Chapter 28: Emotional Adjustments

CLARA

“Are you leaving your car at the office, or am I picking you up at home?” came Elias’s deep tones from the speaker.

My stupid heart fluttered, and I stammered for a few moments while trying to make up my mind. But he took my indecision into his own hands.

“I’ll be at your apartment building, then. That way we don’t have to double back for your car.”

“That’s the smart option,” I agreed, digging my keys out of my purse with my free hand. “I might pop in a TV dinner or something before we go. I’m starving.”

I finally found the keys and jammed the correct one into the lock, opened the door, and climbed inside with my phone held between my ear and my shoulder.

Elias made a sound of disgust. “No, no TV dinners for my luna. We’re going to the steakhouse in Jackson before we get your mattress. They’re less than a block away from each other.”

I started the car and glanced at the clock, frowning slightly.

“How long of a drive is it to Jackson? I don’t want to be out too late tonight. It’s only Tuesday, and I’m not twenty-one anymore. I don’t need to be falling asleep at my desk because I was out half the night with my bad boy boyfriend.”

“I see I’ve been upgraded,” Elias teased. “Don’t worry about it. I’ll make sure Cinderella gets home before her carriage turns back into a pumpkin.”

If Elias had been here in person, I definitely would have punched him in the arm for that one. As it was, I backed out of the parking spot and turned onto the main road.

“Remind me to smack you for that comment. I’m no pansy of a Disney princess who needs a fairy godmother to get me out of my abusive situation. I’ll be home in five.”

Mattress and steak, here I come!

***

Sleeping in a bed every night was an instant improvement to my life, even if I only used it twice before spending the weekend at Elias’s house again.

Yes, Elias had managed to weasel his way into paying for the darn thing entirely. But truth be told, I’d given up fighting him on spending money on me. It was his money, and if he wanted to use it to spoil me, so be it.

It felt like being babied at first, but the longer I spent with Elias, the more I realized he wasn’t trying to say that I was incapable of taking care of myself. He simply took his role as alpha ~very~ seriously.

Besides, how many times had I dreamed about a partner like Elias when I was suffering through my life as Mrs. Mason? So many. Yes, he was a bit protective and insistent, but what else would I expect from an alpha?

Thoughts like this brought a smile to my face while I put the clothes back in my overnight bag and waited for Elias to get out of the shower.

I didn’t have to wait long.

I heard a loud thump and the door opened, revealing my boyfriend in all his muscular and brooding glory.

He wore a shirt today, but it was definitely two sizes too small and clung to his muscles like paint.

I felt the grin on my face stretch wide as I wrapped my arms around his torso and buried my face in his chest.

“Hello, Cinderella,” he greeted.

Before I could smack him, he lifted my chin and stole a kiss.

My muscles relaxed despite my hatred of his favorite nickname for me lately. I pulled back slightly and ran my hand up his washboard abs toward his pecs, enjoying the way his muscles rippled beneath my fingers. My hand stopped over his chest—and I gave his nipple a twist.

He yelped and jumped back, and I began to laugh.

His gaze grew angry for half a second but softened when I wrapped my hand around the back of his head and pulled him down for another kiss.

“You’re a troublesome little luna, aren’t you?” he rumbled, using that deep voice that made my knees weak. “Fate must have thought I needed a bit of humbling, making you my mate.”

“Damn straight you do,” I laughed, grabbing my bag. “Let’s get going. I still have some work to do before Monday morning.”

Elias nodded and took my bag from me.

“My pack chased Xavier’s cowards all the way to the border last night. They’ll be licking their wounds and regaining their courage for at least a few days before they try another attack.” His chest puffed with pride, and I gave him a kiss on the cheek.

“Good boy,” I said.

I patted his chest, earning myself a narrow-eyed glance from Elias.

“I’m a wolf, not a dog,” he grumbled, but he couldn’t hide the fact he’d gone hard.

I filed that away for later use and followed him down to the Jeep.

The drive to my place was quiet in the best way—comfortably so. Elias kept one hand on the wheel and the other wrapped around mine, his thumb lazily tracing circles over my skin. By the time we pulled up in front of my building, I was reluctant to let go.

We’d barely made it to my door before the sound of my neighbors screaming at each other filled the hallway.

Elias’s eyebrows furrowed, and he glanced at me, but I just shrugged my shoulders.

“Pretty sure they’re drug dealers,” I said in a low voice to ensure it wouldn’t carry. “They’re always yelling and banging around in there.”

This seemed to make Elias even more unsettled. He sniffed the air and shook his head.

“I don’t think you’re safe here. It smells like wolves over there.”

“I’m as safe as I am with Xavier around at your place,” I replied.

Elias’s eyes grew dark. He took my hand and pulled me against his side, keeping me held tightly until we’d gotten inside my apartment.

In hindsight, that was ~probably~ the wrong thing to say. Elias remained silent on my couch, completely ignoring any attempts to start a conversation. He sat frozen in place, his hands gripped into tight fists.

I wasn’t quite sure what to do. I placed my hand on his knee, but he didn’t respond. So I tried something: I opened up my mind and tentatively reached out to Elias’s.

I was immediately slammed by a wall of anger, frustration, and an aftershock of fear.

I grabbed his right hand and pulled it into my lap, holding it between my hands as I tried to push as much peace and adoration through the link as I could. It was mentally exhausting, and at first I thought I wasn’t making any progress.

“Elias. You can control your anger. I’m safe, and your wolf doesn’t fit on the couch,” I said, and his shoulders loosened slightly. “That’s right. Why don’t we have something hot to drink? It’s cold in here.”

That seemed to do the trick. The moment I mentioned my minor discomfort, he snapped back to reality.

“Yeah.” He hurried into my kitchen, picked up my single pot, and heated water for hot chocolate.

I wasn’t ~that~ cold, but I wasn’t going to stop him. That wall of anger had been frightening, and I was glad Elias had come back.

Next thing I knew, I was wrapped in a warm blanket with cocoa and a steaming plate of steak and potatoes from the groceries he’d bought after our date. Elias sat next to me, barely touching his own food. His eyes were focused intently on me as if waiting for something.

“What?” I finally asked, raising one eyebrow.

“Waiting for you to demand I go home after you felt that,” he replied.

I frowned and set down my plate. “Elias, you’re being an idiot. Having anger is normal. It’s what you do with it that matters. I’m not going to run off just because you had a moment.”

He refused to meet my gaze. “I felt the fear mixed with your attempts to calm me down,” he replied. “You thought I’d hurt you, just like your ex.”

“I did not! And you can check for yourself!”

I opened myself up again, tugging at the edges of his consciousness until I felt him tentatively step inside.

It was an odd sensation, feeling him inside my mind just wandering. But he quickly withdrew, his face remaining impassable.

“Let’s just enjoy our dinner before you go home, yeah? Moody Elias isn’t what I ordered.”

Despite the narrowed eyebrows, he put in an obvious effort. By the time our plates were empty, we sat next to each other, relaxed and content. However, I still had work to do.

“All right, time for you to go home. You’re too distracting.”

Elias pouted and pulled me into a kiss. “Are you sure?”

His lips tickled against mine as he spoke, and I seriously reconsidered. But I managed to pull together enough willpower to get him out the door.

I stood at my apartment window and watched his car pull away. Every cell in my body screamed for me to run out and flag him down, but I forced myself to stay still.

There was a lot to think about, and getting it on with Mr. Sexy wasn’t going to do anything to clear my mind in that department.

No sooner had Elias left than I received a text from Jason.

I read it three times, my stomach dropping further with each pass.

Jason

I need to talk to you.