by Clare Atling
‘Oh my god, a baby. Yuk!’ Hope shivered. ‘It’s disgusting to think of you making one, so don’t go into any details please. Mom is so going to be pleased, but I was sure Sarah and Seth would have been the first ones – or even Maggie and Brandon, considering how little we’ve seen of those two.’ She stood up on tiptoes and hugged her brother. ‘I am so pleased for you. So, when’s the wedding? You know Mom will ask.’
‘Shit, I don’t know,’ said Logan. ‘I’ve asked Callie a couple of times but she just avoids the question. I think she’s still pissed at me for how we got together. Plus, what with all this shit with her brother and dad coming to light, I think she has enough on her plate.’
‘You’ve asked her and she didn’t say yes?’
‘Well, she didn’t say no, so I’m taking that as a good sign. Now let me go so I can rescue my mate from that maniac.’
‘He is not a maniac,’ replied Hope, ‘and Callie will kill you if she hears you calling him that. If you don’t mind taking a detour to Mom’s, I can collect his plate and walk down with you. I’m on dinner duty for the next two weeks.’
‘Wow, you must have pissed Mom off to get that duty.’ He laughed and pulled her towards the door. Hope had always been closer to Logan than her other brothers. Seth was always busy with alpha duty and always took the defensive when it came to her and boys. Brandon always had his nose in a computer, or was working on the next big design for their building firm, but Logan took everything in his stride. He always had time for Hope and saw her as a person, not just a little sister.
‘Might have slammed the door one too many times.’ She shrugged and laughed as he pulled her along out of the house towards their parents.
‘Strange, the house seems quiet.’ Logan stood and looked at the small house for a moment. ‘Wonder if Dad is sleeping? Let me go in first.’ Logan walked up towards the porch and knocked on the door. They both heard the rumble of hurried voices and their mother shouting out.
‘Who is it?’
Logan and Hope looked at each other and opened the door, but it wasn’t long before they wished they hadn’t. Their mother was sitting on the kitchen table doing up the buttons on what appeared to be one of their father’s shirts, whilst their father, who currently had their back to them, was fumbling with what looked like his belt buckle.
‘Jesus Christ,’ said Logan. ‘It’s the middle of the day.’ He turned his back to the scene and put his fingers over his eyes. ‘Burnt in there forever, now,’ he said, as if to try and shake the image from his thoughts.
‘Oh, stop it now,’ said Mary. ‘How do you think we got to have four children?’ Hope watched in disbelief as her mother jumped from the table and walked calmly to the counter for the plate of food. ‘Shall I warm it up first?’
‘I don’t care,’ replied Logan. ‘He can eat it fucking cold, but hurry up so we can leave.’ He still couldn’t turn around to face them. Hope just stared at them, taking in the fact that their parents had just had sex on the kitchen table. So unlike her mother.
‘Close your mouth, dear,’ said Mary. ‘It’s not like I haven’t caught one or two of you with your mates.’ Their mother laughed as she handed Hope the plate.
‘Mom! Hope, grab the fucking plate and let’s go.’ Logan stormed out of the room, leaving Hope staring at her mother and then her father, who had turned back around. She couldn’t work out if his cheeks were red because of his embarrassment or exertion. Hope snickered and hugged her mom.
‘Way to go, Mom. See you two later. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.’ With that, she left the room, closing the door behind her, her mother squealing at whatever her father was doing before they had been interrupted. Logan stood at the end of the driveway, but he didn’t turn around as she approached.
‘Never, ever do I want to eat at that table again!’ he said. Hope burst out laughing at Logan’s seriousness. ‘Should they even be doing it at their age?’
‘Oh, come now,’ she replied. ‘It’s not like you and Callie have never done it on the table, and just think of all the other places they may have done it.’ Logan stopped so quickly Hope nearly lost the plate. He turned to stare right at her.
‘Now you listen to me. Firstly, I never ever want to think about this again. Ever! And secondly, well, I don’t want to even think about thinking about it, okay!’ He started walking again.
‘That doesn’t even make sense, Logan,’ said Hope. ‘Anyway, good luck to them. I hope I still feel that passion when I’ve been mated as long as they have.’
