And the man she’d fallen in love with was a shape-shifting wolf, gorgeous and strong. She’d managed to nearly kill him, and that wasn’t even the reason he hated her now.
Bri bit off a bark of hysterical laughter, punctuated by the sudden sting of tears. Unfortunately, there wasn’t any time for the meltdown she so truly deserved.
She inched to the edge of the roof and peered over. A crazy urge overcame her, to climb down the side of the house and hide in the forest like an errant teenager. She’d never done anything so bold when she was younger. Jonah either hadn’t cared or been around enough to be that restrictive, and for the most part she’d been a good kid.
A drainpipe, running alongside the house, appeared new and sturdy enough. She wasn’t sure what possessed her, except her life was plenty surreal right now, and she wanted to wander in the woods. Bri caught hold of the wide metal pipe and slid down, quite a bit faster than she’d anticipated.
Hands burning, her feet hit the ground with a jarring thud. Glancing over her shoulder at the house, Bri took off at a jog for the shelter of the tree line.
The smell of the earth warmed by the sun intoxicated her. Trees reached toward the blue sky, and the afternoon sunlight made the world around her explode in different shades of green. She could imagine that non-human part of Cole as a natural part of this world, and it fascinated her.
Bri drew in a deep breath and forced it out. Trying to pretend for a moment her life was normal again, she nearly laughed aloud at the thought of how ridiculously mundane her normal had been, in light of everything that had happened to her in the last few days. She remembered snippets of trivial conversations with coworkers and friends about how unfair some injustice in upper management was. Or their stories, embargoed for no good reason. Even worse, evenings out with her girlfriends who complained about how hard it was to date. At the time, they had seemed so serious and important.
She swore to who or whatever was playing this cosmic game of roulette with her life, never again would she take normal for granted.
Refusing to let herself down by thinking about how sad and scared she was, Bri focused on the beauty surrounding her and took what solace she could in nature. The forest was alive with subtle noises—a crackle of branches, the crunch of leaves under the soles of her tennis shoes, and the squeaks and caws of birds overhead. She stopped to soak it all in, relishing the momentary silence in her mind.
Peace stole into her soul. If she held still long enough, maybe she would just disappear into it and leave the rest behind.
Without any warning, strong arms snaked around her waist from behind, pulling her against the solid mass of a muscular chest. Pure instinct kicked in, and Bri started to struggle. She got off a pathetic half-scream, half-grunt before a large, warm hand covered her mouth.
“Shhh,” a familiar hiss curled in her ear.
Cole. His darkly masculine scent enveloped her. Adrenaline turned to liquid desire pooling deep in her core. Her body and heart cried out for him. She sagged into the strength of his arms and the solid wall of his chest.
“What the hell are you doing out here?” he asked when her struggles subsided.
“I needed some air.”
He released her abruptly and she stumbled, nearly falling to her knees on the pine-needle carpet. Bri turned to face him. Her body trembled with a deep longing she knew would not go away, no matter how much he hated her.
Her stomach lurched at the disdain in his steel-gray eyes. “I’m sorry I hurt you,” she whispered.
Cole clenched and unclenched his fists, focusing skyward through the tops of the trees overhead. With her long blond hair pulled away from her face, accentuating the delicate structure of her cheekbones, Bri looked so beautiful. Her subtle flowery essence clung to his nostrils. She was lodged so deep inside him, he had no hope of eradicating the feeling. It didn’t change the truth. He’d told her he loved her, and she’d left.
“Did you mean it?” he asked. He needed to see her face when she told him she’d been faking it the whole time, that she didn’t feel the same about him.
Her brow crinkled in question, and he tried to resist the draw of her sad eyes. “Mean what?”
Before he could think, he grabbed her by the upper arms. His nose was only an inch from hers, and there was a snarl on his lips. “You know.”
He saw the moment understanding dawned. She nodded, and her body trembled. The perfume of her desire, shot with fear, spiked the air around him.
“Let me go.”
“Not a chance,” he whispered into her ear.
Her eyes scanned his face when he pulled back to glare at her.
“I had to go. I couldn’t risk hurting you.” Her body started to shake.
“Stop that.” Cole tightened his grip and wrapped one arm around her waist, pulling her tight up against him. “Tell me the truth, damn it.”
Bri strained ineffectually against his hold and pushed at the wall of his chest. “Let go.”
He wanted to be a better person, to listen to her, to release her as she’d begged. He couldn’t. “I need to know.”
Tears glistened in her eyes, and she went limp in his arms. Defeated. He realized he didn’t want her like that. “Bri.”
“What do you want to know? That I fell for you? That I care about you so much, I can’t bear to think I could kill you?” she demanded brokenly.
Something in his heart ripped. He could have sworn it stopped altogether. He pulled her into a bear hug and buried his head in her hair. “You can’t leave me, Bri.”
The scent of her and the press of her soft body against his was enough to drive him over the edge. His intention had been to confront her, not comfort her. Somewhere between anger and love, their explosive chemistry tightened the noose around his neck. Kissing the soft skin of her throat, her quiet moan of acceptance and the movement of her body closer to his was all the acquiescence he needed.
