by Susan Bliler
Well, that was hot as fuck! She tried to hide her sudden interest by clearing her throat and turning away from him. “Good luck with that,” she muttered, suddenly not sure she wanted to end the conversation.
“Don’t need luck,” he commented. “I’ve got determination and time. It’s all an Apex needs.”
Unsure how to respond to that, Ryka turned and slowly made her way up the stairs, desperately needing to put distance between herself and Wren. In the hall that led to the bedrooms, she tucked her hair behind her ear and walked absently to his room, her mind a jumble as she replayed Wren’s words. “Just a man who’s trying to make his girl fall for him.” A reluctant grin tweaked her lips. “I’m going to touch your heart.” Damn, he sure knew how to start. Brushing her fingers over her lips as she walked she wondered if he was sincere. She wondered if things could work between them. She wondered what would happen if she gave him a chance. Sure things had gotten off to a rocky start, but he’d been nothing but gentlemanly since then. Well, if you ignored the whole, ‘You will call me mate!’ outburst. Honestly, part of her understood his frustration. Alphas didn’t like not getting their way and an Apex had to be the same, especially one as virile and dominant as Wren. She was certain that Wren being denied anything was a new experience for him. She grinned at the realization that he probably hadn’t been told ‘no’ so much in his life as he had the past few days she’d been at his home. That smile was short lived though, when she considered that maybe he only wanted her for the challenge of it. What if once she gave in he tired of the sport because he’d bested it and ended up discarding her? Did it work that way with mountain lions? She knew it was different for wolves, their mating was for life, but were these lions the same? So little was known about the breed, but she had time to learn. She’d already made up her mind that she and the girls would stay and if the lions were up to anything, they’d slip up. Men always did.
***
Wren was out in the yard unnecessarily chopping more wood. Hell, he’d already stacked enough beside the main house to get them through two winters. He’d been spending a great deal of time lately out in the yard working up a sweat. Normally, he’d go for a run to think, but his lion refused to go too far from Ryka, so more fire wood it was.
“I’m just a man who’s trying to make his girl fall for him.” He replayed his earlier words in his head with a snort as he hefted his axe over his head and swung it in a graceful arc until it sunk through an upturned log splitting it in two. “I’m going to touch your heart, without ever laying a finger on you.” Who even says cheesy shit like that? Not him! Well…not until Ryka had shown up. Something about that sexy little woman had the power to draw corney sentiment from him. Sentiment that was highly out of character. He was the Apex for Christ’s sake! If his brothers heard any of the shit he’d been spewing, he’d never hear the end of it. Problem was though, it wasn’t shit. He meant every damn word. He had every intention of winning Ryka’s heart and didn’t care how he did, just that he did. She was right though, grabbing her in anger wouldn’t help. Hell, he hadn’t even been angry, just frustrated but he could understand that she wouldn’t see it like that. He wondered if he’d scared her with his actions. The thought gutted him. Here was his mate, on the run and needing protection, needing him more than she probably ever would and he was throwing his weight around and… FUCK! He slammed the axe home and left it nestled in the chopping block. It was fall and still fairly warm and he’d been chopping wood for the better part of an hour. Hot and frustrated, he ripped off his shirt and balled it into a wad before throwing it onto the ground. Inhaling to calm his inner lion, he lifted his hands and buried them in his hair, his back arching and muscles flexing as he stretched. He felt it then. His lion whispered it to him, and when his eyes slammed open they collided with Ryka’s where she stood at his window staring down at him. Lowering his arms, he just stared at her wondering if she knew the effect she had on him, wondering if she was even aware of the power she held over him. He swallowed and wished. Staring at her, he just simply wished. Slowly, Ryka lifted a delicate hand and flattened it on the glass like she wished she could touch him. He felt his heart startle and his jaw bunched with the need to go to her. He didn’t. Instead, his hands curled into fists and his abdomen bunched as his body tensed. He swore he could feel her caress brush across his chest, and when her lips parted he knew what she saw. His eyes would be glowing gold now from his lion pushing just beneath the surface. When Ryka’s serious expression morphed into a soft grin and her fingers curled on the glass, Wren’s lion wouldn’t be denied. A shift exploded through him and then his lion was pacing the yard and staring up at their mate. He shook his giant block head and let the shake carry down his flanks, long tail swishing. Ryka was smiling at him now and his lion curled back a lip and chuffed at her. She bit her lip and Wren turned. He had to run, his lion needed to burn off the desire coursing through him. It’d been the first time in his life an involuntary shift had taken him and it worried him. What else could his mate call his lion to do? He gave her one last longing look before he turned and raced into the woods.
