Chapter 24 #2
Something in her tone makes me glance at her. She frowns as we dodge a collapsed stack of chairs. “Your mom disappeared the night of the last big one.”
The words land heavier than I expect.
I slow a fraction, my chest tightening. I don’t think I’ve given Iris enough credit over the last few weeks.
Or maybe I’ve given her too much blame. I know there are always two sides to every story, but I also never really got my mom’s.
Just fragments of how Iris wanted to force my mother into a life she didn’t want.
That she was protecting me from that same fate.
If only we could go back…
We manage to avoid Iris and her offending dirty foot rags and make it upstairs to Liz’s room. The moment the door shuts behind us, I fling myself onto her bed face-first, limbs splayed like I’ve been dropped from a height.
“I could sleep for a week,” I mumble into the pillow, “but at the same time, I feel like I could run for a week.”
Liz sits beside me, the mattress dipping under her weight, and grins. “I could give you some scientific answer about adrenaline and recovery cycles, but honestly? I’m starting to think nothing about you makes sense.” She nudges my shoulder. “I heard you saved Taren’s life this morning.”
I roll onto my back and shrug. “It wasn’t a big deal.”
She gives me a look. “You healed a very prominent wolf council member. It’s going to be a very big deal, Ro. So is you being Cade’s mate.” She tilts her head. “How’s that going since you’ve been back?”
Heat creeps up my neck. My smile betrays me before I can stop it. “Perfectly.”
Liz hums, unconvinced, and leans closer, peeking pointedly at my throat. “Doesn’t seem like it.”
I blink. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
She arches a brow. “Are you not ready to commit because he’s bad in bed?”
That has me choking and sitting back up. “Umm, no. We haven’t had sex.”
Her eyes widen. “You’ve spent two nights in a bed with that specimen of a man beast, and you haven’t…” She shakes her head slowly. “With the bond and the way he looks at you, I figured you were already a goner.”
I groan and fall back again. “It’s not like that.”
“But,” she adds, softer now, “there’s nothing wrong with waiting. If that’s what you want.”
And that’s the problem.
“I don’t know what I want,” I admit quietly. “I mean, I do. I just—”
She gasps suddenly. Loud and dramatic. “Oh my gods. Are you a virgin?”
I laugh, real and unguarded. “No. Thankfully.” I stare at the ceiling, the humor fading into something more fragile. “It’s just different with him. Things finally feel easy. What if it complicates them again?”
Liz studies me for a moment, then shrugs. “I wish I could say I know what that’s like, but vampires don’t mate for life.” A smirk tugs at her lips. “We mate for power.”
That makes me frown, but she doesn’t let the mood sink.
“So,” she presses, nudging me again. “You’re afraid of the commitment? The emotional overload? The whole one soul, one fate thing?” Her eyes narrow as she really looks at me now. “Come on. There’s something holding you back.”
And she’s right.
I just don’t know how to say it out loud yet.
She clicks her fangs together as her expression softens. She leans back on her palms, legs stretched out in front of her, and studies the ceiling like the answer might be written there before glancing at me again.
“I got it,” she says with a raised finger. “You’re stuck on the bite.”
I grimace. “Am I that obvious?”
“No, but biting is kind of my thing,” she replies smugly. “Or it was before I switched to blood bags. More convenient and cleaner. Anyway, that’s it. Human-you thinks it’s probably the most savage, disgusting, painful thing to exist. But don’t feel bad. I would feel the same way.”
I sit up again, hugging a pillow to my chest. “It’s not the pain.
I’ve had enough of that not to worry. It’s just…
” I trail off, searching for the right words.
“Weird. I know that sounds stupid, especially after all I’ve done since arriving here, but seriously. I’m supposed to bite into his flesh?!”
That sends Liz into a full-on spiral of laughter. “I’m sorry, my friend. I swear, I’m not laughing at you. It’s just… You’re right. Wolves are odd creatures, but the bite isn’t some violent claiming, Rowan. It’s not about the physical act of it. It’s about alignment.”
That makes me pause.
She continues, gentler now. “I’m assuming another man has nibbled on you at some point, right?
” I nod with a shrug. “And that felt good?” Another nod because again, not wrong.
“This is the same thing except there will be a slight blood exchange, but since you heal so quickly as a shifter… It won’t even feel like that big of a deal. ”
I pick at a loose thread on the pillowcase. “You’re making a lot of sense, but how do you know all of this?”
She’s making me wish I’d come to her right after I learned about the bite.
“I’ve been alive for a while, Ro,” she says with a wink.
“Most things between supernaturals aren’t secret, and working in NightShade, it’s good for me to know about our guests.
So, try not to worry. It’s fine if you wait, but you shouldn’t be scared either.
Cade isn’t some feral idiot who’s going to rip your throat open or lose his mind because he didn’t get to sink his teeth into you fast enough. ”
I snort despite myself.
“I’d kill him if he were,” she adds with a smirk.
“That’s comforting.” I nudge her with my hand. “And appreciated, but probably not necessary.”
She bumps me back. “Exactly. But don’t let me convince you. This is your choice. Your bond. Only you know what’s right for you and when.”
I swallow. Because she’s right, but also because I know Cade is it for me.
Deep in my soul, nothing else could replace where the essence of him is.
I already know I don’t want to picture what life might be like without him.
I may have only met him a month or so ago, but he consumes me in a way that I never want to stop.
“Maybe…” I start, then stop.
Liz raises a brow. “Maybe?”
“Maybe I’ll talk to him about it,” I say slowly. “Tonight. See how he feels. What if he’s not ready either?”
She laughs softly. “Rowan, that man has been ready since the second he realized you existed.”
“Still,” I insist. “I don’t want to assume. This is his bond, too.”
Liz nods once, approval flickering across her features. “That’s fair. And very you.”
I swing my legs off the bed, suddenly restless. “I’ll go find him. Before I talk myself out of it again.”
“There it is,” she says with pride in her voice. “The courage kicking in.”
I stand, smoothing my shirt, heart thudding a little faster now, but not with fear, more anticipation. The thought of Cade, of telling him I’m ready to consider more… It’s exhilarating.
I take two steps toward the door.
Then a voice cuts through the air from outside, sharp and commanding enough to raise every hair on my arms.
“Cade Westin, get out here.”
Liz and I both freeze.
“What the hell was that?” she mutters.
We rush to the window, shoving aside the curtain until we can see the yard below.
A man stands near the gates—tall, broad-shouldered, posture rigid with authority, wearing a flannel and jeans. His presence feels heavy even from this distance, like the world subtly reorients around him.
More importantly, the newcomer drops a body on the ground.
Blood stains the shirt of the prone man, dark and unmistakable.
“Who the hell is that?” I ask, tensing every muscle in my body.
“I’m not sure, but based on the energy rolling off him, I’d guess that’s Bram Stone looking up at us and a very dead Calder Rivers next to him.”
Of course. The other council members.
Down below, Cade steps into view—still, dangerous, and unmistakably alpha as he faces off with the newcomer.
So much for finally talking about what the future holds for us.
We have a dead body, or maybe two, depending on how Cade reacts, to deal with.