by E A Price
“My dad hit my mom ever since I can remember. She’d bruise; she’d heal, and he’d apologize and tell her he loved her. I didn’t really understand it when I was younger. It was why we were never part of a pack. They’d never put up with him treating her that way. It was why we never saw relatives and why I was never allowed to bring friends home. My dad has always been wild, half feral from spending too much time as his wolf. But my mom… she just puts up with it. No matter what he does, and why? Because she says, he’s her true mate.” She let out a bitter laugh and poured herself another drink. “He makes her miserable when he’s beating on her, but she says they have to be together because fate decreed it. Can you believe that? She puts up with being used as a punching bag because she thinks this is the plan fate has for her? She just…ugh! She makes me so sad and so angry at the same time. She doesn’t think that maybe she’d be better off on her own. She thinks she has to be with him, that it’s some divine, romantic plan. It’s bullshit!”
Jolene furiously dabbed at the tears trickling down her cheeks. “I tried to stop him whenever I could, and got beaten for my efforts.”
Reid trembled slightly trying to restrain his furious wolf. No, this wasn’t about him right now. It was about her.
“What really hurt is that she never tried to protect me from him. She was always more worried about him than me. And when I was fifteen, he was really going to town on her. Accused her of flirting with other men. I stepped in, and he broke my wrist. It was the first time I had bruises I couldn’t hide or heal. Child services stepped in, and I was sent here to live with my grandma.”
“I had no idea,” he muttered, angry at himself for never taking the time to find out the truth.
She snorted. “It’s not something I like to brag about. My mom contacted me after my grandma died. Knew Grams would go ape if she were still alive, so she waited. Course Mom wanted money because Dad lost another job because of his temper. Since then she calls whenever she wants more.”
“He doesn’t try to see you, does he?”
“No,” she scoffed, “he could care less about me. He probably cares about my mom in a twisted way, but he doesn’t want to see me. Doesn’t even want my money – not that I have any. He’d be pissed if he knew how much I sent her. He’d say it was emasculating for his daughter to give him money.”
“Jolene,” he breathed, spearing his hand in her hair, cupping her face and stroking a thumb down her cheek. “I’m sorry, I never knew.”
She tried to give him a watery smile. “No one did. My grandma told the old Alpha that my parents couldn’t afford me anymore; she didn’t tell him about the abuse. One more teenage she-wolf was nothing to him. I’m sorry,” she bit her lip on seeing the snotty wet mess on his shirt. “I didn’t mean to unload on you.”
“You can tell me anything,” he said fiercely. He wished he had known all those years ago. Wished he’d been strong enough to protect her back then. Logically he knew he was only ten at the time, but he wished he could have protected her.
“I never even told Kim or even Beau…” her voice trailed away.
He was slightly pleased by her admission, although annoyed at the mention of his brother.
“I hate my dad,” she said dully. “I hate my mom for being weak. I hate all those people who walk around saying that true mates are special and that they’re perfect for one another.”
Reid stroked her hair, soothing her
She laid her head on his shoulder. “Thank you for listening to my rant.” She lifted the whiskey bottle. “Hey, where’d it all go?”
Reid winced; he perhaps should have been paying more attention to how many glasses she had poured for herself. Shifters can take a lot, but they weren’t immune to alcohol, and Jolene had never been a heavy drinker. He took the bottle away before she dropped it.
Her eyes closed and a small snore escaped her lips. He tried not to smile. She had the cutest snore. But then she always did. He easily lifted her and carried her upstairs to bed.
He dared as far as pulling off her shoes and sweater but otherwise left her fully clothed. His wolf cursed him for not being braver, for not being more of a horny wolf – most of the males in his pack would have copped a feel – but he kept himself in check.
Jolene had shared something that was painful to her – with him, no one else. She didn’t trust anyone else enough. She didn’t feel close enough to anyone else. That must mean something. Ruining that trust for a cheap – but certainly satisfying – thrill wasn’t a good idea.
His eyes feasted over the curves of her body, the rise and fall of her chest and the way her lips quivered. He pulled the covers over her before temptation became too much.
He leaned down and two arms wrapped around his neck. He was pulled down to her soft, pillowy lips. It was brief but electric. She pulled away far too soon, licking his taste off her lips and surveying him with glassy, hooded eyes.
“You don’t have to go, Reid,” she cooed in a husky voice, “you must be able to scent that I’m attracted to you.”
Reid blinked at her. Was she? He cursed himself for not being able to do more than tuck her in. But when they were together for the first time, they would both be sober, fully awake, and they would both remember it until their parting breaths.
“Get some rest,” he mumbled, ignoring his jeering wolf. Pussy, snarled his beast.
Jolene groaned and drifted back to sleep. She was barely awake. With any luck, she wouldn’t remember any of this.
At least, she admitted she was attracted; she wasn’t just thinking about him as the little brother she never wanted. It wasn’t going to be such an uphill struggle after all. No at all, given that she kissed him.
Seeing her lying here drunk was like déjà vu, going back in time six years. Except she kissed him this time. He wasn’t some horny pervy teenage stealing a kiss – she actually kissed him.
