Pucked By The Puca (Monstrous Meet Cutes)

17. CHAPTER SEVETEEN

CHAPTER SEVETEEN

Time blurs.

Day changes to night and back again, but I barely notice the shift because I’m too wrapped up with Pem.

My mate.

Part of me still wants to pinch myself whenever I think the words. It happened so fast, but it feels so right.

The sun is rising for the second time when Pem slips his hard length from my sopping center, and we collapse on top of the snow.

Somewhere between our intense bouts of coupling and the first night, we shifted into fox form again and burrowed a tunnel into the icy landscape to make an igloo of sorts.

By all accounts, the two of us should be frozen solid, but the heat we’ve continuously generated has melted our snow roof more times than I can count.

We doze for a bit until the drip, drip, drip of water falling into my face from above wakes me.

It’s brighter out now, and the weak sunshine greets me when I finally crack open a blurry eye. I sigh and snuggle closer into my mate.

Who’s still inside of me.

He hardens when I wiggle, and I bite my lip to keep from laughing. My heat is finally waning, but I’m not sure I’ll ever get enough of this man.

Just as Pem starts to move, there’s a ferocious roar that echoes into the quiet, shaking our snow home and caving in the roof.

Instinctively, I shift into my Gumiho form as Pem helps me out of the now ruined shelter. He stares across the frozen lake where I spy two brown bears.

Their size alone tells me they’re not actual bears—not to mention Iceland doesn’t have any native Ursids.

The occasional polar bear from Greenland, perhaps, but nothing like these monstrous beasts coming toward us.

“Pem, do you know them?”

“Yes. I’ll be right back.”

He shifts into a fox so he can bound across the ice with ease, skidding to a stop before the others—who I assume must be Puca as Pem said his father’s kind could change into any form.

Their interaction is brief, and in seconds, my mate is back at my side, his eyes wide and mouth pursed.

“What’s wrong?”

“I…Iseol, I’m so sorry. I have to go. I didn’t realize the day—”

Some of his panic sinks into me.

“What day is it?”

“Sunday.”

Sunday?

“Oh, gods!”

Before Pem can say anything more, I shift from a fox into a song golmae, the fastest bird in the world.

“I have to go, too. I’ll…I’ll come back. When I can.”

Pem stares, his brow furrowed, and my heart breaks a bit that I don’t have time to tell him what’s going on.

I should—this is my mate, after all.

But I’m late.

And the first game of the finals starts in less than an hour, judging by where the sun sits in the sky, and I’ve failed my cousin and his team.

I’ve lost two days to my heat—crucial days of training where the Ice Giants needed me to guide them.

Guilt tears through me as I flap my wings, lifting me high into the air. I don’t want to leave him, but what choice do I have?

“I’ll explain later, I promise!”

Our bond hums between us at my vow. Every instinct in me screams to stay, to curl against him, let the world fade to white again.

But I can’t.

I glance down just once—just for a heartbeat. Pem stands where I left him, staring up at me, his fox ears twitching.

His gaze burns with something raw as he says something, but I don’t hear, the wind whipping away the sound.

But I already know.

It’s the way his shoulders tense—the way he shifts from paw to paw, like he’s forcing himself to stay put instead of chasing after me.

Swallowing hard, I fly faster than I’ve ever moved in my entire life to the hotel so I can put on clean clothes since I’m still naked.

I trip twice trying to put on my beoseon before whipping my hair into the braid and tying it off with a light blue and navy daenggi to match the Ice Giants’ colors.

Grabbing my phone, I check to make sure my cousin’s wife and baby are well. There are a million messages, and I smack my head against the wall.

Shooting a brief text to my cousin, I then shift back into a falcon and race to the frozen lake where the first game is being held.

A pang of remorse clamors in my chest at the sight. It reminds me so much of our lake—Pem’s and my secret place where we joined both our bodies and our hearts.

Before I left him abruptly.

I groan as I shift back into my maiden form next to Kening. I have so much explaining to do, it’s not even funny.

“Kening, I am so sor—”

My words are cut off when the K?ldrisi wraps me up in a fierce hug. The rest of the team skates over, creating a circle around us.

Finally, Kening steps back a bit. “Are you alright, Iseol?”

“I…yeah. I’m sorr—”

The enormous monster holds up a hand. “Please, you don’t need to apologize. I speak for the team when I say we’re just happy that you’re safe.”

“But I failed you.”

All the guys immediately shake their heads, and Kening frowns.

“You didn’t fail us. Life…happens. Sometimes you have no control over it.”

“B-b-but I scared you all. Left you hanging. Oh gods, have you all thought something happened with the baby?! Because everyone is fine!”

“No. We knew…” Kening trails off as the rest of the team shuffles about on their skates. The K?ldrisi clears his throat before continuing. “We could smell your heat.”

My cheeks warm, and I know my face must be an embarrassing shade of violet. I duck my head, hiding from my team.

There’s no judgement in his voice, but I’m sure Kening thinks I’m most irresponsible not taking suppressants during a time like this.

And even though he says I don’t owe him an explanation, I still feel like he deserves it.

“It was my first,” I whisper for his ears only, although I’m sure the rest of the team hears.

Perks of being a monster.

Kening’s expression softens as he pats my shoulder. “I hope it was special.”

“It…it was perfect.”

“Good—you deserve nothing less. Now, we’ve been practicing your moves, so please don’t fret about missing out the last couple of days. The team is fine, and we’re ready to win today.”

Around me, the guys cheer, and I let out a watery chuckle.

“You are all…amazing. Thank you so much for understanding. And I know you’re going to win.”

“All because of you, Coach.”

Again, everyone nods, and some of the anxiety inside of me unclenches. Of course, I still have to talk with Pem, but it helps that my team isn’t angry.

“Ok, hands in, everyone!” Kening directs.

The mélange of monstrous fingers reach for the center of the circle, and I smile at the sight. So many different backgrounds all coming together in unity.

We count to three and shout ‘Go Ice Giants’ before breaking apart. The team disperses onto the ice, as they go through their warm-ups.

Every pass is perfect.

Every shot precise.

They’re ready.

But underneath the pride I feel, something restless stirs, and I realize with a start it’s my bond with Pem.

It buzzes with agitation, and I’m not sure if it’s from me—or him. Kening skates over, his gaze too assessing.

“You sure that you’re ok, Iseol?”

I paste a smile on my face, adjusting the dark blue skirts of my hanbok.

“Yep.”

He doesn’t look convinced, but a whistle pierces the air, signaling the start of the game. The K?ldrisi shakes his head, but doesn’t press me.

For this, I’m grateful. I can’t focus on what happened with Pem and I. Not right now, but later I know that I’ll drown in all the emotions I’ve tamped back.

I sigh, willing myself to focus, despite how I swear a piece of Pem now resides within my soul, calling to me incessantly.

No, Iseol.

Hockey first.

Heart later.

Here’s to hoping Pem understands.