Shadows Whisper | | Azriel

55

Laid out in bed with Astryn, Azriel finally recalled that he told Rhys he would get the two of them out of the House until the frenzy ended.

"How would you feel about going somewhere else for a bit?" he brought up, fingers trailing up and down her bare arm. "Just the two of us."

He didn't want to say Rhys had been the one to suggest it, knowing Astryn wouldn't quite understand why Rhys was uncomfortable with the scent of them all over the house until the frenzy passed.

"What about training with Cassian?" she asked, eyebrows furrowed.

Azriel nearly growled at the mention of another male right now—when she was naked in his bed. He really didn't want to hear another male's name from her mouth right now. He pushed down the jealousy.

"If you don't want to miss a few days, we can stay here," he assured her despite the way his skin felt like it was on fire at the thought of her training with Cassian while she still had that scent of a newly mated female. He might actually have to leave the House while she trained with Cassian until the frenzy passed.

"Can we invite Cassian to go away with us?" she suggested, and Azriel almost choked on his own breath.

"I—if you'd like, I'll speak to him about it," Azriel offered despite the way his blood boiled at the thought of Cassian, or any other male, being there for the getaway that was meant to get them through the frenzied time that followed acceptance of the bond. He knew Astryn didn't realize that's what the getaway was because Azriel still hadn't found a way to really explain it, so she didn't realize what she was suggesting they invite Cassian to.

She was quiet for a few seconds before tilting her head up to sneak a quick look at him.

"You don't want Cassian to come with us, do you?" she asked, her voice soft.

"I—it's not..." he trailed off, stumbling over his words a bit. "There's a time period after the bond is accepted—it typically only lasts a week or so but during that time there's...both people typically feel...they want to have sex, a lot."

"Oh! That's why I want you constantly then?" she concluded, seeming relieved.

"That, um...yes, that is a strong contributor to the desires we're both having so much right now. Another part of it is that the male has a...difficult time seeing his mate around other males. If you want to still train with Cassian these days, it's entirely fine and I'll deal with it but—it's difficult. Very difficult, and I don't want to risk scaring you with any jealousy," he explained, certain he hadn't ever felt so awkward in his entire life.

"We can go away just the two of us," she told him, giving a tentative smile. "I don't want things to be difficult for you."

"I know training is important to you," he said gently, "if you don't want to miss it, you don't have to for my sake. I know how much you care about it."

She sat up, looking at him with a frown as if she was trying to find something.

"I care about you too," she mumbled, a little pout set on her lips.

Azriel smiled and propped himself up against the headboard. He reached out and set his palm on her cheek, his thumb ghosting over her pouting lips.

"What in the world did I do to deserve you?" he mused, more to himself than to her.

She turned her head and kissed his palm. He sighed in contentment, a smile on his face.

"Did you know you're the first person in my entire life to ever make me laugh?" she brought up, as if in answer to the question he had asked. "I had never laughed before I met you."