by Selena Blake
Then run with me.
Kendall craned her neck again to look down at her furry forearms and paws. How—
“I destroyed the medallion this morning after I buried the bodies,” he said.
In the snow? Wasn’t the ground frozen?
“A little. Nothing I couldn’t handle.”
For the first time in a week, her shoulder didn’t ache and her body, every last cell, felt at peace. She dared another glance at Burke.
He was shucking his pants.
When you say mated…
“I mean you’re stuck with me forever.” He paused, giving her a steady look, almost as if he was waiting for her reaction. Then he tugged off a sock and gave her a smile that made her tail twitch. “Come on belle, I’ll race you to the top of the mountain.” With that, he tugged off his other sock and stepped to the door. He shot her a hot look as she jumped down from the bed. She paused to admire his incredible body, so big and masculine, hardly able to comprehend the latest turn of events. Almost unwilling to trust her happiness.
But as Burke stepped out into the cold, his body shifting to that of a big gray wolf, she trotted after him. Her mate, the most handsome wolf she’d ever seen.
He waited for her at the edge of the deck, surveying the thick blanket of snow in the same way a lion surveys his kingdom. She supposed it was an accurate description. Burke said he owned this half of the mountain. What a wonderful place to run. To be free. To breathe.
She stopped next to him, her paws sinking into the snow. The cold bit at the fleshy pads of her feet but she ignored the sensation. Burke looked down at her and once again, she felt small and feminine. She relished the feeling and the warm look in his incredible brown-green eyes. Eyes she recognized so easily.
If she couldn’t believe in happiness, at least she could believe in Burke.
That afternoon, Burke hovered in the bathroom doorway, watching the beauty sleeping in his bed. Idly, he rubbed the mate-mark that rested on his skin directly above his heart. The organ swelled as he watched her stretch, curl around his pillow, and fall back into a peaceful sleep.
He couldn’t wait to run with her again. The thought of spring excited him, knowing they’d be able to run for hours without worrying about cold and snow. Luckily the power had come back on while they’d been frolicking on the mountain.
When the phone lines were restored he’d call Laurent and tell him the good news. His brother would probably demand proof of Kendall’s existence since Burke had been so adamant against finding a mate. But sometimes the fates worked in mysterious ways. And sometimes, you just didn’t get a choice in matters. Especially matters of the heart.
His gaze drifted to the nightstand. He hadn’t had a choice in loving Annabelle all those years ago. Just like his relationship with her, his relationship with Kendall had stormed his heart, stolen his breath. After all the pain and suffering in his world, Annabelle’s smile had healed him. But her disgust had almost destroyed him.
He crept across the floor and pulled open the bottom drawer, pushed the contents aside and pulled up on the false bottom revealing an old oil painting. Unlike Kendall, Annabelle had been brunette and shy. He traced her jaw-line with the tip of his finger. The reminder he’d kept all these years had lost its significance in the last few days. He’d been sure he would never follow his heart again, find love.
“She’s beautiful.” Kendall’s quiet voice made him look up.
He started to explain, but her look of love and acceptance stalled his words. Instead he simply nodded and gazed back down at the painting.
“Who was she?”
He cleared his throat. “Her name was Annabelle.” He wasn’t sure what else to add.
“She broke your heart,” Kendall said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.
At the time, all those years ago, seeing her face pinched up with repulsion, he hadn’t been so much heartbroken as disgusted with himself. And then, after her death, that’s when his heart had shattered.
“That’s all in the past,” he said, finally believing the words his brother had uttered so many times.
“Are you sure?” she asked, no censure in her words. Nevertheless, the question shocked him. “What do you mean?”
She swung her legs over the edge of the bed and tugged the blanket around her nude body. Glancing down at the painting, her nose scrunched with thought. “From the moment I met you, you had this intensity about you. I think it goes deeper than heartbreak. And the fact that you’re holding a painting rather than a photograph tells me that whatever it is that’s eating you alive happened a really long time ago.”
