by Lynn Howard
“No, of course not.” And she had zero fear that he would, either. “I just want you to think about what you’re asking. Are we sure we want to do this? We’ve known each other one day, Noah. You know nothing about me. I know nothing about you. Other than you’re a Shifter who owns a bar and lives like a pig.” She winked to soften her last words. Even if they were the truth.
He blinked. Then blinked again. Then he dropped his head and put his hands on his hips. “What the fuck am I doing?” he muttered to himself. After a few seconds, he lifted his head and frowned hard at the cabin next door. “Let’s go in the house.”
“Noah—”
“Shawnee’s over there cheering us on. She’s listening to every single word.” He glared at the house as if he could see the redhead.
Hollyn just smiled. Shawnee hadn’t made it a secret that she wanted to see Noah settled down. With a soft chuckle, she followed Noah into the house and sat on the couch as he closed the door then ran a rough hand through his hair.
That same hand dragged down his face, weariness finally evident in their brown depths now that she could see him in the brightly lit living room.
“You might not be glamouring me, but I feel so fucking weird around you. Like I’m in a dream and have no control over my own damn actions.” He paced from one end of the living room to the other.
“That’s what I’m trying to warn you, Noah. It’ll only get worse if we close the bond. What are you going to do if you’re at work and I fall and hurt myself? You’ll feel my pain, Noah. You’ll worry. I’ve seen non-Fae go insane because of the bond.”
She hated having to tell him all of this. It would’ve been so much easier if she’d just let things proceed naturally, just let her magic have its way. But she couldn’t do that to him. She wanted him to have every single fact up front.
But when he turned to her, his eyes blazing bright, she wondered if her earlier feelings of safety were wrong. He looked terrifying as his lip pulled back in a snarl.
“I need to Shift,” he growled out.
Hollyn swallowed hard and nodded. She couldn’t seem to force her voice out through her tightening throat. Had she pissed him off? Had she been wrong about his character and his heart?
No way. Even if her brain refused to acknowledge red flags, her magic had never let her down. Except when it allowed her to be drugged and kidnapped.
But had that been a failure of her magic, or had it known her fate long before she had? If that asshole hadn’t stuck her with a syringe, hadn’t dragged her into the woods of Kansas City, Aron never would’ve found her. And he never would’ve brought her to the bears of Blackwater.
And she never would’ve met Noah.
Noah’s movements were jerky as he walked toward the door, pulling at the back collar of his shirt and yanking it over his head. And her mouth went dry. If she’d thought he was hot clothed, it was nothing compared to Noah shirtless. The muscles in his back and shoulder rippled with each movement.
Hollyn averted her eyes as he opened the door and shoved his jeans over his hips until they were pooled at his feet. She glanced up just as he pulled the door shut and got an eyeful of a very impressive package. Magic or not, Noah was one hell of a specimen of the male species.
Before the door was fully closed, Hollyn heard several pops. Noah grunted.
Then a loud thud hit the front porch and shook the windows. Hollyn leapt from the couch and ran to the window, barely catching a glimpse of fur as Noah’s bear took off for the woods across from the cabin.
And then Hollyn was alone again.
She stood at the door and watched for more movement, but her eyes weren’t as sensitive as a Shifter’s. Noah could be standing within the tree line looking right at her and she’d never know it.
Which sent fear slithering through her for other reasons. Someone could be right outside the house and Hollyn wouldn’t know it. They could’ve been watching her sitting on the porch alone while she waited for Noah to get home and she’d have been none the wiser.
Just because her magic let her know when someone had a dark heart didn’t mean she was warned of someone’s presence, not until they were close enough.
Reaching forward, she turned the lock on the door and backed away from the windows. The thought of being watched gave her the damn creeps.
Hollyn lowered onto the couch and wrapped her arms around herself. Now that Noah had Shifted and charged into the woods, she wasn’t sure what to do. She had no idea whether there was another room where she could sleep or if she was crashing on his couch for the time it took Aron to end the threat.
