She smiled a tight smile. “Crystal.”
As she left my room, I collapsed on my bed, still radiating in fury. After allowing myself a few moments to wallow, I sat up with newfound determination and began packing furiously. Screw hiding during dinner. I was leaving the second I was packed.
Patrick
Chapter 6
Nothing had shocked me more than opening my door that morning to the smell of my mate and a package on my front porch. Inside I found a new shirt and a really nice watch. After some internal back and forth, I had convinced myself they had to be from Elise. My wolf was doing the happy dance in my mind. Could it really be the first real acknowledgment from my mate?
Chase had called later in the morning asking me to join them for dinner. I wanted to ask if Elise was going to be there, but Chase said nothing for me to believe he knew. That meant maybe there was a chance she'd actually be there. Did she know I was coming?
I quickly showered, shaved, and brushed my teeth, making sure to use mouthwash and deodorant. I took my time fixing my hair and I wore the new shirt I was convinced she gave me, then carefully secured the watch on my wrist. I had never been this nervous or excited over anything in my life.
Today I would meet my mate, face-to-face.
I checked the clock and it was only quarter past four. Dinner was at six. I couldn't just show up that far in advance. Sighing, I sat down, trying to decide how best to pass the time. I was grateful when the phone rang, but concerned to see Kyle's name on my screen.
“Merry Christmas,” I hesitantly answered, worried he was going to tell me not to come over after all.
“Hey, so we've got a problem.”
“Bloody hell, I knew it. Don't worry, I won't ruin your Christmas dinner.”
“Dude, that's not what I'm talking about. Hear me out. Yes, I'm sure E's going to try and bail on dinner tonight. She knows you're coming, but she's also really angry with me right now and I fear she's going to try to leave even before you arrive.”
“What? Elise is leaving? Going where?”
“I don't know. Some resort spa place. Said she needs to get away and de-stress for a few days.”
“Okay, so why is she mad at you? Did you tell her she couldn't go?”
I hated the idea of my mate being upset.
“No, I told her it was a great idea, but I was sending an escort with her. So pack your bags before you head over. If Elise really is your mate, good luck, ҆cause you're about to get five days of full access to her on a road trip. I'll cover all your expenses, but mating stuff aside, I really need you to do this for me. Are you up for it?”
I didn't hesitate to answer. “Yes, of course. There's a war against the Westin Pack. What is she thinking, trying to go off alone like that?”
“Thank you! That's exactly what I've been trying to tell her. She's so freaking stubborn.”
I groaned.
“What?”
“I'm fairly certain that stubborn woman has her mind set against me. At least that was my assumption until this morning.”
“What happened this morning?”
“I had a Christmas present waiting on my porch, and it sure smelled an awful lot like your sister.”
“Wow, that's great, man. I mean, I know we talked about it being her, but a part of me is still skeptical. I mean you haven't actually seen her yet, not face-to-face and all. Don't think that I'm being negative, just realistic. I really like you, Patrick. E would be lucky to have you for a mate. I sincerely mean that. I just don't want you getting your hopes too high until you know for sure.”
“Kyle, I appreciate that, but trust me on this. I know.” I let that sink in before asking the question I was dying to know the answer of it. “Now, how'd she like the necklace?”
Kyle sighed. “She loved it. Like I've never seen her so excited about anything before, excited.”
“You're serious?”
“Yes. She loved it. It was apparently perfect.”
“Yes!” Somehow I had known she would. The moment I laid eyes on it I knew she had to have it.
“What did she get you anyway?”
“Shirt and a watch.”
“You wearing it to dinner?”
“Absolutely!”
“Pack your bags, lover boy. E may never speak to me again, but we are at war and I need you to look after her. I figured it was you or Cole and I didn't think you'd appreciate me sending any other male with her.”
“I'm happy to do it.”
I hung up and pulled the suitcase out, packing as quickly as possible. Knowing she was angry and about to be on the run, I no longer cared about the etiquette faux pas of arriving too early.
With bags packed, I called Kyle to give him a heads-up of my arrival as he requested. He met me in the driveway and helped me put my bags into Elise's car. I frowned, seeing hers already there.
“Mom's insisting she stay for dinner. She's pitching a fit about it still. I don't envy you this. Gonna be a bumpy ride.”
“Go way outta that!” I exclaimed happily.
“Huh?”
“Uh . . . no problem, I meant.”
“Got it. Well, good luck.” He hugged me, taking me by surprise. “Keep your sniffer on her and see if you can get a locator on her, too.”
“A what? I don't understand.”
“Secret weapon. The closer you get to your mate, the stronger this will be, but see if you can feel her emotions. See if you can tell which room she is in and most importantly when she's going to run.”
“How exactly do I do that?”
He shrugged. “I don't know. It's a mating thing. It may still be too early, but worth a try.”
“Okay.” I stopped him as we reached the front door. “Do you think she'll actually come to dinner?” I tried to keep the hope out of my voice, but even I heard it loud and clear.
“I wouldn't hold your breath on it.”
