by C. D. Gorri
Hell, he deserved her hatred. But if she truly did feel that way, why did she risk so much to save him? Could it be she still cared for him? But how and why should she? When he fucked up so badly?
He’d made the biggest mistake of his life the day he’d left her. It was the morning after they’d made love. Even the hours of talking and the sweet, steamy sex, didn’t stop him from leaving in the morning. He simply wasn’t strong enough to leave when she’d so willingly offered herself to him. Fuck, Seff. He’d been a greedy fool, and in the end, he’d hurt them both.
The moment he knew about her magic, he should have walked out, but no. He’d been too weak willed to leave her without having one taste. And what a fucking taste. She had single handedly ruined him for other women.
The few times he’d indulged in the opposite sex since then had left him feeling hollow and used. Not to mention guilty as fuck. His cheeks heated as he looked at her now.
He wondered if she’d been with other men since him? Of course, she probably had, but he trembled with rage just thinking about it. He might have had no claim on her before, but she linked them with this soul bonding thing, and he damn well wasn’t letting her go without a fight. A plan began to take shape in his mind.
He had no right to ask this woman for anything. Especially not after the way he’d treated her. Still, he couldn’t stop his next words from pouring out of his mouth.
“Look, Sherry, I have a request.”
“You do? What is it you want then?”
“Since you obviously need someone to, you know, uh, mate with, I ask that you choose me.”
“What are you talking about, Seff?”
“I should be the one, Sherry,” he said it firmly, ignoring the shocked expression on her face.
“I’m sorry, am I understanding you? Are you saying I should allow you to mate and impregnate me as payment for bringing you out of a coma?”
“Yes. No. Not payment, but yes, I am saying you should take me as your mate.”
HOLY. FUCKING. SHIT. Who said that? Me. I did. WTF?!
CHAPTER 8
SHERRY COULD ONLY STAND there with her mouth hanging open. Her eyes narrowed, and closing said mouth, she turned her head away from the male in front of her. She could have screamed.
Who did he think he was making such an outrageous offer? As if she was that desperate. Well, not for nothing, but the Wolf is correct, you are desperate. Like bloody hell!
Energy flowed through her as her temper became riled. The restorative tea she’d drunk had done a lot in replenishing her spirit and healing her body after the long days of casting. Her reddish-gold hair danced around her shoulders and her eyes flashed.
The scent of magic, her magic, filled the air. She closed her eyes and tried to rein in her power. She could not afford to lose her temper with so many people nearby.
And yet the irony was just too much for her. With a wave of her hand she sent half of his belongings flying from the shelves. The jerk! How could he? Choose me as your mate. Indeed!
He had no idea how those words hurt. Like being shot in the gut. Dammit, Seff, how could you? She’d loved him once. Wanted him more than anything. Would have killed to have him offer for her. And now he asked her to mate him because of her stupid bargain with the Elders! No freaking way! Just breathe.
“Uh, Sherry?”
An unnatural wind whipped through Seff’s bedroom causing his bedclothes and pillows to fly about. She smirked at the picture he made, hands gripping the sheet as it threatened to fly off him. She tempered down her powers. Her smirk turning into a full-on giggle as one of the pillows accidentally hit him in the head. Oops. Not.
“I suppose I should thank you, Seff, for your offer. However, if I find I am in need of the services of a stud, you can be certain that I will find one on my own.”
She didn’t need to look at him to know the grumbling sound came from his throat. Whether or not he was in contact with his Wolf, the man growled like the bloody beast he was at the mention of her finding her own stud.
Sherry had no intention of allowing either Seff or that group of old Witches to dictate her life to her. He offered himself as some sort of way to repay her. Like some sort of obligation. Bit of a mood killer really. And they feared and coveted her Magic, they wouldn’t want to irritate her. At least not right away. She had time yet.
Time that she’d apparently be spending trying to break the spell on Seff. Despite his being heartier than when he first woke, she knew he wouldn’t last without his Wolf. No Shifter could survive a forced disconnect for so long.
