Page 17 of Cursed Wolf

“Or she’s come and gone,” Nikos suggests.

My stomach turns, and coldness echoes in my mind that we’ve missed them.

“I’ll scope the house,” Crius says, removing the handheld axe from his belt and easily spinning it in his hand.

“Maybe we should stick together? What if there are traps or zombies hanging around from my mother’s kills?”

“There’s only one way to find out, gorgeous. I promise I’ll be careful. Besides, you’re not stepping foot inside until I know it’s safe. Until then, Nikos will keep you protected.”

My mind floods with Nikos’ words about Crius prepared to use his powerful magic—one use, and it’ll be the end of him. Unfurling my fist, I reach out for his hand.

“Please, nothing heroic. She’s powerful, and I need you alive.”

His gaze lifts to mine, and there’s a slight pause before he nods, understanding the meaning behind my words. Or perhaps it’s a wish on my part to cope with the panic making me shake. Crius leans toward me, kissing me on the lips. My insides twist to think anything could happen to him, and something comes over me—desperation and the need to be honest. Grabbing his shirt, I draw him closer.

“I think I’m falling in love with you, too,” I whisper.

One of the reasons I slept so incredibly last night was because of Crius’ sweet words—a deeply emotional confession I’ve wanted to hear my whole life.

He faces me, and there’s a spark in his eyes, followed by a smile curling on his lips. My cheeks grow hot.

“I heard what you said last night.” The heart-warming sensation he brings me curls around me.

“I promise I’ll return. You’ve just made my whole fucking year.” He chuffs, and my heart lunges. I reach to bring Nikos over, not wanting to leave him out.

“I know it’s the wrong place, and maybe I’m being over dramatic and worried, but Nikos, I’m going to just say it and hope I’m not embarrassing myself. You’ve grown on me, and I love you, too.”

His breath hitches, and I think his gaze might be glistening. Suddenly, I’m in his arms, and he’s kissing me.

“I fucking love you to the stars and back. For so long, I wanted to make you understand how much the smallest moments you spend with me mean the world to me.”

He kisses me again, and butterflies are bursting in my stomach, beating their wings. Both men are now with me, and I’m bathed in their affection.

Nikos kisses my nose and murmurs with a grin, “Of all the places to have a conversation that will stay with me for eternity, it’s here.”

We all laugh quietly and pull ourselves together. Fear has a way of bringing out emotions I never intended to share, yet I don’t regret a thing. Perhaps I’ve been keeping back my emotions for too long.

“Let’s get you two out of view and in the shadows,” Crius says, unable to stop touching me or looking at me with that cheeky grin. Nikos is at my back, holding me tight.

The three of us shift off the worn path and move quickly to the shadows of a cluster of trees. A few steps in and an electric buzz zips up my legs. It comes so fast, I don’t have time to scream. I spin to Nikos and Crius, both with huge eyes and faces blanched, and like me, they’re not making a sound.

Something’s crawling up my legs, but the darkness smothers me, feathering at the corners of my eyes. Panic rocks my insides. Desperation claws at me, but it’s all happening so fast, we lose our chance to react. In seconds it consumes me, making my pulse thump in my temples. As much as I try to scream, to move, to call my magic, it comes too late.

My world vanishes in a heartbeat.

“Pass the cinnamon,” Nikos calls out frantically.

I hear the panic in his voice from across the cottage, and I can’t help but giggle. I know he and Crius are in the kitchen, cooking up a storm. If I’m not there, the place will resemble a disaster zone once they’re finished creating breakfast.

The sweet aroma of pancakes has my stomach grumbling. I woke up starving, which got the two men jumping into action.

Groaning, I push to my feet from the chair and release a long exhale. Lately, I’ve been so slow, my two husbands won’t let me do anything in the house. What’s a girl to do? Milk it for everything it is.

A breeze swooshes into the room from the open French doors, lace curtains fluttering like undulating waves, flooding the room with the golden glow of sunlight. Outside, the meadow stretches to the creek, yellow flowers freckling the lawn.

Perfect… like every day. It feels as though we live in heaven. The three of us—a perfect little family.

Most days, the longer I look outside, the more a strange sense tickles the back of my mind. A feeling of emptiness fills me, the kind from forgetting something, and nothing I do helps me remember it. Yet it sticks to my mind like cobwebs, a reminder something isn’t quite right.

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