And she had no idea whether her admission to Noah had completely ruined her chance at happiness or not. She had no idea what had made him need to Shift, need to run, need distance from her. He must’ve felt secure enough that his Clan family would hear if there was any danger for him to leave her alone again.
Or maybe he realized he no longer cared enough. For some reason, that thought cut her deeply.
Leaning to the side, Hollyn lowered onto the couch, keeping her arms wrapped around her for warmth. He didn’t even have a blanket on the couch to wrap herself in. But he had left his shirt.
Sitting up quickly, she shuffled to where he’d dropped his clothes, folded his jeans and laid them over the back of the couch before pulling on his large shirt. The hem fell past her knees. It was still warm from his body and smelled strongly of his scent. It was spicy and heady and pure masculinity.
Heading back to the sofa, she pulled her arms through the sleeves and used the shirt as a make shift sleeping bag. Closing her eyes, she let images of Noah, the sensation of his warm hand on her cheek lull her into a restless, nightmare filled sleep.
And then the nightmares just…stopped. She was filled with so much peace and warmth. She was floating. No. Something solid was against her, strong arms surrounded her. Forcing her lids open, she blinked up at Noah’s face. He was carrying her. Where? Where the hell was she?
Noah’s cabin. She’d fallen asleep after he’d left. What time was it? How long had he been gone? She was too tired to voice any of those questions, though. She just let Noah carry her until he gently lowered her onto a bed that smelled like him.
Pulling the blankets over her, he stood there, staring down at her before turning and leaving the room, pulling the door behind him while leaving it open enough she could see light coming from somewhere down the hall.
She smiled sleepily then let her body sink into the soft mattress below her. This time, when she fell asleep, she didn’t have a single dream. Just peaceful, restful sleep. Something she hadn’t experienced in months.
When Hollyn woke again, there was a sliver of hazy sunlight shining through the gap in the curtains. They were pulled closed, but the fabric didn’t meet each other, allowing enough light into the room for Hollyn to avoid disorientation.
She was alone in the bed. Where was Noah? Not beside her in the bed where he’d laid her after roaming the woods. Not on the floor, either. Climbing from the bed, she tiptoed to the door and heard a deep, rumbling snore. Following the sound, she smiled down at Noah’s big body squished up on the couch. Poor thing was way too big for the small piece of furniture. It would’ve been the right size for her. Why hadn’t he just left her where she’d slept and gone to bed?
Looking around, she wasn’t sure what she should do while she waited. One thing she knew she needed was a shower. And she’d get to wear some of her new clothes. What time did Noah need to be up? What time would he leave for work? Surely, he had some kind of alarm set for the day. It was Sunday, so maybe the bar didn’t open as early as the rest of the week.
As quietly as possible, she grabbed some of her new clothes and the bag of makeup, cringing when the plastic bag it came in crinkled, and hurried to the bathroom. Once she was showered, she left her black hair to dry on its own and focused on applying eye makeup. After a swipe of gloss, she smiled at her reflection.
“Hello, old friend,” she whispere
d. But her smile began to falter as she looked down at the purple, sleeveless top. She couldn’t wait to get out of the flannels, but in these clothes, she felt like an imposter.
Perhaps it wasn’t the clothes and makeup making her feel as if she were living someone else’s life, but the fact she once again felt herself trying to slide into anonymity. Even without talking to Noah, she was prepared to call Aron, prepared to tell him this situation wouldn’t work out and she needed to go somewhere else.
Could she, though? Even without the bond completed, could she just walk away from Noah and be happy ever again? Or would she be leaving a piece of herself, a piece of her heart and soul with him?
Hollyn pulled the door open and peeked her head out. That slow, steady snore still filled the room. Poor guy was probably exhausted after being woken up so early yesterday, working all day, then running the woods, clearly to get some space between them.
