Page 23 of Ensnared By the Werewolf

Before, it had been a tingling sensation, numbed by my purposeful avoidance.The strange feelings plaguing me after I’d reached fae maturity were just one more thing that feltwrong.Now, it’s a bright sensation that I’m attuned to, and if I focus, can pick out the small flickers of fae magic that is intertwined in this plane.

I use the awareness to remove my glamour.The process is like casting off faint spiderwebs, and like the magic it is, the human form I’d had before is gone.I swallow down at my clawed feet.

“Jack,” Belinda calls from the other side of the vehicle, in the tone that she uses when she’s going to ask for something.Right.The food.

I take a deep breath, hearing easy conversations and the laughter of children nearby.The scent of cooking meat is in the air.

It’s a beautiful day for a barbecue.

I round the car and Belinda loads me up with more side dishes than what we were instructed to bring, and I have a suspicion that it’s her way of trying to put me at ease.Give the lycanthrope a task so he doesn’t get too introspective.I’ve gotten to know my mate pretty well in the more than half a year we’ve been together.Just like she’s gotten to know all my anxieties.

I smile at my mate.“I’m fine, Bel.”

Her lips twitch and she gives me a once over.“You’re more than fine.”

Belinda blushes, and the surge of hunger the flush of her cheeks inspires is all the distraction I need.Our life together doesn’t lack heated moments, but I find that no matter how many times I claim her, the burn of pleasure between us doesn’t dim.

Mated life is bliss.

I take another deep breath and move toward the crowd of people.

“Jack!”Elliot Bramblewick is at the grill and wears an apron statingKiss theCook that looks ridiculous on the gargoyle.

I raise my hand in acknowledgment and let my eyes scan the crowd.Many are people I work with day to day, but there are also those who used to work at the company and were adopted into the embrace of the Bramblewick family.Everyone socializes warmly, with some keeping their eyes on the children running around.

There are more strangers than I’ve ever exposed my appearance to at once before, but the nerves lingering in my stomach dissipate quickly.There are many more nonhuman-appearing beings here than there are human looking.I’ve learned more about the beings that populate our world now that the mystery of mycursehas been solved.I pick out the types of beings I can identify: an ogre, a few types of serpent kin, a variation of goblin, and of course, the Bramblewick gargoyles.

The Bramblewicks arranged for this picnic deep in wolf shifter territory so that everyone could be as open about their true nature as possible.

I’m not out of place.No one is staring at my fur or ears.The only response I get are the nods from people and greetings.

It’s hard not to get choked up about it, but to everyone else here, this is a normal holiday picnic.

Belinda is on the move as soon as we set the food down, socializing from group to group like a butterfly.I follow her lead and make conversation until we come to people I recognize.

“This is quite the turnout,” I say to Alasdair and Broderick Bramblewick while Belinda catches up with their witch mate, Grace.

The large gargoyle’s eyes scan the crowd, and his smile is warm.“It is.I’m glad so many people could make it out this year.”

One of the blanket bundles on his chest squirms and Alasdair adjusts the infant, but a whipcord gray tail lashes from the other blanket and he makes a sound of disappointment.

Broderick grins.“You can’t just expect both of them to stay asleep on you the whole time, Alasdair.”

Alasdair sighs.“They’re just growing so fast.I don’t want to miss a moment.”

Broderick takes the fussier of the bundles, and the sleepier twin settles back down, his tiny tail slowing until it wraps around Alasdair’s wrist in an adorable way.

A stab of yearning sharpens in me as Broderick makes funny faces at his son.The Bramblewicks never turn down an opportunity to show off their young, and I don’t blame them.

Belinda and I have discussed kids in a distant way.We want them but haven’t said when.

While I worked to adjust to the reality of being a lycanthrope, everything else was put on hold.Now, my mentor is impressed with how I’m adapting to my inner beast.I don’t tell him that I’ve promised to give my “wolf” what he wants.It’s easier to manage him when he knows that our mate will end up bred by us eventually.

Excitement sparks at the thought.Maybe Bel and I should revisit the topic.

Belinda

“Do you want to hold him?”Grace asks, and I realize I’ve been staring.

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