by Kamryn Hart
She walked past him and knelt down next to the rabbit. She whipped out a pocket knife hidden in her boot, inspecting the blade and the rabbit. She’d skin it and prepare it for dinner when they got back to Ethan’s place. They needed to keep up their strength after all. Dinner was a requirement.
She put the knife back in her boot when she heard Ethan’s footsteps crunch in the snow behind her. He could walk silently, but he chose not to.
“You’re not who I remember you were,” he said quietly.
“A lot changes in a few years. It’s been five. You’re different too, but you’re still the same Ethan I’ve always known. I’m the same Emily, but I learned how to take care of myself. I’ve been on my own all this time. Looking for a rogue shifter will do that to you.” She smiled at herself for that.
“I want to make a promise,” she said, “a promise with the same weight as those Moon Marks.” She paused, a realization dawning on her. “Mason was a shifter under the Moon too, right?”
“Yes,” Ethan murmured.
“These Moon Marks, Lunas Sigils, are unbreakable contracts, supposedly, but what if the people involved want to nullify them? If Mason can hear me right now, and I think he can, he needs to take it back. I can make my own decisions, Mason. I’m a grown woman, and I’m the oldest by a year. Stop being so stubborn.”
Ethan had a sad kind of smile on his face. He held out his hand to her. She scooped up the rabbit in one hand as she took his with the other. He pulled her up to stand beside him, and then Emily saw someone she never would have expected to see in a place like this: Cedric Snow. And he was coming right for them.
She had to look twice to make sure it was him, but it was undeniable. His hair legitimately looked silver in the moonlight. It was kind of surreal. She knew he had a big falling out with his parents or something. She heard it on the news in passing, but she had no idea she’d see him in Moonwatch of all places. Maybe she shouldn’t have been surprised. That also meant he was probably a shifter. Yes, he had a distinct golden glow in his eyes. Oh, and Rogue mentioned a Cedric earlier when talking about birds. Definitely a shifter.
“What is Cedric Snow doing here?” she hissed at Ethan.
“We’re bros,” Ethan said easily.
Clearly, Ethan had many stories to share with Emily, and she was eager to hear them all.
“Hey,” Ethan greeted Cedric with that laid-back attitude of his, meaning he wasn’t kidding when he said the two of them were bros.
“You look like shit,” Cedric informed.
“Thanks.”
Cedric looked Emily over thoroughly, head to toe. He wasn’t checking her out with sexual intent. It was like he was literally scanning her for safety or to analyze how she and Ethan fit together. It was kind of sweet. Ethan had good friends. She wanted to be a part of his life so badly. She wanted his friends to be her friends. She wanted all of this because it felt like it was meant to be hers and like it was just waiting to greet her once she found her way here.
“Well?” Cedric asked impatiently. “Are you going to introduce us or what?”
“Cedric, this is Emily Walker, keeper of half of my heart. Emily, this is Cedric Snow, my brother by no relation, and the guy who shot me down for sex.”
Emily wanted to cry at his introduction of her. She knew exactly what Ethan meant. She held one half of his heart and Mason held the other. It would always be that way. She let the sex comment slide. Cedric Snow was one fine specimen. If she didn’t have such a one-track mind, she probably would have looked for comfort at certain points during these past five years, too.
“That has to be the worst introduction I’ve ever heard. Also, I’m not going to ask about that dead rabbit you’re holding,” Cedric commented. He held out his hand and Emily reached out her free one to shake, but he took her hand and kissed the back of it. “It’s a pleasure to meet you Emily Walker, keeper of half of Rogue’s heart. I hope you’ll stick around and keep him out of trouble.”
“That’s my plan,” she replied. Cedric’s touch was light when he let her hand go. This man was a gentleman, a real prince if she ever met one.
“I’m taking first watch,” Cedric informed. “You two should get some rest.”
They said their goodbyes. Finally, Emily and Ethan were on their way back to his house. It seemed to Emily Blue Pack had intended on keeping Ethan around the instant he showed up. Why else give him a house? This pack was generous.
