Page 13 of Reclaiming Home

The wolf inside me preened. The Mate had recognized how big and strong we were. Fucking puppy and its puppy love.

“How about we worry about you humans first.” I hoped my tone didn’t come out as condescending.

“We could push two of the couches together? Form a kind of a bed from them? That way Carys and I can sleep side by side.” He pointed at two of the couches. “Those are the same length.”

“That’s a good idea. I have no idea how they are underneath the blankets, but for tonight, that should do.”

We moved the wobbly coffee table out of the way together, then I let him help move one couch closer to the other, even though it would’ve been faster and easier for me to do it by myself.

Suddenly, as we were pushing it the final inches in place, he realized what I’d done; I’d catered to his need to feel useful.

He rolled his eyes, a small smile fleetingly playing on his lips.

“Let’s go check upstairs, see if there’s any bedding there.”

“I’ll ask Carys,” Kye said quickly and walked to his sister. I could hear them talk quietly, but blocked the words out, just to be polite.

When he walked back out of the kitchen, the anguish in his eyes was unmistakable. Without saying a word, he followed me up the creaky stairs and into the main bedroom.

As soon as he was inside, he looked almost panicked for a moment, then slapped a hand over his mouth as his eyes filled with tears.

“Hug?” I asked quietly, and he nodded rapidly. I wrapped my arms around him, pulling him close, and let him sob against my chest. He wasn’t short, but I was tall. He fit perfectly in my arms, I could rest my chin on top of his head as I held him. The small sounds of pure suffering he was trying to hide into the fabric of my shirt were heartbreaking.

My wolf felt anxious, but also happy that we could be there for Mate. The wolf couldn’t understand a lot of things, but it understood grief, joy, even love to an extent. It didn’t get anything like the undercurrent of attraction I was feeling toward Kye, or the true meaning of his grief.

Wolves were simple beings, underneath the surface. Sometimes it was harder to remember we were supposed to act human in polite company. The closer to the full moon we got, the harder it was, sometimes. I knew I got shorter with words, more snappy, sometimes more hedonistic.

But now, I tried not to get swept up with the sensation of being whole, no matter how good he felt in my arms. I didn’t have time for any of this. I didn’t know what tomorrow would bring.

A few minutes later, Kye hiccupped one last time and pulled away. He grimaced at the sight of my shirt that was now wet with his tears.

“It’s fine,” I assured him gently, squeezing his shoulder. “Now, what did she say? About the bedding?”

He grimaced again, glancing over at the bed. “She said she wants everything burned, but that there’s a cabinet in the cornerwhere she stashed a few blankets and a couple of new pillows, b-because she hated when b-blood got on them….”

Seeing he was a few seconds from losing it again, I squeezed him tightly, as if I could hold him together like that, then let go.

“Okay, let me see.” I went to the cabinet between the windows and found exactly what I’d expected. The white dress she’d been wearing was in the corner where she’d likely tossed it. I could only recognize it because of the lace around a sleeve that was visible.

Kye had found some sheets from the dresser by the door, so we took everything downstairs and left it all on the couches.

“I’ll go get my stuff from the car,” he said, and ducked out of the house.

As I joined Carys in the kitchen, she seemed surprisingly content for the moment.

“We’ll make a nest in the living room,” I told her and the corner of her mouth lifted as she glanced at me.

“Good. I… Thank you.”

It was clearly the least I could do, but I didn’t say that.

We ate the surprisingly tasty if basic dinner, and talked about everything but the obvious elephants rampaging all over the house.

I volunteered to do the dishes after, and as I was gathering them, Kye reached for the plastic bag he’d put on the side table.

He handed it over to Carys. “Here.”

She was curious, then giggled when she glanced inside. She carefully shook out everything that was in the bag, and then shook her head, appearing absolutely delighted.

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