Page 31 of Knot Quite Ready

Trying to ignore the feeling of my skin on fire and the urge to shift and swim to civilization, I strip out of my cover-up and pour tanning lotion on my skin, my tiny bikini showing the maximum amount of skin to tan. Everyone on this cruise was either a geriatric couple or coupled up. Wilder and I were the only solos here, and he was utterly fixated on his new girlfriend. Granted, this ship could have been filled with single men and women, and I would still wear whatever the fuck I wanted. Still, it was nice not to be leered at. However, a little objectification would give me a fresh lunch—for the baby to grow strong, of course. Maybe. Sigh, decisions, decisions.

As promised, Wilder sends a tray of food to where I'm sitting. I push back the swirling in my stomach as I feel my bond tug harder as if Casimir were close by, but he couldn't be. I frown as I pick at the steak on the tray until I give up.

Lying back, I close my eyes, feeling restless and exhausted at the same time. I sigh, trying to stay still, at least, until it starts raining. My eyebrows scrunch together. Wait, there's no rain in the forecast. I groan and open my eyes, meeting the gaze of a very wet and very hostile wolf.

"Hello, Little Wolf, enjoying the sun?"

Chapter17

Casimir

Casimir

Calder pulls up to the other side of the island, avoiding the cruise ship docked and the swimmers. Basking in the warmth of the bond that flared to life, I focus on the tug as we get closer and closer.

"Like I said, I can stay here as long as we need, so don't worry about rushing back," he stretches. "Okay, so you have two options here. You can jump in and swim there. Or you can jump in and swim there. Personally, I like the jumping in and swimming there option," he chuckles, and I roll my eyes. Having already changed into a pair of swimming trunks, I give him a wave before throwing myself over the side of the ship.

The island is tiny and surrounded by beautiful coral reefs, but I can't admire it because I'm too busy propelling myself through the clear water, my arms cutting a path through the water as I swim to the other side of the shore. My body vibrates with tension, and I know that if I hit land, I may shift, frighten the cruisers, and probably piss off a few water dragons. Following the pull in my chest, I start to make my way out of the water, and my eyes are immediately drawn to the most gorgeous woman in the world, in a tiny bikini, looking very restless, and I know she has to feel my proximity even if she's trying to suppress it. My heart howls with joy. Fuck, I missed her terribly, and for weeks I wanted nothing more than to have her back in my arms again. But as much as I am relieved to see her, a wave of anger floods through me that I try to push down. Three weeks had passed since she left, an unnecessary trip that she took alone. She hadn't been by my side or safe in our bed; instead, I had barely slept, worrying about her, wondering if she was ever going to come back to me. So seeing her laying there, nowhere near as torn-up as I have been, a part of me can't help but feel resentful.

Still, even as pissed as I am, my heart starts beating almost too rapidly with longing. I walk closer, treading water, and take a deep breath, desperate to breathe her scent into my lungs. But when I catch her scent in the very light breeze, my brain almost short-circuits for an entirely different reason.

Biting back a growl, I stomp over to where she's lying down, with a barely touched tray of food, discomfort etched on her face, and stand over her. I take a deep breath, confirming my suspicions, and I drip water all over her.

She groans, opening her eyes. If it was another circumstance, the adorable shock on her face would have made me laugh. As it was, I wasn't sure if I wanted to choke her or kiss her.

"Hello, mate, enjoying the sun?" I ask, my jaw clenched.

"Casimir! How..." Aneira sits up, her eyes blazing with her wolf as she stares at me, the joy and surprise at seeing me again unmistakable. Before I can open my mouth to answer, she dives into my arms and smashes her body against me, eagerly pressing her lips onto mine, tasting the sweetness of her kiss. My hands wander over her curves, exploring every inch that I've dreamed of for weeks. A hot shiver runs through me as our tongues tangle together, and I wrap my arms around her tightly, pulling her in close. Her hands tug at my hair, and I deepen the kiss, groaning against her lips. The desperation of our need for each other is almost palpable in the air, and I fight the primate urge to take her right here and now.

Reluctantly, I pull away from her agonized whimper, unfortunately, aware of our very public reunion. Our wolves howl in tandem, both missing their mate. Wolves rarely had to be apart from their counterparts, but when it was a forced separation, it can pose a real danger to their mental well-being—for a pregnant she-wolf like Aneira even more so.

Pregnant.

