Page 18

Chapter Eighteen

Aline

M y eyes widened at her words, and I looked from Avó to Xochil. Her eyes were just as wide, her mouth still gaping open and a blush was blooming on her face.

She can’t love me yet. It’s only been a few days, I thought to myself.

Avó had to be talking about how much she was going to love me. But even as I tried to convince myself that it was what Avó meant, I could feel my orixa nudging me angrily for my thoughts. He wanted Xochil to love me, but it was too soon.

Not so soon. You’re already in love, I thought as I stared at the woman in front of me. Shaking my head at the thought, I turned back to my grandmother.

“Xochil isn’t a toy, Avó. You should apologize,” I told her quietly.

Avó looked at me and then made a face, one that made it clear that I was messing with her fun.

“You used to be more fun, Aline. Xochil, I apologize, but I’m very happy you took me seriously and put my mind at ease.”

“I—” Xochil still looked to be in shock.

“It’s alright. Xochil is used to people messing with her. She has about fifty cousins who like to do it,” Helios chuckled, finally pushing through the door we’d all been waiting for him to step through, so we could follow.

I put down the plates and cutlery I brought with me on the giant table, and Nat placed the two jugs of lemonade we’d made while Helios went to get food.

“Let’s eat,” Nat called, and the twelve warriors who flew with us suddenly flooded the patio as if magically summoned.

“Did you use the mind thingy?” I asked her in a low voice.

“No. They have good hearing, and wolves eat a lot,” she chuckled. “They probably knew Helios was back and were waiting for us to call them.”

“Oh,” I replied, a little embarrassed, making everyone chuckle.

Everyone was taking a seat around the table, and I was torn between sitting next to Xochil or sitting across the way, next to my grandmother. Xochil noticed my hesitation, and even though I saw a small, sad look pass through her eyes, she nodded over to my grandmother encouragingly. I turned to go sit with my grandmother, but I saw her patting the empty seat next to her, and nodding at Miguel.

“You’re not mated, right? Come keep me company, handsome,” she flirted.

Christ! Who is this woman, and where was my avó? I didn’t think I’d ever been so mortified in all the years she was my guardian.

“It would be my pleasure, ma’am,” Miguel chuckled, and took a seat at her side.

With the decision made for me, I went around the table and sat next to Xochil. She placed a plate and cutlery in front of me before she grabbed the first container and hovered it close to my plate. I took the cue and grabbed my spoon, scooping a bit of the food onto my plate. She did the same to hers and then passed the container down. We went through the same process with another five containers before I started shaking my head. I wasn’t a wolf. There was only so much I could eat.

She continued to offer me containers but didn’t push me whenever I shook my head ‘no’. I waited until everyone was served before I started tucking in, enjoying watching them love the food I grew up with.

“So, what’s the plan?” Avó asked after we’d eaten.

“Evergreen is getting all the information on Benicio together. Once we know more, we’ll be able to make a plan of attack.”

“Where is Mr. Roswell?” Xochil asked.

“He said he was on a roll. I had someone take him a plate earlier,” Helios answered. “You know how he gets.”

We dispersed after we finished eating. The warriors were given a schedule for keeping guard of the house. Two in front, two in back. Helios didn’t want to take any chances.

I took Avó and settled her in a room while everyone else did the same. The rooms were nice, but there weren’t enough for everyone, so the warriors had taken all the rooms with double beds. Miguel and Chris appeared to be sharing one as well.

“How are you feeling about all of this, Aline?” Avó asked when I closed the door behind us, and started checking the room to make sure she had everything she needed.

“Overwhelmed and lost—lied to,” I answered, sitting on the bed and looking at her pulling a change of clothes from her duffle bag.

Her eyes softened, and she walked over to sit next to me.

“You are a strong woman, Aline. You’ve dealt with everything life has thrown at you and turned them into positives. You were born unique, and your destiny is unique. Even if I had tried to teach you about our powers, it doesn’t work like that, baby. Powers work differently for everyone, and your powers are tied to your orixa. Until you release him, you are just another human, so I wanted to make sure you had as normal a life as I could give you.”

“How do I release my orixa?”

“That, I don’t know, baby, but I’ve seen that you do.”

“Did—” I stopped, wondering if I wanted to ask the question.

“Did what?”

Did I accept Xochil? Did she really give up her alpha title for me? Those were the questions I desperately wanted to know.

“Nothing. I need to go figure out where I’ll be sleeping. Have a good rest, Avó.”

“Embrace your destiny, Aline,” she called out to me as I shut the door to her room.

