Page 77 of Wolves & Watercolors
His insistent kiss steals all thought. For long minutes, I’m lost in the feel of his lips on mine and the way his hand brushes over my new claim mark and then winds down my chest.
When he finally releases me, I smile back. “So you like it?”
He hesitates, and I can see thoughts churning in his head. “I thought this would be one sided and you would wear my bite but have nothing to mark me as yours. But I should have known better. You are extraordinary.”
My mouth falls open.
“Can you feel our bond?” he prompts.
Closing my eyes, I breathe out and open myself to feel everything around me. The pulse of life and magic is strong around me, but it’s the touch of something unfamiliar that I focus on. Drawing it forward, I sense a delirious happiness mingled with surprise.
“Yeah, I think so.” The happiness surges, leaving no doubt I’m sensing his emotions.
“We can test what it does for you, but you should be able to generally track me and feel my emotions and some physical feelings.”
“Oh.” The intense ecstasy that left me shaking from right after he marked me comes to mind. Maybe I was feeling more than my own pleasure. From the pride swelling in my chest, I suspect all of his emotions are reflected back to me. It’ll take work to learn to distinguish his feelings from mine, but I’m confident I can manage it.
“So now that we’ve committed our lives together,” I say, trailing off.
He kisses the tip of my nose before answering. “I’ll come to Los Angeles with you. Or anywhere else you want to go.”
“What if, and just hear me out, because I know this is a crazy idea,” I say, “What if we moved back to your home?”
His hand stroking over my arm stills. “You don’t have to do that.”
“I want to.”
“My only priority is your happiness. Where we live doesn’t matter.” He is deadly serious.
“That’s the thing,” I say, picking my words carefully. “I’ve never been as happy anywhere as I was there. Even before we got together. My sister is there. It’s so full of life. I’ve never had friends like that before. I don’t want to be anywhere else.”
The other reasons won’t help convince him. Making my partner happy is important to me and he will be happiest at home with his family and friends. And the same goes for me. I want to be with Hazel and Heath, and especially baby Timber.
“You really want to live with us?” he asks, a smile breaking over his face.
“I love you.” It bursts out of me, uncontrollable. “I’m happy anywhere you are, but if that’s with your family and mine, that’s even better.”
“I love you.” He echoes, his voice rough. The glow is back to his eyes and I eye his full lips and the hint of fangs I know they hide.
XIV . Healing & Home
Cedar
The pine needles crunch under my truck’s tires as I pull back into the pack’s lot. Aurora’s car creaks in behind me, and I promise myself that I’ll replace it with something newer. Maybe something with room for large canvases and as much paint as she could ever want.
Vale walks around the corner of the office and stops abruptly. As we park and climb out, he smirks before turning on his heel and jogging back the way he came. No doubt he’s notifying Slate and Hazel of our return.
Aurora is buzzing with nervous energy. Circling my family’s truck, I pop open her door and rest my forearm on the top edge.
“It’ll be fine. Everyone will be happy to have you,” I say, stooping down to kiss her forehead.
“Hopefully.” After a moment of chewing her lip, she nods and pushes herself out of the car. The door makes a dull thud as I close it behind her.
Her hand slips into mine as we walk toward her sister’s cabin. Her belongings can wait in the car until we’ve sorted out where she’s staying. Hopefully with me, but since I’m still living with my parents, that may not be her first choice.
Aurora’s hands shake as she knocks on Hazel and Slate’s door. She clasps them together and wrings them. My fingers squeeze the small of her waist, pulling her out of her spiraling thoughts. She smiles up at me and some of her tension eases.
“I don’t know why I’m nervous. This should be fine. And if they make a fuss, I can just remind them I’ve got magical abilities that apparently can heal people. Who would turn that down?”
