Page 53 of Lycans & Lattes

The front door chimed, and the air shifted as something dark and possessive swept in. Eloise spotted who it was before the rest of us and rolled her eyes. “Why does she always do this?” she muttered under her breath.

I gave her a confused look, but she didn’t elaborate.

“Naphula!” Jordyn exclaimed, practically running to the door. “Is it Iris? Is everything okay? Is she⁠—”

“She’s fine,” Naphula said, looking more than a little perturbed. “She’s with Ramona, and if I know my friend, I know she’s providing the perfect distraction.” Her midnight eyes landed on Eloise. “Can I talk to you?”

Eloise bristled. “I am not setting aside a box of donuts for you. I told you, you can wait in line⁠—”

“It’s not about the fucking donuts, wolf girl,” Naphula shot back, thrusting her hands into her silky trouser pockets.

Eloise flopped her hair to the side with a frown. “I’m kind of in the middle of something right now.”

“It won’t take long,” Naphula volleyed, turning toward the door. “Five minutes.”

When Eloise rose to stand, I lifted my brows at her. “You don’t have to listen to her, especially when she’s in a bossy bitch mood.”

“When is she not in a bossy bitch mood?” Eloise argued. “Don’t worry. I’ve got it.” Eloise gave me a wink. “I’ll make her say please and thank you by the end.”

I exchanged silent looks with Jordyn and Harlow.

Eloise had barely shut the door before Harlow sputtered, “Are those two fucking?”

“My money’s on yes,” Jordyn said. “And if not, they should be.”

I snorted. “What was all that stuff about Iris?” The two started to do that silent-conversation thing again, and I snapped my fingers. “Nuh-uh. Tell me.”

Harlow grimaced apologetically.

“With everything going on with Wyatt, we didn’t want to worry you.”

“Well, lucky for you, I bought the platinum worrying plan, so I can focus on more than one thing at a time!” I said with mock cheeriness.

“Ramona has been dealing with a soul snatcher taking all her deals,” Jordyn said. “And we’re worried about Iris being targeted.”

“Wyatt.” My mind reeled. “His sigil was taken.”

Harlow’s eyes lit up as if just connecting the dots.

“Did it ever occur to you two that these problems might be connected?” I pointed an accusatory finger at my little sister. “You need to tell me these things!”

“You didn’t tell me that Wyatt is your mate,” she countered.

“Your witch girlfriend already told you!” I blustered. “You should’ve been the one telling me this! Where’s your sisterly loyalty?”

Harlow’s voice rose to a shout. “I was⁠—”

The door opened, and Eloise looked between us as we froze mid-spat. “Oh, don’t stop on my account,” she said. “This sounds just like family dinner to me.”

“You’re going to tell me everything,” I said to Harlow as I turned toward the kitchen. “I’m going to put the kettle on. We’re going to need more tea.”

25

Wyatt

My frustration mounted as one day turned to two, then turned to three. All of the leads I’d been chasing had been nothing but dead ends—a baker’s dozen of failed attempts to root out the threat. When I found whoever it was, I was going to murder them slowly for keeping me from my mate for so long.

I wasn’t the only one suffering either. I could tell Eloise was going stir-crazy at the café based on her ever-shortening message replies. When I wasn’t prowling the streets at night and visiting every pack member, I was artfully avoiding the matchmaking mother wolves trying to push their daughters on me.