Page 104 of Enchanting Her Monsters
Consent… I must remember to get consent.
I haven’t told her yet, but I need to. My shadows are already bonding with her. She is mine. If she were to reject that bond, I’d be torn into pieces and set adrift in the darkness.
I cannot live in darkness anymore. No, I need my lightbringer for my shadow. And she can truly be my shadowmate. I know a trace of my magic still resides inside her. I didn’t mean to leave it behind, but I don’t think it’s an accident. Maybe some part of her wanted to keep me with her.
I hope that’s it.
Jade snores softly, and I chuckle like it’s the cutest thing in the world. I suppose it’s precious because of what it means. She trusts me—enough to have me inside her body and to be vulnerable with me. That’s a big fucking deal. I don’t even think my pack ever trusted me completely.
Calder didn’t.
If he did, then he would have come to me when he was broken.
He trusted Jade more than me, even when he didn’t know her to be anything other than a witch—a witch who might have killed me, no less.
Fuck. Whatdoesthat say about me?
Guilt swims in my mind as I remember how I behaved before my death. I was secretive, stubborn, hotheaded, and reckless. I deserved to be the one cursed as a berserker more than Arran did, which is saying something.
I have to do better. For Jade. For Calder. For all of them. Earn their unwavering trust again.
I must fall asleep for a while. When I open my eyes again, the only light in the room is from the moon leaking in through the window.
Jade shifts against my body, electrifying me in a way that should be illegal. She groans when she wakes herself up. Her half-lidded eyes blink slowly, trying to remember where she is. “Osen?”
I squeeze her to my chest and kiss her forehead. “Here, my sunshine.”
She grins sleepily and nuzzles into me. “What the hell is on my legs?” she says in a wary tone.
I glance down and see Arran in his wolf form, curled up and pinning down her feet with his huge body.
“Beast,” I laugh. Then I see Maxum on her other side.
A hand slides over my hip, and I instantly recognize Calder’s touch.
“Where’s Flint?” Jade asks with a worried tone.
“Patrolling the area to make sure no one sneaks up on the house,” Maxum grunts, and grinds his hips into Jade’s ass.
“Who’s going to guard my ass against your sneak attack?” she jokes.
“The only one with the authority to do so…you.” He kisses her shoulder. “But go back to sleep for now. I promise I won’t invade.”
“I’m awake now.” Jade sighs, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. “I’m overheated with the living wolf blanket.”
Arran’s wolf whimpers, but Jade sits up and gives his ears a good rub and coos over him like he’s an innocent puppy and not the apex predator he is.
Beast is eating it up, thumping his tail against the bed, rattling all of us with the beat. I sense Arran isn’t immune to her sweet talk, either.
“I’ll get up with Jade,” I offer.
Calder moves out of the way, and I drag Jade out from under a bratty wolf who refuses to lift off her legs.
I help her to her feet, and she says with a bit of amusement, “I’ve lost feeling.”
“You can’t lay on her like that,” I reprimand.
The wolf covers his snout with his paws in shame. Fuck, even I know that’s adorable.
