The Lotus Trials

Chapter XII

Zeke's POV:
Days. Just days. Not even two weeks Gemma been here and I was opening up more than I had in years. A handful of meetings and I was letting her call me by my given name. Letting her near my daughter so soon. My phone rang and I pulled it out of my back pocket.

"Colin."

"I just emailed you the file you wanted. Squeaky clean from what I could tell."

"Thanks. Have a good night."

"Daddy! I'm hungry!" I caught the beginning of Colin's laugh as I hung up. Impatient child. "Dad!"

"Coming. I'm coming." I saw my parents standing behind her, here for their nightly library time. "Sorry. Had a call."

"From Colin?" my mother asked, her worry evident. "Is this about Sam? Zeke, I may have pushed too hard with Gemma, but I meant what I said about Sam. You—"

"Mom, it was a background check. Now please, don't talk about Sam with Selene here." I looked down to Selene. "Come on, sweetheart. Let's get some dinner." I waved her out the door, my path to follow blocked by my father. "Dad."

"Background check?"

"This is my business. Mine alone, okay? I won't be stupid about anyone's intentions towards this family."

"The lessons?" I nodded. "Ezekiel, that girl's father was as good as a brother to me. I was standing outside the door when Gemma was born."

"Every kid is just like their parents, right? I've got this, Dad."

I stepped around him. "Ezekiel, if you didn't trust that girl, Selene wouldn't be walking out of lesson number two and you wouldn't be going to see her tonight." I froze. "I wasn't born yesterday, son. You come back in smelling like the same she-wolf every night. You're mother hasn't pushed too hard on anything."

I didn't have a response. I didn't have a denial. My parents trusted this girl on sight because of their own history and they could tell just how often I saw her, the few times it had been. "What do you want me to say? Do you want her at the next family dinner with a wedding date? This is my business. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to make dinner for Selene."

I got back into the main area of the house and threw pasta and green beans on the stove. "Daddy, you still look stressed."

"I—There's a lot going on, baby girl. Okay?"

Gemma and I really need to start looking into that riddle. And my parents need to lay off. And Selene needs to block out my feelings. "I like your colors in the library."

I clenched my jaw. "Go wash up," I told her, spooning out her dinner. "We can talk about your lessons in the morning."

"Damn this all. No more of that clearing."

"You made a move and called it a test. Don't act like either of us can stay away tonight."

No. A few nights now we had spent together, never leaving our wolf forms, but acting intimately all the same. Even if it wasn't so much as hinted at during out other meetings it had become a sort of routine. A routine on the border of being called my new normal. I sat down with my own plate, shoving any thoughts involving Gemma Hart to the back of my mind.

"Yummy dinner?"

"Yep."

"Good. Eat up. You still need a bath." The door burst open and I froze, my fork midair. "Darien, do you mind?"

"Uncle Darien!" I sighed as she ran over to hug him.

"Hey, kiddo! How was your day?" She shrugged, sitting on his knee. "Oh, what happened?"

"I did bad in my lesson."

"Selene, sweetheart, Gemma told you that was tough stuff. You did excellent today. I promise. Darien, care to grab a plate?"

His grin widened at my fake smile. "Three, huh?"

"Three what?" I groaned. "Honestly. You and that woman."

"That woman has you by the—"

"Child present. And don't jump to conclusions, brother. Selene, please sit and eat. How was the daytrip, Darien?"

"These human businesses you and Dad have been in with are boring as hell. Tell me why you get to sit back and play good host here while I—an actual competitor in the trials—am working your business outside of the pack."

"Because you're a wonderful brother and son who is dearly valued and trusted by all parties. Selene, start getting ready for your bath. Brush your teeth. I'll be up in two minutes. You. Talk. Now. You and Gemma both keep saying three. Three what?"

"I said when I caught her in the hospital after her trial that it would take two more meetings and you'd offer the first name basis. It took three."

"I—Wait—You two—"

"Daddy! Daddy, there's a spider in the bathroom!"

I sighed. "Discussion not over."

"Sure. Yeah, I'll be happy to watch Selene tonight. Give Mom and Dad a break."

"Oh, shut up. I only leave when she's down for the night. There isn't even a monitor to watch anymore."

"I'm messing with you, man. If this is the girl, then good. If she's not then don't forget that clock ticking. Go on. Bathe that creature upstairs."

"That creature is your niece." I climbed the stairs to find her standing outside the bathroom with the door shut. "It's just a spider, sweetheart. Come on. Get in here." She was tired enough that a bath and bedtime wasn't a fight. "Goodnight, baby."

"Goodnight."

I pulled out my phone as I moved back into the kitchen to put food away. There at the top of my inbox was the subject line I was expecting.

Gemma Hart

I hesitated. Was I itching to know more about her? Yes. Did I have reason to use this opportunity? Maybe. Was it right? I shook my head, swiping to delete the email. If anything suspicious happened I could always recover it from my deleted items. I didn't need this temptation though.

I could tell my wolf was already itching to run. "There are things to do first."

It's been three years since I was at the beck and call of a woman and it honestly could have been a weakness to me. I wouldn't drop simple duties like doing the dishes because my wolf was impatient. Not for simple physical attraction. That's all this was. Gemma was kind and beautiful and good with children.

"Isn't that what you want? A mother figure for Selene?"

My wolf butting in wasn't helping this. "She's her teacher. Nothing more or less."

"Selene will be heartbroken if Gemma leaves."

"Yes. She will. She's a child. Once those lessons are over she'll be fine. She'll get over it," I insisted.

"I won't." I froze. "People expect the human part of you to move on. No one ever considers a wolf recovering from a mate's death. With Raya... I enjoy caring for her as much as I did for Samantha's wolf."

I could deny the facts to myself and my family over and over again. I couldn't pretend I wasn't scared of shifting anymore. I couldn't pretend I didn't enjoy these last few nights. I couldn't try to lie to that other half of myself. I finished wiping the counters and table, not missing my brothers curious look.

"You're quiet tonight. You haven't kicked me out yet."

I sighed. "You said your free to babysit, right?"

He grinned. "Get out of here."