by Elissa Daye
“What was she doing near the glen? Didn’t you tell her about it?” Amber asked her son.
“Apparently he’s not much of a talker,” teased Kam.
“Talking’s overrated,” Karter added to the fray.
“Talkers are overcompensating,” agreed Kyle.
Killian rubbed his temples. He was growing increasingly frustrated with the conversation around him. Not to mention the fact that if they continued to insinuate anything dirty, he would not be able to control the erection that threatened to make itself quite visible. He hadn’t been this randy since he was a teenager.
“Boys, this is no laughing matter.” Kenton’s voice rose slightly. “We need to find out who’s causing this.”
“Agreed.” Amber backed her husband, who looked at her like she was sick.
“You feeling all right there?” He asked her.
“Why?” She asked him cautiously.
“You never let me be right.” He grinned at her.
Killian watched the easy banter between his parents. One day he would have that with Brina. Their relationship was in the raw, formative phase, but he knew they would get through it. He was not disappointed in his choice for his mate, not one bit. Every minute he learned something new about her that made his feelings grow for her. Seeing the way she dealt with his brothers, accepted his mother, those were things that made him incredibly proud to call her his. He wanted to shout it from the rooftops, but for now he would settle for just one more kiss from her delicate lips. Perhaps a taste of her...well, anything. Killian’s gut clenched.
Killian had warned her that she could have no one else. He prayed she understood that, because he wasn’t sure who would be more infuriated, the man or the beast. Heaven help the man who tried to come between them. There would be hell to pay. He felt his hair rising on the back of his neck, and his eyes flashed just thinking about it.
“Maybe it’s time to go to the witch’s camp,” suggested Karter.
Killian rolled his eyes. “Which one are you planning on visiting?”
“Any number of them now that I’m a free agent.”
Killian shook his head at his brother. Now that Killian had found his mate, the rest of them were off the hook for a small window of time. They could go back on the prowl now that their alpha had chosen. Killian still couldn’t believe his father had given up leadership so easily. He was still quite young, but sometimes there was no rhyme or reason to it.
Kam grumbled, “Easy for you to say.”
“Still off limits?” Killian asked him. So, maybe not all of them. It was different for each of them. Their beast fully controlled their desires, more than any of them cared to admit. Man and beast were so in tune that what one did affected the other. Sometimes, irreparably.
“We’re working on it,” Kam answered gruffly.
“That must mean you’re next,” his mother suggested as Kam bristled slightly.
“Just imagine the old ball and chain waiting for you. Maybe you can find someone closer to your age to put up with your ass,” suggested Karter.
“Want me to punch him?” offered Killian.
“Nah. I’ll get him when he least expects it, like I always do.” Kam ground his fist into his hand.
“Says you,” Karter snickered.
“Karter, you realize you get twice as many poundings as the rest of them, right?” Amber Knight cautioned him.
“Whatever. I give quite a few too.”
“In an alternate dimension, maybe,” Kyle snorted next to him. “The only one who’s gotten more is Kendrick.”
“Speaking of Kendrick, when is his next break?” Karter asked.
“Thanksgiving,” Kenton answered them. Any time someone brought up Kendrick, his chest seemed to puff up in pride. Kendrick was twenty-four, and pursuing his anthropology masters.
Killian tired of the conversation. His growing need for his mate couldn’t be put off any longer. Not to mention the fact that he was really starting to worry about Brina. When they mated, their souls had intertwined. He sensed the melancholy that was drifting inside her. It was time to put her at ease, for whatever was causing her to be upset.
He shoved his plate away from him. “I think I’m done with my food too.”
As Killian pushed away from the table, he saw his mother’s smile.
“Good luck,” she offered him.
Killian had the feeling he was going to need it. Women were unpredictable creatures—maybe not as volatile as a werewolf’s beast, but still unnerving. The only woman Killian had ever had to understand was his mother. Somehow Killian had the feeling that Brina was very much like his mother. Soft, determined, vulnerable, powerful, insecure, independent. She was a puzzle of which he would spend the rest of his life unlocking the pieces one at a time. He looked forward to it, but even more, he looked forward to the moments they would have now.
Killian closed his eyes and remembered the eyelids that had fluttered slow with desire, and his gut clenched. Yes, it was time to find his mate.
Chapter 16
Brina sat in the garden on a bench she was pretty sure was one of Amber Knight’s favorite places. Very few flowers were blooming, but there was a handful of different herbs that Brina recognized—some for healing, some for cooking. She saw the lavender bushes and smiled. Amber must put a sprig of lavender in with the linens to keep them smelling so fresh. All things Brina had picked up over the years.
She sighed and a slow tear worked its way down her face. Had Amber known all she was giving up to raise this pack of men? Or was it tossed at her so quickly she couldn’t second guess it? Not that Brina would have made a different choice later, she just was unsure where she fit right now.
