Page 47 of Saved By the Selkie

“We won’t harm you,” Anna clarifies. “And you’re free to go whenever you want.”

I glance down at Blizz. “Thank you,” I murmur gently.

The old woman nods and goes back to stitching the sealskin she’s working with. Aramis leans close to me. “What’s going on?”

I shake my head. “Nothing.”

Anna puts her hands on her hips as she moves to stand in front of us. “Strip,” she orders. Aramis startles. “We need to see how bad the frostbite is.”

Her gaze moves to me. “You too.”

“I’m fine,” I protest. “Selkies are built for this kind of weather.”

“Maybe,” she agrees, “but you spent the last how many days in human form? You’re just as likely to have frostbite, so—strip.”

The old woman has finished with her sealskin, and she moves around the fire now. She takes Blizz from me, humming to him and tickling his tummy. He laughs and kicks his legs, even as she catches him by the ankle and divests him of the blanket he’s wearing. She inspects him, and I swallow the growl in my throat.

“This one is good,” she declares, then goes back to cooing at Blizz. She bounces him as she walks around the fire.

“Well?” Anna says, and Aramis and I glance at each other. We were too busy watching the old woman with our son.

We divest ourselves of the borrowed garments we’re wearing. I sneak a few furtive glances at Aramis, then wince when I notice how thin he is. His ribs are showing, and he looks ill. I feel awful for even wanting him; he’s clearly not well, and here I am thinking increasingly filthy thoughts about how he could pin me down on the ice outside and fuck me senseless.

I shuffle my feet and glance down nervously, willing my body not to react. The last thing I need right now is for my cock to unsheathe itself in front of everyone.

It doesn’t, thankfully, which means my heat is further off than I thought. I probably have a few more days.

Anna inspects Aramis first, frowning and clucking her tongue as she scrutinizes blackened fingers and toes. “Not much help for it,” she says, then gestures to Porthos.

“Are you gonna cut them off?” Aramis sounds scared.

Anna gives him a filthy look. “No,” she says sharply, “unlike you people, we have medicine.” She huffs, and Porthos hands her a carved ivory vessel, which is filled with some kind of salve. “I can’t guarantee it will fix it,” she says, “or that you’ll be able to keep all of them.”

“Some is better than none,” Aramis says, wiggling his toes as she slathers his feet in the salve.

While they banter, I stand there, naked in the middle of the room, marveling at how embarrassed I feel. A year ago, I wouldn’t have thought twice about being nude. Now, however, I wish I could cover up.

I’m not sure I like how much I’ve adjusted to these human morals.

Anna finally moves to inspect me. Just as she picks up my hand, Blizz cries, a sharp noise that I know too well.

And one my body knows as well, because I immediately start leaking milk. Anna jumps back in surprise, and Porthos makes a face.

“He’s hungry,” the old woman says, bouncing Blizz in her arms as she approaches me.

“Yes,” I agree, reaching for him. I note she’s dressed him in the sealskin—she’s made it into a coat. How she knew to make a coat for a child before we arrived, I don’t know. Anna and Porthos didn’t know I was pregnant.

She hands Blizz to me, and I put him to my chest instantly, sighing in relief. Anna watches me for a moment, then makes me sit down so she can look at my toes.

There’s nothing wrong with me; selkies don’t get frostbite, not even when we’re in humanoid form.

I shift Blizz to my other nipple, and I happen to glance up at Aramis, who is peering down at me with the strangest expression on his face.

Something uncoils in my belly, hot and lurid, and I make the mistake of pressing my thighs together, like it might stem the tide of want coursing through me.

It doesn’t. Instead, my cock springs free of its sheath, standing up for everyone to see, like an unwanted party guest. I barely hold back a moan, one that’s both embarrassment and unbridled lust. I want my mate so bad, but I also want to sink into the ground and hide.

Anna tosses a blanket at me. I feel my cheeks burning. I peek up at Aramis, who seems startled.