Chapter 22
CADE
Night has settled deep into NightShade, the halls are quiet, the old bones of the house creaking in a way that finally feels familiar instead of threatening. Rowan’s room—which I’ve invited myself into until she says otherwise—is dim except for the lamp on her dresser.
I’m already stretched out across the bed, propped against the headboard, lying on top of the comforter because I don’t trust myself not to drag her underneath it with me the moment she gets close.
I may be inserting myself into her space, but I’m not going to push her.
She needs rest, not whatever instinct has been chewing at my insides since she’s been back.
From the adjoining bathroom, I hear the soft rush of water and the rhythmic sound of her brushing her teeth. A mundane, completely normal noise—and gods, it destroys me more thoroughly than any battle ever has.
Her silhouette shifts behind the cracked door. Then Rowan peeks out, toothbrush sticking out of her mouth like she’s forgotten it’s there.
“Has Elias heard anything from the pack about our little meeting earlier?” she asks around the bristles, her words muffled and adorable enough to make my heart jerk.
I can’t help the small smile. “Most are pleased to see me stepping up. A few are struggling to differentiate what they’ve been told about you from what they saw in your strength earlier. Mostly, they’re all intrigued by your eyes.”
She blinks and glances back at the bathroom before pulling her toothbrush out. “I’ve gotten so used to them already, I forgot they’re not normal.”
White foam dribbles down her chin, and she wipes it away with the back of her hand. Something tight and aching unfurls in my chest.
Gods, is this really my life now?
She holds up a finger. “Be right back.” Going to the sink, she spits, rinses, and speaks around the faucet running, “I would have finished before I came to talk to you, but I was afraid you’d fall asleep without me.”
I huff a quiet laugh. “I don’t think that’s possible any longer.”
When she returns, she’s in pale blue silk pajamas that look too soft, too inviting, too dangerous—and every rational part of me snaps like a cheap string.
She pads toward me, brow raised. “Have I broken the big, grumpy alpha with my mere existence?”
Her tone is teasing, but the light in her kaleidoscope eyes is something else entirely—warm, bright, and claiming.
My smile pulls wider. “Would you have a problem with that if I said yes?”
She takes two slow steps toward the bed, then leans over just far enough that I can feel her breath touch my cheek. “Maybe. Maybe not.” Her lips quirk. “If you’re brave enough, you’ll find out.”
Our mate is challenging us, my wolf growls with approval. Don’t disappoint her.
I don’t intend to.
I reach for her face, brushing my thumb lightly across her skin—gentle, deliberate, but giving her every chance to pull away. She doesn’t. She leans in.
“You, Rowan Prescott,” I murmur, “became my entire existence the moment I broke through that window and saw your wide, terrified, absolutely beautiful eyes. In seconds, you shattered me, remade me, and ensured nothing in my world would ever be the same again. So yes, if you want to call me broken, fine. But the cracks you made in me? I’m not ashamed of them. Not now. Not ever.”
A single tear spills down her cheek, and she scowls at me through it. “You are… That was… Why?”
Before I can answer, more tears fall, and she crawls closer, practically climbing into my lap. I pull her against my chest and tug the comforter over her shoulders, wrapping her in warmth even as my chest tightens with something fierce and soft all at once.
“Because,” I whisper into her hair, “there will never be anything more important in my life than you. I may have tried my best to fight that truth at first, but not anymore. It’s me and you against the world, and I’ll be on whatever side you need me to be.”
She lets out a watery, incredulous laugh. “I think you’ve broken me now.”
I press a kiss to the top of her head, smiling. “Then I’ll put you back together just the same.”
“Thank you,” she whispers, the words small, tired, and done with the heavy for tonight.
Rowan settles against my chest, her head finding a natural fit over my heart, her hair spilling around us like a curtain. My hand drifts into the strands, brushing through them briefly before sliding to the warm skin of her shoulder—right where her new marking glows faintly beneath the low light.
“I’m sorry you had to hurt for this,” I murmur, pushing aside the strap of her silk shirt and tracing the edge of the sigil. “But you handled it better than anyone could’ve expected.”
She tugs at the collar of my shirt, pulling the fabric aside until black ink shows beneath. “Why doesn’t mine look like yours?”
