Make Him Mine

by Lia Bevans

  Hate burned in Caldon’s eyes. “You’re not my dad, Blaez! Stop trying to act like it!”

  The door opened before Blaez could let the curse on the tip of his tongue fly. Chantal poked her head through. He soaked in the sight of her like rain in the desert. She shuffled inside, her eyes darting from him to the floor.

  What’s going on?

  “Who’s she?” Caldon asked before he could puzzle out Chantal’s expression.

  “I’m Chantal.” She stepped closer and beamed. “I’ve heard so much about you, it feels like we’re friends.”

  “Chantal. I’ve heard that name before.” Caldon smirked and arched an eyebrow at him. “She your girlfriend?”

  He opened his mouth to say ‘yes’ when Chantal shook her head. “No, no. I’m just a friend.”

  Blaez glared at her and Caldon caught the look. His brother leaned back, a hand behind his head. “Then Chantal, you should probably tell him that because I don’t think he got that message.”

  Blaez cleared his throat. “Shut up.”

  “Blaez, can I talk to you?” Chantal gestured to the door. He nodded and followed her outside where she stepped close to him. “Since Caldon’s up and he’s not in imminent danger, what do you think about going home to rest for a bit?”

  “Rest?” He scrunched his nose. “I’m rested.”

  “I mean, take a proper shower, change your clothes, shave—” Her eyes darted to his beard.

  “What?” He rubbed the coarse hair. “You don’t like it?”

  “I love it,” she said, her cheeks flushing. Blaez had a sneaking suspicion that compliment had come from Chantal and not her wolf. He couldn’t remember the creature ever acting shy about her attraction to him. The thought made him almost drunk with pleasure.

  Blaez softened. “I guess I could use a proper shave, but I can’t leave Caldon right now.”

  “I’ll stay with him.”

  He winced. “I don’t trust how he’ll act around you and I’d rather not subject you to the kid’s attitude.”

  “What if I call Evie?” She went for her cellphone. “She insisted we call her if we ever needed her help. Besides, no teenager would disrespect Evie no matter how big and bad they think they are. We’ll only be gone for a couple of hours. She can handle.”

  “I don’t know...”

  “I can ask Hazel to send a few of her cops to stand guard if you’re worried about Lucien.”

  It was a sweet deal. Besides, he needed a break from Caldon. He’d get his head screwed on right and return to hear the tests results. Blaez stood with Chantal while she made the calls and then held the door to Caldon’s room open for her.

  His brother was shredding napkin paper when they walked in. “Caldon,” he said, “I’m going to run home for a bit.”

  “Thank God.” Caldon swung his legs over the cot. “Go. Stay as long as you like.”

  Blaez’s lips flattened into a thin line. “In the meanwhile, one of our friends will come and stay with you.”

  “I don’t need a babysitter,” Caldon grumbled.

  “Yeah, well, you’re getting one.”

  Caldon rolled his eyes and pinned his gaze on Chantal. “What do you see in this guy? He’s controlling and bossy and not even that good-looking.”

  Chantal frowned while Blaez narrowed his eyes. “That’s enough, Caldon.”

  “Seriously,” his brother arched both eyebrows, “I never understood why girls threw themselves at him. Everybody—from the clerk at the grocery store to my dentist—thought Blaez was some kind of god. What is wrong with women? Is everyone dropping their standards now? Look at him!”

  “It’s too bad.” Chantal feigned concern. “You and your brother look so much alike.”

  “We look nothing alike.”

  “You do.” She nodded. “But you act nothing alike. Those girls admired Blaez because he’s handsome, but if he treated them the way you treat your brother, most of them wouldn’t stick around. Nobody likes a brat.”

  Blaez’s jaw dropped while Caldon stammered. “W-what? Did you just call me a brat?”

  “I did. Because you are.” Chantal lifted her chin. “I’ve seen sick kids battle cancer. I’ve seen forgotten adults clinging to life by their fingernails. Alone. Brave. Strong. You have a brother who’d start a riot for you and all you do is complain. Get over yourself. The world doesn’t owe you anything.”

