Shattered Emotions (Redwood Pack)

by Ryan, Carrie Ann

  He focused on that thread and found the other emotions running through him. He then funneled all he could through him and into that thread.

  Sweat beaded on his forehead, and his body shook. He gasped as he felt a little hand on his forehead. He opened his eyes and stared into Charlotte’s dark ones.

  She looked like a miniature Ellie.

  Tears slid down her cheeks just like his, and he closed his eyes again, leaning into Charlotte as he tried to breathe life into his mate.

  The bond thickened, his wolf howling along with the energy flowing through them.

  He opened his eyes again and looked down, willing his Ellie to come back to him.

  “Ellie mine, come back. Please, I need you. I love you so much, Ellie mine. Come back.”

  Nothing happened, and his chest ached. He couldn’t lose hope.

  She had to come back.

  He cupped her cheek and lowered his lips to hers.

  “Ellie mine,” he whispered.

  Ellie gasped against his lips, her body stiffening in his hold. He watched as the wound on her chest knitted together, the energy that had been attacking him before now flowing through their bond, breathing new life within it.

  “Maddox.”

  He started. She hadn’t said that aloud. That had been inside his head.

  “Ellie?” he asked, using that same fragile path she’d used in their minds.

  “What happened? And how am I hearing you in my head?”

  He kissed her hard then pulled back. “We’ll talk about it later, Ellie mine. Oh, God, you’re back.”

  He kissed her again then felt another little hand on his shoulder. He looked up at Charlotte and nodded.

  “We need to go, Ellie. Can you walk?”

  Her arm and chest looked healed, but considering she’d just died, he had no idea how she would feel. They’d talk about it all and what this knew power of theirs meant when there were safe. Now, though, they needed to go and find the Redwoods.

  They needed their home.

  Ellie nodded, and he staggered to his feet then pulled her up. Though his side still hurt like hell from where Corbin had stabbed him, the earlier pain from the attack of energy and emotions was now gone.

  Whatever he had done to the bond by using that curse had helped not only Ellie, but himself as well.

  He hugged her close again then lifted Charlotte into his arms, tucking her at his hip.

  “Let’s go.”

  “Why aren’t Corbin and Caym here?” Ellie asked, her brow wrinkled.

  “Caym gave us ten minutes to say goodbye, and we have about half of that. We need to go.”

  She nodded and walked by his side. Charlotte buried her face in his neck, and he took a deep breath. He’d deal with everything that had happened later. Right now, he needed to get his family out of this hell.

  Caym and Corbin were nowhere to be seen, but he could feel other wolves circling them. He didn’t know if the other wolves would agree to what Caym had said, or if they even knew the promise had been made. Maddox shook his head. It wasn’t as if he believed the word of a demon anyway.

  He ran as fast as he could to the weakest point on the wards, Charlotte in his arms and Ellie by his side. They’d done what they’d come to do—save Charlotte. He just hoped the consequences of that action, the unknown in what they’d done, didn’t come back for them.

  “Hurry, Maddox,” Ellie said in his mind.

  He nodded, still not used to this new connection of theirs, though the sound of his mate’s voice made him want to weep with joy.

  They made their way to the wards and stopped in front of the inky black magic. “Brace yourselves.”

  He took a step through, and Charlotte screamed in agony into his ear. He immediately pulled back, Ellie following him, and dropped to his knees to take a look at Charlotte.

  “What is it? What hurts?” he asked, looking over her. He’d been so focused on Ellie he’d only given the little girl a cursory look.

  God, what if he’d missed something?

  She shook her head and placed her hand over her heart. “I can’t go through the wards. At least I don’t think I can. Caym said he put a lock on me. Is that what he meant?”

  It dawned on him then.

  That vindictive bastard.

  “Did he use a spell on you, baby?”

  “I think so…”

  Ellie reached out and pulled her sister into her arms—the first time the girls had touched. “I think it’s because she still has those Central bonds, Maddox. I remember Corbin saying Caym was planning on forcing all the Centrals to stay within the wards unless on assignment. I hadn’t known how he’d planned on doing that. Oh, God, Maddox. How are we going to leave?”

