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Her lips slowly tilt upward. “I’m half elf.”
“WHAT?” Evander practically shouts the words.
Wisteria’s eyes widen as she looks from Evander to me and back to him again. I notice the color of her eyes flick between yellow and orange. “Are elves evil or something?”
“No, no.” He shakes his head, water flinging from his hair with the vigorous movement. “Of course they’re not evil. They’re just really powerful. And, you know, believed to beextinct!”
Wisteria’s entire body relaxes, her eyes fading back to their natural color of purple. “Oh. That. Yes, well, I don’t know anything about elves. I think my father only told me because he knew the news was going to be breaking soon and he thought I should hear it from him.”
With her response, I realize that Wisteria said yes so quickly to Evander so she could gauge how he feels about her being a hybrid. She’s gotten close to my family and their opinion matters to her. It’s why she seems so disheartened by my dad’s dismissal of her. I know the only reason he’s been like that toward her is because he doesn’t want me to get too attached to her. He’s trying to protect me. But I don’t like the thought of him alienating my wife. I’m going to have to talk to him about it if he keeps it up. Regardless of when I meet my soulmate, I will stay married to Wisteria. She’s mywife. And that means she’spart of the family. And my soulmate, whoever she is, will be sent far away from me.
Wisteria
After dinner with Stellan’s family, Stellan and I head back to our shared rooms. He holds my hand as we walk the hallway, but neither of us speaks. My mind is still reeling with the way Stellan’s family reacted to the news of me being a hybrid.
They didn’t care.
At all.
Their non-reaction, though baffling, makes me feel so much better about everything. It also makes me excited to read the book about elves that Stellan and I got in the library. I had been avoiding looking at it, afraid to accept the elf side of myself.
Stellan opens the door, motioning for me to walk in first. I walk inside, prepared to say goodnight to him, but when I see the crease between his brows, I just look at him.
“I, uh…” he clears his throat. “Goodnight, Wisteria.”
“Goodnight.” I look up at him, wishing I knew what he was thinking. He’s definitely got something on his mind. But do I dare ask him?
Before I get up the courage to say anything, Stellan turns and goes to his bedroom. With a sigh, I head to my own. I eye my bed on the way to the bathroom. Was it really just last night that Stellan stayed in here with me? And how is it, after only one night, that I can’t imagine what it will be like to sleep alone? I don’twantto sleep without him. But do I dare ask him to sleep with me again? Would that be crossing a line that neither of us are ready for?
I contemplate it while I brush my teeth and go throughmy nightly routine. Once in my pajamas, my gaze flicks between my closed bedroom door and my large, empty bed. Am I brave enough to go knock on Stellan’s door?
Taking a deep breath, I decide to just be brave. I go to my door and throw it open before I can chicken out. I nearly scream when I see a figure standing outside my door. I call forth my magic but abruptly release it. I let out a breath when I see that it’s just Stellan.
“You scared me.” I put a hand over my racing heart.
“Sorry.” He smirks, not at all looking apologetic. But the smirk slips from his lips and he looks at me. “Were you heading somewhere?”
I rub a hand on the back of my neck. “I, was, uh, just…” Words. Why can’t I speak elegantly like a fae? I stand up straighter, trying to be bold. “I don’t want to sleep alone.”
He looks into my eyes and I wonder for a moment what color they are. Considering how anxious I’m feeling, they’re probably orange. His eyes, however, give away nothing.
I chew on my bottom lip, waiting for a response.
A glimmer in his eyes and a small smile tells me that whatever he’s about to say, he’s likely about to tease me. But I can handle his teasing.
“You just want to see me shirtless again.”
“Maybe I just want to steal your body heat.” I try to keep my voice nonchalant, but surely he knows I neatly worded that so I wouldn’t be technically lying.
His grin tells me he definitely noticed. “I will gladly cuddle with you any time you want.”
As hard as I try not to smile, I can’t help it. I’m elated by his words. I want to respond and tell him we should cuddle every single night, but I can’t get the words out. I have a feeling he already knows anyway.
I clear my throat. “So, uh, what were you doing outside my door?”
Now it’s his turn to be flustered. His cheeks turn slightly pink as he looks away from me. But after a moment he makes eye contact with me again, a determined look on his face. “I want to give you a goodnight kiss.”
My heart thumps a little faster.
