The blood rushed from my head in a dizzying wave that left me spinning, clinging to Remy's shoulders to ride out the wave as it crested and crashed over me.
He rested his forehead in the center of my chest as I struggled to catch my breath. My entire body felt absolutely boneless and sated. A gentle nudge of his hips between my legs sent off a cascade of aftershocks that made my heart stutter for a second.
I could still feel the evidence of his arousal pressed against the inside of my thigh.
A log snapped and popped in the fireplace. Lifting my head, I tried to push myself up to see his face. "Remy-"
His head came up slowly, his dark eyes molten pools of brown. Shifting up on his forearms, he moved his mouth across mine lazily.
I pulled back. "But you didn't-"
He smirked ruefully. "No, I didn't. But this wasn't about me."
"But-"
He silenced me with another searing kiss. "You can make it up to me later if you want."
Oh, I wanted.
"Promise?" I teased him with a smile.
"Promise," Remy echoed, kissing me again.
40
When I woke up I could feel the sun warming my face, slanting across the bed. The arm wrapped around my torso and breaths on my neck were a familiar reminder that I was safe. Everyone I loved was safe.
For a second, I let myself lay there, relaxed and happy and content despite the crazy events of the night before.
"I know you're awake," the voice behind me grumbled, the arm awkwardly tightening in a lopsided hug.
Smiling, I flipped over onto my back and smiled at my mom.
Her green eyes opened, a mocking glare on her face. "Why can't you be like every other normal teenager and want to sleep in?"
I arched a brow. "Are you saying I'm not normal?"
Her nose wrinkled and she turned away with a delicate sniff. "No. But I am saying you need to brush your teeth."
My jaw dropped with a stunned laugh.
She was still making a face at me, but there was a smile in her eyes. "You kiss Remy with that mouth?"
"I've had no complaints," I retorted, happy that we were able to joke about this.
When Remy and I returned back to the main house, we realized no one noticed we had left. The adults were too busy dealing with the fallout of Zara and Bella leaving Linden and having them both examined by the doctor. We had snuck back into the house as their conversation was ending and everyone was going to bed.
The Alpha house was big, but there were only so many guest rooms. I considered rooming with Remy or Katy, but quickly vetoed it in favor of sharing a room - and a bed - with my mom once again. Besides, I could probably get away with staying in Katy's room. Remy's room ... not so much.
We had stayed up until the early hours of the morning talking quietly. I told her more about Remy, about what was happening at GPA. She told me all about the café and her job, how she was making friends in the pack. It was the reunion I had craved despite all of the drama.
I even told her about what Bella shared and my subsequent freak out. How Remy calmed me down.
How Remy always calmed me down.
She agreed none of it was my fault and blaming myself wasn't helping anyone. Cassian and his friends were completely to blame. I wasn't responsible for their actions, which I understood logically.
But emotionally, my heart still ached knowing I played a part in all of this.
Mom rolled away from me, standing up and stretching her arms languidly over her head. "Want to use the bathroom before I take a shower?"
I nodded and got up, walking to the bathroom that joined our room and Katy's bedroom. The door to her room was shut, but I wasn't surprised. Katy was definitely a teenager who could sleep in.
I used the bathroom, quickly brushing my teeth and then brushing my hair into a quick ponytail before opening the door for Mom.
She leaned forward, sniffing at my face, and then nodded. "So much better."
I playfully pushed her into the bathroom with a laugh. "Shut up."
"I'm just looking out for you, baby girl," she called, closing the door.
I hurried up and made the bed before changing into a pair of leggings and a long sleeved shirt Katy had loaned me the night before. Heading out into the hallway, I checked and noted the door to Bella and Zara's was slightly cracked. Silently padding over, I nudged the door open and checked on them.
Both were still asleep in the king-sized bed they shared, mother and daughter curled together in the center.
I slowly eased the door shut before heading down the staircase to the kitchen where I could smell food cooking.
