AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“God, that sounds nightmarish,” he said before mussing my hair. “Joking aside, I'm proud of you for standing your ground. I’m excited to see what kind of wolf you are, how powerful you can be.”
“I’m still not convinced that I won’t wind up turning into a border collie,” I said.
“We’ll have to change your name to Lassie.”
“Only if you say it with a Scottish accent.”
“That is a tall order. I don’t think I’ll be able to fill it.”
“Well, then. I suppose we’ll have to stick with Marley,” I said with a dramatic sigh.
“I guess you better become a wolf, then,” River said, elbowing me slightly and winking once.
I smiled down at my shoes, feeling a little sheepish. It wasn’t so much that I was flustered by his excitement; it just felt new and strange to be treated like a real part of things rather than a side character or an accessory to my shifter mate.
“You going to come be moral support at the doctor’s office when things start?” I asked.
“Yeah, that’s the plan,” River said. “We’ve got a few people who are feeling really nervous about the whole thing. And since Vic is getting gene therapy as well, he’s going to need a few more hands on deck to keep things running smoothly in case he’s down for the count. So, here I am.”
I nodded and looked over the faces gathered around us. When I looked at Cole, I saw a familiar head of pale hair and pressed my lips into a thin line. It was the same woman who’d made a pass at him in Georgia, and one of the people who’d come to our aid when Lanyon Clover wreaked havoc on us.
A jolt of discomfort went through me seeing the two of them close together like that. I didn’t know why it did, if I was honest. I was Cole’s mate, and his wife now. He’d already claimed me, and I had his scent on me properly. Maybe it was just the small part of me left that felt uncertain and nervous about partnerships.
Cole must have felt the jolt because he looked at me only a few seconds later He gave me a smile and a nod as if to say don’t worry, sweetheart.
River followed my gaze and then looked back at me. “She’s one of the ones going through gene therapy, too,” he said. “So if you’re thinking about how she needs a slice or two of humble pie, she’s already eaten it.”
“Then why does she keep pressing closer to him?” I said a little more sharply than I’d intended.
“Because she’s embarrassing,” River said with a shrug. “You worried Cole has a wandering eye?”
“Of course not,” I said. “I do worry about people who have no respect for me as his mate and wife, though.”
At that, she looked over at me, having apparently heard me as I’d increased my volume at the end of what I was saying. Her eyes narrowed a bit, but she didn’t come closer to me or pick a fight. Instead, I watched as she closed out the conversation with him and turned her attention elsewhere.
Cole walked over to us, wrapping an arm around my shoulder and kissing the top of my head. “You alright?”
“I’m fine,” I said. “Just not a fan of your admirer over there.”
“She’s harmless,” he said dismissively.
“She’s not,” I said. “The longer she keeps this crap up, the more likely it is that people don’t see me as your equal. Your partner.”
“That’s a fair point,” he said, letting a hand drift down to the small of my back. “You want me to avoid her for the rest of their visit?”
He asked the question as if it would be the easiest thing for him to do. And I believed in his head it truly was the easiest thing to do. That was one thing I loved about Cole—he had no qualms over whatever he could do to make me more comfortable and more at ease. He never made a fuss about my needs.
I thought about his offer for a few moments, watching as she stepped away to talk to Victor. “No,” I finally said after a moment or two. “I’ll have a talk with her about it.”
Cole’s brows shot up as he looked down at me.
“What?” I asked.
“It’s just…well, I suppose I’m just used to you not feeling safe to express boundaries, especially in shifter spaces,” he said. “I’m pleasantly surprised.”
“I’ve been feeling better about this sort of thing, you know?” I said. “I’ve been a lot better about it when it comes to people like Ashton, too. I don’t know if you’ve noticed it.”
“I have,” he said, smiling and kissing my temple. “I’m proud of you. And I’m excited to see how my beautiful wife stakes her claim over me.”
