I suppress a laugh.
What? Does he think I’m as stupid as he is? Why would I vanish if I was going to face him anyway? He probably thinks I’m frightened, a mewling coward, because that’s the only things dogs understand. They don’t understand subtlety...the art that comes of being a ninja dedicated to the element of surprise. I’m a Cat, not a fool.
Wait for the right time to pounce, then go for the kill.
“What are you doing, Sebastian?” Clarissa asks, worry in her voice. “Can’t you see you’ve scared him off?”
I frown at that last bit but pay it no heed, taking delight instead in Clarissa’s concern for me.
“You.” Sebastian turns to Clarissa, his tone heavy with command and condemnation. “What were you thinking, running off like that? Did you have no idea how you made us worry?”
“Made you worry?” Clarissa scoffs. “I’m not a kid, Sebastian. I’m not anyone’s responsibility. And in case you’ve forgotten, I’m not exactly helpless so it was unnecessary for you to worry. Don’t blame me for something you shouldn’t have done.”
“Well, you’re acting like a kid right now,” Sebastian sneers. “No, not a kid. A rebellious teenager. What did this guy promise you, huh?”
“How dare you!” Clarissa shouts at him. “You’re the one who made it impossible to stay, remember?”
“You what?” The bigger man, a Bear, turns to Sebastian.
I snort. One of the worst things you can do is to rouse a Bear’s protective instinct.
“Easy,” the fair-haired human – Kyle? – says as he steps forward.
What? Does he think he can stand between those other two? He doesn’t stand a chance.
>
“Sebastian, calm down, okay?” Kyle goes on. “We came here to find Clarissa, not to give her a lecture.”
Sebastian growls. “You don’t give me orders.”
I feel like slapping my forehead. If there’s one thing Wolves hate, it’s being ordered around. They don’t like to be ‘domesticated’ in the least bit. So many of their kind have already fallen to that. They’ll only follow one of their own, an alpha. And this Wolf clearly is one which means he takes orders from no one.
That Kyle might as well sign his death warrant.
Really, these men are all so stupid.
“Sebastian, back off!”
This time, the order comes from Clarissa and curiously, he seems to comply.
“I’m sorry for making you worry, okay?” she says.
“It’s fine,” the Bear tells her. “We weren’t helping you, so you left. It’s our fault.”
“No, Theo,” Clarissa answers. “You did nothing wrong.” Her gaze falls on each of them. “All of you did nothing wrong.”
How kind. Too kind. My lip curls.
“I just needed space,” she adds.
“I know,” Kyle says. “And you were entitled to it.” He glances at Sebastian before turning back to Clarissa with a grin. “Looks like you’re enjoying it, too.”
“Care to join me?” Clarissa asks, laughing a little awkwardly but splashing him all the same.
Kyle’s grin widens.
“Don’t mind if I do,” Theo says, jumping in and creating a big splash, the drops of water landing on the leaves all around.