Between his sheets? Brina knew she would always fit there, happily too. But what about the other areas of their lives? What did he do? Did he have a profession? Brina realized she had never asked him. In other relationships they would have spent many hours, days, even months getting to know each other. The only thing she really knew was the way she felt about him.
And if she felt this way, chances were so did Killian. Desiring her was one thing—loving her was something different altogether, and while their bodies simulated those feelings, there was no actual proof that it existed between either one of them. What a tangled web she had thrown herself carelessly into. What if she wasn’t enough? Then Killian had united with someone who would eventually destroy him.
“Bri?” His voice was soft and filled with concern.
She quickly wiped away her tears and offered him a weak smile. “Killian.”
Killian sat down next to her. He looked into her eyes as he wiped away her tears. “Are you okay?”
Brina didn’t know how to answer. She started with the truth. “I’m confused.”
Killian looked away from her and cursed softly. “You have regrets?”
“No…not really.” She touched his face so he turned around to look at her. “No regrets, Killian. But I’m worried you might.”
He smiled at her. “Never.”
“Killian....”
“Yes, Bri?”
“We don’t even know each other.” She threw it out there and let it marinade before them.
“I know enough.”
“I don’t,” she argued.
“What do you need to know?” He asked her.
“What happens next?” Brina’s mouth wobbled slightly. “You see, for the rest of us there’s marriage, children....”
“I see.” His eyes twinkled merrily. “Is that what this is about?”
“I don’t know how I fit. What is this? I’m your mate, but what does that mean?” Very few things terrified Brina, but waiting for his answer made her on edge. She hadn’t even figured out what she wanted in life. At one point she’d thought marriage and kids, but that had seemed to slip away over the years as something completely unobtainable. Right now, she was now committed to him for the rest of her life, but they had not defined what that commitment was.
&
nbsp; “I have done this backwards. I’m sorry for that. I’m not usually this impulsive.” His eyes were filled with regret. “What do you want, Bri?”
Brina blinked in confusion. What did she want? “To know you.”
“I see.”
Killian pulled her into his lap, and his lips came down to hers. Brina felt her breath stop in her chest when she felt the bulge near her thigh. How could he already be...? Her thoughts were cut off completely when his tongue slipped into her mouth. She sighed against him. Here, like this, doubt seemed to slip away with ease. They would always have this. But what happened in the other moments, when they had to figure out where their lives were going?
Killian broke the kiss and his eyes flashed before her. “You do know me, Bri.”
“Not all of you.”
Killian’s eyebrows rose as he remembered their moments together. “I’d say you know me pretty well.”
“Killian!” Brina slapped him on the arm. “I know your body, but not your mind, or your heart for that matter.”
“Bri…I thought you knew.” He lifted her hand to his mouth and kissed it gently. “I belong to you, mind, body, heart, and soul.”
Brina did not react to his declaration. It was just a flourish, a deflection. “Do you love me?”
“Yes, Bri. I love you.” His face took on a serious light.
“Why?” She crossed her arms in front of her and demanded a proper answer.
“For just that reason.” He pointed to her posture, “You’re obstinate, pushy, fierce, devoted, unafraid, determined, soft, sweet, tender, forgiving, relentless, intelligent, beautiful, and kind.”
“How do you know all that?” Brina had trouble believing his words.
“Bri, I don’t need a lifetime to know my heart. I’ve waited a long time for the right woman. I wouldn’t settle for anything less.” He kissed her forehead. “Fortunately, I’ve got all those things, and so much more, in my arms.”
Another tear formed in her eye. She had never heard anyone say such beautiful things to her before. Some of her doubts started to slip away. “So, it’s not just about sex?”
Killian stiffened beneath her. “Bri....”
“What?” She waited for him to defend against her accusation.
“Don’t say that right now…I’m having enough trouble keeping myself in line,” Killian cautioned her.
“Sex?” She asked him in confusion.
Killian growled and his mouth came down on hers as the desire that had been building in him made itself known. Brina felt a slow wave of desire work its way into her bones as she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer.
Killian pulled his mouth away from hers and his breathing was shallow. “I want you more than the air I breathe, Bri.”
“Is that enough, Killian? One day, it might not be.” Her lips wobbled slightly.
Killian ran a hand through his hair and let out a frustrated breath. “That’s it.”
He stood up, and she almost fell off his lap. He grabbed her hand and started to pull her along with him. Brina tugged against his hand slightly. “Where are we going?”
“To talk.” He grinned at her, and Brina had the distinct feeling that he wanted to do a whole lot more than just talk. If he turned on his charm, there was nothing she could do to fight it. Her body craved his touch even now. She shivered slightly as anticipation filled her.
Brina lost count of time as they walked quietly through the forest to the cabin where he had made her his one true mate. When they were standing outside it, she wanted to refuse to enter. It was hard enough to string two thoughts together when she was around him, but the minute they entered there, she knew it would all be over.
“You’re not afraid, are you?” Killian sensed her hesitation.
“A little.” She was honest. “But not of you.”
“Good.” He opened the door and gestured for her to enter.