‘Whatever. Come on, let’s get Callie. I feel the need to get home and shower all over.’
Hope laughed again and followed her brother in silence the rest of the way. When they reached the holding cell, they could hear the laughter of both Callie and Colt through the wooden doors. Hope saw Logan’s shoulders relax a little when he realised Callie was safe. Logan opened the door and let Hope go through first. Callie and Colt were both sitting on the makeshift bed, laughing so hard that Callie had tears running down her face.
‘Hey, Hope.’ Callie could barely breathe through the laughter. ‘I’d better go before…’
‘Before I find you?’ Logan looked pissed and seemed to grow several inches at the sight of brother and sister sitting side by side. ‘What the hell, Callie? He’s not safe to be around and you’re sitting having tea and biscuits, like it’s some church coffee morning.’ However, to his annoyance, it just made Colt and Callie laugh all the harder. Even Hope joined in, though she didn’t know what she was laughing for.
‘Laugh it all up,’ said Logan angrily, ‘but don’t come to me when he starts tearing you all apart.’ With that, he strode out of the room.
‘I had better go.’ Callie leant over and hugged Colt before she exited the cell. ‘He seems grouchier than usual today.’ Hope smiled at Callie. She knew her brother couldn’t be grouchy around Callie for long.
‘Might have something to do with the fact we caught our parents doing it on their kitchen table,’ she replied. Callie stared at her, open-mouthed. ‘I know. I don’t think he is ever having sex again.’
‘Oh no he doesn’t,’ said Callie. ‘I’d better give him some happy memories then. See you tomorrow, Colt.’
Running out of the cell, Callie ran straight into the back of Logan, who had been standing outside the door. He turned and caught her in his embrace. Callie leant up on her tiptoes and kissed him.
‘I heard you had a busy day.’
‘I don’t ever want to talk about it. Ever.’ He pulled her into his arms and kissed her hard on the mouth. Callie melted as soon as he touched her, like she always did. The things this man did to her body should be illegal. ‘I want to go home and have a hot shower with my mate,’ he said. ‘But first, you’re going to tell me why you and Colt were sitting together like old buddies. I don’t want to put you or our baby in danger.’ He rubbed his hand across her abdomen and her heart nearly burst with love for this man.
‘I didn’t put us in danger,’ she replied. ‘Colt’s my brother and I believe him when he says he wants to get rid of his father. He also wants to take over the old pack and give it a new lease of life. I think he would make a great alpha.’ Logan put Callie down, but didn’t release her as he headed for home.
‘I love you, Callie, and our baby. I don’t ever want to lose you, okay?’
‘Okay. Now, take me home and show me what you learnt about kitchen tables.’ Logan dropped her hand and marched off, making Callie chuckle to herself. Oh, she couldn’t wait to tease him some more. ‘Wait up, Logan. I’m just kidding.’ He stopped and let Callie take his hand.
‘I don’t ever want to talk about it again.’ He shivered. ‘There are some things we should never have to see and that is one of them.’ He leant down and took her lips once more. ‘Make me forget, Callie.’
‘Take me home then, my mate.’ Callie knew they wouldn’t be seen for the rest of the afternoon and possibly until breakfast. She loved her mate.
Chapter
Four
Hope stood still, looking at the open door to the cell, wondering what she should do. Colt just sat on his bed looking at her; he was like the big bad wolf and was going to eat her up. God, there she went again, making her panties wet. She noticed Colt’s nostrils flare and embarrassment hit her. He could smell her arousal and, boy, was she aroused. Setting the plate on the table in front of her, she gave him the option of where he wanted to eat it.
‘Up to you. I can bring it in there or you can eat it out here.’ The happy Colt had disappeared with Callie's departure, leaving the serious, moody and brooding Colt once again. Would he ever smile at her the way he’d smiled at Callie? Shaking her head, she banished the thought from her mind. She didn’t want him for a mate; he was way too old for her, anyway, and he probably had a whole harem of she-wolves waiting for him.
