It hurt.
It hurt bad, but there wasn’t anything she could do about it. Skylar had no memory of her and he wasn’t interested in getting to know her either.
Now, four months later, the Willis project was almost finish, thanks to the two extra crews her stepdad had sent her when she refused to step down from the project. Abby knew he wanted her closer to home because he wanted to protect her from anymore hurt that could possibly happen if she ran into Skylar, and he wanted his first grandchild safe. There was also the issue of the wolves who had offered to mate with her, even though she wasn’t their mate.
Most wolves waited for their other half, their true mate, but a few grew desperate from the loneliness of not finding the one person who completed them. These wolves were willing to take anyone for a mate. Unfortunately, these unions never ended up very well.
In the last two months, three different wolves had approached her about becoming her mate. Abby had turned each one down. She told them her mate was alive, but fate was keeping them apart. They seemed to accept her decision, but the unmated males in her pack made sure she was never far from their sight, just in case one of the wolves got desperate.
“Well, did you eat?”
“I told you I ate breakfast.”
“You’ve got to make sure you eat more often. You are not exactly human anymore, plus you have a baby growing inside you. If your—”
“If you’re what?” Abby couldn’t keep the sharp edge out of her voice.
“If you’re not going to bring snacks, I’m going to tell the Alpha.” Billy covered his slip. He originally started to tell her it was her mate’s responsibility to take care of her. He and the rest of the pack were angry because she was going through all the changes without Skylar. “I’m hungry too. How about we go to the diner and get something to eat?”
“I have a meeting with Theo Willis in about ten minutes.”
“Actually, I’m a little early for the meeting.” Theo Willis stood on the second floor landing.
“Mr. Willis, I thought our meeting was at David Anderson’s office?”
Theo smiled at Abby. “I wanted to see the building.” He put up a hand to stop any protests. “I know you have a few things to finish, but I wanted a tour, and it saves you a trip.” His eyes traveled up and down Abby, coming to a stop on her growing belly. “You shouldn’t be driving in this weather. The roads are too wet.”
“Really, it wasn’t a problem for me to meet you at Mr. Anderson’s office. But since you’re here, let me show you around.” Abby slid the messenger bag off her shoulder and laid it on back on the table.
Billy watched Theo.
He is different. Billy’s wolf narrowed its eyes as it glared at the man through Billy’s eyes.
“Abby, do you want me to show Mr. Willis around the building?” Billy watched Theo Willis raise an eyebrow at him.
“I’m fine. If I need anything, I will yell.”
Billy nodded slowly. “I’ll go check on the crew upstairs.”
“The wolves are very protective of you.” Theo said as he watched Billy walk away.
Abby frowned. “Excuse me?”
Theo turned his attention to Abby. “I know you grew up in a pack of wolf shifters. I know you were recently gifted with a bear. Your healing abilities are growing just as the cub you’re carrying grows.”
Abby stepped back. Her hand went over her belly. “I won’t let you harm me, my cub, or any member of the pack.” She let out a low growl.
A deep, low chuckle rumbled in Theo’s chest. “I like you. You are strong, protective, and caring. You are special and unique. Mother was right when she forced you to release your abilities and gifted you with a bear spirit.”
“Mother? Mother Bear is your mom?” Abby paled. Her mouth gapped open. Her legs trembled. She wasn’t sure if they would continue holding her up.
Theo Willis didn’t seem to think so either. He took her arm and led her to a chair, and made sure she was comfortable before he stepped back.
Abby stared at the man. His hair was black. She knew it was long, but she had never seen it loose. He kept it tied with a piece of leather at his neck. Abby thought his icy blue eyes were beautiful but intimidating because it seemed like he was looking through you to your very soul.
She shook her head.
Now, she knew why.
“I don’t agree with mother forcing you to sacrifice your mate.” He crossed his arms and leaned against the table. “Mates are sacred. Some search all their lives without ever finding their true mates.”
“Why did she take him from me?” Abby felt the sting of unshed tears building in her eyes.
“She was…testing you. She wanted to see if you would give him up in order to save his life, but she also wanted to see how the wolves would react to you being a bear. She was hoping they would turn against you, but they did the exact opposite. They are more protective of you than before.”
“This is all some sort of sick game?” Anger started rising.
“You could say that.”
“What about the demon that almost killed us? Was that part of the test too?”
Theo’s eyes narrowed. “No, it wasn’t part of the test. The demon had fixated on you.” He held out his hand. The knife suddenly appeared in his palm. “The knife alone wasn’t enough to destroy the demon, but combined with your…unique blood—that’s a different story, as we know.” He held out his other hand. A scabbard appeared. “The knife actually belonged to my father, but was stolen by demons when he died.” He held it out to Abby. “Now, it is yours.”
Abby shook her head. “It’s not mine.”
“The combination of the knife and your blood, make it special.”
“You mean, the combination allows me to kill a demon.” Abby chewed on her bottom lip. “If I already killed the demon, why do I need the knife?”
