What stopped Rowan from going through with it? Learning that I, while considered a muffin lord and even a thorn prince among those closest to me, was not, in fact, anyone of actual importance.
Wind pushed against the side of the cottage, rustling the branches of the tree outside the window. Lake made a soft sound and snuggled closer. I dropped a hand to his hair and petted the soft strands. Maddox’s arm tightened around my waist while Briar’s hand rested on my belly.
Despite all the chaos in my head, my heart was so damn full with the three of them surrounding me. And with that, I finally dozed off.
***
The soft clinking of a belt stirred me from sleep. Maddox stood beside the wardrobe, fastening his armor. Faint light filtered in through the window as dawn approached.
I sat up in bed and squinted at the glass. “Is that frost?”
Maddox turned to me. “It is. The weather’s shifting. Winter will be upon us soon.” His boots were heavy on the wooden floorboards as he neared the bed. Something about him decked out in his armor like this thrilled me to no end. Leather and a layer of chain mail. Sword sheathed at his side. “Apologies for waking you.”
“Don’t be sorry.” I slid my arms around his neck. “I love seeing you in the morning before you leave.”
Maddox caressed my jaw and drew back. “I feel the same. Waking up to you is the best part of my day. And returning home to you at the end of it.”
“Home.” My throat wobbled. “Not sure I’ll ever get used to the sound of that.”
Lake’s ears twitched, and although his eyes remained closed, I suspected he was awake too. He’d shifted lower on my legs during the night and lay closer to the foot of the bed. Almost like he’d been guarding us as we’d slept.
“Where’s Briar?” I asked, noticing he wasn’t in bed.
“Downstairs. He wanted to have coffee ready for when you woke.”
“Mm. Coffee. He knows the way to my heart.” I reached down to pet Lake’s hair, and his ears flicked again before his eyes opened. His purple irises held a faint glow in the dimly lit room. “Morning. You want an omelet for breakfast?”
“An omelet?” Lake’s ears perked up.
Fuck. It took all my willpower to keep from aweing out loud. “Yep. With cheese, bell peppers, and tomatoes.”
“And spinach leaves?” His tail wagged once in his excitement.
“Anything you want.” My heart was about to explode.
“Spoiled mutt.” Maddox huffed under his breath, but the trace of a smile on his lips gave him away. He had a soft spot for the fourth member of our family, whether he admitted it or not. His deep blue eyes moved to me. “If he gets an omelet, I get a muffin.”
Lake stretched before sitting up. “You say I’m spoiled, yet you’re the one always making demands, knight.” A light dusting of silvery hair covered his chest and dipped beneath the hem of his pants. Not a whole lot but enough for me to slide my fingers through. I fucking loved it. “If you want muffins, I’ll bake them for you.”
A snarl skewed my captain’s lips. “I don’t wantyourmuffins.”
I snorted. “I can make both. Stop bickering.”
Lake tried to hide a smile but failed.
Most people would look at Lake and see danger. Demi-humans weren’t treated too well to begin with; however, it was even worse for demi-wolves. People saw them as ravenous beasts no better than the demons and monsters that prowled through the dark wood.
But Lake had a gentle soul. He loved to take care of his plants and crops. He smiled at sunrises and had a playful side. He was sweet and loyal. Precious beyond words.
I threw the blanket off me and sucked a breath in between my teeth as a chilly draft fanned across my bare skin. Yep. Winter was coming, all right.
“I’ll grab your sweater.” Lake was off the bed and rummaging through my clothes within seconds. He returned with pants and a baggy sweater that Briar had given me.
It still smelled like Briar as I pulled it on. Which made me miss him. “Let’s go downstairs. A handsome physician is waiting for us. Coffee too. Can’t forget about that.”
“Put these on first.” Maddox tossed my slippers in front of me. “I don’t want to hear you whining about your cold toes.”
Typical Maddox. He picked on me even when being considerate. The jerk.
