I blow on the spoon gently, trying to cool the steaming mixture, then wrap my lips around it. The flavor explodes on my tongue—rich, creamy, with a perfect hint of sharpness.
“It’s good,” I say, giving him a thumbs up.
Before I can lick the leftover cheese sauce from my lips, he quickly takes his thumb and traces it over them, cleaning away the sauce. My breath catches as he brings his thumb to his mouth and sucks the cheese off, his eyes never leaving mine. The way his thumb lingers in his mouth, it’s clear he’s savoring more than just the taste of the cheese—he’s savoring the taste of me.
I smile, unable to look away from the sultry heat in his beautiful green eyes. After a moment that seems to stretch into eternity, he turns back to his cooking.
“What else are you making?” I ask, trying to calm the fluttering in my stomach.
“Rosemary chicken and roasted vegetables,” he explains, his deep voice warming me from the inside.
I watch as he takes a large casserole dish and pours in the cooked pasta shells. He seasons them liberally, adding pats ofbutter and cubes of cheese before pouring the velvety cheese sauce over top. Then, to my delight, he adds yet another layer of shredded cheese, covering the entire surface.
“Damn, you really know what you’re doing,” I say, impressed by his technique.
He covers the pan with foil and slides it into the oven, setting the timer for twenty minutes. Then he grabs a small chicken from the rotisserie and begins expertly breaking it down, separating juicy pieces while a pot of vegetables boils nearby.
“So I’m just supposed to move into Wintermoon right away?” I ask, reality suddenly crashing back. “What about my apartment? My stuff?”
Kade approaches the cooking area, sliding her phone into her back pocket. “You’re a daughter of Wintermoon now,” she states matter-of-factly. “You belong to the richest land in the world. Therefore, you are now rich.”
She says it like it’s the most obvious thing in the world.
“You’ll have everything packed up, and I’ll inform the landlord that you belong on Wintermoon now,” she continues. “Whatever you want to keep, I’ll have shipped over.”
“Just like that? It’s that simple?” I ask, disbelief coloring my voice.
“If you choose not to stay on Wintermoon—which is also your choice, by the way—you’re subjected to the radical humans who just so happen to be headquartered in Detroit,” she explains, her blue eyes serious. “And Jabari will follow you wherever you go. I don’t need to tell you how dangerous that is.”
My face falls. “Oh.”
Her expression softens. She walks over to the wine shelves and pulls out a bottle of red, then grabs some glasses. She sets one in front of me and pours generously.
I pick it up and take a sip, grateful for the warmth it sends through my system. “Thanks, you read my mind. I needed something to take the edge off.”
“I’ve been doing this a long time,” she says with a shrug. “Explaining the life change to all the humans who make it into Wintermoon.”
“I will do everything in my power to make sure you have a good life with me,” Jabari interjects, turning from his cooking to look at me with those earnest eyes. “I swear to you that it will never feel like a prison.”
I smile at him. His sincerity is almost disarming.
“Is he always like this?” I ask her, gesturing toward Jabari.
She shrugs. “What? Socially awkward? Oh, that’s just because he hasn’t been around humans in about six centuries. Frost Clan really isolated themselves for a bit. The alpha was even a bit anal when I visited over a decade ago to tell him about Wintermoon. They didn’t come until?—“
“The alpha found his mate,” I finish. “Yeah, Jabari told me.”
“It’s a good clan,” she continues, leaning against the counter. “Very hardworking and very organized. Most bear shifters keep to themselves; they aren’t much for socializing.”
I glance at Jabari, who’s busy assembling our plates, his focus absolute. I take another sip of my wine, the questions mounting in my mind.
“Are there any female bear shifters?” I ask.
“Yes, but it’s rare,” Kade replies. “Frost Clan doesn’t have any female bear shifters, but Wintermoon has several. One is even alpha of her own clan.”
I smile at that, pleased to hear there are women in leadership positions.
“So what do the women do on... Frost Clan?” I ask, curious about what my life might look like.