Chapter 15
(Seven & Lux)
It had been a long few days, but today had been a particularly good one. Seven was in Lux’s room getting ready for bed. She, Ash, and Kenna had spent the first two nights sleeping in Wren’s room with Ryka, but something about Lux’s space had been calling to her. Maybe it was the way her wolf seemed to blossom in the space. Her wolf liked it in here and she stood in the center of the room trying to figure out what it was that made her feel so…content.
The room was warm and not just in temperature. Though the décor was pretty sparse, the colors made her feel at home. A bed sat against the wall in the middle of the room with a low, dark wood head board that perfectly matched the expanse of the floors. The walls were painted gold, and the bed was dressed in a cream colored comforter with satin gold pillows that were perfect accents for the wall color. Two low, pale, marble stands were on either side of the bed. Each held lamps that looked like black candelabras but had warm bulbs lighting the room instead of flames. She could have flames if she wanted though because along the furthest wall, a white, marble hearth that matched the night stands currently sat empty. Wiggling her toes in the thick chocolate colored rug beneath her toes, Seven smiled at the room. It already felt like home and she wondered if that was a good thing. This was Lux’s space after all and while he was supposed to be her mate, maybe he’d be possessive and not wanting her getting too comfortable with being in his space. She didn’t dwell on that too long because when she made her way into the bathroom, an excited squeal escaped her lips and had her clamping her hands over her mouth. She’d snagged a long shirt out of one of Lux’s dressers and borrowed a pair of his boxers. She’d been dying to sink into his jetted tub since the first time she’d seen it. Now, alone in his room she decided that it was time for that long awaited bath.
She filled the tub, and while she waited, she rifled around for a towel and then piled her long hair high on her head before stripping. She couldn’t find any bubble bath, which she supposed was a good thing, so she used some of Lux’s body wash to make bubbles. Turning off the tap, she eased into the steaming water, goose bumps erupting on her flesh at how good the hot water felt against her cold skin. It had rained today and she and the girls had taken a walk around the perimeter with Wren’s pride. He’d offered to postpone for nicer weather, but the girls had all agreed that a walk was needed. It’d been great. The land was beautiful and the scents of the wet earth and pungent forest soothed Seven’s wolf like nothing else could. She relaxed and dozed for the better part of an hour. Full from a dinner of pizza, salad, and sodas, happy that things seemed to be going okay for her pack, and excited at how close she was getting with Lux, Seven pulled herself from the tub and dried, humming a merry tune, unable to wipe the smile from her lips. In short minutes she was dressed in Lux’s shirt and boxers and sliding into his bed. He must have come in while
she was bathing because a small fire burned in the hearth. She felt bad that he was downstairs sleeping on the floor while she was nestled up in his too big bed. She contemplated going down and offering for him to come up, but it seemed too forward. She dozed off thinking on when would be a good time to invite her mate to share the bed with her.
Seven startled awake. Her heart was pounding and her clothes were damp from sweating, and the nightmare was still close. Too close. In the dark she didn’t know if it was real or not, but she did know she wasn’t alone. Someone was touching her, holding her. Instinctively, her hands curled into claws and she lashed out. “DON’T!” She started to fight Larsen, but he wasn’t laughing like last time. He wasn’t even trying to hurt her. It took a second for her eyes to adjust to the dark and her nose to come back to her.
The second she realized she wasn’t back with her old pack and that it wasn’t Larsen attacking her, Lux was speaking as he smoothed a hand over her hair. “Shhhh, beautiful. I’ve got you. You’re safe now.”