  “Chantal...” Blaez hid his smile and tugged on her arm, “I think he got the point.”

  “Sorry,” she huffed. “I’ve seen real suffering so it irks me. These kids act like they’re the victims when they have it so much better than a lot of people.”

  “I can hear you,” Caldon grumbled.

  “I know,” she snapped.

  Blaez chuckled. “When is Evie coming? If she takes any longer, I’m afraid of what you’ll do.”

  “I wouldn’t hurt your brother,” she said firmly. “He’s a part of you and that makes him important to me too.” Something in her eyes warned at a double meaning.

  “Yoo-hoo!” The door burst open and Cecil, Evie, Mae Ling and Ralph stormed through, carrying balloons, a box of cake, and the gigantic panda bear they’d bought for Chantal when she fell asleep in his arms a few days ago. The energy in the room swerved away from heated to celebratory.

  “Who are those crazy people?” Caldon hissed.

  “Your babysitters.” Blaez patted his brother on the arm. “Good luck. I’ll be back in a few.”

  “Wait! Blaez!” Caldon flopped his arms. “Don’t leave me with them! Blaaeezz!”

  “DID YOU SEE HIS FACE?” Blaez laughed so hard he nearly cried. Chantal stared out the windshield of his convertible with worried eyes. She loved to see Blaez in a happier mood, but she also loved living her life.

  “You mind focusing on the road?”

  “I’m sorry.” Blaez sniffed and wiped the corners of his eyes. “I wish I could be a fly on the wall right now. Caldon has no idea what he’s in for.”

  “I’m surprised Cecil came. She was so withdrawn this morning.”

  “Maybe she wanted to support us.”

  Us... he included her. Chantal felt warmth spread through her chest. Blaez saw them as a team and she felt the same way. Maybe her wolf was being quiet because Chantal had stopped fighting against the feelings in her heart. It was only a matter of time before the creature got what it wanted.

  “You sure you’re okay to come home with me?” he asked.

  “If you’re afraid I’m going to jump you, don’t be. My wolf’s been a good girl since this morning. I won’t do anything I’ll regret later.”

  He laughed. “That’s not what I meant. I’m talking about the center.”

  “Oh.” Chantal felt heat spread through her chest. Even without her wolf’s promptings, her mind had immediately flitted to sex with Blaez. “That...” She coughed. “Terry’s holding down the fort. She’ll call me if there’s a problem.”

  “Hm.” Blaez turned the corner and his apartment building came into view. “Are you really not going to try anything?”

  “No. I swear.”

  “I’m disappointed.” He sent her a mischievous grin and parked the car.

  Chantal tried hard not to choke on her own spit. “Too bad.”

  Blaez laughed and they climbed out of the vehicle. She could see him unwinding, shaking off the struggles of the past week, with every step to his place. Even though Hazel had suggested getting Blaez out of the way so she could get to Caldon, Chantal saw it was the right thing to do.

  They entered the apartment and Blaez led her to the living room. “Do you need anything? A drink? Snacks?”

  “I’ll help myself.” She shooed him away. “Go ahead and do what you have to.”

  “Okay. I’ll shave first and then take a shower.”

  “I’ll be right here.”

  He looked at her as if she’d said something deep and then swooped in to kiss her forehead. Her eyes fluttered closed. The way he stamped his lips to
her head reminded her of her wolf’s favorite word. Mine. It felt like Blaez was saying that in his own way.

  Chantal watched him walk to the bathroom and then scouted around in the fridge to see what she could work with. Evie had taught her to move around in the kitchen, but she’d never met a cupboard as bare as Blaez’s.

  Didn’t he go grocery shopping?

  She struck gold when she spotted a box of mac and cheese sequestered behind three bags of half-eaten chips and a jumbo pack of Ramen. She was scouting around for a pot to boil it in when a wave of dizziness passed over her.

  Chantal swayed and pressed a hand to her head. “What the...?”

  Before she could finish the curse, her body gave out and she crashed to the floor. Her eyes fluttered closed. Everything went black.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

  BLAEZ TURNED ON THE faucet so the water could warm by the time he stepped into the shower. He returned to the sink and stroked his face with the razor, dispelling the last bit of hair. He knew that Chantal didn’t mind the beard, but it felt great to see ‘normal’ when he looked in the mirror again.