“Because there are more demons, and they will make their presence known. You must protect yourself and your unborn child.”
“And everyone around me.”
“That is your nature—your strength, but it is also your weakness.”
“Fine!” Abby took the knife. She shook her head as she looked at it. “Honestly, demons are the last thing I’m concerned about. I want to know how I can get Skylar back into to my life.”
Theo smiled at her. “You need to go to his construction site.”
Abby frowned. “Why do I need to go there?”
“There is going to be an accident today. If you wait too long, Skylar won’t survive.”
Abby’s face went white. “What have you done?” Her voice was barely a whisper.
Theo looked around the room. “You really have done a wonderful job with this building. It is more than I expected.”
“What did you do?” Abby’s voice grew louder.
“Your attention to detail is phenomenal. I love the way you’ve mixed the modern elements with the existing old bits and pieces.”
Abby shook with anger.
The Great Mother Bear kept our mate from us to test us?
It seems that way.
Why would she need to test us? Abby’s bear growled.
I don’t know, but I have a gut feeling there is more to it than just some sort of test, and I plan to find out what. Protect our cub.
I will protect our cub. You get our mate back.
Abby glared at Theo Willis as he calmly walked around the room, stopping every so often to examine something that caught his eye.
“You are very good at what you do, but that’s only part of the reason I hired you.” Theo turned to face Abby. He took off his glasses, making his eyes appear more intense.
“Let me guess. You were helping your mother with her idea of fun.” Abby stood up.
“No, I wasn’t.”
“I don’t believe you. You are her son, you said so yourself. Family protects family.”
“I am not protecting her.”
“Then quit dancing around, and tell me the
truth.” Abby raised an eyebrow.
“You are like your father.” Theo tilted his head to the right as he stared at Abby. “I was trying to put an end to the revenge trip she is on.”
“And I’m supposed to believe this? First, you say, she is testing me, now she is on some sort of revenge trip. Make up your mind which it is.”
“I’m telling you the truth.”
“You are only telling me half the truth.”
“I wanted to understand why she was keeping one of her bears away from his mate. What she was doing was totally out of character. I knew I had to get you and Skylar back together—as you were supposed to be.
“So now, you’re trying to help me?”
“Yes, I am!”
Abby stared at him. It was the first time she had ever seen Theo Willis lose his temper. “Why? Why would you want to help me?”
Theo took several deep breathes. “Mother Bear once took a mate. He wasn’t her true mate, but she loved him. Eventually, a child was born of the union, but Mother Bear’s mate grew restless and left to find his true mate.”
Abby felt a lump grow in her throat. She knew the child, Theo spoke of, was him. She swallowed. She could not let her sympathy get in the way. “What did she do?”
“For a while, Mother Bear concentrated on her child, but as the child grew into a man, he reminded Mother Bear of the mate she lost. She eventually banished the child to the mortal plane, and turned her full attention to her bears. Then she learned of her mate’s ultimate betrayal. He had taken a human for his mate and had a daughter with the human. Mother Bear’s anger had no bounds. She wanted revenge. She attacked the human female and his daughter.”
“You had a half-sister.”
“I have a half-sister.” Theo stared at Abby. “Mother wanted father to hurt like she did. She tried killing the two females, but father protected them. He made sure the human female made into her true mate’s protection.”
“What about the daughter, your half-sister?”
“The wolf raised her as if she was his own child.”
“And your father?” Abby heard her voice crack.
He was injured, and killed by a demon, but before he died, he gave as much of his power as he could to his two children.”
Abby stared at him, shaking her head.
Theo took a step toward her. “I have two regrets. I wish the human woman had been my mother too, and I wish I had met my sister sooner.”
Abby trembled. “You’re my brother. If my father wasn’t human, what was he?”
“He was a sky god, brother to the Sun God.”
“And the demon?”
“It was attracted to your power.”
“I don’t have powers.” Abby turned and walked over to a window.
“Power surrounds you. It attracts others to you.” Theo turned Abby to face him. “You have the power in you to make Skylar remember.”
“But Mother Bear said—”
“She lied to you.”
“She said I had to choose between letting Skylar live or die, and if I saved him, he would no longer recognize me.”
“She wanted you to suffer like she did.”
“Why did she give me a bear?”
Theo chuckled. “She wanted the wolves to turn against you, but just the opposite happened. They are more protective of you than ever before. Besides, when a bear picks a human, there is nothing mother can do to stop it.”
“I have a brother—an older brother. I am only half-human. What about my bear? Will she try to take her back?”
“She can’t take the bear back, and she can’t do anything to you that you don’t want her too. You may only be half sky god, but you are more powerful than you or anyone else realizes.”
“What about you?”
“I am jealous. You have everything I want, and hopefully, one day will have. Abut you are my sister, and you are carrying my niece. I won’t let anyone harm her or you.” He took Abby’s arm and led her to the front door. “And now, you need to go get your mate.”
