“Because I'm a dud.”
“A dud?” Uriah seethed, his eyes starting to go full-on bear, his temperature spiked, and she felt the stretch of his muscles as they expanded in preparation to shift.
Despite being unbelievably flattered by his outrage, Ivy hustled to try and soothe him. “It would be like two shifters who were paired up by their parents for the purpose of continuing the species, only one of them could shift, and the other one couldn't.”
“That is absolute bullshit! Shifters who can't shift into their animal form can still have babies that shift!”
Ivy hadn't known that little factoid. “Okay, bad example. What I was trying to get at, is it doesn't work that way with witches.”
“Well, fuck those assholes and their stupid ritual! You are absolutely perfect just the way you are, and not being able to do magic doesn't change that by one iota. If some potion-tossing, wand-waving, limp-dick sonofabitch shows up here and has the balls to call my mate a dud, he'll be reincarnated as bear shit.”
Somehow, with that one furious declaration, years of carrying heavy chains of self-loathing and feelings of complete inadequacy fell away. Ivy felt so light, it was a wonder she didn't levitate right out of his arms.
A giggle worked its way out of her, and soon she laughed so hard she cried tears of mirth, which was why it took a hot minute for the enormity of what Uriah had let slip, penetrate the haze of hilarity.
“You think I'm joking?” Uriah challenged, still fired up about something that to Ivy was old news.
She sighed and shook her head, wondering what the girls were going to think about all this. “No, I don't. Do shifters typically mate with witches?”
He settled down with a final grumble, the fury of the bear easing out of his expression, replaced by something much softer. “It's rare, but not unheard of.”
Ivy stroked her fingers through the soft hair at his nape, staring into his eyes, wondering how this could possibly be real. It felt real.
From the clench of Uriah's arms around her, to the heat of his skin and the hardness pressed between her spread thighs, it felt very real.
“You built my dream house.” She couldn't stop saying it, still struggling to actually believe it, and his entire demeanor changed.
A different sort of heat flared in his gaze, the deeply satisfying smugness returned to his smile, and the rumble his bear made was most definitely amorous. “You're my mate, Ivy Greene. I'm gonna make all your dreams come true.”
Ivy lifted her lips to his, intending to tell him about some of the dreams he'd starred in and how interested she was in seeing those become reality, when her damn stomach acted up and loudly announced the need to be filled.
“Right after I feed you,” Uriah told her, in a tone that was disappointingly firm.
*****
After Uriah watched Ivy yawn for the third time, he got up and cleared their empty dishes. “I think someone needs a nap.”
His beautiful mate groaned, stretching as she stood up, smacking her lips while she rubbed her belly. “I'm sorry, I didn't sleep much last night, and after that feast, I might as well be a slug.”
Hadn't slept? No wonder there were dark circles under her eyes. He dropped the dishes in the sink, figuring he'd bother with them later. Part of him was honestly surprised she was still here. That she'd listened to him completely fuck up his explanation about having stalked her for two years and not run from him as fast as she could. That she seemed to accept she was his mate without any protests or fear, truly made him one lucky bastard.
“Don't apologize,” he soothed, giving his hands a wipe before gathering her into his arms and carrying her to what would soon be their bed. She snuggled into his hold, as sleepy and trusting as a cub. “I want you in my bed any way I can get you there.”
He felt her smile, and by the time he made it to the top of the stairs, she was out. When Uriah carefully settled her on the bed and tucked her under the covers, she rolled over and curled herself around his favorite pillow, nuzzling it like it was his chest.
Her golden hair fanned out across the crisp white sheets, a happy little smile quirked at the corner of her lips. Uriah stood there for so long, rubbing the heel of his hand against his sternum while his heart ached with happiness, he couldn’t be sure how much time had passed.
He could have stared at Ivy all day, but the loud chime of his phone sent him hustling to silence it before the noise disturbed her. Uriah checked the text before turning his phone off, wincing to see Rowena's name on the ID.
Kerrigan just informed me you've staked a claim on our sister.
“Fuck,” he hissed. From the text alone, he was unsure whether or not Rowena approved. Ivy was his, but Rowena was her coven leader. She could make problems for them, and Ivy would be stuck with a terrible decision.
I've told my mate what she is to me and apologized for being a dumbass. All this time, I thought she was human.
Rowena replied immediately. Bet that didn't sit too well with your bear.
“Understatement there,” Uriah muttered darkly. Not at all.
Ivy is very special to us. There isn't anything the others, and I wouldn't do to protect her.
Despite not always having had favorable feelings toward witches in general, Uriah liked Rowena, and it thrilled him to be threatened by the alpha of Ivy's pack.
He couldn't say why, other than if Rowena hated his guts, she wouldn't give him any warnings. She'd just rip his hide off and use it as an entryway rug.
She's special to me too. Ivy said she didn't sleep much last night, so after we had breakfast, I put her to bed. I'll make sure she calls once she wakes up.
Rowena sent a smiley face. I trust she's in good hands. Enjoy your first few nights together in peace. Some of her things will arrive later; you won't be disturbed.
“If shit magically pops up in my house, I'll be disturbed,” Uriah huffed, but then again, having Ivy's things here not only meant Rowena approved, but also increased the chances of Ivy opting never to leave. He was not going to make a fuss about that.
Works for me.
Be gentle with her, Uriah. She's not like the rest of us.
He looked up from his phone and over at where Ivy lay snuggled under the blankets in his bed, glad she wasn't like the rest of them. If she were, she'd have been paired up with someone else who would never love her the way he could.
It doesn't matter if she's like the rest of you or not. She's mine. That's all I care about.
Good answer. See you later.
He turned his phone off after shooting off a group text to his work crew to let them know he'd be out for at least three days, not wanting to be disturbed by anyone else, and stood there to watch Ivy sleep.
To see the little lump she made in his huge bed was his dream come true. He had a few more dreams he wanted to see become reality, but he could be patient.
It took some effort, but Uriah tore himself away and went downstairs to deal with the dishes. He made it all the way to the bottom of the stairs before the scent of cream and dish soap reached his nose.
It only took a turn of the head to see there was no one in his house, yet in the time it had taken him to get Ivy settled and have a conversation with Rowena, the dishes were done and put away, the mess he'd made with the waffle batter cleaned up, and a big green duffel was sitting on the kitchen counter with Ivy's name embroidered on the front.