Page 7

7

KELLY

M y university inbox overflowed with messages I had to sift through from my professors, campus security, and classmates. The overwhelming response surprised me. People at school knew I’d existed, even though no one talked to me? This was so wild.

The soft pillows on Jacob’s bed cradled my head as I leaned back against them, pulling the blanket higher on my naked chest. Being safe and comfortable in Jacob’s home felt surreal. My body still ached from the pleasure I’d experienced with Jacob last night. It had been our first time in a bed… and with privacy too.

Where is he?

The sound of pans clattering and the mouthwatering aroma of sizzling bacon pulled me away from my phone. He was cooking me breakfast? Wow. My heart melted. I should’ve gotten up to help him, but I’d been scrolling through my email.

Why am I even bothering?

Jacob didn’t want us to rush back into studying. We needed to ground ourselves in this new reality. Jumping from human to monster to guinea pig to rescued werewolf hadn’t happened overnight. Neither would figuring out my place in the world again.

But was I rushing things? College shaped part of my identity and tied into who I used to be… Who I am. I needed to be true to myself, even if it wasn’t easy.

Do I contact the university?

I chewed my lower lip. Would they believe me if I told them what happened? Did I want to explain it to them? The cops could get involved. I wasn’t certain I could trust them. If the scientists had connections with the military, I couldn’t rule out other government agencies. I might end up in another research facility.

God, I do not want that.

No. I needed to relax and focus on healing, just like I told Jacob. Everything else would fall into place eventually.

The way Jacob had made love to me last night still took my breath away. Feeling his body inside mine was beautiful, and I didn’t want to shake the trust between us. I wanted moments like that every night for the rest of my life.

Still, if I spoke with the university, at least they’d know I hadn’t abandoned my studies. I tried to come up with a message, but the words eluded me. Jacob and I should talk about this soon. He might know what to say, but that meant bringing this up. Things needed to be good between us.

My indecision frustrated me.

But I had to do what felt right. Secrets would only rip us apart. Maybe once we spent more time getting to know each other, I’d tell him how much my education meant to me. He didn’t know I was estranged from my family. If he understood what college meant to my future, he might change his mind.

Tossing my phone aside, I stared up at the ceiling. A headache throbbed behind my eyes. If only I knew how I fit into Jacob’s world, especially when I was struggling with how to be me.

Ugh. I don’t need this stress.

Why did things feel harder here than they did at the lab? Shouldn’t it have been the opposite? Perhaps fate was still trying to screw me over. Wouldn’t surprise me after the mercenaries’ freaky case of mistaken identity with the leopard shifter.

Whatever. Now wasn’t the time to contemplate fate and other spiritual matters.

I tapped out a quick message to Winter Forest University’s Office of the Dean of Students. I hoped they’d get back to me. Maybe I could take my make-up final exams soon and register for the upcoming semester. It wouldn’t be easy to get back on track with my studies, but it was worth the effort.

This time, I set the phone on the nightstand. Each chime and vibration stirred up panic.

Emma would be after me to talk today. Before I dealt with her or checked more emails, I just wanted to relax in Jacob’s cozy bed and try to clear my mind. This bed was heaven compared to the cot—or worse, the stained, putrid mattress on the concrete floor. Those bastards would never take me again. I’d fight tooth and claw before they put me in those conditions a third time.

The scent of eggs and bacon made my belly growl with desperation. My body craved food, especially after I’d purged my stomach last night. It sucked, but I hoped that wouldn’t happen again with me being less stressed.

Let’s fix this hunger business.

Before I could toss the blankets aside, footsteps padded closer to the cracked bedroom door. Should I pretend to be asleep? The scent of delicious food stole away any other thoughts. I sat upright, pulling the blankets up to cover myself.

“Knock, knock. I hope you’re hungry.” Jacob entered the room, carrying a tray of food. A pair of faded blue jeans hung low on his hips, and a well-worn black shirt hugged the sculpted line of his chest and arms. He looked divine. “Did I wake you? I was trying to be stealthy with cooking. Groceries were delivered this morning to stock up the fridge.” He set the tray near the foot of the bed, then bent to kiss my forehead.

“No, you didn’t.” I smiled. “And I’m kinda starving.”

If I had my way, I’d push the tray aside, pull him into bed, and take him inside me again. But that would have to wait… at least until we’d eaten breakfast. The tray held two plates of eggs, bacon, toast, and mixed fruit along with juice and coffee. A breakfast of champions.

Part of me wondered if I’d be able to eat all of this, but I wasn’t human anymore. I’d never imagined I could eat three double cheeseburgers like I did last night, but I’d managed… until they came back to haunt me.

“Good thing I made plenty then. Hope you enjoy my modest offerings.” His lips quirked, as if he knew how immodest he was being.

