His eyesight grew blurry, and he swayed before a soothing calmness washed over him. Her touch. She was holding him, wrapping her arms around him, soothing the aches and cracks in his soul, and picking up the pieces of his heart and mending them together again.
He murmured incoherently, burying his face in her neck.
Faye watched over Colin's shoulder, her face aflame at the shock, awe, and smugness that she saw in the faces of his family members. Caterina was practically cackling with glee while the brothers looked unsure but nodded to her nonetheless. None of them looked away no matter how much she willed them too. Faye was too used to the privacy her cabin afforded.
Colin was barely conscious as she led him upstairs to his childhood bedroom with orders to rest from his mother.Faye blushed as the door closed behind the older woman, her smile knowing. She looked down at Colin who lay lazily in her arms, his eyelids half open.
“That was awkward,” she said to no one in particular. Then she slapped Colin on the side of the head as he giggled somewhat deliriously.
Hours later, she awoke to a heavy weight on top of her that nearly crushed her lungs. She blinked several times, staring up at the constellations painted on the ceiling before she remembered where she was and who was currently using her as his pillow.
“Stupid heavy werewolf,” she grumbled, sinking her fingers into his hair.
“We prefer to call ourselves shifters.”
Faye's eyes widened, and she stared into the pure golden gaze of her wolf.
“Wolfie,” she started, wagging her finger under his nose. “Now, what did I tell you about sneaking out while Colin is trying to sleep.”
The wolf only grinned adorably at her before nuzzling her breasts, cute snuffling pants echoing around the otherwise silent room.
“Wolfie!” she squealed, tugging his head up with a handful of hair. He moaned then, his eyes darkening as he remained suspended above her by the grip she had on his hair. It had to hurt, but he didn't seem to care as his eyes darkened and glazed over her, his breath coming in harsh pants.
She scrambled back a few inches and sat up. She dropped her hold on his hair and watched as he writhed on the bed, shoved his face into her stomach, and whined needily.
“Do that again,” he begged, his voice husky and hoarse as his hands clutched her hips.
“Colin,” she breathed, making a last ditch effort to slow the train that was rolling down the hill, out of control. “I need you to calm down. Remember what we talked about?”
“I am Wolfie.” He pouted defiantly.
“Oh great,” she muttered sarcastically. “Nothing pleases me more than a werewolf, I mean shifter, who can apparently string sentences together now.”
He smirked proudly at her statement. “I always please my Promise,” he growled, his voice deepening. “Always.”
“Oh shit,” groaned Faye.
He crawled up her body, his eyes darkening to the dangerous color they always turned when she knew he was going to kiss her. Her protest was drowned as his mouth covered hers, the soft stubble on his chin scraping her face slightly. She instantly wondered what they would feel like in other places, but coherent thought was driven from her mind as he settled his warm lean body between her legs, holding himself up with one arm while the other dragged her against him.
She felt his chest heave against hers, his heart pounding. It was too much all at once: his smell, the way he tasted, the way his thick tongue delved into her mouth, tasting and licking like she was the sweetest honey. It was primal and he was wanting. It made her want to buck against him like an animal. It was too hot, and she was sure they both had too many clothes on.
She tore away from his mouth. She gasped for air as he moved to her neck, his teeth scraping over the sensitive skin. He tugged her shirt off her shoulder and then backed up just enough to yank his own before going back to leaving wet open-mouthed kisses to any bare skin he could get to.
“Colin, stop.” She managed to say hoarsely.
“Wolfie!”
“Can't,” he groaned. “Too sweet. Mine. All mine.”
So Faye did the only plausible thing to do in such a situation. She opened her mouth and screamed.
“Help!”
CHAPTER twenty-four
He was angry at her. Faye had seen it in his eyes as they dragged him out of the room. He had not gone quietly either, his snarls and garbled threats still ringing in her ears.
