Chapter 487: Special breakfast

Viola stepped down the stairs, her hand trailing along the glass rails as she made her way to the kitchen. When she got there, she paused, looking at her husband’s broad back where he stood at the stove, frying pancakes and flipping them, and felt the ache in her chest ease as she watched him.

He’d lost a bit of weight, and though it didn’t make his muscles look any less defined, it gave him a different, more striking appeal. He wore a tank top and above-the-knee black shorts with a tiger print, his tattooed arms flexing as he turned the pancakes, silver hair disheveled and a little longer, falling around his ears.

The sight of him carried her back to a day so long ago, when she’d gone to his main quarters after he had passed out from draining the poison from her chest. The memory felt so distant and out of reach now, but looking at him reminded her of how she’d come down to find him cooking back then, just like this.

She felt her heart swell, but her throat tightened with emotion as everything began settling over her at once, everything she had lost and everything she had gained since that time. She hadn’t felt this way yesterday. She had been mostly numb to everything that had happened, but today felt like a wake-up call, and the emotions came rushing in with an intensity that overwhelmed her.

Sebastian, on the other hand, kept cooking, though his mind had wandered as he thought through the different ways he could put everything back to normal. First things first, he needed to meet with the elders and contact the people searching for his sister’s whereabouts. The thought had been sitting at the back of his mind like a weight he couldn’t shake.

During his time under the witch’s spell, he had done a lot of damage, not only to his wife but to his pack. He had signed contracts he never would have signed in his right mind, and now he needed to fix the mess they had created.

Then there was his personal grudge against the witch, who had killed his parents and destroyed his life. He would kill her, but before any of that, he wanted to make sure Viola had eaten and was comfortable. Afterward, he would take her to the healing house for a checkup to make sure there hadn’t been any complications with her health or pregnancy after regaining her wolf.

’You awake?’ he reached out to his wolf, who had been stirring and disappearing since yesterday. ’Muffin?’ he called again, even though he hated using the name. Somehow, saying it always seemed to make his other half happier.

’What?’ came the croaky voice from inside him. ’You almost killed me. Don’t "Muffin" me now because I can barely feel myself,’ the wolf complained, having been forced into a sleep that had felt like death the entire time by the witch.

’Will apologizing make up for everything?’ Sebastian asked, his narrowed eyes directed at the pancakes.

’If you want to apologize, you know the way to do it. But for now, let me recharge and don’t bother me until you mark our mate or let me take over.’ Muffin shut him out and went back to rest.

Marking.

Sebastian thought about it. He hadn’t marked her yet, even though he could feel her much more clearly now. The crescent mark had appeared on her wolf, but it hadn’t appeared on her human skin, and Sebastian knew it would once he marked her.

If he was going to mark her, then he needed a renewal of their vows and a big ceremony for it. He wanted to do it properly.

Sebastian was so deep in his thoughts that it took him a moment to become aware of her presence, and then her sweet daisy scent reached his nose.

The effect was immediate.

The scent curled through him, tightening every muscle in his body before the sensation traveled lower to his groin, sending a sudden surge of heat through him. It was the uncontrollable physical and sexual reaction of a werewolf sensing his mate, so intense that it almost felt as though he had been thrown into a sudden heat.

Sensing her more strongly than he ever had before, he spoke without turning, adding more butter and batter to the pan as it sizzled.

"Good morning, love," he said, about to turn toward her when he heard her footsteps.

Then her arms slipped around him from behind.

She hugged him, resting her cheek against his back and tightening her arms around his waist, and the simple touch sent another electric awareness through his body.

Sebastian let her hold him, feeling her against him with her soft breasts pressed against his back, but he also sensed the turmoil inside her, as though she were overwhelmed by feeling, and he turned the heat down a little, laying a hand over hers around him.

"Are you all right?" He asked tenderly, and felt her nod, then shake her head again. He began to turn so he could see her, but she held on tight, keeping him from turning, and he belatedly realized just how much stronger she’d grown.

"Don’t move, I just want to hold you. Are you done cooking?" She asked, her hands unfolding against his chest, flattening there.

"Almost. Do you want a taste of the pancakes?" he asked, and she nodded.

Sebastian reached for one, cut it in half, and drizzled honey over it before bringing the piece toward his lips to blow on it and cool it down. Once he was certain it wasn’t hot enough to burn her mouth, he asked, "Are you going to let go so you can eat the pancakes?"

She wordlessly released one arm from around him and held out her hand. He placed the slice he’d cut into her palm, and she popped it into her mouth, chewing without letting go of him.

"Do you like it?" he asked, glancing half over his shoulder.

She nodded.

"Hmm, it’s delicious. Give me more."

That was how Sebastian ended up cutting pancakes and feeding them to her without even seeing her face. To his surprise, she ate more than he thought she would. He glanced at the plate where the pancakes had been, and only four pieces remained now.

"More?" he asked her.

She shook her head. "Not now. Maybe in a while. Can you make more?" she asked with a sigh.

"Sure."

Sebastian could picture her pouting, and the thought made his lips quirk despite everything, yesterday she’d fought so hard he might have expected her to grow closed off and hardened afterward, not soften into him like this. But sensing she was working through something emotional, Sebastian didn’t move, staying still until she finally parted her lips and said,

"Seb..."

"Yes, honey?" He answered.