Witch in wolf's clothing - Namaari

Chapter 51: Mate Stuff

Namaari steps into the shower, her back turned to us, her shoulders tense but still defiant. I can’t help but feel a mix of relief and frustration. I want to protect her, but she’s making it so damn hard.

She turns the shower on, the steam quickly filling the room. As the water pours down her back, washing away the blood and grime, I say, “I’m worried, Namaari. A lot of those wounds haven’t healed properly because of the poison.”

“I’m still alive, aren’t I? No need to panic. Besides, you should see the other guys.” She glances over her shoulder, giving us a cheeky wink before she turns back, letting the water wash over her.

The room is silent except for the sound of the water. Kaynim finally breaks the silence, his voice low and serious. “You’re making jokes, Princess, but you left without a solid plan. It could have ended much worse. You’re injured… but you could have been dead.”

At his words, Namaari spins around, a defiant look on her face. “So, looks like we're going to argue after all.”

The tension in the room spikes as she stands there, drenched from the shower, and despite the situation, she looks f*****g hot. I feel my wolf bristle with a mix of protective instinct and desire. “Damn, dude, keep your head cool and your d**k under control,” I think to myself, “this is not the moment to be lusting after her.”

Beside me, both Tazzym and Kaynim growl softly, their eyes darkening as they take in the sight of her, unable to hide their appreciation of her stunning appearance. They are struggling just as much as I am.

Namaari shuts off the water, stepping out of the shower. Without hesitation, she walks straight up to Kaynim, her long wet hair clinging to her face and t**s. “I went to find Ezekiel because he’s my friend. That’s what you do for friends, Alpha Kaynim. You go through fire without a plan if that’s what it takes to find them. And I’m glad I heard he was missing, because you never would have told me. Not even my own mates.” She turns her gaze to me and Tazzym, and I feel a sting of guilt.

She looks back at Kaynim, her eyes filled with disappointment. “You might be angry that I left without a plan, but I’m just as disappointed in all of you.”

Namaari grabs a towel and wraps it around herself. “And now, I just want to sleep.” Tazzym grins at her, but she quickly says, fighting a smile, “Alone, Tazzym. I actually want to get some rest tonight.”

Tazzym pouts. “Oh, alright.”

Namaari continues, “Tomorrow, we’ll discuss how to handle the Duneshadow pack, and then we’ll figure out a plan to find Ezekiel. He can’t be dead. His body wasn’t among the warriors, so he can’t be…” She trails off, a deep sigh escaping her lips.

I step forward, touching her shoulder gently. “Okay, sweetheart. We’ll talk tomorrow and plan everything out together.” I lean in, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead. “Sleep well. And if you need anything, come get one of us.”

Tazzym gives her a quick kiss as well, adding, “Yeah, beautiful, come get me. Even if it’s for nothing,” he says with a wink. This time, Namaari can’t hold back her smile.

She finally looks at Kaynim. He gives a curt nod. “Goodnight, Princess. Rest well. We’ll see you in the morning.”

Namaari’s POV

Inside my room, I slip into bed, feeling the weight of the past few days finally catching up with me. Zephyr curls up beside me, nuzzling against my cheek. “I was so worried about you,” he murmurs softly, his voice filled with relief and warmth. “I’m glad you’re back with me.”

I smile, my eyes already starting to close as I whisper back, “Goodnight, Zeph.” His comforting presence beside me eases my mind, and exhaustion quickly takes over, pulling me into a deep, restful sleep.

***

I feel like I’ve been sleeping for an eternity. My body is heavy with exhaustion, my mind drifting somewhere between consciousness and sleep. Suddenly, I feel the blankets being pulled off me, and I murmur sleepily, “Zeph, what are you doing with the blankets? Put them back on me.”

But instead of the comforting warmth of my blankets, I feel hands grab my legs, rolling me onto my stomach. I snap awake, screaming, “What the f—!”

Looking over my shoulder, I see Kaynim sitting on my legs, a determined expression on his face. “What do you think you’re doing?” I demand, my voice sharp with surprise and a bit of anger.

“Hold still,” Kaynim commands, his voice firm but calm. “I need to give you an injection to help get the poison out of your system so your wounds can fully heal.”

I try to push myself up, but he presses me back down, his body hovering over mine as he whispers in my ear, “I said hold still, Princess. It’ll be over in a second.”

His hand glides over my thigh and up my leg, lifting my nightdress slightly, exposing my bare ass. His touch lingers, maybe a little too long, over one of my ass cheeks. A warm flush is rising to my face, tingles spreading across my skin wherever he touches me. The sensation is oddly nice, but there’s no way I’m letting him know that.

Trying to distract myself, I say, “Shouldn’t a doctor be the one giving me an injection? Are you even qualified to do this?”

Before I can protest further, I feel a sharp prick in my buttock as Kaynim slowly injects the antidote. I turn my head slightly, murmuring, “Could have warned me.”

