"That was..." I trail off, unable to find words.
"Yeah," he agrees, arms wrapping around me. "It was."
We stay like that for a while, just holding each other in the golden morning light. Eventually the sun climbs higher andreality starts to intrude. The sun is higher now, probably mid morning. We've definitely missed first period.
"I should get back to my dorm," I say eventually, even though I don't want to move.
"Why?"
"Because Lily is probably freaking out and because everyone will know I spent the night here."
"Good. Let them know." He props himself up on one elbow and looks down at me. "The second I bit you, you became mine in the eyes of every shifter who sees you. Hiding won't change it."
"I'm not hiding."
"Then stay." His hand traces down my side possessively. "Let me feed you breakfast. Let me take care of my mate."
The word mate sends warmth spreading through me. Julian calls me his mate in private, in secret moments when we're alone. Caspian says it like a proclamation, like he wants the whole world to know.
"Okay," I say. "Late breakfast then."
His grin is triumphant and territorial. He kisses me once more, hard and thorough, before rolling out of bed. I watch him move around the room naked and unashamed, grabbing clothes from drawers. The muscles in his back flex as he pulls on sweatpants. I can see the scratches I left on his shoulders last night, red marks across his skin.
He catches me staring and smirks. "Like what you see?"
"Maybe."
"Only maybe?" He tosses me one of his t-shirts. It's huge on me, falling to mid thigh when I pull it on. "Get dressed. I'll order food."
His scent surrounds me the moment I put the shirt on. Pine and winter and Alpha male. Claiming me even when he's not touching me.
He makes a phone call. "Yeah, send up breakfast for two. Full spread. Caspian Jett, Alpha wing suite." He hangs up.
"You can just order from the kitchen?" I ask.
He smirks. "I'm a Jett. Of course I can."
Twenty minutes later there's a knock at the door. He answers it and comes back with bags from the Academy kitchen, special delivery.
We eat on his couch and it feels strangely domestic. Normal. Like we've done this a thousand times instead of this being the first morning after our claiming.
He sits close enough that our thighs touch and steals bites of my pancake even though he has his own. When syrup drips onto my chin he leans over and kisses it away, grinning at my surprised laugh.
"What?" he asks innocently.
"Nothing. Just... this is nice."
"Yeah?" He wraps an arm around my shoulders and pulls me against his side. "Get used to it. Planning on keeping you here as often as possible."
The casual possessiveness should bother me but it doesn't. Instead I find myself relaxing into him, enjoying the simple intimacy of sharing breakfast in comfortable silence.
"What happens now?" I ask around a bite of pancake.
"What do you mean?"
"We're bonded and everyone is going to know. Chase is still investigating me. The Council..." I trail off.
His jaw tightens. "The Council can't touch you. You're under Jett Pack protection now, and you're my mate. They'd have to go through me to get to you."
