Page 46 of Knowing Trust

I didn’t get into it all and I didn’t care since there was no fixing that relationship, but I was glad she was mentally better. All I really cared about was that she knew I wasn’t abusing Julian and she wouldn’t ever try to throw around those kinds of accusations again. She was also horrified that she’d ever tried to attack me to separate us.

She didn’t want us together, but the fact she’d ever done something like that… She wasn’t really that crazy. That was progress.

Except she was still possessive of Julian. She was the type of parent that her child was hers. It creeped me out. Julian was his.

Her thoughts gave me the ick. She thought of him in ways I didn’t even when we were mates and involved. I got overly jealous, but I was never… It was weird.

“This isn’t the mood I’d hoped to find you in,” Neldor grumbled, scaring the shit out of me since I hadn’t thought anyone would be in my kitchen.

I rubbed my chest and set down my bag. “I just had to deal with Mary Craftsman and Campbell. Yeah, I’m full of salt and bile.”

He frowned. “That wasn’t at all what I thought ‘C&C update’ was on your calendar.”

I snorted. “I have twisted humor because it’s actually not Campbell and Craftsman but ‘crazy and crazy.’” I winced. “Don’t tell Julian I said that.” No matter my valid issues with his mother, I shouldn’t be that petty and tell people I put things in my calendar in reference to his mother like that. “Why? What’s up?” I frowned. “Why were you checking out my calendar?”

“I thought it was something fun since it was your free afternoon and clear after that,” he grumbled, not answering my question. “I blocked off the rest of your day and night.

“I hadn’t noticed that. I left it empty because they normally piss me off.” I went to ask again when he frowned deeper.

Instead, he came closer and leaned into me. “There has to be a way for me to be able to change your mood. I can’t let you be cranky for this, baby doll.”

I studied him closely. “What’s going on, Nel?”

He clearly didn’t want to answer. “Let’s go flying. We’ve not gone together yet.” He frowned when I didn’t answer. “I know it’s your thing with Hudson. I’m not trying to—you don’t need lessons still. I’m okay too. We can just—can we just change the mood?”

I wasn’t sure what was going on with him, but I could practically feel the disappointment pouring off of him and worry. “I haven’t gotten a chance to visit the fae dog sanctuary in a while. A bunch are set up in Faerie now, right? Want to go check on them?”

“Yes. Yes, that’s perfect. Let’s go check on the pups.” He grabbed my hand and opened a portal and pulled me through. We went downstairs to the portal and did the dance to the right place.

It was exactly what we both needed, and we spent about an hour just checking in on the dogs and people in charge. It was running well, and a few packs had formed bonds from the trauma of surviving and wanting to make sure Faerie always knew peace so nothing like that ever happened again.

We gave the dogs tons of love and thanked everyone for doing such a good job before heading back. We grabbed food and ended up back at Neldor’s house that he was staying at with Lucca and Julian now. It seemed weird that Julian would live there after selling his condo since we’d mated but… There were too many memories with him at my house.

I had been floored when he’d been the one to suggest it. It had meant the world to me when he had. He’d said that he planned to live forever with me at my family’s castle in Faerie, and I was mostly at school now for my last year, so what did it matter? I fell deeper in love with him each time he was so understanding like that.

We ate and talked about normal everything. I was tired and wanted about double of what I ate and a ton of dessert before turning in for an early night. It might have been several days since my period was over, but I was still getting over that drama and even wrapping my head around it all. I wasn’t even back to training yet, but I needed to soon.

There was just so much going on and I was tired.

So fucking tired.

That was probably why I didn’t notice that Neldor had taken my hand and led me somewhere.

Especially not his bedroom.

I gasped when I saw the flameless candles and rare flowers from Faerie all over. He moved behind me and slid his arms around me, kissing along my neck so I could take it all in.

Oh shit.

That was the only thought in my head at first.

Then I wanted to smack him. I was too tired. I wanted a shower before we had sex the first time. To brush my teeth after we had barbeque for dinner!

Was this man really this stupid?

Yes, apparently, he was because his hand was under my shirt and teasing my skin.

Shit, we were really doing this. I had no idea how to gracefully get out of this after he’d put so much effort into this… But apparently, I should have.

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