Chosen by the Fates

How Do You Drink Your Coffee?

Aisling ~

Sol abruptly pulls away with a curse under his breath. Even in the hot water with steam all around us, I suddenly feel colder. A shiver runs the course of my spine all while that part of me which is intangible feels as if it’s crying out at the space.

Sol’s eyes have dropped to the side, and I can’t see his expression to read what he is thinking. My own mind is a confused flurry of elation and fragmented thoughts.

He’s the wolf.

He does feel the same pull.

I still don’t understand anything about what is between us, but it is something.

It feels different than I’ve ever felt before. As if every part of my connection to Sol is somehow…inevitable.

“Oh there you are, OH hello.” Tiffa’s voice is surprised as she joins us from the doorway to the women’s locker room, and takes in Sol.

Finally prying my eyes away from Sol, I smile at her. I clear my throat before speaking, “Here I am. You’ve met Sol.”

My only hope is that Tiffa can’t see how dark my blush is in this light.

Tiffa raises an eyebrow, head tilting back just a little to regard us suspiciously. She knows something is up. She glances between us as she speaks, “Yeah. I also saw him this morning when I picked you up, remember?”

Laughing nervously, I brush some of the hair from eyes with the back of my hand. “Of course.”

“Sol. Good to see you again.” Tiffa says this directly to him, drawing his eyes up. He smiles calmly. I find myself jealous of how composed he can look after what just happened.

My heart is still hammering a million miles a minute, How is he so calm?!

“Tiffa. It’s good you’re here. I will be able to meet with Aisling’s friends about the matters at hand.” His voice is level, giving nothing away of the tension between us.

Admittedly, I feel a bit of shock realizing how collected he is even after speaking.

Maybe he is a player. Maybe he doesn’t feel the same pull I do.

Meanwhile, my insides feel like a twister as that sentient part of me thrashes and pulls to bring us back together. The heat pooled between my legs is embarrassing with the hot water of the pool being the only barrier between me and everyone here. I am acutely aware of how naked and aroused I am.

My cheeks burn, darkening with embarrassment. The desperate need for more space to get myself under control drives me from the pool water and to my towel.

I can’t stay this close to him and stay sane.

“Oh perfect,” Tiffa’s smile brightens, “That’s actually why I came down. To check on Aisling and to see if she had heard from you.”

At the farthest reaches of my mind, guilt tugs at me. Just a few weeks ago Ashleigh and I had been together. It was just that once, and I’d agreed at the time it would just be that once. Since that time we’ve cuddled and been close, but only as friends because of my guilt about not having my memories as Delphi. However, now I feel like we should have talked that out more, because I never asked him what he wanted, or where he stands before the recent turn of events.

The mental image of Ashleigh’s cold bright eyes on me just before he left drives a pain through my heart.

Sol’s baritone eases my emotional turmoil, his scent calming my nerves and thoughts even now, “I will head out then. I’ll be up momentarily, I just need to rinse off.”

Wrapping my towel around me, I cast a sideways glance at Sol. He is already leaving the pool, and as the distance grows between us my heart is pulled with it.

He seems to pause briefly as he is getting out of the water, head tilting just a little. The light reflections cast by the water ripple across the muscles of his back. My heart thumps, and I drop my eyes away from him.

Is it just my imagination or, did he glance back over his shoulder before leaving?

I shake my head, a sigh escaping my lips.

Tiffa’s eyebrows wiggle at me, “Well that was unexpected.”

“He lives here.” My voice is shorter than I meant it to be.

She snickers at me, “Well that’s even more unexpected.”

I dart a glare at her, which only causes her to break out into a full laugh. The sound follows me into the locker room, and I’m certain she can see how bright my blush is now.

***

Sol ~

Unexpectedly, even awake my wolf is easier to manage than usual because of how weary it is. With enough time and distance from Aisling, it settles back into a restless sleep, longing for our mate.

By every elder god and the fates what was that?!

