Dangerous Possession: The Claiming

by The Claiming (lit)

  “Do you know why I let you go the last time we met?” he asked Hoyt. “I knew you and I belong together, that one day we would be joined together with our mate.” Hoyt sat up straighter, glaring at him. Tabatha didn’t have a clue as to what was going on. She curled up closer to Hoyt’s body.

  “Are you saying what I think you are saying? That we’re somehow connected through Tabatha? That she is your mate also?” Hoyt growled. The guards moved in closer and everyone watched.

  “Not just her, but you as well, Hoyt. You’re my mate.” He picked up the beer and took a swallow with a carefree attitude. “I am tired of dwelling in the darkness, and I have waited for my mates to finally be revealed. I can only live up here with my mates by my side. Of course, you both would have my life span, which is well, as long as we wish it to be. You could still be Alpha, but I would serve next to you.”

  Tabatha watched as both men glared at each other. The tension was thick in the air as they sized each other up. Chax took another sip of his beer and waited.

  Hoyt sat back with a thud the chair almost tipped back. Tabatha glanced at her friend, giving her a frown.

  “Tabatha, have you been paying attention?” Hoyt asked.

  “Nope, sorry, little nervous you know,” Tabatha stated, looking at Hoyt.

  “It seems Chax is claiming to be our other mate. He wants both of us. He wants to live up here with us and we would live as long as he does,” Hoyt stated.

  Tabatha sat there shocked, to say the least, then under both of their gazes she started squirm in his lap. Two mates? She just got used to the fact she had one. She could feel Hoyt’s cock grow hard and long as she squirmed on his lap, distracting her from the topic at hand. Coming to her senses, she looked at Chax, then back at Hoyt.

  “But, he’s working for Kenneth. Can we trust him?” Tabatha asked. She turned to stare at Chax.

  “She has a good point. Aren’t you contracted to him?” Hoyt asked and relaxed a little. The guards backed down slowly.

  An evil smile crossed Chax’s face. “That little creep can’t do anything about my destiny. You see, I can’t attack my mates, and he has no say about this. Therefore, our contract is void, but since he has attacked our mate, I’ll have fun with him before I destroy him. I will make him a present to my former boss. He loves souls.”

  Hoyt laughed and squeezed her waist. He motioned for the band to start again, and his wolves started to relax.

  “Why don’t you stay around and talk to us?” Hoyt moved his hand up to Tabatha’s top and his fingers slipped under it caressing her breast as he watched Chax’s reaction.

  “We can all get to know each other, since it looks like we’ll be together for a long time.”

  Tabatha could swear heat came off of Chax’s body while he watched Hoyt toy with her breast. Both men made her hot. Chax pulled his chair closer to them, and swung Tabatha’s legs up onto his lap. He slipped off her shoes and began to massage her feet. Tabatha moaned.

  “You have blisters on your feet. What happened?” Chax demanded.

  “My car got stolen this morning. I had to walk to work and home. You try to walk two miles in pumps. I have other shoes, but I wasn’t thinking. I was already late for work.” Tabatha moaned and he stopped rubbing her feet.

  “That moron did this to you? I will make sure he suffers greatly.” Chax started to rub her feet again, careful of her blisters.

  Tabatha removed her feet from his lap, standing up. “If you guys will excuse me, I need to use the restroom. Maybe this time, I won’t have any interruptions. Melody, you coming?” Tabatha grabbed her purse. Walking to the bathroom, she knew the men stared at her, so she swayed her hips a little more.

  Melody went straight to the windows. “Okay, I think I can disarm the alarm. I’m sorry, Tab. I didn’t know all this would happen.” Melody felt around the windowsill. “I can’t believe those two think you’re going to go along with this. Two mates, god you are so lucky to have two gorgeous men to please you! So where are we going?” she asked as she worked the alarm, disarming it, and opened the huge windows so they could make their escape. “I’ve got the keys to Shane’s car. I knew they wouldn’t let you leave and this is just too much.”

  Her crafty friend had a way with her nimble fingers. She slipped out of the huge window, followed by Tabatha.

