“Thank you for having me,” she said, wondering how she was going to get through the evening. Every cell in her body was on high alert, and they were being nothing but gracious.
She zoned out a little and let the conversation wash over her. Roman and Everleigh both did their best to engage her in conversation, and she did her best to reply. She even asked them about themselves, and Violet held their son. The girls came racing in and out of the house and at one point Arabella stopped and tickled the baby. “Am I going to get a little brother pup?” she asked.
“I don't know about that,” Violet said, trying to make light of it, but she knew her face must be flushing crimson.
Tristan was the only man she'd ever slept with. She would not be taking another lover. If they never dated again, then there would be no more children. But she could hardly tell her daughter that. Of course, everyone in the room was looking at her.
But luckily the girls started chattering and asked to take their food outside and then Eliza spilled a glass of milk. Within a split second, they both transformed into wolves and licked the milk up while Everleigh just sat there and laughed.
If she hadn’t been so nervous, Violet would have had a good time.
Tristan drove her home with Arabella in the backseat asleep. She’d begged to spend the night with Eliza, but Violet wasn’t quite ready for that just yet. “Maybe we can do that soon,” she’d said. And she meant it.
“That wasn’t so bad, was it? Was it okay?” Tristan asked.
She knew he’d had his own set of jitters about the evening. “Yes. It was actually very nice. They are lovely people.”
He beamed but did not say, I told you so. Which was nice.
* * *
The days continuedto fly by, and Violet found herself enjoying all of them.
But by the end of July, she was ready to move again. Not necessarily permanently, but she felt the mountains closing in on her and the ocean penning her in.
However, after everything she'd done to her pack and to Tristan, she ignored the feeling.
"I'm sorry,” she said to her pack one night as they sat around their bonfire. “I've been awful lately. I’ve put you all in danger, I haven't worked, I haven't earned my fair share, and I haven't kept you up to date with what I'm doing. I was going to leave without telling you goodbye and that is unforgivable.” All of the words just came tumbling out of her mouth.
“Well, it's not quite unforgivable,”Angelina said. “We do forgive you. We were mad, but we appreciate that you're apologizing.”
After that, she cried again, and they all hugged her.
More days and weeks went by. The mild weather of summer would be ending soon, and they’d move into the snowy winter soon enough.
And yet still Tristan did not ask her on a date.
They went swimming with an adult only group. She'd gotten comfortable enough to leave Arabella with Everleigh and the babysitters she used within the pack. The rest of her small pack had even gotten comfortable with them too. They all went out together to do a moonlight run as wolves. No pups.
It was an amazing night where they hunted and chased each other. When they finally switched back to human form, she and Tristan were standing face to face. He brushed the hair away from her forehead. “You look beautiful. Your skin is glowing.”
She found herself hoping he would kiss her.
Just two months ago, that would have been unfathomable to her, and yet now it was what she wanted. He seemed to understand, and he pressed his mouth toward hers.
He put very little pressure on her lips but kissed her soundly. She responded and immediately there was an ache between her legs. Her nipples tightened. He broke the kiss and framed her face with his hands. “Would you like to go out with me again? I hope I'm not screwing this up by asking, but if you are, that's great. If not, then we'll just forget this happened, and we’ll continue being co parents, as the humans say.”
“No. I want this. I want to go on a date with you.”
“Oh, thank God,” he said, and he pulled her back into his arms. His hands covered her breasts and then rubbed over her backside.
She wanted him so much. She wanted to feel his cock inside her, thrusting. But he pulled away and kissed her on the forehead. “We have to wait. I don't want to mess this up, like I said. I need you to be sure before we make love again. You know how I feel about you, and I can't handle it if we stop dating before we ever get a chance.”
“I didn't know if you felt that way about me anymore after what I did,” she said. “I know we have a mate bond, but that doesn't mean that you still feel a certain way about me.”
"I've always felt that way about you. I was just very angry as well. With good reason.”
“Yes. That is true,” she said. He’d had a very good reason. “You still have feelings for me?” she asked.