It angered him to think about the way she had been treated. Even more so knowing that neither Beau nor Mark had cared enough to find out the truth about her family. It, at least, explained why she was so set against true mates. Her parents were hardly an advertisement for a healthy, happy relationship. He wasn’t a romantic soul who would argue about that. But he knew Jolene was his true mate, and he also knew that he would never hurt her.
He would prove to her just how good true mates could be… when she was sober.
Chapter Eight
Jolene awoke to banging. It took her a while to realize that it was just in her head.
She recalled the previous evening and made an executive decision to no longer keep hard liquor in the house. And that was before she even remembered kissing Reid.
She admonished her wolf for allowing her to get drunk and try to molest him. The animal harrumphed and gave her a ‘who me?’ look.
Reid must think she was a total basket case. She could remember the startled look on his face all too clearly when she told him she was attracted to him.
“Oh, hell!”
She pulled the pillow over her head and let out a muffled yell of irritation. How could she have gotten drunk and told him that? Heck, he must have been incredibly shocked by hearing those words coming from his older brother’s loser ex.
Her wolf tried to soothe her. Maybe it wasn’t that bad. Maybe he misheard her… Yeah, probably not. Stupid thought. Her wolf huffed, ‘serves you right’.
“Shut up,” mumbled Jolene.
She willed her sluggish limbs out of bed and shuffled her feet around, trying to find her slippers. She noticed a glass of water on the bedside table, next to painkillers and a note. It said, ‘thought you might need these, take care of yourself, R’.
“Reid,” she breathed.
She rubbed her forehead as her wolf sighed like a lovelorn puppy. She makes a fool out of herself, and he behaves like a total gentleman. God, if it had been Beau or Mark, they wouldn’t have hesitated to take her up on her offer.
“Assholes.”
But then, Reid wasn’t
attracted to her… Oh, that thought bummed her out.
“Oh well, TFI Friday.”
If she could just get through the day without falling asleep or barfing, she could spend the next two days in bed, wishing she were dead. Although, maybe she should apologize to Reid for her behavior, and she still hadn’t thanked him for his gift. Damn, he probably thought she didn’t like it. She needed to rectify that. She desperately didn’t want to hurt his feelings.
Yes, she should call him. Her beast huffed in disapproval. Okay, maybe it would be better in person. Calling would be easier, less embarrassing, but she did want to see him.
She found him comforting. His very presence, his scent – everything about him soothed her, made her confess things she liked kept locked inside. While part of her wavered about whether that was a good thing, she couldn’t deny that it felt good to talk it through with someone.
The phone calls from her mom always hurt, but Reid made it seem like they could be manageable. If it were Beau, he’d tell her to grow up and tell her mom to get lost. Reid just listened and soothed her. He wasn’t dismissive of her, he didn’t get bored of listening to her, he just… cared.
And it only deepened this worrying crush she had on him. A crush she shared with her wolf. It was probably nothing; she’d get over it. Her wolf was hardwired to want a strong mate – and there were slim pickings in her pack. She just wasn’t interested in the single males. And given that she hadn’t had sex for, ahem, a few years… yes, it was no wonder her pussy was virtually cooing at such an attractive shifter.
Crap – she needed to get over it. Reid could do so much better than a miserable old wolf like her. Her animal pouted and turned her back, but she wasn’t denying that it was true.
The phone rang, and she snatched it up, partially to stop the sound and partially because she thought it might actually be Reid.
“Jo-Jo, you haven’t been answering your phone!” snapped an irate voice.
Hope and excitement died a thousand deaths. She sighed. “Mark, just leave me alone.”
“Listen to me you stupid bitch…”
She hung up and stared at the phone. It rang in her hand, and she disconnected. She wished she could say it was the first time he had been vicious. He’d never been violent, but he’d been angry enough to resort to name calling more than a couple of times. Which was whenever he’d lost money gambling and was trying to get her to sell some of her grandma’s jewelry to pay off his debts. She never gave it to him, and it made him furious.
It was probably time to change her phone number again. Asswipe.
At least, he was out of her life, and somehow the annoying phone calls didn’t bother her as much as they did yesterday. She felt lighter… dare she even say it – happier?
Yes, maybe she’d go and see Reid after work.
*
“Joey! What a lovely surprise,” gushed Norma, ushering her into the house.
Harry raised a hand in hello, but his eyes were glued to the TV. The only thing that would drag him away from that thing was a power cut. But then who was Jolene to judge? She’d rather have Harry over her own father any day of the week.
“I brought you back your dishes. The cobbler was lovely, thank you.”
Yes, she’d managed to rustle up a legitimate reason for popping by. Course, she come via the garage and seeing it locked had come into the house. Surreptitiously, she tried sniffing and listening for Reid, but he wasn’t home.
As Norma bustled around the kitchen insisting on getting Jolene a drink, she noticed the wooden pear and smiled. It had pride of place amongst various knickknacks including a ceramic flamingo from Florida sent by a cousin, a snow globe from New York, salt and pepper pots in the shape of turkeys which were allegedly heirlooms going back a hundred years – which was unlikely – and various pictures of family. She traced her fingers over the pear.
“Beautiful, huh?” said Norma walking over to her.
