Page 117 of A Monstrous World: The Complete Series

My wolf perks up in my mind. He’s not opposed to the idea of pups. He’s less convinced he’d be okay with our offspring sharing a womb with a couple of demons. I snort. It sucks to be Echo in this situation. He won’t ever be able to reproduce.

“We’re fading.” Wraith waves a hand at me from where it rests on Nadia’s hip. “You’ll need to take her.”

“Make it clear to everyone here today that, if they value what she did, they should keep their fucking mouths shut. The new fae should stay home and heal and not expose her new transition to anyone who doesn’t already know about it.

” Knight moves over to Wraith’s side. He brushes his lips over Nadia’s cheek in a move that signals tender familiarity.

“We’ll see you soon, doll. Don’t wait so long to call for us the next time you need us. ” He runs his hand over her hair.

“How exactly do you know Nadia?” Echo asks at the same time as the reaper speaks.

“I already reminded her of that,” Wraith says. He steps around Knight, offering me the slumbering witch. He pats my shoulder. “Only she can summon us across the veil. Unless we’re reaping, the only way we can reach her is when she calls for us.”

“But how do you know her?” I growl, rocking her against my chest. It’s totally a bizarre thing to do, but now that she’s in my arms, a warmth I’m not expecting fills my entire being.

“She won’t remember that part until we’re together permanently. It’s a protection for her when we aren’t around to keep her safe,” Knight says cryptically.

“But you know each other well?” Echo grinds out, obviously frustrated with all the secrecy.

“Well enough to kill anyone who hurts her,” Knight says.

“I refused to reap her soul the first time we met.” Wraith bends close to kiss her forehead. “Make sure they understand what’s at stake.” His eyes fly to the frozen occupants of the room. “I’ll slaughter every single inhabitant of this town if they do anything to endanger my mate.”

“Fuck,” Echo mutters. “Do you think I need to compel them? It might be ineffective, especially on Brant and River.”

I scoff. “Try putting a little faith in monster kind. Manipulation will gain you no loyalty.”

“I like the wolf.” Wraith seems to blink out of existence right before my eyes. Sound returns a second later, and it’s jarring, now that I can recognize how completely silent it was.

“Okay, that’s weird as fuck,” Echo says, shaking his head.

My eyes fly to River. He’s technically their pack leader. “I need to speak to you.”

“Of course.” He kisses Milania and nods to one of the rooms off the living room.

“Sure, head off naked for an important conversation.” Echo snorts. “Shifters are so bizarre.”

“Would you hold her? I don’t want to wake her while we speak.” I move closer, and Echo takes her out of my arms. It’s difficult to convince myself to let her out of my sight.

“You better pray he has no spies from the council,” Echo mutters, nuzzling his cheek to the top of Nadia’s head. I’m unsure if he’s speaking to her or us, but the look on his face makes it clear he’s fond of her.

“My people are loyal to no one above me.” River’s chin tilts in the air, looking and sounding like every bit the king he is.

Echo sighs, but he doesn’t follow us out. I hear him place himself down on the couch as I formulate the best way to convince the elven king it’s in their best interest to keep all of this between us.

Many people in North Falls know where Echo lives. The same cannot be said for myself. He puts up a minimal fight, enough that he can assure the council he tried to bring her back to somewhere they regularly monitor, but he doesn’t physically fight me for her.

My house isn’t huge, but the view definitely makes it worth it. It’s on the edge of pack lands, right on the lake. I get to watch incredible sunsets every night.

I’m far enough away from the pack house that no one visits without a purpose. I might be an alpha, but I’m not the alpha. Fuck all that noise. I’ve never had any interest in leading a pack. I leave that to my little brother and have for too many years to count.

Echo stands, leaning against the wall as I place Nadia in the middle of my bed.

“I need to shower off the dirt and blood,” I inform him. “Don’t leave her until I get back.”

He sighs, but nods.

It takes me less than five minutes to shower, but I tie up my hair before getting in. Man or not, no one is taking a three- minute shower with hair to their shoulders. I dry off, anxious as hell to climb into my bed next to the little witch.

As I’m about to join her, my eyes fly back to the dresser.

Is it appropriate to snuggle completely nude?

For shifters, it is. She’s unconscious. I also don’t want her to be afraid when she wakes up in an unfamiliar place.

I head over, grabbing a thin pair of sweatpants and yank them on before crawling into the bed behind her.

“You may want to remove her sandals.” Echo gestures as I prepare to pull the blanket up over the two of us.

I flip him off but slide down to handle that. Her skin is cold against mine, but I always run hotter than humans or witches. Not that I’ve been around many of her kind.

My wolf is intrigued by her pink toenails. I run my thumb down the soft skin on the top of her foot. His interest in everything to do with her is slightly concerning.

Then again, we did call her our mate earlier.

I’ve waited for so long that I no longer feel confident in my ability to differentiate.

It has been a very long time since I’ve wanted anyone, though it significantly diminishes the word to describe what I feel for her as wanting. Yearning might be a better descriptor.

No, it was likely just in the heat of the moment.

Keep dreaming. Okay, my wolf is confident she’s our mate. She’s a beautiful woman. Any male would be lucky to have her by his side.

“I’m tapped out, which I’m sure you know.” Echo raises an eyebrow.

“Not happening,” I grunt, snuggling up to Nadia’s luscious ass.

My hand slides over her dress as I bury my face in her hair.

How is it she never smells like blood? You’d think she’d end up stained in the scent from all the bleeding she did today, but even when she was sliced open, I could barely pick it up.

“If she’s anything like a drained vampire, then she’ll heal faster if she can nurse while she sleeps.

” Echo pulls his foot down from where it was resting against the wall.

“Just a tip. Take it, or don’t.” He’s gone faster than my eyes can register in human form.

Normal wolves don’t register heat signatures, or in the case of a vampire, cool spots, but shifters do.

My eyesight in human form is superior to a normal person, witch, or fae, but nowhere close to when I’m shifted.

My head tilts as I wait to hear proof that he’s actually leaving. The door opens and clicks closed behind him.

My entire home is going to smell like death from the bloodsucker. My wolf chuffs his annoyance and possibly a reminder that the little witch has fangs. She’s not dead, though, nor is she undead.

Whatever. I truly couldn’t care less what they call themselves.

Nadia grunts in her sleep, wiggling her ass against my cock. I curse under my breath, staring at the ceiling. It’s going to be a long fucking night.

The fact that she’s short sure is convenient. I wrap my left arm around the top of her head and transform a single finger into a claw before bringing my right wrist to her mouth.

I barely slice the skin, but Echo was correct. Nadia lunges forward. Her fangs dig into my wrist as she laps at the blood. It appears she’s still asleep. It’s very cute.

A low rumble of satisfaction leaves my chest. We like caring for our mate.

Nadia lets out a contented sigh as I stare at the roof.

It’s the little mewls and whimpers that she releases over the next several hours that solidify the fact.

I’m totally fucking fucked.