No harm?I let out an indignant canine grumble and consider if the consequences of biting off Derek’s… dangly bits would be worth it.
“Easy,” says Julien, brushing his hand over my head. I lean against him and close my eyes, pushing at his hand with my nose when he doesn’t immediately continue petting me. He chuckles and resumes combing his fingertips through my fur.
I relax and let my mind drift, enjoying the scent and comfort of my mate after this really long and awful day. At some point, I must actually doze off, because the next thing I know, I’m back to human form in the backseat of an SUV with my head in Julien’s lap, his hand stroking my hair.
“Where are we?” My voice cracks.
“About an hour outside the city,” says Remy from the other side of the backseat. He pokes at my ankles. “Now that you’re awake, do you think you can get your feet off of me?”
I swing my feet over the edge of the seat and reluctantly sit up. Julien’s lap is pretty damn comfortable. “What happened?”
“I think the day’s events finally caught up with you,” says Remy. “You practically passed out on your feet.”
“But everyone’s okay?” Glancing around the interior of the vehicle, I take a quick headcount. Me, Remy and Julien are sharing the backseat and Dante and Brody are up front. “Where’s Luke?”
“He stayed behind to talk to the praetorians,” replies Brody. “They had some questions about your old pack.”
“Makes sense.” I nod absentmindedly. “So, what now?”
Julien throws his arm over my shoulders and pulls me closer until I’m pressed up against his side. “Now, I’m taking you somewhere I can properly claim you with no interruptions.”
I smile. “That sounds just about perfect.”
Twenty-Eight
Keir
ThenexttimeI’mawake, I find myself burrowed into a nest of soft, fuzzy blankets in the middle of a king-sized bed—completely alone. I don’t recognize the large, airy room with light blue walls and dark wood furniture, but the place is steeped in Julien’s scent. I’m assuming that means this is his bedroom. In his house. In… Madison, I think is where he said his pack is based?
I should probably get to learning these things about my mate and future pack.
Light is flooding through the windows, so it’s probably around midday, but whether that means I was out for twelve hours or over twenty-four, I have no idea. I wiggle out of the blankets and swing my feet over the side of the bed. I’m dressed in only a pair of unfamiliar boxers and a too-big shirt that’s probably Julien’s. Tugging the fabric up to my nose, I take a deep inhale. Yup. Definitely belongs to my mate.
My neck is still unmarked so Julien hasn’t claimed me yet, but I imagine half-asleep Keir wouldn’t have been much fun and I damn sure want to be awake and aware for something so important. I jump to my feet and walk around the edges of the room, running my fingers over the furniture, trying to get a better feel for the space Julien and I will, presumably share.
A minute or so later, the door opens and Julien comes in with a tray in his hands and a wide smile on his face. He’s moving a little more slowly than normal, likely because he’s sore and his wounds are still healing. Shifter healing is fast, but not immediate.
“Hey, we heard you stirring and my mom thought you might want some food,” he says.
“Your mom?”
His cheeks turn pink. “Yeah. She’s really excited to meet you.”
Huh. That’s… weird to me. I really don’t know much about moms, but I figured she might not be happy about the no grandkids thing. And there’s also the whole ‘I bring absolutely no benefit to this pack’ thing.
My face must do something odd because Julien sets the tray on a side table and takes me into his arms, hugging me to his chest. “It’s nothing to worry about. She’ll love you.”
If you say so…
“Does that mean she’s downstairs?”As in within hearing distance?
Julien shakes his head. “No. She lives in the cottage out back and went home as soon as I came up here.” He clears his throat. “We’re… alone. For now.”
“That sounds promising.” I grin up at him, shoving my insecurities as far down as possible, then nuzzle my nose against his chest. “I remember someone promising me a claiming, one without any interruptions.”
His lips widen into a smile, and he presses a kiss to the top of my head. “Yeah. There’s no rush though. If you want to wait, we could—”
“No,” I blurt. “This whole fated mates thing might be a little weird, but destiny doesn’t make mistakes, right? I don’t want to go another day without being yours, fully and completely. My hang-ups could have gotten you killed.”
