by BE Kelly
“I’m here, Baby Girl,” Gray whispered. “Kaiah.” She woke with a start and stretched, looking around the cab of his truck as if she was confused about where she was. “You’re okay, Kaiah,” he promised.
“I saw—” she stopped talking when a sob escaped her chest and all he wanted to do was pull his truck over to hold her. But, he needed to keep up with Echo and Rios since he was bringing up the rear of their little caravan.
“Hey,” he soothed, “you're all right, Baby Girl,” Gray promised.
Kaiah sniffled and nodded. “I’m so sorry,” she whispered.
“What are you sorry for?” he asked.
“For what happened to Emily and your girls. I saw it—I saw it all,” she sobbed. Shit—he had just been thinking about everything that went down with his wife and girls. Were they somehow connected even when Kaiah was asleep?
“Can you read my mind even when you’re asleep?” he asked.
“I—I don’t know. I’ve never done that before. Why?” Kaiah asked, wiping her eyes on her sleeve.
“I was just thinking about them—you know what you said you saw. You were sleeping and I didn’t think you’d be able to see inside of my mind while you were asleep,” Gray admitted. It was one of the things he learned to do around her. He’d keep everything he didn’t want her knowing about him out of his thoughts until she went to bed. He allowed himself the grief he still fought after she was asleep. He thought it was safe to let that darkness in once she was out for the night.
“You hide your feelings and thoughts from me until I’m sleeping?” Kaiah whispered. He didn’t want to admit that but he knew there would be no hiding from her now. He could feel her in his head—as if she was going through every one of his thoughts with a fine-tooth comb.
“Yes,” he said. “I knew I wouldn’t be able to hide everything from you otherwise,” he admitted.
“I get it, Gray—you wanted your privacy but I don’t want you to have to hide your feelings and thoughts from me. I’ll stay out of your head from now on.” Kaiah pulled her hand free from his and scooched closer to the passenger door, sending him a clear message.
Gray pulled his cell from his pocket and called Rios, “Flag down Echo, man. I need to take a quick break at the next rest stop. There’s one just a couple miles up according to the last sign we passed.” Rios agreed, saying that Ay needed to feed Ryker again and he ended the call.
“You have about two minutes to be pissed at me, Baby Girl and then you and I are going to park in the back of the lot and have a private conversation. It’s about time you get a few things straight and I’m going to help you with that.” Gray knew that he sounded like an asshole but he didn’t care. Kaiah had been in his head enough over the past few months to know exactly what she was signing up for when she said yes to him. It was time he reminded her about who he was.
Gray pulled into the rest stop and to the back of the lot, waving at Rios as they passed them. Rios nodded as if he understood that Gray needed a few minutes with Kaiah. He was thankful because he didn’t want to have any interruptions for what he was about to do. He parked his pick up and got out, rounding the truck to unbuckle her seat and pull her from it, into his arms.
“Times up, Baby Girl,” he growled, hoisting her over his shoulder, carrying her into the woods that butted up to the edge of the parking lot. It was time to show his Baby Girl just who she said yes to.
Kaiah
Kaiah could feel his anger—at least she thought that was what she read coming from him, radiating off his body as he carried her off into the woods. “Um,” she squeaked. “Where are you taking me?” she asked.
“Hush, Baby Girl,” he commanded, swatting her ass. Gray had never seemed so angry with her and she was beginning to wonder what she had done to provoke him. The dream she had about his wife, Emily and his two daughters, made her heart hurt but he still hadn’t told her what happened with them. From what she could tell, whatever happened with the human hunters left him blaming himself.
Gray walked into the heavily wooded forest and Kaiah wrapped her arms around his waist as he practically held her upside down. “Where are you taking me, Gray?” she asked. “We can’t just disappear and leave everyone sitting back at the rest stop.”
“Just stretching my legs, Baby Girl,” he lied.
“You know I can tell when you’re lying, right Gray?” she questioned.
“Thought you said you were staying out of my head?” Gray asked.
