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Cassian stood, stretching his arms as he checked the time on his phone. “It’s after noon. I need to get back to the warehouse.”
Emily said she’d text me after they got back, and we’d talk more about our next step. I nodded and waved them off, heading to my room to crash for a few hours. My headache had returned, and I could feel the fever creeping back.
I’d just plopped onto my bed when a soft knock on the door caught my attention. “Yeah?” I called out, figuring they forgot to tell me something about the wolves.
Emily stepped into the room, closing the door behind her and taking a seat on the bed beside me. I laid on my stomach and turned my head to face her, peeking through one open eye as my other eye was closed, ready for my nap. Though, I wouldn’t mind a bit of her company.
“I just wanted to check on you,” she said, her eyebrows creased in concern. She brushed the hair from my face, feeling my forehead with her palm. Too bad it’s not her chin again. Or her lips. “I don’t have the same herbs that Morgan does, plus my magic isn’t as strong, so the healing spell probably wore off. I could make you another drink,” she offered, lifting from the bed, but I grabbed her arm and pulled her back down.
“You underestimate your magic.” My hand rested on her arm, though I didn’t move from my position. My body felt like lead, too heavy to lift. Her spell had worked marvelously for a few hours.
Her cheeks flushed, and she looked at the floor, a smitten expression on her soft features. “I just want to make you feel better. We can’t afford anyone being ill right now.”
“You want to make me feel better?” I asked, and she nodded. “Then lie on the bed with me.” Before I could stop myself from the absurd request, it had escaped my lips in a plea that I hoped she wouldn’t reject. I knew Cassian was waiting on her, but I needed to be close to her. She was my mate too, and I hadn’t spent time alone with Emily in forever. My wolf was begging for her to stay by my side.
Without protest, she stretched her legs onto the bed, lying stiffly beside me, apparently apprehensive. I couldn’t blame her for being hesitant. It had been over a week since we’d been alone, and even longer than that since our kiss. Even then, she was hesitant about letting anyone see her emotions or her affection toward me.
But I wanted her to show it. To kiss me, even when others were around. I understood why she hid her feelings—this whole thing with two mates was complicated. I sure as hell didn’t want to share her with Cassian, but I think, honestly, if it came down to it, I’d rather share her than lose her.
I couldn’t believe the thought as it passed through my mind, but in a sense, I was sure of it, no matter how much it defied logic, or made my wolf want to tear Cassian to pieces if he so much as touched her. But if that was what it took to be with her, then my wolf would have to get over it.
I’d been alone. Felt the sting of alienation and solitude. There was a reason I hated people, but somehow, I’d been warming up to the idea of belonging somewhere—and that place was wherever Emily would be. I didn’t want to be alone anymore, and if that meant some weird reality where Cassian and I shared the same mate, then so be it.
“Whatcha thinking ‘bout?” Emily asked after minutes of silence, her voice slurred from the way her cheek was pressed against the pillow.
I smiled, opening both eyes to watch her. She stared up at me, eyes wide, lips plump and luscious, and I wanted so desperately to feel them pressed against me. “I was just thinking about how bad I want to kiss you right now.”
Her eyes were glued to mine, and they widened at my confession. “Oh,” she answered, her gaze flickering between my eyes and my lips, obviously feeling the same temptation that ran through me. “So, why don’t you?”
Why? That was a good question. The list of why I shouldn’t go on and on, yet I didn’t care about any of the reasons on that list, because none of those were the reasons why I hadn’t kissed her.
You know those characters in romance novels that want to be together, but they always miscommunicate, or they never speak about how they feel, so nothing ever happens between them? Meanwhile, you’re sitting there, eyes glued to the page, just waiting for someone to finally be open about what they’re thinking, only for them to disappoint you all over again. Yeah, I don’t want to be that character. I hate those characters. No, I knew I wanted her, so I needed to be sincere and stop dicking around.
“Honestly, I wasn’t sure you’d want to kiss me. I know we’ve kissed, but everything has been so confusing since then. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t searching for a way to end the bond, but the truth is, I don’t want to end it. I want to be your mate, Princess—Emily.” I caught myself using my pet name for her. Not this time. I wanted her to feel how serious I was.
She giggled the sound like music to my ears. “Princess Emily? I like the sound of that. Though, I wouldn’t mind an upgrade to Queen.”
I chuckled, sliding my hand to where hers rested by the pillow, lacing my fingers through hers. “That can be arranged. However, Queen Emily, you didn’t answer my question.”
“You didn’t ask a question,” she countered.
“Not specifically, but I would still like to know where you stand. I want you, Emily. I want to be with you, to be your mate, and I don’t care who else knows about it. I’m tired of running, living my life in isolation, detached from everyone around me. I don’t want to be distant from you, too. Even if you don’t feel the same, I just need to know. If you don’t want to ever kiss me again, that’s fine. But please, at least tell me.”
“It’s not that,” she answered, her voice meek and unsure. “It’s just—I—uh,” she stammered and cleared her throat to start again. “I want to be with you, too. But it’s… complicated.”
I propped myself up, using my elbow as support. “I get it. But it’s not really that complicated. If you want to be with me, then be with me.”
She chewed on her lip, glancing at the door and back to me.
“It’s Cassian, right? You want him, too. Makes sense. We're both your mates. But what if I told you that I’m open to sharing you with Cass? I mean, it’s definitely not the ideal situation, but I’d rather share you with him than not have you at all.”
Emily frowned and swatted my arm, propping herself on her elbow to match my position. “Don’t talk about me like I’m some toy you guys can pass between you.”
I shook my head, a bit of laughter escaping me. “Sorry, I didn’t mean it like that. But I wasn’t lying when I said I wanted to be your mate. Maybe it’s the bond, but every time you’re away from me, it feels like my soul is being ripped apart. But when I see you again, I don’t know, it’s like this piece of me—this piece I didn’t even know was missing—just falls into place, and I’m whole for the first time in my life.”
In the most unexpected reaction, Emily leaned in and pressed her lips to mine, so soft and gentle. I couldn’t tell if my heart was pounding furiously or stilled by her kiss.
A fire erupted within me like I could taste the flames that I’d seen flickering to life within her palms. It filled me with warmth and comfort, knowing that my question had been answered in the sweetest way.
My hand brushed the hair from her face and caressed her cheek as she pulled away, her gaze boring into me. I leaned in once more if only for a second, to feel her soft, supple lips. But when our lips connected, the warmth I’d felt before had morphed into a heat—a hunger—that ignited like it had in the cave, when she had crawled on top of me.
The memory stirred something within my wolf and me, and I threaded my fingers through her hair, gripping hard, and shoved my tongue in her mouth. She let out a soft whimper of surprise but invited me in, twirling her tongue with mine in a dance that was so intense, so surreal, it was sacred in its own respect.
The kiss deepened, and I rolled closer to her, pulling her body into mine, her leg resting between my knees, and her hands traveling up the length of my chest.
It felt unreal as if it were an illusion that would disappear the instant our lips separated—which only made me cling to her tighter, pulling her in until our bodies couldn’t get any closer. But I couldn’t risk losing her. Not when I’d finally got her. Finally.
The euphoria was short-lived when the door swung open, and I heard, “What the fuck?” coming from the doorway.
