Land of Wolves

Chapter 92

Caleb throws himself on top of me, his chest pressing me into the mattress and his thighs caging in mine.

The sudden movement is startling, and I let out a loud squeal as my wrists are grabbed and placed on my pillow. It's been a long time since Caleb held my wrist above my head like this, and my face flushes as I take in his serious expression.

"Finish what you were saying," Caleb orders.

I gulp. "We'll need a spare bedroom if Chunks is going to live with us."

Caleb's grip on my wrists tightens slightly, his only reaction to what I've said.

"Don't say things like this to me if you don't mean them," he says. "My wolf doesn't like when you take away your promises to him."

I try to wiggle my hands free, wanting to touch Caleb and assure him I'm serious, but he doesn't loosen his grip. He continues to hold me down, his grip unrelenting.

"The psychologists say Chunks' birth mother is remaining firm in her decision, and while she's got a lot of trauma to overcome, they say she's making this decision of sane mind," I say. "She wants to give up her rights, and I know Sash never intended to keep Chunks long-term."

Caleb's throat bobs as he gulps.

"We'll need a safe, stable home for him," I continue. "I don't know the first thing about caring for a child, let alone an infant, but I want to try. Plus, you're already so good with Chunks, so I know I'll have a great teacher."

My heart is pounding, and when Caleb adjusts his grip on my wrists, I realize his palms have grown damp.

"Do you mean it?"

Caleb finally releases my wrists, and I don't hesitate to cup his cheeks. His stubble feels rough against my palms, and I run my fingers along the soft skin below his eyes before giving a jerky nod.

"I do."

Caleb's mouth is on mine in a heartbeat, and he pulls me in for a deep kiss before slowly pulling back. His nose brushes against mine, and he sucks in a shaky breath before speaking.

"You don't have to do this for me, Ev," he whispers. "I love you, and I'm happy with what we have. I'll continue to love you and be happy even if we never have children."

Despite my best attempts not to let my emotions get the best of me, Caleb's soft-spoken words have my eyes filling with tears. I know he loves me, and I'm not doing this just for him. I've grown to love Chunks' high-pitched squeals and excited kicks, and I look forward to the days Cole brings him in.

I want more than that, though. I want to experience everything, even the middle of the night crying and blowouts and snot bubbles.

I want to be there when he takes his first steps and teach him how to pull pranks on Caleb, and I especially want to give him a name. It's about time he gets a name.

"I'm not doing this for you, Caleb," I say, wanting to remove the worry filling Caleb's face. "I'm doing it for us...for me."

The smile that spreads across Caleb's face is breathtaking, and I take a moment to enjoy it before dragging his lips down on mine. He happily complies, even when I grab his hand and slide it to my waist. I half expect him to pull away and put distance between us, but instead, he explores, sliding his fingers over every curve and piece of my torso.

"Please," I whisper. "I miss you."

It's been so long since we've been intimate.

Caleb makes a quiet noise in the back of his throat before taking hold of the hem of my shirt. It's technically one of his, but I've taken to wearing it to bed most nights.