Chapter 5
Maya
The moment I woke upon Wednesday morning, I found I’d not only slept soundly but dreamless. Leaving me feeling absolutely refreshed. It was barely dawn when I slipped from between Ledger and Atlas.
Looking over their two handsome faces, I saw that they looked exhausted. I felt bad because I knew this past week and a half hadn’t been easy on anyone. Especially since they’d been living somewhat normal lives until I came along.
I swallowed trying to put down the insecurity that I was, in some way, a burden. My mates had assured me that was far from the case and I didn’t want to essentially tell them they were liars. I had to believe them because if not, I was left with the concept that maybe I was a problem...aburden.
Shaking the thought, I washed my face and teeth before braiding my hair into two long lengths. The silence was odd but also relaxing in a way. I’d hated the silence in the basement and not that I loved it now, but a moment to myself to think everything over was sort of nice. I felt like I was learning and adapting to so much as things were thrown at me left and right.
Outside, the air looked chilly with rain so I pulled on leggings, a large sweater and socks before padding down the stairs with Bella curled up in my arms. I realized that the food section would have to stay empty in her little house until she could eat dry cat food.
A smile formed on my face as I realized there were new little cat beds through the masculine house in different light colors. Even in the kitchen, there was one tucked next to the large island. I placed her on top of the marble and found a stack of cans, opening one and spreading it out on a plate. Instantly she was eating and I watched her patiently.
Briefly, I wondered if Croy was up yet but I didn’t want to go knock on his door if he was sleeping. Besides, we probably wouldn’t have time to really practice because I had school in a few hours.
“I know,” I told Bella, “I need to tell them I don’t want to go anymore.” Bella looked up from eating briefly before looking back down.
“Sugar?” Croy’s voice was bright and awake as the back door closed, revealing a soaked, shirtless, Croy. My eyes widened at how freakin’ hot he looked. His eyes darkened slightly as he arched a brow at my lack of response.
“Hey,” I squeaked out as a small smirk formed on his lips, his massive form rounding the island to come to stand in front of me, his arms resting on the marble behind me. Caging me in against his wet muscular body, his hair falling in his eyes slightly highlighting how green they were.
“What are you doing up?” His voice was rough and had a bit of a growl to it.
“Feeding Bella,” I explained as my hand, without my permission, came to run over his chest as he let out a low rumble. I felt my eyes widen at his very apparent hardness against my stomach.
Oh, man. He was huge! What did you even do with a dick like that? No really? I needed to know. Asking for a friend. Not really. Maybe I needed to go back to that internet website I accidentally came across. You know, the one with the ‘friends sleeping together’ thing? Yeah. They totally hadn’t been sleeping. “What about you?”
“Went on a run,” His accent thickened as his lips pressed against my jaw causing me to grip him just slightly before he pulled away, turning towards the living room.
“Where are you going?” I asked curiously.
“To shower,” He teased, “want to join?”
Sort of.
“I...” I had no idea what to say which made him smile more.
“How about this,” he offered stepping back, “I go get ready and then I explain some of this nonsense to you?”
I really liked Croy. Likereallyliked him. He always smoothed right over any embarrassment or awkwardness I felt. I nodded quickly and he winked leaving me feeling red-faced again before he went upstairs. My eyes went to Bella who was sitting and staring at me.
“I know,” I muttered, “I need to learn how they do those stupid winks and smiles, then they’ll be the ones that are blushing.”
Bella meowed in agreeance as I cleaned up and made some coffee, trying to make it the same as Atlas’s before sitting at the counter. Bella curled up in the bed between the living room and kitchen. I drank my coffee thinking about accepting the reality that I could be a shifter. That Iwasa shifter.
I could change into an animal. Was that hard to believe? Maybe not. It didn’t seem odd to me that the boys could, so why should it be weird for me? That fluttering sensation in the center of my chest had me finding it far easier to believe.
Croy came downstairs only a moment later, carrying a laptop and several books, easily placing them down on the counter. I looked over the warm sweater he was wearing and jeans, his tan bare feet somehow appealing to me. He looked so relaxed as he pulled out the seat next to me, after making a cup of coffee.
“Alright,” he groaned, stretching his arms, “where do you want to start.”
I blinked because that’s a loaded question. I nibbled my lip, “Um. What’s a realm? Like the Dreki one the boys keep mentioning.”
Croy’s eyes lit up and that was when I realized how much Croy enjoyed teaching. I could see the enthusiasm he had for knowledge and my entire body softened to think that this amazing man was my mate. I was so glad that I had someone like him in my life, despite all of this being unexpected.
“So the mythos of our universe isn’t fairly complicated, despite differences in religion and culture within the realm. There is an apparent Cosmos god that created our universe and the many different realms that exist.” His large hand held a pen as he pulled out a notepad from the drawer. “Earth is the center of the many different realms. Not physically but in terms of the ability to portal in and out of realms. There are powerful individuals that don’t need portals, but even opening a portal takes a heavy amount of magic.”