The smell of Remy and I permeated the air. It smelled like his pine, my citrus, and sex.
A lot of sex.
I’m happy anytime I can see you naked, he told me, his tone dry and amused as he answered my question.
Why are we playing wolves in the house? I asked, still not sure what he was getting at.
He stepped forward, resting his head against mine. So I can show you this.
It took a second, but the memory started playing in my head like a movie. No, more like a highlight reel.
Our first meeting at GPA. Our first class together. Remy asking me to dance with him. Bonding. Staying at my bed while I was in a coma. Christmas. Going back to school and leaving again. The Summit. Coming home without me.
I saw it all, but more importantly, I felt it.
I felt it all.
How protective he felt of me at first. His confusion at being jealous when Andy asked me to the dance. The chaotic joy of bonding. The desperation when I was unconscious.
And love.
So much love that I stumbled back a step.
There was no pity or embarrassment or annoyance. Zero judgement.
Because Remy didn’t see me as a broken girl who needed to be saved. He saw me as a person who could save herself. A survivor who hadn’t let her past decide her future. Like his equal.
Now do you get it? He stepped back, his dark eyes studying me intently as the memories faded.
My wolf whined anxiously, unsure how to process the onslaught of emotions I was grappling with. I shifted back, tears already falling before I was done with the shift.
“That’s how you see me?” I whispered.
He changed back, his hand reaching out to touch me. “Yes. When are you going to start seeing you that way, too?”
“I’m getting there,” I replied quietly.
It wasn’t until after we showered—together, which was why we were running late to get back to the house—that Remy answered my original question.
He closed the door to the cabin, grabbing my hand with his as we started walking through the woods. We could have shifted and run back, but we wanted as much time alone as we could squeeze in.
“You don’t have to come with me,” he said quietly, his feet crunching over the carpet of dead leaves. “I can do it alone.”
“Do you want to do it alone?” I countered hesitantly.
He shook his head emphatically. “I never want to do anything without you, babe. But I also don’t want you to be uncomfortable.”
“What will happen?” I asked, brushing aside a branch full of vibrant green leaves. Spring in Blackwater was as stunning as the fall.
“The representatives from the pack will acknowledge me as their Alpha,” he replied. “It won’t take long. Some are bringing pack members who feel more comfortable living in Blackwater than their own packs.”
“Why?”
“Because we’re bigger,” he admitted reluctantly. “Stronger.”
“Do we have the space?” I glanced up at him.
“It’ll be tight, but we’ll make it work. Most people live in town, but the pack lands are pretty big. A lot of farmlands in the east that we can make use of if needed. Thankfully it’s getting warmer, so if people have to sleep outside in tents, they can.”
“They could shift,” I suggested. “My fa—Nikolai’s pack is more than used to it.” I’d explained the way they stayed shifted for months. Remy was fascinated by the idea.
“It’s okay to call him your father,” he told me, nudging my shoulder.
“It feels weird,” I replied, making a face. “And I don’t even know if it will last, you know?”
He chuckled. “I’m pretty sure Nikolai isn’t going anywhere, baby. It’s obvious he cares about you.”
“You think?” I hated the notes of hope creeping into my tone.
Remy kissed me quickly, never breaking our stride. “It’s hard not to love you, Skye.”
“You’re biased,” I replied with a grin.
“I’ll tell Katy you said that.”
“Don’t you dare,” I laughed. Katy would make it her mission to count all the people who loved me that weren’t Remy.
My chest warmed as I realized that list was getting longer and longer.
“Speaking of dads,” I said, “can we go see Gabe? I need to check on him myself.”
“He’d love that,” Remy answered. “He misses you.”
“See? Why do I need my own dad when I have yours?”
He pulled me to a stop. “Because having more people that love you isn’t a bad thing, Skye. And Nikolai seems like a good guy.”