Love Me, Still(15)

A knot tightened in his stomach. Panic seized him until he thought he might retch. She’d made her choice and it wasn’t him and Riyu.

He closed his eyes against the horrible blackness spreading through his soul. Beside him, Riyu sucked in his breath.

Heather stopped a few feet in front of the brothers, and Niko squeezed her shoulders before turning to walk away. She stood there staring at them, her eyes awash with a multitude of misgivings.

“Can I talk to you?” she asked quietly. “Both of you.”

Cael reached for her. He couldn’t help himself. “Come inside where it’s warm.”

As he guided her inside, Riyu hovered close to her. Cael’s pulse bounded. Did he have the right to ask her to stay when he’d been responsible for all the hurt she’d endured?

She stumbled a bit as she made her way to the chair in front of the fire. Riyu reached out and tucked his hand underneath her elbow. He eased her into the chair and tucked the furs around her.

Cael could smell the fear that radiated from his brother. Everything hinged on this moment. Their lives, their happiness.

When Heather was settled in, Cael moved to stand in front of the fire so he’d be in her line of vision. Riyu hunkered down beside her on the floor. To the side, the Christmas tree they’d decorated for her twinkled brightly with all the bits of bright paper they’d strung on it. He had a sudden urge to smash it.

She licked her lips nervously. Opened then closed her mouth. Her hand flew to her throat and massaged absently.

“Just say it,” Cael said quietly.

Blue eyes shone back at him, so beautiful. Then she lowered her hands to her lap and looked down.

“I love you both so much,” she whispered. “But I hurt. I’m so afraid. I don’t want to be afraid anymore.”

Cael closed his eyes even as Riyu let out a tortured moan.

“Niko offered to take me away from here if I wanted.”

Cael flinched.

“I don’t want to go,” she added softly.

Both men surged to attention, their focus entirely on their mate.

“What do you want, love? Tell us. We’ll do anything in our power to give it to you,” Riyu said urgently.

She turned her gaze to Riyu and searched his face. Then she turned to Cael with the same questing look.

“I want your love. Your trust.”

Cael sank to his knees in front of her. He gathered her hands in his, holding tight. “You’ve always had our love, my heart. And you’ll never be without our trust again.”

She reached forward, her first overt gesture of tenderness since before the attack. She stroked her fingertips over his jaw line. Then she turned and did the same gentle exploration of Riyu’s cheek.

Riyu nuzzled into her hand, kissing her palm.

“I honestly don’t know that I’ll soon forget. At night when I close my eyes, the images are still there. Frightening and painful. But…” She stopped for a moment and swallowed. “But, I forgive you,” she finally whispered.

Cael’s heart soared. He felt curiously lightheaded and then he realized it was because he’d held his breath. He expelled it in one long rush.

“Do you still want me? Even after what happened? Do you love me, still?”

“Oh, Heather,” Riyu said, his voice heavy with anguish. “I’ve never loved you more than at this moment. It shames me that you’d even have to ask if we still love you. It is because of us that you suffered so.”

“Never again will you have cause to doubt our love,” Cael vowed.

She slumped against the chair, looking so tired and so unbelievably fragile. But her eyes shone so brightly with her love. Unconditional love. Something they hadn’t offered her.

He wanted to shout. To weep with the joy of receiving a second chance he didn’t deserve. He and Riyu were so unworthy of the woman sitting before them.

Ever so gently, he cradled his arms around her, pulling her against his chest. Her heart beat erratically against his chest as she nuzzled further into his embrace.

“I love you,” he whispered around the knot in his throat.

“I love you, too,” she said.

Reluctantly, he relinquished his hold on her and allowed Riyu to move forward to pull her into his arms. He listened as Riyu reaffirmed his love for their mate, and in that moment experienced such a surge of rightness. As if finally, after so many weeks of turmoil, the world, at least for these few seconds was at peace.

“Will you take me to our bed?” she asked. “I’m so tired of sleeping alone.”

“You’ll never do it again,” Riyu vowed as he bent to pick her up.

Cael followed his brother to the bed and watched as Riyu set her down. He moved forward, and the two of them slowly undressed her, baring her silky skin to their gaze. And to their touch.

When she was completely nude, they climbed into the bed with her, tucking her in between them. As they’d done so many nights in the past.

Chapter Nine

Heather awoke to a rough tongue licking her cheek. She pried one eye open to see a silver wolf nuzzling her cheek. She smiled and trailed her fingers through the thick fur. Cael.

She glanced over to see a slightly darker haired grey wolf staring at her. Riyu. The wolf bounced on his front legs, starting toward her then bounding briskly back toward the door.