Beaufort Creek Shifters (10 book series)
The Lion’s Arranged Marriage Chapter 9

Neil

Separate suites was the right way to do it. Recovery was of the utmost importance for us both. If we were to be proper mates, then we had to learn to spend at least some of the time apart. Being in close proximity for too long made me ravenous for her skin. My appetite had never been this insatiable. Even with the right women, I hadn't been as hungry, choosing to sample instead of fully submerge myself. But with Gwendolyn, it was impossible not to indulge. Every touch set off fireworks in my gut. Each glance rustled my fur. Kiss after kiss electrified me in ways that could fuel an entire town's power grid for a week.

She was magnificent. Tiny but strong. Sultry but simple.

My heart twitched as I considered all her traits while sitting on the couch near the television. A nature program played on the screen on mute. In the background somewhere, NPR played, that soothing telltale voice talking about artificially generated music compositions.

The toilet flushed in the bathroom. The sink ran next. When the door whispered shut, I glanced over my shoulder, noticing how Gwendolyn had changed into blue jeans and a beige blouse. She looked so remarkably normal.

Who knew I would have discovered a sexy scientist under those plain layers?

I pointed to the television. "Why the program on the migration of birds?"

"I replace documentaries keep me fresh."

"While you listen to NPR?"

She grinned warmly. "I can multitask."

"I see that."

"I love switching between various forms of media. It keeps me sharp."

The grin I wore must have been amusing because she giggled. It was rare for her to giggle like that, so girlishly, but it was befitting her structure and her personality. All the more deceptive to those who wished to do her harm. All the more reason to protect her.

I reached for her hand. "How's your leg?"

"Still doing better. Did you expect it to go bad without you near me?"

I shrugged as casually as possible. "I wasn't sure how the bond would work."

"Can we bond without the ritual?" She licked her lips and glanced at the television. "Without the bite?"

"Do you want me to bite you?"

The shiver that rustled her fingers made me feel quite devious. It wasn't a fearful shake. It was a sign of her arousal. Being cramped in a cage with her had made me rather receptive to her energetic shifts. Even with the floor of space between us at night, I knew precisely when she fell asleep.

I knew because I couldn't sleep until she slept.

She squeezed my hand. "I didn't say that."

"But you didn't not say that."

"I

I suppose I considered it as part of our process."

Smiling made my cheeks hurt. But I liked that she made me smile. "It can be part of other things, too."

"Is that so?"

Her flirtatious tone did things to me. Remarkable things.

Ridiculously naughty things.

"You're tempting me, snow," I whispered, accentuating the syllable of the nickname I had chosen for her. It seemed fitting. "Is that what you want?"

"I want a lot of things."

She drifted toward me, lips parted expectantly as her eyelids slowly closed. We rarely fought. Our thing was banter. Flirty banter and witty snaps. Couples who fought didn't survive the honeymoon phase. But Gwendolyn would probably last a while with me as long as we didn't pick fights.

That sensual mewl she released whenever our lips met doubled me over. I crowded her personal space, nudging my hips between her legs and pinning her to the couch with an authoritative push. She obediently pressed flush against me. Such a delightful feeling erupted when I felt her submission.

But that was all shattered when I heard a light knock at the door. My burning erection wilted slightly as I snapped back and fixed my posture, sifting my fingers through my luscious mane.

Gwendolyn fixed her blouse and wiped her lips. She cleared her throat and sat up a bit straighter. "Uh...come in!"

Cesar popped the door open, peeking hesitantly into the room with wintry eyes much like his sister's.

Gwendolyn practically lunged across the room. "Cesar!"

He pushed the door wider and opened his arms, eyes closing to mirthful slits as he embraced his sister. "Gwenny, it's good to see you walking about."

"You haven't been to visit since..." Her head swiveled around so she could look at me. I nearly barked with laughter at how much she looked like her snowy owl self then. "Well, since we've recovered, I think."

"It's been a long week. I'm sorry, Gwenny." He peeked over her shoulder. "Permission to come aboard, captain?"