Faye sat in the middle of his bed, her knees tucked to her chest as she stared at the large hole where the door used to be. Adrian and Justin, in their haste to pull Colin off of her, hadn't given thought to the door, and now it lay on the floor in splinters.
The look of utter hurt and betrayal in Wolfie's eyes cut her to the quick. She didn't mean for things to get so out of hand. Now he was in the cellar, and they wouldn't let her see him.
She cringed and felt the sudden urge to cry. Faye Anders did not cry and certainly not over simply being overwhelmed. Still, a few traitorous tears leaked down her face before she wiped them away with an indignant sniff.
A light knock on the door casing made her look up, startled.
“May I come in?”
It was Justin. He smiled gently, albeit sadly, as he watched her fix on a smile and smooth any remnants of tears away. She nodded, pulling the sleeves down of Colin's shirt that she had stolen because it smelled like him.
“We haven't had much time to get acquainted,” he spoke gently.
Faye laughed and said, “I agree.”
Justin sat down on the bed and frowned down at his hands for a moment. “Colin has been through a lot, yes?”
Faye locked eyes with him, seeing an age-old hurt there that baffled her. Someone or something, somewhere, had hurt him badly.
Intrigued, she nodded absently. “I found him one night,” she said softly, “outside my cabin. He was dying.”
Justin smiled and said, “He was lucky then.”
“I think blessed would be a better term,” Faye said shyly as she twisted her hands together and told the rest of the story.
Caterina and Benjamin joined them, sprawling out on the bed and eating popcorn like children while they listened, enraptured. They were full of sympathy, though they didn't show it, knowing Faye was not asking for it. They simply wanted to know what had happened to their brother, and Faye wanted to vent to someone.
She was cooped up with near strangers; a family that was not her own. And the one link between her and the rest of the household was chained in the cellar because of her.
She felt immeasurable guilt, wondering if maybe she should have just kept her mouth shut. No doubt Colin would have made it pleasurable for both of them. But she didn't want anything to taint the memory of their first time like that.
She sighed and put on her game face. What was done was done and nothing could change it now. They absolutely refused to let her anywhere near him. Justin quietly led her away from the cellar hours ago and reassured her that he would be fine.
But Faye wanted to see with her own eyes that he was fine. He was her Wolfie, her Colin, and she desperately needed to know that he was okay. She pushed those thoughts to the back of her mind, not knowing exactly what she was going to do yet. She sighed, sinking back against the wooden headboard of the bed. Her head hurt, and her eyes felt crusty. Caterina and Benjamin left after they heared their mother call them from somewhere else in the house.
Justin stood too, stretching as he yawned. Faye stared at her hands for a moment before looking up at him.
“I'm sorry about your dad,” she whispered.
Justin froze, a hard look passing over his face before he relaxed. “Yeah, me too,” he answered, not looking at her.
“I know,” she said carefully, “a bit of what you're going through.”
He stared at her then, a crooked smile twisting his lips up. Finally, he shoved his hands in his pockets, nodded to her, and strolled out the door. Just before he disappeared around the corner,
he called out, “You might just be my favorite sister in law.”
And that made Faye smile. She sensed a kindred spirit in Justin and knew they would become good friends if given a chance. Faye energetically pushed herself up and went in search of the shower. She needed to freshen up. Looking like a hobo was not the proper way to make a good impression on Colin's family. Goodness knows, after what had happened a few hours earlier, they might not ever like her. But she hoped they would accept her.
***
In the cellar, Colin ran towards the bars of his cell and snarled angrily, allowing himself to partially change to swipe at the air with dangerous claws. Adrian leaned casually against the wall, eating a sandwich while keeping a cautious eye on the snarling twisted man in front of him. Adrian had never had to endure what Colin was going through. After threats, whines, and howls, Colin finally subsided into a corner of the room. He was curled up in a ball as he tried to fight the agony clawing at his insides, fighting to break out. The beast was in control. He whined low in his throat, his eyes squeezed shut as the cold concrete of the floor somewhat soothed the aching fire dancing across his body.
