Cronan is angry. Angry that after years of waiting, he's mated to the one wolf he never wanted.
Fen is stuck. Stuck in a state of purgatory that he doesn't know how to escape from.
After learning of his mate's crimes, Cronan never expected to see h...
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I didn't want to move.
I didn't want to move because when I did, the moment would be ruined.
My eyes flickered to where Cronan slept by my side. His chest rose and fell in a steady rhythm; the covers that previously surrounded him were now bunched together at the end of the bed. He managed to kick them off at some point during the night, and yet somehow, he still managed to look perfectly at ease.
My arm was draped across his waist while his head was buried in the crook of my neck, a loose, unconscious gesture that made me feel anchored to him. I didn't want to disturb the quiet connection between us, the simple comfort of lying next to him without any of the usual tension or unspoken words hanging in the air.
The room felt warm, bathed in the early morning light creeping through the curtains, and for a moment, I allowed myself to imagine this could be my life. A life where mornings like this were the norm, not the exception.
But it wouldn't last. Not this morning anyway, because today was an important day. Today was adoption day.
"Fen?" I heard Cronan call without moving his head.
"Yes?"
He froze. Quite literally froze as if he hadn't been expecting me to answer. I remained still as he slowly detached himself from my side and stared down at me with...warmth in his eyes.
"Morning," he greeted before dropping to rest beside me again.
"Good morning." I flipped over so I could see his face. I decided not to bring up the fact that he was sleeping there because I didn't want to make him feel awkward or embarrassed. Instead, I focused on the warmth in his gaze, a rare moment of calm between us that I didn't want to spoil.
"Did you sleep well?" I asked, keeping my tone light.
Cronan nodded, his expression softening even more. "Better than I have in a long time." He hesitated as if weighing his next words carefully. "I hope I didn't make things weird... falling asleep here."
"You didn't," I reassured him. "Actually, it was... nice."
He looked at me, surprise flickering in his eyes, and for a moment, neither of us spoke. I didn't regret saying it though, because it was true. Waking up next to him felt natural like it was something I could get used to.
"Today's adoption day," I reminded him, shifting slightly so I could sit up. "The kids are probably already bouncing off the walls."
Cronan let out a soft chuckle. "Yeah, I bet Lola's been awake for hours."
"She's been counting down the days. You know you're going to have to sit with her, right?" I teased, glancing over at him.
His lips curved into a faint smile. "Wouldn't have it any other way."