“Yes,” she agreed eagerly.
“But then I always knew my Beau would make beautiful pups.”
Jolene blinked at her a couple of times as Norma picked up a photo of her grandchildren. Oh, she was talking about them. Jolene had barely noticed the picture was even there.
“Oh, I’m sorry that was insensitive.” Norma gave her a pitying look, and Jolene resisted the urge to growl.
“It’s fine.” God, what could she say to that proud, expectant face? “Yes, Beau was always… handsome.”
Jolene felt a shiver of awareness and turned to find Reid giving her a strange look.
“Reid,” she whispered, throat scratchily dry.
He was wearing nothing but jeans, the top button carelessly undone. Barefoot and with beads of sweat glistening on his skin, his massive chest rose and fell, rhythmically. He’d been for a run as his beast. Her body heated as she took in the layers of muscle, of the dusting of dark hair on his chest, and the happy trail that led right down to his…
Jolene looked away as his dark green eyes bore into her. She felt like she was projecting her thoughts so loudly that he could see them. Thank all that is holy for nosy mothers.
“There you are, honey,” rebuked Norma, mildly. “You missed your visitor.”
Reid’s eyebrows dipped slightly in confusion as his eyes flickered between his mom and Jolene.
Norma laughed. “Not Jolene, she’s not here to see you.”
“Well, actually…”
“Marley came by.”
Norma seemed to be thrilled, and bristling with excitement, but Reid was confused.
“Why?”
She gave Jolene a patient look that said ‘sons – what can you do?’. “To remind you about the party.”
Reid shrugged. “What party?”
Norma gave him an exasperated look. “She said she invited you to a birthday party this evening. I told her, of course, you’d be there.”
Jolene felt like an intruder. She felt silly and old thinking that Reid would want to spend time with her when he obviously already had plans with a woman his own age. A younger, thinner and much less complicated woman. Her wolf whined in disappointment, but perhaps this was the slap to the senses she needed.
“I should go.”
“No!” said Norma and Reid at the same time.
“You have plans.”
“I’m not going to that dumb party,” snapped Reid.
His mother took absolutely no offense. “Now, Reid, she was kind enough to invite you.”
He snorted.
“You should go. Remember what the Alpha said, you can’t shut yourself off from the rest of the pack.”
Reid rolled his eyes. “I won’t know anyone there.”
“You know Marley,” argued his mother, imperturbably.
He grunted.
Norma brightened, struck by what turned out to be a terrible idea. “Jolene, why don’t you go, too?”
“Ah… I wasn’t invited.” And because she still had a shred of sanity – even if it was only a small shred.
The older she-wolf waved away her objections as easily as she would an objection coming from one of her sons. “You’re pack; it won’t be a problem.” Jolene opened her mouth to argue, but she wasn’t fast enough. “See, then it’s settled, you’ll go together.”
Reid – the traitor - perked up. “Sure.”
“Ummm…”
“Now, just in case there is alcohol at this party,” began Norma.
Jolene pursed her lips together to stop herself from laughing. All the wolves at this party would be hammered within ten minutes.
“I’m going to feed you before you leave. Now, shoo, out of my kitchen while I heat up some meatloaf.”
They were swept away into the hallway.
“Is she kidding about the party?” whispered Jolene, desperately.
Reid looked inordinately smug. “No.”
“You know after I leave here…”
“No way, you’re coming with me.”
“Come on!”
/> “Hey, you heard my mom. If you don’t come and share my suffering, I’ll tell her.”
Jolene narrowed her eyes. “You wouldn’t?”
He smirked, maddeningly. “Try me.”
“Snitch.”
“Whatever it takes,” he said, just a little cockily.
Silence fell, and she felt awkward remembering the previous night. She should say something. She didn’t open her mouth.
“I’m gonna take a shower,” he said eventually.
“Mmm hmmm.”
“Back in a few minutes.”
“Mmm hmmm.”
He started toward the stairs.
“Reid?”
He whipped back to face her.
“I love the wooden apple. It’s beautiful.”
He nodded, seemingly unfazed, but pink dusted his cheeks. “Good.”
He ran upstairs, and she breathed out.
Chapter Nine
“Wow, a keg, they went all out.”
Reid huffed a laugh as he led her down the crowded corridor. The house was stuffed with people, hardly any of which he knew - only a handful were pack members.
He pressed his hand to the small of her back. She trembled a little at his touch but dare he imagine that she actually pressed back against him.
Yes, after being stuffed with a three-course dinner by his mom – who was under the impression that the fuller they were, the less likely they were to get drunk – they had taken a leisurely stroll over to Marley’s house. Mostly because if they moved any quicker than a stroll, there was a possibility they’d burst, but also because neither was particularly looking forward to being at the party and were trying to put it off for as long as possible.
Still, he couldn’t believe his good fortune. He hadn’t planned on attending, but when Marley had inexplicably shown up at his house and told his mom about it, his fate was sealed. His mom had been all for pushing him to try and make friends when he was a teenager, and now she wanted him to socialize and find a mate so she could have grandkids closer to home. Not to mention his Alpha, who had warned him that he needed to interact with the pack more.