“Consider me pleasantly surprised! I haven’t had breakfast in bed before. You’re so sweet. Thank you.” The gesture warmed my heart. “Maybe I’ll return the favor tomorrow.”

“You will, huh?” A small smirk tugged at his lips. “I might enjoy that. But you’ve never had breakfast in bed?” He stole a piece of bacon from my plate, and I smacked his hand.

“Hey! Eat your own bacon!” I giggled, unable to help myself. If he wanted to play like that… I stabbed a bite of his eggs and plopped it into my mouth before he could protest. God, these were so good. I let out a small moan before I could stop myself.

His eyes widened, his gaze on my lips. “Really?” He glared at me in mock disbelief. “I should’ve expected that assault on my plate, but now I don’t feel bad about eating your bacon.” He leaned forward, this time placing a kiss on my lips. “You didn’t answer my question.” His breath on my chin made me shiver.

To think yesterday began with a cold-water assault as the mercenaries sprayed us awake before tranquilizing us for the scientists’ experiments. They’d rambled on about some scientific breakthrough, but my brain had shut down, unwilling to process any of it. It’d been easier to float in a hazy numbness.

This morning was so much better.

“Maybe you shouldn’t have stolen my bacon first.” I smirked, but it didn’t matter. Both plates had heaps of food, and if I was still hungry, he’d probably happily cook more. “And no, my parents didn’t believe food should ever enter a bedroom.” And well, I’d never had a serious boyfriend before Jacob.

Jacob sipped his coffee. “The look of surprise on your face was worth it.” His gaze slid over me, lingering on my breasts before meeting my eyes again. “Hmm… You don’t have to worry about those kinds of rules here.” He shrugged. “Not that I want a messy bed, but sometimes you’ve got to live a little.” Silence stretched between us for a few moments. “I didn’t want to wake you this morning. You needed your rest, and you looked so peaceful for the first time since I’ve woken up beside you. That’s not saying much, but…” He set his cup down on the tray.

His words made sense. Each night in the research facility, I’d had terrible nightmares. Last night I hadn’t woken up in a cold sweat. The nightmares persisted but were less intense.

I chewed another bite of eggs, trying not to dwell on what we’d been through. “Thanks. Guess I was exhausted after everything.” I smiled at him. “It was surprisingly hard to fall asleep in a comfortable bed after those nights on that terrible mattress.” I’d tossed and turned for a while after the interruption from his brother, watching Jacob sleep beside me. It felt like a dream that might crash down around me.

Jacob grabbed another piece of bacon from his plate. “You’re welcome, babe. It was different sleeping in my own bed. Best feeling in the world, actually. Maybe once things settle down, we can swing by your place, and you can experience it too. If you want, that is.”

The thought of sleeping in my bed was nice. But did I want that? Not really. I was happy here with Jacob, but he might not want me to stay forever. “Sounds great. Sometime later, when things are safe. Plus, I need to get those memories out of my head, you know?”

He nodded, understanding in his eyes. “Of course. You’re welcome to stay as long as you’d like, babe.”

His words soothed the worry in my heart. I never wanted him to think I was an inconvenience. “Thanks, Jacob.” My phone vibrated on the nightstand. The impulse to check the notification had me on the verge of reaching for it. But it didn’t matter right now. What mattered was breakfast with my handsome mate.

“No problem. It’s better if you hang out here. I want to be sure you’re protected if those assholes are still searching for us.” He placed his hand on my knee. “Maybe we can make some new memories when you’re ready? Or you could find a new apartment?”

My brows drew together, and I pursed my lips. “Hmm… New memories could help. I’ll think about it.” A new apartment would take more money than I could spare. Sadly, it might be for the best. Those monsters knew where I lived. Once they regrouped, they could come after me again.

“You’re in no rush.” Jacob glanced at the now empty plates. “Let me clean this up, and I’ll be back.” He lifted the tray with our dirty dishes. His bare feet padded over the tile floor as he retreated to the kitchen.

Drawing in a deep breath, I leaned back in bed. I should get dressed. Jacob and I said we’d learn more about one another this morning, and while I didn’t love the thought of telling him about my messed-up family life, I wanted to connect more with him.

However, the message I’d received during breakfast toyed with my thoughts, and I grabbed my phone. It probably wasn’t important, but I might as well look while I had privacy. School matters should remain private for now. We had differing opinions we needed to work out first.

My eyes widened as I saw a reply from the Office of the Dean of Students. The message said the dean would like to meet with me about what had happened so my studies could resume.

A lump formed in my throat. The email both excited and scared me. Should I tell Jacob? Or should I wait until this was all figured out? I didn’t want to hurt him, and he might not be okay with this.

Deep breaths.

I wanted my life back. But could I have that and Jacob?