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“We will teach you all you need to know about pack life. I don’t want to overwhelm you more than you are right now,” Kerian says, brushing her hair out of her face.
“Wolves are affectionate, aren’t they?”
“Very, we thrive off the physical touch. I don’t want you to be upset if we touch the female wolves. It is only in a friendly manner, just on the shoulder or back. We hug in greeting. If you see anything that upsets you, please talk to us about it,” Kerian says, concerned with her reaction.
“That makes sense. When Harmony and her mates were here, I had the impulse to hug them, but I brushed it aside because I thought it might be the wrong thing,” she says, worried.
“Totally normal,” I say, rubbing my hand down her back. “We don’t use words as much as touch. We show our respect and love that way.”
“I have to confess something,” Ava says, hesitating.
“I love confessions,” I smirk.
“I overheard you when you were having a conversation in the kitchen.” Red blooms across her face.
“You did?” I ask. I try to think about everything we talked about.
“Which part of the conversation are you talking about?” Kerian, I see, is trying to think of it too.
“The part where you said you love me.” She looks between us. She’s being cautious, afraid we will be mad.
“We do. I love you desperately,” I say gruffly. “You bring light to my dark soul.”
“I love you too, darlin,” Kerian says softly.
“What if your love is because of the bond?” she asks, scared of our answers.
“It is. It’s because you were handpicked to be our partner, our life. We love who you are. We love how we are together. We love your strength and devotion to those you love. We will learn more and more about each other every day. The bond brought us into your life, but the person you are and how we feel when we are with you keep us there,” Kerian says passionately.
“Cupcake, we love you. I have never pictured a life with a mate, but now I can’t picture it without you. I’m crazy about you. I hope you can take a chance on a crazy wolf and his control-freak brother,” I say.
“Hey,” Kerian protests.
“You know it’s true,” I say dryly, and he shrugs.
“I love you both too. You both came out of nowhere and knocked my life sideways and upside down. I had no choice but to fight it. I had no idea what to do with you. Sometimes I still don’t. It will take a while to believe this is my life. It feels like a dream. I want this, though; I want to be a good mate, friend, and partner.” She lets out a deep sigh when she finishes.
“We will always be here for you,” Kerian says. “Our love has no limits. Lean on us; we will guide you.” We both nod at her and take her hands.
“I have to say though, you really didn’t fight that hard,” I say, grinning. I’m still smiling when she smacks me. I can’t wait for makeup sex.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Ava
The past few days have been eventful. I denied River makeup sex that night. He was thrilled when we had makeup morning sex. We were both counting that as a win. Being with them every day seemed normal, like it was meant to be. We are comfortable in our relationship.
I discovered Kerian could be loving and gentle in bed. He thrives on control, but I feel his ease with me, and he gives me the dominant side when he needs it and lets me lead sometimes. He made love to me last night, all night, slow and gentle.
I was still worried they would be jealous when we had time for just two of us, but they assured me we all needed time alone to make this work. River spent the night in his bed, snacking and watching movies, while Kerian and I stayed in his bed. It’s been working for us. I had to let go of the boundaries society sets. We may not be the norm for most humans, but for us, we love each other, and it’s no one's business how we show that.
I now have a healthy bank account. The lawyer came through. I am deciding what to do with it. The possibilities are endless. Right now, I am enjoying being in our house, making it into our home. Bartlett came over, and we talked more. He’s been staying away from Jason and seems to be becoming his own man. He had to get a new number because Jason had been calling so much, demanding money to keep the church open. Bartlett reached out to his friends there, offering them an alternative; he found a church here that suits him. We are building something together. It certainly is not perfect. We have a hard time understanding each other, but at least we are trying. He isn’t sure about the fact that I am a wolf now. I didn’t want to keep it from him, and I think he appreciated my honesty, if nothing else. We will never be each other confidants, but we are making progress, working on being friendly at least.
I met the pack last night. They welcomed me into their family. Surprisingly, Raquel came to me with a lowered head. She apologized profusely. Her regret over her actions toward Kerian is obvious. We had a long talk. She confessed it wasn’t Kerian that she was sad about losing but the prospect of a mate, even though she knew Kerian wasn’t hers. She was lonely. So I added her to the friend list to call for girls’ night. We hugged and drank together, starting fresh. The pack, at first, treated me cautiously, feeling me out. By the end of the night, we danced and talked like old friends.
Marcus is still an asshole, but he keeps his thoughts to himself. He wouldn’t dare say anything to me while Kerian and River were watching. They will continue to watch and keep him in line. River says that every pack is bound to have one that doesn’t fit the group. I have faith that my mates will deal with any issues going forward. I can’t help but see the wistfulness in Marcus’s unguarded gaze when he thinks no one is looking. I have not shared my thoughts with my mates yet, but I feel there is more to Marcus than his pack knows. Time will tell.
River is his usual sarcastic self. He ate most of the food as the pack looked on in awe. When he wasn’t eating, he was close to my side. His devotion is clear for everyone to see.