“Because I was branded when I was eight,” I say simply. “Magic has come a long way in the last three or so decades. And you’re not just a shifter—your spell needed to be different. Exactly why I only trusted Mildred to do it.”
Her eyes nearly launch out of their sockets. “Eight? They tortured you like that at eight years old? What was wrong with your parents? That’s—Cade, that’s child abuse.”
A low laugh rumbles out of me. “It’s part of our world.
I didn’t know any better. Besides, even wolf packs don’t want a bunch of naked kids shifting back and forth all over the place.
Eight is about when boys and girls start getting curious about one another.
Not that they’re having sex, but still.”
She blinks hard. “Seriously?”
I shrug. “We mature faster than humans.”
She yawns, long and slow. “I guess so.”
“You’ve had one hell of a day.” I pull the blankets tighter around her small frame. “Sleep. We’ll talk more in the morning.”
Her heavy-lidded gaze drifts toward me, pausing long enough that I know she’s only now noticing the fact that I’m still lying on top of the comforter. Not under it with her. Not wrapped around her the way every bone in my body wants to be.
She doesn’t call me out. Instead, she murmurs, “It’s strange, isn’t it? How easy all of this feels. I should be panicking, or second-guessing, or making a pro-con list, but I’m not. I’m comfortable, right here with you. Faster than I expected.”
A slow heat crawls through my chest, and I adjust my position enough to face her fully. “Good,” I say softly, stroking her cheek. “It’s supposed to feel like that.”
She laughs—sounding impossibly tired—and she leans into my hand. “I should say this isn’t fair, that you used wolfy magic on me, but I don’t even care. I just want you here.”
“Rest now, mate. I’m not going anywhere. Not without you.”
My words are a promise, a brand as real as that new tattoo of hers, and I’ll remind her every day if I need to.
Her breathing softens, and I let the stillness settle around us, letting her exhaustion bleed into my body, her warmth into my skin, her presence into every place that’s been hollow for far too long.
The next morning, I woke long before Rowan. I’d lain there for a while, enjoying her company and steady heartbeat, but after Elias reached out, I knew staying inside the bedroom, hiding from what’s out there, was no longer an option.
After slipping out of bed as quietly as possible, I go get dressed in my room just down the hall.
By the time I return, she’s already up and getting ready for the day.
She’s wearing jeans and a cream sweater, and her hair is mussed adorably, but there’s a frown tugging at her mouth as she stands in the middle of the room, turning in a slow circle with a lost look in her eyes.
“What’s wrong?” My muscles coil before the question even finishes leaving my mouth as I survey the room.
“Huh?” She blinks at me, startled. Then she sighs and gestures to the corner. “Sorry. I just saw Archie’s jerky sticks and realized… I completely forgot about him last night. He always sleeps with me.”
And this is where I might have my biggest problem with the vermin.
He’s not just a stray animal. There’s a being in there, one who sees and hears, and I don’t intend to share my mate at all hours of the night with him.
But looking at her downturned mouth, I know there might need to be a transitional period.
I could accidentally eat him, my wolf suggests, and I wipe a hand over my mouth to cover my grin.
That’s certainly an idea, but no, I reply. We couldn’t do that to Rowan.
I know, but still, maybe just a nibble out of his tail.
Absolutely not.
Rowan sits on the edge of a chair to put on her boots, her shoulders curling inward. “I’m sure he’s fine. It’s just until I came here, he was the only constant in my life.” Her voice softens. “It’s fine.”
It isn’t. Not to me.
I close the distance in a heartbeat and kneel in front of her, gently taking the boot from her hand until she looks at me. Really looks.
“If you want Archie closer, we’ll figure that out,” I say, meaning every word, even as a part of me internally howls. “I’m sure he understands last night. He might have even been giving us space. I doubt he expects to share the bed with both of us.”
Her face freezes, then…
“Oh my gods.” Her eyes widen in absolute horror. “Does everyone think we’re in here having sex already!?”
I bark out a laugh before I can stop it. “Doubtful. But they know how wolves are—especially males with new mates. We don’t exactly like to share.”
Her blush blooms so fast it should qualify as a supernatural ability. “Oh.”
I slide her boot on and pull the laces snug.
