The Bone Chapel

Rite of Passage

"Go ahead and go in, we have a locker with spare clothes at the back of the house. I'll shift over there and get dressed. Then, I'll come in and join you."

"Not going back to work," I said out loud as I hopped off his back.

"I was giving you your space, but I'm starting to think that was a bad decision. Not sure I make good decisions anymore." He whimpered, but I didn't console him. "Kyra can handle being on shift for longer stretches for awhile and she was happy to give me the time to work things through with you."

"Happy, you say?" I asked in disbelief. "Did she actually smile?"

"I'm sure there's one in there somewhere if you look hard enough."

Despite myself, a chuckle twisted my lips into a grin as I pictured the vampire queen with a toothy smile.

"It's nice to see you smile too, you know? I know things are rough and you have a lot to be upset about, but I hope we can find reasons for you to be happy too."

"I'll be happy once I'm out of Damien's crosshairs, which is why he's getting his room back."

"Perhaps, but we will discuss your sleeping situation further once I'm inside. Until then, no moving your things."

"Sure, sure," I mumbled before turning for the front of the large manor while he headed to the back.

I only managed to take a seat in the library before Everett joined me. A pair of scuffed work boots peeked out from beneath faded jeans. The straight legs of the pants were roomy at the ankles, but snug at the top of the calves and throughout the thick length of his thighs. He clothed his torso in a light linen shirt that he barely bothered to button. Only the middle few buttons managed to keep the shirt closed over his broad chest. The top few fell to the side to reveal his prominent collarbone, while the bottom few provided a glimpse of the smooth, muscular stomach beneath the waistband of his tight jeans. It'd been awhile since I took the time to look at Everett in full. It also occurred to me that my lengthy appreciation of his attire might have been noticed by more than myself. With a blush on my cheeks, I sent my eyes to his, only to find his stubbled cheeks creased by a pleased grin.

"You okay?" he asked with a raise of one bushy brow.

"Uh, yeah," I replied, swallowing down my unhelpful feelings and turning away from his firm torso. "Just tired."

"I hope not," he answered, stepping into the library and finding a seat across from me, "we have a busy afternoon ahead. I'm taking you around the neighborhood to meet some people and then there's pack dinner..."

"No, I'm moving my things into the den and remaining there for the rest of the day." The spark of indignation in my words burned away any lingering spell his body may have cast on me. I spun around to face him with my dignity and pride intact. Which sadly faltered by a hair when I saw how he rested his elbows on his knees and how his shirt drooped so that the wide expanse of his chest became painfully visible.

"You're not moving into the den," he continued with a shake of his head.

How helpful of him to keep giving me reasons to forget how good he looks.

"I get to have a say in what I will and won't do, and I'm moving to the den."

"You can't move into the den. It's too far from my bedroom and from Luc's. We can't protect you as efficiently if you are two floors below us."

"I don't need your protection."

"It is an Alpha's job to protect their mate with their life. The Alpha mate is arguably the most precious member of a pack."