“You know I didn’t leave because of anything you did. You can’t get rid of me now. I’m here to stay.”
He prayed that was true. “The only reason I survived when you disappeared was because my family kept pulling my ass out of bad situations. I turned self-destructive. You know how I mentioned that I figured out I loved remodeling? I went into rages sometimes and nearly destroyed this place. I had to fix it at some point. That’s when I discovered I enjoyed the work.”
Her finger slid into his hair and she clenched them, getting a firm enough hold that it stung his scalp. “Listen to me. It wasn’t your fault.”
“We fought that morning and I shouldn’t have stormed out. I just left you when I should have stayed to work it out. I’ve kicked my own ass over that decision a million times. I drove you to leave.”
“People argue, Brand. Just because you love someone doesn’t mean you have to agree on everything. It ripped me to shreds when I packed my bag and drove away. It had nothing to do with you going for a run. That was your way of cooling off and I’ve always understood that. I just realized how much not being mated was tearing us apart. I wouldn’t have been able keep saying no if we’d had more time together but I couldn’t live with knowing what it would cost my family. I’m the one who’s sorry. I should have told you everything but I was too afraid.”
“Why?”
She chewed on her bottom lip and he remembered what that meant.
“Spit it out, hon. I hate when you think something but won’t share it with me. That’s part of the reason you just said you left me. Tell me.”
She released her lip and sighed. “You tended to be rash back then. I was terrified you’d make death threats to my pride leader, trying to protect my family from his wrath. I could see you doing that.”
“It might have worked.”
“You would have been killed, Brand. Percy is a dick, and he would have killed my family out of spite just because you threatened him. He’d have ordered my people to attack you. One wolf against an entire pride is suicide.”
“I would have called him out if that were the case. I’d have issued a challenge.”
“You’re assuming Percy has honor. He has none. He rules through fear and intimidation. You would have been facing down every enforcer while he sat on his lazy ass, watching them tear you apart. He’d never have taken you on by himself. He and his son have that in common. They always have others do the dirty work.”
Questions filled Brand’s head, ones he wasn’t sure he wanted answers to, but he had to know. “Did that son of a bitch you mated ever allow anyone else to hurt you, Charma?”
“No. He did that himself. I was weaker and not a threat. He didn’t hit me as much as you might assume. We avoided each other most of the time.”
He silently swore to hunt the bastard down and kill him after the mating heat passed. He’d seen the bruises on her. It never should have happened. The prick would pay dearly for daring to lay an abusive hand on his Charma.
“I wasn’t implying Garrett had others hurt me. I was thinking about what he’d have done to you if you’d shown up on our pride lands. Percy would have had you killed, but Garrett would have made sure you suffered first, Brand. He would have taken it out on you that I’d allowed someone else to touch me.”
“You said you weren’t dating anyone when we met.”
“He wasn’t my boyfriend. I never dated him or let him touch me. He tried plenty of times but I wasn’t interested. He decided I was going to become his mate and made it clear he’d hurt anyone who looked at me twice. He would have seen it as a betrayal to find out we’d lived together and I loved you. I used to have nightmares about the horrible things he and his friends would have done to you.”
Anger rose but he pushed it down. “He might have changed his mind about wanting you for a mate if he’d learned about me.”
She eased her hold on his hair. “No, Brand. You don’t get it. He knew I hated him, that he was the last person I wanted to be with, but he didn’t give a damn. He was a spoiled-rotten first son of a pride leader. A bully. Vicious.” She took a deep breath. “He beat on and harassed anyone he didn’t like because he could. His father never reined him in or scolded him for the messed-up things he did. He just would have made an example of you and counted it as a bonus to watch me suffer your loss. That’s the type of jerk he’s always been.”
“I would have killed him.”
“I’m not insulting you. You’re obviously a great fighter. I saw that firsthand when you got all those werewolves away from my car, but you would have been facing off against an entire pride. Garrett makes sure he can win before he gets involved. He’d have had his friends attack until you were so injured you couldn’t fight back, and then he would have struck.”
