Chapter Ten #2
“I have to get naked to shift,” I tell him. He leans against the door frame with a smirk, watching as I quickly take my clothes off. When my shirt comes off, he stares at the tattoos across my chest, a hungry look in his eyes.
It feels so hot to be desired by Rodney. I know without a doubt that he likes my body. He wants to touch me. He feels the same lust that I feel about him. It’s intoxicating and I can’t seem to get enough of it. I’ve jerked off more times since meeting Rodney than I have in my entire life.
Once I’m naked, I close my eyes and allow myself to shift. I feel the warmth of the magic kiss my skin, rearranging my being from one into the other.
“Oh, wow,” Rodney says once I’m on the ground. I stretch my wings out, flapping them a few times before flying up and landing on Rodney’s shoulder. “A sparrow. You’re so cute!”
I bump into his cheek with my beak, careful not to hurt him. He smiles at me, running his finger under my chin, petting me softly.
“Alright, hop down so I can shift too.”
I flit down onto the floor, just as Calloway is hopping from his bedroom down the hall. Gods, he’s always so adorable in his sparrow form.
Calloway runs up to me, bumping our faces together. I greet him in the same way, letting out a happy little noise that he repeats back at me.
“I’m gonna literally die from cuteness overload,” Rodney says with a chuckle, looking down at us. He runs his hands down the front of his jacket and I watch as magic surges around him. One moment, he’s standing up on two human legs, towering over us, the next he’s at our level.
Rodney is the most gorgeous swan I’ve ever seen.
His eyes are still silver, the same as his human form.
His feathers are pristine white, almost shimmering in the light.
He’s bigger than Calloway and I but that just means he’ll be the perfect body to snuggle against. We’ll both be able to fit tucked under his wing.
The three of us waddle our way back into the living room. We hop up into the nest, getting comfortable against each other. Once we’re all tucked together, Rodney reaches his webbed foot out, hitting play on the remote.
Rodney’s wing surrounds Calloway and I. Everyone’s scents are so vivid in my nose, so overwhelmingly familiar.
That wave I was worried about crashes over me but it’s not as scary as I thought it would be. I love Rodney. I am in love with him. There’s no more trying to deny it or come to terms with it because it’s here and it’s real. I love him and I want to be with him for as long as he’ll have me.
I’m not sure how much of the movie I actually watch because between one blink and the next, I’m asleep, resting easily between the one my heart wants to call my mate, and my son.
I’m so blissed out that I’m not even mad to be the old man who falls asleep during movies because I’m just too happy to care.
“You have your toothbrush?”
“Yes,” Calloway says, looking through his bag.
“Your charger?”
“Yep!”
“Your shampoo and soap?”
“Got it!”
Rodney chuckles. “Do you have extra clean underwear just in case?”
Calloway wrinkles his nose. “I got enough to last me all week!”
“What if you shit yourself? Bring extra. Trust me!”
“What would I--” Calloway cuts himself off with a sigh, digging through his drawer and packing a couple extra pairs. “Okay, got it!”
“I think that’s everything,” I say softly. “Ready to go?”
“Heck yeah! I’m so excited! Did I tell you? Ringo said he’s going to be there.”
I grab my own bag filled with everything I’ll need for staying over at Rodney’s house.
After dropping Calloway off at camp, I’m going to be going back to Rodney’s place to help do any last minute planning for the charity event.
I want to help however I can to make this whole event happen as stress-free as possible.
It feels so exciting to be trusted with this.
Kei and Rin have accepted me into their little unit without much of a fuss.
Rodney still smells like Kei, but it’s never felt threatening or like he’s trying to encroach on our relationship.
If anything, the smell of Kei is starting to smell familiar in the same way that Rodney’s scent smells.
“Wait,” I say quickly, coming back to the present. “Isn’t Ringo that alpha you have a crush on? You didn’t tell me he was gonna be there.”
Calloway’s face turns bright red. “I don’t have a crush on him! Oh my gods, don’t be embarrassing, Dad!”
“I’m not being embarrassing! I’m just asking a question!”
“It’s not a big deal.”
“I never said it was,” I say, rubbing at my eyes. “It’s fine if you have a crush. No, you didn’t tell me. You must be very excited.”
