Bonded to the Rakian Berserker (Rakian Warrior Mates #3) - Elin Wyn Page 0,47

thoroughfare.

“They really don’t like people wandering around, do they?” she whispered, pitching her voice as quietly as she could.

“Never really come up before,” Declan answered, his voice just as quiet. “I don’t think I’ve ever been considered to be acting particularly suspicious.”

“Sounds like a boring life,” Gavin interjected.

“Boring or not,” Esme decided. “It’s time to get home. If we’re going to keep looking tomorrow, we’ve got to get whatever paperwork these people think is necessary out of the way.”

“And Jormoi will be searching as well,” Gavin promised her. “No one would have seen him enter the city, no guards will try to send him home.”

The knot in her chest relaxed, just a bit. She wasn’t in this alone. They’d keep looking, and soon, they’d find the children and Layla.

She had to believe that.

Back in their room, Gavin sent the list of locations the boys’ had mentioned to Jormoi, kicked off his boots, then quietly lifted a heavy chest to rest in front of the door.

“What are you doing?” she asked.

“Declan, I trust,” he said. “And that Beaton woman seems to have taken a liking to you. But this town sets me on edge. There’s something wrong here.”

He lifted her in his arms and kissed her deeply. “You know there are few things I would enjoy more than spending another night in your arms. But keeping you safe, that needs to take precedent.”

He backed away, and a blue storm washed over him.

Esme held her breath, unable to quite comprehend what she was seeing.

It was different, somehow, from when Jormoi had changed.

Maybe it was simply because this was a body she knew, had traced over every line with her hands.

And somehow, something magical was happening right in front of her.

She stumbled back until she ran into the edge of the bed, and legs boneless, collapsed down to sit on the mattress.

Eerily silent, the lightning that covered his form became opaque, then shifted to cover something slightly shorter, but broader, longer.

And then it faded to finally reveal Gavin’s other form.

A massive cat, covered in short golden fur, broad face framed by a silken mane.

The breath left Esme in a whoosh, and she realized the entire transformation had only taken a second.

Carefully she walked towards him, and he butted his head against her chest, so tall his ears almost reached her shoulders.

“You’re beautiful,” she murmured, reaching for the dark golden mane.

Immediately he shifted back, or almost so.

Instead of appearing like the man who had walked with her up the stairs, now he seemed to be something caught in between: a cat from the waist up, a man from the waist down, clad in the same dark pants that had been so frustrating the night before.

“No one has ever called me beautiful,” he rumbled. “That’s a strange thing to say.”

Laughing she wrapped her arms around his neck, the short fur under her fingers strange to the touch. But it didn’t matter.

Whatever the shape, this was Gavin.

Her giant.

And her mind didn’t even stumble at the words this time.

“Here I thought you were so shy about showing me your other form that there must be something wrong with it, or wrong with me. And it’s beautiful, you’re beautiful, whether you like the word or not,” she teased.

Gavin’s hands rested on the small of her back, keeping her pulled tightly to him.

“I just didn’t know what you’d think. And well, my cat is big. Larger than the rest of my brothers.” He looked away. “I didn’t want you to think I was a monster.”

Her heart hurt at the self-loathing she heard in his words.

“Beautiful and ridiculous,” she teased. “I’m glad you finally showed me,” she said softly, resting her forehead against his broad chest.

Quietly he stepped away from her, and then shifted back into the form of the giant tawny cat.

“Good night,” she said, but turned away before her lips formed the rest of the words.

My love.

Could she say it? Did he even want to hear it?

Mind circling around the unanswerable, she drifted to sleep, knowing that whatever else happened, she was safe.

Guarded by her giant.

Who was quickly turning into something more.

When Esme woke the next morning, she was alone in the room.

Dressing hurriedly, she flew down the stairs to find Gavin and Declan planning their visit to the registry office.

“I’ll have to come with you to vouch for your conduct,” Declan said. He grinned slightly. “You can see why I’m a little nervous.”

Esme rolled her eyes as Mistress Beaton came in with a fresh plate of oat