Book Smart

Fifty

Sappy emotions fill my bean as he watches Liam coddle Casper for just a few moments before separating with a smile, curling into my chest with a smile not knowing that the man is normally a nightmare to deal with. Even so, it's so cute to witness him melt over what he deems cuteness of the other couple, contemplations of tepid dinner plans forming in his mind to get more familiar with the two. My sweetheart would soon understand that inviting Casper and Liam over more than they already invite themselves will have to happen as little as possible. Not that he can't ever invite whomever he chooses over... Just that I'll need time in between each visit to recharge myself in order not to strangle one of them.

After a little more rest the irritating creature known as Casper would be hobbling around like a mad man driving both myself and Liam insane by testing my limits of socialization by trying to hold a steady stream of incessantly charming chatter as though I'm actually interested in the various stories he's collected over his long life and today he'd likely be even worse. He'll likely spout his tales and nonsense to my love in between each turn of the page of whatever book he settles down with, hands most likely at the ready to try and hug the snuggly beauty still wrapped up in my arms as part of his usually chipper greeting process... The moment his hands get anywhere near my sweet Adrian I swear to the Gods I'll end up breaking all ten of his fingers.

He's done too much go step on my toes in the past... Like trying to use his magic in the house thinking I won't notice the slightly burnt paper smell that lingers in the air from his manifestation sparks... The smell that is probably clinging to all of the boxes that are about to be brought inside. There isn't enough gardenia oil in the world to wash away the lingering smell of magic...

I've seen him after therapy before and he's not normally so withdrawn and worn down afterwords... Maybe he's just tired or maybe he's been told to stay on his best behavior, either way, it makes me even more wary of him than I normally would be... Warlocks don't like to follow rules, and they rarely stay tired for long. Normally I get a quip or two... A moronic joke upon his entry about visiting a 'lone wolf' or some other asinine joke that never fails to make Liam chuckle with the fondness that only a love-drunk idiot can have... Not that I don't understand their odd dynamic just a little bit more now that I have a sweetheart of my own.

It's not hard to figure out that his so-called gift is the reason they didn't need to ask Collin for help, and its also clear that he won't be helping us unload. Not that it's needed now that I'm able to help without leaving my sweetheart home alone. I'd be able to bundle him up on the couch with one of his books to rest and indulge his need to read while the rest of us bring boxes in, comfy and safe and tucked away out of danger of hurting himself by trying to lift something too heavy or tripping over some of the ivy vines that have found their way to the ground and spread out just as much as it has on the outer walls of our home. The last thing my angel needed is a sprain or scrape of some kind.

"You wouldn't leave me even if they didn't spray themselves down... Would you?" The Daddy is silent, but he manages to tack it on almost seamlessly at the end, pushing it into my head with just the slightest of efforts. It surprises me that he hasn't figured it out yet that leaving his side just for a few minutes makes me ache with an unforgiving longing to be back by his side... Just getting his boxes inside would drive me nuts... We could be doing so many other things instead of something so tedious, at least three-quarters of those things we could do naked and naked is always better than being dressed and having to people all afternoon.

...
Adrian
...

Silas's hand finds my hair, playing with it while he cuddles me close, "Of course not, Baby... I couldn't leave you even if I wanted to.." Truth rings out in his words as affection radiates off of him like body heat, no shame present in the way he holds me as the grunts of the other pack members still outside as they start to coordinate who would be starting with what and what car they should unload first echoes into the room from the still open front door as the official move-in starts to commence. I'm excited... And nervous and happy, feeling only the slightest bit of being on display and not just because the men joining us had packed up all of my belongings, including what was under my bed in order to help us today.

He hadn't been shy yesterday giving me affection in front of everyone and he's not being shy about it now as he squeezes me tight and showers me in tiny kisses. As shy as I am, part of me loves every second of his hands rubbing my back... His lips finding mine every few minutes to press the gentlest of kisses against my own as a way to punctuate the end of each of his sentences.

As much as Liam's mate doesn't have a problem with staring at the two of us while Silas gets lost in me with a long draw of my scent off the sensitive skin of my neck I don't feel as self-conscious as I expected to, though I don't doubt that that will change in a few minutes when boxes start coming inside.

Something still doesn't make sense to me though, "Why gardenia?" It's a beautiful flower and all but I don't understand how it would have any bearing on making Silas less jumpy over having the people he technically invited come inside the house.

"It's the only smell obnoxious enough to overpower everything else that Silas is willing to tolerate."

"It matches the smell of the bushes that line the walkway. It makes everyone blend in.." Silas rumbles as his hand falls from my hair to settle on my waist before pressing a kiss into my hair.

...
Silas
...

Surely they can't find any fault in my logic. If everyone else smells just like home it makes the urge to flee that normally overtakes me tug at my gut just a little bit less. I'll still feel smothered and overcrowded, but at least my wolf won't be forcing growls out of my chest on an almost continuous basis at the smell of another intruding on the part of our large territory that is meant to be reserved just for us and now our sweet little angel and however many children we can manage to have in what will hopefully be a long and happy lifetime.

"I think I understand, " Another silent rendition of Daddy leaks into the back of my mind and has me smiling into his hair just as the first of his boxes cross the threshold in the arms of several familiar pack members, causing my heart to soar instead of triggering the irrational need to escape so I can be alone... All because the dream has finally been made real.

Yes, we had made love all night and marked each other... One of us more than the other... But it had all still felt somewhat dreamlike, even with Adrian going through a drop. Everything seems too perfect, and as one box after another all labeled Books walks past the threshold the dream solidifies and for the first time in a long time, I'm happy that everyone is here.