“Good.” Xavia pats my hand gently. “I look forward to getting to know you better.”
Chapter Six
Caine
The first hurdle is Peyton wanting to work. She drives me insane with this constant need to leave the compound. I have no idea how I’m supposed to protect her when she constantly wants to be where I can’t be.
My coffee mug resounds loudly as I put it down too hard.
“Peyton,” I sigh. “Don’t be difficult about this. I need to be able to protect you and keep you safe. I can’t do that if you are miles away in Katu Falls.”
“Caine,” she grumbles in return, “I am going to work, and I didn’t ask for your permission. Nor do I need it.”
We have been arguing about this for the better part of the last hour. I feel like I’m getting nowhere with this and am at my wit’s end with her. Turning to the window, I stare outside. She wants to go to work. If I keep her locked up here, she will resent me forever. A thought strikes me, and I turn back toward her.
“Okay.” I take a deep breath. “But on one condition.”
She eyes me skeptically. “What condition?”
“You can go to work, but I need one of the guys to go with you. He will stay out of your way, but I need to know there is someone to keep you safe.”
She watches me a moment. I can see her considering my words. She opens her mouth to speak but closes it again before nodding.
“Great.” I pull her in for a hug. Her entire body tenses, then relaxes into me. She molds herself against me and rests her cheek on my chest for a moment. I savor her nearness. All too soon, she moves away, gathering her things.
“I’ll have Marc meet you at the car. He is Xavia’s son, and he’ll make sure you are safe. But I want you to consider quitting.”
She gazes at me for a long moment, studying me. “I won’t just quit. Ingrid gave me a chance when I was down on my luck, when I had nothing. I won’t just leave her in the lurch. But I will consider giving her my notice, and after I’ve trained someone new, I will leave.”
This is a huge victory for me. I know that she’s been on her own for a long time and that her independence means a lot to her. But I also know she’s drawn to the pack dynamic and wants to be around other wolves.
“Thank you,” I reply.
She turns on her heel and makes her way to Xavia’s home to wait for her escort. I spend the next couple of hours trying to figure out if there is a way I can hurry along the process, so I can keep her close every day.
****
It takes three days before the diner finds a replacement for her. She continues to go to work every day, assisting in any way she can. She trains her replacement and, on her last day, comes home with a cake. We live beside each other, but we don’t spend any time together.
My pack has accepted her. The men know better than to come too close to her, and none of them dare touch her. The women flock to her. In their minds, she is my mate and it is final. They approach her with questions and ask for her help. Whether it be something as simple as a new recipe, or advice on how to rekindle the romance with their own mate, they all tend to gravitate toward her. And I can’t say I blame them.
She cooks in my kitchen and sleeps down the hall from me. Her scent has flooded my entire home, has become a part of my every fiber. I can’t go anywhere or do anything without thinking about her. Wondering what she is doing. We have fallen into a compatibility that I think she needs. We like the same things, enjoy the same books, love the same food. The goddess has chosen us for each other, and I couldn’t imagine a better fit. We complement each other.
Calum knocks on my office door before entering.
“We have a problem.”
“What the fuck is it this time?” Every time he comes into my office, there is some problem. I have plans to claim my mate, and my brother is currently throwing a wrench into that plan.
“Sara.”
“Fucking hell!” I sigh. “What has she done this time?”
“Same old shit,” Calum replies. “Running around telling anyone that will listen that she’s your mate. That you two are meant to be. That you promised her.”
“Fuck! Get her in here before she does something stupid.”
The moment I brought Peyton home, I should have dealt with Sara. This shit has gone on long enough, and I need to put an end to it. Sara will be given a choice. Accept that I have found my mate, be happy for us, and move on with her life. Or she can leave the pack. I should have done something about this a long time ago.
I wanted to believe she would get the message and back off if I kept turning her down. I don’t want to put her back into the world alone again, but I might not have much of a choice if she continues with this bullshit.
I can only imagine the destruction she could cause if she gets her hooks into my moon. If she can plant a seed of doubt in Peyton’s mind, she could ruin everything.
Just then I hear a high-pitched scream. Both Calum and I race from my office into the kitchen to find that all hell has broken loose. My gaze roams the kitchen, skimming over Sara before landing on my moon.
On the floor lies Sara, clutching her cheek, blood seeping through her fingers. As usual she is dressed like a cheap whore. Her breasts are almost free of her top and her skirt has flipped up, showing her bare behind.
Keela is standing in front of Peyton, trying to calm her down. Peyton is vibrating with rage, halfway into her change. Her claws are fully extended, dripping blood to the floor. For a moment all I can do is stare. She is absolutely magnificent even in her anger. Her breasts heave beneath her red top.
“Breathe, Peyton. She’s a bitch and just trying to cause issues. Nothing she said is true,” Neela says with her hands on Peyton’s shoulders.
Peyton growls. “Get her out of my home!” Her attention shifts to Calum. “Before I rip her head off and spit down her throat.”
Calum moves to help Sara off the floor. Grabbing underneath her arms, he starts to lift, causing her to cry out. He didn’t even use a rough touch. She is clearly trying to milk the situation.