“I wasn’t in your damn head,” Kaiah shouted. “You’re voice rises at the end of your statement when you lie.”
“Good to know,” Gray said. “I’ll try to keep my voice inflection to a minimum then.” He chuckled. Gray stopped and put her down, pointing to a large boulder that sat in a tree cluster. “Sit,” he ordered. It wasn’t a request—Kaiah could hear the command in his voice. It was so dark in the woods that she could barely see his face, leaving her no choice but to do as he said.
“So, you brought me out here to have me sit on a rock in the middle of the forest?” she asked.
“I’d like to talk,” Gray said. Kaiah barked out her laugh.
“From the erection you’re sporting, I’d say that’s not all you’d like to do,” Kaiah teased. She saw the worry in Gray’s eyes and hated that he seemed worried about talking to her about anything.
“I want to tell you about my wife and daughters,” he offered. “You already know some of it though.” Kaiah looked around, avoiding making eye contact with him. She had seen some of it and from what she already knew, it was awful. “Look at me, Kaiah,” he begged. “I won’t be able to tell you about them if you avoid me like that.”
“I’m not avoiding you, Gray,” she insisted. “I saw some of what happened to them and I’m so sorry.”
Gray shrugged like it was not a big deal but she could tell that it was. “You have nothing to be sorry about, Baby Girl. It happened years ago but it still feels like just yesterday.” She knew that Gray still blamed himself for what happened to his family but he had no way of knowing that the hunters were coming for them. “I thought we were safe. I thought that the hunters had given up on finding us so I shifted and went for a hunt. I fucking hate that I let my guard down—it cost me everything. I lost my whole world that day.” Kaiah swiped at her hot tears that fell down her face. She felt foolish that she was crying for him. Kaiah wanted him to think she was stronger than that but hearing the hurt in his voice was almost too much to bear. She just hoped that someday he’d come to think of her as his world because that’s exactly how she was beginning to feel about him.
“Gray,” she croaked. “I—”
“No, let me finish,” she begged. “I need to get the rest out before I lose my nerve.”
“All right,” she stuttered. “Go on.”
“As soon as I got back home that night, I knew that something wasn’t right. I found them—the three of them,” his voice broke and it nearly gutted her. “They were huddled together in the family room on the floor. Em’s body covered the girls and I knew that even to her last breath; she was protecting them.”
“Sounds like she was a wonderful mother,” Kaiah whispered.
“She was,” Gray agreed. “I didn’t know what to do. I brought them back to New Orleans—back to my pack and we had services for them. I was so lost and all I wanted was revenge. Rios’ dad was the pack’s leader and he was the one who talked me out of going after the hunters that killed my family. He told me it would make me no better than they were. He said I’d become a monster just like them and I knew that Emily wouldn’t want that for me. She would have wanted me to find some peace with everything that happened so, I let them go as best as I could and tried to figure my shit out. I threw myself into my work, building my construction company and helping out around Tito’s as much as I could. But I still wasn’t living. I had shut myself off to anyone or anything that might bring me happiness.”
“You paid the price for losing them, Gray. Isn’t it
time you let yourself off the hook and stop blaming yourself for their murders? Isn’t it time to start living again?” Kaiah asked.
“I know it wasn’t my fault, I do. But, logic seems to escape people when they’re faced with such complete devastation. I gave up on everything—life, my company, my club, my pack. I didn’t want to live anymore. I was dead inside—you know? But then things changed,” Gray whispered.
“How so?” Kaiah asked.
“I met you,” he whispered.
“Oh,” she breathed.
“Yeah—” Gray said, “You made me feel things again. Meeting you made me want things I thought weren’t possible. You saying yes to me all made my dreams come true, Honey.”
“I didn’t do anything, Gray,” she protested.
“You gave me hope, Baby Girl. You gave me a chance and I’m so afraid that I’m going to lose you.” Kaiah stood and wrapped her arms around him, not able to keep her distance any longer.
“I want to give you more than just a chance,” she whispered. “You won’t lose me,” she promised.