Kaynim smirks, his voice full of teasing as he replies, “I told you twice to hold still. And yes, normally a doctor would do this, but I’m perfectly capable. See? Not so hard.”

As he finishes the injection, I sit up on my knees, Kaynim still behind me. He takes hold of my arms and leans close, growling softly in my ear, “Besides, I didn’t want the doctor seeing your body like this.”

He stands up, leaving me feeling momentarily flustered, a mix of emotions swirling inside me. I catch sight of a smug expression on his face, but I quickly recover and can't help but respond with a teasing edge to my voice. “Oh, so protective, aren’t you? I’m sure the doctor would have been professional about it. But if you’re offering to be my personal nurse, I might just have to take you up on that.”

Kaynim’s eyes sparkle with mischief as he grins. “Well, considering I’m your mate, I guess it makes sense that I’d be the one to take care of you. Besides, someone has to make sure you’re taken care of properly.”

I raise an eyebrow, teasingly, “Oh, so now I’m your mate and your all in on the mate stuff, huh?”

At that, Kaynim’s smirk falters as his cheeks flush a light pink.

I laugh, shaking my head as I get up from the bed. “Alright, enough of the flirtation. I’m going to get dressed and then we can discuss the Duneshadow pack.”

As I stand there, thinking about what to wear, Kaynim suddenly says, “We’ve already discussed it.”

I freeze, confusion written all over my face. “Uh, when? Without me?”

Kaynim scratches his head, looking sheepish. “You were so exhausted, and, well, we decided to let you sleep. We’ve already had a meeting with Alpha Reed and Alpha Flint. It’s three in the afternoon already.”

My mouth falls open in disbelief as I notice the sunlight streaming into my room. “You’ve got to be kidding me. Great, I’m once again left out. Thanks a lot, Alpha Kaynim.”

Kaynim throws his hands up in the air, a mock look of exasperation on his face. “Wow, back to how it was. I’m out of here. Ask Tazzym or Zyméo for the details of the plan.”

“I will!” I call after him as he slams the door behind him.

I let out a frustrated sigh and plop back onto the bed. Zephyr, lounging comfortably in a nearby chair, lifts his head and looks at me with a mischievous glint in his eye. “You and Kaynim are quite the pair, you know. It’s like you’re both smitten but just refuse to admit it.”

I groan, burying my face in my hands. “Oh, save me from the sage advice.”

Zephyr chuckles softly, clearly enjoying the drama of the situation. “Well, someone’s got to call it like it is.”

I sit up, shaking my head with a small smile despite my irritation. “Alright, alright, I get it. I’ll deal with this later. For now, let me just try to sort through all this s**t with the Duneshadow pack.”

Zephyr stretches out comfortably again, content to watch as I get myself together. After a moment, he tilts his head slightly and asks, “By the way, don’t you think you should call your family and tell them what happened this weekend?”

I scoff, rolling my eyes. “Wow, you’d think you really miss the Moonstone pack. You know as well as I do that if I call them now, I’ll be ordered back immediately. Besides, I’m fine. I’m almost completely healed.” I mutter under my breath, “Thanks to Kaynim.”

Zephyr laughs, his small shoulders shaking with amusement. “Hey, I do miss the Moonstone pack a bit, but honestly, I like it here at Silvermist. I could see myself living here permanently.”

I chuckle, raising an eyebrow at him. “Oh really? Already hearing wedding bells, huh?”

“Yes, I do,” Zephyr replies with a cheeky grin.

Two days pass in a blur of preparation and recovery. The plan to take down the Duneshadow pack has been meticulously laid out, every detail carefully considered. By now, my wounds have fully healed, leaving only faint scars as reminders of my recent ordeal. My friends, too, are back to their old selves, their injuries now just distant memories.

Beta River has almost fully recovered as well. Despite his readiness to return to the field, he won't be joining us for the attack on Duneshadow. Someone has to stay behind to lead and protect the pack while the Alphas are away, and River is more than capable of handling that responsibility.

I haven’t had a chance to speak to River alone about what he knows—that I am a witch, a secret only he holds in this pack. But from what I can tell, he isn’t making a big deal out of it. In the few moments I've seen him with the triplets, he’s been nothing but kind to me, expressing gratitude for saving his life. He’s even taken the opportunity to remind his Alpha’s just how fierce a mate they have, suggesting they should trust my strength and self-reliance more.

Initially, I had planned to let the triplets stew in their guilt for a while longer for not involving me in their initial planning, but my resolve quickly crumbled. Tazzym and Zyméo have been particularly relentless, using every opportunity they can find to steal moments alone with me, kissing and f*****g me hard and passionate in the kitchen, the living room, my bedroom, or even theirs… Monday night, I ended up in Tazzym's bed, and by Tuesday night, I found myself in Zyméo's.

Kaynim, on the other hand, has been a different story. I’ve barely seen him these past two days, his time consumed with coordinating the assault on Duneshadow. He’s been entirely focused on the mission, making sure every detail is perfect, leaving little room for anything—or anyone—else. And I can't help but miss his close presence, even his bossy comments.