Chapter 231 - 232: Stop trying to kiss your way out of trouble!

Chapter 231: Chapter 232: Stop trying to kiss your way out of trouble!

Kael laughed.

Actually laughed.

Swanly heard it.

"You’re next!"

Kael stopped laughing.

Inside the shelter, Soren finally lowered her.

Swanly immediately turned.

"You were cruel."

"Yes."

That answer made her angrier.

"You’re not even going to pretend?"

"No."

"Nerin has done nothing to you!"

"He wants my mate."

Swanly stared.

"That is not a crime."

"I dislike it."

"That is also not his problem!"

Soren watched her.

She folded her arms and turned away.

"I’m angry with you."

"I know."

"Good."

Silence.

Swanly expected another argument.

Instead she felt lips touch the side of her mouth.

She froze.

Slow.

Soft.

Just the corner.

Then her cheek.

"Soren."

Another kiss.

Higher.

Near her cheekbone.

"Soren."

His lips brushed her temple.

"I am still angry."

"I know."

"Then stop."

He kissed the tip of her ear.

Swanly’s entire shoulder jerked.

She turned around.

He looked innocent.

"You..."

He kissed her other cheek.

Swanly shoved his face away.

"Stop trying to kiss your way out of trouble!"

Another kiss landed against her palm.

Her mouth twitched.

No.

Absolutely not.

Soren saw it.

His eyes changed.

"You smiled."

"I did not."

"You did."

"I am furious."

"Very."

He kissed beside her mouth again.

Swanly held her expression.

Then he kissed her nose.

A sound escaped her.

Not a laugh.

Almost.

Soren’s mouth curved.

"Don’t."

"What?"

"You know what."

He kissed her cheek again.

Swanly started laughing despite herself.

"Stop!"

Soren’s arm slid around her waist.

She twisted away.

"You are still an ass."

"Yes."

"You still have to apologize."

His smile disappeared slightly.

"We’ll discuss it."

"No, we..."

The shelter curtain moved.

Kael entered.

He stopped.

Swanly froze with Soren’s arm around her and her face flushed from laughing.

Soren went still.

Kael stared.

Swanly stared back.

Nobody spoke.

Then Kael closed the curtain behind him.

Swanly narrowed her eyes.

"What?"

Kael walked closer.

"What makes you laugh?"

Swanly blinked.

"What?"

He looked at Soren.

Then at her.

"Kisses?"

Swanly’s eyes widened.

"Kael."

He leaned down.

Kissed her cheek.

Swanly froze.

Kael pulled back.

She stared.

"You are both crazy."

Soren looked at Kael.

Kael looked at Soren.

Something passed between them.

A male agreement.

Silent.

Immediate.

Terrifying.

Swanly saw it.

"No."

Neither moved.

She backed away.

"No, no, no."

Kael’s golden eyes warmed.

Soren’s tail shifted.

Swanly pointed.

"Do not."

Soren moved first.

Swanly squealed and tried to run.

His tail caught her waist.

Kael caught her wrists.

"TRAITORS!"

Kael kissed one cheek.

Soren kissed the other.

Swanly jerked her head away.

"Stop!"

Another kiss.

Jaw.

Temple.

Nose.

Cheek.

Swanly struggled.

"You ridiculous..."

Kael’s fingers found her side.

Swanly screamed.

Not fear.

Laughter.

"No!"

Kael stopped.

His eyes widened.

Soren slowly looked at him.

Swanly saw the discovery happen.

Her face changed.

"Do not."

Kael touched the same spot again.

She exploded.

"KAEL!"

Soren’s eyes sharpened with interest.

"No."

He tickled the other side.

Swanly shrieked.

"YOU BASTARDS!"

She kicked.

Soren’s tail caught one leg.

Kael laughed.

Actually laughed.

Swanly had almost never heard him laugh this freely.

That only made her laugh harder.

"LET ME GO!"

"No," Soren said.

"Once I’m free I’m going to kill both of you!"

Kael kissed her cheek.

"You say that often."

"I MEAN IT!"

Soren’s fingers found her waist again.

