Irish Mist (4 page)

“Is there a pack there that he could move into?” Travis asked Liam. Before Liam could answer, though, Travis looked at Caelum. “Do you know if there’s one? There has to be, right? Pine Hollow transfers people sometimes, and it seems simple. At least from what I’ve seen. Surely it can’t be that much worse over there.”

Caelum shrugged and moved his fingers past Ippy’s arm to curl in the longest tips of his curls that hung over the collar of his shirt. “I don’t know. It’s not like selkies regularly have meet ups with them if there are. We’re a pretty solitary bunch.”

Liam pinched his lips together. “So unlike a wolf.” There was judgement there, and though Caelum recognized it, he didn’t let it bother him. He knew from the times he’d spoken to Hannah’s dads that Liam was reserving judgement on him. As far as Caelum was concerned, that was completely understandable and he wasn’t about to give the man a reason to doubt him. Instead he nodded, agreeing with Liam. Werewolves and selkies, though both shifters, had very little in common, and he didn’t doubt that there would be times when that would become an issue between them. But it wasn’t going to be today.

With a sigh and a shake of his head, Liam took Travis’ hand. “Ippy, I’m sorry, but I have spoken to the alpha there. He understands the situation, but he does not approve of your relationship. It isn’t that you’re bi, it’s that you’ve chosen to take two people into your life. If there was only one—”

Not gonna happen,
Ippy said, his words punctuated by a low growl that made Liam’s head snap up as he narrowed his gaze at Ippy through the computer.

“Your point is clear, but let me remind you that I am still your superior, regardless of where you live or what pack you may or may not belong to,” Liam replied coldly.

Hannah put a hand on each of their legs and Caelum tightened his hold on Ippy’s hair. It wasn’t to the point of pain, not even close, but he wanted there to be no doubt in Ippy’s mind that he didn’t want him leaving, either.

“We’ll make it work,” Hannah said, her voice soft. She curled her fingers where they lay over their legs and Caelum nodded.

“Yes, we will.”

Liam frowned and leaned forward toward them. “I’ve tried living without a pack, and it is possible, but it will take work and commitment from all three of you. Ippy, you aren’t dominant like I am. Submissiveness isn’t weakness, but it does mean that you may not have the fortitude to do this alone. A pack is a family, a structure that has a strict rules and standards. Replicating it isn’t simple. If the three of you need help, for any reason, we are here for you. The whole pack is.”

“Thank you,” Caelum said, surprised that he was included in that offer.

Hannah gave her dads a bright smile, though Caelum saw the shadows behind it and knew that her dads likely could, too. She wasn’t a good liar, with her words or expressions, and someone should have told her that by now. “We’re gonna watch some movies and relax for a while. Thanks, Dads. I love you both.”

“We love you, too.”

Hannah shut her computer, cutting off the call, before getting to her feet and taking it to the dining room table. There weren’t many surfaces in his home to put it on, so Caelum supposed that was better than nothing. Neither he nor Ippy moved until she got back and when she was between them again they were quick to put their arms around her, holding her tightly between them.

“Not the answer I’d hoped for,” she quietly admitted.

Ippy shook his head.

Caelum agreed. It wasn’t ideal. Another pack would have been the simple solution, he supposed. “We’ll figure it out.”

Hannah forced another smile, and before she could give him some false ray of hope he bent his head to kiss away the lie of her smile. She was cold against him though, and he pulled away, giving her some space. But when he did so, she wasn’t even looking at him. Instead she turned to Ippy. “You okay with this? I know you saw us kissing earlier. But I want to make sure that you aren’t jealous that I’m kissing Caelum.”

Ippy shrugged
. I’m not bothered.

“Or jealous?” she pressed.

Ippy rolled his eyes.
Not jealous. Not bothered.

Before Caelum kissed her again he reached around Hannah’s lap to take Ippy’s hand in his. As Hannah turned back to him, easily sliding her arms around his shoulders and opening her mouth to him, he held Ippy’s hand. He wanted Ippy to know that he was still thinking about him, too. It was Hannah in his arms, but they were both on his mind and in his heart. Ippy gave his hand a squeeze and Caelum smiled against Hannah’s lips.

Caelum pulled away before the kiss could go further, though it was hard for him to do so. As he sat back up, Hannah moved onto his lap, easily folding herself against his chest as she pulled her legs up and underneath her while still keeping herself turned toward Ippy, who took up her empty place. He got comfortable beside them as Caelum wrapped an arm around Hannah’s side, keeping her close and on his lap, then put his other hand into Ippy’s between them on the couch.

