Page 21 of Daddy's Mail Order Mate

At least one of us has gotten what they want.

“Congrats.”

“What’ve you been doing? Work-wise.”

I shrug one shoulder and pace over to the window to try and crack it open. It’d clearly been a little bit since he’d had someone in the guest room.

And all of a sudden he’s right behind me. My heart leaps up into my throat and all of a sudden I can’t even breathe.

“This window’s a bit broken. Have to force it at the right angle. Been meaning to fix it, but…”

Whatever reasons he might have drag off into a low grumble. And with him standing inches away behind me, I can feel the heat radiating off his body and the waft of his scent starting to settle in around me.

My blood betrays me in several ways. First off, I feel my cheeks begin to burn. And then my heart starts running hot at a breakneck speed. But worst of all is the way it seems to sear away at my nerves and make all of my organs feel too small and too tight in my body. A dizziness presses in between my eyes, and deep in my mind, I feel the violent mourning of my wolf and the broken mate bond rise higher and higher.

I stare at the two veiny hands that brace on the window and watch silently as he slides the pane up with a grinding whine.

“There,” he mutters behind me.

I shiver. And not because of the breeze coming in.

“... Thanks,” I mumble. “It’s like the one you had back in your room, I guess.”

In my mind’s eye, I’m fourteen again.

We’re sat on his bed, knees gently brushing together. One of his hands runs down my neck.

“You’re too warm,” Thorn whispers. “Let me get the window.”

“I’m fine. I’ll get chilly if you do anyways.”

He ignores me and reaches past me, bracing at the wood.

“That thing still broken?”

“My parents think it’s completely broken shut now, since they don’t know how to get it open. But that just means they don’t think I can sneak out.”

I laugh under my breath and reach to stroke affectionately at his side to beckon him back into me.

“Or that I can sneak in.”

“... I guess so,” he replies, whiplashing me back from the memory.

“Did they ever find out?”

There’s an amused gust of nasal breath from him that stirs the top of my hair. My skin tingles from my scalp to my shoulders from that sensation.

“No. I’d bet it’s still broken.”

I chuckle, just a bit.

“You haven’t been back to check? I heard your sister’s the Luna there now. Congrats are in order for her, too.”

“Your brother tell you?”

I hum affirmatively.

He’s quiet for a few moments; that was something that apparently hadn’t changed either. Thorn was always measured and almost glacially patient about speaking. It had been a comfort to me when we were younger, since I could relax from the constant chatter and need to fill the air I’d gotten used to from most people. But with everything still so unresolved between us, I can’t feel entirely at ease in the delay. There’s still so much room for the other shoe to drop here.

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