Chapter 176

Sideburns occupied the most comfortable chair on the other side of the wooden table. He studied me, trying his best to put on a poker face, but heat radiated from him. I didn’t know if others could sense it, but I could see his desire for me, even now.

He gestured at the empty chair across from him with the table between us. “Sit, Miss Pip.”

So my status had been upgraded from the girl, Pip, to Miss.

I perched on the edge of the seat, trying not to make myself too comfortable. This wasn’t the place for that, plus I couldn’t really relax around Sideburns.

Going-gray walked around me and stood behind Sideburns, folding his beefy arms across his chest, and stared at me like a bulldog. He’d been wounded in the battle against the vampires, just like Sideburns. By now, both of them had mostly recovered. The Alpha Heir had also changed into a clean, fitted uniform that accentuated every hill and valley of his muscular body.

He was a very handsome man, sexy even. My pulse spiked, despite my best efforts to remain calm, breathe evenly, but it was impossible not to stare at him with desire.

Sideburns glanced over my shoulder. “Your presence isn’t required, Shade.”

I turned to look at Shade near the entrance of the tent, pleading. I didn’t want him to leave. He was my only ally.

“I think I’ll stay, brother,” Shade said in a mild, yet firm voice.

Sideburns’ expression darkened. “You know I can have you removed. When Father isn’t around, my word is law.”

 “Yes,” Shade said. “But I ask you to allow me to stay, please. I’m here for Pip.”

Sideburns gave him another hard look before he sighed. “Just don’t get in my way.”

Don’t get in his way? What’s he going to do? I didn’t have a good feeling about this. It seemed like getting dinner from these shifters required too much work, and I wasn’t sure I was up to the task.

I kept my expression even and waited.

Be calm and friendly, I reminded myself. Answer a few questions, get it over with, and then have dinner with Canary.

The delicious smell of roasted rabbit with spices already permeated the air, making my mouth water. The shifters could eat raw meat, and a lot of them preferred their dinner bloody and raw, but they still cooked a quarter of their game for a variety of flavors.

“Why did the vampires want you, Pip?” Sideburns asked.

“The fuck I know.” I hadn’t meant to blurt it like that, but my temper flared. We’d covered the topic already, so I wasn’t thrilled he kept asking me the same question when no one could provide him with an answer. Certainly not me.

“Watch your tone and your language, girl,” Going-gray snarled. “You’ll show respect to the Alpha Heir as his subject, or I’ll throw you out.”

“You can throw me out. I don’t mind.” I narrowed my eyes at him. “I’m not anyone’s subject, unlike you, you mean guard dog.”