Kelly POV
My feet are freezing even though they are wearing socks and shoes. The wood under my heels soaks up the warmth out of each of my toes, the fingers of chill creeping up to grasp my ankles.
I gulp down the tough knob in my throat. I am beyond nervous, but this is something I have to do. And I'm going to do it... maybe.
"Are we going to do this?" It's Ethan. He stands behind me, watching me carefully. He taps his shoe against the hardwood floor as I stand there on the top stair. He can feel my anxiety.
"There's no we." I say, and my mate's eyes grow wide, his jaw clenching. The fury buzzing off of him is enough to draw a strained laugh past my lips. "At least not right now. I need to do this by myself."
He looks apprehensive now. Ethan's whole form seems to crowd me, trying to shield me like an umbrella. He's my favorite umbrella.