Every moment of our spirits tangled, mouths joined, and skin touching replays within my mind, driving me mad with continued arousal. I still feel the residual tingling from the electric energy that coursed between us.

Bowing my head under the rush of the frigid shower, I prop my forearms against the wall behind the showerhead. I let the water course down my head, my neck, and my back to cool every last aroused part of me.

It was unexpected how powerful the urge to mark her was. What if I lose control and mark her? I can’t risk losing control.  

I’ll be useless to Aisling if we can’t keep our hands off one another. But I also can’t avoid close proximity and risk her thinking it’s because I don’t want her again. After we meet with her friends, she and I will need to talk.

I need to tell her everything.

Shoving my closed fists against the shower tiles I push back a little to let the water wash my face. My muscles always clench at first under frigid water, but the wolf-born heat within my body slowly equalizes until I feel my muscles unwind.

Only when my wolf is finally sound asleep, and my arousal has dissipated do I step out of the shower. There is a sauna where I could dry off, but I’ve already taken longer than I’d intended so I opt to off instead.

I’m not looking forward to meeting the men who seem to have gotten Aisling involved in dark magic. I knew they were bad news when I met them. But this is finally an opportunity to see how much more they might know of the situation.

After throwing on a change of casual clothing, I head up to the suite where Aisling and her friends are staying.

The elevator ride feels painfully long. Even with my wolf asleep my heart aches with the need to be close to Aisling again.

When I knock, the door opens and I am met with the dark gaze of a lithe man. His hair is cut and styled in a manner that conceals his eyes from most angles when he is not looking at you. His clothing is fashionably distressed, and headphones rest around his neck.

Wordlessly, he nods a greeting to me and steps aside to let me in.

“I believe we’ve already met, but that’s my youngest brother Cian. And I am Sionainn. And you are Sol?” The musical tenor addressing me draws my attention. He continues, “Aisling and Tiffa told us to expect you.”

The man has unnaturally white hair and angelic features. He is tall, and made even taller by his perfect posture. Every movement is graceful, and his chin is held up in a dignified way. His smile is warm and inviting.

Scanning the room, I don’t see the one brother I am most worried about. Ashleigh. Aisling’s scent trails down from the rooms upstairs.

Sionainn watches curiously as I look around and volunteers, “Ahh Aisling went to change. She’ll be right down. Would you like anything to drink?” He’s misreading my intent, I already know where Aisling is.

But he’s also attempting to be polite, which I appreciate.

They aren’t wolves. I knew that from our first meeting, but the scents mingling in the air of the suite reconfirms it for me.

So who are they?

Ashleigh’s sent also trails down from the stairs, sending my heart into painful twisting knots. I keep my center.

“Coffee, black. Your invitation was unexpected.” It’s my best attempt at making conversation while feeling so uneasy. I take a seat on the couch nearest to the kitchen, leaning back to watch Sionainn as he makes our drinks.

Cian sits on the arm of the couch, listening quietly. I can feel his eyes on me, but I keep my attention mostly on Sionainn.

“I must admit, I wasn’t sure you would accept. We are most grateful you did, and we thank you for your trust in us.”

We’ll see about that.

I don’t trust these men, yet. Ashleigh helped me when I was fighting the corruption within the beyond in the Metropolis, but I still find it suspicious that these men coincidentally showed up when all of this began.

I have centuries of experience under my belt, warning me to always be wary of the alignment of events. There’s no such thing as coincidence.

My eyes follow Sionainn as he hands me a mug. My reply is direct, “I wasn’t sure I would either. But Aisling asked.”

Before either of us can speak further, Aisling and Tiffa come down the stairs. As my eyes fall on Aisling, a blush rises to her cheeks. Sionainn’s eyebrows go up, seeming to notice as he looks between us. Then the sound of his musical laughter fills the room, seeming to light it up.

My eyes remain on hers, my heart swelling with satisfaction that the scent coming directly from her is only mingled with mine. Mate. Every muscle in my body eases just a little with the knowledge.

But that begs the question, Where is Ashleigh?