Relief swamped her and with her emotions too raw, she broke down. Her hands that had been only seconds ago clawing and shoving at Lux’s chest were now pulling him close and holding him too tightly. Seven buried her head against his chest and cried, “Don’t let him get me!” Her body racked with her sobbing, and she let herself have this moment of weakness because she’d never felt more safe than she did right now.
“Never!” Lux vowed. “No one is ever going to hurt you again. I’ll never let that happen.”
She believed every word and not just because his lion had taken his voice and made it almost impossible for Lux to get the words out in a manner that was discernible. No, it was the fact that Seven trusted Lux. She trusted the man to keep his word. She trusted the lion to keep her safe.
After a few hiccups and a sniff or two, she calmed and asked shyly, “Stay?”
“A thousand lions couldn’t drag me away.” He pulled back though and looked down at her. “You want water?”
She nodded and Lux peeled himself from her to pad to the bathroom. She watched him walk away and realized that he was only wearing a pair of boxers. Even in the dark, her eyes could see every detail. He was perfect. The muscles in his arms and legs were perfectly balanced by his thick torso. His dark hair just brushed his shoulders, and as he disappeared into the bathroom and blasted on the sink, Seven lifted her hands to quickly wipe the tears from her cheeks before trying to straighten her hair. Guilt bit hard at him having to have seen her all broken. She was Ryka’s Beta and Beta’s were supposed to be strong. Betas weren’t supposed to have nightmares and beg their mate to protect them.
Mate. Lux was her mate. She knew it because her wolf was different around him, and it wasn’t just her wolf. She was different around him. She felt safe, like she could tell him anything and he’d support her and protect her. Since they’d arrived, Lux had been nothing but doting and considerate. He was always doing things for her and for the rest of her pack too. It was nice. He was nice.
Could it be this easy? Could finding one’s mate and falling for him happen so seamlessly?
***
In the bathroom, Lux filled a glass with water from the tap. His hands were still shaking making him slosh water down the side of the glass. Shaking his head, he set the glass down, left the water running, and planted his hands on the vanity, lifting his eyes to stare at his reflection. His eyes were glowing with his lion still pacing beneath the surface.
He’d been coming up to check on Seven like he’d done every night since she’d arrived. He never disturbed her, just listened outside the door to make sure she was sleeping soundly whether she was sharing a room with the rest of the girls or not. Tonight, he’d actually passed Wren in the hallway, and he could only assume his brother was doing the same for Ryka. What a bunch of saps.
Tonight though, Seven had been in his room. He’d come to check on her after dinner and had built her a fire, pride searing him that she’d chosen to sleep alone in his room and not spend the night with her sisters again. It was a sign that she was growing to trust him, getting comfortable with him. He’d watched a movie with his brothers and had come up to check on her one last time to find her breathing labored. At first, he thought she was crying, but when he cracked the door the scent of her terror slammed into him. Unable to stop himself, he charged the room. There was no intruder, there was no danger. Seven was sleeping and dreaming. No, not dreaming. She was having a nightmare.
“NO! Don’t touch me! STOP!” She’d cried out and when a whimper left her throat and she started struggling against the sheets covering her, Lux rushed to her and pulled her into his arms.
Staring at himself now, he tried to calm his inner lion. The beast was pissed and pacing just beneath the surface. They both wanted to hunt whoever in the fuck had hurt Seven. Larsen! It had to be. Fisting the glass, he exhaled one last breath and turned back to the room.
Seven was propped up against the pillows and honestly the sight of her in his bed and waiting on him had his balls drawing up tight. Settling himself on the side of the bed, he turned and planted a hand on the far side of her hip handing her the glass of water with the other. “You okay?”
She only nodded and accepted the glass, taking small sips.
“Do you have nightmares often?” he asked hoping she’d voluntarily open up to him.
She shook her head and stared at the glass in her hands.