“I like all of your friends,” Emily said as she glanced at the Moon overhead, the Moon that held more power than she had realized. “They seem nice.”
Ethan was quiet for a moment before responding, “They are.”
“Let’s get home and skin this poor rabbit. I know how to make a good meal out of a rabbit.”
“Good thing I have more food in the house. That guy’s a fat little marshmallow, but I’m starving.”
“Perfect, then. A feast it is.”
She took his hand in hers, carrying her rabbit in the other. She held on tightly. She knew things weren’t solved, but they felt a lot closer to where they were supposed to be, and that was a start.
Chapter 12
IN SOME WAYS, EMILY was barely recognizable as the girl Rogue knew back in Brooklyn years ago. She was older, sure, but she had become a warrior. For him, she became a woman who knew how to use a gun. She was a great shot. She had nerves of steel. She had always been levelheaded, now more than ever. She didn’t let emotions show like he did, or she simply wasn’t soft like he was, but she was as caught up in this Fated Mates business as he was. More than he was maybe. For five years she had been searching for him. Him. If Mason had still been alive, she would have done the same for him, too.
Rogue was more convinced than ever that he and Mason didn’t deserve her. They should have trusted her more back when they were all together. She was human, but what did it matter? Why waste time when you don’t know how much you even have left?
Dinner was excellent like Emily promised it’d be, the best he ever had, but Rogue was lost in his head the entire time. He was quiet. Emily allowed him to be. She was present, supportive, the constant she always was in the past. He wanted to talk. He wanted to tell her how much he appreciated her, but he was tired in his body, heart, mind, and soul. Emily took the guest room and Rogue went to his room soon after they finished. He should have been fast asleep in moments, but he couldn’t sleep. Not even the severity of his exhaustion could coax him to sleep.
He checked his phone for the millionth time, anxious for Bruiser to call, anxious for good news. He wanted someone to reassure him he had time with Emily and a lot more to come. That Lunas Sigil on his cheek kept pulsing, flickering on and off, hurting and not hurting. It stopped him from saying things he needed to say. He would have told Emily he wanted her to stay and that he fucking needed her protection, but Mason wasn’t convinced. He wasn’t listening to what she said. He was as pigheaded as ever. Then again, he must have heard something Emily said—or maybe he saw her shot. The pain of the bloody mark he left on Rogue’s left cheek hurt nothing like it had before. It was more of a minor annoyance, a little toothache.
For so long, this mark had been nothing but a deep scar, nothing but a memory. But, right here and right now, Mason was present. Rogue could feel him. He was nearly tangible. If Rogue reached out his hand, he might touch him. He might feel that warmth he missed so terribly. He could see him clearly, the Tasmanian devil shifter he fell in love with. His buzzed brown hair that made him look tough, green eyes, tan skin, the strong ropy muscles that made him as hard on the outside as he was on the inside… except he wasn’t that hard on the inside. He had a soft spot for Emily and for Rogue. For Ethan. He was never Rogue to Mason. He exiled himself to be Rogue. However, since Emily arrived, Ethan felt alive again.
Rogue or Ethan? Which one was he? Was it possible to be both?
“Are we finally going to move on?” Rogue asked aloud. He was ninety-nine percent sure Mason could hear him.
; And Emily was asleep in the guest room. Why was she sleeping in the guest room? He wanted her beside him. His burns weren’t bad. He could hold her close, and things would be as they should be. That was why he couldn’t sleep. He needed Emily.
He rolled out of bed and tiptoed through the house that was still unfamiliar, the house that was his in name but not in heart. If Emily was sleeping, he didn’t want to wake her. But what if she was awake too? Would she hold him? Would Mason let her?
Rogue’s heart beat stronger, warmer. He paused in the hallway and pressed his hand over his heart. The first Lunas Sigil Mason gave him, he could feel it again. Endless love, endless devotion. They had made two unbreakable promises, and they were of a very different nature.
Which is it, Mason? Do you hate me or do you love me? I don’t know anymore.
