Page 76 of Craving Carla

My face falls as the deeper issue surfaces. “This is hard, knowing that I’ll have to share you.”

“Carla!” His voice rises sharply, making me stiffen. He adjusts his tie and straightens in his seat, but doesn’t meet my eyes for a moment. When he finally looks at me, his expression has softened. “What happened before my heart started beating is the past. That is not the future you’ll face.”

“But—” I start, then snap my mouth shut. I grab my plate and glass from the table and stand, but he moves so fast I nearly fall backward. His arm shoots out, catching my waist, stabilizing me.

“I promise you, I will not betray your trust.” He takes the plate and glass from me and walks them to the kitchen.

“What did you find out?” I ask, changing the subject as he rinses the dishes.

“Right now, they’re just running tests, but Bobby will send the data to me later tonight.” He returns and pulls me into his arms. I let go of my tension, relaxing against him, breathing in his scent.

“Ready to go?” he asks.

I look up at him, frowning, and he chuckles. I step back and walk to the door, grabbing my jacket. Amari flashes over, taking it from my hands and holding it open so I can slip my arms through.

“I’m not exactly thrilled about going,” I admit, “but I’m excited for you to meet Yara and Kofi, the largest of my babies. I presented them to King Amir and Queen Anora as gifts.”

Amari smiles as I turn to face him.

“They hold their positions as guardians for the royal palace with pride, willing to die for their King and Queen.” My face falls as I consider the reality of the situation.

Amari lifts a finger to my chin, raising it so our eyes meet. “What’s wrong? Why the sudden sadness?”

I try to look away, but he won’t let me. “This is why I’ve been avoiding visiting the King and Queen. I know how the Queen feels about my children. The only reason they’ve been there this long is because Amir enjoys their company. But he’ll always choose his queen first.”

Amari grins and gently smooths his thumb over my bottom lip. “As he should, baby.” I blush at the pet name. “I’ll always put you first.”

I narrow my eyes and start to say something snarky, but he leans in and steals a kiss, sweet and tender enough to make me forget my argument. When he pulls back, he murmurs, “Evenif King Amir returns our children, I’ll find something better for them. Maybe they can help guard our coven.”

“Our coven?” I raise an eyebrow.

“Yes, Carla. Our coven. What’s mine is yours. And what’s yours is mine.” He kisses me again, and I sigh against his lips.

“This is going to take some getting used to, Amari.”

“Of course it will. I’m not expecting you to just jump in full force, but I hope that over time, you’ll accept the mate bond.” He opens the door, gesturing for me to exit first. “Come on, let’s get you the confirmation you need.”

I step out, and he follows, adjusting his suit as the door clicks shut behind us. He takes my hand and walks down the cabin steps with me, heading toward the forest. I notice him glaring at the trees, probably sensing my children hiding in the shadows. They’ve been oddly distant this morning—even Tofi hasn’t shown herself to greet me.

“What about your company?” I ask as we walk through the forest, pine needles crunching beneath our feet. “Won’t you eventually have to go back to Detroit?”

“Yes, but that’s not something you need to worry about, because I won’t be going alone. You’re coming with me.”

I stop abruptly, pulling my hand away. “Amari, I can’t just leave Wintermoon. It’s my home.”

He lets out a frustrated sigh, forcing his expression to remain soft. “Could we talk about this later? I don’t want to fight. You know how I feel about Wintermoon—it’s not a home, it’s a cage.”

I step back from him, crossing my arms. “And how do you expect my children to follow me? They may be able to hide in small spaces, but that’s not living. This is the best home for them.”

“Really?” His voice drops, taking on a dangerous edge. “The supernaturals here treat you and your children like pebbles under their shoes. You think I’m going to stand by and let youkeep living like this? I’m taking you somewhere you and your children will be respected—the way you should be.”

“You don’t understand what we’ve been through,” I say, my voice rising. “Before Wintermoon, we lived in caves, abandoned buildings, sewers—anywhere dark enough to hide. My children were hunted for sport. I was called witch, monster, abomination.”

Amari’s eyes flash. “And how is that different from now? I’ve seen how they look at you here, Carla. I’ve seen supernaturals cross the street to avoid you. I watched a shopkeeper refuse to sell you a dress until I intervened.”

“That’s changing,” I insist, though the words sound hollow even to my ears. “King Amir gave me this position, this cabin?—”

“Scraps,” Amari scoffs, adjusting his suit as if physically uncomfortable with the conversation. “He gave you scraps and you’re grateful because you’ve never had anything else.”

---