She blinked furiously. Her eyes were glossy with tears when she finally turned her head to look at him. Her expression was almostangry,though he didn’t feel that it was directed at him. “Did you ever wish that you’d said yes?”
He didn’t have to ask what she was referring to. “Yes,” he answered, exhaling a long, painful breath. “I wished I’d run away with you all the damn time, sweetheart. I don’t think a night has gone by where I didn’t wonder what kind of life we would have been living if I wasn’t so damn scared.”
“I know it’s selfish,” she whispered. “I know that it would mean your pack lost out on you, but I wish we could run away now.”
Viktor couldn’t resist bringing their twined hands up to kiss her fingers. She wasn’t wearing gloves, perhaps because she’d picked up on how the sight of her retracted claws made him puff up with pride.
“They aren’t justmypack,” he steadily reminded her. “They’re yours now, too. If we ran then or we run now, they would miss out on usboth.”
She let out a watery scoff. “They don’t even know me. It’s not me they’d miss.”
“Maybe not today, but you don’t know about tomorrow, or the day after that. You think that just because they don’t know younow,that you won’t matter to them as much as I do in the future? Families aren’t built in a day, Cam.”
He felt the tremor that ran through her. “I… I want to be part of it, Vik. I want it so much it hurts. I’m just scared.”
Her fear was his. He felt it deep in the heart of the coyote, who whimpered, helpless and confused. All it wanted was to soothe its mate, but there was no loving this problem away. They had to face this terrible moment together if they wanted the future they dreamed of. It was just exceptionally bad timing.
Just like every other part of their relationship, really.
If only she’d had a little more time to adjust to the pack, she wouldn’t feel this hopeless,he thought, gripping the steering wheel with his free hand until his knuckles were bleached white.She’d feel anchored, supported.
As it stood, there was no remedy for the rush. Trust could not be developed in a day, though she’d come damn close by saving his life. All he could do was promise her everything would be all right.
“What can I do?” Viktor cut a look at her, desperate for some clue to easing her fear.
Camille met his gaze and asked, “When we get back to the den, can I see him?”
Viktor’s heart jolted. His throat felt dry when he hoarsely replied, “It’s been a long time, but I’m sure I can make the arrangements.”
They held hands the rest of the way home, and when they slipped into their den, Viktor drew her in for a series of deep, drugging kisses. “Everything will be all right,” he whispered against her lips. “I promise, sweetheart.”
“I trust you.” The words skated across his lips. Even though they were shaky, he knew they were sincere.
“Good.”
Taking a step back into the living room, he began to shuck his clothing. His shoes came first, then his t-shirt. His jeans, briefs, and socks were discarded just as quickly, leaving him in nothing but his skin. Camille’s eyes roved over him hungrily. His blood heated at the sight of her pupils expanding, but he forced the lust aside. Temporarily.
“After,” he promised her with a wink.
And then the magic in his blood erupted.
Bone shattered and reformed. Skin moved. Fur burst out to cover a sleek new form, bigger than a normal coyote but thinner, more agile than a wolf. The shift only took a handful of seconds, but when it was done, Viktor gave himself over to the animal. He had waited long enough to spend time with their mate, impatient though he was. He had earned the right to take the lead for a while.
The coyote tilted his head back to look up at their mate, golden eyes fixing unerringly on her familiar face. The smell of wildflowers and honey and salt filled his lungs — the smell of home, of den, of pack.
His claws clicked on the tile floor when he padded closer, moving slowly, instinctively wary of scaring her off.
This wasn’t the first time they’d met. For a very long time Camille had been more comfortable with the coyote than the boy. That first time he snuck into the Tower to see her, he’d chosen to come as the animal based on instinct and the burning desire to see his mate through the coyote’s eyes. Twenty years later, he was still surprised he had been welcomed into her den even when he was rainsoaked and barely more than a cub himself.
Perhaps it was because the coyote never asked anything of her — nothing more than her presence, her touch, and her attention.
But it had been a very, very long time since they’d come face to face, and the coyote was wary of sending their mate running again. Though she wore their bite, he did not yet feel entirely secure in its claim on her. How could he, when he had been restrained from contact with her for so long?
Stopping barely a foot away from her, he slowly sat down. Careful to keep his posture nonthreatening, he let out a low, crooning sound and gazed up at her longingly.Do you remember me?
Camille sucked in a deep breath. He watched, ears twitching with concern, as her lower lip trembled.
“Hello, my love,” she whispered, slowly raising her hand. “It’s been a long time.”