  “I think it’s time to open up my parents’ home. It’s been ten years since their deaths and Ben’s. I need to go home. It’s time. Who knows, maybe those after me will think I’m with Hoyt. I need to think. I can’t believe they think I would just sit there and let them claim me! Hoyt and Chax have some nerve. I am not some kind of bimbo.”

  Tabatha closed the window and they both ran to Shane’s car. The air had turned cold since they went into the party earlier. They jumped in and started the engine.

  “We’re going to have to stop at that little grocery store on the way there. I know there is nothing edible in the house anymore. They’re open all night.” Tabatha looked down at the belly dancers costume she wore. “God, that means we’re going to have to go in our costumes. I have clothes at the house that we can wear tomorrow.” Tabatha looked out the window as Melody drove. Tabby contemplated the events of the day. Her life was in shambles. Could this night get any worse?

  “You do know they’re your mates, right? Shane knew right away also. I can’t believe you get two men. That’s so unfair.” Melody laughed, glanced over at her, and then back to the road.

  “I don’t know anything anymore, Mel. My life is topsy turvy right now. I’ve wanted to open the house and live out there, but I always made up excuses. I guess I was afraid of the ghosts. It’s rent free and I need some time. I miss my family so much. Just imagine what Ben would say if he could be here. He would freak out, me having two men.” Tabatha laughed, tears slipped out of her eyes and down her face. Two hours later, they pulled into the grocery store.

  The clerk in the store stood behind the counter, his gaze turned heated as he scanned them from head to toe when they walked in wearing their costumes. His jaw dropped and Tabatha laughed, winking at the man.

  “Remember in high school? If one boy looked at you the wrong way, Ben would warn all of them, scaring the shit out of every one of them. Shit, he even did it with me. We had to sneak out on our own dates, remember? God, I miss him, Tabby. I always had the biggest crush on the stupid lug,” Melody stated as they piled the groceries into the cart.

  They headed to the check out lane when Melody’s phone rang. The two girls looked at the LCD screen. She rolled her eyes as Melody laughed. “You had to turn it on didn’t you, we had a nice peaceful ride here.”

  Melody shrugged her shoulders and answered the phone.

  “Where the fuck are you two?” Shane demanded as Melody held the phone away from her ear and rolled her eyes. “Hoyt and Chax are going crazy.”

  “Listen, big mouth, we’re fine right now. We are grocery shopping and then we’re going to have our own private Halloween party with no interruptions and no pressure. Tabatha has things to do and I am going to help. We’ll call tomorrow. See ya.” Melody laughed as she hung up while he still yelled. Tabatha just shook her head and paid for the groceries. They loaded the bags into the car. It would be four more hours till they’d be there.

  Chapter 3

  Melody and Tabatha pulled up to the cedar A-frame log cabin home. They sat in silence, staring at the home. The sun rose behind the main house and the outlying cabins, casting its rays to outline the house.

  It looked surreal, like that of a long ago dream. A vision of her brother as he chased her out the front door, laughing all the way to the lake, ran through her mind. The door banged shut as their mother yelled at them to stop fooling around, while she hid her smile and watched.

  “God, I missed this place. I stayed here as much as I could just to get away from my mom.” Melody got out of the car, and grabbed a couple of bags of groceries. Tabatha shook her head to clear the haunting memories and restrained tears. />
  “I know. I missed it, too.” She looked up at the front door. “Hey, I know you and Shane are having your ceremony next week. Why don’t we just stay here until then? I mean you took off for your ceremony anyway. You can help me open up the house and relax. We can relive the old days for a little while. I really think I’m going to move out here. I love it here.” She threw open the door.

  Tabatha could have sworn she stepped back in time. She could see her mom standing in the living room and smiling at her. Tabatha gulped as more memories flashed at her. She reached for the light switch and turned it on. Only dust and furniture covered by white sheets greeted her. The bags got heavy and she moved into the kitchen, setting bags of groceries on the huge wooden kitchen table.

  “You know, I think I’ll take you up on that offer.” Melody walked back into the living room, pulled off the sheets, and shook them out.

  “We can dig through the photo albums and video tapes, have some good laughs.” She sneezed as the dust floated all around the room.