“Caine!” Sara reaches for me. “Please. She’s crazy. She attacked me for no reason.”
“Get out of my way, Keela,” my mate snarls. “I don’t want to hurt you or the baby, but I can’t guarantee I have control of my wolf.”
Keela stays in place. I walk toward her slowly, gently moving her out of the way. Cupping Peyton’s face in my hands, I stare into her eyes and breathe deeply. Peyton does the same, and her shift starts to recede.
“Tell me what has upset you so badly, my moon.”
Peyton takes a deep breath. “She says she is carrying your child.”
Tears gather in her eyes as rage washes over me. Sara must have lost her fucking mind. Coming into our home and saying that to Peyton. She knows it isn’t true. I have never laid a finger on that woman, and still she tries to pull this shit.
“Don’t cry,” I whisper, pulling her against my chest. She nods and sniffles. I turn toward Calum, who is still holding Sara by the arm.
“Clearly, you are the one who is insane. I have never laid a finger on you, much less slept with you. Explain yourself, and do it quickly.”
“Caine,” Sara mewls. “You know we belong together. If you only give me a chance, I know I can make you happy. You are meant to be my mate.”
“Careful, Sara,” Calum snickers. “Your crazy is showing.”
“Get her out of here. Not just out of my house, but out of the compound. She doesn’t belong with us anymore.” Taking a deep breath, I do the one thing I hoped I would never have to do as Alpha. “I, Caine Beckett, Alpha to the Katu pack, outlaw Sara Anderson. From this day forth, she is no longer a member of our pack, and will be treated as a threat if she ever steps foot on our land again.”
Sara screams in outrage, but Calum only blinks before hauling her out of the house.
We listen as her screams fade the farther Calum drags her away. Silence envelopes the roo
m as we all consider what just happened. To outlaw someone isn’t something that should be done lightly. Sara has always been a thorn in my side. She prefers to cause drama and stir unrest rather than be a productive member of the pack. I had spoken to her many times before, warning her that her actions would have consequences. Today, her actions cost her the pack she claimed to love.
My moon looks up at me, but there is still sadness in her eyes. I don’t know how, but today is the last time she will cry. I will make it my life’s mission to ensure that.
Chapter Seven
Caine
For three days Peyton moves around our home like a ghost. She doesn’t want to see anyone. She doesn’t want to eat, and she has stopped talking to me again. I have to do something or risk losing her completely. I have to make her see that I belong to her and she belongs to me.
I find her in my office, reading a book. She’s wearing tight black yoga pants that mold to her every curve. The white button-down shirt is one that she stole from my closet. It hangs off her shoulder, baring the expanse of creamy skin for my viewing pleasure. The dusty color of her nipples is visible through the shirt because she isn’t wearing a bra.
For a moment all my blood flows to my cock. I am hard as a steel pipe.
“Peyton.” Even though I don’t mean it to, my voice comes out sounding rough. But who can blame me? I’ve been walking around with a constant hard-on since the first time I saw her. And even though I’ve tried, I can’t contain my reaction to her.
She whips her head around to face me.
“Yes?”
“I want to take you out tonight. Just you and me. Would that be okay?”
The request sounds strange to my ears. As Alpha, I’m not used to having to ask for the little things. Most of the time I either already have them or can get them on command.
“Okay?” She phrases it as a question.
Deciding to grab the opportunity, not questioning the slight hesitation in her voice, I lean in and place a kiss on her cheek.
“Good. I’ll be back around six and then we can leave.”
Peyton doesn’t get another chance to say anything before I stride out of what I now call our home and leave her alone. I wouldn’t want her to change her mind.
****
Tonight has to be special, and for that to be possible I had to put in more effort than I ever have before. I had some of the females help me arrange a picnic basket, which is currently resting on the backseat of my truck along with a blanket. There is so much I still have to learn about this woman beside me, but I feel like tonight may be our real start. Staring at her as she gazes out the window at the scenery, I am yet again struck by her beauty. In my mind’s eye, I can see myself with her in ten years. Children running around our quiet little house and laughter filling every corner.
My hand twitches as my fingers yearn to touch her skin, her hair. But I hold myself back, not wanting to frighten her with my need. How could any man, Alpha or not, push this woman away? And for a shifter to refuse her as his mate? My blood boils just thinking about the pain she went through.
Peyton draws a sharp breath as we pull into the clearing and she sees the waterfall. She stares at me for a moment before speaking.
“How did you know?”
“That this is your favorite place?” I smirk.
She turns away from me, trying to hide her blush, but nods.
“Well, this is where I saw you for the first time. And every night when you think I’m asleep, this is where you come to let your wolf run.”
I let the information sink in for a moment as I get out of my truck and round the front to open her door. Peyton takes my hand, sending a shock through my system and pulling an involuntary growl from me as I help her down. Moving away, I retrieve the blanket and basket and head to the edge of the water.
Although the sun has already set, I know Peyton can see me clearly in the dark with her heightened shifter vision and allow her to follow at her own pace. By the time she reaches me, I have already spread out the blanket and settled our picnic.
