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Her blood had heated from the desire filling her, and she struggled to think of anything else but him. When he’d said ‘Mine,’ her heart had soared.

Now, staring at her mended face, she understood his reason for the kiss. It had less to do with his desire for her and more about him healing her.

Even knowing that, she still shivered at the frisson of heat zipping into her core from the memory of his touch. She exhaled and glanced down at the water. The steam rising from the water flow made her smile for the first time since they walked from the field.

Not wanting to take more time than necessary to clean herself up, Morlie picked up the soap filled with petals and herbs in the dish at the sink.

She rubbed the bar between her hands to the running faucet and felt her body relax from the scent of lavender and mint.

Quickly, she attacked her arms, then her face and neck.

Those areas were as clean as she could make them, but she stared down at her dusty shirt and skirt and wished she could shower and change into something different.

If she had known she would run, she would have packed a change of clothing or two. She used the towel on the hook by the sink with nothing else to do but dry her damp face and hands and then left the bathroom.

She could hear the chatter and laughter of the two women and followed it to the kitchen on the other side of the living room.

Weekly, her family played board games when she was little, and besides that, twice cheered along the sidelines for Eilidh and her friends as they played a game of catch.

The ball came at her too fast to see or catch it, so Morlie had been happy on the sidelines, but other than those types of games, there hadn’t been much in her past, so she wasn’t interested in seeing a game room right now.

When Morlie entered the kitchen, she saw Lovel fed Amira a piece of toasted cubed bread from a tray beside the stove. Her hand was against the other woman’s waist, holding her close.

Amira, who stood a foot shorter than Lovel, took the bread in her mouth and the other woman’s finger with it.

Lovel’s hot gaze stayed fixed on the short, plump woman’s mouth as she watched Amira slowly drag her finger out.

Morlie felt she was intruding on an intimate moment and didn’t know if she should go into the living room and give them privacy or clear her throat to let them know she was present.

Even though Morlie didn’t have much experience witnessing same-sex couples behind the Wall because the government sent out multiple notices reminding those in the district about the laws that it was illegal and punishable by death, she could see the strong affection between them.

Does Bleddyn know his mates share such an attraction for each other?

It didn’t make Morlie uncomfortable, but she wondered how it all worked with the Beta and the two women.

“Did you find everything you needed?” A flushed-cheeked Amira ran a hand through her short, pixie-cut blonde hair as she chewed the small piece of bread and turned to Morlie.

“Ehm... yes. Yes, thank you.” She pointed to her clothes. “Sorry, this was the best I could do to clean up. I don’t have anything else.”

“It’s fine.” Lovel scraped the chunks of bread into a bowl filled with vegetables and shredded meat.

Morlie sniffed but could not identify the smell. The dragons ate a lot of goat meat, but whatever the game animal was that topped the leafy greens, she didn’t have a clue.

“We can eat in the kitchen,” Lovel carried the bowl to the round six-person table before the window.

The curtains rested along the sides of the windows and allowed the view of the trees and the pale-purple sky behind the house. Morlie would have preferred to eat outdoors in the fresh air. However, she wouldn’t fuss when the two women offered her warm-hearted hospitality.

“Anywhere is fine.” She glanced over at Amira, who was fixing a sandwich at the counter. “May I help do something?”

“You’re our guest—” Lovel started to wave her away.

“Please. I have been catered to in some way for most of my life, and I’d like to feel needed.”

Both the women stared at her, their gazes bright with curiosity.

Amira nodded. “In the cabinet beside the sink are glasses. Will you get the pitcher of lemonade from the refrigerator and fill it for us? And an extra one for Faolan.”

“I can do that.” Morlie followed the instructions and did her part to get the meal on the table.

Soon, the bowl, a platter of orange slices, and a plate of peanut butter cookies smelled so good that Morlie’s mouth watered as the two women worked in tandem to place everything on the table.

“I am going to run this sandwich and drink to Faolan. Please don’t wait for me.” Amira rushed through an archway where Morlie could see in the middle of the room sat a strange table covered in fuzzy green fabric at the top with multi-colored balls dispersed on it.

“Take a seat anywhere,” Lovel stood by the table and waited for her to claim a spot.

Morlie sat in the seat that placed her back to the window. She knew she'd chosen right when she felt the soft breeze on her neck and smelled the earthy scent from the woods. Lovel sat across from her and left a seat between them.