A smile slanted my lips. "Permission granted."

Cesar nodded gratefully as he released his sister and wandered into the suite. He whistled while looking around. It looked better without the hospital cots in my humble opinion. The carpets left something to be desired, yet they were plenty good enough for my snow owl.

She didn't seem to need much more than a proper internet connection and a device to explore the web beyond reality.

"Cushioned," Cesar commented while flinging himself on one of the plump couches. "Luxurious."

"It's nice, I guess," Gwenny admitted.

Which prompted Cesar and I to shoot her an incredulous look.

Cesar chuckled and sat up. "Don't mind my sister. She's always been more impressed by molecules than family jewels." "You have family jewels?" I inquired. "Not that I'm a gold digger. I have plenty of gold myself from my pirating days." Cesar gaped at me. "You were a pirate?"

"Sort of," I admitted as I straightened my back. "I traveled the high seas for a bit. Tanner and I went sailing a while back. Got me some treasure in the process." I gestured to my back. "I have the tattoos to prove it." "That explains it," Gwendolyn said. "The tattoo, I mean."

I winked at her. "Did you take a peek at me while I was naked?"

Gwendolyn managed to roll her eyes despite the glaring crimson in her cheeks. "Cesar, don't let this official meeting with Neil cloud your judgment of him. He's a lot more proud than you can see."

I laughed. "Is this what married life is about? Making little quips in front of family?"

"It sure beats getting ignored," Cesar said in a low voice. While his smile spoke of the inherent joking nature of his comment, his eyes resonated a cavernous sorrow. "You two seem to be getting on pretty good." "We're doing our best," Gwenny explained. "Though I can't complain much. Neil is intelligent."

I blinked with surprise. "I beg your pardon?"

"You're a lot easier to talk to than any of my past boyfriends. You actually listen to me dump information even though it's like I'm dumping a giant bucket of crayfish on you."

I shrug with one shoulder. "Well, it's no big deal. I like hearing it."

"That's certainly new," Cesar snorted. He looked at Gwendolyn. "Do you remember when Rex told you to stop talking about the universe because it made him feel stupid?"

She rolled her eyes so far back that it reminded me of our bonding moment in the pantry. It had taken about thirty minutes to clean up our mess. I'd insisted on scrubbing the surfaces with bleach because I didn't want anyone to smell what we had done in there. Though I suppose my alpha would be particularly happy.

Only if the bonding exercise had produced a bite. I sighed. I have to get on top of that eventually. My gaze flickered to Gwendolyn, who beamed as she spoke to her brother. I ought to get on top of a lot of things.

While my inner lion whined about his sexual activities being thwarted, I found myself enamored with my snow owl's obvious contentment with our company. And it was no wonder considering Cesar had a brain much like his sibling.

"The History Channel just put out another near-death documentary," Cesar explained while reaching for the remote. "You have to watch it, Gwenny. It really gets into the science of brains."

"That makes me curious about the near-death experiences of shifters," she whispered while tapping her chin. She cleared her throat and said at her usual speaking volume, "Have either of you had near-death experiences?" Cesar chortled. "I wish."

She looked at me, eyes as round and wide as her owl form, and brimming with curiosity. Merciful gods, I just wanted to feed all of her appetites-every single last one.

I pursed my lips thoughtfully and then sighed. "I've never been closer to death than I've needed to be."

"So, you've never died?"

"Not that I'm aware."

She hummed. "What do you think shifters experience?"

"That depends on the shifter, I think."

"When you've ki-" She glared with horror at her brother for a split second, but the boy didn't seem to catch on to her near slip of the word killed. Good thing. I didn't want to have to explain to him about my extracurricular activities. "I mean, what about when you were younger?"

I stroked my chin. "I played a lot of football when I was a boy. Baseball, lacrosse, soccer, and I even swam for the swim team. I hit my head a whole bunch."

Cesar scooted to the end of the couch to get closer to me. "Okay, how the hell did you have time for all those sports?"

"Why? Do you want to play?"

