His brother snorted. “What happened after the sex, moron?”
More sex. And then some cuddling and some talking. And then some more sex. He really needed to get his mind off of that. But it was so good, the way her face would blush when she came, calling his name. The feel of her wet heat clenching around his cock. And that’s enough of that.
“Shewasmymate.”
“Huh?”
“Melanie is my mate.” There the words were out. And yet, no relief came. Just shared misery.
Suddenly Kade was airborne as Jasper pulled him into a deep, brotherly hug.
“Damn. Larissa knew what she was talking about. Your mate? That’s awesome!” Jasper’s smile was so contagious, it almost broke Kade’s gruff exterior. Then, just as quickly as his brother’s exuberance appeared, it was gone. “Wait, if you found your mate, then why are you here alone, looking like someone kicked your puppy? Is it because she is human? Because if you let her go because you don’t think she is good enough for the Heir of the Redwood pack, I’m going to kick your fucking ass.”
“Do you really think I’m that much of a pompous, entitled jerk?” Kade’s muscles, flexed. Dumbass little brother thought it was okay to come in to his home and thrash him? Oh, he would show him who was Heir – Alpha in training.
“Well, look what happened with Tracy,” Jasper’s eyes widened as he spoke her name. Oh yeah, brother, you screwed up.
“This wasn’t anything like what happened with her – and you know it. Don’t fucking bring that clusterfuck of a situation up again.” Anger raged through his system. This was not the same thing at all. He didn’t want Tracy, and she left. Kade truly craved Melanie, and she left. See? No similarities.
I don’t understand you. How could you let our mate leave us?
Again, Kade ignored his wolf. He would probably regret that later on their hunt. But he wasn’t in the mood to justify his decisions.
“I’m sorry, Kade. I know Tracy is in her own realm of selfishness. I’ll quit coming to my own conclusions. What happened with Melanie last night?” To his credit, Jasper actually looked contrite and generally interested.
Kade sighed. Jasper was his Beta, he relied on his brother more than any of his others. He should be able to tell him anything, rely on him for advice. That didn’t make it any easier.
“Melanie and I did, um, complete part of the mating.” Heat crawled up his neck. Yep, he was officially a teenage pup.
Jasper merely gave him a goofy grin. Ass.
“Well, you know.” Kade took a deep breath, he was the fucking Heir. Use big words dumbass.
”We made love, our souls began the process of joining. But I didn’t mark her, I wouldn’t do that without her permission.”
“Of course, Kade. You never mark your mate without a full understanding of mating. That’s the first rule of it. Go on.”
“I know you’ve never felt the urge of mating once you catch their scent,” a shadow passed over Jasper’s eyes, but Kade continued, “damn, it took almost all of my control not to shift. I couldn’t use my full strength because she is so fragile, so my energy had to go somewhere, at some point my claws shifted. I was just so intense. I couldn’t stop myself.”
“Did you hurt her?” Jasper’s voice was calm over a dark tone.
“No! No. I didn’t. I have more control than that. But I did tear up the sheets and Mel noticed. I couldn’t lie to her Jasper. I woke up and she’s freaking out about the rips in the linens and I told her everything.”
“Everything?”
“I blurted out like an idiot that ‘I’m a werewolf.’”
“You didn’t.”
“In those exact words. I didn’t lead up to it or try to make her feel better. Fuck. What was I thinking? Telling a human woman, my other half, that I’m a fucking werewolf? No wonder she laughed and thought I was crazy.”
“Kade, what else did you do? Because I have a feeling this isn’t the end.”
“I proved it.”
“How did you prove it Kade?” Jasper’s voice had a nervous edge to it.
“I changed.”
Jasper burst to his feet. “Are you fucking kidding me Kade? You change into a mangy wolf in front of her and you wonder why she isn’t by your side?”
“I’m not mangy. I’m a fucking awesome wolf with a full coat.” Yeah, good comeback Kade.
“So not the point, oh mighty Heir.”
“Fine. I turned, she freaked. I turned back, she freaked some more. Then I told her my age and we were mates and we will be together for our long lives.”
If Jasper’s mouth hung open any wider, it would literally hit the floor.
“Don’t say it, I know I didn’t act with the most sense or grace.”
“Kade, brother, you didn’t act with any sense or grace. What the hell were you thinking? Let’s get past the whole ‘I turned into my wolf in front of a human and told them all of my secrets’ thing, which by the way is against almost every code you know and uphold as Heir, thing. What happened when you told her this?”
“Well, she told me I was crazy and then she said she was crazy too. Then she let me give her my number and she said she would call, before she left the room.”
“Damn.”
“I’m pretty sure I lost my brain somewhere during the night though. I’m not a kid, Jasper. I know how to have a decent conversation, but I just don’t know. Mel’s honey vanilla scent turns me in knots.”
“Honey vanilla?”
“Not the point, Jasper.”