“I really want him dead.”
“So do I.”
He studied her closely and saw sincerity. “How could you stand to be with him?” He had a new sense of her inner strength if her life had been as appalling as he suspected.
She looked away. “No choice. I had to stick it out until my sisters were old enough to mate.” She held his gaze then. “It was my responsibility as the oldest to keep them safe. I never suspected that one of them would hook up with the son of another pride leader. If she hadn’t, I’d still be trapped there until Bree is settled.”
The tears that filled her eyes broke his heart but she blinked them away. His mate was strong and beautiful. “I understand. I’d do damn near anything for blood.”
“I have.” Her smile appeared forced. “Let’s change the subject. You said something about us going to the alpha house. Does your family want to meet me?”
It was a reminder that they needed to leave. “My cousin Anton decided it would be safer if the family and the enforcers move into Uncle Elroy’s home. We’re stronger united, and we’re the ones the pride males want. It’s safer for our pack if the pride isn’t tearing apart the town seeking us out. We’ll make certain they know where to come.”
She gaped at him.
“It’s a good plan. We want to draw them away from the weaker members. There’s nothing to worry about. You’ll be safe inside the house. I wouldn’t leave you here alone anyway. Some of them might decide to go house to house searching for easy prey. My cousins need me in this fight. I wouldn’t do it, though, if I believed you’d be in danger. You’re my priority.”
“You need to fight. I understand that, even if I hate it. I’d never ask you to abandon your family when they’re depending on you.”
He hadn’t thought for a minute she would. She’d suffered plenty for the safety of her own family. “I know it’s going to be difficult being around so many wolves but they’re aware that you’re my mate. No one will dare give you any shit. My cousins and I made that damn clear.”
“What about Alpha Elroy? Is he upset that I’m here?”
“No.” Brand tried to hide his anguish. “He doesn’t know about you. Long story short, his parents arranged his mating to my aunt Eve. He did his best to love her and be a good mate. It wasn’t reciprocated. She did something really bad recently and he banished her from our territory. He had no choice but to shun her.”
Charma’s eyebrows arched, her surprise clear.
“She endangered her own son, put his new mate in grave jeopardy, and planned to kill Uncle Elroy and his half-human son, who was born before they mated. She deserved to die but my uncle has a big heart. Mating heat had begun so losing her at this time would have driven him insane. You don’t come back from that. Our doctor put him in an induced coma. My cousins are leading the pack until it’s safe to wake him, after the heat passes. He’ll have a rough time of it, adjusting to the loss of a mate but he’s strong. He’ll survive.”
She was silent for long moments and seemed to carefully consider what he said. “Will he have a problem with me once he’s back in charge?”
“No. He’s a good man. As I said, he has a half-human son. He didn’t know about Grady until
the mother abandoned him on Elroy’s doorstep after discovering he could shift. Eve demanded he kill my cousin, but he refused. Grady mated a human. My cousin Anton is the one who mated a she-cat. Uncle Elroy accepted them. He’ll accept you too.”
She still didn’t appear convinced.
“He will, Charma. Uncle Elroy has been a father to me since my parents left.”
“You never talked about them except to say they were gone. I thought you meant they’d died. Are they still alive?”
He shrugged. “I don’t know. It’s not a good story to tell.” Charma peered at him until he gave in. He’d do anything for her. “My dad was kind of stupid and thought he’d make a better alpha of this pack. He challenged Uncle Elroy and lost.”
That stunned Charma. “I thought werewolves didn’t do that kind of thing if they were brothers. Was your mother the sibling to the alpha?”
“Nope. It was my dad. Uncle Elroy should have killed him. That’s pretty much a given when you challenge for leadership. They were asked to leave the territory instead and banned from ever coming back.”
“How horrible.” She massaged his arm. “I’m so sorry, Brand. Why didn’t you go with them?”