Werewolves might be stronger than most. They were used to some estrangement from their beasts, as per the effects of the Curse of St. Natalis which the entire Werewolf community had suffered from for a thousand years. That horrid curse kept the human side of a Werewolf from the Wolf side on all nights except that of the full moon. For a creature with a dual nature this was akin to torture.
That was why Sherry had offered aid to the young Wolf from Northern, New Jersey who’d been fated to end the curse. The poor child had gone through many trials in her journey to destroy it. It had taken years, but the curse that had plagued Wolfkind for a millennia had finally been defeated just days ago.
Werewolves across the world were waking up to a new, stronger bond with their beasts. Some would need help. She’d already briefed Rafe on the situation as per a call from Grazi Kelly, the Werewolf who’d saved them. So, yes, Werewolves the world over were better off today than they were yesterday. But Seff was still in deep trouble.
The odds that he could survive a prolonged period without his Wolf were not in Seff’s favor. Sherry needed to focus on the Darkness that still worked its power on him and forget about his outrageous offer to be her mate. Surely, all hope wasn’t lost yet.
Perhaps there was a Witch somewhere who could overlook her soul bond with Seff? Ugh. Even if there was, would she want him? Sherry cursed her luck. How could she even look at another man when Seff was there and willing? He could be hers...
No. I won’t fall into his trap again. I will find another way out of this. She sighed and rubbed her temples. This was not good.
Several hours and a few large containers of general Tso chicken, beef lo mein, pork fried rice, broccoli in garlic sauce, and many other assorted dishes later, the entire Macconwood Pack Wolf Guard, some of them with their mates, along with the Alpha, his mate Charley, and their three infants who slept in an enormous portable crib, crowded around the manor’s enormous dining room table to eat and discuss matters. There were a few assorted others about, mostly Wolves, and of course, one red-headed Witch.
Though she wished for better circumstances, Sherry loved being amongst the animated group. Shifters were often a physical, loyal, and outspoken bunch. The Macconwood Pack took that and multiplied it to a much higher power.
The jests were all good natured as was the intentional ribbing between Packmates. Food was happily passed around and accepted with enthusiasm unlike anywhere else that Sherry had seen. And that was saying something.
A curvy girl herself, Sherry enjoyed food and drink as much as the next person. She fit right in with the group, eating her fair share of spicy eggplant and broccoli in garlic sauce over brown rice. Of course, she preferred to drink hot tea with her meal, a special blend of herbs and spices she crafted herself.
She laughed aloud when Conall, one of the Alpha’s own Wolf Guard who looked like a cross between a linebacker and a punk rock singer with his spiked blonde hair and enormous frame, reached across the table and lifted her cup to his lips. After indulging in a huge gulp without asking permission he quite deserved the look of horror that crossed his otherwise affable face. Priceless. He spat the tea out behind his seat and jumped up screaming at which Sherry couldn’t even try to hold in her laughter.
“That tastes like hot dirt! Oh man, Sherry, what the heck?”
“Well, Conall, serves you right grabbing without asking! Anyway, it is my own mixture of green and black tea leaves with
a few added herbs that help to open my receptors and keeps me grounded at the same time. It is also good for digestion and purifies the blood.”
“Well, it tastes like shit! I mean, uh, it isn’t sweet or anything, err, damn, my bad,” he murmured trying not to look aghast at the fact that he’d just insulted a powerful Witch.
“It’s okay,” she said when Seff frowned at him, “I admit, it is an acquired taste. And one not made for you, Conall. Now, if you start having strange cravings, such as a desire to eat spider stew, or to dance naked in the woods, anything unusual like that, you might let me know,” she smiled wickedly at the blonde Wolf who looked as if he was about to puke.
“Cravings? Dance naked? Spider Stew?”
“Yes, you know, you may even want to eat the odd rat or skunk, raw of course, you can probably find them anywhere on the property.”
“Oh my God! Are you serious?”
“No, Conall, I’m not serious,” she laughed.