‘Well?’ she asked again. He still didn’t move, but instead sat watching her. ‘Fine, whatever.’ She shrugged her shoulders and turned towards the door. ‘Enjoy your cold...’ Suddenly she was pressed up against the wooden wall of the cabin with Colt’s hot front plastered to her back. Her heart raced as she realised she was trapped and Colt was pressing her into the wall – a very aroused Colt, if she wasn’t mistaken. His hands slid down her back and landed on her hips and squeezed tightly, holding her in place as his mouth worked its way along her jaw to her shoulder.
‘You smell like cotton candy,’ he murmured. ‘All sweet and tempting…’ His rough tongue slipped along the back of her neck and suddenly she was glad she was against the wall, because if she wasn’t she’d certainly be a puddle on the floor.
‘And gives you terrible tooth ache,’ she replied. ‘Let me go. My brothers will kick your arse if they saw you touching me.’ Colt just chuckled in her ear and continued to kiss her neck.
‘I’m pretty sure you don’t need your brothers’ help to kick my arse, Princess,’ he breathed into her hair. ‘Mmm, you even taste sweet. I wonder if your pussy will taste as sweet as your skin. I can smell your cream dripping from you right now.’ Her vision blurred and she believed she would swoon, like all those ladies-in-waiting in her books. God, she would so let him take her against this wall right now, but she knew it wouldn’t last. He was ultimately here to be sentenced for kidnapping Callie and… well, okay, setting her free again. She struggled in his arms and pushed back against him. ‘Hmm, keep wriggling like that and I might take you before you’re ready to have me.’
‘Get off me, you jerk.’ As soon as she spun around his lips were on hers. Hot and demanding. Her shocked gasp gave him invitation to press his tongue into her mouth and she tasted him for the first time, the warm, woody flavour messing with her senses. Her wolf preened inside at the thought of being taken by its mate, a strong alpha at that. Hope’s body had a mind of its own as her arms wound around his neck and she pressed herself against his hard body. She heard a loud growl and suddenly she was airborne as Colt’s hands gripped her bottom and hauled her against him and he started walking toward his bed. She knew she should stop him, but her body ached to be touched by him; her wolf wanted to be taken by its alpha...
What! Colt wasn’t her alpha. Seth, her brother, was her alpha. That thought sobered her as she felt Colt laying her down on his bed.
‘What was that look of horror on your face?’ he asked. ‘Surely I’m not that scary?’ Colt’s body stiffened and she knew he’d referred to the scar on his face. In truth, she didn’t really notice it when she looked at him, as all she saw was the big, strong man who made her insides melt.
She started to sit up and he didn’t stop her. Why did she feel disappointed? It wasn’t like her to have a dominant man; in fact, she liked to be the one bossing them around. What with having four brothers, the dominant stuff got boring; but, with Colt, he made her want to feel submissive.
‘I shouldn’t be doing this,’ she said. ‘We shouldn’t be doing this.’ When she looked at him she noticed his eyes were still on her chest, watching her breasts as they moved up and down with her unsteady breath. ‘You are such a guy,’ she laughed and went to get up, but Colt’s hand on hers stopped her.
‘Stay. Please?’ He looked unsure of himself, but she didn’t know if it was a trick to keep her there. ‘I’ve eaten alone for almost two weeks with the exception of Callie sitting with me. I would like it if you would stay with me. Please.’ That final please had her resolve wavering as she stood and walked to the table outside of the cell.
‘I’ll stay, but no more kissing. It’s too distracting. In any case, you’ll be gone soon and I’ll be left here mourning something I didn’t even want.’ However, she knew she was lying to herself, because she did want it now she had tasted him, but it didn’t change the fact he couldn’t stay here. Colt just laughed and joined her at the table.
‘You know I can’t promise there’ll be no more kissing,’ he replied, ‘but I can promise that next time you’ll be the one to instigate it.’ He tucked into his cold dinner. ‘So, you caught your parents at it then?’
‘Way to throw cold water on the moment, wolf boy.’
‘Wolf boy?’ He raised his eyebrows. ‘You do know that I’m four hundred and forty years old, don’t you?’ Shit. She’d known he was old, but not that old. How could he still look so hot at over four hundred? ‘You think I look hot?’ he said, as if reading her mind.
