Hunt Me! I Crave the Chase (Spooky Boys #3)

I didn’t ask Mutt why he’d been gone as long as he had.

And he didn’t tell me.

I hated clothing. I always had. It was a silly, pointless human invention. Clothes made it hard to transform effortlessly, and I didn’t understand why people were so offended by nudity when possessing a body was the one thing all creatures had in common.

That was all true still, but…as I walked Jeffrey up the steps to his apartment and the wounds on my chest tugged raw, covered and out of sight, I had a newfound appreciation for the fabric I usually abhorred.

Jeffrey was sleepy, soft, and quiet as he fished his phone out of his pocket and shot off a few texts, leaning against his still-locked front door.

Unable to help myself, I nuzzled against his throat, inhaling him greedily, and scenting up behind his ear, my lips brushing the downy fuzz hair there.

More tapping, more texts.

I growled at him, and he just laughed.

“Tickles!” Jeffrey snorted out, then added. “It’s just my brothers,” he said softly. “Wanted to make sure they knew I got home safe.” He gave me a pointed look that I didn’t understand. “Unlike some people,” he joked.

I frowned, curiously.

“You didn’t text me,” he complained softly, though I could tell he was only teasing.

“I…” My cheeks were hot. I’d had my phone after I’d left the basement because I’d been inputting a number into it. And I’d seen his texts, I just– “I can’t read.”

Jeffrey blinked, surprised. “You can’t?—”

“Read.” My cheeks were hot. “At least…not well.”

“Oh.” Jeffrey smiled at me, his eyes softening. “Um,” he licked his lips. “Pictures are good too?”

“Pictures?”

“Yeah,” his smile softened even more. “You can send me pictures. And I’ll send you some back. I just…I just wanna talk to you when you’re not here, you know? I’ll show you how later.”

My heart swelled with so much love for him in that moment that I could hardly breathe.

“You are a genius,” I declared, because it was true.

“I dunno about that.” Jeffrey scratched the back of his fuzzy head shyly, and quickly flipped around to face the door so he could get it open. I could see his blush though. See how his cheeks pinkened in the dark. His scent was pleased-embarrassed-happy.

My tail thumped happily.

I supposed it made sense that he’d want to text his family, so I didn’t argue, even though I was tired and more irritable than usual, and my head hurt. I huffed against him, nuzzling around his throat to the other side of his neck. The bite I’d left along the back was raised and red, though I hadn’t broken the skin. Seeing it there made something possessive and greedy flare up inside me.

I wanted to cover him with my marks.

Wanted him to reek of me.

But…even my possessiveness felt dulled in light of the post-moon exhaustion I was still suffering with. If I was being honest, my everything hurt. Except my heart. It was light, lighter than it had been in days. Because Jeffrey was here, and whole, and he wanted me inside his den again.

“You hungry?” Jeffrey hummed the second he pushed the front door open.

“I am always hungry,” I replied immediately, because it was true.

“I don’t have squirrel,” Jeffrey joked. “But I do have pizza if you want some. And snacks.”

I nodded, too tired to do much more than wag my tail and follow after him dutifully. He ducked into the kitchen and I wandered in after him, following his directions when he pulled my chair out for me and gestured for me to take a seat at the small rickety dining room table settled in the corner of the room. It wheezed beneath my weight, but held firm.

Jeffrey had all the markers of a wolf without being one. He was hardy, strong. He was protective. He provided. He was a caregiver. He believed in family, in pack. Loyal to a fault.