"I'd love to if I had a team that would accept me."

I frowned. "High school must be tough these days with integrated models, especially since humans aren't aware of our existence."

"That's why I chose to do homeschooling. I have a digital classroom," Cesar explained. "Gwendolyn helps me out a lot. She gave up nursing to make sure I had a good education. I'm about to graduate because of her."

Impressed was hardly the correct term. What I felt bloom in my body was more than pride as well. It was affection at its most bare bones yet something far more significant than mere admiration.

And it was so pure that it made me look at Gwendolyn with an expressive fondness, one that I could truly feel take hold of my features.

She shrank slightly, blushing as she played with her curls. "It was nothing. I just wanted my brother to get out of the house and into a good college. I didn't get to do those things."

"You didn't go to college?" I asked gently. "Or did you choose to stay home and help?"

"I just didn't go."

I nodded slowly. "I understand. I didn't go to college either."

"Why not?"

A memory sprang from the depths. Aunt Minerva speaking excitedly about my upcoming high school graduation and the possibilities waiting for me beyond that. She'd hack as she laughed and she'd reach for a smoke, telling me not to get caught up in the business of drugs.

I missed her dearly. I had hope that she was still fond of me even beyond the veil.

I patted my knees once and then stood up. "Cesar, would you like to play catch in the yard?"

Cesar practically launched like a rocket from the couch. "Literally, yes. Let me grab my stuff from home."

I waved him toward the door. "Nonsense. Blake has a basketball court hiding inside the garage with plenty of equipment. We can shoot hoops there-" I flashed my dashing lion smile at Gwendolyn. "To start."

My snow owl searched my eyes for...what? If I was being genuine about my offer? Why in the world would I ever fake something like that? She and I had suffered tests and injuries. We needed to get our bodies back in motion. Shooting hoops was a fantastic way to get the blood pumping again.

Aside from other adult activities.

Which weren't exactly available at the moment, so hoops were the next best option.

I led Cesar and Gwendolyn out of the suite and to the first floor where some pack members milled about. Since Blake had opened his doors to visitors, people sometimes brought flowers and knitwear as gifts, and then explored the museum-like halls of the first floor to study their pack origins.

As we breezed past a small group of children led by one of our schoolteachers, Gwendolyn grabbed my hand. She smiled up at me, eyes alight with affection. It almost felt like the same affection I had felt upstairs.

Just what was that affection we were feeling? I couldn't pinpoint it. And the more I felt it, the more it bothered me to not have the proper language to describe it.

The door to the garage rested at the end of a long hall. I swept it open in a dramatic gesture, extending my arm like I was revealing the prize. Cesar nearly jumped out of his skin. He raced inside and grabbed an armful of balls, some of them spilling to the ground. He flipped around and tossed a ball toward me. "Come on, old man. Let's see what you're made of!"

"Old man-!"

Gwendolyn burst into chuckles, bowing forward to hug her gut as my jaw hit the ground. This kid had the nerve to call me an old man? Well, I had to show him up for that one. I gritted my teeth and trotted forward, elegance dripping from every move. I dribbled the ball, jogged around him, and paused to make my shot.

The ball flew gracefully toward the hoop and barely hit the sides as it nudged the waffle-shaped rope.

I planted my hands on my hips and grinned. "Alright, Peter Pan. Let's see what you can do."

Cesar cackled while turning his back to the hoop and launching the ball over his shoulder. He landed the shot-without even looking.

His eyes weren't even open when he threw the ball.

Gwendolyn whistled from the sidelines. Once Cesar and I had filled ourselves to the brim with showing off, we agreed on a one-on-one game. The winner got to pick the next activity.

Time sped by while I competed against Cesar. Anyone else would have prompted my competitive rage. But this boy made it easy to enjoy myself. It was the most I had laughed in years. And with Gwendolyn cheering us on, it made the activity much more satisfying than I had originally guessed.

It had been ages since something actually felt nice. And this felt nice.

I never wanted to feel any other kind of way from here on out.