Chapter 5
Effie Harlow
The bathroom door jolted open, causing me to fling up in surprise as a small scream left me.
I slapped a hand over my mouth and covered myself, though it wasn’t necessary with the bubbly water being over my shoulders.
Dakota stood there looking at me with a concerned expression, as if he was worried I was going to freak out more.
To be fair, I didn’t blame him—why the heck had I just screamed?
“You okay, little wolf?” His melodic voice coasted across my ears as I felt his wolf’s energy surge through the space, my own greeting him enthusiastically. I felt my cheeks flush at his question and my clear overreaction.
“Yes.” I nodded, leaning forward against the side of the tub as he approached, his obsidian eyes searching my face for any lies. “Okay, not perfectly okay—just a bit jumpy from yesterday.”
Then it hit me—Dakota. I was talking to Dakota, and he really was okay.
Tears welled in my eyes as he reached the tub, and I didn’t think twice about standing and nearly jumping into his arms. A growl came from his throat as he caught me, his hands sliding against my wet frame as I boldly seared my lips to his.
He groaned into the kiss as his hands gripped my butt and pulled me firmly against him.
I should have been embarrassed about being naked, about literally throwing myself at him, but instead I just felt affection and love roll over me.
When I pulled back, tears leaked down my face as he stared at me with so much affection it floored me.
A sob bubbled up from my throat. “You’re okay.
You’re actually okay. I was so worried, Dakota—I thought that Weylin had really hurt you.
There was so much blood, and I can’t lose you.
I thought I was going to. I thought you were going to die, and then I realized I never would have told you… ”
I felt my words trail off as realization slammed into me.
Dakota was watching me with a silent intensity that had my breath catching.
Instead of forcing me to say anything else, to say the words floating through my mind, I felt him toe off his boots and walk towards the bathtub.
I should have been surprised he was going in completely clothed, but all I could focus on was the truth that was so damn apparent to me.
When he finally sank into the water, my frame straddling his own, he kept one hand on my butt and moved the other to my throat, gently strumming my pulse. I leaned forward to press our heads together as more tears left my eyes.
“Never would have told me what, Effie?” His voice was filled with so much affection and passion. I could hear how he felt, and any nervousness quickly faded away into something more.
I pulled back and spoke softly. “That I love you. I love you, Dakota.”
His eyes closed, and he inhaled sharply as he savored my words. My heart was beating double-time as he finally spoke.
“I love you, little wolf. There is absolutely no question about that. I think I’ve loved you since that first day. But hearing that you love me back? That is something I will have burned into my subconscious until the day I die.”
His eyes opened then, the black shade seeming to swirl with a magnetic force. “You are everything to me. My entire life. Do you understand? Nothing is more important than you. I will never love anyone or anything more than you.”
“Dakota,” I whispered, feeling so much emotion at once.
Keeping our heads together, he closed his eyes as we both relished the moment. Finally, he let out an amused huff. “Well, that isn’t completely true, I suppose.”
“What?” I asked with a frown, pulling back and offering him a questioning look.
His eyes flickered with mirth. “I’m sure I will love our children equally as much.”
My entire body squeezed at his words, remembering what I’d said to Tore about wanting a family. “Our children would always be loved.”
I don’t know where the words came from, but the statement sounded right, and I felt it from the center of my sternum.
Any children born out of this situation with my mates would be loved.
No matter what else happened, they would be the most important aspect of our lives.
I offered Dakota a smile as he let out a hum of understanding and wrapped his arms around me, holding me against his warmth as my eyes closed once again.
Despite it being a small conversation, its significance was immense.
It couldn’t have been more than a few minutes later that a knock sounded on the door.
Dakota’s dark hair was wet from both the bath water and the moisture in the humid room, his dark shirt clinging to his muscles.
I looked down at his body, seeing the glint of his belt buckle against his dark jeans underneath the water.
I swallowed, also noticing how hard he was, before he tipped my chin up, a lighthearted smile playing across his handsome face.
His almond-colored skin was dotted with droplets of water, and somehow it only made him look ten times sexier.
Honestly, these men were going to be the death of me.
“Come in!” he yelled out.
