"Mark!" she exclaimed, surprised not about his presence but that he was sitting in that awkward silence with Kade.
Mark rose immediately, brushing a soft kiss across her lips. Kade's eyes narrowed dangerously.
"Hi," Mark said, then placed Adelita gently on the couch and handed May the bouquet. "I thought these might brighten your morning."
She accepted the flowers. "They're beautiful. Thank you." She smiled, looking genuinely touched, but her eyes flickered—just for a second—toward Kade. Her body reacted before her mind did. She shifted subtly, as if aware of the heat pressing against her from across the room.
Mark, seemingly oblivious, pressed on. "I was thinking we could go into town together today. House hunting?"
May hesitated, brushing her fingers over the petals, her shoulders tightening. "Oh… I'll have to check in with Miss Nelly," she said lightly, though there was an undertone—an instinctual stalling. "If she'll be home to watch Adelita."
"She can come too," Mark said. "It will help us make a more informed choice for when we are ready to… you know… have kids."
The words landed in Kade's ears like a gunshot.
Have kids.
May's blush bloomed instantly, high and warm across her cheeks. She looked down, shy but clearly touched by the casual intimacy of the comment. She gave a small, almost coy smile—one Kade had once seen, when she was wrecked against his chest. That memory punched the air from his lungs.
"I am looking forward to it," she murmured, and Mark's answering wink made Kade's molars grind.
"Come, I'll help you with Adelita's breakfast." Mark reached for her hand.
Her fingers slipped into his automatically, and the two of them walked to the kitchen together, the sound of their joined steps grating in Kade's ears.
Kade sat perfectly still, staring at the place she had just stood. Then, under his breath, the word slipped out, quiet but venomous. "Asshole."
******
Adelita was asleep in May's arms by the time they arrived at the location the realtor had given Mark. The drive had been long, the sky a soft gray that promised rain, and the air outside carried the earthy scent of damp leaves.
The neighborhood looked quiet. Rows of houses stood in neat formation, their manicured lawns trimmed within an inch of their lives.
"So, why are we in such a hurry to get a house?" May asked. She glanced down at Adelita, whose tiny fist was curled into May's shirt. "You know I cannot afford to pitch in right now."
Mark glanced over at her as he pulled into the driveway. "Well, if we do get married by next month, we have to—"
Her head snapped toward him. "Next month?!"
The startled sound made Adelita stir, and May instinctively soothed her with a soft bounce and quiet shushing. Her eyes, however, stayed locked on Mark's face.
"Problem?" he asked, brow raised, though there was a subtle wariness in his tone.
"No," she said slowly, still processing the words. "I mean… it's just still unbelievable. Are you sure you want to marry a woman on the run?" The last words slipped out quieter, heavier, laced with an old ache. She didn't look at him when she said it. She looked past him, to the quiet row of houses that all seemed to watch her back.
Mark reached for her hand, his grip warm and steady. "Whatever happened in your past stays in your past. You are an amazing woman. That's all there is to know."
It was a kind answer. A safe one. The sort of thing a good man said when he wanted to protect you without asking too many questions.
But as he smiled and parked the car, a part of May's mind wandered—back to another man. One who wouldn't have let that question slide. One who would have demanded the truth, no matter how messy, and held her in place until she gave it to him.
They got out of the vehicle.
"I still have to tell you everything," May said, turning to face him.
"Someday, someday, you will."
Her lips pressed together. "No, you realise we haven't… you know… been intimate."
Mark's mouth quirked into a grin that tried too hard to be playful. "Yeah, you keep holding out on me." His laugh was easy. "It's okay. When we are married, you have nowhere to run."
She chuckled. She turned just in time to spot the realtor approaching from the curb—a tall woman in her late forties, tidy bob haircut.
"Good morning, Mr and Mrs Cooper," the woman greeted warmly.
May's face went pink at the title. "Oh, not yet. Soon, but not yet."
"Oh, apologies. I'm Elizabeth." The realtor extended a hand to Mark, then to May. "Come in and let me give you a tour."
Mark took May's hand again, and together they followed Elizabeth toward the house.
*****
Kade was in the kitchen, sleeves rolled up, hands busy with a knife and cutting board. The rhythm of chopping vegetables was to keep his hands from fisting.
Nelly was gone. Adelita was gone. May was gone… with him.
The house was too quiet. He was used to the hum of the Fortress—the sprawling werewolf estate where the air was alive with conversation, the shuffle of boots, the occasional howl in the distance. Even when silent, the Fortress felt full.
Here? This was empty.
He glanced at the clock for the fifth time in as many minutes. Still no sign of her.
With a muttered curse, he pulled a pot from the cupboard and set it on the stove. If he couldn't track her down and drag her home where she belonged, he'd at least make himself useful. He cooked enough to stock the fridge for a week—rich, hearty meals she could heat up later.
But it didn't quiet the gnawing inside him.
When the front door finally opened hours later, Kade's wolf surged instantly to the surface, scenting her before she even stepped into view.
Nelly came home a few minutes after them. But Kade's eyes stayed fixed on May, drinking in the sight of her, even as the simmer of his jealousy turned slow and dangerous in his chest.