Kendall’s gaze flicked from the portrait back to his face.
He sighed. She saw too much.
“They killed her.” His words took him back to that night. Her screams rang in his mind.
He hadn’t been able to save her.
“Who did?”
“My uncle. And my grandfather. It was my fault.”
Kendall scooted to the floor and wrapped her arms around him.
“If I hadn’t shown myself—to her…”
“You wanted her to accept you. That’s understandable.”
“She was terrified. She told her family. Word spread to my uncle…I should have kept that part of me locked away.”
“And deny your true self?”
“Isn’t that what you’ve been doing?” he asked.
Yesterday his words would have pulverized her heart. But today she knew better than to let a harsh sentence destroy what they had together. His revelation let her understand him better, the way he understood her.
“You’re right. I was hiding. In plain sight, I suppose. But you noticed me. And I told myself that with my powers bound, I could be human. I could say goodbye to that part of myself and never look back. And I would have gladly done it. I’m not saying I was right. It’s just…my heart hurts when I think of you denying the incredible man you are. Man. Wolf.
Were…I love all of you.”
He tipped his forehead against hers and sighed her name.
“For what it’s worth, I don’t think history is going to repeat itself. You already know I love you and your tail.”
The beast inside him growled with pleasure.
Her features softened and he exhaled a breath. She was right of course. She hadn’t looked at him in horror. The opposite in fact.
He helped her to her feet and then strode to the fireplace, looking down at the portrait one last time. Kendall shuffled up beside him and rubbed a reassuring hand down his back.
Perhaps he should have done this a long time ago.
He dropped the painting onto the fire.
They stood shoulder to shoulder and watched it burn. “It’s been a busy few days,” he said. “Think I could use a vacation.”
She laughed and leaned into him. “I thought you were on vacation.”
“I was supposed to be. Then this beautiful blonde almost ran me off a mountain.” She gave a feminine grunt and bumped her hip against his. Needing to be closer, he slid an arm around her waist and tugged her around until they were chest to chest.
“What do you think? Should we keep your cell phone number as it is?” Her eyes searched his. “You don’t want to go back to the bayou?” He looked around the large room. “I like it right here. How about you?” She licked her lips as she stared at his chest.
He cupped her cheeks between his hands. “It’s okay if you don’t. We can live anywhere you want. I’m loaded, remember?” he teased.
She lifted solemn blue eyes to his. “I’m afraid I’ve been walking around here for days imagining what it would be like if this was our house, wishing I never had to leave.” Her confession was the last puzzle piece falling into place and the final salve to his soul.
He gave her his most wolfish grin and scooped her up.
“Then it’s time we christened every room, Mrs. Deveraux.” He carried her into the living room and settled them on the couch. Thanks to the electricity co
ming back on, the rest of the house was toasty warm. But he’d started a fire in the large fireplace at the end of the room, knowing how much Kendall enjoyed the crackle-pop of a roaring blaze.
“I think this is a good place to start, how about you?” With her legs across his lap, he kissed her. Caressed her skin. Tickled behind her knees.
She fell backwards. Playfully kicking, she attempted to fight him off. But he grinned down at her, not one to be dissuaded from his target. He loved to hear her laugh. And if hearing it meant he had to tickle her all day, he would.
Grabbing her ankles, he held her steady. Legs in the air, Kendall giggled as Burke rained kisses along the back of her knee. As he worked his way up to her ankle he knew, without the shadow of a doubt, that his demons were gone. Settled. In the past forevermore.
And that he would love this woman, this little werecoyote, for the rest of his life. And he would never tire of hearing her giggle like that.
She looked up at him, her hair fanned over the sofa, her body partially draped with a blanket, hiding some of his favorite bits. When she smiled he knew he was her whole world, his heart squeezed.
The sound of a door unlocking was like ice water dousing his shoulders. Her legs dropped across his lap and she sat up.
