Page 42 of The Wolf's Bullied Pregnant Mate
I was so aware of him next to me, all ink and physical might. How he had handled me so roughly but then kissed me so tenderly. He hadn’t dared do it again. I hadn’t asked him to, either, but it had crossed my mind.
What are you doing to me?
No, what was thisplacedoing to me, this situation? I put it down to the fact that I had nobody else but him to talk to. I was simply warming up to him, giving him the benefit of the doubt, and attempting to make my own life easier by getting along with Zephyr.
But when I looked at him, making out his outline in the dark, I couldn’t help but want to brush my hands down those thick biceps. I wanted to kiss his skin, feel its warmth beneath my lips, and feel the heartbeat that pounded in his chest.
I wanted to unravel Zephyr—I want to unwrap the hard exterior he wore and find out who lay underneath. What sort of a man had gone into the military, come back out, and how had it changed him?
I wanted to knowwhyhe’d gone into such an organization. Zephyr seemed like the sort of man who stood only for himself. A bond with a group, yes, but Zephyr stood alone at the end of the day. What had encouraged him to enter the military?
I gazed at his side profile as he slept, his chest already rising and falling with sleep. I shifted closer, telling myself there was a draft through the cave, and I wanted his warmth. But as I pressed myself to him, I couldn’t ignore that being next to him soothed part of me, even as it sent the other part into chaos.
Soon, sleep pulled me under.
***
“Where are they now?” Zephyr’s voice woke me up, an alarmed tone ringing out. He was back in the cavern, his voice echoing off the stone.
A tinny voice came out in response on a speakerphone. “Sweeney and Johnson have been hiding together. They’ve done scouts and surveillance. It looks as though the demons are trying to take up residence on the beach. It’s their easiest route of access due to the water. It means they have all that openness behind them to escape if the need arises.”
“Well, the needshouldarise,” Zephyr answered tersely. “We should be out there fighting them, Alex, not burrowed underground.”
“Trouble in paradise, Zeph?” Alex teased.
“No. Things are actually…” He paused, and I tensed, wondering how he might describe our situation. “Better.”
“Good,” Alex said. “Keep it that way. But we’re still laying low.”
“Alex, it's been four days.”
“I know, but we need more time. They need to not expect us to come. They have more numbers.”
“And we have more weapons,” Zephyr argued. “We have backup if we need it.”
“For now, the demons aren’t touching the humans. They’re content to just have the beach, but they’re avoiding the northern part of the island. The portals must be weaker there.”
I bit my lip, slowly waking up, as I thought about my shields.
“The northern side is the most residential area,” Alex said. “So I want to make sure no threats wander there. But, Zephyr, I will keep my family safe, no matter what. It’s not always our place to fight a battle.”
Zephyr snorted. “You ordered us into a fight over the summer.”
“Because they threatened my mate,” Alex growled. “Take orders, Zephyr. You’re my second. The demons are getting stronger. They’re sending out stronger demons alone to take over stores. They’re using their humanoid disguises again. They’re finding ways to blend in. It’s too dangerous, and I can’t risk you or Adalyn going out into that just yet when we’re all spread out. The island has its own defenses against these things, but we don’t. Not yet.”
“I know,” he sighed. “I know. But we’re running out of food as well. Are we at least safe to get some more? I get that you’re somewhere safe, and most of us are, but we’reliterallyunderground, Alex. I haven’t seen daylight in four days.”
Alex paused. “I’ll keep you posted on restocking, okay? I can’t make any promises. Here, the triplets want to say hi. Greta also wants to speak to Adalyn.”
At that, panic rose in me, and I scrambled to hide under the covers, pretending to be asleep, when Zephyr came back into the bedroom area.
“I know you’re awake,” he sing-songed. “Come on, Auntie Addie. The triplets want to see us.” Before I could hiss that I was avoiding my grandmother and the judgment that she would bring when she saw where I was, three voices began calling my name from the phone.
“Auntie!” Hallie called. “Where are you? Are you still sleeping?”
“My dad says people who sleep lots are lazy,” Marie laughed.
“We want to see you!” Joseph called.
