Page 37 of Cruel Mate

She pulled on her robe and stepped into her slippers before heading downstairs. As she did, she realized that food wasn’t all she could smell. The scent of cleaning products filled the air, and with a furrowed brow, Layla realized that the floor had been swept and mopped.

When she entered the kitchen, she was astonished to find not one of the she-wolves, but Zander instead.

“Good morning, wife,” he welcomed her with a smile, picking up a mug of fresh steaming coffee.

Layla blinked, certain she was imagining things. The room was the tidiest she had ever seen it, everything put perfectly in its place, dusted, mopped and sanitized. The only things out of place were a couple of cardboard boxes set by the back door.

“I hope you don’t mind, I straightened up a little and made breakfast,” Zander said, holding out the coffee mug to her.

“I…I can’t drink—” Layla began, placing her hand on her swelling stomach.

At that, Zander smirked and said, “It’s decaf.”

Layla blinked again. This couldn’t be real. He was being too damn perfect. If this was his version of ‘straightening up,’ she feared to see what a deep clean might look like.

“What’s the matter?” Zander asked, scowling when Layla failed to speak. “Don’t you like coffee?”

Oh, how little we know of each other, Layla thought, cringing. “No! I love coffee. I…I’m just surprised is all.”

“Surprised I can make coffee?” Zander asked, brow raising.

Layla shook her head and gestured around the room, “Surprised by all of this.”

Zander shrugged. “I’m a morning person.” His words made Layla yawn, and he added, “But from that, I’m guessing you aren’t.”

“At the moment, I’m more a no time of day kind of person,” Layla admitted, stroking her stomach again. “This baby is kicking my ass.”

At that, Zander crossed the room and stopped before her. Holding out his hand, he asked, “May I?”

Layla was surprised he had stopped to ask. She was so used to the handsy nature of the old pack males that it was a most refreshing change. She smiled and took hold of his hand, laying it on her stomach.

Their gazes met as they held her stomach together, and Layla felt an odd fluttering in her chest. The urge to kiss him was almost uncontrollable, but she hadn’t yet quite forgiven him for turning her entire world upside down.

As if he, too, was still feeling a little awkward, he stepped away, cleared his throat and asked, “What would you like to do today?”

Layla sighed. What she wanted nowadays didn’t really seem to matter. She would have liked to go off on a messenger run, to feel free, but Jack had forbidden that, and she was certain it wasn’t safe for a pregnant werewolf out there alone.

Sighing deeply, she said with longing, “I guess I’d like for everything to just go back to normal.”

Was that hurt she saw in Zander’s gaze? She bit her lip and immediately started to correct herself, but before she could do so, he asked, “What does your normal look like? I usually head out for a walk or training around this time.”

Again, Layla was surprised. Zander seemed to be full of them. “You don’t seem like the type for walks. Runs, maybe, but not walks.”

Zander shrugged and ran his fingers through his hair. “I like to feel free, and a walk helps me clear my mind and remind me of my surroundings.”

“Remind you?” Layla asked.

Zander looked down as if he were a little embarrassed. Then he looked her in the eye and said, “When you’ve been in the army as long as I was, sometimes you need a reminder that you aren’t living in a war zone anymore.”

Layla gulped. She had never heard anyone express exactly how she was feeling. Of course, she had never been in an actual war zone, but the old Nightstar had often felt like one, and it was the main reason why she had taken to being a messenger.

“I…um…I think I can imagine how that feels,” she admitted. “Things around here didn’t exactly feel safe before you and Jack and the others did what you did.”

Zander almost looked bashful. It was the first time she had seen such a look on his face, but it was gone so quickly that she didn’t get a chance to comment on it.

He reached out and took hold of her hand. “From now on, you’ll always be safe, so long as I’m around.”

Layla wanted desperately to believe him. His warm touch was so welcoming that she took a half-step into his arms. But she had only ever had herself to rely upon. It was going to take a lot more than those few words to truly make her trust him.

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