Chapter 9 #2
I couldn’t even imagine not spending every night with him and waking up with him every morning.
Abby said, “If you really want to know what to do, think about how you’d feel if you took off the sunglasses and looked into his eyes, and your wolves didn’t pick each other as mates.”
My eyes widened in horror.
I couldn’t even fucking imagine.
“Their wolves wouldn’t let them fuck if they weren’t going to be mates,” Stella pointed out.
Relief hit me so hard, I squeezed my eyes shut and breathed through the panic.
That was true. Ethan and I had talked about that months ago. There was no question—our wolves were going to choose each other.
“I know. I just think it puts it in perspective,” Abby said.
I leaned back against the couch heavily. “Yeah. I guess it does.”
They didn’t ask what perspective it had put things in. Or what I was feeling.
Which was good, because I wasn’t entirely sure. Just overwhelmed.
“You really do need to do something about Dr. Ben,” Stella said. “Otherwise, I can see Ethan and the guys doing something that could get them arrested.”
“It’s likely,” Abby agreed. “Any ideas?” She looked at me.
“I’m going to quit.”
Both women blinked.
“I’ve been thinking about attempting to get a job at a restaurant again.
Talking about everything with Ethan made me a little more confident that I might be able to handle it.
If it gives me too many flashbacks to Aidan, I’ll have to try another restaurant, but I figure I can crash at Ethan’s place for a few weeks if I have to.
Worst case scenario, I end up switching jobs a handful of times before working at Taco Bowl forever. ”
“Taco Bowl is awesome,” Abby said with a shrug.
“Anything is better than my current job.”
“You’re not going to end up at the Bowl. You’re stronger than you think.” Stella picked her paint brush up again. “And we all know Ethan would never kick you out.”
“He’d sooner beg you to stay,” Abby put in.
He’d sooner buy me multiple rainbows of dishes than kick me out, actually. Ethan didn’t really beg.
“He’s going to want to do something about Dr. Ben. Threaten him, at the very least,” Stella said. “Otherwise, this is going to happen again.”
“Knowing Ethan, he’ll probably come up with a super convoluted plot, like registering as a student and harassing Dr. Ben until he does something unprofessional, then reporting him repeatedly until he loses his job for it.” Abby spoke faster as she developed “Ethan’s” plan.
“You’re strangely excited about the potential of this plan,” Stella said.
“He deserves it. If he’s this touchy with Maya, I’m sure he’s worse with the students.”
I went still.
I… hadn’t thought about that.
Why hadn’t I thought about it?
Guess I was going to have to let Ethan do something to get that bastard fired.
“We’ll come up with a plan,” I said.
“Take notes. We want to hear all about it,” Abby said with a smile.
“What are you painting?” I asked Stella, turning the conversation away from me.
She tossed me the print of a photo Connor had taken, explaining how she’d started paying him to use his pictures a few months earlier.
The conversation flowed easily. When their mates came home from work, I made my escape, driving back to Ethan’s place.
Walking around to his back porch, I sat down on a bench and watched the sun go down, forcing myself to face my emotions.
If Ethan and I looked each other in the eyes and weren’t mates…
My throat swelled and my heartbeat picked up at the idea of it.
I would be upset. Really upset. Hell, I’d be devastated.
Would I walk away from him, if that happened?
I had to think about it, and honestly?
No.
I wouldn’t.
I’d stay, because I like being with him. More than liked it.
Fuck. I really was in love with him.
I dragged a hand over the top of my hair.
Being mated to Ethan would be… well, it would be like what we already were. But more. Maybe even better?
We could live together all of the time instead of driving back and forth. Meet up for lunch every day if we had time. Get ready together in the mornings.
It sounded so cheesy—but maybe I wanted it.
Badly.
I let out a shaky breath and picked up my phone to call Ethan.
I’d even memorized his number and used him as my emergency contact when I went to an axe throwing place with my friends for a girls’ night. How had I not put together my feelings for him sooner?
Lifting my phone to my ear, I closed my eyes and waited while the phone rang.
Please let him answer.
He always did, but things had been rough when I left earlier, so—
“Hey, Muffin.” The warmth in his voice made my eyes burn a little.
“Hi, Cupcake. Where are you?”
