by Hazel Gower
He growled, and she squealed with laughter as he used both hands to tickle her now. It felt good to laugh. It had been so long since she’d done it. After a while Arden gave up and they fell to the bed in a heap.
“What time is it?” She had no idea how long their sex romp had gone on.
“It’s eleven. Why, do you have somewhere you want to be?” He raised himself up on his elbows to look at her.
That was good. At least they hadn’t been fucking for as long as she thought. “Nah, it just felt like we took a lot longer. I won’t sleep anymore. So I’ll have to have a nap tomorrow, otherwise my sleep will be all out of whack. Maybe I can sleep in your office while you explain what was talked about yesterday with Grayson.”
“Pixie, that was two days ago. It’s eleven AM. We have to get up and get ready so we’re there to meet Grayson this time. He come by yesterday and we weren’t there. Tray will be there today. You can ask about Sara.”
“Oh. My. God. We had a sex romp that lasted over twenty-four hours. What the fuck did you do to me?”
“We were bonding as mates.”
“Bonding as mates my arse. What the hell went on?”
“I was showing you who you belong to. The feralness took over.”
“Bullshit.” Remy wasn’t buying that they’d had nonstop sex for over twenty-four hours just because they were bonding or because he went feral. Getting of the bed, she stood with her hands on her hips, too angry to care that she was naked. “Start talking, Arden, and no more crap.”
He sat up and ran his fingers through his hair. “Okay, but you have to promise not to freak and to keep quiet until I finish.”
“Ah, no way. Talk.”
Arden got off the bed, and she backed away from him, but he was having none of it. He captured her and brought her against his body, his arms wrapping securely around her. “At least promise me you will wait until I’ve told you everything.”
He started kissing her neck and nibbling on her ear, and she knew if she wanted him to stop and get answers she’d have to agree to at least one. “Fine, no interrupting, but I can’t promise I won’t freak.”
Arden walked them to the bed and sat, gathering her so she sat across his lap. His fingers rubbed up and down her bare skin, shoulder to wrist, in a soothing motion. “You went into heat.”
She gasped, and her mind started to think up so many freaky things.
“You said you’d hear me out. Listen to everything before you flip out.”
She nodded, unable to talk even if she wanted to; she was again, for the second time in her life, rendered speechless.
“One question first. Do you take any contraceptive? You said you weren’t ready for kids.”
“I…um…I take the pill. With me being able to bring fire through my body, I didn’t know if I would melt anything that was put into my body that wasn’t meant to be there.”
Arden kissed the top of her head. “Well, you may be fine. So before you freak out remember you take those.”
He paused and she assumed he wanted a response. “I will try to remember.”
“Yesterday you went into heat. Shifters do this about every six months, and if they have a mate and are with their mate when it happens, it usually results in offspring. As mating with humans was rare, we don’t know too much about what happens when you mate one of us. It seems you are affected by the mate bond, but more strongly, and you can also set off your mate too. As I said, yesterday your body went into heat, and during that time we’ll fuck each other until you either come out of heat or you’re pregnant.”
“No, no, nnnooo.” She struggled in his hold, not wanting to hear any more. “I told you earlier I wasn’t ready to have a kid. I can’t bring up one on my own. I’m not as strong as my grandma. I wouldn’t know what to do with a child if one was given to me, let alone a baby. No, no, no. One of the reasons I ran was because I can barely look after myself. I make just enough to live. I have no money for anyone else.” She whacked Arden and hit and fought him. How dare he make love to her all day and night and not tell her what they were doing, what they could be making. “I hate you. Why?” She beat at him, scared that she may be knocked up. Her anger mounted when he didn’t fight her, he just took her hurt and pain. “I trusted you.”
“Pixie, you need to calm down.” He brushed his hands down her hair and held her hands.
“I’m not your pixie. I’m not your anything.”
He let her go, and she jumped off his lap and gathered some of her items closest to her. She shoved her clothes on, slipped on some shoes, and stormed out of the house.
