Chapter 18
Knew It When I Saw Her Face
Icame back to my body while still snuggling against Stevie’s perfect frame, knot still snug inside her pussy like it’d found its new favorite place to be.
I looked at her face, enjoying the serene peace showing as she slept. I was scared at how abruptly she passed out after coming all over me, but I’d felt in the mate bond that she was sleeping and needed rest.
I spent the rest of my time alert licking and kissing and soothing the spot on her neck I claimed with my teeth.
I sighed, content and feeling whole for the first time in my entire life.
I had a mate.
A wonderful, passionate, beautiful, amazing mate.
She let me bite her, claim her, and even rub my seed into her skin for way longer than was probably normal simply because my orc demanded it.
Stevie was perfect.
She was everything.
And now she was mine.
“And you’re actually on the plane already, not like at the airport or in the car, you’re on the plane taking off that has a landing time of 5:07 p.m.?” Stevie asked for the dozenth time.
“Yes, we’re fucking sure!” I heard Declan yell from off camera, making Dolly roll her eyes just like my mate always did.
“Don’t get your panties in a twist, Declan. How am I supposed to know you didn’t con your way into my sister’s life, make her a wife and mother, only to fulfill your ultimate plan of kidnapping and acting out your survivor fantasy in the wild?”
“I can’t. I fucking can’t,” Declan muttered, stretching out his hand to point his middle finger at Stevie.
“Are you going to let him speak to your mate like that?” Stevie had been throwing that around a lot since we’d sealed our mating. Wanting to know the lengths I’d go for her, mostly in dramatic ways she never actually wanted.
“What, are you going to break my fingers off and shove them down my throat like you did to Jeb, old friend?” Declan asked, forcing himself into view, much to Dolly’s dismay by the look of it.
“Ooh, you heard about that already?” Stevie asked excitedly instead of, more importantly, correcting the misinformation.
“Holy shit, it’s actually true?” Dolly asked, grinning wildly. “Why haven’t you broken anyone’s fingers for me?” She turned a pouting look at Declan.
“Thank fuck I’m not alone with these two anymore.” He shook his head. “Welcome to this, whatever this is,” Declan said before kissing his wife on the temple and moving about the cabin.
“I only snapped his fingers back. I didn’t shove them down his throat or anything else. And it was only two, not a whole hand’s worth. He was already healed by the next time I saw him.” And it was disappointing as fuck.
I hadn’t left Stevie’s side since I claimed her.
She came with me to most practices, bringing Marigold along to jump in the leaves or play a little catch with a wiffle ball.
I stayed over at the Carew’s place most nights to help with the decorations and to make sure the “vibe” as Stevie’d put it, was on par with the other years.
One of the first things Stevie did after Dolly called was give her a tour on the phone.
I could see the pride and true awe that Dolly had at her sister getting it done.
“I’m proud of you, sis. I wasn’t expecting you to take this on,” she said before quickly correcting herself. “Not that you aren’t capable obviously, but I have been victim of a new obsession too often.”
Stevie laughed, not taking any offense. “Nah, I wouldn’t have been able to do it without Briar, this guy, and the rest of his reinforcements. I mostly kept morale high with interpretive pumpkin dances and multiple jugs of sangria.”
“That’s my sister right there.” Dolly smiled.
Their love for another was clear in the video calls, and how Dolly grilled the fuck out of me after the bite on Stevie’s neck.
“Okay we’ll see you later this afternoon,” Stevie said, exchanging more goodbyes and eventually ended the call.
She let out a big sigh and dropped her head on my shoulder.
“You okay, peaches?” I asked, wrapping my arm around her, pushing the porch swing back softly to sway us in the fall morning.
Our cups of coffee, or my actual coffee and Stevie’s apple abomination, were still warm and steamed in the crisp air.
Marigold played in the yard, running fast enough to form tiny tornadoes of leaves while Chester sat under the big oak tree with his headphones on and sketchpad out.
“I’m…” She paused, taking in the peaceful scene and sipping on her latte once more. “I’m more than okay.”
I nodded, feeling the truth of her words deep in my soul.
I had my mate.
I had my new nephew and niece.
I had my new siblings flying home so Stevie and I could move into my place.
And I had—
“What the actual fuck? Did you forget something this morning, you literal hag?” Briar’s high-pitched scolding sounded, snapping me out of the moment.
“I told him you’d be pissed, but he went to Sunny’s for me then my sister called, and shit, I forgot to text you,” Stevie said, trying to get up and apologize but I held her down, staring at Briar.
She glared back. It felt more menacing than mine did.
“I can get my mate her morning drink and snuggle her on the porch swing if I want to without you scolding us like children.”
Briar smiled.
Slowly.
Menacingly.
I didn’t like that.
I didn’t like that at all.
One moment Briar was at the base of the stairs leading up to the wraparound porch, and the next she rushed forward, squeezing herself between us on the bench, removing my arm from its place and replacing it with her own.
“There,” she huffed. “Now it’s perfect. Oh wait—” She reached for my cup, snatching it out of my hand, taking a sip. “Ah, the coffee of sociopaths, black with no sugar, cream, or any type of happiness.”
“You mean the breakfast of champions,” I muttered before getting up.
“You can stay,” Stevie offered, ignoring Briar’s offended look.
“Nah, I figured this would happen.” I stepped inside to grab the caramel mocha Sunny had told me was Briar’s regular. I handed it over as she looked me up and down, giving me a slight nod and whispering something in Stevie’s ear that had my mate blushing.
“I don’t want to know.” I stepped off the porch, smiling at a new day.