Ippy leaned forward to turn on the TV and soon they were lost in an action movie that took no concentration to understand. Caelum was glad for his choice as he rested his head against Ippy’s shoulder and pretended that life could always be this easy among the three of them.

Almost two hours later, the movie was over and Caelum lifted a sleeping Hannah into his arms as he rose from the couch. Ippy followed along with him and then moved around him, leading the way to the room Hannah had claimed for herself. The one furthest away from his, Caelum realized as a hint of a frown marred his face. Ippy pulled back the fresh blankets Caelum had laid over the bed that morning and Caelum laid Hannah into it. As one they tucked her in and took turns kissing her cheek before leaving her room as silently as possible.

She’s cute when she sleeps,
Ippy said as Caelum straightened up the living room. There wasn’t much to clean up. Mostly it was just busy work to stall the inevitable. He didn’t want to go to bed, not yet, at least. But they’d come on a long plane ride and though he couldn’t remember ever experiencing it for himself, he knew that jet lag could be debilitating. And so he knew he’d probably be going to bed early that night to keep from waking them up.

“She’s always cute,” Caelum softly replied.

Ippy shot him a grin and fluffed one of the pillows on the couch that had gotten crushed as they’d spread out to watch the movie.
You haven’t seen her pissed off yet. She’s not quite as cute when she’s out for blood. Thankfully it’s never been mine.

Caelum couldn’t help the smile that came over him as he pictured Hannah angry enough to no longer be attractive to him. He couldn’t do it, though, and ended up grinning because of it. “I look forward to it,” he answered Ippy honestly. He wanted to experience that with them both, all the moments he’d missed with them over the past five years because he’d been here and they’d been in the states.

“I was lonely without you both,” he admitted, stepping back from the couch and meeting Ippy’s icy gaze.

We had the dreams,
Ippy reminded him.

Caelum shrugged. “Yes, we did. But they weren’t enough for me. There was still so much of a disconnect. Tell me you didn’t feel it, too.”

Shaking his head, Ippy came closer to him until they were less than a foot apart.
I can’t. I looked forward to you being in my dreams. I spent my days with Hannah and my nights with you. I had the best of both worlds.

“And now?” Caelum asked him, his breath halting in his lungs as he waited for Ippy’s answer.

Ippy gave him a little half smile.
And now you’re here and she’s here and I can’t believe it. You both say you love me and I’m scared to believe that. I’m insecure and I’m not comfortable in my own skin most of the time. Before I learned how to bond with my wolf I wouldn’t have even been able to do any of this. I could barely touch you the first time we met. I wanted to, but doing so freaked me out. I haven’t had an episode like that in over a year. It’s like my wolf calms me. He helps me put the world into a box that I can understand. Only the three of us don’t fit in that box, and sometimes I’m scared. And, also, I’m rambling right now.

Caelum watched as Ippy’s cheeks turned a dark pink and Ippy shook his head. He could hear Ippy chuckling in his mind, though his face gave away none of it as he turned away. Caelum was quick to place a kiss on Ippy’s heated cheek. “You are beautiful and wonderful,” he whispered in Ippy’s ear before stepping away.

I don’t believe you,
Ippy was quick to say.

“Because you think I’m lying?” Caelum asked him softly.

Ippy shook his head.
Because I’m not worthy of such a thing. You’re a selkie and gorgeous. Hannah is smart and spirited, and the most powerful child in the pack. She can put a full grown wolf in his or her place with just a look and no one messes with her. And I’m
—

Caelum didn’t want to hear any more of Ippy’s self-depreciating talk. He shook his head and put his fingers over Ippy’s mouth. Even though the words didn’t come out of Ippy’s lips, Caelum figured that he’d get the message anyway. “If I wasn’t a selkie and you weren’t a werewolf and Hannah was just a girl that we both loved, would you still feel this way? That you are somehow unequal to us? Somehow less than us?” Caelum asked him, his words coming out in a frustrated hiss.

Ippy frowned at him and Caelum dropped his hand.
The what ifs don’t matter. I am what I am. You are what you are. And Hannah can’t change who she is, either.