‘Shit.’ Hope blushed, realising she must have said it out loud. ‘Well, you’re okay I suppose, for an old guy. Just eat your dinner.’ She smiled at him.
‘Maybe one day you’ll cook me dinner at your place?’
‘Maybe one day.’ She shrugged her shoulders dismissively. ‘If Seth ever lets you out of this cell. You know I’ve got to lock that door again, don’t you?’
‘It doesn’t matter,’ Colt replied. ‘If I want out, I’ll get out. It won’t hold me for long.’ Hope blew out another long breath. The knowledge that he could escape anytime he wanted didn’t fill her with dread like it should.
‘Great, see you at mine for dinner tomorrow then!’ She laughed as if she was joking.
‘We’ll see.’ Colt finished his food and went back to sit on his bed. ‘You going to lock the door with you this side or that?’ He patted the bed beside her and she smiled at him. Seeing Hope smile made something shift inside Colt. She was stunning and would be the perfect mate to his alpha. He just had to kill his father first and convince the pack to follow his lead. Easy.
‘I think I’ll go home to my nice warm bed,’ she said. ‘But thanks for the offer.’
Hope walked out of the cell and pulled it shut, listening to the click of the lock in place. She took the key out and hung it back by the main door. ‘Night, Colt. Sweet dreams.’ She waved at him and he felt his pants grow tighter than they already were. His cock was always semi-hard whenever she was around, but the way she’d waved at him made him go rock hard in a second. Oh, he was going to dream all right, but tomorrow night he was going to make her beg for him for real.
‘Night, Princess,’ he laughed and watched her walk away. Today had been a turning point for him. Callie, his sister, had welcomed him in her arms and he found he really liked her. Then, he’d finally kissed Hope, after weeks of torturing himself. He smiled at the thought that she wanted him just as much. He didn’t care whether her family approved or not, he was going to take her. Fuck the Penn Lake pricks.
Walking back to her house, Hope felt… well, hopeful, that things were on the mend in the pack. Her brothers’ mates were making them all stronger as a pack and Marcus hadn’t shown up in over two weeks. She hoped his wounded arse had died somewhere and they never found his body, but even she wasn’t that lucky. Then tonight Colt had kissed her. The thought of his lips on hers made them tingle. Shit, she was a gonna and she knew it. The mating urge would pull them together until the desire got too much and she couldn’t resist him. Not that she would resist that brooding, strong, sexy man... She continued to walk towards her house when she heard her name being called. Turning around, she saw Sa
rah waving her over.
‘Hey, Hope. Where you off to?’ Sarah was a big ball of energy today. ‘Or, should I say, where have you been? But judging by your hair, I think I can guess.’ She winked at Hope.
‘Shit, is it that obvious?’ Hope tried to tame her hair into some sort of sleek mass. ‘What you doing here, anyway?’
‘I briefly saw Logan and Callie before he dragged her inside. I was going to see if they wanted to come to dinner at our house. Maggie and Brandon are coming. Be nice for us all to be in one room together for a change.’ Something was definitely up with Sarah.
‘Okay. What gives? I can tell something’s wrong, so why the big dinner?’ Hope placed her hands on her hips, waiting for Sarah to answer her.
‘Can’t a sister just invite you all over for a meal?’ Sarah couldn’t do innocent if her life depended on it.
‘Nope, so spill it.’ Hope knew Sarah was dying to spill the secret.
‘Seth and I are having a baby!’ She squealed so loudly she was sure they could hear her on the mainland.
‘What! Not you as well?’ replied Hope. ‘I am so not drinking the water here again.’ Then, realising what she had said, she put her hands over her mouth to stop more coming out.
‘What’s that supposed to mean?’ said Sarah. ‘Shit, someone else is pregnant. Who?’ Sarah looked at Hope’s stomach accusingly.
‘Well, it’s not me, so you can stop that,’ Hope snapped.
‘So tell me!’ Sarah was practically jumping on the spot. Hope just shook her head.
‘It’s not my news to tell. I only found out by accident today. So you’ll have to wait.’
‘Oh. My. God! Callie's pregnant too!’ Sarah hugged Hope so hard she thought her eyeballs would explode. Sarah’s wolf was getting stronger.