  Maddox took a deep breath. “We’re going to have to bring her into our Pack now.” Fuck, this would hurt Charlotte like hell, and he prayed it could actually be done.

  “Can we do that?” Ellie asked as she ran her hands up and down Charlotte’s black.

  Usually only the Alpha could bring a new member into a Pack if it wasn’t a full mating, but they’d done it before with Willow, and later with Hannah and Josh, through partial matings and through forcing the bites.

  They’d just have to chance it.

  Hell, they didn’t have another choice.

  He looked around for a sharp object and cursed himself for not have brought the knife with him. Apparently, blood loss had officially made him an idiot.

  He found a sharp stick and forced Charlotte to face him.

  “I’m going to bring you into the Redwoods, Charlotte,” he explained to the little girl with tears in her eyes. “It’s gonna hurt, baby girl. We’re going to have to sever the bond with the Centrals you were born with, and then we’ll form a new one with my blood. In fact, to make sure it works, we’re going to bond you with Ellie too. I don’t know another way to make this work, baby girl. My dad could do it with just his wolf and magic, but we need the blood.”

  She nodded, her little face blank. “Okay. I want to go home with you. You guys are nicer than Corbin. I don’t want him as a brother anymore.”

  He watched as Ellie bit her lip, trying not to cry, and he swallowed hard, trying not to cry himself.

  “Okay then. Ready?” he asked.

  She nodded, and he cut his palm then Ellie’s. Since it was only a sharp stick, he had to press hard, and it hurt like hell. He then took both of Charlotte’s palms and cut them. He and Ellie each took one of her hands, and he closed his eyes, letting his wolf do what he’d know to do.

  The bond between him and Ellie pulsed then branched off toward Charlotte. He’d seen bonds form during the birth of his brother’s children and knew that this was the child’s bond, one that would fade away over time when the child grew up. His wolf was marking this child as his and, therefore, Pack It wasn’t easy to bring in a Pack member, only the member of the Alpha’s family could even attempt it.

  Charlotte leaned into him and screamed in pain. Ellie murmured reassurances and leaned into Charlotte’s other side. He held back his own anguish at hurting this little girl, knowing he had to be the strong one.

  Finally, he could feel those sweet emotions threading through his Omega powers, and he knew Charlotte was now Pack.

  Goddess, they could go through the wards now.

  He looked up at Ellie and let out a breath.

  “Let’s get the hell out of here,” he said, picked up the little girl, and gripped Ellie’s had.

  This time when they walked through the wards, though the pain was heavy and clawed at all of them, Charlotte didn’t cry.

  She wasn’t a Central anymore.

  She was a Redwood.

  She was theirs.

  They made their way to the end of the wards, and Maddox put Charlotte down. “We’re going to have to move fast going back,” he said. “We should run as wolves. I take it you can shift, right?”

  Charlotte nodded then walked behind a bush, pulling off her clothes to shift witho
ut being asked.

  He and Ellie did the same then shifted to wolves. A little brown wolf came out of the bushes and yipped at him.

  He bit the scruff of her neck as Ellie licked her little muzzle, and then they were off. They ran toward the Redwoods as wolves, away from the Centrals that had taken so much of each of them.

  They ran as the family he’d never expected to have—had never known he’d wanted.

  Corbin and Caym would pay for what they’d done, and by the looks of their weaknesses in that room, they were already on that path.

  It was only a matter of time and with any luck, he’d be there to see their end.

  Chapter 20

  “Good morning, Ellie mine,” Maddox said, smiling because he hadn’t opened his mouth to do so.

  “Good morning, my wolf,” Ellie said back, a smile in her own voice.

  It had been almost two weeks since they’d come back from the Centrals, panting, their paws cut and bleeding, but alive. They were still just getting used to this new power of theirs, but they both loved it.

