Page 281 of Bride of Choice

That was how Celuk found me, tears slipping down my cheeks as I stared blankly at the wall.

My door was thrown open and he came scrambling inside. He paused as he spotted me. His gaze unerringly darted around to land on the axe by the door.

“Despite what Bum-bum may have told you my intentions were in borrowing said weapon of mass destruction… he who shall not be named remains hearty and whole, I’m sure. For now.”

“Too big for my Jo use.” Celuk waved a hand at the weapon, as if my thoughts of unaliving a fellow Yetiville peep were no big to him.

Walking over to me to crouch down in front of me, he took my hands in his. Lifting my right hand to his face, he nuzzled into my palm, then kissed it. Doing the same to my left, his purr was more of an unsure warble.

“I want to be mad,” my breath hitched, “but I- I think I’m just too fucking sad for anything else.” My voice cracked and I lifted my bloodshot eyes to meet his. “I don’t understand- I- I don’t know what to do with myself- I- Fuck!”

“Be ‘kay,” he rumbled out softly.

“No, it won’t.”

Cupping my chin, he lifted my head back up when it started to dip. “Jo be ‘kay,” he elaborated. “Not feel ‘kay now, but Jo be ‘kay.”

My expression started to crumple. Tears welled. “I believed him.” A soft hiccup left me. “I- I can’t- I don’t even trust myself at this point.”

Wrapping his arms around me, he curled me into his warmth. A hiccup of a sound left me as I let out another shaky breath.

“Odix comes.” Celuk offered the heads up long before I heard those loud, thundering thuds headed our way.

The barrel chested male came zipping past us, muttering what I assumed were curses in Lo denaii.

Celuk’s arm lowered as he turned to watch him whip past, a flurry of movement and grumble-growled beast-speak. A funny noise left me, watching Odix’s long gorilla arms flail as he zipped past, my enormous purse flung over his wide shoulder.

Catching my reaction, that two second smile that fell as quickly as it came over me, that mangled warble in Celuk’s chest smoothed out, blending more harmoniously with the constant rumble rattling his chest.

A soft grunt left Celuk as we watched and waited. I blinked as I spied a thick arm shoot out, feeling around on the ground, to curl around the doorway as loud sniffs suddenly sounded off, and thick fingers felt around.

Like I was watching the fur-ified version of a phantom, living hand from a beloved gothic family comedy from my childhood, I could only stare, enrapt, as it felt around for something.

Landing on the axe handle just inside the door, the object of disastrous intention was lifted up and away, so quietly that had I not been witness to this feat I’d have had no clue it occurred.

“We see, Hyde,” Celuk called out

At the bewildered frown tugging at my brow, Celuk informed me, “Bum-bum take name. Hyde. Hornies, Tor.”

“He’s named his Jekyll and Hyde ass Hyde, like… literally?” I blurted, gaping. “What’s middle guy amalgamation’s name?” I sputtered, “Hydtor?”

Bum-bum, or should I say… Hyde, grumbled out his Lo denaii name I had zero chance of pronouncing, along with a rather long string of beast speak.

“They both home,” his hand lifted to tap his head, “they both,” Celuk translated.

“No like Hydtor,” Bum-bum/Hyde grunted out.

“But Hyde and Tor are cool?” I muttered, scrunching my nose up at that.

“Doogie say jeh-kals snappy-teethies beasties. Hyde like Jeh-kal.” A loud grunt left him.

“Did he explain the fiction characters my sarcasm and double dealing hinted insults are coming from?” I called out sweetly, my voice loaded with condescension.

“Jes,” he said simply.

“And?” I pressed, as Celuk’s gaze darted from the door to me.

“Born this way.” The sound of what I thought was him smacking the axe handle into his hand rent the air. “Not want be different. Jojo wants both. Tor likes. Hyde and Tor… Jeh-kal want Jojo. No fight no more.”

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