Page 9

CHAPTER NINE

I blushed at Shepard’s words. Beside me, he chuckled and opened his arms in invitation. I snuggled in, loving being held by him.

“Are you okay with what happened with Effora?” he asked.

“Honestly? Most of it tested my patience and turned my stomach.”

“Most of it?”

“She had a plate and bib between her legs, Shepard. That’s just crass.”

He made a thoughtful sound. “If you’d been on the table, I don’t think I would have found it crass.”

I snorted.

“What else bothered you?” he asked.

“That she was chummy with Adriel and Vivian. The people in her circle reflect her character.”

“True.”

“And I hate that she keeps panting after you. Especially right in front of me.”

His hand, which had been stroking my back, stilled. “Oh?”

I lifted my head to look at him. “She knows you're mine. You might be fine with sharing me with Cross, but I’m not okay with sharing you, Shepard. Especially not with her.”

He growled softly, grabbed me, and flipped us, pinning me underneath him.

“Do you have any idea what it does to me when you show a hint of possessiveness?”

“The gold in your eyes gives me a good idea.”

He continued to watch me, and I caught on to what he wanted. Something I was ready to give.

“You’re mine, Shepard.” I wrapped my legs around his waist and hooked them over his firm ass. “And I acknowledge it’s hypocritical for me to be possessive and ask for monogamy when my heart belongs to two people. I’m sorry for that.”

“I love you the way you are. I love you. ”

Stroking his cheek, I leaned up and gently kissed him. “I love you, too, Shepard.”

“I’ve waited so long to hear that.”

He kissed me tenderly. It melted me and brought back my thoughts from earlier.

He pulled back and studied me. “Your scent just changed. What are you worried about?”

“Worry is a strong word. I’m never going to be able to get away with anything with that nose of yours.”

A small smile tugged at his lips, and he kissed me lightly again. “Talk to me.”

My stomach did a little flip with nerves.

“You said you can accept Cross in my life. Will that change once we’re mated?”

A tremor ran through Shepard's body, and I watched flecks of gold appear in his irises.

“No.”

“Okay.”

I leaned up and kissed his chin. Then, his Adam’s apple. He swallowed hard, and the tremors increased.

“What do you mean by okay?” Even as he asked, I could hear the desperation in his voice.

“Okay, as in, I’m ready, Shepard. I can’t imagine my life without you in it.”

“Everly, do you know what you’re doing?”

I playfully licked the column of his throat. “If you have to ask, I guess I’m not doing a good job convin?—”

His kiss was savage in its intensity, and I would have forgotten where we were when he reached for the edge of my shirt if not for the sounds of a nail gun.

Tearing my mouth from his, I caught his hand and said, “Not here.”

He lifted me. I saw a blur of color, and then we stood in the master bedroom.

“Will this work?” he asked.

I glanced at the closed door and nodded.

He growled and kissed me hard. His hands shook as he tugged my shirt off over my head roughly. He caught my wince.

“Sorry. I’ll try to control myself,” he said.

“Don’t. I want the wild part of you, Shepard. I love knowing I make you lose control. But there’s no rush. I’m not going anywhere. I promise.” As I spoke, I reached for his shirt and eased it up his torso.

A shiver ran through him, and he reached for the material. His nails had grown, and he used them to tear his shirt off and tossed it aside.

“If I get too rough, tell me.”

“I think I might like it a little rough.”

His growl turned into a groan as he shook his head, his golden eyes flickering.

“Everly…”

I gripped the waistband of his jeans. “Why don’t you let me help with these so you don’t wreck them?”

The rest of his clothes disappeared before I could touch the button, and then his mouth was on mine again, kissing me hungrily as he backed me toward the bed.

He gripped my arms as he slowed our fall onto the mattress, and I could feel his nails. But he was careful as the heat of his body settled over mine. He wasn’t rough. He was perfect. Each touch. Each kiss. He stoked my need for him until I was begging to feel him inside of me. And when he finally entered me in one slow stroke, I moaned his name.

