Chapter 5 - Evie

It was well into the evening when persistent knocking pulled me from blissful sleep. My body felt heavy, and I blinked in confusion, slowly realizing that Sophie’s bare back lay beneath my hand. Memories of our bond flooded back—her teeth at my neck, the thrill of becoming mates.

The knocking came again, sharper this time. As I lifted my head, I noticed Sophie sleeping peacefully, her dark hair splayed around her. I almost ignored the sound to stay curled around her warmth, but my wolf, Noria, grew annoyed. My phone lay dead on the sofa; I had missed any calls.

Reluctantly, I slipped from her side, pulling on some clothes and tying my messy hair into a ponytail. I glanced at my reflection—happy but tired. I shut the bedroom door quietly and moved to the front door, where the knocking continued urgently. I peered through the peephole and recognized my parents, Andrew and Roxanne.

A wave of unease washed over me. My parents rarely showed up unannounced. Taking a deep breath, I opened the door. My mother gasped in relief at seeing me while my father’s concern lingered. A cold draft from the hallway sent a shiver through me.

“Mom? Dad?” I greeted them, nervous. “What are you—uh—doing here?”

My mother stepped forward, worry in her eyes. “Evie, we’ve been trying to reach you all day. Rohan said you picked up Sophie, and everyone got anxious when she didn’t check in.”

Dad nodded. “We were worried something might’ve happened on your drive back. You weren’t answering calls, so we came to see for ourselves.”

Guilt pierced me. My parents wouldn’t have panicked if I’d kept my phone charged. I stepped back, gesturing them inside. “I’m so sorry. My phone died, and I lost track of time. Please keep it down.” I closed the door carefully.

Mom’s gaze slid past me, and I caught her knowing glance at the closed bedroom door. “Are you all right, honey?” she asked, setting her purse on the cluttered table. “You smell like… change.”

Dad chuckled lightly, his eyes still concerned. “We sense a new presence in the family,” he teased. “Care to confirm?”

Heat rushed to my cheeks, but happiness surged in my chest. “Yes,” I admitted, voice trembling. “Sophie is my mate. We sealed the bond last night.”

Mom’s face lit up with excitement. “Oh, Evie, that’s wonderful! I had no idea the Moon Goddess planned this for you.” She hugged me tightly, and I fought tears.

Dad joined in, patting my shoulder. “We’re thrilled for you, but you scared us, especially with Sophie going off the radar too.”

“I’m sorry,” I murmured, pulling back. “Things happened so fast. My phone was dead, and we were…” I paused, searching for a delicate explanation. My parents exchanged amused glances, and I decided directness was best. “Caught up in each other. And we’ve been sleeping until now.”

Mom pressed her lips together, laughter dancing in her eyes. “I suppose you two had a lot to talk about.” Her gaze flitted again to the bedroom door behind which Sophie still slept. “Is she still resting?”

I nodded. “Yeah, Sophie’s exhausted from the flight, plus everything else. I hoped she’d get a full night’s sleep, but it’s already evening. We’ll probably both be up all night. Jet lag for her, and… well, we lost track of the day.”

Dad cleared his throat, unable to hide a grin. “We’ll keep this quick, then. We just wanted to see you, confirm you were safe, and… maybe talk about the Silverclaw event. Sophie didn’t check into the accommodations they set aside for her, so the coordinators contacted us.” He shrugged. “That’s why we hurried over.”

I grimaced. “Alpha Kurt and Luna Isis must think Sophie vanished. I should have warned them. I’m sorry.” However, a wave of relief swept through me because the biggest problem—my parents discovering the truth—was no problem. They seemed ecstatic, if slightly exasperated that I’d gone off-grid. “As for the event, I’m not sure. I haven’t talked to Sophie yet. We might still go to celebrate Valentine’s and meet friends, but obviously, we’re not there to find mates. We already have that sorted out.”

My mother laughed. “Yes, I suppose that part’s no longer relevant.” She gave Dad a playful elbow in the ribs. “Remember how it was with us? Found each other before any fancy gathering could do the trick.”

He smiled, nodding nostalgically. Then he turned back to me. “Well, no pressure, but if you go, enjoy yourselves. It’s a festive occasion, after all.” Glancing at the mess in my apartment, he added gently, “Seems like you have a bit on your plate, so we’ll let you two recover. Just promise to keep your phone charged or drop us a text when you can.”

“I will,” I promised fervently. “I’m sorry again for scaring you.” It amazed me how quickly the awkwardness faded into warm acceptance. My parents had always been open-minded, especially about me being a lesbian, but it still felt surreal that they were congratulating me on suddenly mating.

Mom stepped forward and squeezed my hand. “We’ll let you get back to Sophie, dear. And we’re so happy for you. Please give her our regards. We’d love to meet with both of you once she’s up for it.”

“Absolutely. Maybe tomorrow,” I offered. “We’ll figure it out after we talk and see what Sophie wants to do for Valentine’s Day.” Even saying that out loud sent a flutter through my stomach. Today, we discovered we were mates, and Valentine’s Day was basically upon us. It felt like a storybook scenario I never expected to be living in real life.

