Chapter Thirty-Three

Luke

 

“No sign of the vryke,” I said, shaking the water out of my hair as I dripped in front of the door. Behind me, the trees creaked and whipped in the storm. The bay was nothing but whitecaps, and the road was a muddy slip-’n-slide. Peeling off my jacket, I hung it up and then took off my boots. I sighed, shaking my head at how long it was going to take for them to dry out. “We need to get a good cobbler or somethin’.”

“What did you say?” Reagan asked, padding into the living room. She was wearing a pair of sweats and a loose sweater. “Close the door—it’s freezing out.”

“Yeah, crazy weather,” I said as I shut the door. “I was surprised it’d been dry so long. Last year, there was a lot of rain. The roofs in town were jungles.” Reagan nodded and held out a towel, standing away from me. I took it, grinning a little as I wiped my face. “What are you doing?”

"Luke, we are not having a repeat of yesterday," Reagan said and backed up a step as I grinned. I'd been soaked to the bone yesterday and had snuck up behind her, engulfing her in a hug. "I don't have a lot of clean, dry clothes left."

“Yeah, that’s really changing my mind,” I said dryly, and she hugged herself, trying not to smile. “So, what, I have to wait until I take a shower?”

“And after dinner,” Reagan said and began to walk away. I shot forward and caught her wrist. “Luke, no, I don’t—”

I cut her off, wrapping her into me, kissing her, and her feeble protests stopped. Instead, her arms went around my neck, and a leg hooked around my waist. Walking her backward, I pushed her against a wall and slid my cold hands against her warm skin.

A gasp escaped her, and I delved deeper into her mouth, tasting her sweetness. Then she gasped again as I slid my hands into her sweats and cupped her bare ass. Instantly, I went hard as I realized she wasn’t wearing any panties. My fingers slipped up, and Reagan moaned.

She growled when I pulled my hand away, sliding down her pants and fumbling with my own. Her hands helped, but also hindered as she palmed the bulge in my boxers.

“Reagan,” I groaned, catching her hands, and she laughed. “You want to go upstairs?”

She hooked her leg more tightly around my waist and shook her head. “Here.”

A smirk flitted across my face as I seized her hips, lifting her so that her other leg went around my waist. Adjusting myself, I positioned my length at her entrance and met her eyes.

Her eyes were bright and feverish, her hunger as consuming as mine. We'd spent every moment we could together like this for the past two weeks, and it was never enough.

I thrust in and watched her eyes flutter closed, her lips forming a perfect O. Watching her as I filled her was like a fever dream. It was why I’d fallen to my knees and proposed.

“I can’t live without you,” I gasped out.

Reagan’s lips found mine. “Me neither,” she whispered between kisses. Her fingers gripped my wet hair, and she squirmed in my arms. “Oh, oh, Luke.”

Rising together, we crashed into that bone-shaking release together.

My breath was ragged, and I held her close, breathing in her scent. I couldn’t believe she was mine. The Alpha in me hummed with contentment at being one with my mate.

“I’m sorry I got you all wet,” I said as I slid out and set her down, fixing my pants as she fixed hers. Her shirt was soaked, her nipples poking through, and even her hair was damp. “Again.”

“Now I have to take a shower,” she sighed, and I grinned.

In one fluid motion, I had Reagan over my shoulder and was running upstairs. She barely had time to catch her breath before I had the bathroom door closed and was tearing off her clothes. I didn’t even bother taking off my own as I kissed her. She tugged me backward, and I followed.

Then water gushed over me, and I shook my head, looking through the spray at her.

“I was already soaked,” I said and held her against the wall. “You’re funny.”

“I know.”

I bent my head down.

“You’re also gonna pay for that.”

 

Sitting in the Grace living room was now as familiar as sitting in my own. There was always a warm smell of baking in the air, as Jemma experimented with different recipes. I even had my own spot on the couch, where Bix, Gabriel, and Drue could climb up and hang off me.

Today, the three of them had been practicing shifting, and now three cubs were napping next to me. Bix, a fox shifter, was on his back with his paws moving in the air. Drue, a lion, was curled up to my right, while Gabriel, a brown bear, lay to my left. Collette was on my lap and kept trying to grab her brother's ears.

Rett would have loved this, I thought. Out loud, I said, “So, everything is all set? You sure you don’t need anything from me?”