By the time they had served the food on all the plates, Amira returned and sat between Morlie and Lovel.

“I hope you like fresh kale and roasted rabbit, Morlie.” Amira smiled and picked up an orange slice from the plate Lovel had prepared for her.

“Rabbit. Ah.” Morlie nodded as she brought a forkful of the meat, kale, and tomatoes to her nose.

There was a sweet, metallic scent she picked up from the rabbit.

Her stomach began to growl, reminding her it had been hours since she had last eaten.

Digging in, she enjoyed the savory and fresh taste of the salad.

“I guess she likes it,” Lovel teased, popping two pieces of the toasted, crunchy bread into her mouth.

Morlie’s cheeks heated as she realized she’d consumed more than half her salad without breathing. “Oh, gracious. Please forgive my manners.”

Amira laughed. “Evidently, you have never eaten at a table full of male Lupine.” She held her hands up. “Keep any limbs out of the way you don’t want eaten.”

Morlie laughed, recalling her dinners in the great hall with the Drahk; it was similar. “Well, before I forget my manners, thank you both.”

“Once you settle in, you can have us over for a meal,” Amira picked up her drink.

“Promise.” Morlie agreed.

The three of them ate for a moment in companionable silence.

Morlie set her fork down after finishing a second plate, which she didn’t need much encouragement to fill.

She had a lot of questions, most of them she wanted to bring up with Chanin, but there were some she hoped Amira and Lovel could shed some light on.

“So, besides Minsi, was the entire pack shocked that I’m Chanin’s mate? ”

Lovel continued to eat her second serving of salad.

Amira glanced at Morlie with a shadow of sadness in her light green eyes. “I am sorry for what Minsi did to you. The attack was uncalled for.”

“I didn’t expect it, but I’ll deal with it,” Morlie brought her glass to her mouth and sipped the tart, honey-sweet drink.

“She’s always been a bitch and has had way too much power in the territory.” Lovel shoved her plate away. “Because everyone thought Chanin would claim her one day, they let her get away with it.” Lovel let out a growl.

Amira reached over and placed a hand on Lovel’s arm.

“I once watched a video in the archive center before coming of a woman named Isabel Allende, a Chilean-American writer who stated in her talk on modern feminism before the catastrophes, ‘What I fear most is power with impunity. I fear abuse of power, and the power to abuse.’ I think that is a fitting description of Minsi.”

Morlie could agree with what she had seen so far of Minsi. “Is it because Chanin declared his intentions toward her... before he found out about me?”

A large part of her didn’t want to know the answer. She didn’t want to hear that Chanin had a love for someone else. Even though the mark drew them, she still didn’t know how she would take it if he wanted another.

Hell, no. Morlie’s inner voice screamed.

Her gaze rested on the two women, and again, she wondered how it all worked for the three of them. But didn’t ask.

“Not in the year I have been here.” Amira glanced at Lovel.

“No. Hell, no,” Lovel shook her head vehemently. “Everyone in the pack knew they were lovers, but they weren’t exclusive. Chanin had others, and Minsi... Well, that she-wolf tried to wrap her legs around any male who would let her.”

“Others?” Morlie swallowed loudly. “Do I have to watch my back from other women coming for me?”

“Not at all,” Lovel declared.

Morlie was happy to hear she didn’t have to prepare to be attacked by more women.

Lovel picked up the platter of cookies and moved it closer to all of them before she took one. “As wolf-shifters, we are extremely sexual beings. However, we only have one mate to whom we are faithful. Usually.” Lovel winked at Amira, whose pale skin turned pink under her flirting.

Lovel’s statement gave Morlie an opening she couldn’t resist. “Then how is it that you both are Bleddyn’s mate? Well, that’s what he said anyway.”

“It’s true.” Amira smiled, and her eyes lit with pure joy as she slid her hand into Lovel’s.

“Amira completed Bleddyn and my relationship in a way we never thought would happen.” Lovel leaned over and kissed Amira’s cheek.

“Amira, you were human, right?” When Amira nodded, Morlie continued. “Were you marked?”

“On the inside of my upper thigh, but I don’t have any recollection of it happening.”

“Were you sick, too?” Morlie’s throat felt tight. Her mind gazed inwardly to the gaping hole where days, months, and over a year were lost to her.