Sure enough, while I was welcomed with open arms by the Westin family, there was no sign of my mate anywhere. I could smell her and I knew she was close by, but she refused to join us and I couldn't help but think it was because of me. Rejection bit me once again.
The Westins were an extraordinary family and I was thankful they allowed me to share in the holiday as me and not as Elise's mate. To the best of my knowledge, only Kyle was aware of the situation, yet they all welcomed me in like family.
We were just finishing up the main course when Elise's smell shifted in the house. I gave Kyle the signal we had discussed and he excused us.
“She's moving?”
“Yeah, I think so. I'm not sure where, but her smell's getting further away.”
“Dammit. I bet she's going out the window. I should tie her up and beat some sense into her.”
I growled. It was so unexpected it shocked me and Kyle both. “Sorry,” I quickly apologized.
He just grinned. “No worries. That's the first absolute sign of mating my sister I've seen yet.” He laughed. “Can't tell you how many growls escaped me since Kelsey entered my world. Don't sweat it. But I'd say it's time. I'll explain to the family, and you get going. If you aren't in that car before her, she will leave you.”
I nodded and shook his hand. “Thanks, Kyle. I promise I'll take care of her.”
“Wouldn't be sending you along if I thought otherwise.”
I turned to leave.
“Patrick?”
“Yeah?”
“Merry Christmas.”
I smiled and nodded back to him, “Merry Christmas, Kyle.”
Closing the front door behind me, I quickly moved to Elise's car and climbed into the passenger’s seat and waited.
Elise
Chapter 7
I did feel genuinely guilty for taking the coward's route once again. I climbed through my bedroom window and dropped to the ground. All my bags were already in the car. I would have gone out to say goodbye if the circumstances had been any different. With Patrick sitting at my family table, it wasn't the time
to open that can of worms. Plus, I was still pissed at Kyle and didn't want to give him the satisfaction of lining up an escort. I would be just fine on my own.
I quickly snuck around the house, careful to avoid the windows, and ran for my car after I reached the front of the building. I had been smelling Patrick O'Connell for the last hour and his scent was driving me mad. I just had to get away. I jumped into the driver's seat home free, slammed the door shut, and froze.
His scent was so strong it overwhelmed me. With eyes about to pop out of my head, I turned to my right, facing the one person I had desperately avoided so well all these months.
“Hello Elise, I'm Patrick.”
I sighed, trying to pull myself together at this shocking turn of events. “Get out, I'm leaving.”
He eyed me curiously. “I know, I'm your escort for the trip. Didn't Kyle tell you?”
At that point I was just angry. “Get out, Patrick, I don't have time for this.”
“I'm not going anywhere, love. Or at least anywhere without you.” He smiled what other women would certainly call a “panty melting smile” and I knew I was in trouble, but at that moment I was still more pissed at Kyle and way more than a little in shock at coming face-to-face with Patrick, so I put the car in reverse and drove off.
“Suit yourself,” I mumbled.
We drove in complete silence. Never in any dream or thought of the inevitable moment I would meet Patrick O'Connell did I envision this. I should have been a nervous wreck with his close proximity alone. I wasn't. I should have been furious at Kyle for setting this up. I wasn't. I felt more relaxed and at peace, being enveloped in his scent, than I had been in probably my entire life.
I had been driving for over an hour. We were already well out of Westin territory and I had absolutely no clue as to what to do about the situation. He just sat there in complete silence. The radio hadn't even been turned on. I had been lost in thought and overwhelmed with shock, but what was his excuse?
I chanced a look and this time noticed right away he was wearing the shirt I had given him. It looked good on him. Really good.
“I knew you'd look good in that shirt,” I said aloud, and then quickly averted my eyes back to the road. I knew I was blushing.
I could see him grinning in my peripheral vision. “The watch, too.” He held up his left arm, showing off the watch I had bought for him. “They were a wonderful surprise this morning. Best Christmas I've had in years.”
His words warmed me, and then he spoke again. “And the necklace looks lovely on you, as I knew it would.”
I swerved in shock. “What?” I blurted out, trying to recover from the shock.
He reached over and steadied the wheel of the car. At his touch I felt a jolt so strong it was like the car had collided with a tree, only it hadn't, thanks to him. No, it was like our hearts had collided and mine had just jumped from my chest and now permanently belonged to him. I didn't have time to freak out as I recovered the car and just let the overwhelming sensation of the moment wash through me.
“I didn't know the necklace was from you. Thank you.”
“You're very welcome.”
I really couldn't stand the silence any longer. He was here. We had met. I would continue to keep him at a distance, and if he asked, I'd be honest about my fears. In many ways I kind of felt like this intervention on Kyle's part was a blessing, but I'd die a thousand deaths before admitting that to him.
“You were in my office on Monday. Why?”
My question seemed to throw him off guard. Good.
“I've been looking for you for a long time,” he confessed.
“I know.”
His forehead scrunched up in frustration at my admittance. “Kyle recommended I let my wolf loose to track you. I was quite disappointed to end up at Kyle's office. I went in to say hello while I was there and caught your scent. I knew exactly where your office was. He went to introduce us, but you weren't there.”
