Chapter 5 - Kira
Gwen hugged her tightly. “Just remember, if you need anything, let me know. I’m here and I’ll bring hell down on Joshua if you ask.”
Kira buried her face into Gwen’s shoulder.
After Gwen questioned her on this ‘relationship’, Kira hadn’t been able to tell her the full truth.
She didn’t want to seem like a pathetic woman who was forced into something she didn’t want, so she’d gone with a part-truth—that the council decided they’d get married.
That Joshua was being Joshua, but seemed to think that it was the best option.
Rather than tell the truth about walking out of the wedding, Kira had made up a lie.
“There was a misunderstanding. Joshua cleared things up for me. It’s not as bad as it seems. Though I suppose the pack will hate me all the more for embarrassing him.”
Now, Kira closed her eyes tightly and released Gwen before she forced a bright smile on her face. “I know you will. But it’s not necessary, honest. Joshua and I just have to work on our communication.”
Gwen gave her a small, unconvinced smile but didn’t push. “Do you want help with packing up your stuff?”
Pack. Kira stiffened at the word. He would expect her to move in with him, wouldn’t he?
She looked around at her home. After living here for so long, feeling like she was barely eking by, she had finally started to establish a feeling of permanence.
The mortgage was paid off, and she was just starting to think about what improvements she would make.
She’d drawn up a few fun ideas for a library tower addition.
Now Joshua had invaded her life, pushed his way into her circle, and she was a married woman. At least Woods was slightly more interesting than Smithson. It was a name that held more respect in the pack, at least.
“I’ll see to it myself. I don’t think Joshua and I will be living together like that right away,” Kira said, hedging.
Gwen’s lips pressed together. “Kira… if there’s anything you want to tell me—”
“I mean, we’ll be moving back and forth, you know?” Kira said quickly. She smiled, hiding the turmoil of emotions inside of her.
Gwen hugged her one last time, still looking doubtful.
When she was gone, Kira slumped onto her couch.
These were the first few hours of her marriage, and they were spent with her groom, who knows where.
Not that she wanted Joshua around. If he was really being forced into this marriage as much as she was, then she saw no reason why they needed to live as husband and wife.
Oh, it would cause gossip, but that would die away as their living arrangement became normal.
That meant she didn’t have to pack anything. And it meant she didn’t have to wonder where he was. Or if he really was willing to go celibate for this marriage.
Kira huffed and reached behind herself, unzipping her dress. No point in staying all dolled up. In fact, she was going to do something that would require a ton of effort, so she would stop thinking about Joshua altogether.
***
Kira had just finished constructing her fourth set of freezer meals, which she planned to drop off to various members of the pack that would need something quick and easy to eat in the coming weeks, when her doorbell rang. She washed her hands and dried them on her apron as she headed for the door.
A shiver ran down her spine as soon as she touched the doorknob. Her breath caught in her chest. She knew exactly who was on the other side. For a moment, she was frozen, gaze on her hand, not knowing if she should answer or simply pretend like she wasn’t home.
Two solid knocks came on the door. “Kira, let me in.”
Her neighbors knew she was home. They’d notice if she left her husband standing on the doorsteps. She wondered how people would react if they knew the truth about her marriage, how she had been forced into it. Gwen would be on her side, that much she was certain of. But the rest of the pack?
It’s not just about me, either. If the pack ends up split over this issue, or they lose respect for Joshua, then how effective will his continued efforts be?
She ground her teeth. If he wasn’t such a hypocrite—but that path of thinking wasn’t going to help.
She yanked open the door. Joshua stood on the front step, his hair tousled, wearing jeans and a t-shirt.
It wasn’t fair how much more handsome he was in this casual, everyday outfit than when he was dressed up in a suit, standing at the altar.
Memories of his hands on her body, his lips on her neck, and his voice in her ear. They came so strong and suddenly that she gasped. Joshua glanced around.
“What?”
Kira shook herself. “Nothing. What are you doing here?”
Joshua frowned at her. “People will think it’s strange if we don’t spend the night together.”
Heat rushed to her cheeks. People would assume that their wedding night was a normal one, even though their wedding had been unconventional. “Come back at night, then. You don’t need to stand here gathering attention.”
A few of her neighbors had already come out to their porches, pretending not to watch. Kira wrapped her arms around herself. She didn’t want this to turn into a spectacle. By all rights, she should just let him in. They could have the conversation privately and—
“I have work to do. Just pack up a night bag, and we can get going,” Joshua said.
Kira stiffened. He wasn’t asking to spend the night here. He expected her to uproot herself and move in with him. That was so typical.
“I’m not going anywhere with you. What’s the point of spending the night together anyway? Everyone will say how I walked out. They’re going to be talking about us anyway,” Kira argued. More of her neighbors were emerging from their houses to watch. “Besides, it’s not a real marriage.”
Joshua leaned in closer. “The Elder Council doesn’t care about whether we like each other or not. What they care about is that we’re trying to create the super-witch-wolves to protect the town.”
And children were the one thing that he had no intention of giving her.
Kira opened her mouth to snap back as her chest tightened.
But her neighbors weren’t even pretending not to pay attention anymore.
Did Joshua know this was going to happen?
Did he intend to use peer pressure to persuade her to change her mind?