“Archie can stay with us if you want,” I continue.
“Or I can sleep in my room again. But if I’m being honest…
” I meet her gaze, letting the truth settle between us, “I’d rather have you to myself.
Though that doesn’t mean I won’t do what you want.
Your needs will always come before my own. Unless they put your life at risk.”
She narrows her eyes, an amused spark lighting her expression. “You just had to add that last bit, didn’t you? It was almost romantic.”
I huff a quiet laugh. “What can I say? I’m a work in progress.” I rise and offer her my hand, helping her stand once both boots are on. “Which is why I’ve been wanting to ask you something since yesterday morning, but haven’t.”
She lifts a brow, curiosity brightening her prism eyes. “And what’s that?”
“I was wondering about something you mentioned before, from being with Malrik.” Even saying his name out loud makes my jaw clench. I hate that her past and that asshole have to share the same sentence. “He taught you how to control your siphon ability, but to what extent? Only to hurt people?”
She shakes her head quickly. “No. Not like that. At least not entirely.”
Her posture shifts—shoulders rising, eyes brightening, something like curiosity and pride flickering through her expression. The sight hits me harder than I expect. She thrives on understanding her power. She likes feeling capable and confident, as she should.
And gods help me, seeing her embrace that strength lights something in my chest that I didn’t know I needed.
“It wasn’t really about using the ability,” she explains, eyes drifting to some memory I wish I had been part of.
“It was about control. He pushed that part a lot. He wanted me to be able to wield it without hesitation.” Her mouth twists.
“I don’t know the reason for that yet, but I do know it made me feel less…
dangerous.” Then, she shrugs. “Though nobody has scared the hell out of me or pissed me off since we got back, so who knows. Maybe I learned nothing.”
“That’s a lie, and you know it,” I say flatly.
Her brows shoot up, likely surprised that I’m not letting her downplay herself. That’s not something anyone is allowed to do, not even herself, not while I’m around.
My wolf huffs in agreement. She has no idea what she’s capable of. We should be the ones teaching her now.
We will, I reassure him.
“I’ll find a way for you to continue testing your strengths,” I continue, squeezing her hand, “but in the meantime, I have something that might help you remind yourself what you’re capable of. If you’re up for it, that is.”
She grabs my hands in both of hers and looks up at me with excitement and purpose bubbling under her skin. “What would that be?”
Hell, there isn’t anything I wouldn’t do for this woman. Not when she stares at me like this.
“Ever since you told me you were able to latch onto Malrik’s power, I’ve been wondering…” I pause, choosing my words carefully, because what I’m about to ask her is risky at best. “Whether you can remove the hold he has on others. We have—”
Her fingers clamp around mine so tightly that even I almost wince. “Are you asking if I’ll help siphon that bastard’s energy out of the wolves from the fight?” Her eyes spark like wildfire. “Because hell yes. Where are they? I’m ready right now.”
“Well,” I say, amused and impressed all at once, “I’m most concerned with one wolf in particular.
A council member. The others may already have been transported back to Glacier Crest Pack.
Taren, though, I think she wants to help more, but she physically can’t, and I’d like to know if she can be trusted without Malrik’s influence.
Elias reached out this morning, and things aren’t good.
I need to get the council reformed before the packs get worse, and she’s the first step in that. ”
She frowns. “Worse how?”
“Some of them are reporting a sickness moving through the wolves,” I share. “One pregnant mom came far too close to losing her pup during delivery too. Complications like that haven’t happened in over two decades. It could be a fluke, but I doubt it.”
“I wish I knew more about the packs.” Her sigh is heavy with the weight she’s been putting on herself.
I cup the back of her head and kiss her temple, letting my lips linger against her skin. “You will,” I promise. “In time, when you need to know.”
She pulls back, determination igniting in her gaze like a match being struck. “Take me to the council member. Even if I don’t understand everything yet, I know I can help with this. And if it pisses off Malrik in the process?” A wicked grin curves her mouth. “That’s a win-win.”
The fire is back in her, a determination I’ve yet to see from her, but one that looks damn sexy on her.
“Then,” I say, offering her my hand, “let me show you the way.”
My wolf rises in full agreement. Our mate is ready to hunt.
Yes, she is.