by L. P. Dillon
I turned my head to the side, aimed my nose toward my armpit, and discreetly as I could, took a whiff.
He laughed. "You don't stink, Brie. Your Scion scent is really strong, and to be honest it had some of us in a frenzy. That's why I asked the witches to give us their room. I needed to be closer to you."
I widened my eyes. "You mean Gemma and Erika are witches? And Connor’s sisters, too?"
He avoided eye contact for a second and nervously replied, "Oh, yeah, about that. Connor’s sisters aren't witches. They're werewolves. I lied to try and cover my ass when you overheard my conversation on the phone."
"Hmm," I replied with an eyebrow raised.
He cleared his throat. "Anyway, so Jesse was visiting the Frat house the day you arrived, and he caught your scent quicker than I did. He found you and followed you around for a bit. Straight away he was smitten."
I blushed at the thought of Jesse following me around. Yeah, it was kinda creepy, but in light of what's happened, I felt flattered.
"After the party, when you guys ran off, he said he couldn't get you out of his head. I don't know what made him change his mind, but that day you were at the cabin, he went to my father and uncle and told them that he was going to challenge me for the Alpha position." Chase sighed.
I gasped, then threw my hand over my mouth to hide it, but it was too late. Dropping my hands in my lap, I asked, "Why would he do that?"
"He wanted to be with you. Werewolves that aren’t Alpha's can't be with Scions because they aren't strong enough to protect them. They also cannot turn them, so there is no chance of ever having a family. Once a werewolf goes through the Alpha ceremony, they become stronger, then they are able to turn a Scion and reproduce with them," he told me, and it was all too much to take in.
All that kept rushing through my mind was the fact that Jesse had gone to them because he wanted to be with me.
Now he is gone, did they do something to him? Did they have him killed?
I remembered him asking me not to tell anyone about him telling me that Chase claimed me. He’d said, “They'll kill me!” My heart sank at the thought that he was dead because of me. Heart-wrenching sobs erupted from me, making me lower my head into my hands.
Chase moved up the couch and pulled me into his chest. "Brie, what's wrong?"
I cried into his chest and, between sobs, managed to choke out, "Jesse died because of me."
Aubrey, no, don't ever think that. Jesse died in a terrible car accident. It wasn't your fault," he said in a soft voice while stroking my hair.
I sniffled a little and replied, "Chase, we slept together!"
Before I had a chance to say anything else, he held onto my shoulders and pushed me away, standing up. He paced the length of the room, his breathing erratic.
Eventually, he roared so loud I thought the windows shook, then he punched the wall. I jumped back in my seat; my eyes grew wide when I saw the brick crumbled away from the wall. Blood poured down his hand, so I ran to the kitchen and found a towel. Sprinting back to him, I guided him to the couch. When he’d taken a seat, I knelt on the floor in front of him, wrapping the towel around his hand to apply pressure on the wound. He cupped my cheek with his other hand, and when I glanced up at him, his eyes were black. Surprisingly, they didn't scare me like they had before.
He stroked my cheek. "I'm sorry Aubrey. I'm not usually like this. I don't know what's happening to me. I've never cared enough about someone to be jealous before. But with you, I can't bear the thought of anyone else being with you. It makes me crazy." His voice was husky, and I was ashamed to admit it, but it sent chills down my spine.
I sighed as he brushed my cheek with his thumb. "Look, from what you've told me, Alpha's are drawn to Scions, correct?" After he nodded, I continued. "Well, maybe it's that then? Maybe there is some mystical crap at play, and it makes you crazy and protective around me?"
"Yeah maybe, but there is another thing you need to know. The reason why Alpha's, Sire's, and Kings are so interested in you is not only because of carrying on their line, but in our culture, if you don't find a Scion to settle down with, you have to rule your pack, brood, or tribe alone. That is why we have to keep you safe. There will be many out there who wouldn't give you a choice," he said, an edge of panic creeping into his voice.
I got up and sat back onto the couch. "So why have none of these men come after me before?"