Swanly nearly folded.

Her laughter became helpless.

Tears filled her eyes.

"STOP! STOP!"

Finally they did.

Not because she threatened them.

Because she was breathless.

Swanly lay half across Kael, half trapped by Soren’s tail, hair everywhere, face red.

She pointed shakily at both.

"Dead."

Kael’s chest was still moving with quiet laughter.

Soren looked smug.

"Both of you."

"Yes," Soren said.

"Dead."

Kael kissed her forehead.

"We heard."

Swanly hated them.

She loved them.

Unfortunately, she was still angry.

And when she remembered Nerin’s face, the laughter faded.

Soren noticed.

His own expression cooled.

Swanly pushed herself upright.

"I’m serious. You hurt him."

Soren said nothing.

"I’m going to find him."

Kael released her immediately.

Soren’s tail loosened.

Swanly stood.

She looked at Soren once.

Then left.

She found Nerin exactly where she should have expected.

His garden.

The little patch of herbs and fruit he had cultivated almost entirely because Swanly liked them.

He was sitting beside the moonbell plants.

Back turned.

Head lowered.

At first Swanly thought he was simply working.

Then she saw his hand move across his face.

Once.

Quickly.

He wiped something away.

Her heart sank.

"Nerin."

His entire body stiffened.

He quickly lowered his hand.

"Swanly."

His voice sounded normal.

Too normal.

She walked around him.

His eyes were red.

That was worse than sobbing.

Far worse.

"You’re crying."

"No."

"Nerin."

He tried smiling.

"I’m fine."

She crouched in front of him.

"Stop saying that."

His smile failed.

Swanly looked at this male.

Gentle enough to apologize when someone stepped on his foot.

Kind enough to feed children before himself.

The same male who brought her water, repaired her things, built her somewhere safe to sleep, and nearly bled from his skull trying to help Ironwood.

She could be sharp with Kael.

She could fight with Soren.

She could insult Azren for ten straight minutes and he would probably flirt harder.

But Nerin?

Being cruel to Nerin felt like kicking a flower and then asking why it bent.

"What Soren said..."

Nerin looked away.

"He wasn’t wrong."

Swanly’s expression hardened.

"That doesn’t mean he had the right to be cruel."

"He is their father."

"Yes."

"And Kael."

"Yes."

Nerin swallowed.

"I’m not."

Swanly watched him.

He picked at a leaf.

"For one second..."

His voice became painfully quiet.

"When Kairo said it..."

Swanly’s heart squeezed.

Nerin smiled.

Tiny.

Sad.

"I liked it."

She said nothing.

"I shouldn’t have."

"Why?"

His eyes lifted.

Swanly was angry now.

Not at him.

"Why shouldn’t you?"

Nerin looked startled.

"They’re not mine."

"That doesn’t mean you’re forbidden from loving them."

His lips parted.

"They call you Deer Papa because they love you."

Nerin’s eyes filled again.

Swanly continued:

"And because you love them."

His voice cracked.

"I do."

"I know."

"I would never try to take Kael’s place."

"I know."

"Or Soren’s."

"I know."

"I don’t expect..."

"Nerin."

He stopped.

Swanly reached up.

Touched his cheek.

He leaned into her palm instinctively.

That tiny movement nearly broke her.

"You don’t have to apologize for wanting to belong somewhere."

Nerin’s eyes closed.

A tear escaped.

Swanly wiped it away.

His little tail curled toward himself.

Swanly leaned forward.

Pressed a kiss to his forehead.

Nerin stopped breathing.

She stayed there for one heartbeat.

Two.

Then pulled back.

His entire face had gone still.

Not embarrassed yet.

That would come.

For now he just looked stunned.

Swanly smiled softly.

"You are allowed to be happy when my children love you."

His throat moved.

"Swanly..."

"And if they call you Deer Papa again..."

She sighed.

"I’ll deal with their actual fathers."

His mouth trembled into the faintest smile.

There.

Better.

"Come here."

Nerin hesitated.

Swanly opened her arms.

That finished him.

...

Happy new month my lovely readers, how do you guys feel about Nerin?