Khel opened the door to our hut and stood back to allow Elm and Cy a moment to poke around.
“What that smell?” Elm rumbled out.
“What’s it smell like?” I asked.
“Peppered mint,” Cy answered for him.
“That would be Kehl,” I said easily.
Cy turned to eye Kehl where he stood at the door. “What part Kehl smell like that?”
“Do you really want me to answer that?” My lips twitched as my eyebrows shot up questioningly.
Kehl rumbled out something at them in their native tongue that had Cy and Elm making the same funny face. I had to assume that word meant baby batter or a similar equivalent.
Cy sniffed a moment longer before dropping the stink face and rumbling, “Smell nice. Better than other smells. Cy no care.”
Elm shook his head at his brother but quit making the face too.
Kehl stood in the doorway, having the time of his life.
Kehl never had siblings he was allowed to know. He was just happy to be a part of the chaos and thoroughly enjoying himself.
Stepping into our hut, he told me he wished to grab more wood, then looked to Cy. “Come help?”
Cy shrugged and nodded. Walking over to me, he gave me a kiss and followed Kehl out.
That left me and the big guy all alone.
Elm waited a second for the door to close and then he was practically rushing me. “My Pru,” he rumble-purred.
“Do you have a bunny form, too?” I asked as the thought occurred to me, this close up to those fat, curling horns Cy and Elm and even Birch were sporting.
“This Elm bunny form,” he rumbled out quietly.
“My parents were keeping us apart,” I blurted.
Elm’s head dipped in a sharp nod. “No want be ‘way my Pru. Elm have no choice.”
“I’m sorry. I thought- I thought a lot of things, actually,” I muttered.
“Elm always want my Pru,” he rumbled out softly.
Digging in my hoodie, I pulled out the Polaroid of our fake wedding day and held it out to him.
Elm smiled as he stared at it. “Pru always Elm mate,” he rumbled out, completely serious. Kissing me hard, he set me on my feet and lifted the sleeve of the red and black flannel he was wearing, showing me a faint scar beneath the hair on his arm.
“I bit you,” I blurted. I’d forgotten all about it.
Elm smiled and nodded, looking pleased as hell.
“And you bit me too!” Flopping to my butt, I worked on my boot. Shoving off my sock, exposing my pale foot, I lifted my leg, angling my calf to show the faint scar there. “You were in a fight with Cy and I ended up tangled up in it. You bit down on me, so I bit down on you.”
Elm joined me on the floor, picking up my boot to turn it in his hands. “Elm always love Pru. Always.”
“You bit me on purpose,” I guessed when he wouldn’t meet my gaze.
“Elm always know, Pru Elm mate.” Finally lifting his head, shining green eyes blazed into mine. “Elm always Pru’s.”
