B+Bs: To Stand In A Beast's World

34. Mitchell's Plans

 Winston and Mitchel did not get their talking to immediately. Winston passed out on the floor, and I made Mitchell cough up his antidote. Surprisingly, he did it without a word of protest. Afterwards, he passed out too.

They both looked worse for wear, but Harvey confirmed that neither were in danger.

I let them have their good sleep in the very places they collapsed. I invited Harvey to cook with me, but he protested on account of my wounds and took over. I let him have this one since I didn't feel great. While he cooked, I asked him his opinion on my relationship with Mitchell.

Shuu washed any vegetables I handed him and brought me shortbird eggs while I cooked. The scent of food wafted through the air, but neither floor-occupying male moved. I set two bowls aside for them.

I'm sure Mitchell will eat it, but Winston isn't a fan of vegetables. However, it didn't feel fair to leave him out. Although I considered taking away the bowls due to their reckless behavior, I realized that starving two males with potential aggression issues would not be a wise decision.

I ate my stir-fried vegetables and fried eggs, feeling pretty happy with them. I think Harvey should be our chef. He's improving faster than everyone else at cooking.

Harvey continued our discussion and Shuu joined. Both naturally had thoughts and feelings regarding Mitchell. Shuu had a resolution to accept Mitchell because I did, but I could tell the idea was not a comfortable one. Harvey was less concerned about him than Shuu.

Mitchell heard his name called and roused briefly. He did not, however, move from his position on the floor. His body hurt something fierce. And that tiger—Winston was it? He held back on him. If it was a battle to the death, Mitchell would've lost. Such was the divide between a male who earned his marks and one who took shortcuts.

Mitchell did not get up and listened in on the conversation about him. It drew one of those rare—but becoming more common—emotions from his heart. It was such a strange but pleasant feeling to be included.

When the topic switched to something dull, Mitchell quit pretending and got up.

"Oh good, you're awake."

Grace's words were music to his ears, but then she continued. "We need to talk." Mitchell didn't know why those words sounded ominous, but they did. He sat down next to her appearing unperturbed, but his butt and tail hurt fiercely. He used to find it advantageous to have his antidote hidden so well, but now he wished it was someone easier to reach—like that snake's.

"What are you planning to do? You haven't given up the city or your father, I assume."

Harvey and Shuu listened quietly. Neither planned to interrupt unless they needed to.

Mitchell's improving mood leveled out, and he collected his thoughts. He wasn't supposed to come here, it just happened. He wanted to ask Grace about the bond anyway; to confirm that it was as real as it felt.

"I-." Mitchell almost told her his intentions without thinking. "I will not stay."

Shuu growled, wearing a terribly cold expression. "You'll leave your mate? You'll leave Grace?" What male could do that? ...A feral male. Shuu answered his own question.

Mitchell's eyes narrowed. "Careful, wolf. You don't know anything." This wolf was better off keeping his mouth shut than speaking on a topic he knew nothing about.

'Why would Grace choose this weak wolf?' Mitchell wondered. 'Surely she had stronger or smarter options.'

"Easy," I said. I wasn't shocked, but I got why Shuu was. "Your father hasn't found what he wants?"

Mitchell smirked at how easily his mate seemed to understand the situation. "No, not yet. I'm searching for the last pieces." Mitchell watched Grace closely to see how much she grasped.

I was careful with my next words. I didn't want to sound accusatory, but I needed to know. "Do you think you'll find them here?" If he said no, I could hope that he had no plans of taking me back with him.

"No... I think I'll have more luck in the north." Mitchell's eyes glinted. Grace did not give away much, but he instinctively felt that Grace knew what they were talking about. Because he couldn't help himself, he asked. "You won't ask me to stop looking?"

I think he is testing me, but it won't change my answer. "Would you stop if I asked?"

"...You answered a question with a question."

"I did. And you avoided mine."

Mitchell couldn't help himself, he smiled. He talked to Grace frequently, back when she lived with him in the City of Flame, but they did not go back and forth like this.

I was taken aback by Mitchell's smile. My eyes quickly and unintentionally raked over his chest. No soul stone was there. Was Mitchell able to feel a broader spectrum of emotion without help now?

Shuu swallowed the growl in his throat. How dare the male avoid Grace's questions.

Unlike Shuu, Harvey was able to pick up on the missing context. He couldn't identify what it was, only that it was there. He had nothing to add to this conversation and ground the herbs for Grace's wounds and bruises.

As much as I didn't hate this almost friendly exchange, I wanted answers. "Let me get this straight... You are only passing by and staying temporarily. You will soon be on your way to find what you are looking for before returning to the City of Flame. Is that right?"

Mitchell shrugged, but his heart wished for those words to be false. "Yes."

"And..." I exhaled. "You have no intention of forcing me back there?" That was the million-dollar question.

Mitchell lost his smile. Was she that opposed to being by his side? No... she's told him over and over again how much she hates the ways of his city. But it still upset him.

"I won't." Putting his feelings aside, he stood to lose everything if he brought Grace back. His father wouldn't need to look any further for vessels, and Mitchell couldn't accept the end result that would be waiting for him.

My shoulders relaxed, and I nodded. "Okay."

Mitchell asked his own questions. "You aren't telling me to leave?" Mitchell wanted to sound nonplused, but his tone was flat and serious.

Surprisingly, no. "No. Are you going to give me a reason to drive you away?"

Not if he could help it. "...No."

"Alright. Time to eat then. Your food is getting cold." I motioned towards the bowl. "And... If you stay here with us, I need you to follow my rules."

Mitchell cocked an eyebrow, amused at Grace's audacity. He would decide if these rules were acceptable to him before agreeing.

"Outside of sparring and training, fights aren't allowed amongst my mates. This," I motioned to the still blacked-out Winston, "won't happen again."

Mitchell's lip twitched. He was torn between finding Grace's newfound bravery cute and feeling sour at the fact that Grace had as many mates as she did. He wasn't stupid, he knew she would find some the moment he let her go, but it didn't exactly make him happy.

...But being included in this home did. It offset those feelings of jealousy enough that Mitchell was able to act rationally.

"Sure," he said as he took the bowl of cooling food. He meant to bring up the question of the bond, but he might already have his answers. Instead, he indulged in the food that was given to him.

Mitchell stared at it for a while before tasting the contents. The flavor that burst in his mouth stunned him into savoring the bite. He'd eaten Grace's cooking and he had previously cooked for her himself, but neither ever tasted like this.

I watched Mitchell down the bowl with the oddest feeling. Was this really so... easy? I know Mitchell isn't an idiot, but was he always so reasonable? I just gave him an order, and he said sure... sure.

I should really just count my blessings here.