“We’re all set, Luke, don’t worry,” Mrs. Grace said, bustling over and taking Collette as I clumsily kept her from making another grab.

She handed her to Risa, who smiled at me. “You’re not worried, are you?”

I ducked my head, but I was kind of pleased they knew me well enough to tease me about something like that. “I just want everything to go well. I’ve never done something like this.”

“It will,” Mr. Grace said. “It’ll be a nice way to kick off the summer, too.”

“Hope the weather turns around,” Shelby said, glancing out the window at the fog and rain. “We got spoiled with all that sunshine.”

“It will,” I said. I’d checked in with the Coven and found out when the weather was going to turn around. “All right.” I extricated myself from the couch, and Gabriel rolled over onto his back, shifting back. “Thanks for everything. I’ll see you all soon.”

After saying goodbye and accepting a plate of muffins from Jemma, I left and headed out the front door. At the bottom of the steps, I pulled up short. Cassidy was walking towards me.

Instead of avoiding my gaze and mumbling some kind of greeting, she kept her eyes on me. Out of surprise more than courtesy, I waited for her to approach.

“Thank you,” she said and stuck her hands in her jeans. “You’ve done a lot for my family.” Cassidy scowled as I gaped at her. “What? Both of us know it was overdue.”

“Yeah, I mean, you’re welcome,” I said. “For what, exactly, though?”

“Saving my life, taking care of my dad, and for Reagan,” Cassidy said, looking down and hugging herself. “I’ve never seen her this happy. And we’re going to be family, I guess.”

“I appreciate that,” I said. “Cassidy, if you ever need anything, you can always ask.”

She looked up and gave me a smile. “I know. Thanks. You know, I always wanted a big brother.”

“What, one overbearing elder sibling wasn’t enough?” I asked, and to my surprise, Cassidy laughed. “I’m not sure I can handle a brat sister, but I can try.” I smiled, lingering for a moment because it seemed like she wanted to say something else. “All right, well, have a good night.”

As I went past her, she asked, “Hey, Luke?”

I turned back. Cassidy’s brows had knotted up, and her lips were a thin line. “Reagan and I—we talked a little.” She rolled her eyes. “I know she must have told you.”

I nodded, trying not to look too wary. After we’d told her family that we were getting married, the two Grace sisters had vanished for a little while. In fact, Reagan hadn’t told me much, beyond, “It was a start.”

“She said that you might be able to find out what happened to our grandfather,” Cassidy said in a rush. “Could you look into someone else, too?”

"Reagan hasn't asked me to look into your grandfather yet," I said, scratching my jaw and trying to look unconcerned. “She’s indecisive.”

She knows whatever we’ll find will confirm what she already knows.

“Oh,” Cassidy said and then sighed. “That’s probably my fault. I’ll talk to her. In the meantime, could you look into someone else?” I nodded. “William Doherty.”

“Ex-fiancé?” I asked, and Cassidy bit her cheek. “Take it from me, exes are trouble.”

“I know it seems like I’m holding on, but it’s not that. I want to make sure he’s okay,” Cassidy said. “I was engaged to him, and I know I’m probably on some shifter registry. Besides, I’m…”

“How is Niles these days?” I asked as she fumbled for words.

“Oh my God, shut up,” Cassidy shrieked, sounding both pleased and horrified.

“Hey, he better know if he messes with my li’l sister, I'll kick his ass, ice wolf or not." Cassidy put her hands on her bright cheeks, exactly like Reagan did. "And I'll see what I can find out."

“Thank you.” Cassidy hesitated. “Any chance you could not tell my sister?”

I rubbed the back of my neck. “Only if you promise to talk to her about this.”

Cassidy gave me a bright smile. “I can do that. Thanks, big bro.”

“See ya, little sis.”

Laughing, we parted ways, and I rushed home, eager to see if Reagan was back.

 

“Reagan, we really need to go,” I said, smoothing down my hair again and checking over my dark blue jeans. I was wearing a nice button-up and had cleaned the hell out of my boots. “Are you done?” I knocked on the office door again. The best mirror in the house was in there, and she’d vanished in there over an hour ago. “What are you doing in there?”

“I’m almost done.”

“I’m coming in,” I said and opened the door, then swung to a stop. “Rea.”

She was sitting at my desk, going through a manifest.

