She backed up without a thought, wanting him near despite the actions that had moved her to tell him to leave in the first place.
“Why are you here?” she asked, her voice emotionless.
He faced her, his hands still in his pockets. “I left because you told me to, and I will never do anything to hurt you, but I couldn’t stay away, Brynn. Not with so much between us.”
She swallowed hard. “It hurts to be with you, yet at the same time, its agonizing not to be with you, Finn.”
His jaw clenched, and he pulled one hand out of his pocket to cup her cheek. She didn’t back away, and it took all within her not to lean into his touch.
“Take me as I am, Brynn. Take my soul, my body, my everything. We will find a way to form the bond.” He let out a breath. “I talked to my Aunt Hannah, the one who Healed me all those years ago, and she is going to look for a way to fix my wolf. My whole Pack will help if needed. We’re a family, and I will beg them if I have to.” He met her gaze and her heart raced. “I’ll go down to my knees right now and beg you to give me a chance if that is what you want.”
She shook her head. “You should bow and beg to no one, Finn Jamenson.”
“You aren’t no one. You are worth more than the dominance of a wolf who lost a chance with the one woman who completes him. We will find a way to have the bond we deserve. You will have the mate you deserve. I will fight until my dying breath to make that happen. You deserve so much more than a broken wolf, but I want you, I need you, I adore you. Please, Brynn. Take me. Love me. Be with me.”
His thumb caught a stray tear, and she sucked in a shattered breath. She hadn’t even been aware she’d let that tear fall.
It was a risk. A huge step where she might end up dying alone and in pain, but the agony she currently faced, the emptiness she felt without him in her life was too much to bear alone. She may not have the bond, but she’d have him.
That had to be enough.
At least for now.
And if there were a hope for something her wolf craved, then she’d hold on to that hope with all her strength.
“I love you, Finn,” she whispered, knowing he needed the words just as much as she did. His eyes widened, and she cursed herself for not saying it before when he had. Only then, she’d been backing away from the chance of something more, and hadn’t wanted to add to the hurt with words of love.
Now though, she couldn’t hold them in.
“I love you,” she repeated. “And yes, yes I’ll take a chance. I shouldn’t have pushed you away, but I needed time to think. I went about it wrong.”
His body shook, but he didn’t move closer to her. “You didn’t go about it entirely wrong. I mean, we don’t know what we’re doing here. We’re in uncharted territory, but we’ll figure it out. Just like we’ll figure out the problem with the humans. Together. Because, Brynn? We are so much stronger together than we ever were apart.”
She reached out and traced her finger over his heart. “So we’ll be together, with no bond? What does that mean exactly?”
He gripped her wrist with his free hand, and she reveled in his touch. “That means I am yours as you are mine. I will never be with another, and you will do the same. I will love you until my last breath, and I hope you do the same for me.”
“Of course,” she whispered.
“We will figure out what it means for us within the Packs, but for now, we are one. We will figure out what to do about the bond, but until then, but we’ll do everything like we’re a mated pair.” He met her gaze, pleading. “Please, Brynn.”
She licked her lips, watching the way his chest rose and fell. “I can do that. I know you don’t feel the same pull I do, but you’re here. That means you either want to feel that pull or it’s something different for you. Either way, you’re here.”
“We’ll make it work.”
She leaned forward and kissed his chest. “Yes. Yes, we will.” Because there was no other option.
The hand cupping her cheek tilted her head back, and he crushed his mouth to hers. This wasn’t a soft, hesitant kiss. No, this was everything. All the rage, the lust, the time they’d spent away from one another because they didn’t know... Brynn kissed him back, biting his lip hard when he wouldn’t open for her.
He growled, reaching around to smack her ass. “Watch the teeth, princess.”
“You’re with a dominant wolf, prince, better get used to my bite.” She sank her teeth into his lip again, and he picked her up by the ass and slammed her back into the wall. She huffed out a breath but wrapped her legs around his waist as he pressed his body against hers.
“Oh, I know you’re all dominant.” He licked her lip, suckled, and then trailed his tongue up to the back of her ear. He rocked his jean-clad cock against the valley between her legs, and she moaned. “I want your claw marks down my back, your fangs in my skin as you lose control. I want you wet and ready for me to fuck you hard against this wall. Does that sound good to you, princess?”
To answer, she let her claw slide out of her fingertip and ripped his henley down the seam. He shrugged out of it, a grin on his face and his eyes still that jade green without the gold rim that told her his wolf was near. His wolf wasn’t up front, not like hers, but she didn’t care. She had Finn. And for now, that was all she needed.
He moved one hand and did the same to her shirt as she’d done to his. The coolness of the air against her skin made her shiver, but the heat from Finn warmed her right up.
He held her up with one hand on her ass, and she pressed her back to the wall so he could look his fill.
“Like?” she asked, her voice breathy.
Finn licked his lips then pinched her nipple. She gasped, arching into his hold. “Fuck, yeah. I didn’t get to look my fill last time. We went so fast, I didn’t get to properly worship you.”
She smiled, her hands running down his arms. Dear goddess, his arms. Thick cords of muscle under scarred skin. He was a warrior. Her warrior.