I walked back toward the living room, where Nat was giving out sleeping assignments.

“Hey! Did your grandmother settle in okay?” she asked me.

“It’s a comfy bed. She’ll be out in a few minutes. Thank you, Nat,” I answered. “Where can I sleep?”

“We’ve got all the rooms occupied right now, so you can either sleep with your grandmother or sleep in Xochil’s room. It’s up to you, sweetie.”

I felt my face heat at how simply she put the words, though it shouldn’t. They already knew I had slept in Xochil’s bed before, but I wasn’t sure if they knew what happened, or how we’d left things unresolved. Still, whether she knew or could see the nerves on my face, Nat smiled sympathetically at me.

“It’s a natural thing for mates to sleep near each other, even before they accept the mate bond, or even before anything needs to happen. The bond is a powerful thing for wolves, especially alpha wolves. It makes them stronger, keeps them calm, helps them rest better and heal faster, just by being near their mates. There’s really no rush or pressure. My daughter would never do that to you. You can sleep with your grandmother if you’re uncomfortable sleeping in the same bed as Xochil. I’ll just end up having to move her room closer to your grandmother’s, or Xochil is likely to end up sleeping outside your door.”

“N-no. There’s no need. Where is Xochil’s room?”

“At the end of that hall right there,” she pointed down the other side of the house. The entire hall was already darkened, barring the first room and the last. I peeked into the first room as I passed it, and found Chris and Miguel getting their beds ready. Both were already changed for bed, and when they saw me peeking, they waved at me.

“Good night, Luna!” Miguel called out cheerfully as I kept walking toward the last room in the hall.

I pushed the cracked door open carefully in case I had the wrong room, but smiled when I saw Xochil sitting on a chair with her back to me, focused on her laptop.

“Alright. Thanks, Jacob. Let’s keep this between us for now, okay? I need time to speak with my parents first.”

“Your secret is safe with me, Xochil, though I can’t say I’m not crushed,” Jacob answered from the video call on the laptop.

Xochil chuckled. “You’ll survive. I’ll talk to you tomorrow, alright?”

“Sounds good. I’ll send you what I find.”

The video call disconnected, and Xochil turned to me.

“I didn’t mean to snoop. Your mom told me you were here,” I told her before she could ask me why I was eavesdropping.

To my surprise, she began laughing.

“I could sense you were there, Aline. I have nothing to hide from you,” she replied, coming up to me and pulling me into the room. She closed the door behind me and led me to the bed. “I asked Jacob to start looking at places in Phoenix for us. I thought once we got back, we could look at a few properties near the restaurant.”

My eyes widened as she explained. She said she was willing to give up everything for me, but even though she assured me, I still hadn’t believed she would actually go through with it.

“I have a lease,” was the only thing I could think to say, without falling apart with the love I was feeling for her in that moment.

“We can look at the penalty of breaking the lease when we’re back home. Or we can wait until it’s up. I just want us to start looking for a space for us.”

“You’re really doing this?” I asked.

“Looking for a property for us?” she asked, confused.

“Leaving your home to be with me,” I said, hearing the way my voice cracked with emotion. No one but Avó had ever put me first.

“I love you, Aline. I know it might feel too soon for you, but it’s not for me. I love you. Where you are is home to me,” she told me with a sweet smile.

I couldn’t hold back anymore. I leaned forward and crashed my lips against hers, pulling her to me. I could feel her surprise, but she quickly caught up and growled into the kiss.

I pulled back and stood, surprising her once again when I pulled my shirt over my head. I saw her swallow hard as she took me in, but she was taking too long, so I pulled her arms up and raised her shirt, throwing it to the ground. I’d only gotten a glimpse at her beautiful body, so once I pulled down her pants, I took a step back and allowed my eyes to roam.

She was so fit. Her legs were toned. Her thighs were a little fuller as I traced them upward to the flare of her hips, before they dipped inward to her stomach. I had an inkling that if she didn’t eat so fucking much, that hint of a six pack would be a full washboard stomach. She was small and exquisite, but I’d seen and felt the strength that lay deceptively under her flawless skin.

I continued my perusal of her body until I reached her small, perky breasts covered by a white lacy bra, making the rich hue of her skin look even darker and silkier.

I wasn’t sure how long I stood there, looking my fill, but Xochil allowed me to examine her. I bit back a smile as I saw her getting impatient, her hands moving from where they were at her side, to her back, and back to the front, where she kept picking at her fingernails. It was adorable, and I continued to stare at her for a few moments longer, just to keep seeing her squirming.

