Page 55 of Bound to the Wolf
As if summoned by her grumbling, her phone rang. Elise’s number came up. “How are you doing?” the young healer asked.
“Oh my god, you sound like I have cancer,” Delainey grumbled. “I’m sorry that I’m living in your little love shack.”
Elise choked. “That’s not why I called,” she protested.
“Uh-huh. I’m sure it’s definitely not wearing on you and Nico after you finally were supposed to have your private space.”
“Get over yourselves,” said Elise. “I don’t even know why I try and help you.”
“Because you love me,” Delainey responded.
She could practically hear Elise roll her eyes. “Have you killed him yet?” Elise joked, and that wiped the smile off Delainey’s face.
She hadn’t thought much about it, but if this tether was connected to the manacles that had bound them together, then they still had that option to escape each other, not that she was going to mention it to Reece.
At this point, she was almost certain he would not kill her to escape her, and she wasn’t about to kill him. Neither of them deserved that, and murder was wrong, even if it would get them out of an awkward situation.
But she remembered the way the life force had begun to drain out of Reece during the ritual, the way her heart had nearly cracked in two at seeing it, and the way she had responded.
“No, I haven’t killed him yet.” Delainey aimed for sounding normal, joking even, and wasn’t sure she succeeded. “He’s been in his werewolf form most of the time.”
“Really?” Elise said. “That’s weird.”
“Is it?” She didn’t know much about werewolves, and Elise was the closest thing they had to an expert at the moment, given that she spent half her time with Nico these days. But none of them really knew what it was like to be a shifter.
“I would think some people spend more time than others in their wolf form,” Delainey mused.
“I guess.”
“Okay, he’s avoiding me,” she admitted. “He’s being weird about it. I’d get it if he wanted a little privacy, but all the time? He’s even sleeping outside.”
“Maybe it’s more comfortable than the couch,” said Elise. “Or did you want to share the bed with him?”
“No.”
It came out quickly. Too quickly, Delainey knew, but what else could she say?
She had spent one terrible, wonderful night in bed with Reece, and that had almost led to disaster. Out here no onewould interrupt them if they started making out, if she got her hand on his cock again.
She had to remember that before she did something very stupid.
Elise didn’t pick up on any of Delainey’s anguish. “I was talking to Emerson.”
Delainey groaned. “What?”
“He’s an incredibly skilled witch, and it’s not like we can hide this from him.”
“I know,” said Delainey. A headache was forming at the back of her head. She massaged her temples. “What did Emerson say?”
“He suggested we take this to Wallace Grove, see if they have something in their books that might give us a direction to go in.”
“No.” Delainey was firm.
“We might have to,” Elise insisted.
“It’s only been a week, and we’re trying our best. Let me come to the house and help.” It would mean bringing Reece with her, but he could sit and watch TV while she went into the basement and worked.
“Haven’t you gone through the books we brought over? I don’t know that working over here is such a good idea.”
