I reached back, finding his hand and interlacing our fingers. “Don’t apologize. That was… intense. In the best possible way.”
He was quiet for a moment. “You’re really okay? With what I am? With… this?”
I shifted slightly, careful of where we were still connected, to look back at him. His eyes were fading back to their normal amber, the fangs receding. There was vulnerability in his expression that made my heart ache.
“More than okay,” I assured him. “Though you could have mentioned the whole knot thing before we started. That was a surprise.”
He winced. “I didn’t think it would happen the first time. It usually only happens when… when there’s a strong connection. Or during certain times of the month.”
“A strong connection, huh?” I smiled. “So what you’re saying is, you like me. You really, really like me.”
He rolled his eyes, but couldn’t hide his smile. “I more than like you, Julian. That’s what scared me so much.”
“Because you’re a werewolf?”
“Because I’ve never felt this way about anyone,” he said quietly. “And being what I am makes everything more complicated.”
I turned my head to kiss him softly. “I’m good with complicated.”
He kissed me back, gentle and sweet, a sharp contrast to the wild passion of moments before. When we separated, he said, “How are you being so calm about this? Most people would be freaking out.”
“Oh, I’m definitely freaking out,” I assured him. “But in a good way. And honestly, after my last relationship, finding out you turn furry once in a while is kind of refreshing. At least you’re never boring.”
He laughed, the sound rumbling through his chest and into my back. “That’s one way to look at it.”
“How long…?” I gestured vaguely.
“Will we be stuck together? Not long. Maybe another few minutes.”
“No, I mean how long have you been a werewolf? Were you born this way, or…?”
“Born,” he confirmed. “My whole family is. We’re one of the oldest packs in this area.”
“There are more of you?” I asked, fascinated.
“Mmm. My parents, my sister, a few cousins. And some friends who are like family. We’re small but tight-knit.”
“So that’s what you meant about the meat not all being for you,” I realized. “Pack dinners?”
He nodded. “We eat together a few times a week. More around the full moon.”
“Wow,” I said, trying to process this new information. “So there’s a whole werewolf community in Pine Haven that no one knows about?”
“Some people know,” he said. “Like Sara at the bookstore—her wife is one of us.”
“Sara!” I exclaimed. “That’s why she was being all cryptic today when I was talking about you.”
He tensed. “You were talking about me?”
“Only good things,” I assured him. “Well, mostly I was complaining about how you wouldn’t sleep with me, but now I understand why.”
He relaxed, his thumb stroking over my knuckles. “I wanted to. So much. I was just afraid of what you’d see. What you’d think.”
“And now?”
“Now I’m afraid you’re going to want to do this all the time, and I’ll never get any work done,” he said, his tone light but with an undertone of genuine wonder, as if he couldn’t believe this was really happening.
I laughed. “That’s a distinct possibility.”