Chapter 14
The construction site was quiet. She didn’t see anyone, not one worker. Abby slowly drove through the apartment complex until she came to the portable building that served as Skylar’s office.
His truck was parked in front of the building.
Abby pulled in next to it and got out. Everything was quiet, except for strange growling noises coming from the trailer. She sniffed. The smell of sweet chocolate and rich coffee filled the air. Skylar was here, inside the building.
Our mates are angry.
Skylar and his bear are fighting. Abby licked her dry lips.
We should not go inside. It is not safe for us…not safe for our cub.
We have to go in and stop it. They may not even understand why they are fighting.
I do not like this.
I am not happy with this, but we have to do it. It’s what we have to do.
Her bear let out a low rumble. First bad sign, you let me out. I will protect us.
If I think we’re in danger I will.
Her bear grunted and wrapped itself around the growing light inside them.
Abby walked up the steps. She reached for the doorknob.
Something crashed against the wall to her left, causing her to jump. She took a deep breath, opened the door, and walked inside.
The room was a mess. Furniture was overturned, and broken pieces were scattered around the room. Paper littered the floor. Skylar stood at the far end of the room with his back to her.
Abby closed the door.
Skylar spun around to face her.
Abby gasped, but she didn’t move. Skylar was not exactly himself. He looked like he was frozen in the middle of a shift—not fully human and not fully bear. His mouth was twisted into a grotesque snout with large pointed teeth hanging out. His fingertips were nothing more than large, curved claws.
Skylar growled and took a couple of steps toward her.
“Skylar, it’s me, Abby.”
He growled, and sniffed the air.
“I’m Abby. I’m your mate.”
He growled again and took a couple more steps toward her.
“Skylar, look at me. I am your mate. You marked me.” Abby lifted her hand to pull her sweater off her shoulder so he could see his bit mark.
Growls filled the small office. Skylar lunged at Abby and pinned her against the door. One hand wrapped around her neck.
“Please don’t hurt me or your cub.” She felt the tips of the claws pressing into her skin. Abby put her hands over his. “It’s me, Abby. I love you so much. I can’t stand us being separated. You have to remember me.” She channeled all of her love through her hands and into Skylar. She hoped it would work. She didn’t know what else to do.
Skylar pressed his snout against her neck. He sniffed her neck.
Abby whimpered.
He pulled her sweater off her shoulder, ripping the material. He licked the scar on her shoulder as he pressed against her, keeping her pinned against the door. He sniffed her neck again.
Abby felt his hard cock pressing against her belly.
“Mine!” growled Skylar.
It was the only warning Abby got.
Skylar savagely bit down on her shoulder, on top of his mark.
Abby screamed. Pain laced through her shoulder. A raw, ferocious desire rushed through her and straight through her womb. Her muscles clinched as the biggest orgasm she had every had took control of her body. Abby moaned and whimpered.
“Mine!” Skylar let go of her shoulder. He looked at the blood seeping from the wound. Slowly and carefully, he licked it, until it stopped bleeding. A low rumble erupted from his chest.
Abby sagged against him. Tremors racked her body. Her panties were soaked. She knew she should be terrified of this Skylar, but she wasn’t. It had been four long months since she last touched him, and she desperately need him.
Skylar sniffed the air. “Mine!”
Abby felt her clo
thes being ripped from her body. She grabbed his shirt and tugged it open. She ran her hands up and down his abdomen and chest. “Mine!”
Skylar’s claws receded. He let go of her throat and ran his hand down her shoulder to her breasts, then to her stomach. He knelt down, until his nose was level with her stomach and sniffed. The rumble in his chest grew louder. Suddenly he stood and picked her up, bringing her face eye level with his.
“Skylar, it’s me. I’m your mate.”
Skylar blinked several times. His snout receded until his face was completely human. “Abby.”
Abby felt the tip of his cock rub against her pussy. She moaned.
Skylar didn’t give her any warning before he slammed into her pussy, burying himself deep inside her. He pulled out, and slammed inside her again.
Abby felt the orgasm grow. She wasn’t going to last.
Skylar captured her lips with his. The kiss was hard and intense, just like his deep thrusts into her.
Abby wrapped her arms around him as she fell off the cliff. Her muscles gripped his cock. She felt Skylar tense in her arms.
He tore his lips from hers. He threw his head back and yelled her name as he found his release, sending his seed deep into her womb, marking her as his. Skylar rested his forehead against Abby’s forehead. Both were breathing hard.
After a few minutes, Skylar raised his head and stared into Abby’s eyes. The intensity of his stare frightened Abby.
She licked her lip. “Do you remember who I am?”
“My mate. You are Abby, my mate.”
Tears filled her eyes.
“Why are you crying?”
“You remember me,” she whispered. “You remember me.”
Skylar pulled her tight against him. “You are mine. No one is taking you away from me again.” He kissed her again.
Abby's Heart (Bryant Station Curves) Page 11