He plopped his ankle over his knee, stretching one arm over the back of the couch. "Well, your family has made sure that no one ever had the chance to get close enough. Pretty much, any outside wolves, vamps, or shifters have been kept out of your town since you were born."
It was kind of weird to have been so sheltered and not even know that I had been. To be honest, I didn't really miss out on too much.
"Although, you did have one come after you," Chase added.
My thoughts faded away. At those words, he had my full attention. "What? Who?"
"Kyle," he replied simply.
"What? Kyle is a wolf too?" I said while slumping, on the couch, knocking his hand with my head.
He picked his arm back up and rested it where it had been before it fell on me. "Yeah. Um, do you have a brother? And has he just turned sixteen by any chance?"
"Yeah, Austin turned sixteen a few weeks back..."
"Well, that would explain Kyle’s sudden need to have you back. He has two years to train and then challenge your brother for the future Alpha position. If he could have you with him already, he would stand a better chance at having the pack accept him if he was to beat your brother," he explained.
The thought of my little brother fighting Kyle, or any other full-grown men, frightened the hell out of me. He was fit but he wasn't strong enough to fight off adults.
Chase gave me a soft look as if he could sense my worry. "Are you okay? You don't need to worry about Kyle. I'm already halfway to becoming Alpha of my pack, so he doesn't stand a chance against me. I'll keep you safe from him."
I shook my head. "No, it's not him that I'm worried about. It's Austin. He's sixteen, so how can he fight fully grown men?"
"It's okay, Brie. It has been our way for centuries. He will be fine. Once an Alpha's firstborn son reaches age, he changes quickly, becoming stronger, faster, and smarter. Its nature’s way of giving them the best shot at keeping the Alpha position in their family line. I'm sure your dad has been training him for years, and now that he has reached the age of sixteen, his training will get more focused and intense."
His words eased my mind a little, but I still couldn't see my little brother being able to fight off other boys, but especially not men. It just wasn’t in his nature. I really had a lot to discuss with my family. I wondered if Austin knew everything, or had they kept him in the dark, too?
I yawned while thoughts and information rushed through my mind.
Chase glanced at his watch. "Crap, it's two a.m. Do you want to stay here tonight? Or do you want me to drive you back to the Sorority house?"
"I have so many questions—" I started, but he held a hand up, stopping me.
"Yes, and they will still be there tomorrow. Aubrey, you need to sleep. We both do. I can answer any of the other questions you have tomorrow."
I nodded my head in agreement because he was right. I was super tired.
Glancing over my shoulder, I looked at the stairs. "How many bedrooms does this place have?"
When I turned back, Chase had a smirk on his face, along with one eyebrow raised. His expression softened after only a second. "Enough for you to have your own room, Brie. Come on, I'll show you which one is yours."
He stood up and held his hand out for me, so I took it, letting him lead me up the stairs and towards one of the bedrooms. Walking inside, it took my breath away. The room was huge, with its own private bathroom and a bed so big I had to go over and jump on it straight away, which enticed a laugh from Chase.
"I'll leave you to it. I'll be just down the hall if you need me. Goodnight
Aubrey."
"Goodnight Chase," I replied, watching him leave. The instant he disappeared, I closed the door, kicked my sneakers off, and removed my jeans.
The second I climbed into bed and my head hit the pillow, my eyes fluttered closed. I didn’t fight it when sleep took me into its peaceful arms.
I awoke at around eleven a.m. The bed was so comfy that I didn't really want to leave it, but I knew I had to. Hopping out of bed, I walked to the bathroom, and after using the bathroom, I hopped in the shower. When I had finished and dressed, I headed downstairs.
I searched everywhere, but Chase was nowhere to be seen. Panic clutched my chest, and before I knew what had happened, I’d dropped to my knees, crying hysterically. I screamed out Chase’s name over and over, the memories of the day Jesse had died completely flooding my memory.