His beautiful Faye had openly rejected his advances and screamed to get him away from her. Wolfie surged forward at that thought, crying and howling in wild abandon. They were rejected. In his heart of hearts, he understood why. It was the Heat doing this to him, making him irrational.
But Wolfie cringed at the thought of never holding Faye, never kissing her again. Did she want nothing else to do with him? What if she left him? He desperately needed her, needed her touch with a want that threatened to swallow his soul.
A few seconds later, he felt something soft, warm, and covered in Faye's delicious scent draped itself across his shoulders. He shuddered, brought the blanket to his nose, and inhaled deeply.
“She wanted to make sure you were okay.” It was Justin. “She thought it would help if you had something with her scent on it.”
Colin curled further into himself, his mind processing what his brother had said. The cell door clanged shut, and he closed his eyes, this time to a troubled sleep.
Adrian nodded to Justin who hastily left the cellar with unshed tears in his eyes. Breathing heavily, he ran through the kitchen and out the back door, quickly changing to his fur.
He rolled, trying to get the jeans off his fur-covered legs as a sound of a gasp reached his ears. Under the glow of the porch light, he saw Faye curled up in one of the white wicker chairs on the porch set facing the west. His eyes widened. He hadn't meant to change in front of her, but he had been so caught up in his thoughts, he didn't even smell her presence.
He wolfed a greeting, slowly wagging his tail that was caught in the blasted pant leg of his jeans. If he could, he would have blushed. She slowly set down her cup of hot cocoa and got up, hesitantly approaching him.
“Need some help?” she offered.
He lowered his head, and Faye let out a giggle. “This is awkward,” she muttered, pulling the pants off.
The shirt he had been wearing had ripped, and the tatters fell off on their own. She went back, sat down in her chair, and stared out into the deepening shadows of the night. With his paws clicking on the wooden porch floor, Justin joined her, settling down on his belly beside her with a huff.
“I never had a family,” she spoke quietly.
His eyes flicked towards her, and she smiled. “At least not like yours. I had my dad, but it was just us two. He used to say, 'me and you baby, against the world'.”
She struggled for words for a moment and then settled with, “It's different. In a good way.”
He snorted beside her, and Faye laughed as Martha stepped out onto the porch, seating herself in the wicker chair next to hers. Justin lay between them.
“I'm glad you are with us, and I'm glad you found Colin,” Martha spoke quietly after a moment of silence. “We believed him dead for years after William was forced to banish him. I have no idea how he survived so long or why your love story is so unique. It is unheard of for a Promised couple to go so long without each other.”
Faye twisted her hands around her mug and breathed deeply, smiling tentatively at Martha. “I'm sorry for all the trouble you guys went through; all the hurt and pain. I'm happy to make Colin happy.”
“That's all I've ever wanted,” answered Martha, “for all of my children.”
Faye raised her eyebrow as Justin restlessly rose and stalked off the porch towards the woods. Whatever Martha had said clearly upset him. She turned her curious eyes to Martha and found her watching the dark brown wolf disappear into the woods with sad eyes.
When she noticed Faye's inquisitive gaze, she spoke, “Justin lost his Promise several years ago. None of us really know what happened to her except for him.”
CHAPTER twenty-five
Justin lifted his muzzle to the moon and howled in agony. His soul threatened to crumble to bits as he sank down on his belly, stretched prostrate and weeping. A strange scent floated across the open meadow like smoke in the wind. With eyes glowing, he bounded to his paws, snarling at the threat as his ears twitched. They were too close to the mountain. Too close to everything he had left. Too close to his family.
Two brown and gray wolves stepped out of the shadows of a great pine tree and crouched, shifting from fur to skin. Seconds later, Justin faced them under the moonlight at the base of the mountain, his skin crawling from being so close to them.
“What do you want?” he snapped. “I told you I can't help you right now.”
