Seeing how far apart homes were for his people, he knew this wasn’t for him. He liked living in the castle and seeing Bella and Alyx on a daily basis. He liked training his men, and more than all that, he liked feeling a part of the family. Alyx was the brother he didn’t have.
“My job at the palace means I am always around Alyx and his people. We are never far from locals, other tribes, and towns.”
“So you wouldn’t live like this…so…desolate?”
He saw where she was going. She was worried about moving to a new place with no one to talk to. That was a hard adjustment for anyone. “No. I reside in the palace but when Alyx and Bella go away, I have a house not far from the castle.”
“So you wouldn’t live way up here, right?” She raked her nails over his thighs, making him lose track of the conversation.
“No. I could, if I wanted to. My family home has been up here and is closed off to anyone, but I am not interested in being the typical jaguar loner.”
It was mid-morning by the time they arrived at his mother’s home. Though Keliana, his mom, didn’t like being surrounded by people, he had been informed when he’d been at the castle, that one of the castle servants had volunteered to assist his mother in her day to day life.
He helped Liv off the transport and met her worried gaze. “Don’t stress, love. She’ll adore you.”
She snorted and her lips turned up in a grin. “Easy for you to say. You’re not the one meeting the in-laws looking like death warmed over.” She pushed her long her back and patted the thick curls. “I have bed head and I probably need a shower.”
He sniffed and shook his head. “You smell perfect,” he said, curving a hand around her waist and pressing her soft curves to his body. “You smell like me.”
She laughed and slapped him in the arm. “Is that supposed to be a compliment? We both need a shower.”
He didn’t debate with her. She was cute with her scrunched up nose sniffing her armpits. “Come, my mother is waiting to meet you.”
She bit her lip and nodded. They headed for the cabin. It was small by most standards with only two bedrooms. Nothing like the original family home. That had been a large, eight room cabin ready to house an entire family.
With Karel’s father’s death, his mother left the house they’d shared for their short mating and taken ownership of a small cabin her parents had gifted her. Keliana refused to live in the cabin her husband tried to kill her son in. She promised him as a kid he’d never have to set foot in there again. He wasn’t going to start now.
Liv pulled on his arm, stopping him from opening the front door. He glanced down at her upturned face, memorizing every line of her beautiful visage as she gazed at him with more than just lust. “Before we go inside, I want to tell you I’m willing to see where this is going. Us.”
He kissed her. How could he not when her eyes filled with love and desire. “I know.” He licked the seam of her lips and felt his blood pump hard in his ears at her low moan. “You’re mine. I’m yours. Simple.”
A smile spread over her lips. “That is simple.”
He turned the knob and readied to see his mother, the one woman who until then had sole ownership of his heart. Now she shared it with his mate. His Liv.
TWENTY
Liv’s belly pitched. Damn nerves. She glanced down at Karel’s hand holding hers and felt warmth flow through her veins. She wanted so badly to get him naked again. Really naked and fucking her or even better, her riding him. Her nipples pebbled and her panties wetted at the memory of their previous night. He’d taken her every way possible and damned if she hadn’t loved it.
“Not now, love. I won’t be able to stop thinking of your lips around my cock if you keep pouting like that.”
She licked her lips and blinked at his blazing gold eyes. Sheesh the man had the stamina of a super hero. Her very own super-shifter.
They entered the cabin quietly. There was a weird stench she’d never smelled before. She frowned and followed Karel through the cabin to the kitchen. A woman went about doing the dishes. She stopped and turned to face them. Her eyes widened with shock, but it was quickly masked with a smile.
“You’re back. Your mother will be happy to see you,” she glanced curiously at Liv. “I’m Tiana. I’m here to help Keliana for the time being.”
“Thank you, Tiana.” Karel sighed. “We’re going to see my mother.”
“She was sleeping the last time I saw her, but will probably wake now that you’re here.” She started pulling pots out of cupboards. “I’ll make dinner.”