Page 22 of Deck the Skulls

“I like this one,” Harper declared as she stretched her arm over Tag’s shoulders. The petite man snuggled against her side.

“Me too,” Briar said. “Hey, do you read? I’m in this book club and—”

“No!” both Memphis and Zan said together, making Briar and Rissa scowl.

“I like to read,” Rissa said defensively, crossing her arms and glaring at Zan. “I’m not illiterate or ignorant!”

Zan looked appalled. “I never thought that!”

“Then why can’t I go?” Rissa challenged.

“It’s perfectly safe,” Briar said. “You’re part of Anatoly’s flock, right? You could bring him. All the guys get together and bitch about how hard it is to manage us. It’ll be fine.”

“Flock?” Rissa said, looking over at Briar. “What’s a flock?”

Briar blanched and looked around at everyone else at the table. They all gave her wide eyes back, making Rissa suspicious.

“Is it a gang?” she asked.

Maddy gave Briar a little frustrated head shake before smiling at Rissa. “It’s not a gang. It’s kind of what we call throuples or bigger groups. Briar’s in a relationship with Memphis and another guy named Tobais. I think we might have all assumed you were already with Zan and Anatoly.”

Calling throuples or poly groups a flock was kind of nice. It sounded elegant, not that the other names were bad, only different.

Now their weird behavior made sense. They didn’t know how she’d react, and some people could be downright vicious when faced with relationships they didn’t approve of.

“Love is love,” she said. “Doesn’t matter as long as everyone’s a consenting adult.” Then she eyed the youthful appearing Tag. “Right?”

Tag snorted. “I promise I’m well into adulthood even though I look sixteen.”

Will was suddenly standing next to Mikey. “Harper, I’m assuming you’re getting your usual, but what can I get everyone else?”

When Will got to her, Rissa hadn’t had time to look at the menu but figured they’d have basic pancakes. Will barely left after taking orders when someone else showed up with a tray full of coffee, orange juice, and one mug of tea she handed to Tag.

After everyone had their drink, the conversation started up again. She quickly realized this group were good friends and open to adding her to their ranks. It was unsettling to beaccepted so quickly when she'd been forced to fight most of her life to be let in anywhere.

She was determined to get Maddy’s and Briar’s number by the end of the meal. She really wanted to hang out with these people again.

Wait, was she making friends?

The devil was probably off buying a coat because hell must've frozen over.

***

Zan

It was good to see Rissa getting along with members of the Lobos Gris pack. Even though technically Briar and Memphis weren’t official members, Mikey considered them pack anyway. Zan wasn’t surprised. Many of the Lobo Gris pack weren’t wolf shifters. Tag was a member, and he was a druid. Maddy was a member, and she was fully human.

It was the most diverse pack Zan had ever heard of. That might have gotten them attacked by more strict packs, but having the friendship of Tobias and Imani, two powerful vampires, was enough to keep them safe from reprisal. Before that, Mikey was constantly on guard. For the first time in years, Zan could see the Lobos Gris alpha was learning to relax and enjoy life.

Part of that probably had to do with the woman sitting in his lap. He didn’t know how fully human BFFs Briar and Maddy found out about the magical world, but the two of them were equally loyal to the Lobo Gris pack as the pack was to them. Maddy and Mikey seemed to have a connection right away, but they’d only recently made it official.

From the gossip he’d heard, there’d been drama before Mikey and Maddy had officially mated. According to Luis, another Lobo Gris pack member, Mikey spent years fighting his feelingsfor Maddy. He’d been afraid another pack might use her against him. His wolf had always wanted her, but Mikey had beaten his inner beast back to the point that he even started having trouble shifting for a while. Mikey struggled even after Tobias and Imani became part of their friend group.

It took Maddy confronting Mikey and threatening to move out of San Diego to get the man to see sense. They’d been a happily mated couple ever since.

Thinking about Mikey and Maddy made Zan wince. Maddy had known all about shifters, druids, brujas, and everything else long before she met Mikey. Rissa didn’t know anything. There was a real risk she might see all of them as monsters. It made him scared to tell her the truth.

But without the truth, there was no bonding as a flock. Without the truth, they were stuck in limbo. His mind kept turning the problem over and over.