“Burke?” Laurent’s voice bounced off the wooden walls.
Two seconds later Laurent, Violet, André and Juliette came to an abrupt halt on the other side of the great room, their gazes focused on the woman next to him.
Nothing killed an erection faster than family barging in unannounced.
All four of them wore matching astonished expressions. Juliette, cultured and regal as ever, spoke first. “Hi… We,” she glanced at André, “tried to call.”
“As did I. Phones have been out since I arrived. Power too, for the most part.” Kendall shifted on the couch, curling against his side.
“Is he here? He’d better be here. Where’s the bathroom?” Amanda’s voice rang through the entryway.
Burke chuckled and wrapped an arm around Kendall. “Well, you wanted to meet my family,” he whispered against her temple before kissing her.
“Good God, Burke. Put that away,” Amanda’s declaration was punctuated by hot pink cheeks. She covered her eyes.
“The powder room’s that way, chéri,” he said, pointing to the door behind her.
Sebastian, Jules and Angelica joined the crowd.
“Thank heavens,” Amanda muttered, turning.
“I, um, I should put some clothes on,” Kendall said.
“I rather like you just the way you are,” Burke told her, loving that she blushed.
Why are you blushing, petit? You haven’t been the least bit concerned about your lack of clothing in the past twenty-four hours.
Her lips twitched as she rose, tucking the blanket around her. Head up, she darted to the bedroom.
Burke could sense his family’s curiosity. “I’ll make the introductions when we’re all dressed.” He stood, not bothering to hide his nudity. “Make yourselves at home.” Kendall was jerking on her clothes when he stepped into the bedroom.
“Hey,” he murmured, pulling her against him. “I’m sorry they interrupted us.”
“It’s okay. Really. No harm. No foul.”
“You don’t seem okay, chéri.”
“I’m—“
“Remember what I said about forever?” She looked panic stricken. “I meant it. And as soon as we can sneak away, I plan on finishing what we started.” With that, he reached for the folder of pre-nups and held them up for her to see. Her eyes went wide as he tossed them onto the fire.
As quick as the panic had filled her eyes, it was gone and she sagged against him. He kissed her lips and took a step back.
“Let’s get dressed before you seduce me again.”
Burke pulled a pair of well-worn jeans up over his hips and zipped them. Kendall smiled at him, that combination of happy and naughty making him want to forget about the company in the next room.
“Stop looking at me like that, petit.”
“Not a chance, stud-muffin.”
Burke laughed as he shrugged into a T-shirt. She dug two tubes of lip gloss from her purse and studied the labels.
“What colors are you trying to decide between today?” he murmured, wanting to kiss the corner of her delectable mouth.
She handed him the hot pink first. “Tickled Pink?” He was grinning when she handed him the other one.
Squinting, he read the tiny print. “Perfectly Nude?” Laughing, she grabbed the tube and darted away before he could stop her. Oh, she’d pay for putting that thought into his head. He’d get her perfectly nude; then he really would tickle her pink.
From the sound of the snickers coming from the living room, the others had read his lusty thoughts. Smiling, he tugged a sweater over his head as he made his way to the door.
When she finished slathering on the gloss, he tucked her against his side and he stepped into the great room.
His family, his pack, had settled in, filling most of the furniture in the large room.
“This is Kendall...my wife.” Eight pairs of eyes instantly dropped to Kendall’s left hand.
Juliette and Violet understood the ways of their world. But for Angelica and Amanda, he added, “my mate.”
“Finally.”
“Congratulations.”
“Thank God.”
“About time,” André added to the chorus of well wishes. Juliette sat on the couch next to him, snuggled close.
“Ready for this? There might be a quiz later,” Burke murmured to Kendall and everyone laughed. “Over here we’ve got Violet and my brother Laurent.” Violet sat in Laurent’s lap in one of the club chairs by the fireplace. “Amanda’s the one pacing in front of the window over there. And that guy hovering over her is her husband Sebastian. That’s Juliette and André on the couch. And this youngster here is Jules and his fiancé Angelica. But we call her Angel.”
