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I sat back against the wall of the tub, and a moment later, Cole shifted into his wolf form, almost taking up the entirety of the tub.
I sighed. “That will never not be amazing to me—watching you turn into a beautiful, huge wolf. It’s like something out of a fairytale.”
He waded through the water toward me. When he reached me, he set his snout on my shoulder and exhaled heavily. I smiled and reached up, scratching behind his ears and beneath his chin. He raised his head to allow better access, and I raked my fingers through the fur on his chest.
Cole let out a comforted grumble, his mouth opening as he gave a happy pant toward the ceiling.
I giggled and shook my head. “Say what you want about being problematic,” I teased. “But you’re definitely acting like a giant dog.”
He closed his mouth and nudged my hands away before giving me an unimpressed glower followed by an indignant snort. I laughed so hard, my stomach hurt, and he turned away from me in defiance. I could only imagine what he would have said if he’d been in his human form.
His charade of offended attitude didn’t last long, though. A few moments later, he returned to my side.
We soaked together in relative quiet for a while. When I started drifting off against him in the tub, Cole shifted back into his human form and gathered me up in his arms.
“Come on, sleepyhead,” he murmured. “It’s been a really long day. Let’s get to bed.”
My reply was an incoherent mumble. Just as he’d carried me from the bed to the bath, he carried me from the bath to the bed. He wrapped me up in one of the huge towels meant for shifters, then groomed himself—shaving, brushing his teeth.
Curled up in that soft, plush towel, I was on the brink of sleep when I heard him laugh quietly. “Come on, sweetheart,” he said, waking me. “Let me comb your hair and get it braided so it doesn’t get too tangled while you sleep.”
A half-hearted sound came out of my mouth, but I sat up and let him do what he wanted. Cole was so gentle as he combed through my tangles, parted my hair, and started plaiting it into two loose braids at the sides of my head. He handed me elastics, which I clumsily twisted around each end. After that, he offered to get me into some pajamas, but I shook my head. His body was so warm, his hands so strong and gentle, I didn’t want to deprive myself of any of it. I didn’t want to have anything between us, especially when there was no risk of being interrupted by a five-year-old.
He chuckled and gathered me into his arms again, squeezing me close as we settled into the comfortable bed. I made myself small, not because I felt any sense of danger, but because I loved being enveloped in his powerful arms.
I half-thought of pawing at him to initiate some sleepy sex. But before I could do much more than brush my fingers across his skin, I was already asleep.
* * *
As the soft tendrils of sunlight crept through the curtains, I slowly opened my eyes, feeling the warmth of a new day and the ridiculously comfortable bed enveloping me. It took me a few moments to fully become aware of my surroundings. But when I started to rouse fully, I was keenly aware of an absence from the bed. Cole was gone.
The shower wasn’t running, and I didn’t feel his presence in the room. Just as I was about to roll out of bed and go looking for him, he appeared in the doorway, dressed in a loose white tee and his boxers. He was holding a tray in his hands. The aroma of fresh-brewed coffee filled the air, reminding me of our first meeting. My whole being filled with warmth as those fateful moments replayed in my mind.
“Why are you being so cute?” I asked sleepily.
“Good morning, love,” Cole greeted me with a tender smile. “I like to think I’m always cute, but in this specific moment, I thought I would make you some breakfast to get you energized for your self-defense training today. You looked so peaceful sleeping, I couldn’t bear the thought of waking you up.”
My heart swelled with gratitude as I propped myself against the multiple pillows around me. Cole settled beside me, placing the tray on my lap, revealing an array of nourishing delights—a vibrant fruit salad with cut strawberries, red grapes, kiwi, and blueberries next to a bowl of oatmeal with a pad of butter melting in the center and a bit of brown sugar in a ramekin along with some walnuts. The coffee was just like how I liked it: a splash of cream and too much sugar. There was even some orange juice. Finally, on a separate plate were some scrambled eggs.
I couldn’t help but admire the thoughtfulness behind Cole’s breakfast. “This looks absolutely amazing,” I said, my voice filled with appreciation. “You’ve truly outdone yourself, Cole. I can’t possibly eat all of this.”
He chuckled, his eyes filled with warmth. “Just make sure you at least have a little bit of everything. The carbs from the fruit and oatmeal will give you something to burn while you work out, and the protein will help you stay fueled and energized.” He reached over and popped a blueberry into his mouth. “I know how important it is to nourish your body, especially when I know how important this is to you.”
I scooped up a bite of eggs, knowing full well that I was too excited for the oatmeal and fruit. After finishing about half the eggs, I started in on the fruit.
“Where did you even get all of this? Did you leave the house?” I asked.
“I was about to, but I checked the fridge on a whim to see if they had it stocked with any basics and found it was full of fresh produce.” Cole shrugged.
“They’re really treating us like royalty,” I said. “It makes you wonder if they’re trying to keep us here.”
“It’d be a lie to say the idea hasn’t crossed my mind,” he said. “Yesterday, I was thinking how nice it’d be to bring Noah here and set the whole alpha idea aside.”
I nodded, chewing thoughtfully on a strawberry. “Should we do that? I wouldn’t blame you for making that choice. And I mean, I can come here with you.”
“You’d drop everything back in New Middle Bluff for that?”
“I’d do just about anything for you and Noah,” I said plainly. “I mean, it’d be an adjustment, but it’s not like I have many things keeping me tied there. I have no job, after all, and I’ve been living in Lana’s place for the most part.”
