by Eden French
Celeste crinkled her nose. “You know I am, but I don’t have to leave for ten minutes.”
Calen shook his head and leaned over to whisper in her ear. “Ten minutes is not nearly enough time for what I’d like to do to you.”
Celeste’s entire body clenched. Her breathing picked up again as her heart raced.
“Well, then I can’t wait to get home later.”
She kissed her husband once more, her hands lingering at the waist of his jeans.
“I love you,” she said as she looked into his bright green eyes.
“I love you, too.”
Calen watched as his wife left the room, grabbing her keys from the hook. He waited until he heard the front door close until he released his breath in a long burst.
He hated when she went out on a job. Even with her shifting abilities, there was still a high possibility she would be injured…or worse. At times, he wished she had chosen to pursue her photography, or any other profession less dangerous than a special agent for the government, but he knew better than to try to change her DNA.
Calen sat at the table and opened the paper. The Mid-Town Serial Killer was reported on nearly every page. He already had seven women to his name. It was seven too many. He closed the paper in disgust.
“You should really try not to read that shit.” A raspy voice shot at him as he tossed it in the trash. “Why don’t you go write your next novel? You know, the one we’re all waiting for? It’s been what? A year since the last one?”
“It’s been less than three months since the last release,” Calen said as he looked at Zev’s dark eyes from across the table. “And, don’t worry…I’ll get to it.”
Zev smiled. “That’s it? Only three months? Feels like I’ve been waiting forever.”
Calen stood and went to the fridge for a beer.
“I’d offer you one, except I believe you now have less than five minutes until you need to leave?”
“Where’s C?
Calen raised an eyebrow. “You’re joking, right? She’s already in the car, and you better not keep her waiting. This one’s especially important to her. Not sure why, but this guy has really gotten under her skin.”
Zev nodded. “He’s gotten under a lot of people’s skin at the agency. We just can’t seem to get the jump on him. It’s like he knows our every move before we do.” He shook his head, lost in thought.
Calen stiffened. If this guy worried Zev, then he had definitely underestimated the level of danger the job tonight carried.
“Papa! Papa!” Josephine ran into the kitchen and jumped on Zev’s lap. The two men immediately brought their attention to the four-year-old girl. “Max and Christopher told me that I couldn’t go into the fort because I’m a girl! It’s not fair, Papa! I want to go into the fort, too!”
Zev stood and held the girl in his arms. He looked at the two boys playing out back. Josephine’s twin was the spitting image of Calen. Max, with his dark hair, favored Zev. He narrowed his eyes at them. “Oh my, what naughty boys! I won’t stand for it!” His voice was playfully overdramatic for the young girl. “You tell them that they must let you into the fort because they are your brothers, and brothers always look out for their sisters. And if they do not…then I will huff and puff and blow their fort down!”
Zev took a big breath and blew it out before planting a kiss on the girl’s forehead and passing her over to Calen. The little girl looked up at Calen, her green eyes and light hair were identical to his.
“Daddy, is that true? Is Papa telling me the truth?” Her little voice sounded like pixie bells tinkling on a breezy spring morning.
“Oh, it is quite true, my dearest. Papa would never tell a lie. And, certainly not to his only daughter. Now, say good-bye, he and Mommy are going to work tonight.”
“Will you stay home with us, Daddy?”
Calen gave her a warm smile. “Yes, indeed. In fact, I was hoping tonight we could watch a movie and make popcorn before bedtime. How does that sound?”
Josephine’s eyes lit up with excitement. Her smile spread from cheek to cheek.
“Run along now and tell your brothers if they do not play nice, not only will they lose a fort, but they are not invited to the movie. Does that sound fair, my sweet?”
Josephine squiggled down out of her father’s arms.
“Have a good work, Papa,” she yelled over her shoulder as she ran out of the kitchen to threaten her brothers.
The two men smiled at the little girl as she fled. Her long curls flying in the air behind her as she ran.
Zev looked over at Calen and was struck by an intense feeling of love for the man that was the other half of his other half. He walked over to him and wrapped his arm around his waist.
“Don’t look so worried,” Zev said in the man’s ear. “Everything will be fine.”
Calen looked at Zev, their faces just inches apart. As he stared into Zev’s eyes, he saw the yellow ring was thick and dark. It assured Calen the wolf would be protecting both his loves tonight.
Zev leaned in and kissed Calen full on the mouth. Calen brought his hands up to the other man’s face in response and held it as he devoured his lips.
A honk in the driveway pulled the men apart. Zev smiled.
“Ms. Wolfe calls,” he said playfully as he let go of Calen and leaning in for one more kiss whispered, “I love you.”
Calen closed his eyes and let the love he had for this man wash over him. “I love you, too,” he whispered back.
Zev walked to the fridge and grabbed a bottle of water before heading out the door to join his wife for the night.
“Zev,” Calen called out just as he reached the doorway. Zev turned and looked at him, his dark eyes thoughtful.
“Take care of our girl and come back in one piece.” His voice was sincere.
“I always do,” Zev replied, shooting Calen a smile.
Calen leaned against the kitchen counter and took a long swig from his bottle. He waited until the car pulled out of the driveway before heading out into the backyard to see if everything was in order with the rest of his pack.
THE END
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