I blinked. That shouldn’t have been possible. She was at least thirty feet away.
And the smells. Oh god, the smells. I could smell everything. The cleaning products from this morning. The perfume the woman in the romance section was wearing. The nervous sweat from theteenager trying to work up the courage to buy an adult fantasy novel.
Wait. Could I actually smell nervousness?
I looked back at Mal, catching his eye. Winked at him because I couldn’t help it. Because he was mine now and I was his and everything felt electric and new.
He smiled back. Full and genuine and devastating. His hair was pulled into a bun at the back of his head, and his eyes were soft. Bright. Completely focused on me for that moment.
Then a customer approached with a book, and he reluctantly broke eye contact to help them.
My phone buzzed in my pocket. I pulled it out to find several messages in the group chat.
Daphne: My neighbor said the bookstore was closed yesterday afternoon? Is everything okay?
Bella: Yeah we were worried!
Krystin: Were you SICK or were you BUSY wink wink
I bit my lip, typing back: Everything’s fine. Better than fine actually.
Krystin: SPILL
Daphne: What happened??
Bella: Are you okay?? Did something happen with Mal??
I hesitated, then typed: We had sex.
My phone immediately exploded with messages.
Krystin: FINALLY
Daphne: OH MY GOD
Bella: WAS IT GOOD?!?!
Krystin: Was he huge? He looks huge. Tell me he was huge.
Daphne: Krystin oh my god
Krystin: WHAT I’m asking the important questions
I laughed, typing: It was amazing. He was amazing. I’m still processing.
Bella: So what happens now?
I stared at the message. What did happen now? Were we dating? Were we together? What exactly had changed besides the incredible sex and the bond that I could now feel humming between us?
I typed back: I don’t know. I have to ask him.
Krystin: Ask him WHAT? You’re mates. You’re bonded. Pretty sure that’s werewolf marriage.
Daphne: She has a point
Bella: This is so romantic I’m dying
I pocketed my phone, trying to ignore the flutter of nerves in my stomach. We needed to talk. Figure out what this meant. What we were. Did I want to be married? To anyone? Ever? I was twenty-three. I’d barely dated. And now I was potentially wolf-married to a king?