“What? It’s the first substantial thing you have said about her. What are you going to do?”
Kade sighed. What would he do? She left him and he let her.
You’ll wait for her and welcome her. It’s fate, Kade. She will come.
Kade smiled at his wolf’s basic idea of a nonbasic concept.
“I’m going to wait for her, Jasper. She will come to me – she has to. Its fate. I’m going to do all I can to make our home here for her though, in the meantime. When she does come, it will be to a place she can fit in and be happy. That’s the least I can do.”
“That’s a great idea Kade. But why don’t you go for her?”
“I can’t. I promised myself as Heir and especially when I’m Alpha, I would not force my will and law on my mate. Melanie needs to make her own decision.”
“If that’s what you think is best.”
“It has to be Jasper, it just has to.” Because if she didn’t call him, he would be lost.
Chapter 8
Melanie’s head throbbed. Her eyes slowly cracked open to see her living room ceiling. Was that a cob-web? She should really get up there to clean that. Wait. Why was she lying on the couch?
Oh yeah, her mental breakdown and the fact that werewolves apparently bred like bunnies.
“Thank God, you’re awake.”
Mel stiffened. Lance. Another self-proclaimed werewolf. He was still there. For the love of God, please don’t try and prove it the same way Kade did. Don’t panic. Just slowly get up and find a weapon – or call the police.
“Melanie? I won’t hurt you. You’re safe with me. I promise.”
The crazy man – no beast thing – said he wouldn’t hurt her? And just how exactly was she to believe that? Yeah, silence seemed to be the best thing at this moment.
A cold, wet trickle trailed down her neck. Oh gawd. Was it blood? Did he decapitate her while she slept? Okay Melanie, get yourself together. You wouldn’t be breathing and talking to yourself if he took your head. Unless he made her a zombie. Wait, were there zombies? A shudder ran through her.
A hand shot out and messed with something on her head. Please, don’t kill me.
“Oh, are you cold? The ice I put on your cut is melting.”
Oh thank God, not blood. Just melted ice.
“When you passed out, you hit your head on the table. You’re going to have a rather large bump on your hairline, but I think you’ll be fine.” Lance’s voice carried a thread o
f worry and care. Dammit, apparently werewolves are thoughtful.
“Please don’t touch me.” See? That was nice and calm.
Lance’s face fell and he stood back. He looked like a kicked puppy. Mel snorted. Sometimes she cracked herself up.
“If that’s what you want, Melanie. I’m sorry for blurting everything out like that. I’m just nervous.” Mel gave him a good look. He did look cute, but in a best friend sort of way. Nothing like Kade.
Kade.
Her mouth salivated and her womb clenched as memories of the night before flooded her mind. They shared the best sex of her life, and then he ruined it by coming out as a monster of the night.
Lance’s nostrils flared as a shudder racked his body.
Oh shit. Don’t animals have a keen sense of smell? That’s what she remembered from reading that romance novel Larissa gave her. Well, this was embarrassing.
“It’s okay Lance, really. Just tell me what’s going on. Why do you think I’m your,” she swallowed hard, “mate?”
“You smell.”
“Excuse me?” Well, just when she thought the guy was cute. She was gonna kick his ass.
“No. No, that’s not what I mean. You smell perfect. Like honey. I swear.” If Lance backtracked any farther he would be out of the house. Well, that sounded like a good idea.
“Lance…”
“My wolf scented you and that is how I know we are mates. At least the potential to be one…”
Now why did this conversation sound familiar?
“Lance, stop. I’ve already heard this from Kade.”
“Kade. Right. About that, I know he thinks you can be his mate too. I mean, I…:” Lance’s ear’s blushed red.
An uneasy feeling settled in her stomach. “How did you know that exactly, Lance?”
“Um, well, I walked by your room this morning and heard your fight. I didn’t mean to intrude, it’s just werewolf senses, ya know.”
Oh, she was beginning to.
“Lance, I don’t think I’m your mate. And frankly, don’t you think it’s a bit rude to tell me this the morning after I find Kade?” She really just needed this guy to leave so she could think about Kade. Gawd, she already missed him. Yearned for him.
“I know it’s regrettable that you already slept with the pup, but he didn’t mark you so, things can be circumvented.”
Egotistical bastard, wait… “Pup?”
“Kade’s about fifty years younger than me, a boy in comparison. If you chose me you could have a man.”
And that was it.
“Lance, you need to leave. Now. Thank you for the ride and the possible concussion, but you need to go.”
“Melanie.”
“Go.”
The man backpedaled, practically running from her home.
What a night. She finds the perfect man, sleeps with him and then he informs her he’s a werewolf. Then another man helps her and says the same thing. Two mates. She needed a drink and a friend. Mel walked to the phone to call Larissa. It was her fault she was in this mess, and she could get her out of it.
