“You...you don’t have to if you—”
“Yes,” Lucas says loudly, cutting off my embarrassed rambling.
“What?” I ask, once again shocked by the turn of events.
“Yes, I will stay with you until we figure out what to do next about this situation.” He chuckles, his left hand caressing my cheek so gently that it makes me shiver. It seems I’ve gained a new roommate in my little cottage.
25
Kaylee
Sitting in my living room, my leg bouncing with nerves, I sip on chamomile tea while I wait for Lucas to return. After he agreed to move in with me for the time being while we deal with Devon, Lucas drove me home in my truck before taking it to the dorms so that he could pack his things and bring them here. That was about an hour ago, and in that time I’d prepared one of the two remaining bedrooms for him to take. He may be my mate, but I’m not comfortable sharing a room with him just yet.
The door to the cottage opens, and I turn to find Lucas walking in with a duffle bag slung over his shoulder and a single box in his arms.
“Is that all you have?” I asked, shocked by the small number of items.
“No, I have two more bags to grab from the truck. I couldn’t bring much when I left Oak Fur, but this box is filled with stuff I’ve got since being part of Ivory Fangs,” he admits with a sheepish smile. My heart aches as I reflect on Lucas’ old room at Oak Fur, filled with photos and trophies from school.
“You can take the first room to your left down the hall,” I manage to squeak out past the lump in my throat. “I just put fresh bedding on the bed, and it’s your room if you want it.”
Hurt crosses his face just long enough for me to catch it before a beaming smile is plastered in its place. He must have thought we would share my bed, and realizing we would sleep in separate rooms might have hurt. I know that asking him to stay here was a spur-of-the-moment decision, but it’s the right step if we’re to rebuild the trust he lost months ago.
“I’ll be back, then.” With that, Lucas makes his way to the room I mentioned and returns a minute later before heading out the front door.
I continue sipping on my tea, the bond humming contentedly at the closeness of my mate. His scent of mint and vanilla is already pervading my home, and for a moment, I second-guess this decision. Shaking my head, I remind myself that if Ramos has sent a spy, my pup and I are in danger. I’ve kept my pregnancy secret, with only Hannah, Lucas, and Amelia knowing about it, but the thought of this news leaking to Ramos and Marilyn makes my blood run cold.
Lucas enters the cottage once more, the final duffle bags in hand. He smiles at me as he shuts the door and moves towards what is now his room. Having him here puts my nerves at ease. I know that Lucas has changed—I’ve seen it myself. With the threat thatDevon poses now looming over us, along with the preparation for war against Oak Fur, I feel relieved that Lucas, my mate, is here to help me keep our unborn pup safe.
Placing my empty cup on the coffee table, I stand from the couch and make my way toward Lucas’ room. Leaning against the door frame, I find Lucas putting his clothes away in the oak dresser.
“There’s a laundry room in the basement if you want to wash your clothes,” I state, watching Lucas jump in surprise.
“I’m putting a bell on you,” he says with annoyance, and I burst out laughing at his reaction. I’ve never seen Lucas jump in fright before, and it was definitely a sight.
“A bell won’t help. I’ve learned where the creaks in my floor are,” I managed to say through my laughter, getting an eye roll from Lucas. He turns, putting his clothes away while I watch and calm down from my laughing fit.
“Could you teach me how to do laundry?” Lucas mumbles. His voice is so low, barely audible from where I stand. Shocked by Lucas’ request, I walk closer to him to find him staring at a duffle bag full of dirty laundry.
“Do you not know how to do laundry?” I ask, playfully bumping my shoulder against his arm.
“No. Ramos thought it was a useless skill to learn. Omegas took care of the laundry. Even in the dorms.”
Watching Lucas’ shoulders slump, I feel pity for him. To think that Ramos thought basic skills were useless and Lucas never learned simple things.
“If you want, I can show you how to do it now,” I offer.
Lucas perks up beside me, smiling as he picks up the duffle bag from the bed. My face scrunches as the scent of dirty laundry wafts towards me, and I nearly puke right there. Taking the lead, I leave the room and head toward the basement stairs. I have a feeling this won’t be the last basic survival skill I’ll have to teach Lucas now that he’s living with me.
26
Lucas
Watching Kaylee flitter about the cottage getting ready for the day, I sip my coffee at the dining table and try not to smile too brightly. Last night, Kaylee taught me the basics of living alone, starting with laundry. I’d always thought washing clothes was difficult, but it seemed straightforward enough once she’d shown me how to turn the machines on and dispense the laundry detergent into the washing machine. The hard part was learning how to fold.
Kaylee had warned me that my laundry was my responsibility—that we may be working on our relationship, but she was not my caretaker. She said I needed to learn these skills before our pup came, and once it did, she wouldn’t be raising the pup alone the way Ramos had forced my mother to raise me. That part stung, but she was right. If I’m to be a good mate and father, I’ll need to help her raise our pup. I will be different from Ramos.
“Ready to go to the packhouse?” Kaylee calls out through a mouthful of a chocolate chip granola bar—her newest pregnancy craving. I nearly spit my coffee out at the sight, chuckling at how happily she munches on the treat.
