Page 174 of Where Shadows Rest

“Hey! How comehegets all the kisses? It’smyhoodie!”

Ko shot me a smug look over Seri’s curls, the bastard.

Brumsy chose that moment to trot over from whatever he’d been doing, probably hunting for those little black jelly beans he seemed to think rabbits left just for him. His nose twitching with curiosity, he observed my open-mouthed indignation and sniffed my face, clearly wondering what was happening.

Alpha Fun sad? Want kiss?

“Not fromyou,” I muttered.

Too late. He was already pushing his muzzle closer, investigating my mouth with obvious interest. Probably smelling my beef jerky post-dinner snack, the little glutton. I grabbed him around the middle and wrestled him to the ground.

“You want smooches, Brum-Brum? Well, come and get ’em!”

He wriggled in delight, his tongue darting out to lick whatever part of me he could reach, which, unfortunately, turned out to be my hair. His slobbery attention styled it into a vertical tower that would have made an 80s punk rocker proud. I caught Cas smiling. A real smile, too, not the usual flicker at the corner of his lips. Worth it.

“He’s saying you need a haircut,” Cas snickered.

“Me? What aboutyou?” I pointedly stared at his waist-long blond locks. The man was one leather jacket away from looking like a Viking metal guitarist.

“Don’t even think about it, Zoodle!” Seri abandoned Ko to launch herself at me, tackling me to the ground beside Brummy.

Well, I let herthinkshe was tackling me. In reality, I collapsed backward with theatrical flair, careful to cradle her against me so she wouldn’t get hurt in the process. Her borrowed hoodie rode up as she straddled my stomach, exposingallof those pale thighs again and making my throat go dry.

“His hair is off-limits!” She flopped down on me.

“Butmineis fair game?” I challenged, reaching up to twirl one of her spiral curls around my finger.

“Obviously.”

“Double standard,” Ko called from where he still lay sprawled on the grass, looking up at the stars with his head pillowed on his hands.

“Triplestandard.” Cas stretched out beside us, completely relaxed and, for the first time in a week, I felt like I could breathe again.

Lying there on the hillside, surrounded by the people I loved most in the world, I marveled at what my life had become.

Brum-Brum bursting into murder zoomies at unexpected moments. Ko making everything a competition, from who could last longest to who could make Seri blush hardest. Cas constantly suppressing the urge to commit homicide every time Ko or I acted like unhinged children with his dire, “I have killed for less. Do not test me.” Seri being a literal queen and somehow loving every single second of it. She was always like, “You guys are the worst, and I love you,” or, “You’re all stupid. Now let’s go cuddle.”

And then there was me. Just being pure goblin energy twenty-four seven, pushing buttons and boundaries because that’s what middle brothers do best. My bizarre, beautiful, makeshift‘ohana, glowing under the midnight moon.

What wasn’t to love, right?