Page 46 of Beasts of Mine

I hadn't decided what it meant.

I wasn't sure Evie knew either. What I did know was that, somewhere between the first bandage and that storm, she'd stopped being the human who'd found me injured.

She was Evie.

I looked forward to her footsteps.

I liked making her laugh. I liked listening to her talk about things I knew nothing about simply because she became animated when she cared about something. I even liked the ridiculous nickname more than I intended to admit.

And I wanted to court her.

Leaves shifted behind me before I could follow the thought any farther.

I didn't turn.

Tavian had been waiting beyond the creek for nearly twenty minutes, which meant he'd somehow survived approximately nineteen minutes longer than usual without moving somewhere I'd explicitly told him not to.

She's gone, I told Tavian, rolling my shoulders before starting toward the narrow route leading deeper into our territory.

I noticed, Tavian replied as he pushed through the ferns, his lean golden body emerging from the vegetation while his amber eyes remained on the trail Evie had taken. His whiskers twitched as he drew in another breath, and then his head turned slowly toward me. I also noticed she smells even more like you today.

I stopped and stared at him. Tavian's tail moved lazily behind him.

You've been waiting five days to say that, I told Tavian, watching satisfaction spread across his face now that he'd finally broken whatever promise he'd made to himself.

Six, Luca corrected from across the creek, his darker coat appearing beneath the trees before he stepped carefully onto the first wet stone. He's been waiting six days.

Tavian swung his head toward Luca.

You counted? Tavian asked Luca, his ears tipping forward while Luca crossed through the shallow water.

You complained about not being allowed to ask every morning, Luca reminded Tavian, stepping onto our side of the creek before shaking one damp paw.

Tavian considered that.

Fair, Tavian conceded to Luca, entirely unashamed.

His gaze returned to me and then his ears twitched. The satisfaction on his face changed. I knew exactly when he'd remembered what Evie had said before leaving.

Tavian's mouth opened.

I narrowed my eyes.

He lasted less than a second.

Cat? Tavian asked me, the single word coming out strangled as his entire body began vibrating with suppressed laughter. She calls you Cat?

I kept walking.

Behind me, Tavian lost whatever remained of his composure.

She does, Tavian said, bounding through the leaves to catch up while laughter continued breaking through his voice. You refused to tell us anything about the mysterious Omega for nearly a week, and the entire time she has been calling you Cat.

I refused to give her my name, I told Tavian, stepping over a thick root as Luca followed several paces behind us.

Then you earned Cat, Luca told me, his quiet contribution delivered with enough satisfaction that I turned my head toward him.

Luca met my stare calmly. Tavian made another choking sound.