“When your father showed up at my place to tell you about the shifters who were coming for you and Ay—I panicked. A part of me wanted to push you away. That would be easier than letting you in and possibly losing you,” Gray said.
“But, you chose to let me in,” Kaiah whispered.
“Yeah—I did. I wanted you too much not to. I’m—I um, think I’m falling for you, Kaiah,” he whispered, pressing his forehead against hers. “I don’t want you to stay out of my head, Baby Girl. I want you in every part of my life—including my damn thoughts.” Hearing Gray admit that he was falling for her was everything and not giving him back the words felt wrong. She knew that she was already in love with him.
“I’m in love with you, Gray. I have been for months now. At first, I tried telling myself that you were just a form of comfort for me when we were on the run from the hunters. You were a shoulder to cry on and I told myself that was all I was feeling. But I was lying to myself. I’ve fallen for you too but I was afraid.”
“Afraid of me?” Gray asked.
“Never,” Kaiah breathed, looking up at him. “I was afraid that love won’t be enough. I was afraid of wanting things like a future and a family with you. Afraid that you wouldn’t want to give me those things.”
“I want to give you everything, Baby Girl,” he breathed.
“I know Daddy,” Kaiah whispered against his lips. His hands were everywhere, making her already overly-sensitive body crave more from him. She’d never get enough of her shifter and she hoped he felt the same way.
“Turn around,” he ordered. “I need you, Kaiah,” he growled.
Kaiah shivered and did as he ordered. He pulled her cut off shorts down her legs and she could hear Gray undo his belt, pulling his zipper down. Kaiah felt her breath hitch as she waited for what she was sure would come next. She was waiting for Gray to fill her and make her his.
“This will be fast, Baby Girl. You with me?” he asked against her ear, eliciting yet another shiver.
“Yes,” she moaned. “I’m with you Gray—always.” He pushed her front up against a tree, the bark digging into her palms. Gray filled her with one thrust and he groaned out his pleasure. She felt the same way about everything he was doing to her. He pumped in and out of her body and Kaiah didn’t hold back, meeting him thrust for thrust. She didn’t care that they were out in the middle of nowhere, only about a quarter-mile from where her family waited for them to return. She forgot all about human hunters and vengeful shifters out to hurt her and her sister. All she could think about was Gray standing behind her, filling her and making her his.
“Daddy,” she cried out as she came around his cock. He sunk his teeth into her neck and she knew that he had drawn blood. She would wear his mark for days and she didn’t give a fuck. She was his and Kaiah didn’t care who knew it. He pumped into her body a few more times and when he came deep inside of her, it was her name he whispered against her skin, kissing a path down her neck. Gray wrapped his arms around her limp body and pulled her close.
“I still can’t make you promises, Baby Girl,” he whispered. “But, I have to admit that I can’t see my future without you in it,” Gray admitted. He barked out his laugh, “That’s funny since you’re the one who can see into the future, not me.” He pulled free from her body and helped her to right her clothes.
Kaiah smiled, “I can’t see everything,” she admitted.
“Can you see what will happen with us?” he asked.
“No,” she breathed. Kaiah only saw muted pictures in her visions when it came to her bossy shifter. She almost rather it be that way because sometimes, knowing what was coming next sucked. “Do you want kids?” she asked. She almost didn’t want to know his answer but if he didn’t it would be best to wrap her head around that fact now. She wasn’t sure how she felt about the whole kids thing. She wasn’t getting any younger so, if she was going to have them, time was wasting.
“Not sure,” he admitted. “If you would have asked me a month ago, I would have flat out told you no way. I had my two girls and they were everything to me. I don’t think I could go through losing a child again. But, now with you, watching you with Ryker—I don’t know how I feel about having more kids. I do know that I want to give you everything in my power to make you happy, Baby Girl. I guess the question is, do you want kids?”
Kaiah thought for a minute and nodded, “I do,” she said. “Is that okay?”
