by J. K Harper
“M-maybe you and Khet could come over for dinner one day next week,” Violet suggested. Her fingers gripped his even tighter.
When she looked at him, uncertainty shining brightly in her eyes, he smiled. “That’s a wonderful idea.”
“We’d love to,” Delana said as her mate joined them.
“We’d love to…what?” Khet asked as he wrapped an arm around Delana’s waist, pulling her right up against his side.
“Violet and Joss have invited us to their home for dinner next week,” Delana supplied as she tipped her head up for Khet’s kiss.
Violet watched the exchange between the two, not missing a thing. Some of the tension she’d still held on to melted away. She didn’t release his hand, but her fingers loosened around his.
“Ah, yes, sounds great,” Khet finally said when he looked at them again. “I’m patrolling Monday and Tuesday, but Wednesday could work.”
Violet swallowed hard but then nodded. “As long as it’s okay with Joss, we can do it on Wednesday.”
So much was happening so fast, Joss could barely contain himself. Delana and Khet had said all the right things, setting his mate at ease, and then, without even missing a beat, finalized things so that she couldn’t easily back out. They were pushing her out of her comfort zone while still letting her call the shots. Genius.
“Wednesday it is,” he added.
“Delana, may I speak with you privately?” Khet asked.
Talk—right. Joss knew damned well that if Khet got Delana alone, talking was the last thing that would happen, and by the look on Delana’s face, she knew it, too.
“Of course, love. We’ll see you guys on Wednesday,” Delana said as she slipped her hand into Khet’s.
Once the couple left, the stream of people pausing to speak with them didn’t seem to stop. As soon as one person or group left, another would walk on over. Most of them were the Komoro pack coming to welcome Violet, but a few of the women from the old Mahehkan pack came by, as well. Tears fell, and hugs were exchanged. It was like a sorority of survivors reuniting.
Joss stood with her, joining the conversation when needed, but for the most part, Violet was holding her own. She was caught up in another bear hug from one of the other women when the pack house door opened and a petite woman with long, straight black hair came in.
The woman looked around the room, holding her head high and her chin jutted in the air, almost daring anyone to cross her. As petite as she was, she looked like she could kick butt and take names. Her gaze drifted over the crowd, glancing over them only to continue a short distance away, but then, her head whipped back, and she looked right at him and Violet again.
Her eyes widened, and her hands flew up to cover her mouth. In the next instant, she was moving toward them. By the time she got halfway through the room, she was running. Hearing the commotion, Violet pulled out of the other woman’s arms and spotted the one running to them.
Violet’s strangled cry filled the now overly silent room. He reached for her, intent on pulling her behind him, away from danger, but Violet wasn’t there. She was rushing to meet the woman, catching her in her arms and holding her tight. Her soft sobs filled the silence.
Staring seemed intrusive, but there was no way he was leaving Violet or even moving without her knowing where he was in case she needed him. When the two finally disentangled themselves, Violet sought him, and he was glad he was where she’d left him. She gave him a wobbly smile and took the other woman’s hand, pulling her toward him.
“Joss, this is my sister. Zeyde.” Violet wiped away the dampness on her cheeks. “I-I thought she was dead. Karak told me she was. He lied.”
Zeyde gave him an appraising look.
“I’m pleased to meet you, Zeyde,” Joss said, extending his hand. Hugging her didn’t seem right, and looking at her, he couldn’t imagine she’d welcome it.
Chapter 10
Violet’s heart had yet to slow. Seeing Zeyde for the first time in three years wasn’t a surprise, it was a shock. The last time she’d seen her older sister, they had both been taken by Roger and his men. She shoved the horrible memories away. Eventually, she’d have to examine them to get past them fully, but not yet. She couldn’t. With the baby on the way, she needed to focus on the good things in her life, not the horrors of her past.
After she’d introduced Zeyde and Joss, he’d led them to a table in one corner of the room where they could talk. He still hovered nearby, but he’d excused himself, giving her and her sister some time alone.
