Chapter 135: Chapter 29

COLE

“Cole!” Rhianna jumps into my open arms, and I swing her around.

“Hey, kiddo.” I set her back down and kiss her forehead. “How do you like your new pack?”

“It’s great. Luna Anna is so amazing.”

She leads me into the pack house with Dara right behind me.

“I’m glad to hear it.” I greet Aunt Anna and get a hug from her. “Dad says hello.”

Aunt Anna rolls her eyes. “He’s connected to everyone. We chat all the time.”

She leads us to the sitting room. “What brings you by, Cole? Dara. How are you, my lady?”

“I am well, thank you. I am looking for pups to bless.”

“Yeah, we’re here on business. The Goddess recently bestowed a job on me. I’m here to weed out corruption in our kind. I need to check your prisoners or anyone that might be a bad seed,” I explain.

“Okay. Thomas and the boys are on their way. How do you know if a wolf is corrupted?” Aunt Anna asks.

“The Goddess’s energy. I can see your wolf.” I look at my aunt and pull out her wolf.

“Okay, that was weird,” she says as she shudders. “Please don’t do that again.”

“Your forehead glows like Aunt Haley’s,” Rhianna tells me.

I reflexively touch my mark. “Yeah, I’ve been told.”

“I think it is cute,” Dara whispers to me, but I know everyone can hear her.

I squeeze her hand. “Thanks, Sky Angel.”

She rests her head against my shoulder, and Aunt Anna gives me a questioning look.

“Cole,” Uncle Thomas greets me. I stand up to give him a half hug.

Their sons Nicolas and Daniel are right behind him. My cousins are still in high school. Nicholas is a senior, and he’s getting ready to take over the pack. Daniel is fifteen and dating Clara Redd.

I get half hugs from them as well, then fill them in on my new job. Uncle Thomas isn’t the least bit surprised and takes me straight to the dungeons. They only have two prisoners, and they both pass.

“Well, that was a waste of time,” he comments on the way back.

“It’s all good. I’m glad no one here is that bad off.”

“Yeah, but it still would’ve been cool to see what your new power is,” Nicholas says as we reach the pack house.

I chuckle, then reach out for his wolf. “Whoa, hey.” He spins on me as if I grabbed his tail.

“Just a little taste.”

“What did you do?” Uncle Thomas asks. So I show him.

He shudders. “That does feel weird. You staying for dinner?”

I shrug my shoulder. “Might as well. We’re going to Castleton tomorrow.”

***

Dara sits beside me during dinner. I hold her hand while we eat, but it doesn’t feel the same as with Lexi.

After dinner, Aunt Anna leads us to separate rooms. After a shower, I visit Dara. She opens her door wearing a shimmery nightgown, and her hair is wet while she dries it in a towel.

“May I come in?”

“Of course.” She opens the door wider, and I step inside.

She closes the door behind me, and I pull her into my arms. “You smell incredible,” I tell her, then sniff her neck.

“I did just take a shower.”

I pull back to look at her face. She’s holding back a smile. “Was that a joke from a Starlight Sister?”

Her smile cracks, and I laugh. I don’t think I’ve ever heard her make a joke. “You’re funny.”

“I have my moments. I have been learning a lot while staying here. There is so much to see while in the sky that we miss the way humans interact. However, I am beginning to understand. I enjoy laughing.”

“What else do you enjoy?” I ask.

She sits at the head of the bed, and I join her, taking the end while still facing her.

Dara pulls a pillow into her lap to hug. “I enjoy walking on the beach with no shoes on and floating in the water so all I hear is the waves. It is very peaceful.”

“I like the sound of that. Do you do that often?”

She thinks for a minute. “I guess in relative terms, often would be an appropriate choice. What do you like to do, Colton?”

“I enjoy many things, but lately I feel like I’m too busy to do them. I like watching movies and reading. Books are always better than film. I like swimming. The Redd pack has a rope swing that’s really fun to jump off of. During the winter I like snowboarding.”

“I have never tried to snowboard. I do not like being cold, so during the winter I prefer to stay indoors.”

I can’t help but smile at her. “Snowboarding is such an adrenaline rush. As wolves, the cold doesn’t really bother us.”

“I guess I will have to see, if I ever get a wolf. I do not wish to remove Alexis’s wolf unless that is her wish. Even if I am your choice.”

Lexi has always dreamed of being a wolf. I would hate to take that from her too. “There’s got to be another way. Would you like to become a wolf and give up your immortality?”

Dara hugs the pillow tighter and rests her head on it as she thinks. “I am not ready to commit to it at this point. I enjoy being on Earth, however, I want what Realta has. I admire the relationship she has with Ryan. One day I would like to have offspring of my own. I am in no rush.”

I want that too, but I want it sooner rather than later. Normally we have longer lifespans than humans, but that just gives us more time with family, with our mates.

“I am going to sleep. I find that I enjoy dreaming. Goodnight, Colton. I will see you in the morning.”

I rise from her bed then kiss her forehead. “Goodnight, Dara. Sweet dreams.”

“Sweet dreams,” she answers as I reach the door.

I give her a smile then let myself out.