“What if I- Wait, you’re joking? That was harsh, man. I thought you liked me, Sherry,” he managed to look hurt as he continued to wipe his tongue on a clean napkin. Sherry laughed again.
“Here, try this,” Liam offered his cup and Conall chugged from the glass before spewing the liquid back into the cup.
“What the hell was that?!” roared Conall, but it was too late. Liam dashed across the room and headed towards the huge, restaurant equipped kitchen. Werewolves were serious about their food.
Poor Liam had obviously been caught as sounds of thumping and something crashing could be heard from the closed door. Seff stood up and covered the mess with a rag, but not before chuckling.
“Poor Conall, Liam gave him a glass full of white vinegar. He should have sniffed before he drank. Serves him right,” his eyes met Sherry’s and she got the oddest feeling he felt vindicated that Conall should suffer for having dared sip from her cup.
She shook her head. Surely, she was mistaken? Seff had no reason to act territorial or jealous of her. Not that it wasn’t a huge turn on, but she was certainly beyond all that. Wasn’t she?
“Seff, please drag those two back in here,” Rafe’s command was a pleasant distraction from her thoughts and the heated looks Seff was giving her.
The Pack Beta nodded and went towards the sounds of the scuffle. He is as loyal as ever, she thought, but for the first time her thoughts were kind and without injury. Given the generosity and honesty of their Alpha and his mate, Rafe and Charley Maccon, the Macconwood Pack was unusually close knit.
More of a family really. A pang of loneliness went through her, but she quickly dispelled the feeling. She missed having her own family. The closest thing she had left were the relations of her gigolo great-grandfather, but the Romani family headed by Madame Magdelena Kristos wanted nothing but a passing acknowledgement between them.
Oh well. She had tried to reach out to them many, many years ago. It hadn’t ended well. Sherry always wanted a family of her own. It was simply something she would have to live without, she supposed. Magic could not help her with that.
Sherry watched as Charley turned to her mate with a look of such pure love that Sherry turned her head. The couple shared an intense and very special bond. It was not a surprise that Seff, as well as the entire Wolf Guard, was undoubtedly steadfast and loyal to them both.
Sherry could only imagine that the entire mini-squabble between Liam and Conall had been a ruse to lighten the mood. The gravity of why they were all gathered hit her. The Pack was on high alert. Seff had been attacked.
The fact that one of their own, the Macconwood Pack Beta and all around good guy, had been attacked by Dark magic, and on their property, did not sit well with anyone. Sherry wholeheartedly approved of Conall and Liam throwing punches if only to see everyone relax a bit. They needed to go after the Dark Witch responsible for the attack with clear heads. There could be no foul ups.
The two red-headed giants, who sat on the opposite side of the table from Sherry with a petite brunette between them, seemed to breathe easier once the tussle was over and the three men came back to their seats.
The woman with them was an employee of sorts, Sherry guessed from her attire and the tablet that never left her side. She smiled at her and noted the way she ducked her head as if embarrassed. Poor dear.
Sherry couldn’t help but notice as the tiny woman stole glances from beneath her lowered lashes at the quieter of the brothers. Dib did some computer work when he was younger, but he was better known as the Pack lawyer, if Sherry recalled correctly. Dressed in formal attire, his scowl never left his face throughout the entire meal.
He was the total opposite of his brother whose grin never left his boyishly charming face. He wore track pants and a t-shirt that read “Doin’ It Doggy Style” with a picture of a Pomeranian sporting a 1950s pompadour.
Sherry shook her head and sighed, the Lowell brothers might be opposites in appearance, but they were as close as any two brothers could be. She could see their bonds clearly as she could see the pulsing aura of the woman who sat between them.
Sherry sensed there would be rough times ahead for that one. She’d pray to the goddess to be kind when that particular dam burst. Poor thing.
Kurt Lowell was renowned for his garish sense of humor, as his t-shirt so boldly stated, but Dib on the other hand, was a bit of a stick in the mud. Serious and goal oriented, the red-headed Wolf was an excellent attorney from everything Sherry had heard. If only he wasn’t so solemn all the time. But then again, perhaps there was a reason for his stony-faced countenance.
