Page 29 of Call of A Eagle
A sense of relief washed over me, and I felt myself relax. Not only did I not want him to leave after what we’d just done—my owl didn’t either—but I also didn’t want to be alone tonight in case Xander came back.
“Good, that way we can talk to Granny in the morning about Maribel,” I said, hoping he thought that was why I’d asked him to stay.
I didn’t want to say I was scared because that made me sound weak, and being weak wasn’t something I was.
“Sounds like a plan, but I’d stay even if that wasn’t on the table. You’re mine. I chose you.” He pulled his jeans on and stepped closer, erasing the distance between us, and tucked a stray strand of hair behind my ear. “Getting rid of me now is going to be a problem.”
“It’s not a problem at all,” I whispered, lifting to the tips of my toes and kissing him.
After we were dressed, we headed back inside the cabin, and I grabbed him a glass of water from the kitchen. Granny was still sound asleep on the couch, her soft breathing filling the quiet space. After a brief glance her way, I led Waylen to my room, closing the door gently behind us.
In the privacy of my room, exhaustion finally set in.
“What side of the bed do you normally sleep on?” I asked around a yawn.
“I don’t have a preference,” he said, setting the glass of water on my nightstand. “What about you?”
“I guess this side.” I pointed to the right side of the bed, barely suppressing another yawn. “Are you tired?”
“Beat,” he said, his voice low.
“Me too.”
My body felt heavy, every muscle aching with the weight of the day and the moment in his truck we’d shared. I stretched, but it did little to ease the tightness in my shoulders.
“Ready for bed?” he asked.
I nodded. “Yes.”
We undressed slowly; there was no urgency, no rush. This time it wasn’t about the heat between us, it was about the quiet connection and the comfort in being together. The moment I sat down on the edge of the bed, it felt like I could sink into the mattress and never get up again. My eyelids drooped, and even the simple act of pulling back the covers felt like it took every ounce of strength I had left.
Slipping beneath the covers, Waylen pulled me flush against his warm body and draped his arm over my hip. There was nothing sexual about it, his touch brought only comfort to me. Comfort that I relished.
“Thank you for staying,” I whispered.
“There’s nowhere else I’d rather be,” he murmured, giving my hip a gentle squeeze.
As I drifted off, a small smile tugged at the corners of my lips because this felt nice.
It felt right.
Waylen felt like home.
10
WAYLEN
Istirred in bed and reached out for Lyra but found the space beside me empty and cool to the touch. My eyes snapped open. The sun was already up, and the smell of coffee hung in the air.
Sliding out of bed, I dressed and made my way to the bedroom door. My ribs were still tender—a reminder of last night’s fight with Xander’s raven. My side, where he’d pecked me relentlessly, throbbed, but I was healing fast. Thanks to my shifter abilities. In a few days, it would be like the whole thing had never happened.
As I stepped out into the hall, soft voices drifted from the kitchen. I made my way there.
Lyra and Alma stood by the coffeepot when I entered the room, but their conversation halted the moment they heard me approach. Alma’s gaze seemed to size me up, while Lyra’s softened as soon as she saw me.
My heart skipped a beat just looking at her.
“Morning,” she said, a smile pulling at her lips. “Coffee?”