***

DARA

This bed is comfortable enough; however, I can’t keep my eyes closed long enough to dream. I don’t need sleep anyway, so I toss the covers away and blink myself to the beach.

Ian quickly turns to face me. “Dara. I thought you’re traveling with Cole,” he says with a face full of surprise.

His hair is piled on top of his head into a bun and he is wearing only a pair of shorts. I am happy to see him. I wasn’t expecting him to be here.

“I am. However, I wanted to be on the beach. May I join you?”

“Of course. You never have to ask.”

He offers me his hand, and I take it as he guides me to the soft fire he always has blazing. I find his fires comforting.

They are no different than the fires I can also make, but they feel as if he incorporates part of himself in them. I place my hands to the fire and let the flames gently lick my fingertips.

“I’m glad you’re here. I thought I wouldn’t see you for a while.”

I look to him and smile. He smiles back, but it doesn’t reach his eyes. His eyes are sad.

“Ian, you look as if you need to speak to someone. You can always speak to my sisters if I am not here. They will listen to you.”

He looks up at the sky.

“You’re the only Starlight Sister I really know. I’ll wait until you’re around.”

He looks me over.

“You’re dressed for bed.”

My nightgown shimmers from the firelight as it flows to my thighs. A slight breeze rushes by, causing my hair to blow in my face.

“Yes. I enjoy dreaming sometimes. It is new to me, but it doesn’t always work. I do not need sleep,” I tell him, moving my hair away from my face.

Ian scoots behind me and places his legs on either side. He takes hold of my hair and begins to braid it.

“I love your hair. It’s beautiful and wild, like my fire.”

He pulls the elastic from his own hair to keep mine tied. Once he finishes, he lets out a warm breath that fans across my shoulder.

I hold his knee before he can move away from me. I like the nearness of him. I lay back against his chest and his wolf lets out a pleasing grumble sound.

His arms wrap around my abdomen and he rests his chin on my shoulder. We both stare quietly into his fire.

I hold my hand up to contort the flames into shapes; first a bird, then a butterfly. He holds his hand up and makes a wolf.

“I never knew I could do that,” he whispers, then makes the wolf appear to howl.

“You have excellent control. I enjoy your fires.”

He hums and his fingers slightly curl into my belly.

“What made you decide to come here and leave your mate wherever you guys were?” he asks, still contorting the flames into shapes of animals.

“I do not know. Colton was very kind tonight. We had a nice conversation. I told him that I enjoy it here on the beach and that I enjoy floating in the water. I realized I would rather be here than in bed for no reason.”

Ian hums again. He releases his hold on my waist and stands. He holds his hand out for me.

Once I take his hand, he stands me to my feet. He watches my eyes as he raises my nightgown up and over my head.

“The water is warm tonight.” He whispers, then turns to take down his shorts. He holds his hand out again for me to take, then we walk until we are waist deep in the water, then squat down.

“Dara. Do you love him?”

He shakes his head.

“Never mind. I don’t want to know.”

He lays his head back to wet his hair, then slicks the water away.

“Ian. I do not know what I feel. I do not want to take Alexis’s wolf. I know she wants it, but she has not made any decisions yet.”

“Your happiness shouldn’t depend on anyone else. You can make your own choices too. Do you even want to be a wolf?”

He pulls my body closer to him, then lifts my legs so I can float.

“I want to be wanted.”

“You are wanted… by more than your pathetic mate.” Ian mumbles the last part, then relaxes his body so he’s floating. He holds my hand and his touch reaches deep within me.

My face moistens and it is not from the water. I never thought that I have a choice. Colton is a sweet man and he cares deeply, but I feel his care is focused on the other woman.

Just because Colton was meant to be my mate does not mean that is what has to be, otherwise mother would not have paired Cole with Alexis. Cole was created before Alexis’s wolf was repressed, therefore mother had a plan for me to receive a wolf if I desire. Alexis cannot be the only way.

Ian’s face hovers over mine.

“I’m sorry, Dara. Please don’t cry because of my rambling. I just hate…” He closes his eyes with a huff. “It’s not my place to say anything. I shouldn’t have said anything.”

I turn to place my feet into the sand.

“I am not the only one that is allowed to make choices, Ian.”

Ian looks into my eyes, then suddenly his hands are on my face and his lips are firmly pressed to mine. He pulls away just as quickly, leaving me breathless.

Without another word, he leaves me alone in the water. Before he can reach the shore, I send a wave in the wrong direction, pushing him back into the water.

He finds his footing, then turns to face me while shaking out his hair. Shock and surprise are clear on his gaping-mouthed face.

I laugh, then send him another wave. He ducks under it, then grabs me and wrestles me into the water. I hold on to him and wipe my face, laughing.

“Truce.”

“Truce,” he answers with a smile. He takes a moment to catch his breath.

“I need to get out of here before I do anything else that’s stupid. Goodnight, Dara.”

He helps me find my footing, then once again walks to the shore. This time I watch him leave, noticing his fit body from silky hair to masculine legs and feet.

He quickly dresses, then douses his fire.

Once he is gone, I open my hand, igniting the fire once more. I walk out of the water and lay naked in the sand, thinking over everything that has happened tonight.