When I returned, Scythe tapped the wooden spoon upon the pot and placed it down. He leaned against the counter. “You might have left a note, but you failed to do something else.”

I wrapped my arms around his waist and untucked his tunic from his pants, in search of the smooth skin of his back. “Oh?” I smiled up at him.

His lips twitched, breaking his stony expression. “You didn’t kiss me as soon as you arrived.”

“Is that a rule?” I taunted, rising onto my toes for my lips to near his.

“A requirement, really.”

“And the note?”

He gripped my ass, squeezing, and whispered to my lips, “Unnecessary but appreciated.”

My heart swelled, and I looped my arms around his neck as soon as our lips met. I opened his, felt the warmth of him invade, and welcomed it, my body both calming and heating.

He seemed to feel the same. His shoulders loosened, and a low groan rumbled within his throat. “Hello, wildflower.”

I smiled against his lips. “Hello, wolf.”

A peace so freeing settled within me. No matter his mood, no matter the numerous obstacles between us, I’d come to recognize its arrival whenever he was near. Uncanny, that it should exist. That such a thing could be gifted to me from a wolf who was not only capable of murder but who had also spent most of his life bathed in bloodshed.

“I will build you a wardrobe.”

“You will not.”

He frowned. “I will.”

I kissed each corner of his mouth. “Such resources should be given to those who have nothing right now, wolf.”

His eye narrowed slightly, as if he were dissecting my choice of words.

The stew bubbled.

He cursed and turned away to tend to it. Then he turned back, his mouth pressing hard to mine, and I laughed. “Sit,” he gently ordered. “Tell me who you met.”

I grabbed the bowls he’d set on the countertop and took them with me to the table. Cutlery, bread, and a carafe of water already waited at its center. “Your new queen.”

He stilled, the question gruff. “Where?”

“She visited Olivianna’s while I was there collecting the gowns. Oh, that reminds me.” I hurried back to the bedchamber to the gowns where I’d left the pictures Ryon had created in one of the clever pockets Olivianna had sewn into all five of them.

Scythe was pouring dinner into the bowls when I returned.

I unrolled the pictures. “Ryon drew these. From the night I came back.”

Scythe peered over at them, then grunted with a smile. “The cub’s got a great eye for detail.”

I laughed. “That’s what I said.” I placed the pictures upon the bookshelf. “He wanted to make sure you received yours.”

“I’m sure you’ll let him know.”

“He called you the angry wolf.”

“Suppose he’s not wrong.” Scythe set the pot on the stove. “Come and eat.”