Page 33 of Lila

“Yeah, no. Sorry.” She grimaces. “Maybe Luca will have some clothes you can borrow.”

“And how do you suggest I get those clothes?” I arch my brow.

“Well, you should definitelyaskhim… His apartment isn’t too far.”

I narrow my eyes at the implication.

“Personally, I think you’d look great in a blanket toga,” Jett helpfully butts in, Lila fighting a smile.

I glare at him, but there’s no other option at the moment… “You know what would be way easier than me wearing a toga seven floors away? I can change back into my chinchilla and you can carry me.” Nowthat’san excellent idea. I already miss laying on her breasts as she scratches behind my collar.

“Sounds like cheating to me,” Jett mumbles.

“Like you wouldn’t shift to your salamander to avoid having to go out in just a blanket?”

“Fair enough,” he chuckles.

Without another thought, I shift back into my chinchilla. There’s a moment, just a flash of a second when I worry I won’t be able to shift back again, but it quickly passes as I settle back into my chinchilla. It feels different than when I was cursed. I forgot about the calming peacefulness that used to fill me when I would shift. It feels right. Once again I’m thankful for my beautiful mate. I’ll never be able to repay her, but mind-shattering orgasms for the rest of her life sound like a good place to start.

Chapter 24

Harkin

AfterIleaveLilaat her door, I head back to Luca’s. If I’m going to lament her presence, might as well do it in good company. I rap my knuckles on his door before promptly opening it and walking in without an invitation. Grayson runs past me as I enter the living room and Luca yells at him to slow down. That kid only has two speeds, fast and sedate. There’s no in-between.

I sit down on the couch and Luca pins me with his stare. “She get home, alright?”

I roll my eyes. “Of course she did. I wouldn’t be here if she didn’t.”

He nods his head once in acceptance. “How do you really feel about having to share her?” The question startles me and I’m not sure what to say.

“Would I prefer to have her to myself? Sure. But if I had to share her with anyone, I’m glad it’s you. Maybe we’ll get lucky and my brother will be her other mate.”

“I’m sure Jett would be thrilled to get tied down by a mate,” he scoffs. “Maybe it’s best not to hope for that. I would hate to have to kick his ass if he hurt Lila with his womanizing ways.”

“You wouldn’t have to worry about that. He’d change for his mate,” I defend my twin. We may be nothing alike, but I know him like I know myself, and he would never hurt his mate.

The hours pass with no word from our mate and I start to get anxious. What’s taking so long? What if she decided four mates was too much? What if she uncursed the chinchilla and he attacked her? Yeah, I have faith in my brother not hurting his mate, but I don’t know this guy. He may not regard mates with the same reverence as we do.

When Luca puts Grayson to bed, I take to pacing, looking at the door every time I pass it and pausing to listen for a knock. When one finally comes, I almost jump out of my skin.Is it her?

I race Luca to the door and glare when he pushes me out of the way. I hold my breath as the door swings open, revealing my beautiful mate… and mybrother. Where’d he come from? I’m so focused on my brother, I don’t notice the chinchilla in Lila’s arms until she passes me.

“It didn’t work?” I ask gently.

“Oh, it did,” Jett snorts. “The fucker refused to walk here naked and for some reason didn’t want to wear Lila’s blanket as a toga.” He rolls his eyes.

“Oh. I can get some clothes for him,” Luca offers. “Set him down in the bathroom and he can change before joining us in the living room.”

“Yes, Sir,” she purrs before walking past him into the hall.That girl’s gonna be trouble.

“What are you doing here?” I ask my brother.

“I’m here for the first meeting of Lila’s mates. I guess that makes you the third mate?”

“No. I’m the second. The furball’s the third. So that makesyouthe fourth.”

“There are no ranks,” Lila scowls when she comes back into the room. “There is no first, second, third mate. You’reallmy mates. Period. Understand?”

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