A few more steps were all it took before he was standing outside of Emily’s partially shut door. He put out his hand with the intention of opening the door wide, but he withdrew instead of committing. He grabbed his wrist with his other hand and marched himself back to his room. He didn’t get burned, there was no punishing pain stemming from the mark on his cheek, but…
Rogue’s chest heaved with every breath he took. He barely made it inside his room before he slammed his back against the burgundy wood wall and slid down against it until his ass hit the same burgundy wood floor. That stunt did aggravate his wounds, but he didn’t care.
“Mason,” he pleaded quietly, “It’s okay, isn’t it? Please, tell me it’s okay. We’ve both coddled her and pushed her away enough. You heard her, saw her. She isn’t going to leave like you want her to. She’s done doing what we tell her to because we were wrong. We were wrong, Mason. We should have held fast. She would have gone anywhere with us. Hell, she’s here now, isn’t she?”
The warmth spreading through Rogue’s chest was like a blanket wrapping around his soul. It filled him with such strong emotions, he was pretty sure he was going to spontaneously combust. He closed his eyes tightly because it was the only way to curb some of the overstimulation.
“It’s okay.”
Rogue’s eyes snapped wide open. Mason was in front of him. This wasn’t him recalling a memory, recreating Mason’s every detail. He was there. Really there. But there was a soft glow to his skin and particles of light seemed to drift away from him and fade into the darkness. His eyes shone with a light similar to when he was alive, but it was much more intense, much wiser. He was beautiful.
Mason grinned at him, that same grin that was almost a smirk, almost predatory. But it wasn’t that. It was just Mason, and he was perfect.
His smile fell, and his eyes almost looked sad. “I’m so sorry, Ethan. I never wanted to hurt you or Emily. Not ever. But that’s exactly what I’ve been doing for way too damn long. Thanks to our connection, at least I get this one chance to make it right and take it back.”
He reached out his ethereal hand and pressed it against Rogue’s cheek. It was a cooling touch, like water, but it also sizzled and sparked against Rogue’s skin. It sent a wash of relief through his entire system. His muscles no longer ached. His burns were inconsequential. His foot didn’t throb.
“Now all I have to do is wait for you both to come to me,” Mason said as he leaned back on his knees, taking his hand with him. Rogue felt cold without his touch. Mason added, “But don’t come too soon. I can wait.”
“Mason, don’t leave,” Rogue pleaded. His eyes were filling with tears against his will. It was too much to take, like saying goodbye all over again.
“I’m never far, Ethan. I promise.”
Mason shifted forward and pressed his lips to Rogue’s. It was the sweetest kiss he had ever given. Mason wasn’t soft. He was never soft, but that was the only way to describe this kiss. Rogue kissed him back fervently, reversing roles that had always been well-established. He wanted to feel Mason’s body pressed into his, to hold him tight and never let him go, but Mason didn’t allow it, and he took away his lips.
He pressed his forehead against Rogue’s. “You’re getting carried away, Ethan. I don’t get to stay. This is a onetime deal.”
“No,” Rogue said adamantly.
“Yes.” Mason smiled and kissed him one more time. “I love you. Tell that to Emily for me too, since I don’t get to tell her myself. And make her yours, Ethan. Ours. Bring us all together. Fix this.”
For a third time, Mason kissed him. Rogue had to close his eyes because the sensation was so intense, otherworldly. When he opened his eyes again, Mason was gone.
Rogue bit his lip. His chest ached with a pain that was debilitating. He hunched over, grabbing his t-shirt with his hands as hot tears fell from his eyes. He brought up his legs and rested his head on his knees as he sobbed. His entire body shook with the force of it. It was the gross and unattractive kind of sobbing, the kind that only happened when someone shattered. But this was different. Rogue may have shattered, but the pieces were coming back together. The blanket of Mason’s love was wrapped protectively around his heart.
The door to Rogue’s room, which he had failed to shut, drifted open to reveal Emily. She spotted Rogue on the floor immediately. He tried to wipe away the ugly tears on his face, but the tears kept coming. She dropped down to the floor beside him, wrapped her arms around him, and held him in a protective hug. He hugged her back, repositioning himself so he could hide inside of her hug. He touched her without any backlash, without any hint of disapproval. He breathed her in, recommitting to memory that lovely flowery scent of hers.
