’t said anything to me.Unlessthey met somewhere else…Butwhy would they?