Mallory was standing at the stove in a pair of flannel pajama pants and a black t-shirt, her dark hair thrown up in a messy bun. She glanced over her shoulder as I came down, smiling warmly at me.
"Hey, honey. Sleep okay?" Her brown eyes, identical to Remy’s and Katy's, held warmth and kindness.
I nodded, moving to the large center island. "Can I help?"
She pressed her lips together. "I think I'm okay right now."
I slid onto one of the barstools at the island countertop, watching as she moved easily around the kitchen. It was obvious where Remy got his culinary skills from.
She reached into the fridge, pulling out a container of orange juice and setting it in front of me, followed by a glass.
"Would you rather have coffee?" she asked suddenly, looking at the pot that was currently brewing the dark liquid.
I grinned like a little kid and quickly poured myself a cup, inhaling the steam a second before letting the liquid past my lips with a groan of appreciation.
That was amazing.
Mallory laughed, the sound smooth as water over river rocks. "Gabe and Katy are the main coffee drinkers in the family. We just started letting the twins drink it, but they aren't full on addicts yet. Well, Sam might be. I think Dax just doesn't want Sam to do anything he doesn't do, too."
“Katy got me hooked on it,” I confessed, taking another drink.
Mallory set a spatula aside, turning down the heat on the burner she was working on, before turning to me. She rested her forearms on the marble countertop across from me.
I shifted in my seat after a second, nervous. "Is everything okay?"
"That's actually what I wanted to ask you," she said softly. "How are you handling everything?"
"School is good," I answered honestly. I was doing well in all of my classes and completely caught up.
She smiled gently. "I mean with the mating bond. I know how I felt when Gabe and I bonded. It was amazing and absolutely terrifying at the same time. Then again, we had been together for years at that point. You and Remy didn't have much of a chance to get to know each other."
I ducked my head, not sure I was ready to have the relationship talk with my boyfriend's mother. "Remy's great."
Mallory shrugged a shoulder, her dark eyes glittering. "Eh. He's all right, I guess. Definitely not the worst kid I have."
Surprised laughter bubbled out of me. "Oh, my God."
She grinned at me. "Remy's a great guy. He's going to be a wonderful Alpha, and, whether you believe it or not, the Remy that left for school in September is not the same boy that came back to me."
I frowned, not sure what she meant.
"To be fair," she continued, "you're not the same girl who left here a few weeks ago either. It's absolutely fascinating to watch the two of you together."
"How so?" I asked carefully.
"You both act like you've known each other for years, not weeks.”
"It's probably because of the bond," I guessed. Elias had pretty much said the same thing to us, too.
She hummed in agreement. "It is to an extent. But I've seen a few couples who bonded and knew each other for years beforehand who didn't seem as comfortable with one another as you two are."
I had no idea how to answer that.
Mallory came around the island, taking my hands in hers. "Please don't t
hink I'm making any kind of judgment here, Skye. Every parent hopes their child finds love and happiness, and I truly believe you and Remy are meant to be together."
"Because of the bond."
She shook her head. "No, because of who you both are. I know we haven't really talked, but you're a survivor, Skye. You're a fighter. You have spirit and passion, but you haven't forgotten to see how wonderful the world can be. Remy needs someone like you to balance him out. Sometimes he can get a little serious-"
I rolled my eyes. "You don't say."
Mallory laughed. "But there's a lightness around him with you. He acts like the little boy who used to pick me flowers from the meadow. As he's gotten older, I sometimes worried he was taking on too much responsibility too soon. I still want him to be young and have fun. And I see him doing that with you."
I blushed, biting my lower lip.
"So, thank you," she finished, touching my cheek. "Thank you for being you and sharing that with my son."
Blinking furiously, I leaned back. "Are you trying to make me cry?"
She chuckled and pulled me into a quick hug that I was all too happy to return.
The sound of footsteps entering the kitchen had us both turning and looking up to see Remy and his father coming in.
"Are we interrupting?" Gabe asked, brows raised.
