Filed To Story: Traded To The Lycan King Novel (Colette & Merikh) by MG Wattsons
“What are you doing…?” she finally asks and I quirk a brow.
“I am making sure you don’t go for a swim again,”
“Is that what it was…?” She whispers, moving closer, stopping at the foot of the bed. I pat the mattress with my hand, beckoning her to come crawl in next to me. “We have slept in the same bed before, Colette.”
“That was because you didn’t have anywhere else to sleep.”
“We are mates.”
“But you haven’t wanted to sleep in here with me before now.”
“I am worried about your safety now. I am a light sleeper, so if you get up to sleep walk again, I will feel you move and wake you up or restrain you.”
She reluctantly crawls into the bed next to me. Staring awkwardly forward as she twiddles her thumb, and we are encased in uncomfortable silence.
“What happened to me?” She finally whispers as her voice cracks. “Was any of it real? The things in my dream?”
My chest aches. Hearing the pain in her voice, the way she seems to be so confused and hurt rolled into one small person.
“You were manipulated.” I say, watching her every breath and muscle twitch as she tries to understand.
“How?”
“A weaver. They are rare and wreak havoc in memories or dreams when their victim sleeps.”
She looks at me, chewing her inner cheek as she process “How did they get to me? I mean, do they have to have something like my hair or blood for that?” She asks, and I try to bite back a smile. She’s damn cute making assumptions about the magical beings like they cook up these spells over a caldron:
“Sounds.” I say simply. “They imbed the spell into sounds that we find calming. For you, the waves breaking on the shore even though the waves aren’t large enough for you to truly hear that kind of sound with Her eyes grow big, as if she is having a moment of enlightenment.
“It’s because I slept with the window open…?
“That is how they got to you, yes. We will discuss this more in the morning if you’d prefer. Your eyes are already half closed and I am sure all this has been taxing.’
She grows pale and shakes her head.
“I don’t want to sleep ever again.”
“You are safe here with me,” I whisper, reaching out and taking her hand. She shivers at the contact and gazes at me, words on the tip of her tongue, but she frowns instead. “What if I try to run off?” she murmurs.
“I’ll hold you,” I shrug “What if I kick and bite and scream?” She whispers, tears welling in her eyes.
“I’ll hold on tighter.”
She nods her head before she sinks deeper into the bed, her eyes on me as she pauses and exhales shakily.
“W-will you hold me now?” She barely utters the words, but my heart races, my chest aching painfully as my lungs struggle for air. She wants me to hold her now. To comfort her…now.
“Would it help you?” I ask her, my throat parched and my tongue darting out to wet my lips. She nods and I
– move down, my arm sliding under her head with the other snaking over her waist, tucking her close.
Colette stares at me for a little while as her eyes grow heavier by the second, the mate bond working to calm her. I take the time to memorize every single little perfect imperfection she may have, committing it She sighs in content before snuggling in closer and I watch her as if in a daydream as she lifts her head and gently, her plush lips press to the corner of my mouth before she closes her eyes and falls asleep.
“Colette POV
I rub my eyes, certain I must be going crazy as I peek and see Merikh’s sleeping form. He stayed. Here I thought he would leave after I fell asleep. Not that he isn’t a man of his words, but he is a busy man. Lo I press my lips together nervously, looking over his slightly stubbly cheeks and the way his lips are pursed open slightly, a soft whistling nose filling the room with every exhale. He is snoring, lightly and someho to understand when the hell I would ever consider snoring of any kind S*xy. Is that the mate bond? Working to make me want him more until I just eventually give in?
I gently move closer, my fingers reaching out and hovering over his face as I frame his cheeks with my hands, being careful not to wake him.
“You are staring,” he says in a low husky voice that makes me reel back in shock, rolling away and nearly flying off the bed. His arm wraps around my waist, yanking me back as I twist, and he rises on to his el “Sorry,” I mumble, my eyes skirting to his lips, where I watch a small smirk appear. I look away, toward the window, and fake a yawn. “I guess it’s morning.”
“Mmm,” he affirms with a vibrating hum and I fight back a shiver.
“We should get up,” I say, though it lacks confidence.
“Should we? Do you have plans I don’t know about?” He asks me and I chuckle.
“Yes, with all my friends I have here.” I say and slap my hand over my mouth. It came out snarkier than I’ve ever spoken before, but instead of being upset, he just smirks.
“Apparently, along with your strength coming back, so is your sass. I imagine you’ve been holding it in for years.” He’s not wrong. I look at him, worried, and he just shakes his head. “Sass me all you want, Colette. I find it endearing.”
“For now,” I snort and he sits up, rolling from the bed.
“Come, let’s get some breakfast.” He says, looking over his shoulder.