Chapter 68: Body Temperature

"Should I get you another?" Finn asked.

"No, that's okay," she smiled, picking up the mug. "So how long have you been involved with the council?"

"I started running for them last year. Fifteen is really the earliest you can do runs like that on your own," he said, going on to explain how he was the youngest of three brothers who also worked in defensive positions.

"But there haven't been any big conflicts or intruders since I've been there. Not even any strays. It's a pretty boring job actually," he sighed regretfully. "Until Graeme showed up with you of course," and the glint returned to his eyes. "Now the elders have ordered more runs, more people on each run. I guess they're worried about people coming after you."

Fear pricked August's eyes at this new information as the memory resurfaced of Jonathan and Eliade and the people who were searching for her. It would be a month since she had disappeared in suicide forest. Was her mom searching for her?

There was no way Eliade would offer her parents hope that she would be found alive, but surely those who considered her an invaluable asset in their research were hoping and searching themselves. Perhaps they would never stop. The thought made her go cold.

"I saw you dropped yours," a low voice said over August's shoulder.

She turned to see Lucas with the same smirk on his face as he extended a mug to her. She looked at him warily, her hesitation causing a wider smile to spread over his face where his canines became visible. He raised his eyebrows as well as the hand holding the glass as if questioning whether she would take it.

"Uh.. thank you," she said, taking the mug from him as he grabbed the empty one from her other hand.

"Of course. We wouldn't want our only human in the pack growing cold now, would we?" he flashed an icy smile, and she returned it weakly. "Lycans have a higher body temperature, but I'm sure you've noticed that already," he said, taking a drink from his own mug while his eyes stayed fixed on her.

"Around 102," Finn nodded enthusiastically. "What's yours, Miss August?"

"My… um, what?" August threaded her eyebrows together, trying to recover from her thoughts. She couldn't help but wonder if Lucas knew that Marius was missing and suspected them. His cold eyes gave nothing away.

"Your normal body temperature," she heard Finn reply.

"Oh, I think it's 98 or somewhere around there," she said, feeling her heartbeat drumming in her ears.

"That's a big difference, actually," Finn said.

"Yeah, so bottoms up," Lucas smiled, lifting his mug to hers before sauntering away through the crowd in the direction of his group.

August was still watching Lucas warily when a female voice interrupted her thoughts.

"Hi, Finn." August turned to see two women approach. One was short and curvy with long dark hair that appeared auburn in the firelight. Her friend had a similar, though shorter version that hit gracefully at the slender shoulders of her model-like figure. They were both gorgeous and seemed to exude an air of superiority as they stopped abruptly, facing Finn and August with their backs to the fire.

"Ladies, good evening," Finn nodded in greeting. He was glowing now having the attention of three women on him.

The short girl raised her eyebrows at August as if waiting for her to speak.

"Hi, I'm August Cady," August smiled warmly, lifting her glass slightly in greeting. "We're just friends," she added pointing between herself and Finn awkwardly, assuming one of them was unhappy with her presence next to the young man.

The short girl scoffed. "We know who you are, human," she said distastefully.

"Tara, really," the tall one next to her looked apologetically at August. "Don't mind her," she smiled. "I'm Violet."

"Oh, nice to meet you," August said, watching as one grimaced at her while the other tried to maintain a polite smile.

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"Do you like the moonwine?" Violet asked, apparently attempting to strike up conversation.

"Yes. It's very good," August took a sip from the mug in her hand.

"You have some interesting eyes for a human," Tara said suddenly, narrowing her own eyes at the girl in front of her.

August sputtered out a nervous laugh. "Um… thank you." she said.

"Tara works at the council as well," Finn said for Tara's fierce gaze to fall on him, and he flinched in response.

"Oh, cool. What do you do there?" August asked. Tara kept her eyes narrowed in silence.

"Tara is an amazing fighter," Violet said next to her. "I wouldn't want to go up against her," she laughed sweetly.

"I'd whoop your prissy ass," Tara said abruptly, rolling her eyes for Violet to laugh more.

"What do you do, Violet?" August asked.

"I design clothes. My mother and I have a shop. You should stop by sometime," she said, taking a sip of her drink. "We're developing new tearaway designs right now that are quick to pull off while shifting. You know, the fashion hazards of being a lycan."

"Wow, that's… amazing," August replied. Imagining Violet as a fashion designer was not difficult. "Where's your shop?"

"Just ask Graeme," Tara's eyebrows raised again, and Violet stiffened next to her. "You and Violet have something in common, you see," and finally the short girl's lips curled into a smile.

Next to August, Finn looked down at the ground as if there was something interesting that suddenly caught his attention.

August's eyebrows threaded together as she tried to understand what Tara was implying. "Something in common…?" She looked at the tall, elegant lycan in front of her that she could not imagine having anything in common with.

The shadows being cast by the fire seemed to freeze and cling to Violet in that moment as her now vacant eyes looked back at the human. It was like Violet was suddenly somewhere else, consumed by her own thoughts.

August inwardly shuddered at how the slender young woman in front of her suddenly seemed terrifying. Violet's outward appearance hadn't changed, but something threatening and cold was tucked behind that polite facade, and when August opened her second vision to take a peek, an enraged aura rushed her with such intensity that August stumbled backward in surprise. Finn had to reach out and catch her arm.

"Miss August, are you okay?" Finn asked, alarmed. August looked back at Violet in shock. Did no one else feel that?

"Yeah, yes… of course," she said hurriedly, straightening herself as she quickly closed the second vision around her.

She felt Graeme niggle at her mind—a gentle questioning, a checking-in—and she sent him a flood of warmth to assure him that she was fine. He was concerned about her. It was sweet, and she suddenly felt that flood of warmth surround her in return.

Violet grabbed August's arm.

"Yes, do be careful. We all know humans are quite fragile creatures. And just think, you're out here with a bunch of rowdy animals. Anything could happen."

Was that a threat? August gulped softly.

The lycan's delicate-looking fingers gripped August's arm tighter, and August found herself engulfed in the nightmare of someone else's thoughts once again.

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