Page 42 of Hawke

I took the bear, opening her arm so she could cuddle it. And she did, holding it close, and she instantly relaxed.

With blankets I brought from next door, I made myself a small bed. I could sleep on the floor without the padding, but my wolf was insistent we make a make-shift nest. Not that we would use it anytime soon, but he was hopeful. And hell, I was too.

She was our mate; I was almost sure of it. If she wasn’t, it didn’t matter. She was the other half of my soul, and I would keep her and have her until my dying days.

My wolf took over my body, moving the blankets that satisfied him. It made me wonder if he could shift, if he could run in the forest again, but he was too insistent to make this nest. To have it prepared in case we needed it.

“You should pray to the goddess,”my wolf said.“You should ask her what to do next.”

I shuffled into the blankets, my leg wrapping around a pillow to act as if it was Delilah’s body. It was cold; it was nothing like her warm body. “I don’t know if I could do that,” I whispered back to him. “I’m still so angry.”

My wolf curled inside me, his restlessness settling once he saw Delilah’s arm hanging over the bed. The sight of her body just a few feet above us was enough to let us close our eyes.

My hand reached up, caressing her fingers. She hummed and wrapped her hand around ours.

Soon, I’ll pray to her soon.

As soon as my Delilah forgave me.

Chapter Fourteen

Hawke

One Year Ago

“Ihadsomuchfun, thanks for taking me riding!” Delilah unzipped her lightweight jacket.

It was summer, but the warmth of the sun hid behind the clouds. So, the wind brought a chill to her human skin.

As much as I tried to get her to gain some weight, she was just naturally slim. She ate almost as much as I did some days and still didn’t gain an ounce. Which meant with no meat, she was cold, often.

Not that I complained. I enjoyed being around her. Her presence had been good for my wolf ever since she’d revived me from my deathbed. But I wasn’t around her just because of my wolf. I was around her because I liked her, maybe too much.

“Now, remember, Dede–”

“I know, I know.” She waved her hand back at me. “Don’t tell the others that I rode on your bike. Some brother code and me not being your old lady.” She winked. “But I loved it and if you ever want to take me again…” She fluttered her lashes.

“You’ll be the first I ask,” I murmured, opening the door to the bar.

It was her day off, but everyone hung out at the bar on their day off. It had excellent beer, food, and company, a bunch of broken humans and shifters alike.

Once we entered, though, it was a sight to behold. The bar was turned upside down. Yellow and turquoise streamers hung from the overhanging lights over the booths, twisting and twirling up to the middle of the room. Balloons were scattered around the room, and there even was a big sign that said, “Happy Birthday Dede.”

The bar was empty, not a note playing from the band as she took in the scene. Her mouth dropped, and I placed my hand on her lower back to nudge her go in further.

“What–”

And then my brothers rose from under tables, and humans walked out of the kitchen. The humans were filled with enthusiasm and excitement. They ran around the tables and straight toward Delilah.

“Happy birthday!” They all screamed at her, pulling her deeper into the crowd of humans. My brothers and I just watched. Anaki was the only one showing much enthusiasm, pouring shots for Delilah and the other humans.

I sat at the end of the bar, but Delilah kept looking back at me with a bright smile until the women showed her all the decorations of yellow flowers and girly shit.

I took one shot from Anaki and threw it back really quick.

“You gonna tell her it was all you?” He took a shot himself, and we both put our glasses back on the bar for another fill.

One woman with flaming red hair picked up the tray full of shots and brought them over to Delilah, forcing each one at her.

---