The tall blonde stepped forward at his blatant disrespect to the aged Elder.
“You will deliver him to us. Two weeks,” spoke the Elder, resting a hand on the other's shoulder. “The council has spoken.”
Justin gritted his teeth and said, “What assurance do I have you won't hurt her.”
The Elder chuckled and said darkly, “None. That is why we have her, and you do not. That is why we tell you what to do. If you wish to see her alive again, you will comply.”
***
Colin woke the next morning, his whole body sore but feeling basically normal. He breathed a sigh of relief, inhaling Faye's sweet scent from the blanket that he had hugged in his sleep. Groggily, he rose to his feet, feeling like an old, old man as he shakily stepped to the door of the cell and banged on it, rattling the thing on its hinges with the blanket still clutched in his hands. He was burning to see Faye. In quite a different way from the past few days. He was worried about her, knowing she was alone among strangers. Hell, even though they were his family by blood, they felt like strangers to him too. He hadn't seen them in so long.
Footsteps drew his attention to the stairs leading up into the kitchen, and he stepped back from the cell door as Adrian eyed him warily.
“You good, brother?” asked the older male.
Colin nodded and took a deep breath. “Yeah,” he said. “It's over.”
The sound of soft light footsteps he would know anywhere reached his ears. He turned and smiled as Faye stepped into the darkened room, her manner hesitant.
“Faye,” he breathed.
“Colin?” she asked timidly.
Adrian unlocked the cell, and in a rush, Colin moved across the room until his his arms were wrapped around Faye. He buried his head in the crook of her neck. She slowly tugged him closer, running her hands up and down his back soothingly as Adrian left the room, going back upstairs to give them some privacy.
“You alright?” she asked quietly.
He nodded. “I’m fine.”
Faye suddenly felt the urge to cry. “I'm sorry. About the other night. About this.”
“Whoa, whoa,” he said, panicked by the sight of her tears as he pulled away. “Why are you crying? Faye? Are you hurt? What's wrong?”
Faye almost choked on a giggle as he sniffed her and then ran his hands over her body, checking for injuries.
“I'm fine,” she answered. “I was just worried about you. I missed you.”
His
face softened, and he frowned, confused as he asked, “You were crying about that?”
Faye groaned and buried her face in his chest.
“You did what you had to do,” he spoke. “There's nothing to forgive about that. Nothing for you to say sorry for. I knew. I know.”
Faye just clutched him tighter before she leaned up, and he wiped the tears away with his thumb. “I demand you stop crying,” he grumbled, “sappy female.”
“I'm your sappy female.” Her grin was watery. “And you don't just demand for a woman to stop crying.”
“Mine,” he growled, hoisting her up and holding her tight against his body. So tight it was like he was trying to merge his body with hers to become one.
She felt his longing and his devotion to her. It was sweet. Faye felt her back press against something cold and realized he had walked them across the room and pressed her against the cold concrete wall. He kissed her tears away as she adjusted herself and wrapped her legs around his waist.
“My sweet little Promise,” he muttered hoarsely. “What did I ever do to deserve you?”
“Stop it,” cried Faye as fresh tears sprang to her eyes.
Colin looked bewildered at her sudden flip in emotions as he kept wiping the tears away. “If you keep crying, we might have to install windshield wiper blades on your face,” he mused, trying to make her laugh.
He felt proud when she chuckled somewhat hysterically. At least she wasn't tearing up anymore. His eyes widened as she leaned forward and nearly threw him off balance. Then utter bliss flooded his soul as her lips descended on his. He felt like a dying man having his first taste of water in days. She was soft and curvy against him. Her lips molded to his, tasting, caressing.
Loving.
He felt the press of her tongue against the seam of his lips, felt her warmth enter his mouth. He shuddered from the intensity of it. She licked, kissed, and bit her way straight through the rest of his defenses and into the throne room of his heart. He almost felt like crying himself.
Under An Alaskan Moon: A Shifter Romance Page 10
