Branches of Life

Despite my two orgasms, my body was hypersensitive from stopping moments before another release, while my mind was still frazzled. Using one of my fluffy towels, Koa gently dried off my body, which wasn't helping tame my burning desire. While he dried off, I stumbled into my bedroom, and grabbed the first clothes my hands touched on the right side of my closet; my loungewear clothes.

Getting dressed wasn't a pretty process—I nearly fell over several times. Koa was there to catch me the last time I fell, helping me pull on the last article of clothes. Laughing softly under his breath as he did so.

Koa laced his fingers through mine as we made our way toward the living room. Even that simple touch had my stomach clenching. Although that could've been due to the fact that my body was still buzzing with lust-filled need. I could actively feel myself becoming addicted to him, and I had no clue how to stop it, or if I even wanted to. Was it really that bad to let go of all my fears and worries, and just let myself be with him?

Maybe later on, when I was away from him, I would think differently and be mad at myself for how stupid I was being. But for now, all I allowed myself to think about, was how nice it was to hold his hand. When thoughts of our mate bond popped up in my head, I shoved them down once again.

In our neutral-toned living room, Ander and Harmony sat on the sofa lining the back wall. Harmony waved her hand over the glowing crystal on the coffee table and turned off the human tv show projecting on the wall, before shifting her focus to us.

"I thought I smelled a barbecue pit." Ander lightly commented without looking up from his book.

"At least I don't constantly reek of blood," Koa shot back, his tone even and without inflection.

Releasing a long sigh, I shut my eyes and dropped my forehead against Koa's shoulder. Those two needed to learn to get along and soon. Their damn stubbornness was already getting old.

Light footsteps bounced down the stairs, followed by Ari's amused voice. "I wasn't expecting to see you so soon." I turned around in time to see Ari hop down the last few stairs, a mischievous smirk lighting her face as she gave me a quick appraisal.

"I'll come find you later," Koa promised in a low voice, tilting my chin up. He gave me a too-quick kiss, before saying goodbye to Harmony and Ari and exiting the front door.

"What was that all about?" Ander asked, setting his book on the table.

"His aunt summoned him for some reason," I murmured, glancing back at the front door.

"She probably just wants him to go over the details of what happened," Harmony reassured.

"I feel like he would've done so as soon as he came back," Ari murmured, frowning. She turned to face me again, her expression changing back to appraisal. "So Jade, I'm very curious how one comes from the shower but still has monster blood in her hair."

I picked up a wet strand of hair and sure enough, it had a streak of black blood. "Honestly, I'm surprised Ari wasn't the one to cockblock me," I said, brushing my wet hair from my face.

Ari gave me a wide-eyed innocent look, pressing a hand to her chest. "I would never."

"You've done it to me at least ten times," Ander shot back, reclining on the sofa with his feet propped on the table.

"It's at least eight for me. That's why I no longer bring guys here anymore." Harmony chuckled.

"I've lost count," I grumbled, flopping on one of the plush armchairs.

Instead of trying to defend herself, Ari just laughed as she headed toward the kitchen. Her laugh sounded almost evil.

"Nothing good ever follows that laugh," I said, only half joking.

Ander's probing stare was glued to the side of my face, and when I glanced over at him, he relaxed back into the sofa further. Groaning under my breath, I knew I could no longer put off this conversation. "Just get it over with," I muttered, waving my hand as I leaned my head back against the chair.

Ander didn't respond, instead, he continued staring, looking at me as if I was a puzzle meant to be solved. "Come on, you've never held back your opinions before. Let's hear it."

He crossed his arms over his chest, not speaking right away, making me even more uncomfortable than I already was. "I don't like him, and I don't think he's good enough for you." My stomach pitched as he spoke. It wasn't all too surprising, those two had been clashing from the moment we started our mission. But it was still disappointing to hear. Ander was like my second big brother, his option and approval mattered to me.

