The Wolf Crown (The Wolf Kings #2) (MLM)

CHAPTER FOUR.

                Tiberius returned in the late evening, sidling up next to Jack on the carpet as Everett had gone to return their afternoon tea to the kitchens.

"Why is it I always find you sitting on the floor?" Tiberius murmured into his shoulder.

"It's closer to the fire," Jack said, resting his head back. He had started reading The Wolf Crown already, but it mostly talked about the history of werewolves, the supernatural leaders of Crowswood, and their connection to nature. Nothing Jack hadn't already read months ago when he'd been trying to learn how to escape.

"What're you reading?" Jack showed him the title, and Tiberius's brows pinched. "I've never seen that one."

"Is that surprising?" Jack scoffed. "There are hundreds of thousands of books in there, you're bound to miss one." He closed the book and shrugged. "It's just a bunch of history on the leaders of Crowswood. Your great, great grandfather, the last Lady Witch, the Fairy King, and the Elder Elf. I mean, don't get me wrong, it's interesting and all, but you don't want to read about elves around Everett."

Tiberius raised a brow. "Is it insulting to elves?"

"On the contrary," Jack sighed, reaching over to return the book to his satchel by the foot of the bed, "it praises the Elder Elf for taking over for the Fairy King during some great battle, when the Fairy King refused to fight. But a smug Everett really isn't that much better than an offended one."

"I see," he chuckled wearily and covered Jack's hand with his own, interlocking their fingers, and it was only then that Jack realized he'd been mindlessly tapping his fingers on his thighs. In his defense, he'd been trying to distract himself from the idea of going off to see Violet and what might come from that conversation.

"Oh."

"Getting a little antsy?"

"I'm fine," he said. "Are you? You sound tired."

Tiberius rested his head on Jack's shoulder, cuddling in close to him. Jack smirked against his brow. Something about the big tough Wolf King that could paralyze anyone with a single glare clinging to Jack like he was his favorite plushie made Jack's heart expand in his chest.

"I just missed you," he said, wrapping his other arm around Jack's waist and pulling him in even closer.

"You wouldn't have to miss me," he said in a singsong voice, "if you let me help you more."

"And I would," Tiberius said, "if anything was going on." He rested his chin on Jack's shoulder and smiled up at him. "But nothing is. Pace yourself, beautiful."

He scoffed. "I'm paced. I'm fine."

Tiberius hummed, nuzzling Jack's jaw, and just as Jack started to think about how he could suggest taking a walk alone, Tiberius stood. "Let's go down to the village. I think we could both use the fresh air."

Jack raised a brow at his offered hand. He's trying to distract me again, the journalist side of him said.

"I'm telling you, you didn't see the fear in his eyes when we told him where you were."

And maybe, Jack thought, he's distracting himself, too.

So Jack took his hand and got to his feet, smiling. "I know I could use some of Winnie's cookies."

"Oh," Everett stepped in then with Mira in tow, "are we going down to the village? Brilliant, I'll just set out another jacket for you, then, shall I?"

"I'm fine," Jack started, but Tiberius was already nodding.