I walked back into my apartment. Loreli and Emmett were playing with his toys on the floor and the girls were lounging on the couch, Cali still in her robe.
“Where did you even find that?” I asked her.
She shrugged and flipped it behind her, “Holden has some weird s.hit in his place.”
Willa stood up and walked towards me, looking me up and down.
I looked down, realizing I had forgotten to change. Honestly, this was nothing compared to what we usually did, what I’m sure Holden was doing to him now. A bit of blood, a tiny bit, but nothing else. “You’re okay.” She breathed, it wasn’t a question.
“There was never any question of that. I placed my lips to her forehead and breathed in the scent that was my home.
“Griffen is on the hunt and Holden is finishing up,” I told Nora and Cali, “Why don’t you order some food while we wait?”
“Already ahead of you,” Cali said, standing and brushing off her cloak, “The warriors don’t talk, but they eat so,” She shrugged, motioning to the dining room table where it looked like they had some taco bar set up. “How?”
“You guys were down there longer than you thought, and we have to feed this one,” Cali pointed next to her at Nora, “She’s making a little wolf so apparently that requires eating every few minutes,” Cali frowned and Nora smiled at her, “I’m jealous honestly. Insatiable appetite and nothing happens to your figure.”
“A benefit of being a werewolf,” Willa said, taking my hand, “You got Emmett?” She asked the other two. They both nodded, but it looked like Nora was about to fall asleep at any moment.
Willa took my hand and tugged at it. I let her lead me up the stairs and into our room.
“Take off your clothes, get rid of them, or whatever you do,” She turned to the bathroom, the sound of water running started moments later.
I did as she said, placing them into the laundry chute in the hall instead of the hamper. I didn’t want Emmett to see it, even though I knew he probably didn’t miss it on my way in.
When I walked into the bathroom, steam filled the air and smelled like lavender.
“Get in,” Willa smiled at me, motioning to my free-standing bathtub.
“You’re not joining me?”
“Not this time,” She shook her head with a smile, pulling her midnight hair back into a loose bun.
I watched her, enthralled by the elegance of her simple actions. She was familiar to me, more so than anyone. In the relatively short time I knew her, she became so ingrained in every part of me.
I wanted a mate because I was told to, I wanted that unshakable bond, but what I had with Willa, was so much deeper than the initial attraction and sparks.
I took her lead and sunk into the bath. The warm water instantly calmed me and started easing some tension I didn’t realize I was carrying.
She pulled up a stool behind me and lathered soap on a large sponge, rubbing it down my back and slowly up and down my arms. It wasn’t s.exual, but it was one of the most intimate things I had ever experienced.
She sat next to me in silence. I stole a glance and her lips were pursed in concentration, steam dampened some loose tendrils of her hair making them curl a bit around her face. She was the most beautiful thing that ever existed.
Only after I was thoroughly washed did she move the stool behind me and laid my head back on a towel and massaged my hair.
I felt all the tension leave me. In between my mate’s attentive care and gentle touch, the warm water, and the lavender steam, I felt more relaxed than I could ever remember feeling.
I knew she wouldn’t judge me, not even for what happened in the basement. But to have her accept me completely and take care of me, was something I didn’t know I needed this badly. To have her see the parts of me that were still cold, that I couldn’t shake.
It didn’t scare me anymore, how easy it was to slip back into being that Alpha, how comfortable and natural it felt. But she saw all of me and didn’t shy away from it, didn’t hold it against me.
I didn’t have to be anything more than completely myself with her, and it was the first time that I knew who I actually was.
I took one of her hands from where she was massaging me and brought it to my lips, holding it there and placing a long kiss on it. Nothing I could do with or for her would ever match the scope of what I felt.
She wrapped her other arm around me, placed it on my chest, and leaned her head on top of mine. We stayed there for a long moment until she pulled back.
“Shower, my love.” She kissed the top of my head and I wished we had all evening to stay in bed. I just wanted to hold her.
Now that the fear and adrenaline were wearing off, I was terrified. I was so close to losing Emmett, and we got lucky. I never had anything that I was so scared of losing before. I never thought about it much.
My parents were always there, so were Holden and then Griffen. We never dealt with anything that could have taken them from me, and when my dad fought alongside his warriors, I was too young to realize that he might not come back, which, of course, he always did.
I stood up and got out, wrapping her in my arms. She didn’t complain that I got her clothes wet, she just buried her head in my chest and held me tight. I think she needed my embrace as much as I needed hers, or I hoped she did.
“I love you, Willa. That doesn’t even begin to cover it. You’re safe here, you both are, and I will make this right.”
“I know,” She squeezed me and let me go. When she pulled back, her eyes were starting to fill with tears. She wiped at her eyes before they could form.
I took her chin in my fingers, tilting her brilliant eyes up to mine, “I’ll be down in a few, and then I have to check in with Holden and Griffen when they’re back, if you guys are up for it, maybe we can meet here?”
“I know Cali wouldn’t want to miss it,” She shook her head, smiling, “There’s no way we’re getting that cape from her.”
“I’ll burn it if you want, she has to shower sometime.” I offered.
“And invoke the wrath of The Red Witch?” Her eyes went wide in mock horror, “You wouldn’t dare.”
“Is that what she’s calling herself?”
“It’s fitting, isn’t it?” She shrugged. I couldn’t deny that.
“We can’t teach her magic, but we can change her into a wolf, tell her that is where the fun begins.”
“I’ll see what I can do,” She gave me a smile and grabbed a towel offering it to me.
“Thank you, for this, for everything, for” I swallowed, “Seeing me and not shying away.”
Her eyes widened slightly and she stepped toward me, grabbing my arm and pulling me down, so our foreheads touched.
“I see all of you, even the parts you think you hide. I love them all,” My stomach tightened and I felt tears? Tears pricked my eyes.
Softie, I knew it
Shut up, I’m having a moment
We’re having a moment. She’s my mate too.
I didn’t know what to say to her, so I brushed my lips against hers, she met mine hungrily, opening her mouth and sliding her tongue against my lip. I wrapped my arms around her, pulling her towards me, feeling the curve of her round butt, pulling up her shirt so I could feel the warmth and goosebumps that pricked her back.
I’m coming up – Holden came into my mind.
I kissed her once more before I reluctantly pulled back, her breathing was uneven and her lips swollen. I loved seeing her like that.
“Holden is coming, please make sure that the children are out of his view,” I sighed. II knew that when you slipped into that place where you only saw red and revenge, there wasn’t room for logic, only instinct.
“I will,” She bit her lip and it took all my willpower not to lean down and bite it for her, she looked down at my hard length and one side of her lips tugged up, “I wish we had time for that.” “You’ll be the death of me,” I rumbled.
“What does that even mean?” She raised an eyebrow, the smile not leaving her face, brightening her eyes.
“Honestly, no idea. I’ve heard it in movies, it seems to apply here.” I smiled back at her.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.