Chapter 27
Chapter Twenty-seven
Emery
It hadn’t been difficult to fall asleep in each other’s arms last night. Phoenix was exhausted, and even though I’d spent most of the day asleep in the chair, I supposed I was making up for lost time.
I thought I woke first, but I wasn’t sorry when Phoenix suddenly rolled me over to my back and pinned me, kissed me breathless, then fucked me to within an inch of my life.
I had a moment to think what a stupid saying that was until I really wasn’t thinking about anything else other than what he was doing with his tongue, his fingers, and his gorgeous cock that I was getting rather attached to.
And, of course, that thought made me giggle, and in the middle of what Phoenix was doing, made him growl.
“Fudge,” I said as he thrust into me.
To be fair, he barely stilled. Then he withdrew and paused. I whined a feeble protest at the lack of movement and tried to wriggle my hips in encouragement, but I could barely move.
“Fudge?”
“I’m trying for new swear words,” I gasped out as he slowly, inch by inch, pushed back. “And fudge is associated with something good in this context.”
I felt rather than saw his mental shrug, then he repeated the same torturous movement. “Frack,” I gasped, and he grinned, but then he moved a little, a slight change of angle, and neither of us really cared what words we were blurting out after that.
When my body had refilled its depleted oxygen stores, I cracked open an eyelid to see Phoenix gazing down at me. “Fudge?”
I sighed. “I’m a kindergarten teacher, and I—” But then I stopped because I wasn’t one anymore, and a huge wave of loss almost washed over me, so much so that I had to suck in a sob.
“Em? Sweetheart? What’s the matter?” Phoenix sat bolt upright and lifted me onto his lap. “Are you hurt? Did I—?”
But I put a finger over his lips and shook my head. “I’m going to miss it.”
Understanding and guilt chased over his features, but I shook my head again.
I was making a mess of this. I’d told myself only last night I had to stop Phoenix from feeling so damn guilty, and here I was just making things worse.
“I’m not blaming you.” I took his face in both my hands to stop him from looking away.
“I just need some help to adjust, and it will take me a while.”
He nodded carefully, and I dropped my hands, then leaned against his chest, realizing we were both sticky and the sheets needed to be changed.
“How about we get in the shower, separately,” I teased, because we wouldn’t get anything done today if we didn’t.
“Then you invite your betas for breakfast?”
He looked puzzled.
“Did you make any sort of plan yesterday?” I didn’t say the word after, but I knew he heard it.
“No, I just sent everyone home.”
“What about Nicholas’s family?”
Phoenix was silent for a moment. “They will leave today.”
I narrowed my eyes. “Did you tell them to? Is that like pack law?”
He shook his head. “I never spoke to them.”
I tried to remember who I’d seen. A younger man in his twenties and an older man I assumed was his father. “Father and brother,” I said. “Does he have anyone else?”
Phoenix nodded. “Grandmother, grandfather, mother, aunt.”
“And they’re all going?” I asked in shock.
“They would be ostracized by the rest of the pack. Nicholas shamed their family.”
“This is one of those things that’s always happened, right?”
Phoenix deposited me on the bed and stood up, heading for the shower. “Tradition, you mean?”
But not all traditions were good ones. I mumbled a reply and headed for my own shower, then I slipped out while Phoenix was getting dressed. I texted him a heart emoji and said I would be back in a few minutes with Esther, and I wanted pancakes.
Luckily, Esther was up and sitting outside when I got to her cottage. She smiled at me. “How are you feeling?”
I didn’t pause. “Where does Nicholas’s family live?”
Her eyes widened. “His family?” She gazed at me for a moment, then smiled. “The large house next to the grain barn, but—”
“Phoenix is cooking pancakes,” I said, knowing she was going to object to me going alone, but still heading over there. “You’re invited.” Was he cooking, though? I was surprised he’d let me out of his sight.
Right up to rounding the corner of the barn and hearing crying, I’d been confident. Now I wasn’t sure. Would I just be rubbing a very sore, very fresh wound? But if I left it, they would be gone, and it would be too late for the pack.
And for the first time, as I stepped close and three people all turned to stare at me, I wondered if I’d been hasty and half wished Phoenix was with me.
All three looking at me with various degrees of suspicion and hurt were wolves.
They could rip me apart and the life I was carrying.
Little late now, though. Most things on two legs could outrun me, never mind four.
I glanced at the woman who stood next to the two men, one of which I’d seen with Nicholas yesterday, and took in her red-rimmed eyes and her defeated look.
