Page 85 of Werewolves Don't Howl
Mm hm. That sounded about as likely as my mother getting along with Manny. I grabbed his arm, pulling him closer. “What about Lynx? Was Manny able to help her? Is she okay?”
His eyes softened and his smile became real. “Lynx is fully recovered and eating more snacks than is healthy, but Manny and your mother both assure me that since she’s genetically and magically altered, it’s fine.” He raised a skeptical brow. He was worried about the proper nutrition of my kitten-monster. Imagine how he’d be with his kids. My heart melted at the thought of Cross holding a little mini-Cross and plotting out its happiness and well-being. The thought was such a stark difference from the ominous creature hovering over everyone the night before.
I pulled him down on the bed next to me. “Cross, what about your whole glow-up? How is Henrick going to spin it for the Senator? Your eyes are still moons. I always expected to be the one who messed up your image, but instead, it was the Night Lord.”
He studied me expressionlessly. That was a much more natural face for him. “Yes, that. Everything’s up in the air right now. Henrick isn’t spinning anything, not when I’m not sure which direction you’d like to proceed in. You mentioned being the House of Mercy’s housekeeper. You are technically bound to me, and I am bound to the House, so if I am released, you wouldn’t be able to have that dream job. I could keep the position if I put effort into it, but they are nervous after I’ve stepped into my heritage so ostentatiously.”
“Also ominously.”
“What do you want, my love?” The way he looked at me didn’t give away any feelings, but I knew his heart.
My heart beat faster and faster until I reached for him, pulling him close enough that I could kiss him.
Cross froze for a moment before he slowly moved his lips against mine, teeth brushing my bottom lip. He held me like I was precious, perfect, and his. So very his.
Mine. He was mine. His mouth, hands, soul, all of him belonged to me. His blood was mine to spill, his body mine to crush and heal. Mine. Forever.
I slid my hands over his shoulders, into his hair, tugging him closer to me while I devoured my sweet, delicious heart.
A thrum went through me, like a note of music too low to hear with my ears, but it wrapped around us, piercingly, achingly sweet.
I pulled away, breathing hard while the binding flared to life in my skin. He gazed back at me, otherworldly, powerful, a god of night come down to capture my soul. Would I ever get used to that glowing quarter moon in his mysterious violet eyes? Probably since I was already thinking how magically attractive they were.
“Sorry,” I said breathlessly. “I should talk to my mom about breaking the binding.”
His eyes flickered with pain before it vanished beneath a soft smile that was still probably a lie. “Of course. I’m sure she’ll be happy to help us,” he said, slowly raising my hand to kiss the back of it. Um. What? I couldn’t remember what we were talking about, not when my buzzing lips and racing heart were wrapped around my beautiful, mystical mate. Wait, what? Mate? No. My wolf didn’t get a mate, not until she chose someone free to love me. But what if Cross didn’t love me without the binding? I liked him looking at me like I was his whole world. It didn’t matter. I wasn’t a gnome who took whatever she liked. I was an elf too, and that meant that would happily hold on to my misery for the sake of ethics and propriety. Also stake him with a live tree in the library. Very properly.
“Are you all right?” he murmured, kissing my hand again.
“Yes. Break the binding, get a job, get an apartment, and then we can talk about kissing.” I tugged on my hand, but it was a floppy tug, not a real, ‘give me back my hand, you brute.’
“Mm. I should probably inform you in a romantic way that is beyond me that after waking up in bed with you three times, I have no intention of ever waking up any other way again.” His voice rumbled so delicious and low, implacable.
I gasped and shot a look around us to see who had overheard his declaration. We were the only people in his bedroom. My mother was actually giving us privacy? That boded ill if I actually wanted her to break the binding. My skin prickled all the way down my spine as my wolf rolled over and gave Cross her belly. They were in complete agreement, except he would be there when she woke up, too.
I grabbed his chin and turned his face so he was forced to look into my eyes. “You can’t say that.”
He blinked at me, face impassive. “I could pretend that I could sleep without you, but I already tried while you were unconscious. That experiment resulted in my teleporting to you in my sleep. Your father finds the entire situation fascinating. He put me in a lead box with only a few ventilation holes, and I was able to teleport out of that, as well as several other unique variations, completely unaware of myself.”
I gaped at him. “You can teleport in your sleep?”
“Apparently. And your wolf can snore perfectly in key. We are both truly gifted.”
“Absolutely. Anything else I should know about?”
He swooped me into his arms and then his mouth crushed mine, his hands pulled me against his strong body while he devoured me whole. His hands shook as he grasped me, sliding up to tangle in my hair before consuming my mouth deeper, sealing me his.
I melted, arching against him, letting him hold me up entirely, unfurling against his mouth like a night blossom. The music came back with a vengeance, practically keening around us with the force of his passion.
When he pulled away, he smiled slightly. Such a pretty elf with those bright violet eyes. He loved me violently. “Of course. Your mother’s in the kitchen with Manny, trying to take over.”
“Trying? That doesn’t sound like my mother. I’ve never seen Manny in my kitchen. I doubt he’d put up much of a fight.”
“Your kitchen?” Cross asked with a slight tilt of his head.
“I meant as someone who lives here, versus my mother who certainly doesn’t live here. They aren’t staying long, are they?”
He absently stroked my hair, like I was still the wolf who snored so adorably. “No, they’re just staying while we figure out the binding, although your father is helping me adjust to my new…” He trailed off like he didn’t know what to call moons in his eyes and teleporting in his sleep.
