“But anyway, I guess for the time being I’m staying,” Miranda relented, much to my relief. “I don’t want to put Timothy in even more danger by being on the run with him. Me, I wouldn’t mind facing down that asshole, not that I would likely defeat him, but Timothy…I can’t let anything happen to my boy. So, I would rather be surrounded by you, Ivan, and Simon.”
“Simon?” I asked quickly, because I didn’t want to let this moment pass. We really did need to talk about Simon just so I could be sure where we all stood. “You and Simon…?”
Miranda bit down on her bottom lip coyly, a sight I was becoming way too familiar with, an image of her that I was head over heels in love with. “Yes, Simon and I slept together.”
A tight knot of jealousy coiled bloomed in my chest, so opposite to how I felt about Miranda being with Ivan. I couldn’t control the sadness I felt.
“One time, not long after I got here. I think we connected on many different levels, because a big one being we’re both wolf shifters. I was lost and vulnerable, and I think he was as well. Still reeling over his wife being killed and not quite finding his feet since that moment. It just happened, it was a heat of the moment thing.” She let out a little giggle. I couldn’t quite tell where she was going with this, and I felt like I couldn’t breathe until she finished explaining it all. “We’re just friends now, and both of us are happy about that. There isn’t any attraction there between us anymore. That’s what we were talking about in the park today.”
Relief washed over me in waves. Simon was just a friend of hers, and that was honestly incredible. Clearly, he cared about her a lot and wanted to protect her, and she really needed a friend in her life. but the fact that there wasn’t a romantic threat there made me feel safe in my relationship with Miranda.
“And you and me?” I asked with a twinkle in my eyes. “What about us?”
Miranda slipped her hand into mine and laced her fingers together. “You and me…there is so much more there. The feelings are intense. Overwhelming, almost. I don’t want you and me to be just friends at all. But…but the same goes for Ivan. I know that’s insane, and maybe I should be able to contain my feelings, but that isn’t the way. I want you both.” Her cheeks burned red as she looked to the floor. She was embarrassed, and that was just adorable. There was nothing for her to be humiliated about here.
“Ivan and I want the same thing. You know that, right?” Thankfully those words were enough to bring her gaze up to meet mine once more. “We adore you and Timothy. It might not be a typical family, but we want to be a family with you.”
“You have talked to Ivan about this?”
I shook my head. “I don’t need to. I know my twin brother, and I know exactly what he wants. I see the way he looks at you, and it’s the same way I do. We want you.”
Miranda kissed my hand, and love for her surged through me. I honestly didn’t know it was possible to feel this way, to have this intense love. I was addicted to it and I never wanted to let it go. I never wanted to let her go. Ever.
* * *
“So,what do you want to do first?” Miranda asked me when we finally stepped out of the hospital and into the sunshine. It might have only been a few days, but it was so torturous it felt like a life time. “You haven’t exactly been locked away, but I bet it feels good to be free. To be able to move around and stuff. I can only imagine how much you want to do.”
I turned to smile at her, the glorious feeling of being able to go wherever I wanted washing over me. “I want to take a run, but as a bear. I want to shift. Is that okay?”
Miranda nodded eagerly. “I don’t shift very often, I don’t ever really have a reason to do so, and I guess deep down I kinda knew Brady hated it, but I would like to shift with you. It’s been a very long time, but I could go for a run as well.”
“Really?” I could feel myself lighting up. “Then let’s do it.”
She held out her hand to me and I took it as we headed toward the park. I couldn’t get enough of the idea of getting to see Miranda’s wolf. It was one of the things that was still mysterious to me, and now I was lucky enough to get a chance.
We got to the park and I stepped back to witness the woman who had my heart beating fast shifting into the animal within her. I was in awe of her. Light fur, matching her hair, covered her lean and strong, absolutely beautiful body. I couldn’t stop myself from smiling as I witnessed those piercing eyes of hers in animal form. Miranda was playful, I could feel it, which was amazing considering everything that was going on around us. All the danger, all the horror, and she was still able to be in a good mood.
I couldn’t wait to let my bear free, and once I did, we started to run through the grass, giving in to our animal instincts. It felt absolutely amazing. Thank God we could have this beautiful moment together.
I didn’t know how many other beautiful moments we would get together before we had to face off with Brady, but I was going to savor every second of this while I could.
Miranda and I acted like cubs, playing around in the park, and it was honestly better than the medicine they gave me in the hospital. Perhaps that was what love was supposed to do, bring joy in even the hardest of times.
If so, then I was all for it.