“I wanted to double-check something about the greenhouse construction in Cobalt.” I stalked over, and she shrank in the chair, waving the folder at me. “Okay, okay, I’m sorry.”

“We have to go.”

Standing up, Reagan swirled the skirt of her dress around her and smiled. It was a dark green, patterned over with leaves, and she had a simple, short sweater over it. With a flower tucked behind one ear, she looked like a forest sprite.

“You’re beautiful,” I said.

“You look nice, too,” she said and brushed her hand up my arm. “What is this for again?”

“A little Winfyre tradition,” I said. “Now, let’s go get your family.”

Leaving the dogs at home, we walked through the late spring afternoon, the air thick with warmth. Reagan had shed her sweater by the time we got to her parents’ house. She let out a happy sigh as she looked at the placid bay.

“This place doesn’t seem real sometimes,” Reagan said and leaned into me. “Or you, for that matter.” We turned down to her parents’, and she slowed down. “Hey, Luke?”

“Yeah?” I asked, trying to sound patient.

"I found out the other day that Fallon claimed Bix, Drue, Gabriel, and Collette. Now, last I checked, the kids don't work for her." My breath caught, and I swallowed. "What is a claim?"

“I don’t know if now is the time for this,” I said.

“Is it a matter of strength or something? Like a paternal thing?”

“Not at all,” I said. “It’s complicated and varies from shifter to shifter. Claim isn’t even the right word for it.”

“Well, are you ever going to tell me?”

Stepping closer, I cupped her cheek with one hand and squeezed the other. “Claiming might have led me to you, but it is not the reason I fell in love with you. Claims, well, it’s a connection. It’s something that started after we staked out Winfyre.

“Northbane shifters began to have strong, protective instincts cropping up. Sometimes for perfect strangers.” I gave her a crooked smile. “Now that I’ve met you, I think it might be strangers who aren’t going to stay that way. People who belong in your life.”

“Wow, you really downplayed that at first,” Reagan said, and her eyes crinkled up.

“Well, like I said, it’s a variable thing for such a stark term. Some people it happens to all the time, like Fallon,” I said. “Xander decided to limit her in how many claims she could make. If you go over so many, you have to review them every year.”

Reagan laughed. “So bureaucratic.”

“Fallon would claim the world if she could,” I said.

“How many people do you have?” Reagan asked.

I let out a laugh and then stopped, seeing she was serious. “You don’t know?” She shook her head. “Let’s see, I think it’s…” I trailed off and pretended to think. “Yeah, that’s it. Just the one.”

“One?” Reagan echoed. “Me?”

“You.” I leaned down and kissed her quickly. “Now come on.”

Tucking her arm in mine, I saw a rustle of grass and knew Bix, Drue, and Gabriel had spotted us. Reagan craned her neck, looking around at the woods and up at me. I schooled my face into a neutral expression.

“Did you see that?”

“No,” I said. “And I am the shifter, so I would know.”

“Are you up to something?” Reagan asked as I led her around to the back of her family’s house. “And why are we—”

A roar went up as people bellowed, “Surprise!”

“What the hell?” Reagan gasped and grabbed my arm. “Luke.”

A guitar twanged as Rett began to play a song, and the kids ran up, scattering flower petals. That had not been my idea, but I appreciated whosever it was. Hell of a nice touch, and scoring points for me. As people came forward to greet us, Reagan turned, and I grinned at her.

“You did this?”

“I had a lot of help,” I said.

“I love you,” Reagan said and stood on her tiptoes, brushing a kiss against my lips.

A cheer went up, and I didn’t even care. I would have kissed her back harder, but Drue was hugging Reagan tightly around her waist. Then Bix and Gabriel jumped on me, followed by Tristan.

“Get this man a drink,” Tristan said and gave me a rough hug. “Happy for you, brother.”

The sun was out, food was grilling, and friends abounded.

As the five Alphas of Northbane came together for a brief moment, clinking our bottles, we all knew what we were thinking of. Through it all, the hellfire and heartbreak, we’d endured.

Winfyre was no longer only a sanctuary. It was a home.

After they’d toasted me and Reagan, I proposed toasting Northbane, our mountains, our people, and our roots. We were striking our legacy into this land.

Or, as Tristan put it, “If Luke’s gettin’ hitched, we gotta be doing something right.”