My Cruel Mates

Chapter 20

Rowan

I watch as Claire flits around the kitchen preparing dinner. She's been talking about this meal all day and even though we don't really eat anything other than meat, we're willing to try it for her. We didn't realize how different her diet is from ours, we had tried to include a few different things when she first got here, but it's now clear how poorly we took care of our little mate. It makes a new round of guilt surge through me as I stand in the corner, content to watch her.

'You're being creepy staring at her like that.' Bennett's voice says in my head. I shrug, knowing he can see me from his spot on the couch.

'Have you seen the little shorts she has on? You can't very well blame me.' I say back and hear him try to muffle a snort from the other room.

"If you're just going to stand there, you can help me." Claire says, grabbing my hand and pulling me into the kitchen.

"And what would my little demon like me to do?" I ask with a smirk and she shivers against me making me smile.

"You can peel these potatoes." She says handing me some brown little blobs and showing me how to take the skin off. Once she trusts I have the hang of it, she goes back to whatever she was doing.

"Bennett! Can you come here and help me please!" She yells a few minutes later. Like a dutiful puppy, Bennett bounds into the kitchen a minute later, eyeing those shorts I was just complaining about.

"What can I do for you?" He asks and Claire hands him the bottle of wine.

"Can you open this?" She asks with a sweet smile and wide eyes that he is apparently powerless against. He pops out the cork and pours a small glass for her which she takes a sip of. She hums and looks like she's contemplating if she likes it or not before she chugs the whole thing and asks for more.

"That's yummy." She says, holding her glass out to Bennett. He looks at me with a shocked expression, but I just shrug.

"Give her what she wants. We both know you're going to anyway." I say with a little annoyance in my tone. Apparently I will need to be the firm mate that doesn't let our little human get away with everything. Bennett pours her another glass, then grabs a bottle of whiskey from the cabinet, pouring us both a glass.

"What's that?" Claire asks, eyeing the amber liquid.

"Much stronger than what you're drinking." I say, knocking back a swig. I recieved this as a gift from a powerful witch that made it more potent for dragons.

"I want some." Claire pouts and Bennett and I both shake our heads no.

"This stuff is not for humans. Especially ones that have never had alcohol before." Bennett explains, but Claire huffs and goes back to what she was doing.

I finish the task she gave me then go into the living room with Bennett, sitting on the couch and waiting for her next instructions. We sip our drinks as Claire sets the table. Bennett offers to help, but she shoos him away saying she wants to do it for us. Bennett smiles and I can see him falling even more for her.

'You're awfully attached, aren't you?' I ask him and he nods.

'Is that bad?' He asks and I shake my head no, cupping his cheek and running my thumb along his bottom lip.

'No. She's our mate. It only makes sense.' I say and he nods, resting his head on my shoulder.

'But you're not attached?' He asks and I sigh.

'I am. Just not as much as you. But you have your wolf to contend with. I don't.' I say and he looks up at me.

'I want you to care for her.' He says.