  He ran a hand down his face and winced. He’d scratched himself—under his chin, near his throat, and his left jaw—as he’d been in a rush to finish everything so he could run out and be with Chantal. Blaez loved teasing her, loved seeing the blush climb her face when he did.

  The crisis with Caldon and Lucien had given him a peek into who she was. Not just the sexy director with a penchant for helping lost souls. Not a temperamental and lust-obsessed wolf bent on having his babies. There was so much more to her and he had a blast revealing every layer.

  Blaez tossed his razor and jumped into the shower. The hot water pelted his face and shoulders. The motion was soothing against his back where the lash of the shopkeeper’s cane had bruised him. With all that had happened, the pain was the least of his issues so he hadn’t mentioned it to Chantal.

  Chantal... his wolf said, picking up its head.

  The door opened and closed. Blaez sensed Chantal coming in. He pulled the lever to the faucet so the shower didn’t thunder in his ears and asked, “Everything okay?”

  “Everything is fine,” she said. Her body was distorted through the patterned glass shower door. Her voice sounded weird too. It was husky, sultrier than he was used to, but that could just be the echo in the bathroom.

  “Alright.” He continued showering. Blaez thought it was strange that Chantal had slipped into the bathroom, but then he accepted it happily. Maybe she felt comfortable enough to pee with him there. Talk about progress.

  Blaez turned his back away to give her privacy and went for the soap, lathering his body generously. He was scrubbing his back as gently as possible when he heard the shower door slide open and someone stepped through.

  His entire body prickled with awareness and Blaez stiffened. A pair of hands swept around his waist and he felt Chantal pressing everything against him. The breath whooshed out of his lungs and his heart chased after it.

  “Mine,” she said and Blaez realized it wasn’t the acoustics in the room that had given Chantal’s voice that strange tinge.

  He spun and water from the shower slaughtered his eyeballs. His mouth opened and he cried out even as Chantal seemed content to keep rubbing against him, coaxing his touch. Blaez scrambled back and almost slipped. He kneaded his eyes, struggling to make sense of the feelings swirling inside.

  Pain. Desire. Lust. Confusion.

  “What are you doing in here?” he yelled.

  “Make babies.”

  The pain lessened and Blaez cracked his eyes apart. Through the tears, he could see a filmy version of Chantal’s naked body. “This... what... who are you?”

  “Babies.” She stepped forward.

  Blaez scurried out of the shower and grabbed the towel hanging on the rack. He pulled it high on his hips to hide his goods from view and held up a hand. “Stay back.”

  “Blaez... make young.”

  His heart thundered in his chest. The thumping drowned his thoughts. Blaez knew this wasn’t Chantal and in theory, he only wanted to sleep with Chantal. Problem was... this was Chantal. Sort of. And this version wanted him. Desperately.

  It was a convoluted mess, but through the pounding going on in the higher and lower halves of his body, through the pain of the water in his eye and the soap that had gotten in there when he rubbed it in, he knew Chantal wouldn’t be happy if he did the things he wanted to do to her... to her wolf.

  And that was more than enough to convince Blaez he shouldn’t.

  “I understand that you want babies.”

  “Yes...” Chantal cantered toward him and Blaez skated back.

  “Wait! Wait!” His chest heaved. “First... let’s get a towel around you.” He pulled the towel from his waist and came at her slowly, the way he would a rabid dog.

  “Blaez ready,” Chantal said. He glanced at her and noticed that her gaze was pinned downward. He jumped and grabbed his pants from the counter. His body was still damp, but he slid it on and pounced on Chantal, wrapping her up.

  “There.” He tucked the flaps in and then ran for the door. “Stay here while I call Evie.”

  Blaez skidded into the living room and scooped up his phone, fingers trembling. He could see clearly now, which made his situation even worse. At that moment, the doorbell rang. Blaez cursed and tried to focus on dialing.