This was my fault. Maybe not all, but if I hadn’t gone running to Gemma and faced up to things, Nicholas would never have challenged Phoenix. He wasn’t totally innocent, though. Involving my dad was a low blow, but the fact was he’d paid for that mistake, and these people shouldn’t have to.
“Come to gloat, Alpha-mate?” The old man almost snarled the words, but Nicholas’s mom put her hand on his arm to hush him just as the screen door opened, and a much older woman hobbled out, clutching the hand of the young man I’d seen yesterday. They both paused when they saw me.
I saw the old woman inhale, taking me in, and realize who I was.
She tried to straighten her shoulders and arch her neck a little.
I knew why. I’d seen enough present their necks to Phoenix, but I didn’t like it, not with me.
I nodded, accepting her show of respect, and I glanced at Nicholas’s mom. “Mrs. Davis? May we talk?”
It seemed to shock her, but she quickly directed me to the porch.
I wasn’t surprised, as it looked like half their furniture was already loaded into a truck, and she probably didn’t want me in the house, anyway.
The old woman said something to the young man and, after helping her to a chair, he shot back into the house.
I sat down opposite both women and paused. Somehow, without knowing the right way to behave, I had to look at things through pack eyes, not simple human ones.
I knew saying sorry for their loss wouldn’t be welcome, and maybe even a trifle insulting. Nicholas’s death hadn’t been an accident, and I also couldn’t be seen apologizing for Phoenix. Not in front of his pack.
“I understand—” Then I paused as Nicholas’s brother reappeared with some cookies on a napkin, probably because all their plates were packed, and a jug of lemonade. He had three glasses. Mrs. Davis poured out the lemonade, and I accepted it politely, refusing the cookie.
I started again, “I’ve been told that you feel you have to move.” Both older men were leaning on the porch railing, and the one I assumed was Nicholas’s dad scoffed loudly. His mom shot her mate a warning look.
“If that’s what you want to do, then I understand. Of course I do. But please don’t feel you have to leave simply because it’s always been that way or that we’re making you go.”
“And does your alpha feel the same?” Nicholas’s dad asked, a trace of sarcasm in his voice.
“Why don’t you ask him?” I said bluntly, and I turned to watch Phoenix walk out from the side of the barn. He strode over like he had all the time in the world and shot me a look that promised punishment. I knew he’d been there, though. I knew he wouldn’t have let me leave alone.
He came to a stop in front of Nicholas’s dad, and a shiver ran over me. For the first time, I could feel the power that Phoenix had, as if it was a living thing. I hadn’t noticed before, but then maybe he’d never had to demonstrate it in front of me.
Nicholas’s dad winced and immediately bared his neck.
Phoenix inclined his head, accepting the submission, then stood in front of his grandfather and younger brother, who copied.
His grandmother tried to get to her feet, but before I could stop her, Phoenix walked over and laid a gentle hand on her shoulder.
“Is this your lemonade?” He took the glass out of my hand and drank some. “Lavonne makes the best strawberry lemonade you ever tasted,” he said, handing me the glass back, then scooping me up and sitting down with me on his lap.
I was speechless for a second before I noticed Nicholas’s mom, Sharon, sitting with tears rolling down her face.
I got off Phoenix and went to her, taking her hands in both of mine.
“We don’t want you to leave,” I said, knowing Phoenix felt the same with that demonstration.
“Thanks to my dad, we’ve got problems it’s going to take all of us to solve.
” I hesitated, reaching for the right words.
“Neither of my parents ever cared about family, but family means something to me.” I took her hand and pressed it into my abdomen. “And I need all the help I can get.”
Her lips parted as she stared at her hand and splayed her fingers, almost as if she could see inside it.
“We both do,” Phoenix said quietly. He stood and walked over to me but kept his gaze on Lavonne. “I’ve arranged for our seer to say the blessings of the goddess at sunset.”
I wasn’t sure exactly what that was, but every single wolf gaped at Phoenix until Nicholas’s dad broke the silence. “That means a great deal… my alpha.” I knew the words, the acknowledgment, were important.
“Get unpacked and settled then,” Phoenix said simply. Then taking my hand, he led me down the porch steps.
“Esther called you?”
He grinned and tapped his nose, then slung his arm over my shoulder. “I can scent you. I know exactly where you are at all times.”
“Wonderful,” I answered, my own sarcasm happy to be back.
“Win-win, as far as I’m concerned. Dad’s having to make the pancakes.”