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I’d just settled into bed around three a.m. when I heard a noise on the balcony. I didn’t bother to get dressed, confident I could handle whatever was waiting for me. I was wrong. As soon as I pushed open the French door, I stumbled back into the room.

“Hey, sorry to barge in on you like this.” Casey smiled this nervous-cute smile that, combined with her nearly exposed chest, had me struggling for words. I’d been looking forward to my next dream, but this was better. She must have flown through some rain because her tank top was soaked through. More water dripped from her hair down to her chest.

I swallowed hard, trying to keep myself together. “It’s not a problem, come on in.” I closed and locked the door behind her.

Without her wings, it was easy to forget anything had changed about her—but I could tell. She had this new glow. I could also tell she had no idea how much of her body she was revealing to me. Trying to be a gentleman, I offered her a t-shirt.

“Oh.” She looked down, finally noticing that her tiny cami wasn’t doing its job. “Ugh, it’s so much easier for guys!” She yanked the t-shirt from my hands and pulled it on. I missed the view, but hoped she’d give it to me on her own terms soon enough.

“Flying? Yeah. We don’t have to worry about that kind of stuff.”

She exhaled loudly and took a seat on the edge of my bed. I’m sure the flight exhausted her. Three hours of flying was hard even after years of experience.

I gestured to my pillows. “You can lie down if you want.” With me right next to you, or on top of you. I had to get myself in control. Evidently, the sex dreams were destroying my restraint. Wearing just a pair of boxers, I wasn’t going to be able to hide those thoughts for long.

She smiled. “I may take you up on that…I. Well, you’re probably wondering why I’m here.”

I wanted to reach out and touch the damp tendrils of her hair. She looked even sexier than usual. “Does it have anything to do with your phone call?”

She groaned. “Ugh. Sorry. I had too much to drink.”

“It couldn’t have been that much if you managed to fly up here.” I liked watching her sit there in my t-shirt. It was huge on her, but that just made it better.

“Yeah… is there a Pteron thing with processing alcohol?”

“It’s hard to stay drunk for long. By your phone call, I assumed that didn’t apply to you.”

“Could there be Pteron things that don’t apply to me?” She watched me suspiciously.

I shrugged. “Maybe.” I’d been only half serious. I was really taking the opportunity to tease her for being drunk.

“Enough about Pterons… or are you implying you know for sure what my mom is?”

“I know more.” I kept eye contact. After the incident at the coffee shop, I didn’t want her to think I was keeping secrets from her. I took a seat next to her.

“Can you tell me?” She scooted closer. The heat from her body had my heart beating faster.

“Yes, but do you maybe want to sleep first? It’s going to take a while. Is that why you came here?”

She ran her teeth over her bottom lip. “Sort of.”

“There’s more?”

“I’m sorry.” She sighed. “I’m sorry that I treated you that way. I’ve just been hurt before, and I didn’t want it to happen again. But in the end, I got hurt anyway so it was all so dumb.”

“Yeah, well, I’m the idiot who let you believe I wasn’t 100% into you. For letting you question how much I wanted us to be together.” I knew there was one piece of information that might make her feel better, but it might also make her mad.

I went for it, she needed to know. “I think it was magic. I think Nelly messed with your mind.”

“What?” She watched me in shock.

“You asked if things would affect you differently, and they might. It’s possible that if your mom is a bear, you may be completely susceptible to a witch’s magic. Pterons can only be influenced physically by magic. Mentally, magic can’t affect us. Other shifters don’t have the same protection. I think she was able to influence your feelings.”

“Really?” An expression of relief mixed with confusion crossed her face. “That’s why I believed her so easily?”

I nodded. “I think so, but only you’d know for sure. When you think back on things, is it clear or hazy?”

“It’s a little bit hazy… but either way, I still did it. They were my actions.”

“Not really, but I’m not going to argue. I just wanted you to know. And if I’m being honest, I should also tell you it wouldn’t have been the first time a witch messed with you.”

“What?” She rested a hand on the arm of the couch as if to steady herself. “When has it happened before?”

“At the Sprite House. A witch put an aphrodisiac spell on you.” I hadn’t thought about that when I first found out Casey was a Pteron. Technically, an aphrodisiac spell was more physical than mental, but a Pteron shouldn’t have been so susceptible.

Her head jerked. “And you’re just now telling me?”

“You can calm down. It’s not like I took advantage of you.” I hoped she’d naturally assume that.

“Of course not.” She looked appalled at the thought. Good. She needed to trust me. “None of this matters now anyway.”

“Why not?” I gently took her face in my hands. I was going to make sure she knew how I felt. “Why doesn’t it matter?”

“Because of what I am.”

“I already told you I don’t care. It’s just a stupid, unofficial rule that means nothing to me.”

“But your position?”

“What about it?”

She pressed her hands down into my bed. “You could lose it.”

“Lose it? For dating a Pteron?” I moved closer to her. “I can’t lose it, and even if I did, who cares? I’m happy when I’m with you. If you feel the same way when you’re with me, then why does anything else matter?”

She turned her head slightly, trying to hide her tears from me.

I gently touched her shoulder. “Hey… are you okay?”

She nodded. “Sorry. I’m just tired.”

“It’s him. He hurt you.”

She rested her head on my chest. I held her as her silent tears continued. Having her in my arms felt amazing, but that feeling battled with the anger boiling inside. Jared would be lucky if I didn’t kill him the next time we came face to face.