The Pack (Completed Series)

Chapter 14 - Elias

The house was quieter than it had been all day.

Kael had retreated to his study. Ryker was outside, doing whatever it was Ryker did when he wanted to avoid company. That left me... and Aria. I'd noticed her disappearing upstairs with a towel and a muttered, "Don't follow me."

Naturally, I followed. Well... in spirit. I wasn't an i***t. I stayed downstairs long enough to make tea—something warm and calming. Chamomile with honey, the way I'd learned she liked after watching her wrinkle her nose at bitter drinks. Then I climbed the stairs, careful with each step so the old wood wouldn't groan under my weight.

The bathroom door was cracked. Steam curled out, warm and scented with something floral. I knocked once, light enough to be polite, but not so light she could pretend she hadn't heard.

"Yeah?"

Her voice was lazy, softened by the heat.

I pushed the door open just far enough to lean against the frame. She was in the wide clawfoot tub, bubbles hiding everything but the pale line of her collarbone and the faint reddish-brown strands of hair slicked to her neck.

"I brought you something." I held up the mug.

Her eyes flicked to it, then to me. "And what, exactly, do you want in return?"

I smiled slowly. "To sit here for a minute. Is that so bad?"

She gestured toward the stool near the tub. "Fine. But don't get smug."

I set the tea within reach, then sank onto the stool, resting my forearms on my knees. "You're different when you're not running or trying to bite someone's head off."

"You're assuming I'm not about to bite yours." There was no venom in it.

I tilted my head, letting my gaze linger just a beat too long before meeting hers. "If you did, I wouldn't mind."

Her breath hitched — just slightly — but I caught it.

We talked for a while, about nothing that mattered—the way Kael always looked like he was plotting when he was just thinking, the way Ryker pretended to be annoyed when he was actually protective. I could see the tension she carried easing out with the steam, her shoulders sinking lower, her voice softer.

When she laughed at something I said, I leaned in before I could think better of it. One hand braced on the tub's rim, the other ghosting along her jaw, thumb brushing a stray bubble from her cheek.

"Elias..." she warned, but it was barely a whisper.

I kissed her. Slow at first, just the press of lips, then deeper when she didn't pull away. The heat of her was more intoxicating than the bath, and for a moment, I let myself imagine that there was no Blackfang threat, no ticking clock—just her, here, tasting like honey and steam.

The sound of the front door slamming downstairs shattered it.

We broke apart instantly. Footsteps and voices—Kael's low tone, Ryker's sharper edge—drifted up through the floor.

I cleared my throat and stood, forcing a grin to cover the sting of losing the moment. "Drink your tea before it gets cold."

Her cheeks were flushed—from the bath, from me, maybe both. "You're ridiculous."

I stepped back toward the door, but the look she gave me as I left told me one thing for certain.

Ridiculous or not, she wasn't going to forget that kiss.