Chapter 15 #2
Although, I had to admit that all of the houses we looked at seemed to be lacking something.
I didn’t know what that was exactly, and maybe it was just because Effie hadn’t been with us, but I wasn’t convinced any of them were good options.
Or maybe it was the location. Maybe I couldn’t focus on living in any of them because it was far too fucking close to this significant safety threat towards my mate.
“Julian?” Effie’s soft voice filled my ears. I turned from where I was leaning against the kitchen counter by the microwave, my head down in thought.
“Preciosa,” I murmured, bringing her into me and brushing my lips against her forehead. “How are you feeling? Honestly?”
Her eyes were a clear gorgeous blue as she offered a small sigh, seeming to deflate. “I’m worried. I feel like because of me, you guys are in danger. I feel like because of me, all of you are having to see people you don’t want to. I feel like because of me—”
“Our lives are far better.” I cupped her jaw, glad the others had stayed in the living room, as I spoke as open and honestly as I could.
“No matter what else happens, neither I nor the others will ever regret you coming into our lives. You are exactly what we need. You are the center of all of this, and no matter what comes with it, nothing can outweigh the good you bring into our lives. How much brighter and happier you make our lives.”
Her eyes filled with emotion as she examined my face and hesitated for just a moment before saying words that nearly brought me to my knees. “I love you, Julian.”
My heart came to a full stop in my chest as my wolf broke out, Coffin surging forward for just a moment and making me release a primal sound of victory from my throat.
I didn’t think twice about scooping Effie up and gripping her ass in my hands as my lips landed on hers. I kissed her, hard and demanding, wanting her to feel what her words did to me. I wanted her to feel how I felt. How she literally turned my entire world on its goddamn axis.
When I finally pulled my lips away, her own were slightly swollen, her eyes glazed over with need as my fingers ran over the back of her neck, rubbing my thumb over her bite. My bite. She trembled as I stepped further between her legs, placing her up on the island.
“I have loved you since I first came across you in the woods that night,” I whispered, my voice thick with emotion. “We may have forgotten one another in memory, but my body, my heart, my magic recognized you that day on the train. I love you, Effie.”
“Julian,” she whispered, and I let out a hum of understanding at the intensity. I dipped my head and kissed her again, wanting to taste the sweet lips that had formed the words ‘I love you.’ I could have listened to them again and again.
Then the microwave beeped.
Pulling back, she offered me a small smile. “And tell Coffin that my wolf really, really loves him.”
I barked out a laugh at that, having no doubt that Coffin would want to respond himself when we had more time alone.
Instead, I stepped back, turning to pull her food from the microwave. Effie made a happy noise at the scent of the pizza rolls as I placed them on the counter.
“Careful, they’re hot,” I insisted as she popped one in her mouth. I winced, seeing surprise cross her face, but she managed to finish it before letting out a frustrated groan.
“It was so good but so hot,” she said with big eyes. “I feel betrayed by it.”
I chuckled as she offered me a playful smile.
“What was so good and hot?” Tore asked, striding in with Caedmon and Dakota in tow. I mentally thanked them for giving us some time alone. I knew I couldn’t expect it often, I’d accepted that, but every once in a while it was needed. I was a selfish bastard when it came to her.
“These pizza rolls,” she said, her cheeks turning pink at his obvious innuendo. Suddenly she looked around in confusion. “Where is Ryder?”
“Had to go tell his sister to take a trip out of town,” Caedmon offered. “Hastain called in his grandfather.”
Her eyes went round in fear as she put down the pizza roll, making a rumble of concern leave my chest.
“That’s not good,” she whispered. “That’s really not good.”
“Why not?” I demanded.
“He should explain,” Effie insisted quietly before adding, “Him having a mate is dangerous in his mind, so if that’s the purpose of this…”
Caedmon frowned. “I have no idea how Hastain is going to include him.”
“Possibly as another example of what shit mates we are being,” Dakota suggested. I handed her another pizza roll, and she offered me a small smile and popped it into her mouth, making sure to blow on it first this time.
“I think that he is going to be shocked I’ve been marked,” she said with far more calm than I would have expected. “I think it will ruin whatever plan he had.”
“I hope so,” I murmured before looking down at the pizza rolls in thought. Because if not…if he continued to pose a threat to my mate, I knew things would escalate, and fast.
Coffin
Julian was sleeping when I was finally able to push forward and take over his consciousness.
I felt an immediate sense of satisfaction, finding our mate curled up against our chest. Followed by frustration.
So much had happened to her, and I’d been stuck watching it, unable to do anything. It was infuriating.
My gaze moved towards her neck and noted the new mark there, one that wasn’t ours. I suppose we had marked her…the one that was supposed to be a bitten mark. I hadn’t been with Julian when that occurred though. I didn’t view it as my mark.
I wanted to mark her myself. I wanted to ensure that she knew exactly who she belonged to.
The rumble that broke from my chest had Effie stirring.
We were in her room, and I could hear the others talking outside in the main gathering area of their home.
I didn’t care about them though. I just cared about making sure my mate was alright, especially since she was recovering from such a serious incident.
“Coffin?” Effie’s eyes were purely pink as she stared up at me.
I knew it was her wolf speaking to me, and I pulled her fully against me, both loving and hating these human forms. Loving them because it allowed me to touch her so easily, but hated them because they weren’t natural to me and not natural to her wolf.
“I love you.”
My words had a smile breaking out onto her gorgeous face. “I love you too,” she whispered. She tilted her head back and allowed me to kiss her lips. The soft touch had me wanting to wrap around her in wolf form, so I didn’t hesitate to ask.
I knew it was what her shifted side wanted. I knew exactly what my mate needed, even when Julian and Effie herself didn’t. Some things were far easier and simpler when you listened to your animalistic urges, even when it came to base-level comfort with your fated mate.
“Shift with me.”
Her eyes widened. “In bed?”
I pressed my forehead against hers. “I want to sleep like that.”
Excitement surged through our bond as she sat up, her eyes moving to my neck for a moment. I knew it was her wolf recognizing the mark she had left on us, and that possessiveness left me with a feeling of pride. I was worthy of my mate.
Suddenly, Effie shifted.
The soft glow of pink that diffused to reveal Effie’s wolf form was so beautiful I was caught off guard at first. I let out a rumble and moved out of bed, not wanting to break it, as she laid down, laying her head on her paws as her colorful ears shifted.
Closing my eyes, despite not wanting to look away from her, I let my shift take over… .
… and finally breathed out in relief.
Julian didn’t let us shift very often because he was worried about maintaining control, but that was something we needed to discuss.
I had long accepted that I would never be purely in a wolf form again.
I had lived far too long and killed too many to be left on my own again.
I wanted to help Julian, and I wanted to be near Effie’s wolf.
But shifting was necessary, and I knew it made our host feel far better, even if he didn’t want to admit it.
Effie let out a small sound as I moved my gaze towards her.
In my wolf form, I stood nearly eye height with her.
Instead of trying to get up and into the bed, knowing I would break it, I laid down on the floor and looked up at her expectantly.
Standing up, her small paws moving through the sheets, she took a pillow between her teeth and tossed it onto the ground before sending a blanket as well.
Finally, she hopped off and landed gracefully on the floor with a light thud.
Letting out a happy rumble, Effie curled up right against me and laid her head against my throat in a protective gesture, my larger one laying on top of hers to shield her from any potential threat.
It didn’t take very long for her to fall into a comfortable sleep, and while part of me wanted to stay up and experience this moment—I also craved to truly sleep with her.
I let sleep collapse over me, hoping that Julian would afford me the luxury of waking in the same way, curled up with Effie’s wolf.