I nodded; my mouth gone too dry to speak while other places got very wet.
“And you will give me my son. No more waiting for the right time. This is the right time.”
“I'll need some Frankincense oil to remove the birth-control spell,” I said calmly.
The Wolf's eyes widened in surprise and his grin went feral as he released me. He strode to the coffee table—a cross-section of a massive tree trunk—and picked up a bottle. It had been set on a silver tray beneath the watchful eyes of a crystal wolf; such a tiny thing that I hadn't noticed it. He brought the bottle over to me; it was Frankincense.
A small huff of sound came out of me. “You thought of everything.”
“I have been preparing,” he said.
The look he gave me reminded me of what Fenrir had said; that the Wolf was cunning. Devious, even. Maybe Fenrir hadn't lied to rile me up and lower my defenses but had told me the truth in the way of wolves; without nuance or refinement. I had to know just how far Fenrir had gone to help his son. Was it just a push in the right direction and a new entrance to the Aether in his territory or was it more?
“Fenrir set this up, didn't he?” I asked as I took the bottle. “Did he have someone waiting at Moonshine to help you grab me if the others happened to come along? Was he there to pick up the rings you tossed aside? Did he give you this?” I lifted the oil.
“This is my plan,” the Wolf said proudly. “My father merely agreed to it. But don't worry; Ty has your precious rings. When the others show up—as I'm sure they will—he will tell them that you're safe and that if they want us both to return, they will leave us be.”
I stared at him a moment; letting it all sink in. How unhappy had he been that he was willing to go to such elaborate lengths to change his circumstances? When had we lost the ability to just speak our minds and our hearts to each other? Trevor and I had nearly broken up once because of something that happened with Anubis. He had immediately told me exactly what he felt and exactly where I could shove it. It had been a horrible time, but because of it, I'd always trusted Trevor to speak his mind. When had he stopped? When had I stopped noticing?
I lifted the hem of my dress. The Wolf's stare shot to the skin I exposed as if it had been spotlighted. He took in every inch of flesh as it was revealed. The leather was snug but not enough to impede me. I bunched it beneath my breasts; revealing my black lace panties and my bare belly. The Wolf's breathing quickened. His head lowered and his eyes narrowed. I opened the bottle of Frankincense oil and its rich scent drifted between us as I poured some into my hand. His nose twitched as he caught the fragrance. I rubbed the oil into my belly with the intent to return my fertility.
“Release the bonds on my body; the wards on my womb,” I chanted.
So simple, and yet so powerful. A slight tingle told me that the spell was lifted. I recapped the bottle and shimmied my dress back into place.
The Wolf breathed deeply and smiled with satisfaction. I knew what he sensed; the wolf in me was responding to it as well. It happens on human birth-control; after being restrained for so long, a woman's body will become more fertile. They always warn women that they're the most fertile right after they get off the pill. In fact, if you're having trouble conceiving, some doctors will recommend going on it for a month. The Wolf didn't know all of that, but he could sense that what had once been fallow was now fertile.
“We will stay here until you are with child,” the Wolf said as he stalked forward. “When you carry my babe, I will be satisfied.”
“Agreed,” I whispered.
The Wolf closed his eyes and shuddered. For a brief moment, I saw the man behind the beast. He was joyous and that cut me even deeper. All of those arguments about who's child would be next. I had waved them off as silly, but Trevor had needed me to take his side. To say that he'd been wronged and it was time that I give him the respect he deserved. The child he deserved.
“I was blind and foolish,” I said in a stronger voice. “I never wanted to hurt you or make you feel less important than you are. I can't live without you, Honey-Eyes. Will you forgive me?”
The Wolf clenched his fists as well as his jaw as a powerful emotion ran through him. His throat worked as he swallowed roughly. Abruptly, he closed the distance between us; clasping me to his chest so tightly that I could feel our hearts beating in my breasts.
“I forgive you,” he whispered into my hair. “Of course, I forgive you. My heart was given too long ago. No matter how I rage, I cannot take it back. You are my world, Mate. Without you, everything turns to dust.”
“I'm sorry that I let your needs go unnoticed.” I slid my hand up his chest and to his throat; laying it against his pulse. “I won't let that happen again.”
Another sudden movement and his lips covered mine. It was a tender kiss but with a wild undertone. I could feel his muscles twitching, his hands tightening, and his sex pushing against mine. Still, his lips were soft and his tongue languorous. He
