Soren

Chapter Twenty Seven

Margot understood Soren's need to leave and be with her mate. Bidding their goodbyes, James helped Soren out the door and on the route to their cabin. James chuckled as he noticed the slight stumble to Soren's steps. The two glasses of wine Soren had consumed at dinner had hit her harder than she had expected. Not having experience with any sort of alcohol made her tolerance an incredible low.

"You alright over there?" James called out to Soren's form as she walked a few feet in front of him on the path.

"Mhmm." She hummed, before stumbling backward and into James' awaiting arms. He had never seen her like this before, it was another side of her that he was being shown. S

Scooping her up into his arms he carried her feather-light form all the way back to the cabin, loving the feel of her so near. She wrapped an arm around his neck,

"You're so strong."

The words were slightly slurred as they left her, sending shivers down his spine at the proximity of her mouth to his ear.

"I think you had a little too much wine, Ren. I didn't expect you to be such a light weight." She didn't respond, just shifted closer to him, despite the fact that she was already pressed to his chest. She placed a hand on his chest, feeling the toned muscle that hid just beneath the thin layer of cotton that was his shirt.

When they got back to the cabin James was grateful, not because he was tired or couldn't carry her any longer, but because her hand had taken to tracing small circles where it sat on his chest. The hand that she had placed behind his head had begun playing with the short hairs at the nape of his neck, and overall, he needed to get away from all the small ministrations.

He placed her on the bed, watching in adoration as she curled up and pulled a pillow to her chest. Grabbing his clothes from the tall mahogany dresser, he went to the bathroom to change. In only his grey sweatpants he exited the room, noting her motionless form as he went to find his spot on the living room couch.

"James?" She called out quietly, stopping him in his tracks.

"Yeah, Ren?"

"Why do you always sleep downstairs?" The question took him off guard.

"Well I never wanted to make you uncomfortable, I don't mind the couch, it's really not that bad."

She had sat up, now looking at him from across the room, a tired but serious expression splayed across her features.

"James, that couch is tiny, it can't be comfortable."

"It's nothing, as long as I know you're safe and sound upstairs, I don't even notice." It was a lie and they both knew it. He woke up every morning and his back screamed in protest as he rolled off the tiny leather sofa. He did, however, mean what he said about her being safe and sound, he would sleep on that tiny couch for the rest of his life if it meant her comfort.

"Stay."

The word was out of her mouth before it had even run through her head. She surprised herself with the request but was even more surprised with how comfortable with the idea. She trusted him explicitly but also wanted to curl up with him.

"Are you sure?" He took a couple steps deeper into the room. His wolf was begging him to jump on the bed and get comfortable before she could rescind her offer, but the human side of him held back.

"Yes, James. Stay."

Her words were sincere and were all it took for James to pull back the covers and slide in next to her. They laid in silence for a few moments, before James let out a huff of air and reached over to where she lay next to him. Wrapping an arm around her, he pulled her in close. Him on his back and her on her side, her hair splayed out on his chest.