Chapter 14

Chapter

Fourteen

WRAITH

W arm. Tight. So good.

Can't... think.

Ivy.

My Ivy.

Breathe. Slow. Calm. Stay calm.

Mask is still on. Good. Safe.

She can't see.

I can't bite.

Want to bite. Mark her. Claim.

No. She hates marks.

Burned one off herself.

Would never want to be marked by a monster.

Hate myself for thinking it.

My knot. Inside her. Swollen. Locked.

Mated? Is this mating?

Her scent. Honeysuckle. Everywhere.

She moves. Whimpers.

Pleasure?

Pain?

Can't tell. Want to ask.

No voice.

Stupid.

Useless.

Her hand. On my mask.

Muscles go rigid. Freeze. Terrified.

Don't. Please ? —

Her small hand fans out.

Gentle. Soft.

Not grabbing. Not taking.

"Wraith."

My name. On her lips. Beautiful.

Look at her face. Flushed. Lips parted. Eyes closed.

Relaxed. Safe? With me?

But I'm a monster. Scarred. Ugly.

She let me touch her.

Why?

Her eyes open. Blue-green.

Like sky and sea .

Like freedom.

She smiles. Small. Shy. "You okay?"

Nod. Can't speak. Overwhelmed.

Happy?

Scared?

Yes. Both.

She shifts. Winces.

Did I hurt her?

Panic.

No. Please no ? —

"Shh. It's okay." Her hand. My chest. Calming. "Just... big."

Pride. Shame. Confusion. So many feelings.

What is this?

I sign clumsily. Sorry.

Her fingers. Tracing scars on my face.

Instinctively pull back, away from angel's touch.

She pauses, hand hovering.

I inch closer again.

And again, she touches me.

Touches the edge of ruin beneath my mask.

And she smiles.

Not disgusted? How?

"We'll be stuck for a while," she says. Softly. "That's normal."

Normal .

Nothing normal about this. About us.

About me .

But it feels right. Feels good.

Feels like... home.

Rest forehead on hers. Sigh.

Careful. Gentle.

Don't want to scare.

She doesn't flinch.

Miracle.

Her breath on my neck. Warm. Soothing.

Want to purr, rumble. Can only growl.

Broken.

Always broken.

But, maybe... less broken now. With her.

Hope hurts.

Hope kills.

But it's worth it. For now.

When it's just us.

Connected. Joined. One.

Home.

Pack.

Whole.

Words I never knew. Never had.

Until Ivy.

Want to tell her. Everything. Anything. Can't.

But she doesn't care. Doesn't mind .

How? Why?

I'm a monster.

A weapon. Nothing more.

Her hand. My hair. Gentle. Soothing.

Lean into touch. Like an animal.

A wolf, ears scratched for the first time.

Pathetic.

But feels so good. So right.

Never want to leave. Never want to let go.

What is this?

Not obsession. Something more.

I can't love.

But if I could…

It would be this.

Want it forever.

Selfish. Greedy.

Pull her closer. Gentle. Careful.

She sighs. Content?

Please be content.

Swear to protect. Always. With my life. My soul.

If I have one.

Maybe I do.

For the first time, I wonder.

Her breathing slows. Deepens. Asleep in my arms .

She is so small.

A sparrow in a beast's claws.

Trust. She trusts me. Why?

Can't sleep. Won't.

Must guard. Keep safe.

Watch the rise and fall of her chest.

Memorize every freckle.

Every curve.

Every scar.

The most beautiful creature to ever live.

The only good thing that exists.

Perfection in living form.

An angel.

A goddess.

The center of my universe.

She is my sun.

And I will worship her forever.

Her scent fills my lungs. Intoxicating. Addictive.

Wonder what her voice sounds like when she laughs.

When she's only happy and nothing else.

Want to hear it.

Want to hear the sound of sunshine.

Want to somehow be the cause of it.

Eyes heavy. No. Stay awake. Protect.

But she's so warm. So soft. So...

Darkness .

Peace.

And then...

Shouting. Urgent. Familiar voices.

Snap awake. On alert.

