I stared at him. At his shorter hair and the dark circles under his eyes. At how he’d clearly lost weight. At the way he was looking at me with such hope and love and desperation.
My stupid heart squeezed painfully.
“I don’t know,” I admitted. “I don’t know what I want anymore.”
“That is okay,” he said gently. “You do not have to know. I will wait. However long it takes. I will be here.”
I sat down in the armchair across from him because my feet were killing me. “This is insane. You know that, right? You’re a king. You should be ruling your kingdom. Not stalking me in wolf form and sleeping on my doorstep.”
“My kingdom can wait. You cannot.” He leaned forward with his elbows on his knees. “I have made so many mistakes, Wen. Hurt you in ways I can never fully apologize for. But I am here now. And I will spend every day for the rest of my life proving that I choose you. That I will always choose you.”
I wanted to believe him. But trust was hard when it had been shattered so completely.
“I need time,” I said finally. “I need to process everything. Figure out what I want. What’s best for me and the baby.”
“Take all the time you need,” he said immediately. “I am not going anywhere.”
“And you’ll actually be useful? Not just sit around in wolf form staring at me?”
“I will do whatever you ask. Cook. Clean. Help with the bookstore. Rub your feet. Build furniture for the baby. Anything.”
I narrowed my eyes at him. “You can cook?”
“I have been taking lessons,” he said. “From a chef in town. I am not good yet, but I am learning.”
Despite everything, I felt my lips twitch. Almost a smile. “You’re going to burn down my kitchen, aren’t you?”
“I sincerely hope not,” he admitted. “But I will try very hard to avoid it.”
I sighed and rubbed my pregnant belly. The baby kicked as if weighing in on the conversation. “Fine. You can stay. But you’re sleeping on the couch. And if you do anything to upset me, you’re going back to wolf form and sleeping outside. Understood?”
“Yes, boss.” He was grinning now. Actually grinning like I’d just given him the best news of his life.
“And get some actual clothes. I’m not looking at your naked ass for the next however long this takes.”
“I will go shopping tomorrow.”
“With what money?”
He pulled out a pouch from somewhere and opened it. Gold coins and jewels spilled onto my coffee table.
I stared at the small fortune now decorating my furniture. “Of course you brought treasure. Why wouldn’t you bring treasure?”
“I came prepared to stay as long as necessary.”
I shook my head but couldn’t quite hide my smile. “You’re ridiculous.”
“But I am yours,” he said hopefully. “If you will have me.”
“We’ll see,” I said. But the bond between us was humming with something that felt dangerously close to hope. “We’ll see.”
30
— • —
Wen
“Honey, I’m home!”