“Kade and Lance? You’re one fucking lucky lady!” Larissa squealed before wrapping her arms around Mel.
“Didn’t you listen to anything I said? They’re werewolves. Kade changed right in front of me.”
“So?” A genuine look of confusion crossed her friend’s face.
“What do you mean ‘so’? Are you telling me you knew they were wolves? That you know of this whole other world and didn’t tell me?” Mel knew her voice shrieked, boarded on hysteria, but she didn’t care. Seriously, this was too much to deal with.
“Mel, stop acting like a drama queen. I swear you’ve been spending way too much time with your nose in the hydrocarbons to look at anything else. Yes, I knew. I’m a witch.”
Mel’s head began to throb, her vision growing dim. No. She shook her head. One fainting spell was enough for the day. This wasn’t the 1800s for Newton’s sake.
“A witch. Like toil and trouble and smoking cauldrons type of witch?” Too late, Mel realized she might have offended her best friend. Crap. Maybe she was Wiccan.
Larissa merely laughed. “Is Hocus Pocus the only taste of witchcraft you’ve seen? Don’t get me wrong, I love Bette Midler, but that’s not what I am. I do have magic, but I’m also more in tune to the Earth. Mel, hon, there’s a lot out there that you’ve never seen, but it’s time to grow up, but on your big girl panties and open your eyes.”
“What I need is a drink.” Maybe a whole lot of drinks. Like a barrel.
“I brought the whiskey for your morning tea. Don’t worry, babe, I know you. But after I give you a smidge, we need to talk.”
“Fine.”
Larissa prepared the tea while Mel sat and closed her eyes. Now that Lance was gone, the enormity of her situation began to sink in. She left Kade in the room so she could think. Did she want to change her life and be a werewolf’s mate? Did she truly believe everything in front of her eyes?
“Mel,” Larissa’s stern tone pulled her from her worries. “You need to call Kade. You need to tell him what Lance said.” A cautious look passed over her face. “Mel, this situation is direr than you think. This is not only about you and your decisions. If you can’t make a choice, they’ll be forced to fight.”
“A fight? Over me? That’s fucking idiotic. If I don’t want either of them, then they need to fucking walk away. Be a man.”
“Mel, they aren’t men. They’re werewolves. There’s something else you need to know.” Mel wasn’t sure she wanted to hear this. “Neil’s one too.”
“You’re mated to a werewolf?” And just when she thought this day couldn’t get any stranger. Yep, the wolves were definitely multiplying in full force.
“Yep. And I’m in a constant state of bliss.”
“So that’s how you know the Jamensons?” Things were starting to click in place.
“Yes, the Jamensons are the ruling family. Kade, is the Heir, first in line to be Alpha.”
Mel knew the power running through his veins, felt it when he pounded into her. The strength in his hands when he gripped her tightly, yet the control in his almost gentle touch.
“So he’s the big cheese. What does this have to do with your dire circumstances? Why do they have to fight?”
“It’s tradition. The thing is Mel, Kade’s already been through this before.”
“Tracy.”
Larissa quirked a brow. “I see he’s told you a bit. Well, then I’ll make this the edited version. That bitch Tracy, dangled her perky breasts in front of Kade and his best friend, Grant. Then she claimed innocence and confusion, letting the men fight for her. That woman sure does love attention. Well, Kade really didn’t want her – not like I’m sure he wants you. I can tell these things, sense them. But he’s the Heir, so he had to fight. So he did, partially. Most of us suspect he gave up so Grant could have her. Good riddance. Fate must be a real temperamental bitch since Kade seems to be in the same predicament. That is, if you can’t make up your mind.” Larissa leaned forward, daring Mel to do just that.
“What do I have to make up my mind? When I said yes to this overnight date, I said yes to dinner and maybe sex. Not a life altering wolfy fight.”
“I didn’t think to put it in the fine print, sue me.”
“Fuck you.”
“No, I think that’s Kade’s – or Lance’s – job.” Larissa didn’t smile, but pushed the cordless phone toward her. “If you don’t have the guts to call him, call Jasper. Here’s his number.”
“Larissa, I still don’t know why they need to fight. I’m human, not a wolf. This isn’t my problem.”
“Melanie Cross. Stop being a selfish ass. It’s time you grew up and took your nose out of your precious theories and science. This is affecting lives. Plural. Get over yourself.”
Angered and a bit hurt, Mel glared at her so called best friend. “Larissa…”
Larissa held up a hand, cutting off her response. “Call h
im.”
Chapter 9
Kade stood back and smiled. Pride swelled as he dusted off the last of the eraser shavings. Finished. He spent the morning and most of the afternoon designing a preliminary sketch for the add-on to his home. A present for Mel. His home currently was a bachelor’s nest, with heavy, chunky furniture and dark colors. The three-bedroom cottage most likely contained enough space, but Kade wanted to add more to it – to make it theirs not his.
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