Page 98 of Whisper Woods

“That’s right, baby. This is my home.You’remy home.” His words rumble between us in a gruff whisper. I nip at his neck, a bolt of lust shooting straight through him and our connection to my cock. Groaning against his neck, I try, valiantly, to not hump against him in the middle of the town square.

“Great Gods, you two are not going to be like this all the time, are you? I am going to have to move out.” Brydon mutters from his place on the fountain.

Seff laughs, pressing a wet, smacking kiss to my lips. “I love you. And I love our home. Let’s go.”

In the distance a phoenix caws, and I slip my hand into Seff’s, Brydon rolling his eyes as he joins us, even as a smile teases at his lips. “I love you, too.”

Seff lets me know he hears me with three squeezes of my hand. My shoulder bumps Brydons as we walk. He smiles at me, keeping close.

For the first time in months, Tathys feels alive around us.

Exhausted, but happy, we make our way home.

***

This is not how I envisioned my mate's parents. Well, future mates. But I have full confidence that when I ask, the answer will be a very definite yes. Thankfully,once this burdensome task is over, I shall know for certain.

We are sitting on a rock atop the hills overlooking the dragons. With the walls of Tathys no longer impeding the magic, there is just enough service to allow us to make a video call. Barely.

Seff holds the phone in one hand between us, our faces perfectly captured together in the small rectangle at the bottom of the screen. It rings and rings, and for a blessed moment, I believe that I may have escaped my fate, but I am not that lucky.

Just as Seff loses hope, the blue screen changes and the radiant face of a woman appears—Seff’s mother. She hasn’t spied me yet as she is not looking at the screen, instead moving distractedly around the room.

“Seff, my darling! What is going on? Everyone has disappeared from the tavern again and we haven’t heard from you. And your dad was saying all kinds of crazy things about you leaving the—oh.” She stops, finally noticing her son isn’t alone. “Hello there!”

“Hey Mum. I want you to meet someone. Is Dad there? Get him, too.” The phone is laid down and there is a furious scramble while his mother whisper-yells for her mate.

“How you doing, Seff? What’s going on? Oh! Hello!” Seff’s parents are pressed tightly together to fit themselves in the frame. I can see where Seff gets his looks from. They are a beautiful pair. I smile politely, uncharacteristically nervous, more so than during our visit to the palace yesterday. What does one even say to their mate’s parents, really?

“Mum, Dad, this is Rafe Miyares. Rafe, these are my parents, Margie, and Roderick Harroway.”

“It is a pleasure to meet you both.” I manage to say the words without embarrassing myself entirely, but Seff elbows me with a gentle laugh anyway. Margie and Roderick are polite in their hellos back, but I can see their confusion about why I’m here and their eagerness to find out.

“I—uh—I won’t be back for a while.” Seff rushes out. “I can’t explaineverythingright now. Even if I did, it wouldn’t make sense, but it will in the future and—” I cut his rambling off with a gentle handon his forearm.

He leans his forehead into mine and there is a soft “oh” of understanding through the phone speakers.

“What about the pack, Seff? You can’t just leave your family like that.” His father’s outburst earns him a hard look from Margie. The pack leader looks suitably chastised, a ruddy blush blooming on his cheeks.

I feel for Roderick. He sounds heartbroken, but my compassion lies entirely with Seff.

Inhaling deeply, Seff looks through the phone at his father. “I’m leaving the pack, not the Harroways. You will always be my dad. That doesn’t change. But my life cannot be there anymore. It’s here, with Rafe.”

“And where is here?” Margie asks, placing a warning hand on her mate’s arm when he goes to interrupt.

“Tathys.” Seff says it with a smile on his face.

Roderick scoffs and rolls his eyes, earning him another look from Margie—this time, a fierce glare. “Never heard of it.”

“Trust me Dad, you will.” My future mate's voice is playful, but firm. “But I hope you will support me in this. This is what I want. I don’t want to be pack leader. I don’t want that life.”

Roderick hangs his head, Margie rubbing his back comfortingly.

“We know, my darling. And we understand. Of course we’ll support you. Even if we are struggling to understand. Nanna Berry… She had a talk with Dad last time we visited. Read him the riot act she did. Explained that you aren’t rejectinghimby making different choices to him. It’s just going to be an adjustment. For us all.”

“What? Dad! No! Of course it’s not rejecting you! I love you guys. I even love the pack. Ido! It’s just not forme. And I want to be able to love you guys without having to sacrifice myself to do it.”

Seff is a quivering ball of anxiety next to me. I try to press myself tighter against him to help, but I’m not sure it works. Not until his dad raises his head, his eyes glassy with tears.

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