That house
923 Words
*Chase*
From the corner of my eye, I watch my Luna scurry toward the front of the house. I'm having a hell of a time keeping my mind focused on the task at hand, building Wade’s house.
I keep finding my thoughts drifting toward my mate. It hadn’t helped that during the week she laundered my clothes and when I began to sweat earlier, her lavender scent rose up around me. I thought I might go insane, having her fragrance surround me while she stood incredibly far away.
I made a mistake not exercising my husbandly rights on our wedding night. Now, I have no idea how to approach her and let her know that her reprieve is over.
I know if I knock on her door, she will open it with terror in her eyes, and I can’t stand the thought. She reminds me of the way too many soldiers looked at me during the war. They followed my orders and went into battle, fearing me more than they feared the enemy or death.
I don’t believe in living with regrets, but sometimes I wonder how many men my hard nature has sent to their deaths.
I don’t want my mate looking at me with that same fear in her eyes when I come to her bed. Only I don’t know how to erase it. For a short time while we tended the prairie dog, the fear left her eyes, but I can’t see myself bringing her a wounded prairie dog every night.
I bring myself to my feet and go to fetch more boards and nails. When I near the pile of lumber, I stop long enough to admire my mate’s backside as she bends over and lays quilts on the ground.
I wish I knew how to keep the fear out of her eyes permanently.
We eat our meals in silence except for the conversation Blaise provides. I can never think of a single thing to say to my Luna. It reminds me of when I first started writing to Briony. My first letter had only been a few lines. By the end of the year, I had been sharing whole pages of my life with her. I had thought about writing a letter to Callista, but that seems the coward’s way out. I need to learn how to say the kind of words that put a softness in a She-wolf’s eyes, the kind of softness Briony wears every time she looks at Wade.
I carry several boards to the frame structure, set them in place, kneel beside one, and remove the nails from my mouth. “Wade, when you and Briony were traveling here... what did you talk about?”
Wade pounds a nail into a board that will serve as flooring and shrugs. “Whatever she wanted to talk about.”
I clamp down on my frustration. “What did she want to talk about?”
Wade tips his hat up off his brow. “You, mostly. She was always asking questions about the ranch, the kind of man you were, the house.”
“You must not have told her the truth about the house if she came anyway,” Blaise says.
I swing my gaze around. "What's wrong with my house?"
Blaise wipes the smile from his face and looks at Wade. Wade shakes his head and gives him a ‘you should have kept your mouth shut this time’ look. Then he starts pounding a nail into the board.
"What's wrong with my house?" I ask again.
"Uh, well, uh... it's big," Blaise explains.
I shake my head. "Of course it's big. I intend to have a large family."
"Well, then, there's nothing wrong with it," Blaise says. He hands Maggie a nail. "Maggie May, hold it right here for your Uncle Blaise."
I glare at my brother, trying to make sense out of what I have just heard. "Your comment had nothing to do with the size of my house. I want to know what you meant."
Blaise slams his eyes closed and blows out a quick breath before meeting my gaze. "It doesn’t look like a house. It’s... it’s..." He shifts his gaze to Wade, who has stopped his hammering.
I think my brother might be searching for courage. I know my house is unusual.
Blaise looks back at me. "I think it's downright ugly. There, I said it, but that's just what I think. Wade might think otherwise."
Wade narrows his eye. "Keep me outta this conversation, boy."
I feel as though a herd of cattle has just trampled me. "Do you agree with him?" I ask Wade.
Wade clenches his jaw. "It's different. That’s all. It's just different. It's not what I would want to live in."
"Food’s ready!" Briony calls.
"Thank the Goddess," Wade says as he stands. "I’m starving. How about you, pumpkin?" Maggie squeals as he swings her into the air.
I unfold my body and grab Blaise's arm before he can escape. "Why didn’t you ever say anything before?"
Blaise’s face burns bright red. "You were just so proud of it, and what we think isn’t important. What matters is what Callie thinks of it. Maybe you ought to ask her."
Ask her if she hates the house as much as she hates her mate? Not if I lived to be a hundred would I ask her.
"I like the house," I state flatly.
Blaise gives me a weak smile. "Then there’s no problem. Let’s go eat."
- Writer