He didn’t know how long they held each other before Rogue finally got a hold of his emotions enough to speak. “Mason took it back,” he said.
Emily touched his left cheek, probing for the mark that was no longer there. He pressed his cheek more firmly into her hand. Then he pressed his lips to her hand. “Let me mark you, Emily.” He reached out and squeezed her thighs, pressing his fingers on the inside and lightly brushing her sex so she would know exactly what he meant by that. “Stay with me and Mason forever. I can’t take another second apart.”
“That’s all I’ve ever wanted,” she whispered.
“I have to warn you though, Em, making love to a cat shifter can be a little… painful.”
“Having sex with you is going to be painful?” she asked incredulously with a smirk on her face.
“Sex would definitely be painful. Lovemaking will only be sort of painful.”
That got a laugh out of her, which was Rogue’s intention.
“Soft everywhere but in bed?” she teased.
“Cute, Em. And Funny. I’m not that soft. But I am a pro cuddler.”
Emily hummed mischievously. She crawled into Rogue’s lap and kissed him. This was the second time they had kissed, and it was seriously a crime. He didn’t know how he never gave in and kissed her back in Brooklyn. She was intoxicating.
Unlike their first kiss, the one where Rogue impulsively pressed his lips to hers, this one wasn’t rushed. At first, they simply enjoyed the sensation of their lips and bodies pressing together. Rogue was gripping her back, doing his best not to get too intense, to not let his claws out just yet. He wanted her to feel good, and if he could keep himself from giving her the tiniest scratch, he would have, but his animal wanted to scratch, to mark her as his in every way possible. It wasn’t out of malice or violent intent. It wasn’t violence. That was what Mason always told him. He said it was loving hard whenever Rogue felt terrible for marking Mason up, but Mason never complained or made him feel bad about it. Mason’s animal was just as intense if not more so, but Emily was human.
Stop. You don’t get to think like that anymore. No more of this “she’s human and you’re not” crap. She made her choice. Mason made his choice. You’ve made your choice.
“Get lost with me,” Emily said breathlessly, as if she could sense his mind wandering. She pressed her tongue to his lips. His lips parted at her command. She rushed his mouth with her tongue. Feisty woman knew exactly what she wanted. She
wasn’t what Rogue would peg as a dominant lover. She could take or switch roles depending on the situation. That was what made her the peacekeeper, the foundation.
Unlike Mason, Emily was soft to touch. She had muscle underneath, but her full hips and breasts were hard to ignore—not that he would have dreamed of it. He gripped her plump ass, kneading her flesh with his tense fingers. Not yet. No claws yet. Where did she want him to touch her? Did she want him to pay special attention to her breasts?
“I haven’t done this with a woman in a long time,” Rogue admitted.
“Because I’m your only woman,” she said as she nipped at his jaw.
Emily was territorial as hell. God, it turned him on. If his dick wasn’t sufficiently hard before, it was now. He let out a little moan as she nipped him again.
“Show me how to touch you,” he begged.
“Ethan, I have a hard time believing you don’t know me well enough to at least guess what I’d like.”
“I’m asking because I want to know you the best and give you the best.”
“Fine. One question first. You sure you’re up for this?”
“Yes. Can’t even feel my burns or the cuts on my foot. So don’t you dare hold back.”
Emily got off his lap, stood, and held out her hands to him. He took them and she pulled him to his feet. Then she stripped off her shirt. She wasn’t wearing a bra, so her taut nipples were easily visible. However, nothing compared to seeing her naked. Her dark skin was smooth and supple. Rogue wanted to run his hands all over her, but he held off as he got undressed with her.
She didn’t give him another chance to ogle her. As soon as they were both naked, she pushed him against the wall, pressing her soft flesh into him as she grabbed his swollen cock. He nearly died with the way she rubbed his shaft. Then her hands were all over him, touching his skin, tracing his muscular physique all over and making him quiver. No one but Mason had ever made him feel like this. The power of Fated Mates was undeniable.