Bella

I wake as Thorne pulls me closer and presses his face against my neck, the hair of his beard tickling my skin. I smile and shift my weight so I can put my arms around him. He grunts, “You’re awake,” He says groggily.

“Yeah, haven’t been for very long though.” I reply, my voice rough with sleep.

“Are you okay with this?” he asks, “You don’t feel threatened?”

“No,” I reply, resting my face against his hair, “If you wanted to tear my throat out you would have by now.”

He chuckles slightly, “Yeah, I suppose I could have.”

“Are you feeling better?” I ask, keeping my arms around him.

“Yeah, though, I was wondering…” he falls quiet.

“Wondering what?”

“Why did I wake up with you holding me?” he pauses then inhales sharply, “Not that I’m complaining, I just, you seemed so frightened by me yesterday.”

“You were having a nightmare; I was able to help you settle, but when I tried to go to the other bed you were dragged back in.”

“Oh... I’m sorry, you didn’t have to stay with me.” He says, even as he cuddles closer to me, “I know it’s a little inappropriate.”

I snort, “We’re a tribe now, this is more appropriate than me giving you a haircut. Besides,” I look down at him, “It’s helping me feel better too. I’d forgotten how much comfort comes from being near another Fae, and I’d never realized how important close contact is.”

He grins up at me, and I’m amazed at how much he’s improved in only one night. The sunlight coming through the window reveals the red highlights in his dark brown hair, his skin doesn’t look as gray, and the smile on his face is genuine. “Yeah?” he rests his head against my shoulder, “I missed being with a Tribe too, and I barely remember any of the time I was without one.” He winces and looks up at me, “Sorry, you’ve been without a tribe for a while.”

“I’ve never really had a tribe,” I admit, “I grew up near a human settlement and my mother was human so we didn’t really have many Fae habits.”

“Oh, I’m sorry.” He pauses, “Wait, you’ve never slept in a nest with a tribe-mate? Seriously? How?”

I frown, “I’ve not had much of a choice in regards to tribes. Why does it matter?”

He sits up and looks at me, “Fae are contact oriented, Casters and Hounds even more so. To the point that Casters rarely sleep on their own, and Hounds never do.”

I frown and mutter, “So that’s why I feel so well rested…”

Thorne frowns too, then lays down, pulls me against his chest, rests his chin on my head, and hugs me tight, “I’m never letting you sleep by yourself again.” He vows.

I chuckle and snuggle closer, “Good idea,”

“Of course it is,” he says, “Casters shouldn’t be alone if they don’t want to be.” He pauses, “You don’t want to be, do you?”

I shake my head, “No, I never want to be alone.”

He kisses the top of my head, “You don’t have to worry about that anymore, you’re not getting rid of me.”

An anxious part of me insists that at some point he’ll leave, but a deeper part of me is absolutely certain that I can trust what he says. I hug him tightly, “Good,”