“I need air. Don’t you dare follow me.”
When she walked out onto the gravel road and looked down at what she wore she groaned. A white cameo top, no bra, and flimsy, white underwear with her sexy, tan, high shoes.
“I’m not going back in there,” she mumbled as she started walking along the road. Remy wasn’t giving him the satisfaction of coming back looking like she did. She would walk off her anger and think about her new dilemma that she may be up the duff with a werewolf baby.
What she hadn’t told Arden was that she was scared to have a child, love him or her more than anything, and then have them die if the demons won. That was only one scenario. What if Arden got killed? She would have to raise the child by herself, and it would be without a father like she’d been. Could she chance that? Or worse, what if both she and Arden got killed? Who would raise her child? Remy didn’t have any family for a child to go to if something happened to her and Arden. She had no idea where her parents were.
She walked across the road, worry and frustration her constant companion. Would the pill work? Did Arden deliberately not tell her? Was this what he wanted? Would he be upset if she wasn’t pregnant? Would she? She stumbled and moved to the side of the road, stopping to look at the vast landscape. Did she want a child, a family, a being that would love her unconditionally? Closing her eyes, she sighed. Right now she was so confused.
When she opened her eyes Arden’s car was coming upon her. Stopping in front of her, he got out of the vehicle. He didn’t have many more clothes on than she did. White underwear showed beneath his jeans, and he wore a pair of slip-on shoes. He hadn’t even bothered to do up his jeans. As he got out she realized how gorgeous he was with his black hair, muscular body, and strong, manly face. He’d been good to her...other than fucking her until she may be pregnant.
“Remy, I’m sorry. I should have told you last night. Given you an option. I was being a controlling jerk.”
She smiled up at him. “I couldn’t have put it better myself. Yes, you should have told me and at least given me the option.”
He leaned on his car and held his arms open. She didn’t even hesitate, going straight into his warm, welcoming embrace. “You might not be pregnant. You take the pill. Give it a couple of days and we’ll check. I want you know, though, that no matter what, I will never leave you and you will always have my support.”
“I know. Can we go back to the house now? I need to get properly dressed.”
Arden palmed her arse. “I like you in what you’re wearing.”
Remy shook her head and swatted his hands away, walking around to the passenger side. “Oh, I know you do.”
* * * *
Grayson was right on time. He walked into the training room like he owned it. His feet looked like they barely touched the ground with each step. He drew attention with his long, blond hair and lithe, muscular body.
Remy knew she shouldn’t be staring so intently at him. She could hear Arden grumbling behind her about stupid, vain cats and them always thinking they owned everything, and he shouldn’t have worried about asking the arrogant cat to help.
“I think your mate likes the putty cat.” Jamie chuckled.
Arden’s mumbling snarl was directed at Jamie.
Remy rolled her eyes. “Shut it, Jamie. Stop stirring Arden up. I can’t help my reaction. I’d have to be blind not to notice Grayson.” She
grinned when Arden spun her around and locked his lips to hers in a caveman kiss that showed her whose she really was…his.
“Oh, gross. I have to put up with another couple making out all the time. I should get like extra hazard pay or at least free shrink appointments for all the shit I see. I’m traumatized.”
Remy pulled away from Arden and glared over her shoulder at Jamie. “You’re just miserable because you’re not getting any. Poor little puppy.”
“Hey, Arden, control your mate.” Jamie narrowed his eyes at her. “I’ll have you know I get some. Well, not in the last couple of months, but I so could if I wanted to. I’m a redheaded alpha. Women love hot…” Jamie flexed his muscles. “Muscular…alpha redheads.”
She giggled as Jamie raised his eyebrows up and down suggestively, flexed his muscles, and did stupid poses.
“What the hell is our brother doing?” Rane said as he walked over to them with Tray, Sebastian, Cullen, and a smirking Devlin.