“How about we figure out how to deal with the shifter pack you have coming for you and then we can discuss rugrats?” Gray asked.
“Deal,” she agreed. “We better get back to the rest of the group. Otherwise, I’m betting that Ay will have Echo and Rios out here looking for us.” Gray reached for her hand and she willingly took his. “So, about your offer of letting me be in your head,” she teased.
Gray chuckled, “Have at it, Honey. I have a feeling I won’t be able to stop you from knowing what I’m thinking. Besides, I’m an open book,” Gray said.
Gray
He felt like shit—he bit her and there would be no taking that back. The only other woman he bit during mating was his wife and each time, she ended up pregnant with one of his pups but that was how it worked for shifters. Emily was a shifter, like him and he didn’t have to worry about turning her with his bite. But Kaiah—she was only half shifter and had never turned into her wolf form. Could he turn her? Maybe he was worried over nothing but only time would tell. He worried that not telling her was a mistake—she’d see it in his thoughts but he was also getting pretty good at blocking her from his mind when he needed to. She had enough on her plate and having to worry about possibly turning into a wolf should be the least of her worries. No—he wouldn’t tell Kaiah how he was an asshole and lost control of himself while he was deep inside of her. He wouldn’t tell her that he possibly turned her into a shifter and got her pregnant with one stupid move. Yeah—he was going to keep that information to himself and hope to hell that his seer couldn’t find the shame and regret he was feeling in his thoughts.
He'd have to find a way forward and keep himself in check because right now, they had more pressing matters on their plates. They got to Echo’s place in Canada in just a few days and Gray was surprised to find that the old wolf hadn’t been completely honest about where he was taking them. He said he had a cabin in Montreal but it was more like he owned a compound. There were eight cabins in total and Gray was happy for the privacy of his and Kaiah’s cabin.
There were a couple of other shifter families that were living in some of Echo’s cabins and they had planned a big dinner to welcome Echo’s daughter’s to their pack. From what Gray gathered, they were social outcasts from the pack just like Echo. Each one of them had married outside of their pack—some to humans, others to people like Aylen and Kaiah who had special powers that were forbidden to mix with Echo’s wolf pack. They had chosen to break the rules and walk away, each facing the poss
ibility of the pack finding them. Echo had told Ay and Kaiah that if his pack caught up to them, they would kill them for being what they liked to call “abominations”. His woman wasn’t that though and he’d fight like hell if those asshole shifters tried to take what was his.
Gray and Kaiah took the smallest cabin on the property—a little one-room place and he had to admit, he liked the cozy feel of it. The air had already turned colder up North but any place was colder compared to New Orleans. Gray had always loved the cooler weather, especially in the fall.
“Hey,” Kaiah said, finding him standing on the covered front porch to the cabin. “I got us all unpacked. You good?” He was more than good—she was safe and he planned on keeping her that way.
“Yep,” he said. “I was just thinking about how nice it was up here. New Orleans is still so hot.” Kaiah wrapped her sweater around her body and snuggled against him.
“Yeah, I always loved fall but down in New Orleans, it sure doesn’t feel like autumn weather yet,” she said. “This weather makes me want to go apple picking and drink hot cocoa.”
“Well, maybe we can do something like that—you know if it’s safe. I always thought about moving North. The older I get the more I can’t take the humidity down South,” he grumbled.
Kaiah shot him a look, “You do know that most people retire down South to get away from the cold, right? Besides, you aren’t that old.” Gray knew how old he was and every day he worried that she’d figure out he was too old for her and kick him to the curb.
“Not going to happen,” she said. She smiled up at him and he couldn’t help his laugh.
“I’m glad to see that you have decided to stay in my head, Baby Girl. How about we head over to the main house and find something to eat, I’m starving,” he said. Kaiah made a face and he knew that she was worried about having to meet the rest of the people on the little commune. He was pretty sure that her brother would be one of the people her father wanted to introduce her and Aylen to. He knew that might not be such a great idea especially with the way Aylen still seemed so hostile towards her father.
