Ares turns to him and smacks the back of his head. “She’s not going to freeze to death, don’t scare her. We’ll just need to stock up extra firewood for the house and get her some more clothes.”
My breath hitches in my chest as they squabble, but I continue to keep my head down and eat so I don’t need to look at them when I say, “It’s also a lot warmer sleeping next to one of you guys. It was pretty chilly last night and it’s only fall. I might need to borrow at least one of you as a personal heater until spring.”
Like a damn coward, I don’t look up to gauge their reactions, just focus on eating more than I’m accustomed to. By the time my stomach is full to bursting, I’ve only cleared about seventy percent of the plate, but I don’t want to make myself sick either.
Nobody comments from that point on and by the time I look at them again, whatever reaction my words received is long since hidden. We break into an easy routine of putting away leftovers and cleaning up without any more heavy issues, for which I’m thankful.
When I go to dig out my jacket so we can leave, I pull to an abrupt halt, looking around in surprise. “It’s like a whole new house.”
The living room is completely clean for the first time since coming here, and I retrace my steps around the house to give it a once over. When coming down from my shower I wasn’t paying attention, a desperate need for caffeine and hunger taking precedence.
Cole scratches the back of his head, looking guilty. “I was going through sort of a rough patch for a while and keeping up with the place just went on the back burner. Ares was busy making sure we didn’t fall behind on any of our projects and keeping up with the bills. So I thought it was only fair that I gutted it.”
I smile at him, trying to make sure there isn’t an ounce of pity in my gaze, because I can only imagine he’s seen his fair share over the years from the little bits and pieces I’ve managed to gather.
“You did an amazing job. Did you even get any sleep?”
He sheepishly looks to the side. “Not really.” His head tilts in Osiris’ direction before he sighs and looks at me, admitting, “Ares was convinced I was smothering you, but I knew if I went to bed, I wouldn’t have slept anyway.”
Giving Ozzy a grateful look at being a buffer for all of this awkward mess, I start to relax. I’ve clearly built things up in my head more than they have to be, and if I just take a step back, things might be a lot easier.
“Remind me not to change up my shampoo then so you guys don’t riot,” I tease, still getting used to this whole ‘you smell like mate’ nonsense.
Cole shrugs a single shoulder. “Wouldn’t matter. Even with Osiris coating you in his scent every day, you still smell like you. It doesn’t come from a shower, it’s just...you.”
I grimace. “Well thank gods it’s appealing then.”
He snickers, Ares coming back with my jacket since we got side tracked. “If we want to make it by nightfall, we need to get moving.” He holds it out for me to slip into and I fight the urge to lean back and rub against him like a needy kitten.
“Just how far of a drive is it?” I ask, surprised.
Ares raises a single eyebrow, turning his bright orange gaze onto me as I tilt my head up to face him. “Who said anything about driving?”
Eleven
Cole
“Why don’t you just ride me?” I offer again, torn between finding it adorable the way my mate trudges through the forest like a newborn deer, and terrified she’s going to break her neck.
She scoffs, fixing her ponytail to recapture all of the stray hairs that have slipped out and are sticking to the side of her face. “If I can’t even walk around in the wilds, how am I supposed to live here?”
I think she’s coming around to the idea.
“Of course she is!”Ares replies, like there was never any doubt.“She belongs with us. Even if she doesn’t have animalistic instincts, it’s clear she feels it too. What sane human would willingly snuggle up beside a damn panther unless it was their mate?”
Osiris scouted ahead and is nestled in some low branches about a mile out.“She just needs time. Everything she’s feeling right now goes against what she was raised to believe is okay. To the humans, if it seems too good to be true, it is. You need to sacrifice your own happiness for the sake of doing what’s expected of you, and if you don’t, you’re a selfish, horrible person.”
“Fuck, they’re a mess,”Ares scoffs, disgusted, and I have to agree.
“Like a jungle princess?” I offer, falling into step beside her so I can catch her if she trips.
She snorts, the most unladylike sound I think I’ve heard from her, and my grin takes over my face. “Sure, Bagheera.”
“To be fair, he was the smartest one in that movie. But nobody ever listens to the logical ones.”
She stops dead in her tracks, whirling around so quickly I’m surprised she’s still upright. “You got my reference.”
I share a confused look with Ares. “I mean, it’s a classic. And call me a narcissist, but more movies should have jungle cat representation; the wolves took over everything.”
