by B. N. Kasner
Apparently, Grace now knew the answer was over the top, crazy possessive. Just as she stepped out of the bedroom, she heard the front door close. “Who came to visit us?” Coming around the corner, Grace stopped dead in her tracks. Golden eyes so much like her own, blasted her with fury. “Shit.”
“Funny you’d say the same thing as Carter here.” Gene snarled at her, scaring her a little. Grace had seen him act as an enforcer, but he’d never turned that part of himself on her. She was his baby sister, not some threat to the safety of Redwater. “Which one of you wants to start explainin’ what the fuck’s goin’ on here? Because I’ve got to tell ya, it doesn’t look good.”
Gene’s lip curled when he ran his eyes over her again, “You should change before I take you home.” Okay, so all of Lani’s hard work must’ve flown right out the window when he saw her.
“She is home.” Carter took a step to the left, blocking her from Gene’s sight. Grace couldn’t help but smile. She’d been waiting for him to either tell her she was moving in or to show up at his house and realized he’d moved her in already. “Grace isn’t going anywhere.”
“The hell she isn’t.” Her brother stretched to his full height. Looking her straight in the eye, he growled, “Get your shit and let’s go.” When she still didn’t move, he roared, “Now.” Carter turned his back to Gene, which she didn’t think was a smart idea.
Carter pulled her behind his back, holding her with one arm. Grace gripped his shirt in her fists. She’d never feared Gene before, but right then, she did. Plastering herself up against Carter, she took comfort in his protectiveness of her. “Don’t ever fucking talk to her like that again or I’ll bleed you dry. I don’t give two shits if you’re her brother or not. It’s you who should get the hell out of here and quit scaring my Gracie.”
“Your Gracie? I don’t think so, and she’s not scared. You won’t let her go.” Gene took a step back and opened the front door. “I’ll be outside when you’re ready to head home.” Grace only burrowed herself closer to Carter, while her mate snarled. He wasn’t going to let Gene take her.
“Asshole left my door open.” Grace smiled despite the fact her whole world was imploding. Her mate turned around and cupped her face. “You’re not thinking about leaving me, are you?” She didn’t need a mating bond to hear or see the fear on his face.
“Never,” Grace vowed, placing her lips on his. “The only way I’m ever leaving you is if the Goddess calls me home and that’s not happening anytime soon.” His sweet smile had Grace’s heart beating wildly in her chest.
He pulled his cell phone from his back pocket, pressing it into her hand, “Call Mason, tell him to get his ass over here with the cavalry. Then Lani, because she’s really the only one who has any control over your brother.”
“Why?” She was already hitting the screen to bring up Mason’s number. “What are you going to do?”
“Explain that you’re mine. Tell him if he wants to try and take you away, I’ll fight him until my last breath. I’ll fight anyone who tries to take you from me.” His kiss felt more passionate than usual, catching her off guard. At that moment, she would’ve sworn he loved her. It was probably her heart playing tricks on her, but a girl could hope.
She watched him walk outside and up to Gene, while holding the phone up to her ear. When Grace went to hit the end call button, “Hey brother, what’s up?” came across the line.
“Mason.” Grace whisper yelled so Gene wouldn’t be able to hear her.
“Grace? Where’s Carter?” She saw her mate and brother tensely talking by Gene’s truck. The body language told her it was only a matter of time before the two most important men in her life came to blows with each other.
“I need you to get your in-laws and come over to Carter’s.” She kept her voice even, trying to hide the fear and anxiousness she felt. Before Mason could respond Gene threw the first punch. “Oh, Goddess.” Yelping, any sense of calmness left her. “They’re fighting.”
“Shit. We’re coming.” Grace heard him barking out orders, then his voice softened. “Little wolf, you have to stay here. I don’t know exactly what’s happening. Corey, watch her.”
The line went dead, but it didn’t matter because she had already made her way outside. She couldn’t leave her mate to defend himself. Even if they hadn’t shifted yet and were only really rolling around in the front yard. Even if she had to go against the man who’d raised her, who loved her like a daughter. Her loyalty laid with Carter now.