“My father was wrong. Uncle Elroy is a fantastic pack leader. I was given the choice to stay or go. I chose. My parents were angry, and haven’t contacted me since.”
“Oh, Brand.” Her sadness showed in her eyes.
“Don’t feel sorry for me, hon. My cousins are like brothers to me. I might have lost my parents but I kept the whole of my family intact by staying. I’ve never regretted that. This is my pack.”
“But it’s got to be hard not knowing where your parents are, or if they’re still alive.”
“They’d have contacted me if they wanted to. I’m listed in the book. It’s not my favorite subject, so let’s change it. You asked how I know my uncle will accept you. I know him well, and he’s going to welcome you with open arms. I have no doubt about that.”
“I’m glad you’re so sure.” She braved a smile.
“It’s going to work out. We need to get ready to leave. We’re expected at the alpha house soon.”
“I don’t have any spare clothes so this shouldn’t take long.”
“We’ll go shopping once the pride males leave town. For now, you can borrow anything of mine you like.” He enjoyed the idea of her wearing his stuff but naked was better. His dick hardened. He groaned, glancing down at it with disgust. “We need to hurry before I lose my mind needing you again.”
Chapter Eight
Charma stared openly at the attic space that had been converted into a guestroom. The smell of dust tickled her nose. Brand hovered behind her and she turned, catching the worried expression on his face.
“I’m so sorry about this. It’s not exactly nice, and I doubt anyone has stayed in this room since Aunt Margie spent the summer five years ago. She had a thing for living in attics after a flood destroyed her home. The higher above ground, the better. I picked it because it’s the most private and gives us the floor to ourselves.”
“It’s great.” She glanced at the queen bed, two nightstands and a line of boxes piled up along a wall. “I wish it had a television but there are books.” She pointed. “See? Those are clearly marked as romances in that top box to the far left. I love them, so I’ll have plenty to read.”
He inched closer. “This wasn’t how I thought it would be when we mated. It’s safer here with all of us under one roof though. I’ll get you a TV.”
She grinned and stepped into his arms. “I was teasing. With you in heat, I’m sure I’ll be far from bored. I don’t care where we are as long as we’re together. The place just needs a good cleaning.”
A soft growl rumbled from him. “I want you.”
She pressed her hand against the front of his jeans, caressing the hard length of his cock trapped inside them. Her breasts flattened against his chest. “I’m all yours.”
He brushed a kiss over her mouth. “I’ll never get tired of hearing you say that. It’s not real yet. I keep half expecting to wake up alone to discover none of this was real. It would kill me.”
“I’m real.” She reached up to dig her fingernails into his biceps. “Feel me.”
His arms tightened around her. He lifted her and carried her to the bed. They fell in a heap and dust rose around them, causing both of them to sneeze. A snarl tore from Brand.
“Damn it! This isn’t exactly romantic.”
Charma chuckled as she slid her fingers into his silky hair. “It doesn’t matter. We could be lost in the woods, starving, and it could be pouring rain. I’m happy that I have you.”
“I just want everything to be perfect.”
She gazed deep into his beautiful eyes. “It is. You’re here with me.”
He took possession of her mouth again as he shoved her clothing out of the way. She tore at his shirt, attempting to push it up his torso. She needed to feel his skin against hers. The urge to lick him, rake her nails down his back, and the ache between her thighs assured her she was ready to have his cock buried deep inside her.
He was her mate, her life, and every bit of happiness that she’d ever dreamed of having. They were together and nothing else mattered. She was going to enjoy every moment to make up for all the years they’d lost.
Brand rolled over and Charma sat up to straddle his lap. She hooked her fingers beneath her shirt and tore it up her body. His fingers snagged the cups of her bra and tugged to get her breasts free. She unfastened the back of it, wiggled her shoulders and he threw it to the floor. He massaged her taut nipples while she ground her ass over his thighs, wishing they were naked and he was already inside her.
“You’re so beautiful. I missed you so much.”