"Just girl talk," Mallory replied with a wink, moving back to the stove.
Remy came up behind me, his hand wrapping around my ponytail until he could arch my head back to kiss me.
Part of me was a little embarrassed that he was kissing me in front of his parents, but when I looked over, Gabe was currently kissing Mallory.
I wasn't sure if it was adorable or icky.
Remy sighed and climbed onto the stool next to me, taking a drink of my coffee and gesturing to his parents with the mug. "You'll get used to it."
"Yes, you will," Gabe mumbled against his mate's lips.
Mallory twisted away with a laugh. "Why don't you go see if everyone will be ready for breakfast soon?"
The words were barely out of her mouth when the twins tumbled into the kitchen, identical expressions of sleepiness on their boyish faces.
One twin looked around and glowered. "Why did we have to wake up early if Skye and Remy are already up?"
I figured it was Dax by the sullen tone, but it was confirmed when Sam went to the coffee pot.
"Because we have a house full of guests, and I need both of you and Remy to help me with breakfast for everyone," Mallory replied sharply. "And Skye is our guest."
Dax opened his mouth to speak, but Sam, who I was quickly beginning to see was the filter for Dax, spoke up first.
"What do you need us to do?" Sam asked, sipping his coffee.
"See? One of them isn't a total heathen," Gabe chimed in, leaning his hip against the counter near where Mallory was working. He pointed at Sam. "You're my favorite, you know."
Remy leaned in next to me. "His favorite kid is whoever is sucking up the most, which means it's usually Sam or Katy." His hand settled on my thigh, a comforting touch that made me lean a shoulder against him.
Gabe's head snapped around. "And I heard that, least favorite kid."
I couldn't help but laugh.
Mallory sighed. "Remy can help me cook. Dax, set the table. Sam, go check on everyone upstairs."
Gabe reached around Mallory and snagged a piece of bacon from the massive pile. "What can I do?"
"Absolutely nothing," Mallory said emphatically, turning pleading eyes to her husband.
Remy cracked up next to me, throwing his head back in a full belly laugh that had me smiling. Even Dax laughed as he started pulling plates from a cabinet.
Gabe gave me a helpless look. "I burn water."
I nodded in understanding. "Remy banned me from the grill after I almost burned the cabin down at school."
Gabe grinned broadly at me. "Same! Except it was a smoker, and how was I supposed to know it was a bad kind of smoke?"
I frowned. "Shouldn't a smoker smoke?"
"Thank you!" Gabe slapped a hand on the counter. "Skye is in the running for new favorite kid, by the way," he informed Remy.
Remy just shook his head, but I could see the pleased smile toying across his lips that I knew matched mine.
His parents accepted me. They even seemed to like me.
"I can make eggs," I offered to Mallory, who was pulling two cartons out of the fridge.
She set them down in front of me. "You're hired."
I was halfway through cracking the eggs when my mom came downstairs. She froze at the landing, her eyes going wide when she saw me.
"What are you doing?" she asked, slowly coming to my side.
"Making eggs," I replied, focused on not getting a single shell in the bowl of already cracked eggs.
"You can make eggs?"
Was it seriously so surprising I learned one life skill at school?
"Yes, Mother," I said in exasperation, throwing her a look. "I can make eggs. Scrambled, anyway. Remy taught me."
The guy in question closed the oven door and turned to give me a soft, intimate smile that made my stomach quiver.
Mom gave him a genuine smile. "That's great."
Remy came around the island on his way back to the stove, pausing to swoop in for a quick kiss that made me laugh. Then he pulled out the chair next to me for my mom to sit down, flashing her a grin.
Mom sat down beside me and leaned in close to whisper, "Okay, he might be a keeper."
I smirked back at her. "Told you so."
"Yeah, yeah." She reached over, moving the eggs and bowl between us to help me finish cracking everything.
Sam, Katy, Zoe, and Michael all came downstairs while we were making breakfast. Right before everyone was finished, Zara came downstairs.
