Chapter 14 - Luke
Her name is still on my tongue when I wake, and she’s the first thing I feel.
I register just how strong the bond feels next. Where it had existed before as a low pulse, quiet but persistent, it’s different now. It feels more like a second pulse next to mine, woven through my body and fully enmeshed into my being.
For a long moment, I don’t move as sunlight spills in through the curtains. Instead, I just lie there, staring at the ceiling while I feel it, and I feel her.
Sera is warm and solid beside me, back to my chest. She must’ve moved closer at some point in the night…or maybe I did.
My arm stays draped over her waist, hand pressed against her skin to soak in every second of body heat shared between us. Every instinct in me feels so awake now, like that last piece has finally been put into place.
There’s a new kind of possessiveness in me now that she’s really mine. The mark on her shoulder is tangible proof now, and the sight alone is enough to make me stir. While still fresh, her skin has healed enough to keep it protected, but not enough to erase it.
Mine. The word seems so primal even in my mind, coming from a place I don’t recognize. But this is more than just an attraction now.
Even with her right against me, I feel my inner wolf pacing at the thought of anyone getting too close. Without meaning to, my arm tightens against her.
Sera stirs, pulling in a sharp breath as awareness returns to her. Her voice reaches me, sounding half asleep and a little rough. “Luke…”
Without missing a beat, I force myself to loosen my hold, watching as she shifts onto her back and blinks up at me. Her cheeks are still a bit flushed, and a new kind of softness lingers there. It’s far too erotic for my own good.
Even if she spent the night in bed with me, and even if she’s still here, I sense wariness beneath it all, like her memories are catching up with her.
Though instead of making a scene about it, she grumbles to herself, still mostly covered by the sheets. “You’re loud.”
“Loud?” I ask with a quiet huff.
“The bond is, I mean,” she murmurs, covering her eyes with a forearm like she’s trying to block out the light.
“It’s stronger now.”
That’s an understatement. If anything, the bond feels like it’s been turned up to the max, and now there isn’t anything either of us can do about it.
“You’re feeling it too?” she asks, tone betraying her curiosity as she peers over at me.
Taking in her features, slightly rumpled from sleep, I nod. “Every second.”
Despite her usual bravery, Sera’s gaze wavers for a moment. I can feel the heat there, brought on by the temptation our connection brings. Fear and hesitation exist there, too.
Everything in me is screaming to pull her closer again, and to spend the entire day in this room with the doors locked, allowing the bond to form even tighter until there’s no room left for any doubt between us.
But I can’t. I’m the Alpha, and as big a moment as this is, I’m needed out there. Responsibility doesn’t pause just because my instincts are screaming.
Instead, I pull in a breath and hold her gaze.
“I’ll be gone for the day. Pack stuff.”
Tension pulls in her just enough for me to notice, like she’s waiting for the distance to come, or for regret to shatter all of this. Though none of it will.
As her lips press together, I feel her trying to regain her footing again, likely reminding herself she’s still angry and resistant. Maybe some part of her is, but I hope it doesn’t last forever.
Pushing my luck, I lean down and press a slow, deliberate kiss to her lips. I keep it intentional rather than frantic, wanting to ground us both in this moment. More so, I can’t resist tasting her.
When I pull back, her breath leaves her unevenly, and a new flush enters her cheeks as she looks slightly bewildered and irritated.
“I’ll be back before dinner,” I tell her, unable to fight my grin at the fluster coursing through her.
Before she can get mad at me, I get up, and despite her not saying a word, I feel a burst of heat through the bond anyway.
***
I’m not usually one to be distracted by work, but focusing on my tasks feels near impossible today.
Everything is so much sharper than usual, almost like the world has brightened in some strange way.
Rather, my senses have dialed in, allowing me to notice a depth in my connection with the pack in a way I never have before.
Their emotions brush up against mine like they’re probing for anything that might be out of place, seeking any sort of affirmation. I give them what I can, easing that pack-wide hesitance. Through it all, Sera’s presence remains front and center in my mind.
Even from afar, I sense every subtle shift in her mood. It’s distracting, and even if I know I shouldn’t be focusing on it, I instinctively want to reach out and know what she’s thinking. I want to do everything I can to keep her at ease.
The true agony comes from not being right with her and not feeling her skin against mine. The memories from last night are so fresh in my mind that every cell in my body is pleading for me to go back to her. To make her arch and moan for me all over again.