“What are you doing? She’s supposed to be relaxing.” Tore’s voice, obviously frustrated with Dakota, had me snapping my gaze over to where the massive fenrir wolf stood in the doorway.
“I think she’s very relaxed,” Dakota mused before sitting me back. I sank lower under the water, keeping my eyes on Tore. “But you’re right, she does need to eventually get out.”
“Or not,” I murmured. Maybe Tore would join me.
The man in question offered me a heated look as if he knew what I was thinking.
His eyes, which were an icy blue, darkened as I felt his magic search over mine, ignoring the way Dakota’s wolf curled tighter around my own.
Because Tore didn’t have a wolf form, his magic seemed to roam however it wanted, and I loved it.
The dominance spoke to me in a way I wouldn’t have expected.
No longer did his energy terrify me, rather the opposite because it made me feel safe and secure.
That may have also had to do with his size.
At 6’6’’, he was larger than all my other mates, and the dark tattoos that ran over his body only made him that much more intimidating.
What people didn’t know? Tore was a total teddy bear who loved braiding my hair.
I was seriously falling for the man, and I knew he felt the same, making a sense of security that I still wasn’t used to settle in my chest.
Dakota stood, kissing the top of my head and trailing water after him as he grabbed a towel and left the room.
Tore walked closer, crouching down by the tub, and I ran my fingers through his golden-streaked hair.
He leaned into my touch and closed his eyes, our connection strumming strong between our magic.
I may not have bitten him yet, but there was something very powerful between us. Something that may have had nothing to do with magic.
“You smell good,” I murmured, my fingers running over the shoulder of the leather jacket he was wearing, the vanilla and fresh-cut wood scent that I’d memorized as him filling the humid room.
Tore chuckled, his voice soft and deep. “You always smell amazing, lil bit. Like snow and mint.”
I blinked before smiling, never realizing that I had such a distinct scent to him. I loved that.
“So we both smell amazing,” I teased.
He flashed a smile. “Enough so that I don’t want to wash your hair with any of these products. None of them smell like you.” His nose scrunched slightly as he examined one of the bottles marked as rosemary mint.
“I like that smell,” I pointed out.
His eyes lit up. “Turn around, lil bit.”
I turned, curious what he would do, only to realize he’d been serious.
He wanted to wash my hair. My eyes fell heavy as he began to pour hot water over the top of my head, using his large fingers to massage my scalp.
I nearly melted. His hands felt so amazing, and I was sad when he went to rinse the conditioner from my hair, even though I’d already experienced what had probably been almost fifteen minutes of his skilled touch.
It was such a simple thing, washing my hair, but it felt so special to me.
“Let me get you a towel.” He stood and went to grab one before motioning for me to stand.
Instead of feeling shy, I stood as he wrapped me in a towel, his eyes on me as he emitted a low, throaty sound.
One that caused my toes to curl. In fact, I probably would have wanted him to make it again if it wasn’t for the sudden grouping of voices coming from the next room.
My confusion must have shown, because Tore helped me from the tub and used another towel to dry my hair while saying, “The hair and nail people are here.”
“What are they going to do?”
“Anything you want, I imagine.” Tore hesitated while looking over my hair before meeting my gaze through the mirror. “Don’t cut your hair…or dye it.”
“Why would I do that?” I asked softly, turning into him as he wrapped a piece around his finger, his face contorted in thought.
“I knew you were a bit insecure about it before—”
“But you love it,” I pointed out, smiling. “You love it, and that makes me feel good. Plus, I could have changed it long ago and didn’t. It might not feel good to get criticism about it, I may hate the comments some people make, but I haven’t changed it for a reason.”
He let out a breath of relief. “I think you would look amazing however you want, Effie, but I want you to do it for the right reason. Because it’s what you want, not because of what other people say. You’re beautiful, lil bit.”
My cheeks flushed as I offered a small smile. “Thank you.”
A knock on the door sounded as Mrs. Brightwood peeked her head in, offering nothing but a polite smile. “Whenever you are ready, Ms. Harlow.”
I nodded and offered Tore an excited look. “This should be interesting.”
Interesting may have been a bit of an understatement.