Page 14 of Pack and Forth
This was a deep, soulful kiss. Their animals connected and lust immediately flared to life in her blood. Her body throbbed for a whole new reason. His hand brushed a stray lock of hair from Kira’s face.
“All right,” he said, his voice soft and low enough to make her body press into him. “But if you need anything, anything at all...call us. Me. Nash. Both. Either. It doesn’t matter. We’ll come. We will always come to you.”
Kira swallowed past the lump in her throat. “Thank you,” she whispered, managing a small, grateful smile. “I mean that.”
She slipped inside her apartment, closing the door behind her with a soft click. For a moment, she just leaned against it, her eyes closed as she tried to process everything that happened.
Then, with a sigh, she pushed herself off the door and headed for the bathroom. She needed a shower, needed to wash away the blood, sweat, and grime of the fight.
She let the hot water cascade over her aching muscles, the steam rising around her in a soothing cloud. She watched as the water swirled down the drain, pink with blood and dirt, and tried to let her mind go blank, tried to focus on nothing but the sensation of the water on her skin. That Jenna chick was going to be a problem. She could feel it.
She was just stepping out of the shower, a towel wrapped around her damp body, when a knock sounded at the door. Kira froze, her heart leaping into her throat. Who could it be at this hour? Rex and Nash had just left, and she wasn’t expecting anyone else.
Cautiously, she padded to the door, peering through the peephole. To her surprise, it was Nash, his face drawn and worried as he shifted from foot to foot.
She opened the door, her brow furrowed in confusion. “Nash? What are you doing here? I told you guys I was okay.”
He gave her a sheepish smile, holding up a bag of takeout. “I know you said you were fine, but...I just wanted to make sure.” He shrugged. “I thought maybe you could use some company, some comfort food, and a cheesy rom-com to take your mind off things.”
Kira felt a rush of warmth and affection flood through her chest. She should probably turn him away, should insist that she could take care of herself. But the truth was, she didn’t want to be alone. Nash’s sweet, kind personality was exactly what she needed to help her relax after what happened. If Rex were there, she might end up hurting herself more by getting down and dirty with him.
“Come on in,” she said, stepping back to let him enter. “ I hope you brought enough food for two. I’m starving.”
Nash grinned, his eyes sparkling with relief and happiness. “Oh, I brought plenty. And I even got your favorite - pad thai with extra peanuts.”
Kira laughed, shaking her head in amazement. “How did you know?”
He shrugged, his expression turning soft and tender. “I know a lot about you. We have made it our business to know the woman we hope will become our third. We want to know everything about you, Kira. The big things and the small things. The things that make you happy and the things that make you sad. We want to be there for you in every way that we can.”
Kira let out a breath, overwhelmed by the depth of emotion in his words. Other than her sister and mother, no one had ever cared about her like this or wanted to know her so completely.
“Thank you,” she whispered, her voice thick with emotion. “For being here, for...for everything. Was Rex angry when he left?”
Nash set the food and the movie on the coffee table, then pulled her into a warm, comforting hug. “No. We’re a team. We can sense what you need. Rex was too angry with Jenna to help you calm down. He had to go for a run to let out his anger. Plus, he was going to deal with the women.”
They settled onto the couch, the movie playing softly in the background as they dug into the food. For a while, they just ate in comfortable silence, both of them lost in their own thoughts.
Finally, Nash spoke, his voice gentle and curious. “Can I ask you something?”
Kira nodded, swallowing a mouthful of noodles. “Sure. What’s on your mind?”
He hesitated, seeming to choose his words carefully. “What was it like, growing up around humans? I mean, I know it must have been strange, finding out you were different from your sister, from everyone around you.”
Kira sighed, setting down her chopsticks as she considered his question. “It was...confusing,” she admitted, her gaze distant and thoughtful. “I always knew I was different, knew there was something inside me that I couldn’t quite explain. But I didn’t have the words for it, didn’t have anyone to guide me or teach me what it meant.”
Nash nodded, his expression sympathetic and understanding. “That must have been hard, feeling so alone in your own skin.”
Kira shrugged, a wry smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. “It was, but...it also made me stronger, in a way. It taught me to rely on myself, to trust my own instincts and intuition. And when I finally did learn what I was, when I finally learned how to shift...it was like a whole new world opened to me.”
Nash grinned, leaning back against the cushions. “I bet you were a terror as a cub, all that pent-up energy and curiosity.”
Kira laughed, the sound bright and carefree. “Oh, you have no idea. I was always getting into trouble, always picking fights, and sticking my nose where it didn’t belong. My mom used to joke that I had more lives than a cat, the way I kept landing on my feet no matter how many scrapes I got into.”
“So how did you learn to fight like that?” Nash asked, his brow furrowed in curiosity. “I mean, the way you took on those wolves tonight...that was impressive.”
Kira ducked her head, feeling a flush of pride and embarrassment warm her cheeks. “My mom put me in self-defense classes when I was a kid,” she explained, her voice soft and nostalgic. “She said if I was going to keep getting into trouble, I might as well learn how to handle myself. And I guess...I guess it just stuck with me. Gave me an outlet for all that restless energy, a way to channel it into something productive.”
Nash nodded, his expression thoughtful and admiring. “Your mom sounds like a smart woman. And a good one too.”