I looked up at him, meeting his golden gaze and felt…different. Connected in a way I’d never felt with him before. Then, he started to move.

He unmade me with his thorough love and showed me how I would never be able to live my life without him. As I found my release, his canines scraped the place Cross had bitten me, intensifying my pleasure. He didn’t break the skin, though. His rhythm increased until he suddenly withdrew and found his release on my stomach.

Heart racing, I attempted to catch my breath and rein in my confusion as he rained kisses all over my face.

Leaning on his forearms, he captured my face.

“Forever, Everly,” he said. “It means we have time. And, as you said, there’s no rush. I know you want to finish school and open the bakery. Although I’m desperate to see you carrying our child, I won’t put my wants before yours. When you’re ready, I’m ready.”

“Thank you,” I murmured, lifting my lips to catch his.

He stayed with me until we both breathed normally. Then he picked me up and carried me to the shower. We washed each other and talked about little things until his stomach growled aggressively.

“Ready for food?” I asked.

“Can I choose what to eat?”

The flash of gold in his eyes had me shaking my head.

“I think I better choose. How does a sandwich sound?”

He helped me dry and followed me to the kitchen once we were dressed. Then he sat at the island as I pulled out ingredients.

“Don’t think I’m ignoring you. I promised to send out texts, but you distracted me.” He winked at me, which did things to my pulse.

“I’m so sorry I distracted you. I’ll make sure not to do it again.”

He let out a soft growl, and I laughed.

“In all seriousness, Shepard, I know you have a lot on your plate. I’m not going to be upset if you need to work. I’m proud you care so much about your pack and other races.”

A soft smile played on his lips. “Thank you.”

“Get to work. I’ll have food ready soon.”

Cross returned home just as I finished making our late lunch. He sat down at the table with us.

“Did Effora meet with Vivian?” Shepard asked.

“Not yet, but I have people watching her. They’ll report any movement.”

“Thank you.”

“Not a problem.” Cross leaned over and kissed me on the cheek. “Anything new?”

Before I could answer him, my phone rang. “It’s Vena.”

I answered it on speaker so I could keep eating.

“How can you be so calm, Ev?” Vena demanded after my hello. “We need to do something. Now.”

“What happened?” I braced for news of another Orphia video or a new protest.

“Are you serious right now? Don’t you watch the news? The producers are thinking of canceling The Other House because of the protests. Despite the DOS’s announcement that the werewolves are helping, the network doesn’t want to promote controversial content. Can you believe that shit?”

I let out a relieved breath. While I’d hate for our favorite show to get canceled, worse things could happen.

“It’s all because of Orphia and her hate videos. The show will be pulled if public opinion on wolves doesn’t change. What are we going to do, Ev?”

“We? I don’t think we can do anything.”

“Is Shepard with you?”

“I’m here,” Shepard said between bites.

“This is a dire situation. I need your full attention and cooperation.”

“I’m listening.”

“You’ll need a multifaceted approach to rebuilding the werewolf public image—from media exposure to grassroots canvasing—and it all needs to be done swiftly.”

“While I think Vena is going overboard—” Cross started.

“It’s not going overboard to save something you love.”

“—I do think she has a point. On my way home, I saw groups of protesters outside more businesses, and I heard there was trouble at the Shadow Trade market. The mood is turning. People are embracing the fear Orphia was instigating in her videos. Public opinion is swinging.”

“Swinging like an ax,” Vena added. “So, what are we going to do about it?”

Shepard looked thoughtfully at his half-eaten sandwich. It had to be hard to know that people who didn’t even know him hated him and his pack. People who didn’t know how much he did and sacrificed for their safety.

I placed my hand over his. “I can do the cookie class for werewolf mates. It’s not much to tip the scales, and it’d only be for a few people, but the kitchen is operational.”

