Page 101 of Fated to the Warrior Wolf

We were just two friends in a human bar, about to demolish so much food that if we were back in the States, they might take our picture for the wall and give us a T-shirt, and it was such a relief from all the stress constantly buzzing around us.

Every single plate looked and tasted delicious. There were garlicky sausages, two giant mounds of fried potatoes covered in some sort of grated cheese, stuffed cabbages in the rich red sauce I smelled when we walked in, polenta, pork, and several large dollops of sour cream that I slathered on everything. It was a feast the likes of which I’d never seen before and probably never would again.

We laughed, talked, and ate until I was so stuffed, I didn’t think I could move. When Gustav called out in Romanian and all his late-night customers groaned, I shot a questioning look at Gael.

“What’d he say, prince baby daddy?”

He shook his head but didn’t argue against the nickname. “Closing time. Do you want anything to go?”

I shook my head, feeling suddenly sleepy now that I wasstuffed to the gills, so he paid the tab and left Gustav a sizable tip.

“Come back soon, my friend, and we will share a beer to celebrate your beautiful child!” the man said a little too loudly, and congratulatory shouts went up around the room as people slowly made their way out the door.

I blushed to the roots of my hair at the attention, but Gael just wrapped his arm around me and beamed as he accepted the congratulations.

There was a lump in my throat the size of my home state as we left Gustav’s, but a soul-deep happiness that I’d never experienced with anyone else.

FORTY-NINE

Gael

The drive home was subdued, but not in a bad way. We’d both laughed ourselves out, and she seemed sleepy in the passenger seat. I took the drive slowly, mindful of my precious passengers.

This night had been balm to my weary soul and rebuilt the hope I’d been clinging to by my fingertips. We were just us. Two people, two lovers. Friends out on the town, enjoying a carefree evening. It was nothing I expected, because it was better.

But as we rolled to a stop in front of the dark castle, I could feel the weight of everything we’d left behind trying to creep back in.

Leigh was snoring softly in the passenger seat, so I took a moment to sit and study her in the moonlight. She was gorgeous, almost too perfect to be real. Her hair looked like spun gold, her skin soft and smooth, begging for my lips to trace every line and perfect curve of her.

But we weren’t there yet. We’d put that particular cart before the horse so many times, it had almost broken us. Tonight had been about building a deeper connection. It hadsoothed my wolf, spending time together and counting all the tiny touches between us. Each time we brushed shoulders or she laughed so hard she put her hand on my forearm? He’d kept the tally with quiet pleasure.

I walked around the car and opened her door, but still she slept. So I carefully unbuckled her and scooped her from the seat. She never stirred as I tucked her face against my shoulder and took her back to her room through the quiet corridors. The door was a bit trickier, but I managed, and even Nugget seemed to sense his owner’s sleeping state because he took one look at us and began purring, kneading the pillow he lay on.

As soon as I tucked her under the covers, he repositioned himself against her neck, purring happily as she turned toward him in her sleep.

She was safe and sound, tucked away in bed, and I should leave. But if I left, the magic would break. We’d both wake up tomorrow, and I’d be back in the sparring ring, beating the shit out of all the younger members of Pack Caelestis who still thought it was fun to go up against the high alpha’s second. I’d been wearing myself out to keep sane, while she ran through the woods, doing the same. I’d spent the last two weeks reading baby books until I passed out from sheer exhaustion each night, wishing she was next to me instead of down the hall.

It was an exhausting way to coexist, and I couldn’t bring myself to go out the door. But I did lock it and then settle into her tufted chair. It wasn’t exactly comfortable for someone of my size—my legs were at an odd angle, and my head was over the top if I didn’t slouch down—but the late hour and the proximity of my female had me drifting off in a matter of minutes.

In my dreams, she welcomed me to her side with open arms. In my dreams, we were whole.

“Gael?”

Leigh’s whisper woke me, and I froze as I searched the darkened room for threats.

“Are you still there? Or…” I could hear the rustle of blankets as she sat up, and caught the faint motion of her rubbing her eyes.

“I’m here,” I answered softly, trying not to spook her.

“Oh, okay. I don’t remember how we got back.”

I grinned at that. “You fell asleep on the drive, so I carried you in.”

“And decided to just sleep in my chair like a creeper?” She half laughed, half snorted.

Embarrassment burned through me, and I realized she was right. Wolf urges or no, I should’ve followed my gut and slipped out so she could rest without me looming over her.

“Sorry. I’ll go. My wolf wanted to stay close, and I didn’t want you to be scared if you woke up alone.”

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