Finally, it seemed her patience ran thin, because there was a whine that sounded like a wolf’s coming from her chest.

“Aline, can I move yet? I really want to taste you,” she whined.

“No,” I answered, shaking my head, and biting the inside of my cheek again to keep from smiling at her desperation. “I told you. I’m the one doing the tasting this time.”

“But—”

“Do as you’re told, mate,” I interrupted her, and I think she was in too much shock at me calling her mate to remind me that she was an alpha wolf and therefore, not one to take directions well.

I walked forward and pushed her back onto the bed. She landed her pretty ass on the edge, just where I wanted her. I walked around and grabbed one of the pillows, laying it down on the floor before her.

She stood up when she understood what I wanted to do, but I didn’t give her a chance to protest. I took advantage of her momentum and pulled her until she was pressed against me. I combed my hands through her hair, loving the way she was still surprised any time I did anything to her. It was like she couldn’t believe I wanted her. Like she couldn’t believe that I was accepting her.

My orixa nudged me, and I understood that he was telling me to look into her surprise further. I bought myself some time by leaning down and pressing my lips against her neck. She tasted like hibiscus and the sun. I was addicted to her, and I was going to take my time.

She shifted her head back to give me more access to her, and I took full advantage. I knew since I didn’t have a wolf that I wouldn’t be able to mark her, but that didn’t mean I couldn’t try. I sucked on the crux of her neck to leave a hickey, and as I felt her trembling against me, I understood her surprise. It wasn’t that she was surprised that I wanted her. It was that she was surprised that I was accepting her, knowing what she was. It was my fault; I knew. With the way I reacted when she blurted out that she was a shifter, and then how I reacted when I saw Miguel shift, I had given her no assurances that I was okay with her not being fully human.

As I continued to kiss down her collarbone to her breast, my orixa nudged me again, letting me know I had hit the nail on the head. I gave her breast a quick kiss when I reached it, just on the swell above the lace, and pulled back, making her groan. I smirked down at her and wrapped my arms around her, unhooking her bra and pulling the straps down until it fell to the floor.

“You’re gorgeous,” I murmured as I let my hands cup her breasts, my thumbs caressing the dark tips of her nipples.

“Don’t tease me,” Xochil begged, and I wasn’t sure if she was referring to my words or my thumbs.

I ran my thumbs over her nipples again, moving my hand so I could use my index finger to pinch her a little. The moan she gave me was sexy, and I couldn’t stop myself from wrapping my arm around her waist and dipping down to draw her nipple into my mouth.

“Fuck,” she whispered, leaning back until I was the only thing holding her up.

It was a surrender. She was submitting to me, and though I didn’t know a lot about werewolves, I knew enough to know that a person like Xochil wouldn’t submit to just anyone.

I lowered us down onto the bed, my lips nipping, licking and sucking on her breasts. She was delectable, and the way her hands were holding onto my neck to keep me in place told me how much she was enjoying the attention I was giving her. Once we were on the bed, I leaned to the side so I wouldn’t crush her, and let my hand trail down her hip. As I got close to where I wanted to go, I felt Xochil’s hand grip mine and bring it to a stop.

I pulled up from where I was focused on her breast, worried I was pushing past some boundary she didn’t want to cross yet.

“Take off your clothes first, please,” she requested, a hint of desperation in the tone of her voice. “Baby, I want to touch you, too.”

I pulled away from her and stood. A shiver ran through me as her eyes followed my hands on my pants. It was a heady feeling to see how clearly she wanted me. I let the borrowed pants drop, then fell to my knees on the pillow between her legs. I pushed her back until she was lying down again, and lowered her panties, giving me the first look at the treasure between her legs. I pushed her legs further apart, and kissed her knee when she gave me access without resistance.

I loved how responsive she was to my touch, letting me do what I wanted, as if she craved it.

I pushed my fingers through her wet folds, finding her clit and giving it a touch of pressure before I moved on. I wanted to tease her, torture her, make her scream my name when I finally gave her what she needed. Caressing her, I applied more pressure every time I got close to her clit but didn’t touch it. After a couple of minutes learning the curve of her mound, where I used my lips to kiss up her thigh toward her center, stopping just before I reached her core, and then moving back down. When I felt she was getting impatient, I dipped my finger into her tight channel and finally placed my lips around her clit.

She bucked with a loud moan, and I pulled away to see her pouting at me.

“Don’t make so much noise. Someone’s bound to hear. Your mom said werewolves have enhanced hearing, and those noises are just for me,” I chided.

The look on her face as I scolded her promised retribution, and I knew I was going to enjoy every second of it.