“Worship me after. Fuck me first. I want you in me, Finn. Please.”
He grinned then leaned down, sucking her nipple into his mouth. She moaned, rocking into him, and he teased her with his tongue and teeth. He released her with a pop then licked along the underside of her breast before laving his way to her other nipple and repeating the action. Her panties were drenched, and she was so close to coming from his play with her nipples alone, she couldn’t breathe.
“Finn…”
He growled against her, and she stiffened. Her back bowed and her eyes slammed shut, waves of pleasure and heat hitting her with such force she would have fallen if Finn hadn’t held her up. Finn growled again, keeping her coming until she was sure he would have to tear her out of her jeans.
When he set her back on her feet, she gripped his shoulders, keeping her balance. Finn had their jeans ripped off in seconds, his claws oh so careful with her skin.
“Goddess, you’re fucking fantastic.”
Finn laughed at her words then had her slammed against the wall again and inside her in one stroke. They both froze, his cock so thick and hard inside of her, she knew she’d never felt this full…at least not since earlier with him in her bed.
“You’re pretty fucking fantastic, too, princess.”
She reached around and gripped his ass hard with her claws. Finn sucked in a breath, his smile going wide and a bit feral.
“Fuck me, prince.”
Finn kept one hand on her ass, the other cupping her face as he slowly worked his way in and out of her. The exquisite torture of his touch made her want to scream and moan at the same time.
“I’ll make love to you, princess. And I’ll fuck you at the same time.” He kissed her softly then slammed home.
She gasped a scream as he pistoned into her, his cock going deeper with each stroke. She moved her hips with his thrusts, wanting him as deep as possible.
“Come for me, Brynn. Squeeze my cock and milk me.”
She kissed him, her wo
lf rising to the surface, reaching for the other half of her soul that she prayed would one day be there. Finn moved again, this time arching in the perfect way to make her come.
Her inner walls clamped down on him, and he groaned, filling her up as he came with her. He leaned his forehead against hers, his body shaking.
“Love you, Brynn,” he whimpered, “my warrior princess.”
She grinned at the nickname. “Love you, too, warrior prince. My Finn.”
It wasn’t perfect, it wasn’t a mating, but it was her new life. She had Finn by her side, and no matter what happened, she’d take the next step in her future with her head held high.
There wasn’t any other choice.
****
Finn stretched, his body sore from his night with Brynn. He couldn’t help the grin on his face at the thought of her. Oh, he hadn’t slept well and was dragging ass right then, but he didn’t care. He could scent Brynn on his skin, and while he felt the slight pang of disappointment that he couldn’t feel her in his heart, he had her everywhere else. It would be enough. For now.
He trusted Hannah and the others to help him make Brynn his mate. The Redwoods had fought the impossible before. And damn it, he knew they would do it again.
He’d much rather be with Brynn at her place, or even at his, but instead, he’d had to come to his father’s house to talk about a new development with the Pack. He wasn’t sure what it was, but when the Alpha summoned, you came.
His mother smiled widely when Finn walked into the house, though he saw the worry in her eyes.
“You look happy,” she said as she hugged him tightly.
He leaned down and hugged her back, needing the touch of his family even if he were happy.
“I am.”
She moved away and searched his face. When it looked like she saw what she needed, she nodded. “Good. Brynn is strong, intelligent, and beautiful.” She winked. “Good enough for my baby boy, I suppose.”
Finn snorted and rolled his eyes. “Thanks, Mom.” He sobered. “You know it’s not official yet.”
She thinned her lips and nodded. “I want to kill that demon, even after all these years for what he did to you. I have faith in Hannah and the others to find a way for you to truly mate with Brynn. Until then, do you think she will become a Redwood? The lines of our Packs are growing thinner with each mating, but the bonds are still with an individual Alpha.”
Finn let out a breath. “I’m the Heir. I will always be a Redwood.”
“And she doesn’t have a place secured within the Talon hierarchy.” Melanie frowned. “But without the mating bond…” His mother trailed off then shook her head. “We’re getting ahead of ourselves. You will mate with her, and she will become a Redwood after that. Brie did the same for Gideon, and Quinn did so for your sister, Gina.”
He didn’t say anything. They were getting ahead of themselves, just as she’d said.
“Finn.”
He looked up at his father’s voice and let himself relax. His parents loved and supported him, no matter what. He had that to rely on, even as shit hit the fan.
“What’s up?” Finn asked. “You said there was a new development. Is it about Seth? Is he okay?”
Kade nodded. “Seth is fine. Or at least as fine as he can be after waking up to discover Franklin didn’t make it. Maddox and Drake are working with him, but healing from something like that isn’t easy.”
Finn wasn’t sure his parents were aware they’d reached for each other as Kade had spoken. His parents were more in love now than they had been thirty years ago.
“What we actually wanted to talk to you about were the witches.”
Finn frowned. “Huh? The witches? What about them?”
Kade gestured toward the couches, and Finn took a seat while his parents sat across from him.
“You know the witches are just as much in hiding as we once were,” Kade said.