Brina felt desire oozing off him when she walked past him, and it made her heart skip a beat. When he closed the door behind them, she turned to face him. His face was conflicted, and she understood it. She stepped toward him, and attempted to touch his face.
Killian stepped back from her hand. “If you touch me, there’ll be no talking. Now, sit.”
Brina pouted softly, feeling very much like a child who got caught with her hand in the cookie jar. She walked over to the couch near the fire and curled her legs up under her. Killian sat in the chair across from her. Even though he was so close to her, the distance made him feel so far away. She patted the couch next to her. “I won’t bite, Killian.”
“Pity,” he murmured. “I think I’ll stay right here.”
Brina sighed. “What you said—”
“I love you, Bri. I intend to spend my life proving it.” His voice was soft and serious.
She smiled at him. An idea popped into her head, one that could take care of two birds with one stone. Brina got up from the couch and stood before him.
“What are you doing, Bri?”
“For everything you share, I’ll take off one piece of clothing.”
Hot molten lava—his eyes were now full of it. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“I won’t touch you,” Brina promised—half-heartedly though, because it wasn’t one she intended to keep forever. “And for everything I share, you will take something off.”
“And when we run out of clothes?” His eyebrow rose curiously.
“Then you get to make one wish at a time.”
“A wish? Like...?”
“Let’s say, I want you to kiss me, then you have to do that.” Brina knelt before him and looked into his eyes. “You’re not afraid of me, are you?”
“Never.” His breath caught in his throat when Brina moved closer to him.
“Tell me something I don’t know about you.”
“I’m the leader of my pack, but I’m not the oldest. I’m thirty-two.” Kilian waited to see what she would take off.
Brina reached down and took off a shoe. “You look disappointed.”
He chuckled. “Maybe. We’ll get to that. What is your favorite color?”
“Green, but that was a fluff question. Ask me something harder,” she challenged him.
“How many men have you slept with?” Jealousy flashed in his eyes.
Brina put a finger to her head and started to add up the relationships where she’d actually had sex. “Counting you?”
“Yes.”
“Does the wolf count too?” Brina asked him.
“No....” He was losing patience with her.
“Four. I lost my virginity to a very untalented teenage boy, who barely broke my maidenhead. The second was a man I dated for a few months in college. The third was someone I trusted, but as soon as.... Well, let’s just say I was a horrible disappointment to him. And then...well, there was you.”
“Idiots, all of them.” He let out a frustrated breath. “Just the idea of them putting their hands on you….”
Brina smiled at him. “I answered your question. What are you going to lose?”
Killian almost ripped his shirt off. “Ask away.” Brina stared at his muscled flesh and closed her eyes as she tried to capture it in her mind. She must have taken too long, because Killian’s voice interrupted her. “Bri?”
“Oh, right.” She licked her lips and tried to remember that there was a point to all of this.
“Bri....” His voice was almost a growl.
“How many women have you slept with?”
“Too many to count, but the only one that matters to me is you.” His face was shuttered, as if he was waiting for her to get upset with his answer.
She smiled at him. “I’m not surprised, really.”
“Oh? Why’s that?”
“Any woman who didn’t want to jump your bones would have to be blind. I’m going to have to carry a broomstick.”
“Why?” He asked her cautiously.
“To beat them off you.” She pu
lled her other shoe off.
Killian chuckled. “You have nothing to worry about.”
“Oh, I know. Your turn.”
“How do you like your eggs?”
“Scrambled with cheese, why?” she asked him.
“Because by the time I’m done with you, you’re going to be starving.” Killian removed one of his shoes.
Brina sure hoped so. “What do you do, besides watch over the forest? Do you have a job?”
“I like to work with my hands. I’m a carpenter and I make furniture.”
“Did you make the rocking chair?” She asked him.
“Yes, and that’s two questions. Strip it down, Bri,” he ordered her.
Brina smiled. “As you wish.”
She moved back to the couch and removed her shirt, followed by her bra. When she saw the raw hunger on his face, Brina felt a tremor work its way through her body. She didn’t bother to hide herself. Instead, she sat there with her chest displayed proudly. “Your turn.”
Killian blinked, then shook his head slightly. “Do you want children?”
Brina hadn’t expected that question. She looked away from him, and paused as she tried to figure out what it was that she did want. Closing her eyes, she imagined a smaller version of him crawling over the floor, and her heart warmed over. “Yes. If we’re lucky, a few. I would hate for them to be lonely.”
Her answer seemed to make him happy. He took off his other shoe. “Good. When can we get started?”
Brina sighed. “The game’s not over yet, Killian. Cat or dog?”
“Both. But that was too easy. Pick another one,” he challenged her.
“What are you afraid of most in life?” She asked him.
He didn’t skip a beat. “Losing you.”
Her breath caught in her throat. Brina couldn’t look at him. She stood up and removed her pants. When she sat down, she didn’t see desire in his eyes, just an overwhelming love that caught her by surprise. “Your turn, Killian.”