Maybe if Gene saw that, he’d realize there wasn’t a need for them to fight. Grace had never been so happy in her life. Her brother just needed to hear it from her own lips and all this madness would stop. Hopefully.
Chapter Twenty
“Grace Elaine, get out of the way.” Carter snarled from behind her, wrapping an arm around her waist. He pulled until her back was flush with his chest. “Did you get ahold of Mason?” His lips brushed against her ear.
She nodded her head slightly, clearly he didn’t want Gene to know their alpha was on his way. “I can’t believe I’m sayin’ this, but, I agree with the fuckface. Outta the way, little sister.” Gene nodded his big head to the side, motioning for her to move. Didn’t they know?
Grace wasn’t going to move until Mason got there or Carter forced her to with his dominance. She hoped like hell he didn’t pull that shit in front of her brother. Fuck, or anyone else for that matter. She’d worked hard to gain the respect of her fellow territory members. Carter would have one pissed off mate on his paws if he made her lose it.
“And, I didn’t know you knew her middle name. I wouldn’t use it again if I were you.” Gene took a step towards them but stopped short when Grace only put her hands on her hips. Carter snuggled closer to her.
“I know lots of things about Gracie here.” Before she could ask Carter to play nice. To not provoke her tank of a brother, he continued. “Like how her breath hitches right before I kiss her. She hogs the bed. Hell, she just sleeps on me most nights. Her favorite food is spaghetti.
“Color? Lime Green, because it’s the same as my bear’s eyes, even if she won’t admit it. Country music plays in my house all the time now, also her favorite.” He paused, caressing her cheek with his thumb. “Dancing in the rain. Living on the edge. Fucking long and hard. All things she loves.”
Her cheeks blazed with heat at his sex reference. They were right in front of her big brother for Goddess sake. Carter placed a sweet kiss on her lips, “And, she could kick my ass with her eyes closed because, damn, she’s a fucking badass.” A throat clearing broke whatever spell they were under.
“That’s great and all, especially the fuckin’ part, by the way.” Gene’s face looked paler than normal and he swallowed hard. “I’m gonna love beatin’ your ass for it, but, how’d ya learn all that in a couple weeks?” He had a valid point, how had Carter learned all those facts so fast? Other than the sex stuff, because obviously, she knew how he’d learned that.
“Easy. You act like I haven’t been a part of Grace’s life since she was a little girl.” His eyes shifted back to Grace. The brown pools swirled with an emotion Grace could’ve sworn was love. “When her hair still hung in wild red strands covered in leaves.”
“You remember that?” Her voice trembled, now it was Grace who swallowed hard, trying not to cry.
“Fuck yeah. I remember a helluva lot more too.” His eyes glittered mischievously. She wondered what memory he had on his mind. Grace had to kiss him. There wasn’t a fish’s chance out of water she could hold herself back.
Rising on her tiptoes, she pulled Carter down to her lips. “I’m right here assholes.” For once, Grace didn’t give a fuck about what her brother wanted. This was what Grace wanted, and right then? She wanted to show Carter just how much he meant to her.
What she honestly wanted to do was fuck him six ways from Sunday, but she’d only just started her period. As much as Grace would be embarrassed, she’d have to ask the girls if period sex
was a thing. Squealing tires had Carter pulling away from her. A goofy smile covered his face when he waved to Mason, Alex, Isaiah and Nathan.
“Hey fuckers, welcome to our humble abode.” He kept one arm around Grace, flinging the other out in a swinging motion.
“What is this, The Price is Right? I thought you said they were fighting?” Isaiah whined, almost pouting in fact.
“Out of everything, that’s what you noticed?” Alex smirked, hitting his brother on the back of the head.
“I swear to the Goddess, one of these days, I’m gonna break your fuckin’ hand for that shit.” Rubbing the back of his head, Isaiah scanned over Carter and Grace again. “What I miss?” He shrugged his shoulders.
“They’re a couple.” Mason looked giddy and quickly pulled out his phone.
