22. Chapter Twenty-Two

Chapter Twenty-Two

F ury

Sunlight streams through the cabin's frosted windows, casting a golden glow over the tangled sheets and Tally's sleep-mussed hair. She's nestled against my chest, her breath tickling my collarbone with each slow, even exhale. Shaddai, curled up at our feet, makes an odd growl/whimper combo that would be laughable if he wasn't so cute.

Last night feels like a dream. After my misguided run into the snowstorm and our heartfelt return, it was a blurred mosaic of desperate kisses, reverent touches, and whispered promises. But the delicious ache in my muscles and the love bites scattered across Tally's neck and shoulders assure me it was entirely, vividly real.

My claws gently trace idle patterns on the smooth expanse of Tally's back. She stirs, murmuring drowsily, burrowing closer. "Mmmm. Morning."

"Morning, Buttercup." I press a kiss to the top of her head, marveling at the rightness of her warmth against mine. "Some storm last night, huh?"

"The storm outside? The storm in the cabin? Or the storm inside my heart? God, I'm so glad we smoothed everything out between us." She turns to nip the cord of my neck, then stretches, catlike, before propping herself up to look at me. Her green eyes are soft, luminous. "Now I understand why everyone talks so enthusiastically about makeup sex." Another nip, and then, "The storm seems to have blown itself out. Look at that sunshine."

Following her gaze, I notice the blue sky peeping through the curtains. "Would you look at that? Guess we won't be snowed in much longer."

A shadow flickers over Tally's face at my words, there and gone in a blink. "Yeah. Rescue should be coming soon." She idly plucks the furred pelt at my shoulders. "What do you think will happen when we get back?"

There it is. The question hovering unspoken between us since this thing first sparked to life. My arms tighten around her, anchoring her to me. "Hey. Nothing has to change, okay? You and me, we're solid. Everything else is just details."

She searches my face as if looking for any hint of doubt. When she finds none, the tension eases from her shoulders and a slow smile breaks across her face. "Okay. We're going to keep exploring this… attraction we have?"

"Damn straight." Catching her hand, I bring her knuckles to my lips. "Nothing in this world or any other could keep me from you now. You're stuck with me, got it?"

Her smile turns playful, mischievous. "Stuck?"

Is she talking about knotting? No, surely not. She didn't seem too enthused when I explained it to her. "Maybe I didn't mean stuck. It was a figure of speech. Let's change the subject to what I want to do to your delectable body…"

A low growl rumbles in my chest as I flip us so swiftly she doesn't have time to fight back. As I pin her beneath me, Tally's laughter turns to breathy sighs as I demonstrate just how thoroughly committed I am, communicating my appreciation with lips and teeth and tongue until she's boneless and gasping beneath me .

We laze the morning away, alternating between languid caresses and meandering conversations about everything and nothing. Shaddai occasionally demands our attention, worming his way between us and poking us with his cold nose until we're breathless with laughter. Tally has the most contagious giggle. I doubt I'll ever tire of hearing it.

But through it all, an undercurrent of anticipation hums just beneath my skin. The knowledge that our stolen bubble of peace is on borrowed time, that soon we'll have to emerge and face a world that's seldom kind to relationships like ours. A world that will see a human and a wolven and recoil at the audacity of our bond.

Well, let them disapprove. Let them stare and whisper and wag their fingers. None of it matters. Not when I've finally found something real, something precious, in each other's arms.

"What are you thinking about?" Tally's voice breaks through my musings. She's watching me, her head tilted, a furrow between her brows. "You've got your brooding face on. Frankly, it's not your best look."

My lips quirk. "Just thinking about how much I'm going to enjoy scandalizing the world with you on my arm." Tucking a strand of her sun-drenched hair behind her ear, my knuckles brush her cheek. "Thinking about all the firsts we haven't had a chance to explore. Real dates. Holidays. Trips. Fighting over whose turn it is to do the dishes."

"I don't think we'll ever fight over whose turn it is for the dishes. Yours, I believe. Forever. I think you signed on for perpetual dish duty when you lost to me at Gin."

Her expression softens, her eyes going bright. "I admit, I like the sound of all those firsts. I can't wait to explore the city with you. The government lets you out of the Zone now, right? Even without a work permit?"

I nod.

"So many places in L.A. I've never been, even though I've lived here my entire life. Museums, restaurants, theaters. Maybe we'll even cook a meal where you don't have to catch and kill the main course."

A snort escapes me. "Easy there, sur'nam . Don't go getting ahead of yourself. I've tasted your cooking, remember?"

She gasps in mock outrage, smacking my chest. "Excuse you! I thought the rabbit stew was… serviceable. And I'll have you know my ramen is legendary."

Laughter rumbles from deep in my belly as I gather her close, silencing her indignant protests with a searing kiss that quickly turns heated. Tally melts into me with a sigh and the rest of the world falls away.

Later, there will be logistics to sort out and decisions to make, not to mention nosy Warriors and gossiping humans.

But that's later.

Here and now, in the warm cocoon of our bed with Tally in my arms and Shaddai a snoring, blissful lump at our feet, the future has never looked brighter.