My Secret, My Bully, My Mates (skylar) by Miss l Free novel Chapter 17

“Do either of you have a variation on short you would like to throw in for good measure?” I look at Oliver and my brother. They both chuckle and I attempt to use the moment to get out of the twin sandwich I am in.

But they just move as I move, so I stopped trying to get away and looked around to Oliver as he said, “Let me get back to you, Bite Size, I’ll come up with something clever.” I rolled my eyes at him and Sierra just laughed.

“And you?” I look at Mateo.

“Right now, Shorty, the only thing I get to call you is the take down champ. Dad is never gonna let any of us live that down.” Everyone chuckles at the memory. He reaches for me between the twins and wraps an arm around my neck and pulls me close in a gentle headlock type hug, a gesture he has never done before. I don’t know if it is the beer slowing down his uptight faculties, although I didn’t think beer really did much to werewolves, and he hasn’t had a ton, but who knows, I’ve never had any and he stopped the guys from giving me any tonight. They all offered multiple times as we mingled. Or was he uncomfortable with how close the twins were to me. He’s never been protective before, but I guess I haven’t given him a reason to be, we don’t hang out. Hell, I don’t hang out, with anyone, this is all new for me and he probably knows it.

The moment seemed to go unnoticed by the others and they all started discussing this morning’s training, while we all moved over closer to the fire and found seats on logs or the ground. Mateo didn’t take his arm off my shoulder until I sat down and leaned against one of the logs. Sierra sat by me, but Sam sat on the log behind her, placing her in between his legs. My brother sat on my other side, leaving Oliver, Cameron and Dakota on the next log that was angled towards us.

“Don’t remind me. I was on the receiving end of that particular beatdown.” Sierra mumbles. I was worried for a minute that maybe she was irritated with me for the way I beat her during training, but when I look at her, she doesn’t look upset. She actually looks amused. They all laugh again and I take a deep breath and join them.