“I told you we’re in this together, that I wouldn’t leave you,” he rumbled possessively, unable to keep the anger and fear out of his voice. And he was angry with her. His fingers fisted her ponytail, tight against her skull.
Bri gasped at the flash of pain before it morphed into raw heat. And then Cole kissed her, hard. She tangled her fingers in his hair and kissed him back, desperate longing driving her deeper into pure sensation.
He split her shirt down the front. Desire flared in his eyes and something in her responded to his aggression, something primitive. Her body sang, coming alive in his arms.
Cole’s mouth came down harder on hers, his kiss devouring. He yanked on her jeans, peeling them off her body, his hands so urgent she barely had time to think, to catch her breath.
His touch ignited a primal need in her. Spinning her around by the shoulder, he bent her over a nearby log, holding her in place with one hand on the back of her neck. She struggled but he tightened his grip and growled again, dominant and aggressive. In response, a wave of pure fire flooded her body.
Her core pulsed, slick with need and an ache only Cole could meet. She pressed against his thick erection, begging for his penetration.
Pulling her hips tight against his, he drove into her, setting a punishing pace. She met each deep thrust, pleasure riding the edge of pain. Her orgasm hit hard, taking him with her as he shouted her name into the quiet forest.
They breathed together. Harsh. Ragged. Cole collapsed over her, careful not to crush her smaller body under his.
Pulling from her warmth, he turned and settled her on his lap. They sat on the rough surface of the log, calming together.
“Did I hurt you?” He brushed his lips over her temple.
Bri couldn’t speak. He hadn’t been gentle with her. He’d been powerfully alpha, and her body had responded with pleasure—wanting more, taking it, riding the fire he ign
ited in her until she’d lost herself.
She kissed his strong chin, the stubble prickly against her lips. “No.” She met his stormy gaze, a part of her trembling with relief. He was there, holding her, caring enough about her not to leave.
He’d followed her, not that he had a choice. The compulsion wouldn’t let him do anything else, and fear for his safety held her in its relentless grip. She reached up to trace the features of his elegant face, sensing the wolf close to the surface.
“I don’t know what I’d do if I hurt you again.” She glanced away. “It’s not safe for you. Just leave me here. The Quytel can teach me about my power and hopefully how to control it.” She laid a hand over his heart, dragging her gaze back to his, knowing hers was full of sadness and longing for something that wasn’t possible, maybe wasn’t real. “When we figure out how to get rid of your compulsion, see how you feel about wanting to be with me. Right now, you don’t have a choice.”
“This isn’t about a damn compulsion, not anymore.” Running his hands down her bare back, hard resolve flashed in his eyes. “Trust me enough to stay with me. You have to trust me. Us. We can do this together. We’ve fought it once before, and we’ll get better at it.”
A warm glow started in her chest and spread over her body. She slipped her fingers through his black and silver hair; traced the chiseled angles of his jaw and chin, too afraid for his safety to hope he could be right.
Raining kisses down her shoulders, he pulled one of her nipples into the heat of his mouth. Fire zinged along her skin, and she arched into him, clinging to keep from falling.
“What if I hurt you, or worse?” She shuddered against him.
He stood and cradled her in his arms, his heat warming her all over. “I’m not worried about that.”
“You should be.” Her voice was muffled as she rested her cheek against his neck.
Cole released her legs and she slid down his body. He stroked her from her hair to the curve of her bare bottom. “If you decide to leave me because you don’t love me, I’ll figure out a way to deal with that. I won’t leave you because you think you’ll hurt me.” He set her a distance from him and pinned her with a hard stare. “You got that?”
Her throat clenched on emotion and a knot of dread gathered weight in her stomach.
Bri shivered as he collected what was left of her clothes, then helped her slip into his long-sleeved shirt, which fit her like a dress. She wasn’t looking forward to scaling the drainpipe in nothing but his shirt, but there was no way she’d let her father’s Warriors see her like this.
Twining his fingers with hers, Cole led her out of the forest and back to the house. His solid presence beside her and his admission of love settled in her heart, bittersweet and so tempting.
Chapter 20
About an hour later, Bri made her way slowly down the wide staircase in search of Celeste, pausing a few steps from the bottom. Cole loved her, and she loved him right back. It had happened so quickly she could hardly believe it. She hadn’t told him yet, hadn’t quite been able to when they returned from the forest, but the feeling was there, strong and true. Basking in that warm glow, she tried to let her worry—that only magic played in bringing them together—drift to the background.
Following the low murmur of conversation, Bri tapped lightly on the kitchen door.
“Come on in,” Byron’s friendly voice called from inside.
The door swung open easily on well-oiled hinges. The modern, bright, and airy kitchen boasted big windows and a high ceiling. Green and gold tiles matched the speckled marble countertops and made the room feel warm and inviting.