“Where have you been?” she asked.
Zeyde looked around, not missing a thing. She was different. Stronger. It wasn’t just physical, either. She looked like she could—and would—take over the world if given any reason to.
“They kept me locked up for the first year. My body healed slowly. Once they started letting me out again, I looked for you, but you were gone. None of the women had seen you in months. I searched the village, but you’d disappeared. Roger claimed to have killed you himself.”
Joss’s growl rumbled from a few feet away, making her aware that although he wasn’t with her, he was paying attention. She smiled at him, assuring him she was okay. He took a deep breath and unclenched his fists.
“What’s with the bodyguard?” Zeyde asked.
“He’s not a bodyguard. He’s my mate.”
“Your what?” Zeyde practically snarled.
“My mate. Joss is a good man, Zeyde.”
“He’s a man. That should be enough to make you stay away from him.”
“Joss has been gentle and kind. I’m certain if you get to know him, you’ll agree.”
“I won’t get to know him. I won’t be staying. As soon as it’s safe to go, I’m going back, and you’re coming with me.”
Violet couldn’t believe the vehemence in her sister’s words. “I’m staying. I don’t ever want to go back there.”
Zeyde looked at her, and for a moment, the soft soul of her sister—the one she knew and loved—shone through. “Suit yourself, but don’t say I didn’t warn you when all these gentlemen turn out to be rabid, mangy dogs like the rest of them.”
Her sister looked at Joss, not bothering to hide her loathing. “If you lay so much as a finger on my baby sister, it’ll be the last thing you do. I’ll make sure of it,” she threatened before she stood.
“Where are you going?” Violet asked, standing with her sister as panic rushed to the surface. Zeyde was her only living relative.
“I’m staying with one of the women here in the village. The only reason I came in at all was that Reyelle caught site of you and came to find me. I didn’t believe it, but I had to come see for myself.”
“Will I see you again?” she asked, hoping that after all these years, she wouldn’t lose her sister again so soon.
Zeyde’s gaze, always roving the crowd, came back to rest on her. “Of course, you will. You’re my sister. I won’t stay, but that doesn’t mean I won’t come back from time to time. How else will I make sure he doesn’t hurt you?” The words could have been a cute sisterly thing to say, but the way she said it with her voice raised and the emphasis on the he—it wasn’t in jest.
“I’ll be okay, I really will, but if that’s the reason that will have you coming to visit, then I’m okay with that.” She heard Joss snort and gave him a little wink. His eyes widened, as did his smile, so she grinned at him before turning her attention back to her sister.
“I’ll see you before I go,” Zeyde said before she pulled her into her arms and gave her a tight hug.
“Promise me you’ll leave the moment he raises his hand to you. Promise me, Violet,” Zeyde whispered so only she would hear.
Violet sniffled, then nodded. Her sister was so sure that the men of the village were as wicked as the Mahehkan men from their days of captivity, but she was wrong. Not all Mahehkan men were wicked. Some had fought for them. James and his men had freed many of the women over the years. They were good. A lot of them ha
d died for their efforts, but still, those remaining had kept fighting. The fact that they were too few and up against almost insurmountable odds hadn’t stopped them.
Joss was a good man, too. She couldn’t say for sure about the other Komoro men, but Delana seemed madly in love with Khet. And none of the women she’d seen tonight had sported any bruises or injuries.
For now, that was enough for her.
Zeyde gave her one last hug before making her way through the crowd and out the door.
A huge lump clogged Violet’s throat, and a small sob slipped past her lips as the door closed behind her sister.
“You okay?” Joss asked.
She turned and sniffled again, blinking her eyes fast. In an instant, Joss’s arms opened, and she didn’t hesitate, stepping into them and resting her head on his chest. His arms came around her as the tears began to flow. This was supposed to be a celebration—a party—yet she’d done more crying since entering the pack house then she had in the past year.
