Loving Merritt Forever

25

Asher

From half a block away from her apartment, I could smell her. She must have walked this street this morning, stopping by a variety of local shops for ingredients and last minute holiday foods, I imagined. She seemed like the type that would love to go all out, to lavish love and attention on holidays, to make everyone feel welcome, special, and at home. Merritt was just warm like it. It made sense that she was a nurse. Smart and caring. She was Luna material all over.

Merritt was warm spice in my nose. Mace or nutmeg, or maybe a blend. I hadn't decided yet. Waiting until I could spend more time with her, eager looking forward to tasting all of her to make up my mind. When Levi had messaged me to let me know her Christmas wish my wolf had begun to howl. Incessantly in my head, he had decided we needed to claim her, mark her as ours.

He kept arguing we had done as instructed. We willingly set up Levi to meet our mate, even when the magic one had told us Levi would be enthralled by her almost instantly. Essentially rejecting her, letting her fall in love with Levi instead of us. She was getting vampire blood regularly so she would heal from most injuries quicker. As well as be unable to resist anything she found attractive in Levi. She'd even likely come back if she died. According to my wolf we had done everything we were told. Mate wanted us now, we could claim her. Tell her everything. Mate her, have pups before the vampire made her cold forever.

I didn't want to risk it. I was told to reject her, to give her to Levi. I was only here at their pleasure, which was really Merritt's pleasure. I tried to reason with my wolf, that as long as we kept Merritt happy, we would be with her, we could love her. She just couldn't ever be ours. Levi didn't care about monogamy, he was beyond that, he already knew Merritt was his. We could love her, wasn't that enough to ensure she would be safe?

I had watched the two of them the last time we were together. So had my wolf. She adored Levi. It was obvious in how she looked at him. Her eyes always looking for his first, to make sure he was happy, that he saw her. He was her sun, the brightest point in her world. Even if he himself hadn't truly seen the real sun in centuries.

All I wanted was to be a moon around her world. To just be nearby, to know she was happy. That she wanted me to spend the night with her and Levi was far more than I had dared to hope for. She was all I had been dreaming of since Levi invited me over. My wolf was pushing forward too strongly. Howling so loud that it was hard to concentrate. I hated myself, but I locked him down far back in my head. Where even his loudest howl was still there, but now sounding far away.

I made it to her door knocking. Waiting only a moment before Levi opened the door, greeting me warmly. Taking my hand and bringing me in for a hug. His strong hand clapping on my back several times. It smelled like Christmas back when I had still lived with my family in the pack house. Merritt must have spent the entire day cooking. Underneath all the food, and pine smells was Merritt, warm spice in my nose.

Levi walked me to the kitchen, I finally saw Merritt. Her smile when she saw me was brighter and warmer than a summer sun. She had just pulled her hair down, freeing her scent as she shook her head. Coming around the corner, setting the Scotch I had brought on the counter. I didn't need to ask permission this time. I stalked towards Merritt, dipping her back, making her gasp in surprise which only made it easier for my tongue to taste her mouth. Her hand was on my face, fingers tracing over stubble, while her other fingers scratched along my scalp as she pressed her body up against mine. Fresh bay leaves and nutmeg. Bitter earth and warm spice. Her cheeks were always so rosey, she blushed so sweetly. Up close in the bright kitchen lights, I could see the faint constellations of freckles across her cheeks and nose.

I stood her back on her feet. Loving how dreamy her eyes looked after every kiss, how strongly she felt everything. The thing that would have improved this moment was if my wolf would stop howling. To accept what we could have and be grateful for a second chance. As the scent of her arousal filled my senses he filled my head with images of how it could be again. The three of us, then children, Merritt could stay happy and alive, no one would dare harm her with Levi and us protecting her. I slammed him back. Farther, until it was like he wasn't there at all.