Chapter 67 My wife
The aftermath was similar to that first night.
I was in Hale’s arms, spineless and out of breath. He rained kisses on my face and cooed in my ears.
And finally, I pried my eyes open to smile up at him.
He returned my smile.
In the past, this would have been the point I said I love you, confessed that I could not wait to be his wife, joined by vows as we were by our wolves.
But it was all different now.
He leaned in and settled his lips by my ear, “Mate,”
I brought one tired hand up to his hair, spreading my fingers to run it through his moon-colored hair. Again, I had been wrong about Finn's hair.
Those wonderfully loose curls were velvet. Hale's was the real silk. So fine, my hands went through them like air.
In another life it would have been just us.
A wife he did not have to share, neither would I have had to watch him love other people, witness the adoration and fierceness in their own eyes wherever they looked at him.
“Mine,” he kissed the tip of my nose, and my cheeks flushed with heat.
With that refreshing peppermint deep in my lungs, his warm, strong arms around me, I decided it wouldn't be so bad to pretend for a few minutes after all.
To forget that I wasn’t supposed to sit here, cuddling, while I was in danger of admitting that I still loved him.
To forget that Rhea seemed to be getting weaker inside me, less bonded to me.
All because I was falling at separating my heart from my body.
You failed. Lys Failed.
Twelve months.
It did not matter. Like ballet, I was determined not to give up yet. Even as he closed his eyes to the feeling of my fingers through his hair, I decided I would keep fighting to keep my heart locked.
I had mastered repeating ballet routines over and over till I got it right.
I would apply the same mindset here. Learn from my failures and come up with new plans.
He slipped his hand into mine then, and laced our fingers together, squeezing gently. I squeezed back.
“A quick shower, pet.” Draki called from the bathroom.
Hale stood up, still holding me in his arms.
This will have to stop. So far, I had noticed I was at my weakest when I was alone with each man. Finn, in that garden, Hale at the bottom of the lake.
And with Draki, it seemed we had spent the most time together.
From now on, it was important I was never alone with just one man as much as I could help it.
That would be a good place to start from.
“A bath would have been so nice,” Hale pouted playfully as he lowered my feet to the floor. Even then, he held me to himself.
“You could both ditch your appointment, and spend the evening with me.” Draki moved closer, those silver eyes staring right into mine.
My heart kicked.
Drawing in a measured breath, I pulled my eyes away, slowly, to avoid creating any suspicion.
The water hit me then. I gasped.
I stared through the stream of water as both their hands began to move around my body.
Draki kept his eyes on mine the whole time, as if reading my thoughts.
Suddenly, he lowered to my height, and leaning his cheek against mine, said, “Soon, we will have to talk about all those secrets you’re keeping.”
My body stiffened.
What had I been thinking? He was the most powerful creature in all seven districts, our literal god. He did not have to violate his own policy of mind reading to know things about me.
I bit my lip.
This changed nothing though. If this plan was really my option to beat the ritual, I was going to do it.
Even the risk of exposure would not make me give up.
Hale's hands glided down my belly button from behind, caressing the soap suds against my skin, pulling me closer against his chest.
My lips went slack, my breath quickening as it became harder to concentrate.
But Draki was still in the exact position, leaning into me, cheek against mine, chin grazing my shoulder gently, his body so warm it was a struggle not to collapse against him.
“Is your family going to stop being a nuisance or do I have to step in and defend my wife?”
I stumbled back, bumping into Hale, who caught me quickly with a startled gasp.
I stared into Draki’s eyes. Stunned. He knew the whole time, he knew everything?
“We usually never involve ourselves in mortal squabbles,” he lifted a hand to caress my wet hair off my face.
My knees wobbled.
“But it gets a little tricky when everyone starts thinking they can push my wife around.” His eyes were beginning to burn now, illuminating into gold-colored madness.
How had he held back the whole time? Knowing what Arthur, Grandma, Gianna… Moon goddess, Gianna.
“What would you prefer we do about this pet?”
Hale was quiet behind me, channeling all his attention to scrubbing my body, and I did not have to guess why.
He had never been able to stand my family. And if he had the slightest idea about the truth of that unfortunate day.
About what really caused…
No. He can’t.
“They’ll not be a problem anymore.” I sputtered now, my skin suddenly hot even though I was standing in a cool shower.
I would make sure my family knew they had to put a stop to their games. Especially now when they had foolishly attracted the attention of the dragon and ancient wolf.
These creatures who could wipe them all out without breaking a sweat.
My stomach lurched. I did not want to be the only Grunder left in this world.
No matter how terrible they were, they were my blood. And if I continued to maintain my distance from them like I was now, they would be unable to hurt me again.
“I promise. They won’t be.”
“I’ll take that.” Draki started to massage my scalp, scrubbing every inch in that unique way that brought a moan out of me and made it difficult to keep my eyes open.
“I’ll also take it that this is the last time we will discuss this. The next time anyone makes you cry, we can do whatever we decide is best.”
My heart stopped.
Gianna. Stupid, stupid Gianna would never back off even if everyone else did.