"Is Bella coming down?" I asked softly, setting the serving platter of bacon on the center of the table in the dining room and looking at Zara.
Zara sat down in a chair with a sigh, her face grim and exhaustion weighing on her shoulders. "I don't think so."
Zoe slipped into the seat beside her, wrapping an arm around her sister's shoulders.
I hesitated behind my chair. "Do you want me to go check on her?"
Zara gave me a sad smile. "No, honey. I think Bella needs sleep right now. She's trying to process ... everything."
I flinched and felt Remy's hand at the small of my back as he came up behind me. I leaned back into his touch, grateful for the support.
Katy eased into her own chair. "I pulled out some extra clothes in case Bella needs them. She's welcome to use them."
Zara gave her a tight smile. "Thank you, Katy. We didn't have a chance to grab much before..."
I dropped heavily into my chair, the food in front of me suddenly looking as appetizing as sawdust.
Just like last night, Remy sat next to me, but he hooked a hand on the leg of my chair and tugged me flush against him.
As much as I didn't want to be that girlfriend, I couldn't help but crave the comfort he offered. I shifted in my seat, my right side was touching him from shoulder to knee. His hand came down on the inside of my thigh above my knee. The intimate, familiar touch soothed a jagged edge of my heart.
I met Mom's eyes across the table, stunned to see the tears pricking her eyes as she watched us. When she noticed me looking, she flashed me a quick smile and blinked away the emotion, reaching for a biscuit.
Conversation at breakfast was quiet and subdued. Only hushed conversations and the scrape of silverware against plates filled the room for the longest time. I forced myself to choke down some of the food, not wanting to be rude, but my appetite was nonexistent.
After he finished, Gabe pushed back his plate and surveyed the table with solemn eyes. "I know the last few days have been hard on everyone. I'm calling a pack run tonight. I think it will help all of us."
I blinked up, noting the surprise on everyone's face.
"Zara, you and Bella are welcome to
join us, but we understand if you need more space," Gabe added. "With everything happening, we need to make sure the pack is as united as possible."
Michael sighed, but nodded. "I agree. Between what's been happening at the school and at home, the pack needs this."
Mallory reached over to grab her mate's hand, giving him a firm nod. "It’s a good decision, my love."
A nervous flutter took root in my chest. I had only run with the pack at my school. The pack here was massive. My wolf loved the idea of interacting with her pack mates and exploring our home.
Katy speared a bite of potato and waved it at Remy and me. "Then you can see what those two look like when they shift. It's crazy."
"What do you mean?" Mom asked, shooting me a curious look.
Katy smirked and leaned back in her seat. "You'll see."
"This is insane," Gabe whispered, his human nose almost touching my canine one as he studied me.
The pack had been notified of the run at sundown hours earlier, but after Katy told everyone about the way Remy and I matched, the adults asked to see it firsthand before the rest of the pack showed up. Twenty minutes before wolves were scheduled to start showing up in the meadow at the base of the mountain, Remy and I had shifted for our parents.
It was kind of comical to watch all the adult's jaws drop simultaneously.
Mallory knelt next to her husband, her wide eyes swinging from one of us to the other. "Have you ever heard of anything like this?"
"Definitely not," he replied.
Mom hadn't said anything, but I noticed the tightness that always lined her mouth whenever I shifted around her was even more pronounced now. She stood at my side, stroking my head.
So we're still freaks? I asked Remy.
He snorted, shaking out his fur as he looked at me. Obviously.
"Wait - are you two communicating?" Mallory demanded, eyes wide as she looked back and forth between us.
Remy gave a small yip in reply, his tail thumping on the hard ground.
Gabe's jaw fell open again. "It took us almost a year to do that."
Mom's lower lip caught between her teeth. "So, this isn't normal?"
Gabe and Mallory looked up at her, their expressions smoothing as they noted her worry.
Sanctum (Blackwater Pack Book 1) Page 35