“But how did you know?” Peyton questions from behind me.
“Peyton.” I move in closer to her. Taking a piece of her blonde hair between my fingers, I rub it absentmindedly while staring at her. “Do you think I don’t know where you are every minute of every day since the moment I laid eyes on you?”
Her eyes widen at my confession.
“I know the moment you wake in the morning and the moment you go to sleep at night. I hear every breath, every sigh, every laugh. I may not know everything about you, yet, but I do know where my mate is at all times.”
Peyton eyes me before she sighs and steps closer. She raises her hand to cup my cheek, and like a pup, I nuzzle into her touch.
“I thought it was just me,” she whispers.
“No, love, I feel it too. I know what’s happening to us and have accepted that I will feel this way every day for the rest of my life. The only question now is how long you will prolong the torture you’re putting us both through.”
Peyton stares into my eyes for a long moment. I don’t know what she’s searching for, but I hope she finds the answer she needs.
“What do you want from me?” The question leaves her so softly that I almost miss it.
“You. I want my mate. I want the chance to make you happy and show you that I am the mate you deserve.” My voice is rough. She’s standing so close that her pebbled nipples press against my chest through both our shirts, driving me crazy.
For the longest time, she doesn’t say a word. It feels like time stands still but drags on for eternity as I see her weigh the options in her mind. The pain that she has been through has made her cautious of me, even though I wasn’t the one to cause it. I understand her reticence, but I sure as shit don’t like it.
Slowly, a soft smile touches her lips before she speaks the words that will lock us together for the rest of our lives.
Chapter Eight
Peyton
My mind is made up. This man, this shifter, this Alpha is offering me everything I never knew I wanted. A home, a family, a pack, and love. Deciding to throw caution to the wind, I smile at him before speaking the words that will make me his.
“I want that too.”
Suddenly, my feet leave the ground as he picks me up, causing me to wrap my legs around him.
His rock-hard erection presses against my core as he lifts me into his arms. His lips crush to mine in a bruising kiss, a claiming kiss, a kiss I feel all the way to my soul. Dragging my lips from his, I pull in a ragged breath as a sound I have never made is torn from my throat and I throw my head back. His lips caress down my neck, nibbling and kissing along the way until he reaches my breast, taking a nipple into his mouth through my t-shirt.
He lays me down in the cool grass as he continues to suckle at my breasts, alternating between both sides. The cool air sweeps over the wet fabric, and my nipples contract painfully.
“Caine,” I keen, twisting my fingers into his hair.
“Peyton,” he breathes against my skin, skimming his lips back up my neck. “I don’t want to rut into you in the dirt, acting more animal than man, but my reserve is slipping.”
He looks pained as he stares down at me. I have no idea what he needs from me at this moment, but I want nothing more than to give it to him. I have never felt this way before and only want his hands and mouth back on me as soon as possible.
“What do you want me to do, mate?”
Caine swallows before fusing his lips back to mine. His kiss is brutal, but I find that I love it. I feel myself slicken between my thighs and know he can smell it in the air.
“Take your shirt off,” he commands.
Lifting himself using only his arms, Caine affords me some space to do as he says. His gaze rakes over my body, and the way he watches me is so intimate that it feels like a caress.
Caine licks his lips as he watches me comply. I have no chance to brace myself for the coming
onslaught before he lowers himself back to me and draws my nipple into his mouth again.
My back arches, pressing my breast deeper into his warm, waiting mouth. He bites down on my nipple, and a scream escapes before he moves to the other breast, paying it just as much attention.
Slowly Caine makes his way down my body, skimming his lips across every inch of bared flesh he can find. Mewling sounds escape me as he tortures me with his kisses and the little nips he works in every now and then. When he reaches my jeans he stops, lifting his gaze to mine.
“If you let me do this, if I claim you tonight, I will never let you leave. I will love and cherish you for as long as I can. I will do everything in my power to keep you safe and happy. But if I claim you, you will be mine and mine alone. Do you understand?”
The hesitation I felt earlier leaves me as the weight of his words settles into me. Caine is telling the truth. If I accept him as my mate tonight, there will be no going back. Instead of answering him, I reach down, pop the button on my jeans, and start working them down my hips.
Caine covers my hands with his before helping me pull my jeans clear of my legs. He doesn’t speak again but roams his gaze across my naked body. Reaching behind himself, he grabs his t-shirt and pulls it over his head before tossing it away. He pushes my knees apart, allowing the cool air to caress the most hidden part of me.
My blush rises. I’ve never been so exposed to a man, but I don’t do anything to stop him. This is what I want. His focus is glued to the most intimate part of me for a moment before he snarls and then falls on me. His tongue roams between my folds and laps at the wetness gathered there. Sounds of appreciation escape from him, and I don’t even think he is aware of it. Caine’s hips rock back and forth as he eats my pussy like it’s the last meal he will ever have.
He sucks my clit into his mouth, setting off an orgasm that has me pinching my eyes closed and screaming into the starry night. He doesn’t stop tonguing me until he has wrought every bit of pleasure from my body.
His Refused Mate Page 3