“No shit. They’ve been a couple, anyone with eyes knew they were bonin’ the shit outta each other.” Mason busted up laughing, along with Alex. Carter smiled smugly at Gene, who was growling. All the while, Grace stood there mutely, embarrassed beyond all belief. “Fuck, I caught ‘em the other day when I was drivin’ by. Carter had her on the-”
Carter snarled, raising the little hairs on the back of her neck. “Watch your damn mouth and forget whatever you saw. Right. Fucking. Now.” Isaiah nodded, his mouth snapping shut. “Anyone else have anything to say?”
“No, but I bet they will.” Mason pointed over his shoulder. Somehow Nathan’s Hummer fit in Carter’s driveway as Ella, Lani and Annie spilled out. “Where are the kids?” Mason hauled Ella into his arms, kissing her like they hadn’t seen each other in years.
“With Grams. She had homemade pizza, you know our boy.” She looked over at Grace and Carter, then squealed. Annie snuggled up to Nathan, not surprised at all. Lani though, oh, she didn’t disappoint.
“Gene Charlie Dodson. What is the meaning of this?” She flailed her arms around, leveling him with a glare lesser men would’ve crumbled under. “Please tell me you didn’t fight with your sister’s mate?” Five pairs of eyes scanned every inch of Carter, but all of them found nothing.
Carter still had on his dress shirt from the office. Her mark completely covered by his sleeve. So how did Lani know? “Can none of you scent them?”
“I think being pregnant has gone to her head.” Alex actually looked worried. At least until Lani snarled at him. Then he shut his mouth.
“I had Vivienne do the nose spell on me-”
“Woman, I fuckin’ told you not until after the cub comes.” Grace had never seen Gene mad at Lani. Apparently, today was the day for her brother to lose his cool with every woman in his life.
“She said it was completely fine and wouldn’t harm our pup. I want to be able to tell what our son is when he’s born. Not to mention, after everything that’s happened.” Lani paused, her eyes seemingly going somewhere else. “It gives me peace of mind to know no one can pull the fur over our eyes again.”
Gene pulled her close, rubbing her lower back with one hand and her protruding tummy with the other. “Shit, I’m sorry sweetheart. I didn’t mean to snap, hell, I’ll get the fuckin’ thing done myself if it’ll help ya.” Lani sniffled, cuddling her husband closer while nodding.
“Anyway, their scents have mixed. Just like ours and the two other mated couples over there.” She paused, taking a deep breath while tilting her head in the dog like way she had. “Grace’s scent is stronger though, it’s not blended right. And by the look of guilt on Carter’s face, I think I just spilled the fact only one of them has a mating mark.”
“Shit.” She and Carter muttered at the same time, while Gene snarled, “Now, I really am going to kick your fuckin’ ass.”
◆◆◆
At one time, Carter had thought he liked Lani. Now, though? Not so much. He wanted to strangle the outspoken she-wolf. Why did she have to blurt out the mating mark thing? Couldn’t she keep her mouth shut just one time? One fucking time!
After having Lani, Ella, Mason and Isaiah talk Gene down from the edge of fighting with Carter. The women had crowded Grace with hugs, congratulations and well wishes. While he and Gene were still having a standoff, everyone else meandered into his house. He felt itchy not having his eyes on Grace. Especially with both Alex and Isaiah inside with her unattended.
Isaiah more than Alex, the former had already flirted with Grace in front of Carter. Frequently and on multiple occasions. No, the dog wasn’t a one and done kind of guy. He’d keep at it until Carter was ready to rip Isaiah’s head from his shoulders. He could only hope Grace would deny any advances the fucking mutt made.
“Ya gotta undo this.” Gene’s voice was so low, Carter thought he’d misheard him.
“What?”
“Undo it.” Ah, he hadn’t misheard him after all. He now knew what Grace felt like when he’d said the same thing to her. It hurt like a fucking bitch to just think about undoing the bond. Not only was there no way to undo it, but Carter wouldn’t break it even if his life depended on it.
“No.” Gene didn’t need to know the bond couldn’t be undone. He’d think the only reason Carter stayed was becase he had to, not because he wanted to.
“Why not? You know you’re not good enough for my sister.” Carter couldn’t really argue with him there. He wasn’t good enough, but he’d damn sure try to be. “She needs someone she can trust not to cheat. Fuck dude, you can’t keep it in your pants for a day. You know that.”
