Forged in Fire (Forgotten Series, #2)

Chapter Twenty-Four

I trailed my fingers down her bare back, tracing faint patterns into her skin. I watched goosebumps rise in the wake of my touch, her body showing its reaction even when she was asleep. It was hard for me to believe that she was beside me, in my sanctuary. We had come far in our relationship in the past few weeks and the feeling of triumph was only beat out by the feeling of her in my arms. We didn't have a claimed bond but we had one that she seemed to want and enjoy and that was something even better.

She shivered slightly, the cold of the air getting to her and I slid the covers up her back, pressing my lips to the back of her shoulder. I closed my eyes, inhaling deeply, savouring how her scent was slightly coated in mine, warding off other males from what was to be my future. My lips tingled from the warmth that radiated off of her and I parted them, touching my tongue to her skin, letting the sweetness of her taste coat my tongue. I shivered at it, desire clenching my gut slightly as I pulled back.

She mumbled something in her sleep, shifting slightly on the bed. I smiled at her slightly, holding back from touching her again. She needed her sleep. It was difficult to see her in the dark of my room but her bare skin was visible and almost luminescent. I reached out and touched the braid she had let me put in her hair before bed. My little cat had complained the entire time but she hadn't been able to hide how she leaned back towards me, her body craving the closeness of mine.

My wolf had taken control and initiated the kiss between us in the temple but she had been the one who escalated it. She had welcomed it and then demanded more. She was needy, more so than I would have thought but I wasn't one to complain. I nuzzled my face into her hair, her scent relaxed me and I sunk into the mattress. One could never truly understand how tense or on edge you were until you found an opportunity to relax completely.

Shey was my relaxation, the one thing I had found in five years that allowed me to relax completely. True she stressed me out and irritated me to the point where I wanted to rip my hair out. She made me tense and agitated but one deep inhale of her scent and it soothed everything over. It helped remind me that I wouldn't love her if she wasn't exactly as she was. I loved her blunt sarcasm and her caustic attitude and I didn't wish for her to be any other way.

I slipped an arm around her waist, my hand spreading out across the skin above her navel. Her skin was soft no matter how many scars it held. I nuzzled her hair again and she she turned her head. I froze thinking I had woken her but she simply exhaled before brushing her nose along my cheek, inhaling as she did so. She murmured something sleepily, her eyes closed as she repeated the gesture. I could see a faint smile on her face as she let her head roll back towards the pillow. I kissed her shoulder again, swirling my fingertips on her soft skin.

"I love you, Shey." I murmured the words into her ear. She wasn't awake but I needed to say it when she was deep in her sleep because I didn't want to face the rejection of doing it while she was awake. I reluctantly pulled my arm away from around her waist and rolled onto my back.

"She's dreaming of you, you know." The voice was gruff but it had a faintly familiar softness to it. I sat up in the bed quickly, my eyes narrowing as I sought out the intruder. A bulky form seemed to melt from the shadows and my mouth dropped open as my father's haggard face appeared. He gave me a small smile, his eyes sad before he sat down on the bed. I could feel his weight dipping the mattress down. "She doesn't usually dream of anything but memories. But tonight... tonight she is dreaming of you." His smile grew a bit and he set his hands on his lap before looking over at me.

"What-"

"She's beautiful and she's strong." His blue eyes went slightly warm as he looked between her and I. I swallowed thickly, tear blurring my vision. "She will be a wonderful replacement for your mother." His figure was blurry and I blinked the tears away.