Page 254 of Psycho Gods

“So your species skips the teenage years?” Sadie gaped at her. “I think you’re taller than me now. Stand up, let’s measure.”

Sadie stood up.

Jinx’s knuckles turned white around her knife. “Sit down. I know I’m taller than your malnourished corpus,” she said scathingly.

Sadie dropped back into her seat with a huff and opened her mouth—

“Corpus means body,” I said before she could ask.

Sadie shoved another roll into her mouth and said to Jinx, “Well, that’s rude.” She added a second roll before she’d swallowed. “I can’t believe you’re already taller than me—wait, did you grow boobs? You’re always wearing that oversize sweatshirt. Take it off so we can see.”

Jinx pointed her steak knife at Sadie. “Shut up.”

Sadie’s face turned red as she tried to hold back her questions.

“I got your favorite foods,” Orion whispered as he took the free seat next to me. I leaned close, discreetly inhaling his raspberry-and-chocolate scent.

“Thanks,” I said as my stomach growled and I started eating.

Cobra joined the table and set his tray down with a loud clatter. “Did all your men abandon you, Aran?”

Sadie choked, and both of us slapped her back at the same time.

“Don’t talk to her like that,” Orion said loudly, and everyone in the room froze.

All noises stopped.

“You don’t need to defend me,” I said, momentarily rendered speechless by the handsome prettiness of his features.

Orion frowned and said at full volume, “He knows nothing about our mates. No one should be allowed to speak to you like that.” Wide, unblinking eyes stared straight into my soul. “Do you want me to hurt him?”

“I thought that was Scorpius’s thing?”

Orion leaned close so our faces were inches apart. “No. Scorpius enjoys pain. That’s all. I’m also your Protector, sweetheart.”

His hand gently cradled the back of my head. His lips pressed softly against my forehead like I was something precious that needed to be handled with care.

I forgot how to breathe.

I ignored the pain in my back.

Orion pulled quickly away from me. “How could I forget about your back?” he gasped. “I’m so sorry. Please forg—”

I slammed my lips against his.

He groaned into my mouth and kissed me back passionately.

“When did you guys start making out?” Sadie asked, and we pulled apart.

“Pervertsssss,” Cobra hissed as he dug into what appeared to be a rare piece of steak. He shared a piece with Sadie.

Shifters are weird.

The rest of the meal passed in relative peace. It was relative because the entire time Jinx argued with Sadie, and Cobra argued with me. Orion watched us all with mild confusion.

Afterward, we stomped through the blizzard to the strategy room.

I studied the books.