  “Blaez!” Chantal bounded from the bathroom and, contrary to all her promises, jumped on him. They both tumbled into the couch. Smiling seductively, she leaned over his body and insisted. “Do it now. Here. Make young.”

  “Not now, honey.”

  “Blaez!” A familiar voice called outside. He groaned. Mr. Bertram. The nosy neighbor must have waddled down from the apartment below to complain again. Panic wreaked havoc in his chest. He felt like he was going to explode.

  Chantal kissed his lips. “Male... ready.”

  “O...kay.” He managed to roll out from under her. Was it hot in here? He was ready. He was so painfully ready. Would it be all that bad to let Chantal’s wolf have her way? Technically, they were the same person.

  “Blaez!” Mr. Bertram yelled loud enough to wake the dead.

  “I’m coming!” He turned to Chantal. “Don’t move.”

  She pouted and he screamed with desire and frustration before schooling his face and opening the door. “Mr. Bertram, now really isn’t a good time.”

  The wizened old man had nothing better to do than complain. His white moustache rattled as he held up a can of soda. “I found this in your garbage. We have a recycling bin for a reason. Paper, plastic, metal. Is that so hard to comprehend?”

  “No, sir.” Blaez leaned against the wall and crossed his legs, trying not to think of why Mr. Bertram was going through his garbage. “I’ll be sure to recycle in the future...”

  “Blaez...” Chantal blew on his ear and then nipped it. His eyes widened as her hands roved his naked torso. She was right behind him.

  Mr. Bertram peered at the hands and then at Blaez. “Mr. Dramoth—”

  Chantal released him and walked into plain view, her towel drooping down her chest. Blaez sprang into action, leaning forward to close the door and apologize to Mr. Bertram while coaxing Chantal back inside.

  She didn’t seem to register Mr. Bertram’s presence and tugged on the arm that was closing the door. “Mine,” she said. And then she came at his mouth, plunging her tongue so far down his throat he nearly choked.

  Blaez didn’t mind a little aggression, but Chantal’s wolf was completely out of patience and it was clear she wasn’t going to take no for an answer. His arms wind-milled as she grabbed his face and felt him up in front of his neighbor.

  In the background, Blaez heard a thud. It was enough to distract Chantal and he pulled away from her to see his neighbor conked out on the ground. Terror flooded him and he dove to Mr. Bertram’s side, shaking his shoulder.

  “Sir? Sir?” The man didn’t move.

&
nbsp; He needed to call the cops. The ambulance. Someone.

  “Make young,” Chantal huffed. She was angrier now. And she wasn’t asking.

  Blaez wrestled a frantic werewolf with one hand and slapped the cheek of his passed-out neighbor with the other. As chaos whirled around him, he tried to pinpoint exactly what he’d done to deserve this madness.

  CHANTAL SHOT UP AND gasped at the early morning sunlight streaming through the window. Her eyes skittered across the white ceiling, the brown dressers, and dark blue walls. She wiggled her toes and swept her hands over the comfy mattress of the huge bed.

  Her head hurt and so did her hands. She glanced at the limb in question and noticed bruises on her fingertips.

  “What happened? Where am I?”

  She moved to get off the bed when she noticed something jiggling. On her. They were her breasts. Chantal stiffened and gazed at her exposed body. She was completely naked. Her nose flared and her initial instinct was to freak out, but she did her best to keep calm.

  First she had to figure out where she was, get out and then report whatever happened to the police. She tiptoed across the room to the closet and was immediately flooded with a familiar smell. These were Blaez’s clothes. This was Blaez’s room.

  Did that mean... she glanced down. Had Blaez undressed her? Why didn’t she remember?

  Chantal pulled a hoodie from his closet and slipped it on before heading for the door. The sunlight illuminated the sharp claw marks embedded in the panels. It looked like an animal had tried its best to escape from this room.

  Wait... was that animal... her?

  She twisted the knob and found it locked. Chantal pounded on the door. “Blaez? Blaez, why is the door locked?”

  She heard a grunt coming from right in front of the door. Had he been there the entire time? A moment later, a key rattled and the door swung open. Blaez stood before her, hair mussed as if he’d wrestled with a wild animal, mouth swollen, and eyes wary.