“Where we run our shifting classes. Want me to head back home?”
“I’ll come get you.”
“Thanks. See you soon.”
I was already on my feet and walking to his truck when the call ended.
The drive was short, and I found Ethan waiting away from the group, leaned up against a tree. The exhaustion in his eyes made my chest ache.
I should’ve realized how much he was struggling. I’d been too stubborn to admit it to myself. I hated that, but all I could do now was move on and be better.
“Should I be worried about that look on your face?” Ethan asked, as he opened the passenger door.
“No.”
“Good. I missed you,” he gave me a small smile.
I mirrored it, though my nerves were shot. “You’re trying to romance me again, aren’t you?”
“Only if it’s working.”
I snorted.
He played with a few strands of my hair during the few minutes it took to drive home and park in his garage.
I made it out of the truck and to the door that led into the house before realizing he was still sitting in the passenger seat. When I looked back, I narrowed my eyes at him.
He waved casually.
After a solid minute, I walked over to his door and pulled it open. He couldn’t hide his wince when he moved a little, losing the armrest on the door he’d been leaning against.
“How bad is it, Cupcake?” I asked quietly.
“That’s a good question.”
“Rank it. One to ten.”
“Is one good or bad this time?”
“Bad.”
He nodded slowly, like he was considering it. “A solid two.”
“Fuck, Ethan.”
“I don’t think I’m really in the right shape to fuck you right now, but I’ll do my best if you really—ohh.” His groan of relief when I set my hand on his arm made my stomach clench. “Wow. Yeah. That’s nice.”
“I’m barely touching you.”
“You’re just that good.”
I shook my head. “Come on. I’ll help you get inside.”
“I can handle it now.”
“Shut up and let me help you.”
“Fine.” He draped his arm over my shoulder, and we made our way into the house. The door shut behind us, and I walked him to our couch.
Those cushions had really seen things.
I helped Ethan sit down, then went ahead and sat on his lap. “Hey,” I said, lifting my hands to rest on his chest.
“Hey.” His went lightly to my waist. “How was your day?”
“Uneventful. I hung out with Stella and Abby. Yours?”
“I sat around while the other guys coached some shifters. Nothing too exciting.”
I nodded, biting my lip and trying to figure out how to start the conversation.
Ethan dragged his thumbs lightly over the exposed skin on my hips. The fact that he was waiting patiently for the talk was a testament to how shitty he must’ve felt.
“I talked to Abby and Stella about mate bonds,” I said.
“You didn’t have to do that.”
“We’re not arguing about that right now, Cupcake. Just listen.”
He feigned zipping his lips and tossing the key.
“I’m not going to pretend I’m not afraid of mate bonds, and relationships in general,” I said, “But I realized while we were talking that I’m not willing to do this without you.
Life. I want you with me. I know you would never hurt me.
I know you won’t try to control me. I know mating with you would be nothing like I thought it would be before we met—and that even though I’m terrified, I want it.
You’re my best friend, and I love you, and—”
Ethan kissed me hard.
When he pulled away, he said against my lips, “If you mate with me, I’m going to call you mine, and you can be damn sure I will flaunt being yours. There will be romance, too.”
“I can survive the cringe of it.”
“Then take those fucking glasses off already, woman.”
My chest burned.
He could’ve ripped them off. I wouldn’t have blamed him for it—I would’ve liked it.
But he was still making sure it was my choice, the way he always had. The way he always would.
I let out a shaky breath. “Should we make bets on whose wolf hunts who? I’m not even sure I can survive a shift if it’s mine.”
“You’ll be fine.”
“You’d say that even if it wasn’t true.”
He cracked a grin. “Maybe. I’ll talk you through it if it’s hell, but I don’t think it will be.”
“Here’s hoping.” I lifted my crossed fingers.
“My wolf’s going to be the one who hunts you. I have a nesting stash.”
“I thought that was your snack stockpile,” I teased.
“It’s yours, Maya. Just like the rest of me.” He gestured to himself.
“Here goes nothing.” I pulled the glasses off, crossing my fingers that fate hadn’t changed its mind.
Our eyes locked…
And Ethan’s went red.
A soft, relieved laugh escaped me as his wolf said the word that had drastically changed my life twice now.
“Mate.”