They said their goodbyes, and I ushered them to the door. They left with a final hug from Mom and a pat from Dad, disappearing into the dim corridor. The lock clicked, and I inhaled deeply, feeling relief and joy mingling with embarrassment. I’d never had such a quick parental check-in before.

Once the apartment was quiet, I surveyed the mess—plates, cups, and clothes were scattered everywhere. If Sophie saw it, she’d tease me. Motivated, I gathered the dishes and rinsed them in warm water, lost in happy memories of the night before. The mark on my neck tingled as I fought the urge to touch it, worried it might spark new longing.

After tidying up, I heard a soft sound and turned to see Sophie in the doorway, hair tousled and wearing my oversized sweater that barely covered her. Instantly, a warm flush spread across my cheeks.

She looked sleepily angelic, rubbing her eyes with one hand while covering a yawn. “Evie,” she murmured, voice low and deliciously rough. “Where’d you go? The bed got cold.”

I swallowed hard, taking in how the sweater slipped off one shoulder. “Uh… my parents came by,” I explained, straightening the blanket to distract myself from my rising temperature. “They were worried about us. You didn’t check in at Silverclaw, and I never charged my phone. I told them we’re fine.”

A flicker of concern crossed her features. “I was supposed to call them or something, right? I forgot.” She ran a hand through her dark hair, guilt evident in her sleepy eyes. “Sorry if that caused trouble.”

“No trouble,” I assured, stepping closer. The gentle lamplight illuminated the faint mark on her neck where I’d bitten her, and my wolf stirred with possessive delight. “They were just worried, that’s all. They know about us now. I had to fess up that we’re… mates.”

She blinked, then a slow smile lit her face. “You told them? And they’re okay with it?”

I laughed softly. “Oh, my parents are more than okay. They congratulated me, teased me for ignoring them, and left.” My gaze roamed over her, noticing how the oversized sweater clung in ways that made me blush. “How are you feeling? Still tired?”

Sophie wandered further into the living room, the sweater hitching slightly each time she moved. “Better,” she said, stifling another yawn. “But disoriented. Flying across time zones always messes me up, and add earlier’s excitement on top of that…” She flushed, her expression turning mischievous. “I can’t believe we slept the entire day away, but it was worth it.”

My heart fluttered. “Worth it,” I agreed. “I was just cleaning up. We could talk about tomorrow—Valentine’s Day—and, well, the Silverclaw gathering. My parents asked if we were going. We don’t have to, but they expect us to appear one way or another.”

Sophie perched on the edge of the sofa, crossing her long legs. My sweater slid up another inch, and I fought not to stare. “I did bring a formal dress,” she mused, pressing her finger to her lips. “We should go to the party as a newly mated couple and celebrate our bond on Valentine’s Day.”

I imagined the swirl of music and couples dancing and admitted, “It might be nice. We can laugh at everyone trying to guess who’s unmated.”

Sophie’s eyes brightened. “Exactly! I want to introduce you to some friends from Silverclaw, and I’d love to meet yours.” I nodded, mentioning my light purple gown. “We’ll make a splash.”

Taking my hand, Sophie traced lazy circles on my palm. “You deserve to feel giddy. For tonight… we could watch a movie, order takeout, or…”

“Or?” I prompted, stepping closer, feeling the electricity between us.

“Or,” she whispered, leaning in, “we could pick up where we left off before your parents arrived.”

My heart raced at her proposal. “That sounds perfect,” I murmured, imagining her body against mine. “No distractions.”

Sophie’s fingers curled around my hips, and she pressed a playful kiss just above the neckline of my sweater, making me squirm. “Exactly,” she whispered. “No distractions.” She rose, guiding me backward until we nearly bumped into the coffee table.

Laughing, I grabbed her wrist to keep my balance. “Careful,” I teased, hooking my fingers in the hem of my sweater that she wore. “I’d hate to injure you before we even get started.”

Her warm and inviting laughter filled the apartment. “I might get injured if I keep wearing this huge thing.” Grinning, she let me tug the sweater, revealing smooth skin beneath. “I think we should remove it for safety.”

I mirrored her grin, steering her back toward the bedroom. “For your safety, I suppose I should lose mine, too,” I teased, pulling off my sweater. My heart raced with delight and love. With Valentine’s Day ahead, I wanted to savor every moment of her touch.

As we reached the bedroom, I turned off the lamp, plunging us into darkness, lit only by ambient light from the window. Sophie tugged my hand, and I followed eagerly. My parents’ acceptance supported our bond.

Winter’s whispers faded inside, leaving our sanctuary warm with love and a newly formed mate bond. With her messy hair and sparkling eyes, I couldn’t help but smile back at her playful hunger. Our phones could charge, and the city outside could wait—tonight was just for us. As she held my waist, we both grinned, ready to embrace the delight of our closeness behind closed doors.