“Orphia’s vileness is spreading past D.C.,” Vena said. “We’re talking national and worldwide. A dozen women making cookies for wolves isn’t enough.”

“It has merit to be more, though,” Cross said. “If it gets media attention.”

“I’ll call Hugh and see if he has any ideas,” Shepard said.

“Good,” Vena said. “Call him now.”

“Vena, let Shepard finish his lunch first,” I said.

“Wolves eat fast. I’ve seen Anchor. Timed it even. Two double cheeseburgers gone in four bites. Makes you think about them eating other things, right? Like things downsta?—”

“Bye, Vena.” I ended the call.

Shepard shoveled in the rest of his meal and stepped away to make a call. Rather than listening to a one-sided conversation, I asked Cross to give me a play-by-play.

“Hugh was about to call Shepard,” Cross said quietly. “He agrees something needs to be done before public opinion sways too far. It will be hard to regain the trust once it’s gone, and the humans need the wolves.”

“True,” I said.

“He’s proposing to do a spotlight to show how coexistence is possible, using me and Shepard as an example.”

“Really? That’s good for Shepard and the werewolves, but what about you? Publicly declaring yourself as a vampire when your kind is still living in the shadows is kind of scary. For every person who believes werewolves are a threat, more will see you as a bigger threat. You’ll be putting a target on your back for every vampire hunter out there.”

Cross’ slow smile didn’t amuse me, but my annoyance amused him. He pulled me into his arms and kissed my cheek.

“Everly, your concern is precious to me, as is your answer, even when I don’t take it seriously. Since I woke up to this endless life, no one has cared about me as much as you do. Thank you.”

I huffed a sigh. “You make it really difficult to stay mad at you when you say sweet things like that.”

He chuckled and kissed my nose.

“Actually, I’m very surprised you know vampire hunters exist.”

“Pfft. Before I crash-landed into your cave, I thought vampires were more mythical than real. That didn’t stop certain hunters from chasing them as obsessively as Vena chases treasure. We met a few in passing through her connections. I thought they were crazy.”

“Like Vena,” Cross murmured.

I poked his side lightly.

“For believing in something that regular people didn’t know was real,” I clarified. “But now everyone knows, thanks to Orphia’s videos. Those vampire hunters will look to fulfill their life’s ambitions.

“I don’t mind that Orphia put her face out there, but I don’t like the idea of you doing the same. How will people differentiate between a good vampire and a bad one?”

“We’ll find out. Sounds like Hugh wants us to go to the studio tomorrow.”

Shepard hung up and turned toward us.

“You make a good point,” he said, proving he’d also been listening to our conversation too. Or at least partially. “And I think that should be the point of tomorrow’s segment—how I figured out Cross wasn’t bad.”

“Can you do that without Cross showing his face? You know he needs anonymity to stay safe.”

Shepard smiled slightly as his gaze swept over me in Cross’ arms.

“He does, but not for his safety. For yours. Since you’re staying here with Cross, I won’t risk protesters showing up at his door.”

“That’s unlikely to happen,” Cross said. “I’ve already sold the business to Vena. Everything is legally in her name.”

“You what?” I demanded, pulling back from him.

He quickly kissed my forehead and released me. “Let me explain. I would have rather put it in your name, but she and I agreed it was better to put it in hers so nothing could be traced back to you if my involvement in the business is discovered.”

I wanted to say she’d only done it for the money, but I knew better. When it came to her love for me and her love for money, I knew I would win. She’d do anything for me, including putting her name on everything so I could safely remain a silent partner. I was more than her best friend, and she was more than mine.

Grabbing my phone, I sent Vena a text.

Me: I know what you did. Sisters by choice. Sisters for life.

She sent back a crying emoji followed by hearts.

“Aren’t you worried she’ll sell the place once it’s profitable?” I heard Shepard ask.

