Book Smart

Thirteen

Adrian gets shy again when I laugh, that sweet face of his being tucked into his shoulder, but before I can reassure my Sweetness that his apparently insatiable reading habit is more endearing than anything else a light knock sounds on the door before a silver-haired Agatha with sadness in her eyes pushes it open and shuffles inside flashing a smile to my sweet boy before glaring at me.

Her gaze takes a moment to soften, but it happens after a glance towards my Love still kneeling on the floor with a sigh, a simple smile working it's way to her lips before she turns away and finds her fingers tangled in Adrian's curls, "I thought you were mine to keep forever Chipmunk..."

I can see the tears pool in the corner of Adrian's eyes from my spot perched on the bed, his bottom lip back to quivering as he gazes up at her like a child, "I thought so too, Grammy..."

His voice is watery but he manages to hold it together, his slender arms wrapping around her legs as he nuzzled his face into her hip. Under any other circumstances, I'd be furious with anyone else touching him, but my possessiveness had already been sated when he had stayed by my side instead of taking orders from her earlier, and Agatha just isn't really that much of a threat. No, at the moment she's just a Grandmother trying to come to terms with having to surrender her beloved Grandson to a man she doesn't know.

She cards her bone-thin fingers through his hair, "Ashwood, Alpha Collin wants to speak to you in his office. I'll help Adrian pack."

...
Adrian
...

It's hard not to cringe as Grammy leaves off Silas's title, no doubt on purpose. That isn't what seems to bother him though. His smirk stays plastered to his face until Grammy suggests that I stay behind and focus on packing a bag instead of going with him to speak to Collin. His growls are immediate as he lifts himself off my bed, what seems like only two massive strides closing the distance between us. I find myself being yanked away from her and up into his arms. Even though it's unexpected, it's hard not to melt into the physical contact. I have to fight to keep my eyes open as I cling to him.

"Mine." He mumbles as he crushes me against his chest, my feet dangling as he holds me as close as possible.

"I didn't say he wasn't! I'm saying you're needed elsewhere and I'm more than capable of getting him packed and ready!" Grammy snaps at him. Did it ever occur to her that maybe I wanted to stay with him? Just thinking about how devastating the loss of him at my side for the meager 15 minutes we were separated has me shivering closer in his protective hold. Guilt weighs heavily in my chest at my selfish train of thought. As happy a day as this is for me, it hadn't occurred to me until now that maybe the reason she's being so rude to my loving mate is that she's sad to see me leave. The more I dwell on it the more my stomach churns knowing that I have to relent for both of us and give her the private goodbye that she deserves seeing me off to my new life in the pack over an hour away from her and our home. Sure, maybe Silas would let me come back with him once a month to visit with her, but he also might not.

Tension fills the air like thick gelatinous soup, Silas letting his dominance slip into the room building it up more subtly than before as if trying to not overwhelm me again despite his need to let Grammy know who's in charge. It's hard not to ignore then electrifying heat that pools at the base of my stomach as he cradles me, his hold on my body tender despite the anger rolling off of him in waves.

...
Silas
....

My attention is pulled away from Agatha when Adrian nuzzles into my shoulder. I can feel his tears against my skin as I use my dominance to put his willful Grandmother back into her place, my gracious mood is earlier no longer intact at the thought of her trying to separate my sweet boy from me, and I can't help but imagine that he's just as upset as I am.

"...las..."

My eyes dart down to the angel in my arms for a moment before snapping back to Agatha, the old woman struggling not to sag under the weight of my wolf in the air.

"..Silas..." It's just barely a whisper accompanied by Adrian shifting in my arms until he's got those luscious thighs of his wrapped around my waist, his arms struggling to work themselves up, one around my neck to help hold himself up as my hands find his thick backside, the other hand cupping my cheek and guiding my face back down to look at him.

I'm met with quivering dewy lashes, his bottom lip snagged back between his teeth and glossy, eyes timid as they meet mine, "Silas...Please...Please be nice. Grammy and I just need a minute alone... Is that okay?"

My mouth goes dry at the unpleasant request, bile biting the back of my throat...but I don't have it in me to tell him no...How could I look down at his sweet face and tell him no?

Telling him no would upset him and as much as I need him like I need air upsetting him this early on could be disastrous. I never want to be the reason he cries... Especially when upsetting him could prevent my mark from being nestled in the crook of that lovely shoulder of his hidden underneath his bulky blue sweater.

My sweet boy strokes my cheek with his thumb before dragging his hand up to join the other as he leans into me and nuzzles into my neck to nip the mark he had given me, a quiet, "Please, Silas...I'll be a good boy..."