Bound Trilogy: Bound: A Supernatural Story (WLW)

Chapter Thirty-Four

Bast and Gabe both shifted back into their human forms and entered the house. Gabe padded up the stairs and shivered so hard Bast could hear his teeth chattering from the door as she locked it. She lingered there for a moment, contemplating whether or not she should go to her own room as she spotted her clothing on the credenza.

Penelope made it beyond clear that she was very unsure of Bast's advances, so did she really have any right to go into their bed? Our bed...?

Bast shivered as she got dressed, and lifted her nose in the air. She caught Penelope's scent and couldn't help but follow it up the stairs as she pulled her shirt over her head. However, when she arrived at her door, she noticed the light still on and the lingering scent of someone else from within.

Against her better judgment, she knocked on the door and Penelope's voice drifted out, telling her it was okay for her to enter. Bast opened the door and went inside, but immediately felt like stone. Coming from their bed was Xenia's scent. Why was Xenia in their bed? She had her own mate. A mate who wouldn't want her to share a bed with anyone else, much less allow her to mark her territory there. Even if it was to just sit for a moment or two, she knew it was wrong of her to do so without Bast's permission unless Penelope was under some type of distress.

Just what the hell is she scheming...?

"Are you okay, Bast?" Penelope asked, but Bast just felt heat rise in her gut that overwhelmed her. She closed the door behind herself and strode over to their bed. Lifting the sheets to her nose, she smelled Xenia all over them.

What the actual fuck? "Was Xenia in our bed?"

Penelope reddened, then scrunched up her face. "It's my bed, Bast. And yes, if you must know, she came in to talk. Apparently both Jules and you made her think something was wrong with me today."

"Isn't there?" Bast gently took hold of Penelope's wrist and lifted her from the bed, making sure she was stable on her feet. She began to strip the sheets.

"What are you doing? I just put those on this after--"

"They aren't right."

Penelope sighed and grabbed her arm prompting her to turn around. She reclaimed the sheets and moved toward the bed, but Bast stepped in front of her. "Move, Bast."

"You can't put those back on." She planted her feet firmly in place and vehemently shook her head.

"And why not?" Penelope sounded how Bast assumed a condescending mother would and lifted them to her nose. "They're as fresh as..." Her eyes widened and she shook her head for a moment. She looked up at Bast, blinking a few times and appeared as though she finally made sense of her mental conclusion. "Bast, relax. This isn't what you think and I think both you and I know that."

"Why would you think I need to worry about that?"

Penelope blanched and took a step back, glancing away. "I don't know."

"I'll tell you, then. You had a dominant fox tailing you and when he touched you, instead of telling him to stop, that you have a mate, you continued to walk with him." Bast flared her nostrils and stepped closer, but Penelope still wouldn't look at her. Fine then. I'll be the bad guy. Anything if you'll just talk to me. "Did you ever consider how that might make me feel?"

"What are you accusing me of, Bast? Cheating?" Penelope guffawed and scanned her eyes over the room. Her shoulders tensed and her neck muscles stiffened as if she was actually fighting not to look at her. Thing was, Bast couldn't tell if that was bad, or good. "How could I possibly do that when no one has claimed me or whatever?"