“He’s showing us how he gets women,” Grayson said. “I can see why he’s having a dry spell.” Grayson shook his head. “You need to come by my pub. I’ll show you how it’s done. I don’t think I’ve ever sleep with the same woman twice.”
“Oh my God. You’re a true cat…a tomcat.” Remy laughed at her own joke, and all the wolves chuckled, even Arden.
Arden explained what they’d discussed the other day for the people that weren’t there. Then they walked out to see the recruits who were fighting one another.
“Grayson, glad you’re joining our team.” Rane gave a grim-faced nod to Grayson. “We need all the help we can get. I want you in your half-change mode. Tray, if you change and fight Grayson I can show the recruits some of the ways we train.”
Grayson nodded, and Sebastian turned and left.
“Oh, and don’t go easy on each other,” Rane added. “Let’s find out who the better fighter is—wolf or cat.”
Remy shivered as a gleam came into both Tray and Grayson’s eyes. They shoved their clothes off, and the air shimmered around them as their bodies stretched and lengthened. Moments later a half-changed wolf and what looked like a massive, blond cat-man with spots, circled one another like they were assessing each weakness the other had.
Sebastian came back with a group of men dressed in army uniforms. “From now on you will be fighting in groups of two, and against us in our half-changed mode. We will not be going easy on you anymore. If you cannot defeat us in our half-modes then you have no chance against demons.” Sebastian’s voice was loud and clear. “Today you are going to be partnered up and I want you to watch the fight before us, to learn how we fight and what we expect.” Sebastian gave the half-changed shifters a nod and they attacked each other.
As Remy watched the fight in front of her, it dawned on her that Arden hadn’t really fought with Grayson the other day. She turned to him and said, “This makes what you did with Grayson the other day look like a pat on the back.”
Arden leaned down and nipped her ear before he whispered, “You’re going to learn all my secrets. Soon I won’t be able to get away with anything.”
She snorted. “Ha, you don’t get away with things now.”
Remy shivered as he nibbled on her neck and moved back up to her ear. “I get away with more than you think.”
Her stupid body heated up and totally ignored all the people around them. She shouldn’t be getting turned on when they were surrounded by men and two shifters fought in front of them. She elbowed Arden and stepped away from the heat of his body. “Shh, I’m trying to watch this.” She glanced over her shoulder and saw a cheeky grin on Arden’s face as he stared at her. Turning back around, Remy shook her head and watched the brutal fight.
Grayson won, but not by much. He was sneaky and lighter on his feet. They changed back to human form and looked like shit with scratches and blood gushing from bit marks. The funny thing was they were both grinning like fools.
“I’ll get you next time, Grayson.” Tray whacked Grayson on the back, then they turned to face the watching army men. “Who is willing to give us a try? To make it more fair you’ll have the knives we fight demons with.”
* * * *
Arden was surprised at how patient Remy was. She watched everything and asked questions about the change. Did it hurt? Which mode did he like better? Are all shifters able to do half-change mode? Then she asked about how long he’d been in the army, and if he had always want to join the army.
He’d answered all her questions and more. No, the change didn’t hurt. He liked his full change into a wolf best, because he was faster as a wolf, he had more stealth, and all his senses were heightened. Yes, all shifters had a half-change mode. It was their protection mode. He’d been in the army since he was eighteen. He was now part of a special division higher than most. No, he hadn’t always wanted to be in the army. At one point he wanted to be a doctor like Kane, but he learnt he didn’t have the patience with certain people and he didn’t like being inside cooped up. He liked the physical side of the army, the hands-on approach.
When he’d taken a group of army men to train with in half-change mode, Remy had come and watched only to be dragged away as she threatened the men with fire if they hurt him.
“Pixie, they are supposed to be training with shifters in half-change mode. They won’t learn otherwise.”
She’d stood holding a fireball, tossing it from one hand to the other. “I don’t want you to get hurt.”
“I fight demons. Compared to a demon these men are like bugs I can squish with one hand.”