  “Bless you.”

  Tabatha found some old records next to the stereo. She laughed as she picked up her favorite one. They worked together to unload things stacked in boxes when she closed the house, and opened the windows to let the air inside the stuffy cabin. Neither noticed that two hours passed until Tabby looked up at the clock.

  “Let’s take a break. We can grab a cup of coffee, some muffins, and sit out on the deck,” Tabatha said. She stepped out onto the back deck. The mountain view always took her breath away.

  She set her coffee down on the table and unfolded two patio chairs, sitting in one. A light breeze blew the veil of her costume, causing a shiver to run up her spine.

  “You know I could talk to mom about anything, boy would she be a help right now.” Tabatha whispered as she visualized the last time she sat out on the deck witnessing the explosion that killed her family.

  The day would be warm. The wind blew gently all around them. She could hear the birds chirp in the background and fish jump in the lake. The sound of car engines coming up the drive interrupted the peacefulness of the lake. Tabatha and Melody moaned in unison and looked at each other. They both rolled their eyes and knew their time alone had ended.

  “I should have known Hoyt would come, after all he was a friend of Ben’s. Did you tell Shane or anyone about this place?” Tabatha asked, as she sat there and didn’t move. She stared at the Jeep as another car pulled into the drive.

  “No. I didn’t tell anyone, so I have no idea.” Car doors slammed and the men stomped around the house. Tabatha and Melody just sat there in their lounge chairs and waited in silence. Their mates saw them and walked out onto the deck. The guards followed at a distance.

  Their bodies were stiff and anger flared in their gazes. Shane tried to grab Melody and pull her into the house. She screamed and kicked him in the shin. She sat down and glared at him. Her gaze dared him to try it again.

  “Don’t touch me! We came here to relax. So just shut up, and be quiet.” But that didn’t stop him. He picked her up, lugged her over his shoulder, and stomped into the house.

  Tabatha laughed she stared at Melody’s retreating ass. “Give him hell, Melody.” But her laughter died. Hoyt and Chax moved in, their bodies tense.

  “Do you know how stupid it is to come here without guards?” Hoyt questioned.

  “It wasn’t a stunt and don’t even think about it.” She held her hands out in front of her to try and keep them away. “You’re not my mates yet, and I’m not convinced that you are. This is my home, and I won’t be taken away.”

  A lone laugh rang out around them, she knew that laugh, and he should be dead. It couldn’t be. Her head whipped around and stared at what she believed a ghost of her dead brother.

  “Hoyt, you and that thing better step away from my baby sister. Friend or not, I’ll kick your worthless ass.” That voice! Tabatha would’ve recognized it anywhere. The voice she longed to hear again, but never thought possible. Ben stood in the backyard, very much alive, and looked furious. Shock didn’t cover the range of emotions that clouded Tabatha’s mind. The world began to fade into darkness, and then all went black.

  * * * *

  Hoyt grabbed Tabatha before she could hit the group and glared at Ben. “You could have warned us! Why the hell haven’t you contacted me and let us know you wanted her to know you’re alive?” He glared at Ben as they walked into the living room.

  Hoyt witnessed Melody’s eyes glaze over and knew she too would black out, “Grab her!” He yelled to Shane who jumped and cradled her body.

  “Damn it Hoyt, you should have told me he was coming in! They’re going to be so pissed when they wake up and I don’t blame them!” He snapped placing Melody onto the couch.

  “I had no idea Ben would be here. Do you think I would put Tabby through this crap?” He snapped back when he noticed Chax glaring at Ben. “Cool it, Chax. Ben is her brother. Ben this is Chax. Your little sister’s other mate.” He nodded towards Chax and turned to walk to her bedroom. Damn, is she going to be furious! He stared down at her small body as he laid her down on the bed and traced his fingers down her cheek.

  “I couldn’t stay in hiding knowing she is in danger, plus when you called and told me she was your mate I knew she would have a fit. You need my help with her and well…I’ve missed Melody.” He ran his hand through his hair. “I have a feeling Tabby isn’t the only one to have two mates. When I saw her at the club last night my wolf wanted to claim her. It took every ounce of control to stay hidden.”

