Cian moved behind me but didn’t say anything, and the gentle but heavy pressure of his hands landing on my shoulders as I felt him give me a gentle squeeze of reassurance made me feel like things could be okay as long as we gave them a chance.
Odhran didn’t say anything, but he did give me a slight nod, and I had a feeling that for a man like him, it was his way of accepting my sympathy and showing his gratitude. Finally he cleared his throat and rested fully back in the chair, looking over at where Cian stood.
“Left last night,” he said and let those words hang between us, and I felt my face heat because I knew why he’d left. Things got loud. “Figured ye’d want privacy,” he added as if this wasn’t the most humiliating thing to ever talk about. “Contacted Adryan, and I went over tae the other property he was at, started early, looking over all he has on the Assembly.”
Cian sat in the seat beside me, his focus wholly on Odhran. “Did ye find anything out?” I knew he was referring to his mate, but when Odhran shook his head sharply, I felt my chest crumble a little more for him.
“I came back tae shower and change, and then I’m going tae head back and search more.”
All of us were silent after that, but I could see Cian’s mind working over all the information.
Odhran ran a hand over his jaw and closed his eyes for a moment, breathing out almost warily. “I donna think I’m going tae find anything useful.” God, he sounded so defeated, but there was still a fire in his voice. “But I have tae keep looking. I have tae keep trying.” He opened his eyes, and I wished things could’ve been different. For him. For me and Cian. For everyone in danger.
“I’ll come back before sunset. Ye should be there with Adryan tae go over all the information. But I’ll stay here tae make sure yer mate is safe.”
I looked between the two men, feeling confused. “I thought Adryan said the house was protected?” Not that I wanted to be here alone anyway, but if they had stuff to figure out, a way to work through this and end it, I didn’t need nor want anyone babysitting.
“I would no’ fooking trust Adryan to pick up my dry cleaning, let alone protect the most precious thing tae me,” Cian said as he stared at me, that look of wonder on his face so heavy I felt it wash over me. “I’d feel better taking ye with me, but in this, Adryan is correct, as much as I hate admitting it. It’s safer having ye here, protected with wards to keep others from finding ye, lass. I will no’ be long, but we need tae figure out how tae end this, and the sooner it’s done, the sooner we can start…”
I held my breath, waiting for what he was about to say.
He leaned in, and in a low, deep voice, he finished, “…The sooner I can start building a proper life with my mate and spoiling her.”
I felt like my smile was so stupidly happy spread across my face, and I didn’t even care if we had an audience. I was ready for this, I realized. I was ready to finally do something profound that made me happy. And that was creating this crazy—but wonderful—life with Cian.
“I suggested Adryan come here tae go over everything,” Odhran said, and when I looked at him, his expression gave nothing away. There was no judgment that we were creating too much PDA for the likes of him. “But he said, and I quote, ‘I’m no’ hauling my shit and soldiers over there just tae put a couple of Lycans at ease because they have a weak human female in their midst.’”
Cian growled, low and menacing. “She’s no’ weak. I’ll kill him for saying that.” Cian looked at me and reached out to stroke his finger along my cheek.
“No killing necessary.” I shook my head and smiled that something as simple as Adryan calling me a weak human female could rile him up so much. I had a lot to learn about shifters in general, but I felt like learning everything that made my mate tick was at the top of that list, especially if he could easily kill someone for just insulting me.
This was proving to be a very interesting journey, to say the least.
20
Evelyn
I lay on the couch with my head on Cian’s lap, my legs stretched out on the cushions and a book in my lap. I was having a hard time concentrating on the words though, not with the way Cian was playing with my hair. He ran his thick fingers through the strands slowly.