Soul of the Wolves

When she was able to compose herself she noticed something else. The heavy burning that crushed her chest since the graveyard fiasco had vanished. Sookie put her hand on her breast. I’m no longer alone. I have someone who I can lean on, depend on. Someone I can trust to face all my problems together. We will be fine. Jesse and I and Ethan. Soon we can live a normal life again and happily ever after.

She decided to take a shower and wash her hair. Ethan had provided her with generic clothing to wear. She slipped into fresh pair of panties, a cotton shirt that was rather tight on the chest, and a pair of jeans that fit surprisingly comfortably. She brushed her teeth and fixed herself decently without makeup. She wished she had some so she wouldn’t look like a corpse warmed over.

Sookie tidied up the bedroom and changed the sheets with fresh ones she found in the linen closet. Ethan came in with a tray of food as soon as she put the sheet in the hamper.

“You’re up,” Ethan remarked. “And here I was going to surprise you with breakfast in bed.”

“I’m still surprised.”

He kissed her on the lips. “Morning, beautiful. Don’t you look scrumptious?”

She was giddy from his compliment.

The smell of the food made her stomach growl. Suddenly she was terminally famished. The wild sex last night had burned massive energy. A few more sex romps like that and she was sure she could lose a third of her body weight. “Sorry,” she said, embarrassed about the growling stomach.

“Why? I’m glad you’re hungry. You need to replenish your energy. Eat up.” Ethan uncovered the platter. He had made her scrambled eggs, a medallion of filet mignon cooked rare, crispy bacon, breakfast sausages and lightly buttered toast. There was a cup of homemade strawberry jam, a glass of orange juice and a mug of black coffee.

“Wow.” Sookie was extremely impressed. “Where’s your plate?”

He waved, “Don’t worry about it.”

“I didn’t know you could cook so well. You’re a keeper. Don’t tell me you can whip up some fancy gourmet food too.”

“I could try.”

“You mean you don’t cook often?”

“No. I always stay in a hotel or eat out when I’m out of town. We have cooks in Lunar Manor. They didn’t like me in the kitchen. Don’t ask why.”

“So, this is a special occasion then?”

“Yes. It’s a big deal for a wolf to feed his mate. We don’t just do this with any female. It’s an old custom. The pack alpha always let his mate eat first, especially when she’s with pup.”

“That’s kind of romantic.” Sookie grabbed a fork. “Thank you for the food, Ethan.”

“Dig in. You look like you need plenty of replacement nourishment from last night.”

“Hmm. I wonder whose fault is that?”

“How can you say that when you’re

the one who can’t keep your hands off me?”

Sookie punched him playfully. He captured her hand and kissed it.

“Eat all of it if you can. You must take care of your health carefully from now on. Especially for our future pups.”

Her hand froze. Ethan wanted to have children with her, there was no doubt about it. Her cheeks heated. She had wanted a family too. A family just like her parents had. She often fantasized how good life was before that accident tore them apart. Mom, Dad, John, and Jesse. The good old days.

“Pups?” Sookie repeated.

He watched her indulgently. “Of course, pups. You will bear me my heirs.” He threw a knowing smile at her belly. “If you haven’t already.”

What? Uh-oh. They didn’t use any protection last night and she wasn’t on birth control. It didn’t even cross her mind at all last night because she was so horny. With her love life practically non-existent, she’d forgone it altogether for the past few years. Birth-control cost money and she’d rather buy groceries or pay bills with the little money she had.

Ethan couldn’t possibly know it right away, could he? But again, he wasn’t an ordinary man. Maybe this werewolf had his way of knowing things that normal humans didn’t.

“Maybe,” Sookie said, shoveling a big chunk of egg into her mouth, putting the thought about a baby wolf at the back of her mind right then. There were other things more important than—