She’d let the fire ebb, but a not-too-happy Ava had to come and take her away. Arden and his wolf had been ecstatic at her behavior—Remy cared for him. She didn’t want anything happening to him. Her action gave him hope for their future.
The day hadn’t ended on a high though. Remy had asked Tray about Sara, and he let it slip that Sara had the last bridesmaid and wedding dress fitting before the wedding the day after tomorrow in the morning.
The devastated look that had flashed over Remy’s face had Arden rethinking everything. Remy shouldn’t keep being punished. She’d supported her friends when they needed it, but they hadn’t returned the favor. When Faith and Kane first got together and Kane was being a jackarse, Remy had let Faith stay with her. And Remy had been great with Faith’s brother Bengie. Arden may not have met Remy in person until he saw her lying in a bed at Kane’s house, almost dead, and he mated her, but he sure had heard of her.
Now Remy sat quietly beside him, watching TV as they snuggled on the sofa. She let a sob escape every now and then, and he knew he had to do something. “I’ll take you to the dress fitting. You can go to your first shift at your new job tomorrow, and then the following day we will go to the bridal shop. You will see your friends. You can tell them why you left and get them to listen to you.”
She buried her face into his chest and cried. “I didn’t even know she was going to the bridal shop. I’ve been best friends with Sara since primary school. Why am I not a bridesmaid? I’m supposed to be a bridesmaid.” Her sobs got louder and her tears soaked his shirt.
“Come on, let’s go to bed. You have your first full day at work tomorrow. Then we’ll get up early the following day and crash the bridal appointment. I think you need a day so you can think about what you’re going to say. Tell them what you told me. If they are real friends, they’ll support you.”
Remy nodded into his chest and wrapped her arms around him. “I am sorry I ran. You’re good for me. I will deny this if you repeat it, but I’m really lucky I’ve got you. You’re the best boyfriend, mate, whatever you want to call it a girl could ever have.”
Arden felt good about how things were going between them. He’d never had this easy goingness with another woman, or such comfortable conversations. He’d never joked or mucked around like he did with Remy.
Hugging her to him, he moved to the edge of the sofa and lifted her up, kissing her forehead. He walked down the hall to their ro
om and gently laid her on the bed before joining her. He was calm, his wolf was happy, and as he lay there and watched as she fell asleep he didn’t feel like he needed to change to wolf, or even go out and kill as many demons as he could. He held her to him and let sleep take him.
Chapter 4
Remy’s first day at work had been great, just what she needed to keep busy and think about what she was going to say to Sara. Grayson was an awesome boss. He didn’t get angry with her when Arden got all alpha and threatened customers who came on to her. But by the middle of her shift Grayson banned Arden from the pub while she was working. Remy didn’t think Arden would listen to Grayson, but after they went away to talk, Arden came back and said his goodbyes and told her he would be waiting out front to pick her up when her shift ended. He’d been there, but he was beat up and covered in cuts.
“What the hell happened to you?” She groaned in frustration when he shrugged. “You went out with the others hunting? Is that why you’re all cut up?” When Arden shrugged again she swore she was going to kick him. “Shrugging is not a bloody answer.”
He grunted and did it again, his shoulders going up and down. She growled, and her anger simmered to the surface.
“Fine. Don’t tell me. I don’t care anyway.” Oh, she did, but she wasn’t going to give him the satisfaction of knowing that.
Arden chuckled. “Yes, you do.”
When he didn’t say anything else, just started the engine and drove them home, she gave a frustrated squeal. “You enjoy pissing me off.”
The bastard shrugged again. “I enjoy knowing you care about me.”
“Pft, in your dreams.”
He hadn’t even replied to that, but even she knew he didn’t have to because he was right—she didn’t just care for him, she was falling for him, and hard.
This morning they awoke early. Arden had found out where the dress shop was, and they now sat a couple of stores down in Arden’s car. He sat quietly beside her as she talked herself into going in the store. She needed to talk to Sara. Remy needed to get her friends to understand why she left. Why she needed the space. Taking a deep breath, she got out of the car.