Placing my hands on her waist, I put a little space between us. “Anything to say for yourself?” I ask my voice hard. But truthfully, I lost my steam at the look on her face, the almost desperate kisses, and her condition. I was just relieved to know she was safe and with me now. It could have been worse. Although Storm and Calian said she was safe, and I checked in with Storm every day, I still dreamed up several scenarios and none of them were remotely pleasant.

Her cheeks burn with shame, but her eyes blaze with defiance, well, attempting to, as she can't stop drinking me in as if I am not real and she can't quite believe her eyes. “Well, what do you expect? I ran away from my pack to avoid all the toxic wolf hierarchy bullshit. Living in fear for several years that those assholes would find me and they'd drag me back and force me into an unwanted marriage." I frown at that, a growl rumbling in my throat but she continues, "Then! Just when I found some normalcy, a little peace, and a sense of safety all wrapped up with a great, violent, best friend, a great book store filled with smutty amazingness, a shifter club, you come waltzing in, my hot mate,” she pokes me in the chest. “During a heat frenzy, none-the-less and we mate like…like… like wolves in heat,” she waves her hand. She looks around and brings her voice down to a whispered shout, realizing we aren't technically alone, “we bond and quite-frankly, I wasn’t exactly willing to follow the mating path. What if you were some type of crazy serial killer, fated mated who collects toenails? But nope, the Fates decided to meddle in my life instead of minding their own business! But then it was already too late - I could see how amazing you are and I needed space to breathe and work through my fear of ending up like my mother, mateless and dragged back to live with a shitty pack. Then imagine me, trying to take time to process, and BAM, I miss my period and my wolf tells me I’m pregnant. Do you see how my life went from zero to like, fifty-thousand?”

My eyebrows shoot up at her word vomit, and there is so much to dissect there but what I did know is that she clearly wants me, she is just scared. Fear, I can eradicate. She is my mate, and I would always be her safe place.

She pauses her rant, breathing heavily and despite the warring emotions coming off of her I start to laugh. I tug her close and sit down on the soft sand, pulling her onto my lap.

“It isn’t funny Casimir,” she pouts with a sigh, laying her head on my shoulder, fitting perfectly.

Turning my head I kiss her frown away, “It is pretty funny. Here I am going batshit crazy and none of my wolves could track you down. Turns out you had a sort of cock-knot-blocking charm while traveling around random little islands with a completely different name and going just as crazy as I was. Although you'll try to deny it. Then Storm finally gives in after I lose my shit and I have to hop on a plane with a phoenix and get on a boat with a water dragon, to find out you’re having our baby.” I chuckle, shaking my head. The insanity of it all, the sleepless nights and the stress of the past few weeks finally catch up to me as I continue to chuckle.

Eventually, I calm down enough to look at my beautiful mate, her body glowing in the sun-kissed light that radiates from her skin, looking absolutely ravishing. I press my forehead against hers, "We will get back to your past, because I would like to actually know, in extreme detail, what the fuck happened in your old pack that has you fearful that you had to hide for so many years and even more so that you were willing to run from your mate. With a firm understanding that heads will roll."

I turn her body so that her legs straddle my waist and with both hands, I caress her cheeks gently, my thumbs tracing the outline of her delicate face as I tilt her head to gaze into my eyes.

"Aneira, I know there will be days that you will want to run, fear can do that to you but I will always follow you," I place kisses along her jaw. "There will also be moments that you believe there are monsters in your closet. But, Little Wolf, I will go through every closet, every night if I have to until you understand that I am the biggest and scariest monster to anyone who poses a threat to you. The only time you will have to run is when we chase our son or daughter, under the moonlight and then bring them back home safely - with us, together. Always together. Your heart belongs with me, always with me.”

Her bottom lip quivers and her eyes fill with unshed tears, “but what happens now? I’ve fought so hard to make a life for myself and now things will change.” A tone of despair laces her words as she looks at me as if I have all the answers. And maybe I do, murder being one of them, especially as my wolf snaps at the chance to destroy whoever hurt her.

Gently I brush away her tears with my fingertips “Now,” I reply softly, "we make a new life together. We are mates, you will be bringing the most beautiful baby into our lives, but nothing else has to change. At least not in the way you fear. You will still have your bookstore and Storm, you’ll just have a few more things on your plate.” I pause to look at her, making sure she understood my next point clearly, “however, we will be talking about who I have to kill.”

She gives me a watery smile and laughs, “Baby steps.”

I lightly place my hand on her stomach, and for a split second a thrill of excitement races through me, and I'm overwhelmed as the reality that we created a life together, sets in. “Literally,” I tease. Montgomery howls with pride,strong wolf, strong swimmers. I roll my eyes internally, choosing to ignore him.

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