No matter what I did, I couldn’t pull myself out from the terror I felt, the sadness crushing me internally. It was like I was reliving that horrible day, and I could do nothing to stop it. I didn’t even hear the door open, or Chase running through it. In fact, I didn’t see him until he dropped down beside me and touched my back
"Aubrey, what's happened?" His strong arms wrapped around me, and he cradled me like a baby, rocking me back and forth. “Please, Aubrey. Talk to me.” His gentle fingers stroked my hair, and I leaned into his touch.
I took a few shaky breaths, trying to calm myself down. "I thought you were gone. Like Jesse." Tears flooded my cheeks again at those words.
He pulled me closer to his chest. "Shhh, I'm sorry, I should have told you I was going out. I'll never leave you like that again. I promise."
His words were comforting and, after a while of focusing on his heartbeat beneath my ear and his gentle strokes of my hair, I finally began to calm down. I think at that moment he realized just how much Jesse's death had affected me. He stood up and carried me to the couch, sat down, and just held me. I don't know how long we stayed there like that, but eventually, I must have fallen asleep.
And when I awoke, he was still holding me tight, stroking my hair.
I coughed and cleared my dry throat. "Thank you, Chase," I said in a sleepy voice as I tried to sit up.
"No worries. I'll always be here to pick you up when you fall."
His kind words made me smile, and I felt safe in his arms. Maybe if life had been different, we could have been together. But with Kyle, Jesse, and the whole bad boy act that Chase had going on, there was no way I would have fallen for him entirely. Although, after finally knowing the truth, and being held so tight while falling apart, I now felt a slight hope that maybe something good could come out of all this heartache. Maybe, just maybe, destiny did have a plan for me, and maybe it was named Chase.
After that night, I began to open up to Chase. I stopped partying and concentrated on my studies. I also quit shutting him down every time he tried to come near me, and eventually, we became quite close. A few months ago, he built up the courage to ask me out on a date. He looked so nervous, and it was beyond adorable. I agreed instantly, and he almost had a heart attack. I guessed with all the times I'd turned him down, he just assumed I would reject him again.
We went out on our date, and it was perfect, we laughed and connected on a whole new level. We went on a few more dates, and on the fifth, he asked me to go steady. I hesitated a little, but then thought why not? I liked the guy a lot, and even though I couldn't get Jesse out of my mind or heart, Chase made me happy.
He was kind and attentive, hot as hell, and he'd managed to keep his jealous outbursts to a minimum. Sure, he still freaked out if a guy thought he'd push his luck, but I was able to calm him down quickly, and after a while, I learned to shut the guys down myself. That way, it never got out of hand. I didn't want him to be in a position to be jealous because I knew I wouldn't have liked it if he flirted with other women. And trust me, he had a lot of female fans.
For the past three months we were the pack’s official it couple., and it was going great. We had Thanksgiving at his parent's house and Christmas at mine. All of our parents had a meeting and were ecstatic about the matchup. His family was over the moon that their son had found a Scion, and mine was happy that I had fallen in love and chosen my own partner. They were also happy with the fact that he was a strong future Alpha from an extremely prestigious family. Chase's bloodline was one of the longest in werewolf history, and his family had managed to keep the Alpha position in their bloodline for three whole centuries.
My father’s line was fairly new to the Alpha game. He told me that it was my grandpa Hilton who managed to beat the Alpha's son in his time, and that's when our family took over the pack. He also told me that it was Kyle’s grandfather who had been beaten. Kyle’s father and Kyle were still bitter about not having the Alpha title in their family. Kyle's dad tried to beat my father when he was eighteen, but dad said he easily kicked his ass. That news made me and Chase laugh.
Everything was going great. My little brother was very focused on his training and took it all very seriously. Also, the boy was unrecognizable now. Not only physically, but his whole demeanor and attitude had changed. He was becoming a man, and I couldn't believe that Austin, my annoying little brother, was so strong and respectful. My mom was apologetic on not informing about what—or who for that matter—I was, but I let her know that I understood completely.