“Shh.” He stroked up and down her spine with his strong hands, holding her as gently as a newborn babe. “She’ll come around. You’ll see.”
She was about to tell him that she wasn’t so sure when the energy in the room shifted. Joss loosened his hold but didn’t let her go, and she turned enough to see their Alpha make his way to the front of the room.
“Can I have your attention, please?” Argram said once he got there, and the crowd hushed immediately. “On behalf of myself and all members of the pack, we’d like to welcome all of our new pack mates to the Komoro village. My beautiful mate, Miga, and her numerous helpers have prepared this feast and celebration for us all. Enjoy.”
Along the wall where the punch bowl and other drinks had been, a long table covered in plates and platters now stood. When had that happened? So engrossed in all the new people, and then her sister, she hadn’t even noticed the undoubted activity it would have taken to set up such a thing, or even the luscious smells now filling the room.
As though her stomach had just caught on, it gave a hearty growl.
Joss looked down at her, then grinned. “Hungry?”
She thought about denying it, but he’d heard her, and she didn’t want to start their relationship with untruths. “I am.” If she were completely honest with herself, since she’d started eating regular meals—and snacks in between—she couldn’t seem to get enough. She was always famished.
“Then let’s get you some food.” He led her to the end of the line forming at the banquet table, then handed her a plate when their turn came up. He stood behind her, taking what he wanted and pointing out his favorite dishes as he went, encouraging her to try whatever she wanted.
“There’s no way I’m going to be able to eat all that,” she exclaimed before she got anywhere near the end of the table. There was still so much food she wanted to try, and her plate was overflowing.
“I bet if we ask Miga, she’ll let us take something home at the end of the night,” Joss said with a smile. He’d obviously asked before and gotten rewarded for his efforts.
Each table had room for eight, so when people settled, she wasn’t surprised to find that she and Joss were no longer alone. Even though he’d introduced them, Violet couldn’t, for the life of her, remember everyone’s names, but it didn’t matter. The easy banter between men and women alike had her breathing easy and even laughing on occasion. All the while, Joss remained attentive to her every need, refreshing her drink and making sure she was comfortable.
After dessert had been served and she couldn’t possibly eat another bite, the crowd thinned. Many remained seated, but others got up to clear the food and help clean up. A few made their way outside, but she suspected it was more to breathe in the fresh evening air than to leave.
Once the area was spotless again, the lights dimmed, and the music resumed a little louder than it had been. A soft ballad came on, and Violet smiled. She didn’t recognize the song, but it was pretty. It didn’t take long before a couple made their way to the center of the room. Before she knew it, several other couples danced without a care in the world.
The song ended, and another began.
“Do you like to dance?” Joss asked her.
It had been so long since she’d done any dancing, but she used to love it. “I do. You?”
He gave her a pained look, then smiled again. “I do, but I’m not any good. In fact, Delana would say I’ve got two left feet. She tried showing me how years ago, but I’m not coordinated enough to make it happen.”
“You can’t possibly be that bad.”
Joss’s eyebrows rose. “You don’t think so? I may have broken one of her toes once.”
“Really?” She couldn’t fathom Joss not being good at something.
He threw his head back and laughed. “No, I didn’t do that, but I’m no good at it, that much is true.”
Joss captured her hand and brought her fingers to his lips. “If you’re brave enough to risk your toes, I’d love to dance with you.”
Her heart skipped a beat. The music faded with the end of the song and then started up again with a new one. “I’d like that.”
He stood, still holding her hand, then helped her to her feet. When they got to the makeshift dancefloor, he wrapped his arms around her and held her gaze. “If this gets to be too much for you, you’ll let me know?” he asked.
“I will,” she whispered, and he pulled her closer. Her breasts pressed lightly against his hard chest, and her rounded belly snugged against his flat one. She might have felt self-conscious except for the contented sigh he let out as he held her.