  He could hear the thoughts she pushed to him as if she were talking, and she could do the same with him. They couldn’t, however, hear random thoughts or anything from another person, nor could they hear each other’s wolves.

  Thank the goddess.

  With his own thoughts, his own wolf, and now, Ellie, he had enough in his mind. He really didn’t need another in there.

  Of course, they also had their new bond—or rather their old one infused with whatever Caym had cursed him with—to learn to deal with. After he and Ellie had completed the mating with their marks, they’d shared the emotions that went along with his being an Omega. Now, it was as if this new way to bond had settled them both.

  He could focus more now.

  He could breathe again as he had before he’d become the Omega, when he’d been younger.

  He no longer had that constant barrage of emotions that forced him to hide away in a corner and fear touching anyone in case it intensified their emotions. Unlike he’d feared for so long, Ellie wasn’t in the fetal position rocking in pain as she dealt with all these new energies.

  Everything was calmer.

  He could now pick out individual emotions and help his Pack easier because he wasn’t fighting it anymore. He was living it.

  Whatever Caym had used to break open the blocks Maddox had put in place had actually saved him.

  He’d never thank the demon, but goddess, he’d thank the woman currently in his arms for saving his life.

  Saving his future.

  Ellie wiggled in his arms, her soft bottom against his cock. They were lying in bed on a lazy morning, enjoying the fact that they didn’t have to wake up until later as Charlotte was currently at his parents’ house getting to know her new family.

  His mother had fallen in love at first sight with the little girl, and now Charlotte would never again know what it meant to not feel love.

  Ellie moved her hips again, and Maddox gripped her hip to take some control back.

  “What are you doing, mate of mine?” he asked as he lifted his hand to move her hair back from her neck. He bent his head to lick and nibble the mate mark he’d put back on her the night before. It had been the fourth time he’d marked her and loved it each time. Each mark would fade over time as it healed, but the sensitive spot and what the mark stood for would never fade.

  Because it did heal though, it gave mates an excuse to keep marking each other and reaping the awards—they would get to come over and over again while they sank their teeth into each other throughout their lives together.

  Ellie rolled her hips, forcing his cock to slide between her cheeks. “Just finding a way to wake you up.”

  Maddox gave a rough chuckle, moved his hand around her stomach, and circled her clit with his finger.

  She shuddered in his hold, lifting her leg so he had better access.

  Well, since she’d made it so easy…

  He plunged his fingers into her wet pussy and ground the palm of his hand against her clit. She arched her back, and he kissed her mate mark again.

  “Maddox, I don’t want to come without you in me. Please, I want to feel you.”

  “If that’s what you want, Ellie. You know I’d let you come over and over just to see the way that pretty skin of yours blushes.” Even as he said it, he moved and pulled her leg to wrap around his then thrust into her.

  Hard.

  They both sighed at the same time, his dick hard and balls deep within her soft channel. He rubbed her clit again with each thrust, loving the way her pussy clenched around him as she rose toward her peak.

  She moved her head so he could capture her lips, and he was lost.

  “Goddess, I love you,” he said, panting.

  “I love you so much, Maddox.”

  As she spoke, he plunged hard, and she twisted her head to watch him. She came apart in his arms, her eyes widening and her mouth parting on a sigh.

  He came with her, his seed filling her. He wanted it to take root so he could watch her grow round with his child. Then Charlotte would have someone to grow up with.

  Ellie turned in his arms, and he smiled. “You’re mine,” he whispered.

  “As you’re mine. I love when you smile, Maddox. You’re doing it more often.”

  He tucked a lock of hair behind her ear and kissed the tip of her nose. “I have more to smile about. I have a mate who loves me and stands by my side. I have a little girl who we get to watch grow up and love as much as we will our own children. Charlotte will grow up with two loving parents—even if she’ll call us by our names. And I have my family, which is growing around me, and my Pack, which is growing stronger with each breath. I’m happy.”

  He was, he truly was. Before, he’d known things weren’t perfect for him, but he hadn’t realized how unhappy he’d been with his lot in life.