“Whew. Okay, Violet. Laurent. Amanda and Sebastian,” Kendall said, glancing again at each couple. “Juliette and André and Jules and Angel. I think I’ve got it. At least for the next two minutes.”
Everyone laughed again. Burke knew that Kendall would charm them, just as she’d charmed him.
“Welcome to the – who who hee,” Amanda paused mid sentence to exhale loudly.
“Family,” she finished with a pinched smile.
Ever attentive, Sebastian was at her side in an instant, rubbing his hands over her back.
He helped her to a chair.
“How did you two meet?” Laurent asked.
“It’s a long story,” Burke answered.
“Not that long,” Kendall replied with a smile.
“Great. Now will someone go get that mammoth turkey out of the car?” Amanda said, rubbing her back.
André and Jules jumped to do her bidding.
“How’d you guys get here, anyway?” Burke asked, looking at Amanda’s swollen belly.
Was she bigger than the last time he’d seen her?
“We—took a train,” Amanda said, teeth gritted, her blue eyes sparkling.
“A train?” Kendall said, her gaze meeting Burkes.
Amanda nodded.
“Can I get anyone anything?” Burke asked. “I guess we should go ahead and start dinner. I can hear stomachs growling.”
Angel laughed.
A moment later, Jules and André carried a huge cooler into the kitchen. “I hope you have space for this beast, cousin.”
Frowning, Burke strode over to the kitchen. They flipped open the lid and he saw a massive turkey stuffed in between blocks of dry ice. His gaze swerved to Amanda’s and then Kendall’s.
“What is it?” she asked with the shy grin he loved so much.
“That, my dear, is a twenty five pound turkey. Just in time for Thanksgiving.” Amanda turned in her seat. “I assumed you’d be alone and I didn’t want all that meat going to waste.
So Sebastian said we could
bring it with us.”
Burke laughed. He opened the freezer and took out a dozen steaks. Kendall appeared at his side and helped him move meatballs and bags of chili onto the counter.
I’m so glad you know…now I don’t have to hide my appetite anymore.
For a moment he felt a pang of regret that she’d not been eating her fill lately. But that was all going to change.
It’s all right. She put a hand on his arm and smiled.
Behind them, André and Jules wrestled the turkey into the freezer.
“We’ll get you something yummy for Thanksgiving,” he murmured and then gave her a quick kiss.
But with their excellent hearing, the other men in the room turned and looked at him.
“Something else?” Laurent asked.
“Kendall’s vegetarian,” Burke said. He felt the weight of everyone’s gaze but he was not going to back down. He thought it rather cute that a werecoyote was a vegetarian.
“What do you eat for Thanksgiving?” Amanda asked, clearly worried.
“Tofurkey,” Kendall said simply.
The groans and outcries made Burke laugh.
Don’t listen to them, my love. You can eat whatever makes you happy. He pulled her into his arms and devoured her lips.
Behind him, someone cleared their throat. “Do you want us to start dinner without you?” Juliette asked.
He turned and saw her raised eyebrow. The others had gathered around the enormous island.
“I think since you all interrupted our honeymoon, I’m going to take you up on that offer.”
Kendall started to protest. In the end, he caved. Everyone helped, even Amanda. Violet made her amazing biscuits – great gram’s recipe of course. Sebastian grilled the steaks.
Kendall made a salad. Jules reheated the homemade chili. Juliette and Angel made cookies.
André and Laurent played sous-chef. And Burke watched everyone, his heart swelling with love and pride. He’d known that this house would be perfect for the pack. It was as large and roomy as the valley it overlooked.
His pack didn’t waste a minute getting to know Kendall. And as he met his brother’s gaze he knew that Laurent was just as taken with her as he was. She was the missing puzzle piece. The last thread that sewed up their pack. They shared a smile.