  “Then I suggest you go talk to Shane before they wake up, because you’re going to have to try and explain all this crap. Did you let the team know you’re here?” Hoyt straightened up and stared at him. Chax moved into the room to stand in the corner watching Tabatha.

  “Yes, they know their not too happy, but I didn’t care. I need to be with her. I’ll go now and talk to Shane but call me when Tabby starts to wake. I want her to see me when she awakes.” Ben turned and walked out of the room.

  Hoyt shook his head and gazed up at Chax, “You know she is going to want to stay here. We need to bring in more men to patrol the area.”

  “I’ve scanned the area and so far no one else is here, but I’m sure they will find out soon enough.” Chax nodded to Tabatha. “You know we are going to have our hands full with her, right? From what I’ve seen already she doesn’t take well to orders.” He growled and walked over to her tracing her breast with his finger. “I can’t wait to tame our little filly soon.”

  * * * *

  Tabatha opened her eyes to the ceiling fan in the bedroom where she grew up. She looked around the room and saw him. Ben stood there, his smile as bright as his eyes. Hoyt and Chax stood next to him.

  Emotions rolled through her—happiness to see her brother, shock that he wasn’t dead and, last of all, anger. She sat up, “Okay, someone better explain where the fuck you’ve been for the past ten years.” She lunged for him anger surging through her system. How could he be alive and not tell her? Tabatha slapped him across the face. “I went through hell. I had no one!” Tabatha screamed.

  Ben grabbed her arms and pulled her into a big bear hug. He held her until the pent up emotions ran out.

  “Mom and Dad…” Tabatha sputtered as the tears started to flow. Her brother pulled her down next to him on the bed and held on tight. Tabatha noticed a scar that ran down his cheek that wasn’t there before. Her finger traced the scar.

  “I am sorry you had to go through that alone, Tabby.” He leaned back and stared at her face, brushing her hair away from her eyes. “The explosion threw me from the boat.

  “A PSU agent found me, and took me to the hospital in the next city. I laid in a coma for about six months. They wanted me to try and help them find out what happened. The PSU didn’t want the killers to know I was alive, so they set me up in a different town working behind the scenes. Now that you have been threatened I came home as soon as I could.

  “I
visited mom and dad’s gravesites first. Then I came here. Everything still looks like it did when the accident happened. I am so sorry I wasn’t here.” He hugged her again.

  “So, let me get this straight. You’ve been working for the PSU the whole time, but no one informed me you were alive? Do you know what I went through without you?” She stood up and glared at him. “I had one year left in high school when this happened. Social services wanted to send me to a foster home. They wanted me to leave the only home I’ve ever known. Thank god Melody’s mom came to the rescue and told them that I could live with them.

  “You’re my older brother. You’re supposed to be there for me! So tell me… Did you get a paycheck working for them? Did you go in for training, what?” Rage consumed her body and soul. She detected a movement behind her and turned to glare at Hoyt. “Don’t even say a word.”

  “You have to understand, Tabatha. They wanted to keep you safe. If he came back to you they wouldn’t have stopped to kill him or you,” Hoyt tried to explain to her.

  “You knew, didn’t you? Wait, that’s why Shane appeared all of a sudden, before he met Melody, isn’t it? Shane knew all this, too?” His eyes confirmed what she expected. “So you three have been lying to us this whole time. I know you work for the Special Operations of Paranormal, but does Shane work for them also?”

  “Tab, I started to train with them before Mom and Dad died. Hoyt and Shane trained with me in the same classes.” Ben stood up and tried to pull her into a hug.

  “Don’t! Tell me something, Hoyt. Is all this crap about being my mate a lie? Did you just say it to keep an eye on me? What about you, Chax? Do you work for them also?” She backed out of the room.

  “I wouldn’t lie about being your mate. You’re mine and Chax isn’t involved with the SOOP. What he’s said is true,” Hoyt said and followed her steps.

  She bumped into something, Tabatha turned to see Melody stood there, her face bright red. Shane stood behind her and tried to pull her away.