“Kyle knows?” I asked, embarrassed, upset, and furious at the same time.
He nodded. “Does that bother you?”
“Yes! No! I don't know. He never said anything.”
“It was two days ago, Elise, and if I'm not mistaken, you've been hiding, shopping, yelling, or not talking to him at all for much of it.”
I blushed furiously.
“He was just as shocked at the realization. I hang out with your brothers and Lily all the time, and I never even knew they had another sister until yesterday.”
“Seriously? It's not like I'm some big secret or anything.”
He shrugged carelessly. “He said you'd been dealing with some personal stuff and hadn't been around much lately. I guess it just never came up.”
I stewed over that for a bit. At times, I admitted to myself, I was frustrated and upset that Patrick hadn't found me. I mean, he spent every single day with at least one of my siblings and never even wondered where I was? I suppose the reality of him not knowing about me explained the why.
“This is really weird, you know. I've spent months carefully avoiding you. This is not how I imagined our inevitable first meeting would go. Do you even have a clue where we're going? Did you or Kyle even think to call ahead and get you a reservation? I'm going to guess no, because I never told him where I was headed.”
His brow furrowed again. “Hadn't thought that far, love.”
My heart involuntarily raced at the endearment.
“So what? You're just along for the ride then?”
He looked at me. I was watching the road ahead but I could feel his eyes on me. He had been careful for the most part not to do that, but now he took his time to look me over.
“No, I'm not just along for the ride. My job is to keep you safe, whatever that entails. It will always be my number one job, Elise.”
Oh boy, the way he said my name in that sexy accent made goosebumps spring up on my arms. We drifted back into silence but I could feel him studying me. I didn't dare look over at him.
“You know, you're not what I expected,” he finally said, breaking the silence.
I chanced a look at him and he looked contemplative, curious maybe. I snorted. “Yeah, I'm not exactly a Kendra, just so you know.”
He laughed out loud, thrown off by my admittance. “Heard about that, did you?
“Oh yes. Christine called me right away to fill me in. By your description, according to her, I must be quiet, shy, meek, too nervous and afraid to face you, and if you could just find me, you'd make me see everything would be just fine.”
He was staring at me like a puzzle he couldn’t quite put together, but nodded. “Yeah, sure look it. But now, I don't really get the feeling that's you at all. I must admit I didn't expect you to be quite so”—he seemed to struggle on the word before settling for—“forthcoming.”
“Patrick, you're supposed to be my one true mate, I get it. You know it. I know it. What's the point in denying it?” I wanted to be honest with him. He deserved at least that much from me.
“So why the hiding game? I've spent three months going crazy looking for you. Why did you keep running from me?”
I sighed; guess it was heart-to-heart time. Not like I had anywhere to run and hide this time. Pulling up my big girl panties, I decided to stick to the truth. “You know, it wasn't exactly easy for me either. I've never been so miserable in my entire life, and despite what it appears, I'm not a coward. But I also have no intentions of taking a mate anytime soon, maybe not ever.”
Even I could hear the sadness in my voice and I swore for a moment I felt his pain as strongly as mine. I knew I was just imagining it. I'd certainly done nothing to encourage a bond between us. I had expected to feel relief at saying the words aloud, but it just made me feel even sadder.
“And I thought if I just stayed away, you'd get bored chasing me and go home. That it would just be easier that way.”
There was an awkward silence hanging between us as my words sunk in. Patrick kept balling his hands into fi
sts and relaxing them. Over and over. A part of me desperately wanted to reach over and comfort him.
“I'm Irish, you know? Quare Irish.”
I laughed, taken aback by his handsome face featuring a huge grin and a twinkle in his eyes.
“What does that mean?”
“It means, love, that I'm very much Irish, and that means I am very, very stubborn and can be as patient as you need me to be for as long as needed, but understand this, I have no intentions of going anywhere. I gave up everything in my life for you. You are mine, Elise Westin. Only mine.”
I sucked in a deep breath, unwilling to address the reality of what his words were doing to me. To my body. To my heart. To my soul. So much truth in them it scared me.
When the GPS on my phone started talking, alerting me to my exit, I looked at the clock and realized nearly four hours had passed already. I had survived four whole hours with Patrick O'Connell. I had been brave and spoken up, admitting my intentions—or lack thereof—regarding our mating status, and I hadn't caved once. I was strong enough to do this. I just had to hold on to my convictions and remember why it was so important, because having him here like this was better than risking losing him forever.
Patrick
Chapter 8
As she started to pull off the exit, it began to snow. Big, white, fluffy flakes were coming down fast and hard by the time she pulled up to the resort. It looked very fancy and I doubted the one nice outfit I had thrown in “just in case” would cut it here for a week. I had never been in such a nice place, but as Elise got out of the car, stretched in a way that made my body ache for her, and tossed the keys to the valet, she looked perfectly comfortable and at home in this new environment.
I moved to quickly grab the bags from the trunk, but she told me to leave them as I watched a young man in a weird uniform begin retrieving them and placing them on a rolling cart.
Fighting Destiny (Westin Pack Book 2) Page 5