Chapter 30

SWYN

Kel and I step into the guys' flat, the warmth a welcome relief from the cold rain pounding outside. The soft whimper of the puppy pulls my attention, and I can't help but smile despite everything.

He's curled up in a tight little ball, drenched and shivering, his tiny body barely able to handle the storm we just pulled him from, but he's lovely.

"We need to get him warm," I say, my voice soft as I kneel down and place the little guy at my feet. "But we also need to get dry."

Kel grabs a towel from the bathroom, tossing it my way before he heads to the closet.

"Blankets are in here somewhere. We'll make him a little nest, get him comfortable. And then we can go dry off. Can even risk a shower before the power goes out if you want."

I catch the towel and start drying the puppy off, gently rubbing the water from his fur. He's small, maybe six months old, with big, trusting brown eyes that tug at my heart.

"Poor thing. He must've been so scared out there."

Kel returns with a couple of blankets, spreading them out in the corner of the room. "Yeah, he's lucky you found him when you did. Storm's only getting worse."

"Tell me about Mavis," I say, barely keeping the amusement out of my voice. "She's a character."

"Oh that she is. Her and Ri are constantly at each others' throats, but it comes from a place of love."

"Damn," I sigh.

"What?"

"I was just excited not to be the only one on the receiving end of his sharp tongue. But if he does it because he loves her, there's no hope for me."

Kel shoots me an amused look that I can't quite decipher, shakes his head, watching me as I tend to the puppy.

"Mavis is practically family. She's in her eighties believe it or not, but I still wouldn't fuck with her."

My eyes are wide. "No way."

"Right?" He smirks. "She basically lives here rent free in exchange for shoddy housekeeping and questionable meals. Mostly Sol and I try to take over the cooking, because she's a liability, but she won't have it. She's awful with the customers, so we try to keep her behind the scenes as much as possible, but you'll probably have noticed by now she's a law unto herself."

I grin. I'd only met the glamourous old woman a couple of times, but I know exactly what Kel means.

"Her husband was actually the owner of the gas station, but he disappeared seventeen years ago, and she's pretty much been running this place since, until we took over. Refused to leave though."

"He left her?" I gasp.

"I didn't say that, I just said he left." I frown when he doesn't say any more.

"Does she have any family?"

"Apparently not. They never had kids. She says she can't stand ‘em. Could never eat a whole one ," he mimics, sounding a lot like her and making me laugh despite the sadness of what he's saying.

"That's such a shame."

Kel shrugs. "Kids aren't for everyone and family is what you make it. You can be related by blood to a bunch of dickheads, or you can choose your own family. They might still turn out to be dickheads, but they're the dickheads you chose, so you have to make your bed and lie in it," he says with a grin.

I laugh and turn my attention back to the puppy as Kel moves away.

I glance up, watching as he moves around the flat with ease, grabbing a couple of pet bowls from the kitchen.

"Do you guys always keep dog stuff around?"

Kel flashes me a grin, one eyebrow raised in that teasing way of his. "Well, we are shifters, so we like to be prepared for every eventuality."

I pause mid-towel, narrowing my eyes at him. "Are you serious right now?"

He lets out a low laugh, shaking his head as he sets the bowls down. "Nah, I'm messing with you. But we used to have a dog—a real one, not the shifter kind. We found him in the woods near Spells Hollow. Had him for a couple of years before he...well, ran away one day."

I can hear the shift in his voice, the casual tone falling away, replaced by something quieter.

"He just disappeared?"

"Yeah." Kel leans against the counter, his smile fading slightly. "We searched everywhere, but he was gone. Not exactly unusual around here. There's wolves in the woods. Spirits and things too. Never did figure out what happened, just one day he was there and the next gone, but it's not too hard to guess."

I nod, a wave of sympathy washing over me. "That must've been hard."

"It was," he admits, his gaze distant for a moment before he shakes it off. "Anyway, we just never got around to getting rid of his stuff. Guess it's a little reminder of him."

I finish drying off the puppy, wrapping him up in one of the blankets. "Well, it's good that you didn't. Looks like this little guy's going to need it."

Kel watches as I settle the puppy into the makeshift bed, a soft smile tugging at his lips. "Yeah, maybe it was meant to be."

I can't help but smile back, my heart warming at the thought. "Maybe."

Kel watches me shivering as I finish setting up the puppy in his cosy little bed.

"You're freezing, Swyn. Go use the bathroom. I'll grab you some clothes and get the water heated up for you."

I hesitate, my teeth chattering as the cold seeps into my bones. "Is it safe to take a shower? I mean, with the storm and all..."

He smiles, reassuring but playful. "Yeah, it's safe. Well, normally it isn't, but this place has wards in place for protection against the elements, among other things. I'd tell you if it wasn't. Go on, warm up. You look like you're about to fall apart."

I nod, the idea of a hot shower too tempting to resist. "Okay. Thanks."

I slip into the bathroom, closing the door behind me and letting out a sigh as the warmth from the steam hits my face. The shower is small, but functional, and I adjust the temperature of the water until it's scalding hot.

As I strip off my wet clothes with difficulty because they've become a second skin, I shudder at the thought of how close I am to catching a cold.

Colds are viral, Swyn, you don't catch one from being wet.

The hot water cascades over me, slowly bringing life back into my limbs. I lean into the spray, letting the warmth melt away the chill, and reach for some body wash from the small rack in the corner.

It's only when the scent hits me—rich and familiar—that I realise a beat too late it's Ri's. Tobacco, warm spice, and something dark that sends a jolt through me, right down to my core.

Fuck. Just the smell of him, from a bottle no less, shouldn't turn me on like this.

