"I just had your blood."
"You did."
"Is that going to do something. Is there a wolf-receipt for me too—OH am I going to turn into a wolf now?"
"It binds you to the bond. The wolf knows you now. You'll feel me. Sometimes. Distance. Mood. It's faint for humans. But it's there."
"Oh. That's. Wow. Okay. I just got a wolf-husband and a wolf-thread at the same time."
"A what."
"A thread. A line between us. Wolf-thread."
"Stop talking."
"Make me."
I kiss her. Hard. Bloody mouth against bloody mouth. The tang of both of us mixed, copper and salt and the bite of it.
When I pull back her face is wet. Tear-streaked. She is smiling.
"Keer."
"Yes."
"I'm keeping the tooth."
"Good."
"I'm going to make it into something."
"Expected nothing less."
"Everyone is going to know."
"Yes."
"Are you sure about this? About me. Like. Really sure. Because I am extremely going to be wearing your tooth around like a banner and there's no quiet version of that—"
"Melori."
"What."
"I bit through your shoulder, gave you my blood, pulled out my own tooth and handed it to you, and locked us together for hours. I'm sure."
"Right. Yeah. The receipts are extensive."
"Thereceiptsare extensive."
She settles back down against me. Careful—we are still joined, I am still inside her, my shoulder is still slow-bleeding, hers is too. Her cheek finds my chest. Her hand curls over the cut on my shoulder, palm flat. Holding it. Holding me.
Quiet.
Long quiet.
"Keer?"
"Mm."