“She won’t,” I said. “This is our dream, and she won’t forget who made it possible. Vena is loyal to a fault. It gets her into trouble more times than not, but she won’t abandon anyone she considers her people. Ever.”

I went to Shepard and took his hand. “Please don’t do anything that will end with either of you two hurt. Hugh’s job is to keep the peace between the races for the benefit of humans . Not for wolves and vampires. Don’t forget that.”

Shepard wrapped me in a hug.

“Hugh isn’t Effora. He won’t sacrifice everyone around him to benefit himself or the people he works for. He understands the dangers of alienating the wolves. We’re the only line of defense against the vampires.”

“Maybe you were centuries ago,” Cross said. “But the world has changed. Humans have evolved. Their technology has evened the playing field enough that my kind can’t hunt as freely as they used to. Why else would Orphia want to open the portals?”

I felt Shepard sigh before he kissed the top of my head and released me to look into my eyes. “He’s a bit of an ego killer. Are you sure you need to love him?”

“You know you’re starting to love me, too,” Cross said from behind me.

Smiling, I stood on my toes to kiss Shepard on his lips.

“I’m as sure about him as I am about you,” I said.

“Aw,” Cross said a moment before shouting, “Group hug!”

I was crushed between two hard bodies and felt Shepard trying to push Cross away without hurting me while Cross laughed. Slipping out from between them, I grinned at the pair as I watched them scuffle playfully.

Shepard walked away first and started cleaning up our dishes. He left shortly after to check in at the pack house and his people before meeting with Hugh in person.

“What would you like to do?” Cross asked after I started the dishwasher. “Your wish is my command.”

I laughed. “I don’t need any wishes fulfilled. You have already done that for me. How about a quiet evening? I could go for one of those. Maybe a little creative baking time, too. I should have asked if there was a cookie wolves favored the most.”

“I suspect their tastes vary like humans.”

It sparked an idea. “That’s perfect.”

“What is?”

“That everyone has varied tastes. What if I don’t pick the type of cookie for the class? What if the woman can choose her favorite cookie? By her making her favorite, not only can the wolf smell a potential mate but also what kind of preference she has.

“I mean, it’s only a cookie, so it will hardly represent her whole palette. But it’s a start. Gives a sliver of insight into a person. Like what if they were a coconut lover and you hated coconut?”

“I see what you’re getting at. But you would need to plan supplies for nearly every cookie conceivable.”

I shook my head. “When the women sign up for the class, they can request the cookie they want to make so I can have the ingredients ready for them.”

“Sounds like a win-win.”

The idea excited me. Everything was coming together, except it was all just talk until I put the idea into motion.

“You have a laptop here, right?” I asked.

“In the study.”

While the details were running through my head, I wanted to organize them and create a sign-up form.

Sitting behind the desk, I opened the laptop and laughed at the desktop screen. It was a selfie of Shepard sleeping and Cross pretend-kissing his cheek.

“Does Shepard know about this?”

Cross nodded with a wink. “He wasn’t happy at first, but you know he can’t say no to me for long.”

I shook my head at him, loving that he was playful with Shepard. His relaxed approach had probably helped win Shepard over.

Creating a new document, I flooded it with ideas. Cross helped fill in where needed. By the time we were done, we had a list of things we would need, a promotional image for social media posts and ads, social media accounts, and a form for class sign-ups.

I leaned back, happy with our work, when a slice of pizza appeared in front of my nose. It smelled delicious and helped me realize I skipped dinner.

“When did you get this?” I asked Cross.

“It was just delivered. I didn’t want to disturb your progress. But I think it’s time for dinner, a little mindless television that people seem to love to watch, and then bed.”

I closed the laptop and grabbed the slice of pizza. Following him out to the living room, I saw he had the box of pizza on the coffee table in front of the couch. We settled in, and I curled up against him, feasting, cuddling, and watching a mindless movie.

The movie didn’t even matter. Just having a normal evening was exactly what I needed.