Author: Eden Beck
Category: Paranormal
Go to read content：https://readnovelfree.com/p/29741_3
Kaleb shifts uncertainly on his feet. “Shouldn’t we go, I don’t know, introduce ourselves?” He glances between me and Marlowe. “They’re our tenants, after all.”
It’s my turn to bark out a laugh. Give it another week, and it’ll be an actual bark.
“Romulus’ tenants,” I remind him. “Don’t ask me why he decided to rent the cabin out at all.” I pause for a second, my tongue sliding across my bottom lip.
I can almost taste them already, these newcomers.
Kaleb narrows his eyes at me and takes a step back, his arms crossing in front of his chest. “What’s wrong with you?”
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Marlowe beats me to a reply.
“Rory here doesn’t like strangers on his land.” He shoves himself up off the doorframe and moves to stand beside Kaleb. Compared to our restless youngest brother, he looks calm and composed. Nothing hints at the wildfire hidden underneath that calm exterior. “Is it just me, brother, or have you gotten territorial?”
I stifle a growl in my throat. “Could you really blame me if I have?”
Marlowe puckers his lips, but then shakes his head. “I guess not.”
His serious face doesn’t last long, however. It never does. As quickly as it comes, it’s replaced by a wicked glint in his eye.
He claps one hand on Kaleb’s shaking shoulder. “Come now, little brother. Unless you want to piss Rory off, we’ll just have to leave them alone for now.”
The newest addition to our pack rocks back on his feet. He eyes me down the bridge of his nose, his nostril flaring as he takes in a deep breath. I wonder if he imagines he smells the strangers too, their scent already carried on the wind, or if he’s just trying to read me.
After a moment, his grin falters a bit.
“Fine,” he says, resigned. His hands still twitch at his sides, unsure of what he’s supposed to do with them now.
Marlowe sees this too, and quickly starts steering Kaleb back towards the hallway.
“Don’t worry,” he says, his hand squeezing Kaleb’s shoulder so tight that the pup starts to wriggle beneath his grasp, “I’m sure we’ll find good enough reason to run into them soon enough. Rory won’t be able to blame us then. Will you?” This last bit Marlowe addresses directly at me, not even hiding the challenge in his voice as he pauses once more to glance over.
This time, I don’t hold back the hint of a growl in my voice.
“I guess not.”
While Marlowe marches Kaleb off somewhere to keep him occupied, I find myself growing increasingly anxious. My muscles have tensed. I feel as if my body is coiling in on itself, preparing to spring into action at any moment. My hands, usually steady, grow as restless as the rest of me until the incessant tapping of my pen on the paperwork in front of me has threatened to drive me mad.
I never should have agreed to go back to school.
I know we’re doing it for Kaleb, to give him some sense of normalcy as
he transitions, but it just feels so pointless.
As if to drive this fact home, I accidentally tap the pen a little too hard the next time—and ink explodes across the top of my desk, my homework, and me.
“Damn it!”
I throw down the pen and stride to the other doorway behind me, straight out onto the balcony overlooking the back stretch of garden. I cover the distance in barely three steps, chest heaving. This whole thing is pointless. Strangers on our land. School. This place.
This house.
My hands grip onto the thick balcony railing as I force my eyes to focus out on the rolling forests and mountains rising in the far distance.
“Not like you to have such a short temper.”
I turn quickly, a pang of annoyance growing in my chest at being snuck up on. I should have heard him coming. Smelled him. Sensed him. Something.
“Romulus.”