Chapter Seven
Klarissa woke slowly, tangled in warmth that wasn’t just the blankets pulled over her body.Rune’s arm was draped heavy across her waist, his breath brushing the back of her neck in steady rhythm, and Kamon was pressed against her front, his hand curved possessively at her hip.For a long, drowsy moment she didn’t move, soaking in the rare peace that had settled over her after days of chaos and a night that had stolen every ounce of strength she’d had.
Her body ached in places she hadn’t known could ache, but the soreness carried a sweetness that made her lips curve in a sleepy smile.Every shift of muscle reminded her of the shower, of their hands and mouths and voices rough with need.She should have been embarrassed, overwhelmed—but she wasn’t.She was cherished, and that was new.
Rune stirred behind her, pulling her closer.“Morning,suuway,” he murmured against her hair, his voice rough with sleep.“You plan on lying here all day?”
Klarissa hummed.“Might be nice.Feels safe here.”
Kamon chuckled softly at her front, the sound vibrating through her.“Safe and spoiled.We could get used to this.”His dark eyes blinked open, watching her with a tenderness that made her chest ache.“But you’re hungry, aren’t you?”
“No.”Her stomach betrayed her with a low growl, and she groaned.“Traitor.”
Rune laughed, shifting up onto an elbow to look down at her.The way his gaze swept over her made her flush.“We’ll feed you.Then you’re resting for a bit before you hit the Bat Cave with Violet.No arguing.”
She tilted her chin defiantly, though the corner of her mouth twitched with amusement.“You two always think you’re in charge.”
Kamon smirked.“Not always.Just when it comes to keeping you healthy, happy and alive,waan jai.”He brushed a thumb over her cheekbone.“That part is non-negotiable.”
They coaxed her out of bed, Rune tugging one of his shirts over her head before she could protest.Klarissa rolled her eyes but secretly loved the way it hung on her, the cotton soft and carrying his scent.Together they shuffled toward the small kitchen in the apartment, Kamon already rummaging through the fridge while Rune started coffee.
Breakfast was easy, laughter slipping in around scrambled eggs and toast.Rune teased her about the way she hoarded the jam.Kamon stole bites off her plate until she smacked his hand with a fork, earning a mock-injured look that made her laugh harder.For the first time in years, she realized she felt like she belonged somewhere.
The moment was broken by the chime of a video call.Rune glanced at the screen on his phone and swore under his breath.“It’s Mom and Dad.”Their parents.From Thailand.
They answered, and the screen immediately filled with the sight of their mother, her hair pinned neatly back, eyes sharp as flint as she launched into rapid-fire Thai.Klarissa couldn’t catch a word of it, but the tone was unmistakable—a mother demanding answers.Rune tried to smile, Kamon scratched the back of his neck, both of them fumbling in a mix of English and Thai that only made their mother’s brows climb higher.Their father appeared over her shoulder, calm as always, though even he lifted a brow at their evasions, clearly amused by the spectacle.
Their mother suddenly snapped something fierce enough to make both men wince and mutter identical, guilty replies.Klarissa blinked, wishing she understood a single word but amused at how easily these lethal tiger shifters crumbled under their mother’s scolding.
“Ma, it’s fine—” Rune started, only for his mother to bark his full name so fast he shut his mouth with a snap.
Kamon was already grinning, the wicked light in his eyes unmistakable.“She said she wants to meet her daughter-in-law,” he translated slyly, and before Klarissa could process it, he flipped the camera.
She froze mid-sip of orange juice.The screen filled with her image—sex-tousled hair, Rune’s shirt hanging on her, and possession marks blooming across her throat.Her stomach dropped.She choked on the juice, coughing as Rune pounded her back and Kamon doubled over laughing.“Oh, my god, how could you!”she hissed at them, cheeks flaming.“I look like I just crawled out of your bed—”
“You did,” Rune said, far too innocently.
On screen, their mother’s gasp turned into a laugh, one hand covering her mouth as her eyes sparkled with mischief.Their father’s voice rumbled warmly, “Beautiful.Strong.We are glad she is with you.”Klarissa couldn’t understand the words until Rune murmured a translation against her ear, but she caught the tone—warmth, pride, and a surprising lack of judgment.
Klarissa tried to duck her head, but their mother leaned closer, her expression open and welcoming.“Take care of my sons.And let them take care of you,” Rune translated softly, his lips brushing her temple.The older woman’s eyes glistened, and Klarissa suddenly saw the shadow of grief in the lines around her smile.A family portrait hung on the wall behind them, the faded image of a beautiful girl standing between Rune and Kamon in their younger years.Klarissa’s heart squeezed.Their sister.Boonsri.She could feel the ache there even if no one spoke of it, and she forced her face to stay bright, so she didn’t drag that memory closer for them.
Their father shifted, his arm coming around his wife’s shoulders, protective and steady as he looked into the camera.“They will protect you.This I promise,” he said firmly, and even without Rune’s quick translation, Klarissa heard the vow in his tone.
Klarissa’s cheeks burned hotter when their mother suddenly spoke again, softer now, her gaze fixed on Klarissa through the screen.Rune translated, voice low.“She says you have kind eyes.That you laugh like family already.”
Klarissa blinked, flustered.“Oh—thank you.That’s ...very kind.”She glanced at the boys for help, but Kamon just smirked, and Rune nudged her knee like he was enjoying every second of her squirming.
Their father added something, his tone deeper, protective.Rune’s lips curved as he translated.“He says if we fail to take care of you, he will take the next flight here and remind us what discipline feels like.”
Klarissa couldn’t help it—she laughed, nearly spilling her juice.“I like him already.”
“Don’t encourage him,” Rune muttered, but the fondness in his voice gave him away.
Their mother reached toward the screen again, her smile wide and glistening at the corners.Rune murmured, “She says she can’t wait to meet you in person.That you are already her daughter.”
The words punched through Klarissa’s embarrassment, leaving her throat tight.Her gaze flicked past them to the portrait on the wall, the beautiful girl frozen in time.Boonsri.She wondered how much of their openness was forged from grief, how much was strength.She refused to let that sorrow show on her face—this moment wasn’t hers to sour—but her chest ached with it all the same.Somehow, impossibly, they were offering her a place in that scarred but resilient love.It made her want to cry and laugh at once.
Klarissa found herself laughing along as the conversation continued, their mother firing questions Rune refused to translate, their father rumbling warnings that made both twins flush crimson.The boys chirped in with sarcastic asides, throwing each other under the bus, while Klarissa tried to sink lower in her chair.But every time she looked at the screen, their parents’ faces shone with nothing but acceptance.