Ivy stirs.

Door bursts open. They're here.

Plague.

Thane.

Whiskey.

Frozen in doorway.

Staring. Shock. Anger? Fear?

Snarl, rage burning.

Pull Ivy closer. Instinct. Protect.

She whimpers. Still connected. Knotted.

Freeze. Can't hurt her.

But… vulnerable.

Not used to this.

Not able to protect.

No… not enemies.

Pack.

"There she is," Whiskey groans.

Ivy stirs more. Waking.

"Wraith?" she asks.

Sleepy. Confused.

Then she sees them. Tenses. Fear scent spikes.

No. Not fear. Shame.

Ashamed of me?

Of course. What else?

Hurts.

But I understand.

"What the fuck ?" Thane grits out, eyes dark.

Furious. Worried.

"Guess that answers that question," Whiskey scoffs.

"Out!" Ivy snaps. Face red. Eyes fire.

Thane freezes. Looks at me. At her. "But he?—"

" Out !" Through her teeth. Clenched.

Thane blinks.

Others stare.

Plague turns first. Mutters something.

They leave.

All of them.

Thane glances back.

Ivy growls. Small growl, like a wild fox.

Never seen Thane move so fast.

Door slams behind them.

Turn back to Ivy.

"Well, that was… embarrassing," she mumbles.

Not for me.

Sorry, I sign, nervous.

She looks confused. "No, it's… it's not you ."

I tilt my head, unsure .

"It's not," she says again, firmer. "Not you at all. I just… it's vulnerable for an omega to be found. Um. Like this. Never mind, I… we should probably, um… I think your knot has gone down long enough to…"

Points between us. Face redder than her hair.

Cute.

Realize what she wants, but… will it hurt her?

I try, gentle. Pull out slightly.

She winces.

Freeze.

This is not safe.

Throat tight. Can't breathe.

She pets me. I calm. "It's okay." Breathy. Squirming. "It'll hurt a little, but it's fine. You can pull out."

Hesitate. Don't want to hurt her. But…

Pacing outside door. Others. Waiting.

I hear boots.

Hear muttering.

Growling.

Whiskey shouts something, like a barking dog.

They are about to fight each other.

Fight over coming in and taking Ivy.

Let them try.

I'll rip them apart.

Tie them up with their own entrails .

Ivy glances toward hall. She turns pink again. "Wraith…"

Okay. Okay. Have to try.

Scared, but have to try.

Try again, carefully. This time, knot slides out.

So tight. Everything outside feels cold.

Miss it already.

But can't happen again.

Can it?

I'm scared.

Of wanting. Of having.

Of breaking her.

Her small hand finds mine. Squeezes.

"It's okay," she whispers. "We're okay."

Are we? How can we be?

I'm a monster. She's... everything.

I sign, clumsy. You should go.

Her brow furrows. "Go? Why?"

Because you deserve better. Because I'll ruin you.

Because I'm selfish and I'll keep you if you stay.

Because they're scared I hurt you.

Can't say any of that. No words.

Just point at the door. At the others waiting.

She shakes her head. "I'm not going anywhere."

So stubborn. So beautiful.

My chest aches. Hope and fear war inside me .

She stands. Winces.

Panic claws up my throat at her pain.

But she smiles. Small. Secret. "I'm fine. Just... sore."

Heat floods me. Memories. Her body. Her sounds.

Stop.

She pulls on clothes. I do the same.

She is wearing my shirt. Wearing it like a prize.

She does a little spin. Shows it off.

Smiles at me.

Is she not ashamed?

"Ready?" she asks.

No.

Never.

Miss her skin already. The warmth of her.

But I nod.

She takes a deep breath. Squares her shoulders.

So small. So fierce.

My brave little fox.

She reaches for the door. I catch her wrist.

Gentle. Always gentle.

She looks back. Questioning.

I sign. Stay behind me.

A soft laugh. "My hero. "

Sarcasm? Mocking?

No. Her eyes are warm. Fond?

It hurts. In the best way.

I open the door. Step out first.

They are waiting.

All eyes on us.

On me.