  Now, he had Ellie and Charlotte.

  Goddess, he was blessed.

  After they got out of bed and got ready for the day—complete with a very steamy shower—they headed over to his parents’ house. They were going to have a Jamenson dinner and talk about what their next plans were concerning the Centrals. Plus, Maddox wanted to see Charlotte and bring her home from her slumber party.

  Who knew he’d love being a father?

  Charlotte would probably always call him Maddox and Ellie by her name, but he knew that he’d always think of her as a daughter. Ellie had even told the little girl that she would raise her as a daughter and that they all three would learn together how to be a family.

  After all, while Maddox had grown up with endless brothers and, eventually, a little sister, Ellie, like Charlotte, had never had a true family. She’d always had to be the strong one for her broken sister and cousin, the one who had to deal with the fact that her mother had been killed by her father, and the one who had to taken the brunt of Corbin’s abuse.

  Now, she had him and Charlotte, and he’d do all in his power to make sure she knew she’d always have them.

  They walked in the front door to hear Charlotte’s giggle.

  “Maddox,” Ellie whispered, and he pulled her closer.

  “I know,” he said and kissed her neck.

  While Charlotte was healing, they’d only heard her laugh or giggle a handful of times. He never thought he’d get enough of that precious sound.

  Charlotte came running at them and threw herself into Maddox’s arms. His heart filled as he filled his arms with little girl.

  “Hey, lady-bug butt,” he said as Cailin came running in behind.

  “Hey, big brother, that was my nickname,” Cailin teased.

  Charlotte kissed his cheek, and he fell in love all over again. “I like it when you call me that. It means you like me like you like Aunt Cailin.”

  Yep, he was a pile of mush for this little one.

  Ellie reached in and tickled Charlotte then gave each of them a kiss. “You look happy, darling.”

  Charlotte
nodded. “Uh huh. Grandma Pat made cookies, and I got to help with the sprinkles. Parker did the cutting, but that’s because he’s older.”

  His mom had taken Charlotte in with open arms. Pat had wanted Charlotte to have grandma-time, hence why she’d spent the night. His mom had also fallen in love with Parker and was helping Lexi watch him when Lexi needed time to breathe.

  It seemed their family was growing with each new day, and Maddox, frankly, was damned happy about that.

  Eventually, the younger kids were fed and put down for bed, and Parker had taken Charlotte, as well as Gina, to the playroom to play video games, leaving the adults at the dinner table, haggard and worse for wear, but alive.

  The Centrals had beaten them at every corner, attacked them with each passing month, but the Redwoods were still breathing.

  Kade and Melanie were not only raising Finn now, but also Larissa and Neil’s children as their own—despite the problems that would arise with that since he was the eldest and Heir. They sat at their end of the table, leaning into each other. The sorrow that he’d seen in Melanie before he’d left was still there, but not as blatant. Larissa had been one of her only friends when she’d been a human, and, now, she was gone, but Melanie would one day be Alpha female and was stronger than she gave herself credit for.

  Jasper and Willow sat across from them, they too leaning on each other. His brother looked more tired than usual, but with all that was going on within their Pack, it wasn’t a surprise. His job as Beta was a demanding one, but Willow was there by his side.

  Across from them, Hannah, Josh and Reed sat talking quietly, nibbling at their food. They’d been through so much but had come out stronger than ever. Maddox was just glad the unconventional triad was part of their family and on their side. After all, they were a force to be reckoned with.

  Bay and Adam sat next to the triad, frowns on their faces as they discussed something in quiet tones. Maddox had never thought Adam would be truly happy after he’d lost Anna. Now, though his brother had lost his leg and almost his life to protect his family, he had a future.

  North and Cailin sat near them, neither of them talking, while Lexi and Logan sat across from them, also silent. At first, Maddox had thought his father had invited Lexi and Logan to match make with North and Cailin since it was clear to everyone—except maybe the couples themselves—that there was something there, but then he thought maybe his father had another idea in mind.