When she entered, Celeste rose from the table and carried her dishes to the sink. Tall and slender, the Warrior moved with the grace of a jungle cat. She didn’t seem any older than Bri, especially with her hair pulled into a tightly braided ponytail hanging nearly to her waist. She’d shed some of her weapons, except for the knives strapped to her waist. Bri suspected there was also something dangerous about the thick leather bands adorning her wrists.
“Ah, all freshened up, I see,” Bryon commented from his place at the table. Dressed casually in faded blue jeans and a long-sleeved, green cotton crewneck, he looked the complete opposite of Celeste and much more approachable. “Can I get you something to drink?”
“Tea, if you have it.” She fought a blush. She wasn’t sure if any of them had caught her sneaking back through the upstairs window with Cole’s help and wearing only his shirt.
“Tea, coming right up.” Byron smacked the table lightly and stood, crossing to the stove where a teapot still steamed.
“Will you tell me about my mother?” she blurted out, directing the question to both of them. No sense in beating around the bush.
Celeste leaned her hip against the counter along the far wall, arms crossed over her chest. “Bri, you bring up a lot of painful memories,” she replied, her pale blue eyes restless.
Byron gave his colleague a sympathetic look and set a steaming cup of peppermint tea in front of Bri. “I think I’ll leave the two of you alone.”
Celeste waited until he had closed the door behind him before continuing. “Your mother and I had a complicated relationship.”
“What was she like?” Bri’s stomach clenched painfully, and she took a grateful sip of the warm, refreshing brew.
“The life of a Warrior is difficult.” Celeste slid into the chair across from her. “Also long. You’re under the complete control of your Commander at all times, and Jonah isn’t the easiest person to work with.”
That was an understatement, Bri thought as they shared a smile of acknowledgment. “I can only imagine.”
“For us, maintaining universal balance is about destruction on many levels. It wears on the soul.” Deep shadows in Celeste’s eyes and determination in her demeanor revealed the dedication and loyalty of a soldier with a cause she believed in.
Bri held her cup in both hands and sipped to steady herself. “What happened to my mother? The police never found my parents’ bodies, and Jonah basically refused to discuss the details with me. Even as I got older, he wouldn’t talk about it.”
Celeste rubbed her eyes with her thumb and forefinger and leaned back in her chair. “She was a Warrior, and an incredible one. She could have become a Commander . . . before she met your father.” Celeste spread her hands on the tabletop.
“What happened?” Bri prompted.
Celeste looked up and her eyes hardened. “She gave up her power and it got her killed. I could say she betrayed everything we stand for.” She paused briefly. “At first I didn’t understand why she left, how she could leave. I was incredibly angry with her.”
“I don’t think she’s dead,” Bri said firmly. She didn’t really care if Celeste thought her mother had betrayed her calling. She needed these people to believe her, to help her find her mother and either stop her or save her. “I know you all think that isn’t true, but she’s the one in my nightmare, or vision. Whatever it is, now it’s happening to Cole too.”
Celeste was silent for so long, Bri thought she wouldn’t respond. In a softer voice she said, “Maybe the story unfolded in a different way.”
“That’s cryptic.”
“I have suspected she may be alive as well.”
“Why?” Bri asked.
Tracing an invisible pattern with her finger on the smooth surface of the table, Celeste finally looked up. “Call it a gut feeling.”
Bri frowned. Maybe it was time to change the subject. She needed as much information as Celeste was willing to share with her, which from their conversation so far wasn’t likely to be much.
“Why did Jonah adopt me? My mother was one of his Warriors who apparently dropped everything and left. Why would he do that?”
“Jonah will have to tell you himself.�
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Bri took another sip of her tea, irritation simmering in her already churning stomach. “He didn’t even tell me who and what he really is. All these years.”
“He’s a man of many secrets.” Celeste’s demeanor shifted from sad to angry in a flash. The Warrior closed her eyes. “Every time Jonah looks at you it reminds him . . . A man like that cannot look easily upon his failures.”
“Reminds him of what?” Bri probed.
“Of decisions he made that drove your mother away from the protection of the Quytel . . . He was mad at Rowan, mad at your father. He gave her an ultimatum he didn’t think she’d be able to refuse, but she did. She was stubborn that way.”
Bri’s stomach roiled in protest. The knot of betrayal grew stronger. “What kind of an ultimatum?”
Shaking her head, Celeste sighed. “Some stories are not mine to tell.”
“He won’t tell me.” Bri set her teacup down, resisting the urge to throw it across the room. Her jaw was so tense she thought it would crack, and tension hammered at her temples. “How well did you know my mother?”
“Your mother and I . . .” Celeste stared up at the ceiling, her face drawn, tight lines creasing around her eyes. When she returned her attention to Bri, there might have been a glimmer of moisture in the woman’s eyes. Bri couldn’t be sure.
“We grew up together in a way,” Celeste finally said. “Rowan was about a hundred years older and had a lot of knowledge I was eager to learn.”
Bri still had difficulty wrapping her head around the longevity of the Quytel. The idea that her mother was centuries old when she’d been pregnant and given birth to her was frankly disturbing. She wasn’t sure if she would ever be able to accept it.
Circle of Dreams (The Quytel Series Book 1) Page 21