Lifting a hand, he brushed hair back from her face. His inner lion swelled with pride when she didn’t flinch away. “If you tell me who hurt you, beautiful, I promise to fucking end him.”
She smiled at that and glanced up at him. Relief was swift. He didn’t want her to think he was some kind of psycho, but he also wanted her to know that he meant what he said.
“It’s okay.” Seven looked back down and fidgeted with the glass. “It’s over now.” Then she looked back up at him with worried eyes. “Isn’t it?”
“Yeah,” he breathed and smoothed a hand over her cheek his thumb brushing just beneath her tear swollen eye. “Anyone wants to touch you now, they gotta go through me.”
“Does that bother you? That I’m yours and you don’t even know me? That you’re expected to defend me and you don’t even know if I’m worth it?”
“Naw,” he shook his head as his lips tweaked up in a grin. “I’ve been waiting for you. Trust me. You’re worth it. A thousand times you’re worth it. I waited so long.”
“You did?”
“Yeah, beautiful. I’m not like Cason, Jesup, or Liddick. I didn’t enjoy the parties we had every night. I wanted something else.”
“What? What did you want?”
“I wanted someone I could cuddle up on the couch with. We’d eat copious amounts of popcorn and drink sodas ‘til we burst. We’d watch movie after movie until we fell asleep in each other’s arms and then I’d wake and carry her…you. I’d carry you up to our room. We’d spend our days learning each other’s lives.”
“And nights?”
He grinned and glanced down, his smile broadening at the flush of color high on Seven’s cheeks. “We’d spend our nights learning each other’s bodies.” He didn’t miss the shiver that coursed through her. “But that’ll all come in time. We’ve got forever, Seven. I’m not going anywhere.”
“Me either,” she breathed and his heart constricted in his chest before it started pounding double time.
“You aren’t gonna push me away?”
“I know what you’re thinking.” She reached out and covered his large hand with her own. “Ash is afraid of Liddick, it’s why she’s the way she is with him. And Ryka is trying to look out for us instead of looking out for herself.”
“And you?”
“I… I’ve been waiting for you too. I don’t want to fight it, don’t want to fight you. Is that normal?”
He chuffed a laugh to disguise the giddiness that was riding him. “I don’t know if it’s normal, but I don’t want to fight it either.”
&n
bsp; “Will you stay in here with me tonight?” She rushed to add on, “Just to make sure I don’t have another bad dream I mean. I’m not asking you to…”
He grabbed her chin and tilted her face up to his. “Whatever you want, beautiful. Whatever you want.”
Her smile melted his heart, but it vanished when he peeled back the covers to climb into bed with her. She tried to yank the covers higher and when she couldn’t yank them from Lux’s grip, she blushed beet red.
“Sorry. I got into your drawer and borrowed some clothes. I took a bath and didn’t want to get back into my dirty clothes so I thought you wouldn’t mind if…”
“It’s alright, Seven. What’s mine is yours.”
She peeked up at him. “You’re not mad?”
“Hell no.” He quirked a brow and studied her slight frame dwarfed in his shirt. His eyes dipped to his boxers settled at her hips and then slid to her exposed thighs. He swallowed hard and then hurried into the bed before she could see just how much he approved of her in his clothes. “I meant that too. What’s mine is yours, so help yourself to anything I own.”
“Thank you.”
“We’ll have to schedule some time to take you and the other girls into town to do some shopping. In the mean time, borrow what you need. I’ll wash your clothes in the morning.”
When she cuddled into his side, he scented her happiness and couldn’t stop the purr that rumbled up from his chest if he tried. Seven giggled and nestled closer to him and his purr deepened into a contented rumble.
After a few minutes his lion quieted and Lux concentrated on memorizing the feel of his mate’s slender fingers as they twined with his.
“His name is Larsen.”
Her words had his smile slipping.
“He’s the pack Beta. Our Alpha…ex Alpha, Marill, wanted Kenna. Larsen wanted me. They didn’t go after Ryka because she was too dominant, and they left Ash alone because she’s too tough and honestly, I think they’re afraid of her.” She gave a humorless laugh.