“I hate you,” he says with a pout, walking out the door and leaving me behind.
I blink at the closed door until Rodney pats my shoulder. I look at him, trying to figure out what the fuck just happened.
“Ah, to be a teenager again,” he says with a chuckle. My son is so mature and lovely and the most wonderful person ever, but man, sometimes he’s such a brat. I guess that’s just part of being a teenager.
“I’m so confused,” I say with a huff, following Calloway through the door and to my vehicle. We all climb in with our stuff in the trunk.
“Is Bruce coming with?” Rodney asks, sitting in the middle backseat and leaning forward so he can talk to us.
“Nah,” Calloway says, looking back at Rodney. “He’s gotta work. He’s a lawyer.”
“Shit, really? That must be stressful.”
“I have no idea. He doesn’t really talk about it with me,” Calloway says easily, pulling out his phone.
“Gods, he sounds like such an adult. I play video games for a job,” Rodney says softly.
I look at him from the rear view mirror. “Shut up. Don’t do that.”
“Do what?”
“Compare yourself to him or try to put yourself down. I also play video games for a living and I’m a ‘real adult’ or whatever.”
“It’s different,” he says with a pout that makes me roll my eyes.
“I think it’s cool,” Calloway says, not even looking up from his phone. “For what it’s worth.”
“Oh my gods,” Rodney says softly, his eyes wide. “You think I’m cool? Kei and Rin are never hearing the end of this. I can die happy.”
Calloway snorts, shaking his head. I focus on the road, my chest warm and happy. It takes about an hour to get to the camp. Rodney and I grab all his bags, helping move them into the cabin he’ll be staying in.
Rodney waits at my vehicle while I make sure Calloway is all signed in. He gives me one last hug before ditching me to hang out with my friends. He’ll be okay, but will I?
“Oh baby,” Rodney says softly, cupping my cheek once we’re back in the car. “You’ll be fine. He’s a strong kid and he has his phone so even if something happens, he can call and let you know.”
I nod my head. “I know. This is just the longest he’ll be away from me.”
“I’m happy to take your mind off it.”
“Oh yeah? And how’s that?”
“Just so much sex,” Rodney says, completely serious. I finally crack a smile, leaning in to steal a little kiss. I pull my vehicle away, driving back the way I came towards Rodney’s house.
We chat the entire way about anything and everything. Talking to Rodney is so easy. I want him to know everything about me, even the things that are a bit harder to swallow, the uglier parts of my life. In return, I want to know everything I can learn about him.
All the while, that little voice in the back of my mind won’t stop. It’s becoming a mantra, playing over and over. I love him. I love him. I love him.
I thread our fingers together as I drive, needing to be touching him, needing to feel connected. My insides feel like molten lava, oozing out and wanting to completely bury the both of us together.
The almost two hour drive goes by in a flash and before I know it, we’re pulling into Rodney’s driveway. He steals another kiss before pulling our bags out of the trunk and stepping inside.
Kei is on the couch. He lifts his hand in greeting before his entire body goes tense, his eyes going wide. He sniffs the air and growls.
In response, I’m frozen in place. My instincts don’t know what they want to do.
On the one hand, I’m encroaching in another alpha’s space.
He’s growling at me and I want to defer to him.
The other part of me wants to bare my teeth in response.
I want to tug Rodney behind me and stake my claim.
I want everyone, including Kei, to know who Rodney belongs to.
Fuck. I never get like this. What the hell is happening?
I take a steadying breath before looking at the floor, bowing my head in submission to Kei.
“Fuck,” Kei says, standing up quickly and coming over to us. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you bow. You can stand up,” he says quickly. I look up at him, still feeling confused as fuck.
“What’s going on?” Rodney asks, stepping beside me. Without meaning to, I step in front of him, getting between him and Kei.
Kei’s eyes widen further. “You guys can’t stay here. Absolutely not.”
“Someone please explain what’s happening right now?”
Kei looks down at me, meeting my eyes. “I can smell you,” he says softly. “You’re about to go into rut.”
“Oh,” I breathe out, realizing that’s why I feel so defensive and territorial. “Fuck.”