“I’ve never appreciated thievery more.” The food was astounding, certainly better than anything he’d thrown together on the road. He had simple tastes, but the spices in the meat were perfectly balanced. He grabbed another. “As long as I get it back,” he mused. “I got enough looks from the other women without walking around bare chested.”
Every little kiss brought a smile to his face, and he turned his head to catch her forehead as she placed a peck on his shoulder. “I did. I’m not usually this slow in the morning, so I must have slept rather deeply. Sorry if I smothered you.” A light chuckle.
After breakfast, they sorted out their clothes and dressed themselves. She was ready to go before him, mostly because he kept glancing up from what he was doing to look her over. He paid little attention to anyone else as they returned to the White Court to pick up the pups from Toya’s gracious care. Upon entering the foyer, he caught a whiff of booze, spotting the White Queen in an instant. He smirked. Good logic.
It appeared as though the Queen had gone ahead and sorted out lodgings for them. Basselina… Amidst the pile of names he’d learned in the past month, it took him a moment to pin that one. Bass had been the one to hire him. She paid him to protect her sisters, and now was providing them with a safe place to stay. And Toya was providing safe passage. He had been worried about the pups–Lofe would certainly struggle in the heat with his small size, and Shade with her dark coat. She would absorb heat like a sponge cast into the sea.
“Thank you, ma’am,” Olvar chimed in, not wanting to appear ungrateful.
The pups came loping into the room, Lofe immediately barreling toward Gaea. Forrest split toward Olvar, slamming against the man’s legs to demand affection. Shade trotted elegantly along behind them, tail waving gently. The shifter used a couple of leather straps from his backpack to fashion makeshift leashes for the two pups not being carried. Just enough to keep them from running through the streets of Sularia. Once they had made it to the stables, he nodded. “Ready as I’ll ever be.”
Ojuk was whining excitedly upon hearing them approach, but as soon as the door opened to reveal a pup, he went silent. Olvar watched closely. The older warg had stiffened, ears twitching. Lofe flopped up to him, legs sprawling and tongue lolling from his mouth. As soon as the runt touched Ojuk, the big warg let out an offended howl. He looked to Olvar and Gaea, betrayed that she would bring such a thing back with her and betrayed that he would let her. When Shade and Forrest were untethered and allowed to run in, the cry repeated itself, descending into grumbles and growls. The pups swarmed Ojuk in a chaotic crowd of wiggles and wagging tails.
Once the four had calmed down, they walked back to Toya’s with Olvar firmly between Ojuk and the pups. It would take him some getting used to, but that had been expected. All things considered, the old beast had done well. “You know you’re still my favorite, right, bud?” Olvar murmured, rubbing his mount’s bristley mane. A low groan was his answer. The bulky beast stayed at his side, crowds parting around them at the sight of a seven foot high canine. The shifter patted his side as they arrived back at Toya’s mansion.
