Page 40 of Half Wolf Mate

Instantly, relief flooded me, and I already felt safer.

Chapter 18 Sydney

“How are you feeling after the little tiff at your apartment?”

I put my mug of hot chocolate down to gape at Damian. “Little tiff? Seriously?”

He shrugged.

I scoffed. “It was a massacre. There was blood everywhere.”

He nodded. “I was a part of the cleanup crew. I was a little surprised because Cole usually kills with less pomp and circumstance, but I suspect he lost his temper, which is understandable.”

“Oh really?”

“Yeah. Hunters came after his mate. That messes with a wolf’s head, makes them go a little crazy.”

“I’m not his mate,” I said.

He lifted on eyebrows. “Uh huh. Plus, hunters killed his parents. The way he tore those guys apart in your living room screamed vengeance. He still hasn’t found the hunter responsible, though. I guess he takes pleasure in taking out any hunter.”

Shaking my head, I studied Damian. He casually talked about the blood and gore as if we were discussing the weather. He had his feet up on the center table in Cole’s living room while he scrolled through his cell phone.

“You’re all crazy,” I muttered.

“Welcome to the shifter world. Speaking of crazy.” He looked up. “I heard you ran back into the battle to save the Alpha with a lamp.” His lips twitched, and he lost the fight to hold back his amusement. He snickered and then burst into laughter.

Stunned, I watched the man who had struck a little fear in my heart with his lethal stare laugh. Admittedly, the whole scenario was comical. I grinned. “Yeah, bringing a lamp to a werewolf fight was insane.”

He laughed harder. “You’re brave, Sydney. I’ll give you that.” When he sobered, he said, “I knew there was a reason I liked you.”

“You do?”

He shrugged. “You earned my respect with your courage the first time we met.” His eyes narrowed to slits. “A word of advice, little half-breed, that kind of bravado will get you killed.”

I snorted. “Gee, thanks.” Picking up my mug, I took a few more sips of my warm beverage. I was curled up on the sofa across from Damian, who hadn’t let me out of his sight for three days. Cole had him, Alex and Dominic rotating on babysitting duty since he had to go to his office plus the pack’s compound, every day. I felt bad adding to his list of responsibilities, but I felt much more secure in his posh top-floor apartment than in mine.

“If you like me, why have you treated me so horribly?” I asked.

Putting his phone down, he pinned me with that lethal stare I knew well. “Because even though I liked your spirit, it didn’t mean I wouldn’t end you if you turned out to be a threat to my family.”

My eyes widened.

“But, since you’re not, we’re all good.” He smiled. “Right, Syd?”

I eyed him cautiously. Damian was so mercurial. However, getting to see another side of him the last few days, he was alright. His loyalty to Cole and the pack was incredible. “Right.”

Just then, the door opened, and Cole stepped in. His gaze immediately zeroed in on me. My relaxed state went right out the window. I just wasn’t sure how to behave around him. He rejected me, broke my heart, and now I was pretty much living in his personal space. Sometimes, I wondered if he hated having me here, considering that he didn’t like my half-breed status. However, he was a decent man, as I’d learned, and he wouldn’t leave me to fend for myself after learning that I wasn’t his enemy. We were in an uncomfortable situation.

“Looks like I’m off babysitting duty for the rest of the night,” Damian said, getting up.

Rolling my eyes, I told him, “Thanks.”

He smirked and sauntered to the door. “See you, Cole.”

“Sure.”

With the two of us left alone, that wretched, awkward energy crept in. I hated it.