Just thinking about it pushes me into dangerous territory, and not being able to act on it makes me more volatile than ever.
When the necessary tasks have been accomplished, I want nothing more than to disappear with Sera and spend as much time with her as I physically can, but I’m immediately reminded of the dinner plans I made just the other day the moment I reach the house.
Eve and Isaac are already there when I arrive, talking with Sera inside, who seems a bit caught off guard by it all.
Soon enough, the guys come filing in, carrying bottles of wine, bread, and whatever else they feel like contributing. With everyone gathered now, the house smells like roasted meat and well-chosen sides.
Sera’s body language is stiff at the table next to me, clearly uncomfortable with the influx of bodies once again. But I try to soothe her through the bond, at least wanting her to know that I’m here, and this isn’t some kind of attack.
Everything seems to be going well as food is distributed and cutlery lightly scrapes against full plates, but there’s no ignoring the drop in temperature where Dad sits.
The thought was to invite everyone over for dinner and have a normal night to feel a bit closer, but even when he doesn’t scowl or raise his voice, his quiet disapproval is a constant presence.
He feels like a shadow in the room, even if nobody says it out loud.
“This is nice,” Eve says as she lifts her wine glass.
The others nod along, with Isaac not paying much attention to anything around him while he eats.
“I’m glad everyone could be here tonight,” I say evenly, trying not to focus on the slight tension. “This is something I want to do more of.”
“And we should,” she agrees.
“As long as you don’t mind us overstaying our welcome,” Dominic adds, faintly amused, and definitely not caring about stepping over any boundaries.
“Consider that line already crossed,” Eve chirps, but it lacks any real heat.
Dominic cocks a brow at her, then chuckles to himself. “There’s no mercy in the Rourke home, huh?”
The others laugh too, and before long, more stories about our service are being shared, and the food is consumed in an unhurried fashion. For a while, it feels like the ice has melted to some degree, even if Sera stays mostly quiet while she observes.
Conversation flows around us, and as Hunter recounts the time Dominic nearly set his own tent on fire, I reach over and cover Sera’s hand that rests on the table. It’s a light gesture, and visible enough to be innocuous, but I catch the way she stiffens and throws a questioning look at me.
She doesn’t pull away, but her bristle lingers, making my inner wolf feel vaguely frustrated.
When the guys start arguing about Wraith Peak terrain, I glance at Sera, bringing her into it even if she’d rather be quiet and listen. The look she gives me says enough, but she indulges them with her experience, and they listen. Even Dad does.
Still, I feel the resistance emanating from him, like he’s merely biding his time.
His attention focuses on me when I place my hand on the top of Sera’s chair, close enough to be intentional, but not too close to actually touch. Even if he doesn’t speak his mind, I already know what he’s thinking. I know he assumes this bond is condemning me to the worst imaginable fate.
But it goes beyond Sera. This wound between us is old…nearly as old as I am.
I’ve spent my entire life trying to meet his expectations and to earn the approval he always keeps just out of my reach. Bonding with a witch is beneath his unspoken plans for me, and I know that, but I’m not living out his blueprint.
Toward the end of the meal, Eve raises her glass with a smile. “To Luke for bringing us together and finally settling down…and to Sera for surviving us.”
That earns her several chuckles from around the table as glasses are knocked together. I huff my amusement, and even Sera’s lips twitch faintly.
Unsurprisingly, Dad doesn’t lift his glass. Instead, he stays quiet and doesn’t do himself any favors.
Thankfully, my siblings are much warmer than he is, and they help distract me from his lack of engagement.
With my hand on the back of Sera’s chair again, present but not overbearingly possessive, I feel how she responds instantly, wanting to pull away without doing so. And in an act of betrayal, more warmth moves through the bond.
I know she wants to hate me and deny that this has any effect on her, but I know better. It’s just a matter of getting her to realize that trusting me and this connection doesn’t have to be the end of the world.
As dinner continues, I watch everyone interact, finding as many ways as I can to include Sera without forcing it, and I find myself thinking about the future.
I don’t know if the pack will accept her as I envision, or if my father will ever approve, but either way, I chose her.
Everyone can claim that I made the wrong choice, but I’m not giving up on her. Even if she spends the next few years hating me, I know I didn’t choose her on a whim.