In her bare feet, she padded over to the couch and looked down at him. One arm was thrown over his eyes, the other rested on his stomach. And the only thing hiding his junk was a throw pillow.
Whoa. Did that mean he’d carried her to the bedroom naked last night? He’d had her up against his body when there was a definite attraction between them, regardless of Shifter or Fae bond, and he hadn’t tried a thing. At least she didn’t remember him trying anything.
No way. Noah wasn’t like that. Besides, she’d have remembered if someone like him had touched her. She’d have woken up moaning and begging for more.
Stepping away, she dug deep to see how much of what she was thinking at that moment was her magic and how much was just her.
It was all her. Her magic recognized Noah for what he would be to them in the future. But her heart and body were his, even without the damn bond.
****
Noah groaned as he rolled over. Why the hell hadn’t he gotten a big ass couch like Colton? Oh. That’s right. Because he was never home enough to enjoy it. He’d had no idea he’d ever sleep on the fucking thing.
Every muscle ached as he pushed to a sitting position. A glance at his phone elicited a slew of curses. The last thing he wanted to do was go into work. He wanted to stay here and talk to Hollyn.
When she’d told him that her magic would embed itself inside of him if they’d completed the bond, that he’d feel her no matter where she was, he’d felt as if someone possessed him and he was ready to run inside and do whatever was necessary.
Luckily, Hollyn had kept her wits about her. Then Shawnee stood inside the cabin she shared with Colton and cheered him on, told him that Hollyn was made for him, that they would make the perfect couple. He was pretty sure she’d say that about any female he brought home. Not that he’d brought Hollyn home.
Nope. She’d been delivered straight to his door like a gift.
The more Hollyn explained, the more his beast tried to burst through to mark her. He didn’t give a fuck what tying them to Hollyn would mean; he just wanted their mate. So, Noah had given his body to his bear and run the woods for hours, always staying close enough to scent anyone who might creep up on the property and to hear Hollyn if she needed him.
When he’d returned, she’d been out cold on the couch. And she’d been wearing his shirt. A rush of masculine pride rushed through him until he realized it was because she was cold. He didn’t have blankets or any of that crap like Shawnee had bought for Colton’s. She’d just pulled it on and made herself as small as possible to cover what parts of her body she could.
This strange sensation squeezed his heart as he’d watched her sleep. No way was her magic at play. And his bear was quiet since he’d let him run the forest. No. This was pure affection for the beautiful raven-haired, sapphire-eyed woman who looked like she was having a nightmare.
Noah had scooped her into his arms as gently as possible and carried her to his only bed. He had a two-bedroom cabin, just like the rest of the guys, but he’d never had the time to furnish it any further than what he needed to be comfortable. Now, he wished he’d had a second bed. And a bigger couch. And maybe cleaned up a little.
He took the time to check his place out as he carried her across the room; she and Shawnee had definitely put in some work. His house looked great. They cleared the sink, picked up all his dirty clothes and threw out the empty pizza boxes. They must think he was lazy. No. Shawnee knew better. She knew he was never home. And since Hollyn worked the same kind of job her whole life, she knew how tiring it was to come home so late and have zero energy or desire to clean.
Noah had pushed his door open with his toe and glanced down at Hollyn in time to see her lids flutter a few times, open, then close again. Her muscles had relaxed in his hold, the crease between her brows smoothed. He’d chased away her nightmares. Or he’d hoped.
As he scrubbed his hands over his face, he couldn’t help but remember the way she’d felt pressed up against him, the way her body felt in his arms, the soft sigh she’d released when he’d covered her up. His dick thumped against the pillow he’d covered up with before passing out last night.
He needed a cold shower and some coffee before Hollyn found him out there naked. Tossing the pillow aside, he stood, pulling his arms over his head, stretched and grimaced at all the pops. He wasn’t far from forty, but his body felt way older than it was. He needed a break. Bad. Hell; he needed a full vacation.
Noah turned to head for the shower and froze, his eyes going wide. Just like Hollyn’s.
