Chapter 25.
❝ Move in silence, never let them know your next move.❞
XAVIER“You can come in, now.” I voice out, loud enough for him to hear, but low not to wake her.
There was a moment of silence before I heard the shuffling of his feet against the carpet as he made his way through the threshold, his mate following closely behind. His eyes immediately zeroed in on the sleeping girl in my arms.
“She looks so different,” Mason immediately mutters, moving around the sofa, never straying his eyes from his sister.
“That is what happens to a seven-year-old after ten years.” I point out with a raised brow.
He glowered at me for a bit, before Susan moved around his body and peered curiously at Abigail as she rested easily in my arms, eyes closed peacefully.
“Is that her?” she asked softly.
Mason nodded, gripping her hand a bit tighter, “Yes. That’s my little sister,” he answered, an edge to his voice along with affection.
I could already see the emotions swirling through his eyes that held such familiarity to Abigail’s, and the thoughts that were beginning to form in his head.
“She’s beautiful,” Susan stated, the smallest of smiles on her lips.
’That she is.′ I agreed mentally, gripping her body tighter to me. The action caused her to shift a bit, pressing her face more against my collarbone, the warm air puffing from her parted lips brushing against the exposed skin.
I shivered, resting my cheek on the top of her head, as Mason watched all this through narrowed eyes.
“So it is true,” he grumbled.
I smirked, “Apparently so,” I paused for effect. “Brother-in-law.”
His brown eyes darken, as they narrowed a little me, he glared at me for a little while longer before signing and grumbling under his breath all while he moved to the seat beside me; Susan closely behind.
He settled himself comfortably in the sofa seat before he pulled Susan into his lap, where she happily sat and snuggled against him; her head resting on his broad shoulder. We then sat in a comfortable silence, the fire flickering from side to side, burning with the crackling of the wood heard.
From the corner of my eye, Mason’s eyes were a deadlock on Abigail’s form, analyzing every detail of her being with great intensity and non-blinking. It was as if he was afraid if he so much as batted an eye, she’ll disappear.
I shifted in my seat, rubbing my palm up and down my mate’s back. “What’s keeping you from seeing her?” I couldn’t help but ask.
His jaw clenched, shifting to the side a fraction. “I’m not ready.” was his response.
My eyebrows shot up, ”You? What about her? You’ve been gone from her life for—”
“—I know how damn long I was gone,” he growled slightly, eyes hardening. “I’m just not ready for the look of hurt and betrayal on her face when I show up at her doorstep.”
Finally, his eyes shifted away, now glancing down at his mate, as he lifted his hand and ran his fingers through the base of her hair; soft purring rumbling from Susan’s throat.
“I can’t bear that,” he added quietly.
’I think it’s a little late for that.′ I thought to myself, shutting my eyes for a second.
Silence fell like rain from thunderclouds, as I watched Abigail’s shoulders rise and fall with every calming breath she took in, my hand raised on their own accord brushing the light strand of hair from her cheek, tucking it behind her ear. The foreign feeling of my heart thumping quicker in pace, surprised me as I continued to gaze at her; my inner wolf purring loudly in my head like a house cat rubbing against its owner.
I finally understood the look when my Dad would produce whenever he gazed at my mom, his mate, the tender expression and the adoration in his eyes. A moment later, I begin to rise to my feet, shifting one of my arms under her knees and the other to her shoulders and with ease I was on my feet walking to the exit.
“Where are you going?” I hear Mason ask, the sofa underneath him making noise.
“To put her to bed.” was my simple answer.
The silence that followed caused me to proceed through the threshold and down the hall, and towards the stairs that led to my bedroom. With the movement I made, she moved a slight bit, her head buried further into my neck, those lips of hers grazing against the hollow of my neck; I tensed, the sparks igniting the deep desire I held back from earlier today.
A shift in my eyes told me he was gazing out through my own eyes, low growls rumbled from my chest, vibrating the air. I made it to my door, shifting Abigail’s weight to one arm for a second, I twisted the knob and walked inside, leaving the door agape. My shoes make scuffing notices whilst I made my way to the grey covered bed, gently, I set her ontop of the cover, before moving and taking off her shoes.
A small sigh, escapes her mouth, as she snuggled deep into the fluffed pillows. Dropping her shoes to the floor, my hand grazes her ankle and follow a slow trail her leg, my fingertips lightly touching over her pants leg and to her bare hip that was revealed from the shift of her shirt. Hesitate at first, I cup her hip while moving over her form.
The tingles are frantic to my touch and I could hear heartbeat pace a little faster. Leaning down, I press my face lightly against her neck, inhaling her sweet scent resulting in the animal within me to come forth; taking a look at his mate. The purring gradually grows in volume, just with the sight of her bare neck exposed to me.
His canines ached.
That’s when I knew I had to pull my wolf back, so, shutting my eyes tightly and taking a deep breath I pulled away, standing to my feet. I saw the shiver run through her body, and I knew it was from my loss of touch, I couldn’t help the small smirk that spread across my lips.
“Elijah. .” she suddenly mumbled, a deep frown marring her features.
The smirk immediately slipped from my face, and I growled deeply at the unfamiliar name. Staring at her a little longer to see if she’ll give more information, but never did. I left the room, silently fuming on the inside.