“Losing a true mate makes you do stupid shit. You of all shifters should know from seeing your dad drown himself with the bottle.” It was a low blow. One he wouldn’t have used if Grace was standing there, but she wasn’t. Carter needed Gene to understand.
“Every man has a different vice. Your dads was alcohol. Mine was women. I lost myself, they made me feel numb to the pain ripping my heart apart.” He looked Gene dead in the eyes, hoping he got through to the big asshole. “All the while, I never told anyone. I sat by her side, watched her slowly die from cancer. Wallowed in misery for a little bit, then pulled myself together.
“I haven’t been able to catch my breath in nine years. And yet, after a couple weeks, I can breathe again. Want to know why that is?” Gene just raised a red eyebrow at him, crossing his tree trunk-sized arms over his chest. “Your sister. I’m not giving her up without a fucking fight. So, if you wanna fight me, then let’s go.” Gene just stood there. What the fuck he was looking for, Carter had no idea.
“If you feel that way, why not bite her?” His face twisted into a disgusted look. “You’re clearly having, uh, sex.” Gene’s pale skin seemed to turn even more ashen. “I can’t believe you’re sleeping with my little sister. The one who used to tag along with ice cream smeared on her face. You’re one of my best friends. You were supposed to protect her, not fuck her.”
“Have you seen her ass?” Carter laughed when Gene gagged while glaring. “Just saying.”
“And you’re sure I can’t get you to change your mind? She wants a happily ever after dude. Her nose is always in those romance books. If you can’t give her a love like that, then walk the fuck away and don’t look back.” Hadn’t he heard one thing Carter said?
Apparently, it was going to take action, not words to prove himself. Without another word, Carter stomped to his front door and flung it open. His vision went red with rage. He’d known that fucking mutt wouldn’t keep his paws to himself. “Get the fuck away from her.”
Isaiah backed away quickly, “We were just joking.” When Carter didn’t stop, the wolf growled. “Damn it, I wouldn’t touch her even if you weren’t together. She’s a friend, nothing more.” Carter turned, heading straight for Grace.
He stopped right in front of her, panting and growling. “You’re mine.” She nodded her head while biting her bottom lip. Carter didn’t know if she did it on purpose to tease him or had no idea what kind of effect the move had on him. Carter pulled the plump lip from between her teeth with his thumb. “Say it. You know what I want to hear.”
“I’m yours. On
ly yours.” The words were released on a puff of air, but he heard them. They shot straight to his cock, but even more so to his heart.
“And don’t you ever fucking forget it.” Snarling, he yanked Grace’s arm up and sank his teeth into her wrist. Now, she was truly his.
Chapter Twenty-One
I must be dreaming. Carter’s hands gripped her hips as he ground his hard cock against her stomach. Nope. Not a dream. He’d really just mate claimed her while their friends watched. She couldn’t be mad though, because she’d claimed him in a hospital.
They were an unconventional couple, that was for sure. Usually, a mating bite only took place during sex. Apparently, it could happen anywhere if the intentions to claim were there. A whirlwind of emotions swept through Grace. Joy, love, excitement, but most of all, lust.
All of them felt amplified, like everything was multiplied times two. Grace wanted to hit herself in the head. Of course, her feelings were doubled, they weren’t only her feelings. They now included Carter’s. The bond formed around her heart, mind and soul.
It was a weird sensation. To feel what someone else felt. Had Carter felt her feelings all along? And if he had, why hadn’t he said anything to her? No wonder he always knew what to say at the right time, he’d been inside her head. Suddenly things were beginning to make a lot more sense.
She wanted to be angry he’d kept the ins and outs of mating a secret from her, but she couldn’t. At her age, he probably thought she knew everything there was to know about mating. Especially given the fact she’d already found her true mate. Grace knew if she would’ve asked, Carter would’ve told her anything she wanted to know. Breaking the kiss off, she looked around the room.
It had emptied out. Not surprisingly all the cars expect Grace’s and Carter’s were gone too. They’d all cleared out, thankfully. Grace didn’t want to deal with her brother right then, she had a mate looking at her like he wanted to devour her. “Quite a show you put on just then.” She sassed, unable to stop the smile from spreading across her face.