“Yeah, some are out, but humans don’t truly believe it.” Witches had been persecuted in every century—burned at the stake, drowned, murdered for being different. Some were out in the open, but humans didn’t truly understand their natures. Wolves mated to humans and witches just as much as wolves. In fact, his sister Gina was part fire witch thanks to her birth mother, and his Aunt Hannah was an earth witch.
“True enough. But the witches are restless.” His Alpha met his eyes, and Finn sat still. “They will be unveiled soon, Finn. Either on their own terms or by those that know too much. There is no hiding for them while we are out.”
Finn cursed. “We knew it was an eventuality.”
“Yes, but they are reaching out for help.”
“What do you mean?” They were on good terms with some covens, not all, but they’d worked with them in the past. Their wards were created not only by the moon goddess, but the witches within their Packs, as well.
“With the attack on Seth and Franklin, the one on you and Brynn, and the bombing near Talon land, things are getting hot. And yet we still don’t know if and how they are connected. We can’t survive on our own, and neither can the witches, not if the humans bring a full-on war to our doorsteps.”
Finn sucked in a breath. “So it’s the paranormals versus the world?”
Kade shook his head. “We don’t want it to be like that. We want to be able to move freely as we always have. But with the attacks on our wolves and the other attacks on Packs around the country? We’re at a precipice. One I hope to the goddess we don’t fall over.”
“What do you want me to do about it? There’s a reason you asked me here.”
“We’re forming another taskforce. This time with the witches. We’re going to have our Heir and Omega meet with the witches and ensure we end up on the right page. The Talons will be sending Ryder and Walker, as well.”
Finn nodded. “That makes sense. Are we using Drake or Maddox?”
“Drake,” Melanie put in. “Maddox has a lot on his plate and will one day be able to fully hand over the mantle of the Omega.”
Finn raised a brow. “Does that mean I don’t have a lot on my plate?”
“You do, and you’ll have more as time moves on. We all will.”
Finn stood and raised a hand over his face. “Let me know when we’re meeting. I need to get back to Brynn.”
Kade lowered his brows but nodded. “I’ll send over what I have, and the four of you can work everything out. I trust you.” His father stood, studying his face. “When you’re ready to talk about Brynn and have her meet us in a more formal way, let us know. We’ll figure it out for you, son. We will.”
Finn ignored the ache in his chest and nodded. “Thanks,” he said roughly. He wanted what his parents had. Damn if he’d let fate not let him get it.
He left the house and got in his car, quickly shooting a text to Brynn letting her know he’d meet her outside the wards for lunch. Him going on Talon land too often would be an issue until they’d planned their unique way of mating. He would have called, but he knew she was in a meeting with her brother Max about a council issue and didn’t want to distract her any more than he already was. After all, she was distracting him, as well.
By the time he got to their meeting place, he was on edge with wanting her. He didn’t even need to be inside her, damn it, he just wanted her near. He knew this was the man in him, not the wolf, but he had to pray that the wolf was somehow getting through, even if it were a bare whisper.
He stopped the car and got out, a smile on his face as he spotted Brynn.
She stood under a tree, her eyes closed, her face tilted to the sky. She was a goddess. So fucking gorgeous he could barely breathe.
Unable to help himself, he gave a wolf whistle.
Her eyes still closed, she flipped him off.
He threw his head back and laughed.
Then the world exploded.
RYDER
Ryder didn’t speak as his Alpha and brother, Gideon, spoke of his new duties as a taskforce member for their work with the witc
hes. The silence wasn’t all that uncommon. He didn’t speak often as it was. He was the quiet Brentwood. Of course, most of his siblings and cousins were quiet. They’d been through hell. What more did they need to speak about?
Gideon spoke softly to Walker about one of the pups that had found a thorny bush earlier that day while Ryder sat back and did what he did best.
Thought.
He’d ally with the witches if his Alpha asked him to. It would be for the good of the Pack. And as the Heir, he held the power to make some decisions in Gideon’s absence. He knew he wouldn’t be Heir for long since the title would go to Gideon and Brie’s firstborn son—or daughter, considering how the moon goddess liked to keep changing the rules.
For now, though, he would help his brother with the overwhelming task of being an Alpha wolf to a Pack that hadn’t quite healed, in the middle of a war that no one knew if they were truly fighting.
They’d lost one of their own recently, and Ryder knew it wouldn’t be the last.
And while all of that was happening, he knew he was missing something. What, he didn’t know, but there was something off about whom he was and what he was supposed to do.
Would working with the witches help? Again, he didn’t know, but he would do as he was told. That’s what he did best. What he was told.
Until, of course, he knew that he had to do something else…something to save his Pack and his people.
Kameron slammed the door open and ran into the room, his wolf in his eyes. All three wolves already there stood up, ready to fight.
“What is it?” Gideon growled.
“There was an explosion outside the wards.”
Ryder frowned. “Again?”
Kameron let out a growl of his own. “Yes, and we can scent Brynn and Finn like before.” He met Ryder’s eyes and a chill slide down his spine. “They weren’t there. Someone took them. I’m sure of it.”
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