“This is nice,” he told her as he began moving.
More than nice. It was right. Violet rested her head against his shoulder and let the music flow through her. Sure enough, they’d only taken a dozen steps before Joss’s foot nudged up against her toes. He didn’t step on them, but his foot was nowhere near where it should have been.
Violet tried hard. She did, but she couldn’t help the little giggle that broke free.
They managed to make it about halfway through the song when Khet came waltzing by with Delana in his arms. Delana gave her a solemn look, mouthing “watch your toes” as she spun past.
That was it. The little giggle from before came back, quickly turning into a full-fledged laugh. Joss looked at her, a quizzical expression on his face, which only made her laugh harder. Then, in one ill-timed spin, his foot came down on top of hers. It was only a moment, and he had barely put any weight on it, but the look of sheer terror on his face had her howling.
“I’m so sorry. I told you I couldn’t dance. Are you alright?”
The more he apologized, the harder she laughed. People were staring, but she couldn’t help it. By the time she got herself under control, her cheeks hurt, and others around them were grinning.
Joss, on the other hand, stood there, looking at her. He wasn’t smiling, but he wasn’t frowning, either. Had she offended him? She nibbled on her bottom lip, trying to figure out what to say while keeping her giggles at bay.
He took the step needed to close the distance between them again and wrapped his arms loosely around her shoulders, maintaining eye contact. “Are you okay?” he asked. His chest rose and fell faster than it had before, and the warmth in his eyes grew hotter. His gaze flicked to her lips, and for an instant, she thought he might lean in and kiss her.
Her heart pounded. If there was any doubt left in her mind about her mate, his reaction to stepping so lightly on her toes sent those flying out the window. He wouldn’t hurt her.
She took a steadying breath. “I’m fine,” she whispered, then stepped on her tiptoes and pressed her lips to his.
Chapter 11
Heat infused Joss’s entire body. Seeing Violet smiling had been like a balm to his soul all evening long, but hearing her laughter, seeing her happy…that had done something more. It had roused the wolf. It had wanted to get closer, to join in her fun. The fact that her laughter had risen f
rom his literal misstep was of no consequence. He hadn’t stomped down hard, but being that she was so delicate, he could have hurt her, and that was the last thing he ever wanted to do.
At some point, while she was laughing, the wolf’s joy and playfulness had shifted. It had done well, keeping its distance as Violet healed, but she was everything that both he and the wolf wanted. She was theirs, and it wanted her now. It didn’t care that they were in a public place, or that she wasn’t ready for that kind of physical contact. The primal need to touch and taste rushed to the surface. With her in his arms, fighting the beast had been tough.
That was until she looked at him with those gorgeous brown eyes of hers, then lifted her lips to his. For a half second, he was too shocked to move, but when she leaned closer, pressing her sweet body against his, he’d lost the battle.
With a moan, he pulled her flush against him, returning her gentle kiss. He wanted to devour her, but the sane part in his mind held him back. Hard as it was, he’d let her call the shots.
After a moment, she surrendered a moan of her own, then probed at his lips with her tongue. He opened up for her, desperate for whatever she was offering. She deepened their kiss, her hands tightening around his waist.
He had no way of knowing how long they stood there, lost in each other. It could have been minutes—or maybe hours. He had no idea. All he knew was that his mate had given a part of herself to him, and he wanted to claim her.
When she finally pulled away, reality seeped back in. The music was still playing, and people still danced. Although a few glanced in their direction with grins on their faces, no one commented or brought unnecessary attention to them, for which he was grateful. He doubted that Violet would have appreciated it.
Unwilling to let her go yet, he gave her a quick kiss on the tip of her nose. “If you’re willing to give it another go, I think I can manage not to injure you if we keep dancing.” The song playing wasn’t the same one as before, but it was another slow one, so he’d get to hold on to her for a while longer. Just as well, if he had to step away, not only would Violet see it, but his erection would be on display for everyone present.