“I don’t want to move in with you.” Kira lowered her voice.
Joshua frowned. “What?”
She glared at him. “I said, Why don’t you move in with me instead of me moving in with you?”
“Where would I sleep?” He gave her a pointed look. “Would you want me to share a bed with you? Or would I take over Chelsey’s room?”
Kira hesitated. That was a good point. There really wasn’t anywhere for him to stay here.
Besides, would she rather leaver her space temporarily, or deal with Joshua in her home?
She could just imagine the stress of trying to move through her normal routine, only with him on the couch.
Rearranging her things. Leaving the toilet seat up.
“We need to keep up appearances.” Joshua leaned forward, reaching out his hand.
Kira tensed, but he didn’t touch her. Instead, he leaned against the doorjamb, his golden gaze growing even more intense.
“The last thing I want is for the Elders to start ragging on us to be intimate. If we’re living in the same house, they’ll ask but won’t press. ”
“I…” Kira hesitated. She stepped back. “Come in.”
Joshua’s lips thinned, but he entered the house.
Kira closed the door behind him and retreated several steps.
They watched each other warily, as though both of them were waiting for the other to turn into a gorgon.
Heat sparked beneath Kira’s skin at how close he was.
They hadn’t been alone together since… well, since she gave him her virginity.
There had always been some factor to be aware of.
People who could creep up on them, or wait for a call, or any number of things.
Now it was just the two of them, and four walls separated them from everyone else.
“I… will pack,” she said quickly, turning on her heel.
Her mouth was dry as she went to her bedroom and shoved some clothes and toiletries into a bag. Did she need anything else?
Condoms, the thought came unbidden. A thrill of heat shot straight through her, pooling between her legs.
Kira hissed and leaned against the bed, trying to fight back these unwelcome feelings.
Joshua already said they weren’t going to have sex.
And she didn’t want to have sex, not with him at least. Not tonight.
This situation was already quite weird and uncomfortable. Besides, she hated him.
I hate Joshua Woods. I don’t want to sleep with him.
Kira took a few deep breaths to calm herself. She finished packing, then headed back to the entrance. Joshua waited with his hands in his pockets, looking around the house with a hard, blank expression. Was he judging her living space?
“Ready?” Joshua asked.
A nod.
“We’ve drawn a crowd,” he warned as he took her bag. He swung the door open and stepped out.
Kira followed, gasping when she saw he wasn’t lying. The crowd that had gathered was more than just her neighbors. Her stomach twisted, and her hands clenched into fists automatically. She moved instinctively closer to Joshua as they started walking.
“That was quite some wedding,” one of the women said, staring hard at Kira. “What was going on anyway?”
They were all staring at her. Kira’s lungs didn’t seem to want to inflate.
One of the men slung his arm around the woman. “Gotta admit we were pretty shocked when we heard. So what’s this about?”
A few of the crowd nudged each other in the ribs and pointed at Kira’s stomach.
It was obvious—they thought she was pregnant.
She wasn’t sure what was more humiliating, that assumption or the truth.
If people knew this was about her witch status, they might be getting their pitchforks ready.
Or maybe they would all start looking into their heritage, trying to find evidence that they were witch descendants so that they could snap up Michael while he was still single.
“I’m surprised that you actually went through with it,” a woman said as she moved to the front of the group. Kira thought her name was Sandy.
Joshua put an arm around Kira’s waist. “There was some miscommunication. My fault. Kira was right to be angry with me at the wedding, but we’ve settled the issue now.”
Sandy moved closer. “But why even marry her to start with?”
Kira shot a glare at the other woman. Really? She expected people to whisper and wonder why they got married, but not to say it so blatantly to her face.
“It’s only natural to marry one’s mate.” Joshua pulled her tighter against him.
The woman’s eyes flicked toward Kira, looking her up and down.
Kira couldn’t stop the look of shock on her face.
Sandy saw it, and a grin of satisfaction spread over her face.
She flipped her hair over her shoulder and put her hands on her hips.
Her chest puffed out, making her boobs look bigger.
They were a decent size, too. Kira glanced at her own chest. She was wearing a sports bra and—
Oh! She’d left all her cooking! Joshua’s arrival had driven it entirely from her mind.
“Are you sure?” Sandy laughed as she wrapped a hand around Joshua’s bicep. “I’m not saying that you’re lying, of course, but how could she be your mate? Aren’t you worried she’ll bolt again?”
Kira opened her mouth to say it was none of Sandy’s business, but stopped. She closed her eyes, hating that Joshua had put her in this position in the first place.
“My relationship is not for you to question,” Joshua growled at Sandy.
Sandy laughed again, brushing up close enough that her boobs pressed into Joshua’s side. “It’s just so unlike you.”
Kira’s stomach dropped. She recognized that seductive, familiar tone. Sandy must be one of Joshua’s women. She couldn’t stay here any longer. Joshua was trying to move them forward, but the crowd was so thick that it was difficult to make progress. So she twisted herself free.
“I left the stove on,” she blurted, grateful for the excuse.
She hurried away before she could see the disbelief on Sandy’s face. Titters followed her. Kira’s shoulders stayed hunched, her head bowed. Great. This was just what she needed, wasn’t it? To be disrespected and humiliated on top of being an outcast.