Brand’s words were enough to make her tear up. “I love you. I died a little every day that we were apart.”
He rolled them again to pin her under him and stared deeply into her eyes. “If you ever take off again, I’ll track you down, hon. I swear I will. To the ends of the Earth if that’s what it takes. I’ll never be without you again.”
The material ripped as she desperately sought hot skin. “Good. I’ll hold you to that promise but I’m not going anywhere. I’m right where I belong.”
A growl tore from his throat that promised he wouldn’t be gentle fucking her and her excitement level spiked higher. Memories of the past blurred with the present as they kissed. All those years had passed but the strong passion between them hadn’t faded. If anything, they’d both learned loss and the value of being together.
His mouth devoured hers as she met his tongue with her own. Charma ground her body against his, needing to feel him. A soft growl came from her throat and surprised them both. Brand responded by snarling. His hands became rougher, gripping her tightly, and he pinned her under his big body again when he rolled them to the center of the bed.
A cry of protest sounded when he pulled his mouth away but he buried it against her throat to nip with his fangs. His hot lips kissed their way down to her breast to tease the taut nipple he scraped with his teeth. Her back arched off the mattress and her nails dug into his shoulders when he sucked hard.
“Fuck me.”
He released her breast and jerked his head up. His sexy eyes appeared more feral, the color nearly black now, and his breathing increased. “Strip.” He braced his arms, lifted and rolled off to give her room.
They both frantically wiggled out of their remaining clothes. Brand got naked first and flipped onto his back. His cock stood proudly, hard, and held her full attention. His fingers spread on his chest to skim over his nipples, his flat belly, all the way to his hips.
“Come here, hon.”
She dropped on the bed to crawl up him with one of his legs between hers, and paused when her face hovered over the thick shaft of his cock. Her tongue darted out to wet her lips and Brand’s gaze narrowed as his hands lifted to cup her face.
“I can’t look at you enough, touch you en
ough, and it still feels like a dream.”
“How about a wet one?”
She dropped her gaze to his lap and opened her mouth. The tip of her tongue swiped the crown of his shaft and swirled in a circle. His body jerked on the bed but he held still after that initial lack of control. A soft purr burst from her and her chest vibrated from the source.
Warmth seeped through her until her body felt as if it were on fire. It surprised her that she was reacting so intensely to Brand. He must have sensed how much she needed it, because he was going to allow her to taste him this time.
He was sexy as hell and she wanted him, but her level of need was off the charts of normal, under the circumstances. It wasn’t her time to go into heat but there was no denying the symptoms. Her gums even ached a little as she wrapped her lips around him and sucked his cock deeper into her mouth.
“Fuck,” he growled.
Don’t grow fangs, she pleaded with her body. If he realizes, he’ll make me stop. The tingling along the top row of her teeth persisted as she coaxed her mate into a fever of passion. The taste of his pre-cum on her tongue only seemed to draw forth her more basic instincts until she tore away from him, fearful of causing him harm. She felt her eyes changing as her vision became brighter and more vivid.
“Oh god,” she panted. Her hand covered her mouth and the pain assured her that it wasn’t her imagination. The sharp points pressed against her palm as her fangs elongated. She stared into Brand’s dark eyes and knew he realized what was happening to her.
“Hon?” Alarm widened his eyes.
“Muh fangs.” She winced, hearing the lisp.
His hands caged her ribs and rolled them. “Let me see.”
Charma hesitated before sliding her hand away. Brand’s gaze lowered to stare at her sharp teeth. His nostrils flared and he came down over her. One hand grabbed her knee to shove it up, giving freer access for his hips to sink into the cradle of her parted thighs.
She threw her head back as his thick cock drove into her. He captured her wrists and jerked them above her head, holding them there as he drove his cock deeper inside her body. She screamed as ecstasy hit so powerfully that she wasn’t sure she could survive. Brand snarled as he nuzzled her hair to the side and his teeth bit into her shoulder.