Wings of the Walker - CoraLee June Page 0,77

He waved his muscular arm nonchalantly. “That is all.”

Jules puffed out her chest and shrilled, “ASSHOLE!” while walking away. I openly gaped at Cyler. Was that seriously necessary ?

“Better, babe?” he asked with a smirk. I shook my head and slumped in embarrassment. They were always pushing me to vocalize my wants and needs. In his own weird way, Cyler was rewarding me for saying what I wanted. I just wished I would have thought before speaking.

An unalterable promise hovered in the air. One that showed how tightly knit we had become. For the past month, I've felt like I was lingering on the line of uncertainty with Jules' presence. Cyler's unwavering decision regarding Jules’ place here and her punishment not only solidified Jacob’s position, but mine, too. For the first time since my abduction, I didn't feel like I had to hide.

Dinner was a pleasant affair. The Ethros dish Maverick prepared was heavenly, and I was politely urged by Jacob to stop moaning after every bite. Apparently, I had a bad habit of making too much noise when good food was involved. We all declined dessert, despite a hopeful Kemper and the saddest looking cake I’ve ever seen. He looked at me in dawning dismay, and I briefly wondered if Kemper was ever bad at anything or if this was his first failure.

Patrick clapped his hands, “It’s time for presents!" he said while shuffling in through the kitchen door with a grin. He pulled out a small wooden box. "I’d like to add that finding thoughtful gifts last minute is damn near impossible; you're lucky the people of Dormas love us.” He handed me the gift. I peered around the table and saw that each of them wore various looks of uncertainty, nervousness, and eagerness.

For reasons unknown to me, my reaction to this gift was important to them. I never had the full attention of a room before, and my skin felt hot under their intense stares. The wooden box opened, and I sucked in a deep breath, amazed at the beautiful treasure tucked inside.

It was a golden bracelet wrapped in six different colored raw gems with an inscription on the inside .

Σπίτι μου είναι όπου είμαι μαζί σου

“It’s beautiful, what does it mean?” I asked in a shaky voice. This gift was not only thoughtful, but incredibly intimate.

“‘Home is wherever you are,’” Jacob answered in a smoky voice. The truth of his statement hit me like a rock, and a silent tear rolled down my cheek. I’ve never felt more at home than here in Dormas. Here with them.

“It's in the Dormas native tongue. Our parents spoke it,” Maverick added matter-of-factly.

“They loved to use it when talking about something they didn’t want us to hear,” Patrick added with a snicker.

“There are only a handful of Elders left that speak it now. Lois is the one that translated it for us,” Maverick added in a sad tone. Once again, I was reminded of all Dormas had lost, and the sincerity of their gift deepened. They were once again inviting me into their past and allowing me to bury myself deep in life here in Dormas. I wiped away an escaped tear and looked around the room. How did I get so lucky?

“I picked the gems,” Huxley added with a gruff voice that masked his emotion. I looked down at my bracelet wrapped in navy blue, coral, and black stones, and I saw the sincerity of his choices. Each color represented a part of me and a part of my life here.

The bracelet was quite possibly the most thoughtful and kindest gift I’ve ever received. I wondered how the guys could have coordinated such a beautiful treasure in such a short amount of time. I immediately slipped it onto my wrist then sprang from my seat, eager to hug everyone. Huxley was closest, and I slammed into him with so much force that he almost fell over.

“Don’t kill me over a bracelet.” He coughed while fighting a smile. He glared at the others, daring them to comment on our embrace, but I ignored his failed attempt to seem uncaring.

“Thank you,” I whispered while nuzzling into him. With exploratory arms, he hugged me back, and his hands drifted to my lower back. I felt such peace and contentment in his embrace. Despite his reluctance, I knew that he had grown to care for me. He lightly lingered until finally pushing me away with a frown and a shake of his head.