Page 115 of Witch Unexpected
I met his gaze levelly. “That’s all I can offer you guys.”
“Cora spoke to Charlotte,” Leif explained. “She knows what happens once the anchorship is dissolved.”
Tor nodded slowly. “I respect that. I’ll always respect your wishes, but you know it doesn’t have to be that way. Not all anchorships that are dissolved end with the love dissipating.”
“I’m not willing to take that risk. I’m not willing to give my heart not knowing if what you guys feel for me is real or just the product of a fake mating bond. If I have to wait a century to fall in love, then so be it.” I grinned and dropped them a wink. “I’m a tulpa; I got time.”
Tor’s ferally handsome face tightened in sympathy. He raised his bottle. “To an epic friendship.”
“To an epic friendship,” Leif and I said in unison.
But Rune merely looked up at me, and for the first time since I’d met him, I wasn’t sure what he was thinking.
* * *
My roomat the cabin was small and cozy, with a queen-sized bed and its own tiny hearth. The fresh air, the food, and the beer made for a sleepy Cora.
I was out like a light, but, like most nights, I was up again a few hours later. I’d left the drapes open and the room was saturated with silver light. Sometimes I’d roll over and be able to drift back to sleep, and others, like now, I’d be totally and inexplicably awake.
Back in Necro, when this happened, a walk and warm milk helped. I slipped out of bed, dressed in joggers, a baggy sweater, and shoved my feet into the pair of battered sneakers I’d brought with me.
The world was silent. Leif had the room opposite mine, and the door was closed. Tor’s room was next door to me, also closed. It gave me a sense of security to know they were here with me, even though I didn’t need it. I was perfectly capable of being alone. Had done it for months after moving out of the pack house.
Being alone was awesome. Total control of the TV and bathroom, and I could leave pizza in the fridge and still have it be there an hour later.
Yeah, solo life was great, but being here with the guys today forced me to admit how much I’d missed company.
I padded down the stairs, not wanting to wake the two wolves. The fire in the lounge had burned low, and a huge shape lay on the rug in front of it.
Rune looked up as I entered, his bright hazel eyes drifting to my face and then to the patio doors.
A shiver of a breeze kissed my skin. The door was open. Rune chuffed and laid his head back on his paws as if to say,go investigate then.
“Fine, I will.” I pushed open the doors and stepped onto the wrap-around patio. The garden was bright with moonlight, the fire pit was lit, and a hulking shadow sat hunched on the bench.
Tor.
He turned his head to acknowledge my approach then shifted on the bench to make room for me.
I lowered myself onto the seat and held my hands out to the flames, warming them.
I studied his profile, clean lines and hard planes. “Can’t sleep?”
“I haven’t been to bed yet.”
“Why not?”
He studied the flames. “I’m not tired.”
But the smudges under his eyes told a different story.
He lifted a half-full glass of whiskey to his lips and sipped.
“You think that’ll help you sleep?”
“It works.”
“How long have you had this problem?”