I freeze, the water still running over me as my pulse quickens. Why am I using Ri's stuff? Kel said he'd grab me some clothes, but?—

The bathroom door creaks open. I stiffen instantly, my hand freezing mid-lather.

"Kel, just leave the clothes on the counter!" I call out, hoping my voice doesn't betray the sudden tension crawling up my spine. It's stupid. We had sex. He's seen me naked. Why am I suddenly shy?

The door clicks shut again, and I relax a fraction, but something feels off. I turn, glancing toward the counter. My heart skips a beat as my eyes lock onto Ri.

I know it's him from the stubborn set of his brow. How did I ever confuse the three of them?

He's standing there, a pile of clothes in his hand, his eyes burning into me with a gaze so intense it leaves me breathless. Heat floods my body, but it's not from the water anymore.

"Ri—" I start, but the words die in my throat at the look in his eyes, a raw, lustful edge that sends a shiver down my spine. He's not moving, just standing there, watching me with a hunger that's impossible to ignore.

I swallow hard, my throat tight as Ri's eyes track the movement, darkening with something that makes my skin tingle. It snaps him out of whatever trance he was in, and he tosses the pile of clothes onto the counter without breaking eye contact.

Before I can process what's happening, he strides toward me, closing the distance in a few steps and crowding me into the shower. It's really not big enough for both of us, and his whole demeanour is overbearing.

Overwhelming. Overpowering.

I force a small laugh, my voice shaky. "I was almost done. I can leave you to it if?—"

But he blocks my path, planting a hand on the tiled wall beside me, his body looming close, cutting off any chance of escape. His eyes flick down to mine, wary but burning, like he's wrestling with something inside.

"You have...too many clothes on to shower," I whisper, heart thudding in my chest, the tension between us thick and electric.

He doesn't say a word, but the look he gives me speaks volumes. Slowly, deliberately, he reaches for the hem of his shirt and pulls it off in one smooth motion, despite how damp he is, revealing the hard planes of his chest.

My mouth dries, and my knees weaken as the water continues to pour down over us.

He undoes his belt next, dropping it to the shower floor with a thud that echoes in the small, steamy space. His jeans follow, and I can't tear my eyes away.

Every inch of him is raw power, and my pulse races as I drink in the sight of him.

For a moment, neither of us moves. We just stand there, staring at one another, the weight of unspoken desire hanging between us like a loaded gun.

My breathing quickens, matching the rapid beat of my heart, and I wonder what will happen next.

Then, as if the universe knows exactly how to interrupt a moment, the shower cuts out with a spluttering hiss, and the lights go out, plunging us into darkness.

The only sound is the distant rumble of thunder and the soft drip of water from the showerhead.

The darkness presses in around us, thick and heavy, broken only by the occasional flash of lightning outside the bathroom window. I can hear the distant rumble of thunder, but all I can focus on is the heat radiating off Ri, his presence so overwhelming it feels like the air's been sucked out of the room.

For a heartbeat, neither of us moves, the swell outside mimicking the one building between us. Then, without warning, Ri closes the distance, crashing his mouth down onto mine in a kiss so hot, so possessive, it steals the breath from my lungs.

His fingers tangle in my wet hair, yanking my head back, forcing me to surrender completely to him.

The kiss is raw, aggressive, his lips moving over mine with a hunger that feels primal.

His tongue sweeps inside, claiming every inch of my mouth, leaving no room for hesitation or thought—only the fierce, consuming need to keep up with him.

My hands fly up to grip his shoulders, desperate to anchor myself as his other hand grips my hip, pulling me flush against him, the hard planes of his body pressing into mine.

I moan into his mouth, the noise swallowed by the intensity of the kiss. He growls in response, the sound vibrating through me, a primal sound that makes every nerve ending in my body light up.

His hand in my hair tightens, tugging sharply, controlling every movement of my head, and I gasp as he angles me exactly how he wants. He's not gentle, not soft—he's dominant, commanding, and it sends a shiver of heat straight down my spine.

His lips leave mine only to trail hot, open-mouthed kisses down my jaw and neck, teeth grazing the sensitive skin, marking me with every possessive press of his lips.

I can barely catch my breath, my body trembling beneath the intensity of his touch, the way he handles me like he's finally claiming what's his. He pulls back just enough for our foreheads to rest against each other, both of us panting in the dark.

His voice is low, a rough growl as his hand tightens in my hair again, pulling me back to meet his eyes, though I can barely see him through the darkness.

"You have no idea what you do to me, Swyn."

I shudder at the way he says my name, the raw, aching need behind it.

His lips are on mine again before I can respond, his kiss even more heated, more demanding. There's no hesitation, no space left between us. There's tension coiled throughout his body, his restraint barely holding him back as he takes what he wants, what we both want.

My hands slide down his back, feeling the muscles shift under his skin, trying to pull him closer, trying to match the ferocity of his need. But I know, deep down, that he's the one in control, and the realisation sends another wave of desire flooding through me.

I gasp as his hand moves down from my hip, trailing along the curve of my body, gripping my thigh and pulling my leg up to wrap around his waist.

The movement makes us both groan, the heat and attraction between us undeniable, and I feel his breath against my neck, rough and ragged as he presses a kiss to the spot just below my ear.

"Ri…" I manage to breathe out, my voice trembling, but the word barely leaves my lips before his mouth is back on mine, his fingers still tangled in my hair, tugging me exactly where he wants me.

The power he holds over me in this moment is intoxicating, and all I can do is cling to him as the tempest rages both outside and within. His kiss, his touch, the way he's claiming me in the dark—it's everything I've been craving, and I know there's no turning back now.