She stood outside the front door, her hand frozen on the knob. Her gaze went from his eyes and made a slow path down his body, lingering on his dick before jerking back to his face. Her cheeks flushed a bright pink before she turned quickly.
“I’m sorry,” she said, her voice slightly muffled through the door.
“Fuck.” Noah hurried through the house to his bedroom. He yanked on a pair of sweats and pulled a t-shirt over his head. It did nothing for the instant boner he got from her slow perusal of his body. She’d looked like she’d liked what she’d seen, at least until she realized she was staring at him naked.
Noah put his hand on the door knob and took a few breaths, bringing every unsexy thing he could to mind to kill his hard on. When he was ready, he pulled the door open and sought out Hollyn. She was sitting on the front porch, her back to him, her arms wrapped around her knees the way she’d been last night when he got home from work.
After another deep breath, he stepped out onto the porch. “Hey,” he said, his voice still hoarse from sleep.
“Hey,” she said, looking at him over her shoulder. “I promise I didn’t do that on purpose,” she said. Her cheeks were still pink but there was a smile on her lips now. “Although, I’m not exactly disappointed.”
Aaaand his dick grew again. “Tease,” he said, pulling the door shut and moving toward her. He held his hand out to her and pulled her to her feet. “Don’t feel like listening to Shawnee.” He jerked his head toward her house.
She hadn’t paid much attention to the two of them outside yet, probably because she was getting ready for work, but it was just a matter of time.
Hollyn slipped her small, cool hand into his and let him hoist her to her feet. She kept her hand in his as they went back inside. That was fine with him. He loved the feeling of any part of her in his hands.
She let Noah guide her into the house. He lifted her hand and kissed the back of it before releasing it.
“You’re not scared of much, are you?” he said as he jerked his head toward the kitchen table as he headed into the kitchen to make coffee.
“Seriously? I’m terrified of everything,” she said, her voice an octave higher.
He turned and looked at her over his shoulder before turning back around and pouring water into the tank. Once the amber liquid was running into the carafe, he turned and leaned against the cabinet with his hands on the counter behind him.
She sure as hell didn’t act scared. And definitely not terrified. When she’d first arrived yesterday, he’d felt her
nerves rolling from her, but why wouldn’t she be nervous? She’d been rescued from a trafficker and dumped off at some stranger’s house. Not just any stranger, but a Shifter, someone she was taught to fear.
His little Fae was strong. Stronger than anyone he’d ever met. Not only did she not show any fear, but she was willing to tie herself to him, to a Shifter, to someone she was supposed to run from, for the rest of her life.
But why?
He understood the bond. He understood how he felt now that his animal had pretty much claimed her. If she left, if she decided this life wasn’t for her, he’d grieve her loss for the rest of his life. Even if he dated, he’d always feel empty, hollow, as if a piece of his soul had been torn away.
Hollyn’s bond, her magic’s bond, was more complex. While he couldn’t really mark her for fear of poisoning her or turning her – he had no idea whether a Fairy could even be turned – she could bind them, which would mean a piece of her magic would stay inside of him permanently. As freaked out as he was by that thought, his bear loved the idea of being able to find her.
If any fucker ever got his hands on her again, he’d know where she was and be able to get to her side before anything could happen to her. But he’d also feel her emotions, feel her pain, as she would his.
The pros far outweighed the cons.
“Do you think this is all weird?” she asked, snapping him out of his back and forth in his mind.
“Which part? The fact I turn into a big bear or the fact you’re a real life Fairy who can conjure fire with your hands?” he teased, pouring them both coffee and carrying it over to the table.
“No,” she said on a chuckle. She smiled up at him as she took the mug. “The fact we talked about being bonded for life and we haven’t even kissed yet.”
And now all he wanted to do was kiss her. Not yet. Not until after he’d showered and brushed his teeth. He probably smelled like a mixture of fur, forest, and sweat. Not to mention the morning breath.