She went on to tell me that most Scions bring their girls up knowing everything, but that the women in her family always let the girls have a normal life for as long as possible. They wanted them to be able to fall in love and choose who they spent their lives with, which I was incredibly grateful. I didn't want to just be shipped off with someone if they beat my brother for the Alpha position. That's what most Scion families did: Promised their Scion daughters to whoever took over as Alpha, Sire, or King.
If my family stuck to tradition, then I could have ended up with Kyle or anyone else that might have beaten Austin. If their brothers weren't beaten, then the Scion girls were paraded around other leaders in the hope of finding the strongest one to take them. I couldn't imagine a life like that. So, I let my mom know that I was more than happy with her decision. Although, I did add that when I had a daughter of my own, she would know what she was, but she will still have my blessing to fall in love and be with whoever she wants to. Whether that be werewolf, shifter, vampire, or even a human.
Chase agreed with me and said that if it was our daughter, he would keep her safe from anyone who may want her so that she could live a happy life, and then be free to choose whoever she wanted. I was kind of shocked that he assumed I meant our kids, but inside, it made me happy he was thinking that far ahead. We were on the same page. And when I thought about it a bit more, I realized what an incredible father he would be.
And dare I say he would make an even better…husband.
It was time to return to school after the holidays, and to be honest, I was going to miss my family and Chase. Sure, I'd get to see him all the time, but I didn't like being away from him much anymore. I loved spending time with him, but luckily for me, he was still like a stalker, so wherever I turned, there he was. It wasn't overbearing, though. I'd gotten used to it, and now that I knew there were dangers out there, like threats of kidnapping, I kind of liked the idea that he wasn't far away.
Of course, I always had Payton with me, and Chase found a couple of other wolves who were taking the same classes as me, so I quickly became friends with my new classmates/bodyguards. I stayed over at the Frat house last night. Chase wanted us to go out, but I had some reading to finish before classes started back up, so I agreed to stay over at his place and order food instead. I'd stayed over a few times, so I’d brought some clothes over. That way I didn't have to keep running back to the Sorority to get changed.
I woke up and the bed was surprisingly empty. Usually, when I woke Chase was curled up with me. I heard a lot of commotion downstairs, so I quickly got out of bed and ran downstairs. I gasped and froze once I reached the livin
g room.
The whole room was packed with wolves. I'd seen Chase and some of the others shift but being stared at by a dozen large wolves while I stood there in my panties and an oversized t-shirt of Chase’s wasn’t something, I’d prepared myself for. A gigantic brown wolf brushed up against my leg, whimpering as he rubbed his head into my hand.
I stroked his head and said, "Morning Bear, where's Chase?"
Bear howled loudly into the air and another wolf quickly replied from outside. I made my way to the sliding glass patio doors and looked out into the grass-covered garden that led to the woods. I stood there in the bitterly cold morning air, folding my arms across my chest and rubbed my hands up and down my bare skin, trying to warm myself. But as soon as I saw a completely naked Chase emerge from the trees, I forgot about being cold. In fact, I probably could have fried eggs on my now burning-hot cheeks.
Even though we had been together for months now, we still hadn't taken that step, and this was the first time I was seeing Chase in his full entirety. I couldn't lie, the guy took my breath away, and the huge scar on his side didn’t take anything away from how handsome he was. His large thighs looked like they could kick right through one of the trees he just emerged from. Add in his chiseled abs, rock-hard chest, and arms that looked like if they hugged you too tight, your head might pop open like a grape, and he was smoking hot.
It was strange, though. In the last few weeks, he seemed to be bulking up fast, and I wasn’t complaining, but I had to admit it was strange watching him change so quickly. I'd joked that if he got any bigger, he wouldn't be able to fit into his pretty little Lotus anymore. He wasn't happy about that, and just laughed at me when I offered to take it off his hands for free. I watched as he strolled towards me, with a few wolves trailing behind him. I had an awkward smile, but that soon vanished when he got close enough for me to see him properly. His usually smiling face was contorted into an angry scowl, and I had no idea if it was aimed at me or not.