Caelum pressed his lips together and shook his head before replying. “I will not do this with you, Ippy. You’ve always been the same to me. You’ve always been mine. My werewolf. The boy I wanted to kiss when I was so lonely and you two fell into my life. You are my equal. I’m not a wolf, and your social structure means nothing to me. I only know you as the boy that I love and I only know Hannah as the girl that I love. I don’t know how to make you see that, and I won’t fight you if you refuse to believe me.”

Ippy’s eyes filled with tears and Caelum felt like shit for making him cry, but then Ippy threw himself into his arms and Caelum had to brace himself before Ippy knocked him over. Caelum hugged him as tight as he could, refusing to let go as Ippy’s shoulders shook and his tears soaked Caelum’s shoulder.

Do you mean it? Really?
Ippy whispered into his mind.

Caelum kissed his temple, then the side of his head, before dropping his lips to the side of Ippy’s neck and kissing him there, too. “Yes. I wouldn’t have said it otherwise. You both mean everything to me. You are my everything.”

Thank you.

The bedroom door across from them opened and Caelum didn’t release Ippy as he looked up at Hannah. She gave him a soft smile and a little wave. He lifted a few of his fingers off Ippy’s back to wave at her as well.

“Caelum, how big is your bed?” she asked him as she walked toward them.

He knew the answer without question, but also didn’t think she was ready for what she was offering. “You don’t want that.”

Hannah shook her head and added her hand to Ippy’s back. “Not for everything. But I don’t want to sleep alone, either. So, is your bed big enough for the three of us to share?”

“Ippy, is that what you want, too?” Caelum asked him.

Without saying a thing, Ippy nodded against his chest. Caelum released him and took each of their hands as he led them into his room. It was messier than the other two because he hadn’t thought he’d be sharing it so soon, but after he kicked a few dirty clothes aside and straightened up some of his books, it looked better, at least. Not fantastic, but passable for tonight. Besides, he doubted either of them would be judging him on how clean his room was.

“I can see the sea from here,” Hannah said, sounding excited as she went to the sole window in his room.

Ippy went with her and together they looked out into the night. Caelum looked, too, and smiled at the sight of the sea with its waves crashing along the beach and the moon shining down on them.

“Like it?” Caelum asked her.

Hannah nodded. “Absolutely. Too bad it’s not warmer. We could have the window open and get some of that salty breeze.”

“We could add blankets and cuddle,” Caelum offered.

Hannah rolled her eyes and moved forward to smack his shoulder. Too bad he’d been serious about that. He went to the bed first, choosing to be in the middle and also to keep his pants on. They were comfortable and plenty warm to sleep in. Ippy came next, not removing any of his layers as he stiffly lay next to Caelum on his right. Hannah came last, looking a bit indecisive before taking off her bra through her sleeves without removing her shirt. Caelum was surprised, but Ippy seemed hardly interested as she laid it neatly over the chair to his desk. She hesitated again and Ippy yawned and turned onto his side, facing Caelum.

Just take them off. No one is going to care,
Ippy said, startling Caelum.

“Take what off?” Caelum asked, looking between the two of them.

Hannah’s fingers rested on the button of her jeans. “My pants. Normally I sleep in a t-shirt and boxers. I’ve got boxers on right now, actually. I like how they feel. It’s not weird.”

Caelum smiled at her. “No, it’s not. I like boxers, too.”

She smirked at him. “Yeah, but you’re a guy. You’re supposed to like them. I’m supposed to wear frilly pink underwear that’s all lacy and crap. Not blue boxers with little birds on them.”

“Do they really have little birds?” Caelum asked her, getting interested now. He only had plain ones.

In one quick motion Hannah had her pants off and was standing next to the bed showing off boxers that were blue and did have little cartoon birds on them. “Tada,” she grumbled.

Caelum grabbed her wrist and pulled her into bed next to him. “They’re cute.”

She thinks it makes her less of a girl to wear them,
Ippy revealed, even though his eyes were closed as he put his head over Caelum’s chest.

Hannah cringed. “It does, though. Kind of. I mean, not many girls wear stuff like this.”

“I don’t care about what other girls do, only what makes you comfortable,” Caelum said as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders and held her close. With a little giggle she curled up against his side as well. As Caelum watched, Ippy put his hand on Caelum’s belly just above his navel and Hannah wrapped her fingers around Ippy’s. He liked that, that they were connected in this way. All three of them. He fell asleep shortly after that with Ippy snoring softly into his side and Hannah’s hair falling over his shoulder.