Page 54 of Fated to the Feral Wolf

“It seems like they gave us enough rooms for the couples to pair up, but if you’d feel more comfortable rooming with Leigh, I’d understand. Or I can room with one of the guys, if you two would both like your space.” I worked to keep the smile steady, ignoring my wolf’s angry protests.

“Oh, I—” She quickly took stock of the number of doors, and I could practically see her doing the mental math. She shook her head. “I would like to room together, unless you don’t want to? We should talk before we dive into all this.” Shay hesitated. “About earlier.”

Ahh.

“Yes, I’d love to room together. If you’re ready…” I glanced over at Leigh, who was waiting to see how it all shook out.

Shay spun back to her friend with an apologetic expression.

“Go, make kissy-kissy with Fluffy. I’m going to lie in the middle of the bed like a starfish and stare at the ceiling for the next forty-five minutes before we have to start this.” She shook the paper and turned to leave, but I called after her.

“I’m human now. Don’t you think you should call me Dirge?”

“Nah, you’ll forever be my pet, wolf-man.” She flipped me the bird over her shoulder, then shut the bedroom door.

I just laughed.

“Sorry about her,” Shay murmured, a pink flush staining her cheeks. “She grows on you, I promise.”

I had anintenseurge to throw my arm around her shoulder as we walked to the only remaining empty bedroom, but I held back. “Don’t apologize. I like her fine. Not as much as you, obviously, but it’s hard not to like someone who’s so devoted to your other half.” I winked at her as I held the door open.

She ducked her head as she slid in past me, and the need to touch her, run my fingertips along her cheekbones, and see how far down that blush extended rode me hard, but I just took a deep breath in through my nose as I shut the door and steeled myself.

I could not get handsy after this morning. Could not,would not.

When I turned back toward her, she was walking around the room, running her fingertips over everything. Ours were smaller, less opulent quarters than Jada’s sleuth’s had been, but they were still the nicest we’d been in so far on this journey, and not just because I was actually human to enjoy them.

Our room was equipped with its own private hot spring, with steps into the steaming water carved right out of the sparkling stone, worn smooth. A single, king-sized bed loomed against one wall, carved out of beautiful, dark wood and spread with sumptuous, white blankets. And of course, the walls were rough-cut gemstone, casting a pinkish-purple hue over everything where the light reflected off them.

Mostly, though, it was Shay who took my breath away. She was quiet as she perused the room, the buckles on her shoes making soft music as she walked. But even in silence, she wasmusic personified. Every motion a graceful note that added to the symphony. The air around her bloomed with her scent, soft and inviting. Her profile was stunning, from her perfectly straight nose and soft cheeks, down to lips kissable enough to make a man do stupid things.

She was perfection, in every sense of the word.

When she spoke, it caught me off guard because I’d been so wrapped up in studying her.

“I’m sorry about earlier.”

I rocked back on my heels in surprise. “You have nothing to apologize for, muzica mea. Absolutely nothing. You don’t owe me your body, and I hope you know that. Mates or no, you owe me nothing.”

She shook her head. “No, that’s not—” She broke off with a sigh, then sank to sitting on the end of the bed. “I’m not good with words.”

A chuckle escaped before I could stop it as I crossed the room to sit at her side. “I’ve been stuck in wolf form for years. I guarantee you’re better than I am.”

She snorted, but her gaze flitted quickly up to meet mine, then skittered away. She was still nervous, and I hated that. I wanted her to trust me enough to be comfortable, as she had been before. Though, it hadn’t escaped my attention that she was nervous around men and often silent in mixed company.

“Do I make you nervous now that I’m a man again?” I asked the question, even though I suspected I already knew the answer.

She ducked her head, and my suspicions were confirmed. But I still wanted to hear it from her lips, to understand her. I craved knowing her, every little facet that made her who she was. I would never get tired of listening, of learning my mate. But I had to be patient.

Luckily, we had a lifetime.

“A little,” she finally admitted.

I thought for a while before slowly extending my hand, palm up. She stared at it for only a second before carefully placing her hand over mine and lacing our fingers together.

“I would never, ever hurt you, Shay. And just because we’ve experienced some things, doesn’t mean I expect?—”

“Please, no. Don’t… don’t backtrack or apologize. I’m not afraid of you, not really. My wolf knows you won’t hurt us. It was just instinct, if that makes sense?”

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