After all, most people assumed Seff, with his good manners and easy-going personality, was the biggest tight-ass in the Wolf Guard. Sherry knew better. In fact, he was the exact opposite.
He had all the makings of an Alpha, with the good sense to know he was better as a Beta. A born negotiator, he had grit and style. Both traits she admired. Seff was a grounded individual, he was steadfast to his Pack, loyal and trustworthy.
But not to me. It dampened her spirits, but it was better she admitted the truth to herself than to build hopes on dreams and what-could-have-beens. I won’t go down that road. Not again. She moved the food around her dish with her chopsticks but stopped once she realized she was no longer hungry.
Most everyone had finished eating by then. Though the Wolves at the table still picked at the little remaining food. Someone had brought in a tray of coffee and an assortment of cookies, but she declined.
Sherry sipped from her never empty tea cup and listened to the chatter around the table. The regard and affection they held for each other was practically tangible. She exhaled a deep breath and tried to quell the longing she felt.
She noted, not for the first time, that Werewolves and Shifters had one up on the Witches in the world. Their sense of loyalty and comradery made them formidable. There was power in that kind of bond. Sure, Witches had Covens, but they did not fulfill the same purpose as a Pack.
Pack was family. Sherry had none. Choosing not to belong to any one Coven, she was a nomad. Going from place to place, offering her services. No ties. No home.
How nice it must be to never have to question where you belong, she thought. She held herself still as Seff shifted in his seat. The tension between them was thick and uncomfortable. He looked at her with molten brown eyes and she felt a tingling sensation race up and down her spine.
Heat pooled in her abdomen and she clenched her legs tightly together. She wondered how they came to sit there, beside one another. He claimed the chair next to hers as if the years and circumstances between them had somehow melted away.
When they were called down to dinner, not only had he sat down beside her, but he also scowled fiercely at every male Wolf who tried to sit on her other side. The empty seat was finally filled by one of the Wolf Guard’s mates, a lovely woman named Tulla Graves.
Of course, Seff’s fierce scowl hadn’t stopped Liam and Conall from sitting across from Sherry, much to her own amusement. The impertinent pup
s had developed a sort of soft spot for her after she’d proved she was trustworthy by bringing Seff back from his magic induced coma. She found their attention endearing, though she didn’t read anything into it.
A fact, she noted, that Seff did not approve of. The two younger Wolves had spent the last few hours hovering at her side and volunteering to fetch her things when she asked. They were very sweet. Not that Seff thought so. She could tell by the way he narrowed his eyes and growled whenever they came too close. She laughed to herself.
“Now, if you know something funny, by all means tell me, honey, I sure could use a laugh,” smiled the whiskey haired woman who sat on her left. Tulla was a forthright, honest woman and Sherry liked her a lot.
“Oh, I was just reading Kurt’s t-shirt,” Sherry smiled at the woman who then read the bold black print and laughed aloud. She had recently married to Randall Graves, the renowned software developer.
He was the creator of Wolf Moon. What started as a little role-playing game had quickly become an entire online universe that was used by both normals and supernatural folk alike. Sherry herself indulged in the fantasy world as none other than her famous ancestor, Morgan Le Fey.
It was a great place to engage with people. She found it gratifying to send those who looked for Magical cures to worldly woes in other directions. Magic was not the easy answer for everything that most people assumed. Magic, on the contrary, always had a price. Balance in all things, she recalled her grandmother’ words.
“Excuse me, ladies. Sherry, would you like something else?” Seff’s voice roused her from her thoughts.
“Uh, no thanks,” she said, but inside her mind was reeling.
Yes, you...
CHAPTER 9
SITTING NEXT TO SHERRY Morgan proved to be more of a distraction than Seff could have ever imagined. At least, it was for him. She looked completely undisturbed by his nearness. Calm and collected as ever. Well, damn. So much for her wanting me.