"I don't think you understand. He—"

"I understand a lot more than you think," he muttered, chuckling darkly under his breath.

"Do you know which type of mate bond you have, or is it too soon?" Harmony asked.

Again, I wasn't totally surprised. Koa wasn't subtle with his intensity, but I still found myself unable to answer. Instead, I just tilted my head side to side in a noncommittal manner, feeling Ander's weighted stare. His only response was as noncommittal as mine. "Hmm." Which wasn't all too reassuring, nor did it let on his opinion on the matter.

"Hmm? Is that good or bad?" I practically growled, frustrated I couldn't read his expression or body language.

"It's as I said, I don't like him or his ego. I think it's shitty how he withholds information from his allies." Ander held up a finger, in case I tried interrupting. For the record, the thought hadn't crossed my mind. He was right about the last part.

"There is no way he didn't know who Wyatt was, and yet he didn't say a single word. He had countless opportunities to do so. That's not exactly trustworthy behavior. Who knows what else he's kept hidden." Ander exhaled roughly, running his hand over his hair. "With that being said, I will acknowledge that he kept you safe in the creature's realm when I couldn't."

Multiple thoughts and emotions flashed through me. First, there was shock at hearing Ander complement Koa. Followed by annoyance at myself, for not even considering that Koa knew about Wyatt's family, and deliberately kept that to himself. Anger at Koa quickly took its place. If he continuously kept things from me, there was no hope for a future with us. I didn't fuck with anyone who spoke in half-truths, it was too frustrating.

Not even ten minutes ago, I had felt whole and content. Now, I didn't know how to feel about Koa and our bond. When I was with him, my emotions when it came to him were clear, and there was hardly a doubt in my mind that we belonged together. But now that I was away from him, doubt crept in and made me question everything. Was I allowing this bond to cloud my judgment?

Ander stood from the sofa, stretching before he headed toward the stairs, and paused with his foot on the bottom step. "I've only ever wanted to see you girls happy. You know that, don't you?"

I mutely nodded as I watched him grip the railings and stare down at the steps for almost a full minute, before lifting his head and pinning his gaze on me. "Just promise me you'll be careful, and not get too attached too fast. There's still so much we don't know about him or his sister."

I knew he was right, and that he wasn't just saying this because he didn't like the siblings. The problem was, I wasn't sure I could keep that promise. In fact, I think I already broke it.

"I know," I whispered, maintaining eye contact with him.

"Just remember, mates are a finicky thing, and sometimes things aren't always as they appear to be." Having said those encouraging words, Ander ascended the stairs without looking back.

"Very helpful," was my witty response. Ander's low chuckle floated down the stairs.

"Now that he's gone, we can finally have some girl talk. Tell me everything, and I do mean everything." Harmony tucked her feet under her legs as she eagerly waited to hear the details.

Pulling a pillow to my chest, I chuckled. "Where do you want me to start?"

She tapped her finger to her chin as she considered this. "When did you discover you were mates?"

"After we kissed."

"So when we were in the hotel," Harmony surmised, nodding to herself.

Chewing on my lip, I shook my head. "No, it was before that. At Wyatt's place."

"What?" Harmony exclaimed as she shifted around on the sofa, unable to sit still. "You're telling me that something was already going on between you two before we even left the human realm, and you didn't tell me right away?"

"It's not like we had much alone time to talk. Not to mention, I was still trying to process all this new information being thrown at me all at once. Ari only knew because she—"

"Wait a damn minute, you found time to tell Ari but not me?"

Exhaling a long sigh, I dragged my hands down my face as I dropped my head back against the back of the chair. "No, I didn't tell her anything. She saw the kiss and interrupted us before anything else could happen."

Harmony fell back into the sofa cushions, laughing as she did so. "One day, when she finally meets her mate, we should all join forces and cockblock her for a change."

My responding laughter eased the tightness in my chest. "I'm in."

"I heard that!" Ari yelled from the kitchen, making us laugh even harder.