Dark Fates (A Paranormal Anthology)

by Carrie Ann Ryan

“Can you tell me about Jeffery?”

  Emeline sat up, her sandwich forgotten. “What?”

  Noah cursed then sat up as well, taking her plate from her hand and setting it on the coffee table. “I meant to be smoother about that. Shit, I’m sorry, Em.”

  “Why? Why do you want to know?”

  A strange look passed over his face, and then he sighed. “I want to know more about you. Jeffery was your mate and a heavy part of your past. I…I just want to know you.”

  Emeline licked her lips, her mind going in a hundred different directions. She didn’t want to talk about Jeffery. She wanted him firmly in the past. She couldn’t think about what she’d lost when she sat next to the man she wanted now.

  It wasn’t a stain on Jeffery’s memory for her to want another man. It had been a years since he’d passed, but it was difficult for her to speak about him in any sense.

  That’s why she had to do it.

  “He wasn’t my full mate,” she began. “We never completed the mating process.”

  Noah nodded, urging her to continue. He took her hand, and her wolf steadied, ready for her to speak.

  “My father never liked him. You see Jeffery was a submissive wolf. A strong submissive wolf, but not high ranking. My father was a purist. He wanted only the best for me and refused to believe fate would give me something as useless as a weak mate.”

  Noah growled, and she held up her free hand.

  “My father was an idiot. I know that. I knew that then. I was ready to run away with Jeffery, but he wanted to prove himself worthy.” She let out a sigh. “Only I didn’t know that at the time. You see, when my father found out I was going to mate Jeffery anyway, he locked me away and told Jeffery I wanted nothing to do with him. I’d been chained in the basement and broke my fingers trying to release myself, but I couldn’t. Jeffery left the den thinking I had rejected him and went to fight another war for another Pack. Instead of fighting and coming home a hero, he died at the hands of another wolf. He was a submissive. He was never supposed to fight in that war, but my father made him.”

  “Oh, Em, I’m sorry, baby.” He cupped her face, and she turned her head, kissing his palm.

  She didn’t shed a tear. Not this time. She’d moved on from Jeffery in the years past, but it still wasn’t an easy conversation to have.

  “What happened to your father?”

  Emeline sighed. “A former Alpha, Kade’s grandfather, had him executed in a Pack circle. He was a traitor.”

  “Shit, Em. Damn. I don’t know what to say.”

  She shrugged. “It’s been over for centuries, Noah. Now you know my past, but you also need to know that it won’t direct my future. I’m not the same person I once was.”

  He smiled then. “I know. You’re strong, Em. That’s one of the things I like about you.”

  She sighed, her heart breaking. “I’m not the same person, meaning I won’t stand by and ruin something for you.”

  He frowned. “What are you talking about?”

  She pulled away, unable to tell him the words she needed to with him touching her. She stood, wringing her hands in front of her. “I don’t think I can be with you. Not when you have the chance to mate with someone else. I won’t take that chance of a lifetime away from you.”

  Hurt splashed across Noah’s face, and he stood as well. “What are you saying, Em?”

  Her heart quivered, her wolf howling. Oh how she wanted this man. Her wolf craved him. Something in her heart warmed at the thought of him, but she couldn’t be so cruel as to ruin his chance at happiness.

  Noah growled low. “Emeline. You’re wrong.”

  “I’m not. You need to be with your mate.”

  “Emeline, baby, you’re my mate.”

  Her wolf howled in triumph, and something buried deep unlocked within her. She blinked into Noah’s gold-rimmed eyes before her knees went weak and her vision blackened, her body falling to the floor.

  Chapter Six

  Noah caught her before she hit her head against the table and held her close.

  Well, fuck.

  That hadn’t been the reaction he’d been hoping for when he told her they were mates.

  In fact, that wasn’t one of any of the reactions he’d thought of.

  He’d imagined smiling, kissing, or even screaming. Maybe a few hits if she was really upset and or a shake of her head if she couldn’t believe it.

  Not passing out.

  He cradled her to his body and made his way to his room. He could have left her on the couch, but he wanted to make sure she had space.

  Hell, he wanted her in his room, his bed. Even if it was just until she recuperated and ran out of his life forever, he wanted her head on his pillow, her hair splayed around her like a halo.

  He set her down on the bed, careful not to jostle her. He checked her pulse and eyes and knew she’d only fainted and wasn’t in any real danger. Even so, if she didn’t wake up soon, he’d call Hannah. Not that he necessarily wanted to explain that Emeline had passed out because he’d mentioned they were mates.

  Yeah, not the best reaction.

  At all.

  He sat down next to her, brushing her hair from her face. Hell, he didn’t know what to do. He knew he wanted her for the rest of their lives. He wanted to form the mating bond, connect their souls, and follow their path to a future.

  None of that mattered though. Not when he wasn’t sure why she’d reacted like that or if she even felt him as hers in the first place.

  Fuck.

  Everything was slipping through his fingers, and if he didn’t find a way to reach out and grab his future, everything would be lost.

  Emeline shifted on the bed, her eyelids fluttering open.

  Noah sucked in a breath then hovered over her, cupping her face

  “Em,” he whispered.

  “Noah? Why am I lying down?” she asked, her voice soft and so damn sexy.

  “You passed out in the living room.” He brushed his thumb over her lips, unable to keep from touching her.

  “Where am I?”

  “My bedroom,” he rasped out.

  She sat up quickly, slamming her head into his jaw. He shot to his feet, running a hand over his face as he blinked away stars.

  “Crap, I’m sorry,” Emeline said, rubbing her head.

  He shook his head then sat back down, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “I’m fine. It takes more than that to knock a few teeth loose. How’s your head?”

  “I’ll be fine.” She closed her eyes then popped them back open. “Mate? You said I’m your mate?”

  Noah swallowed hard then nodded. “You’re mine, Emeline. I’ve known since the first time I saw you. That mating urge clicked, and I had to fight off my instincts to just claim you and call you my own.” He gave her a sheepish smile. “Wolves, right?”

  Tears filled her eyes, and Noah broke.

  No.

  No. It couldn’t be. She couldn’t be letting him down. Damn it.

  Fate didn’t work this way.

  It couldn’t work this way.

  Her hand crept up to between her breasts over her heart. “Noah…I…”

  He put his fingers over her lips. “No, don’t say I’m not yours. I am. You know it. You might not be able to feel me as your mate, but…but that could be because you’re an elder and things work differently. You’re mine, Em. Just like I’m yours. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I want you to move in here, be my mate, my love. I want to watch the world age around us as we work together for the Pack. I want to watch you grow round with our child. I want it all. I don’t care if fate screwed up and made it different for us. I want you as mine, Emeline.”

  She pulled away, tears flowing freely now. “Noah. I feel you.”

  He let out a breath, his body shaking. “Really?”

  She nodded. “Really. I couldn’t before. Or maybe I did and I didn’t know what it meant. My wolf wanted you, I knew, but I didn’t know how much she wanted yo
u.” She smiled. “How much I want you.”

  He crushed his mouth to hers, desperate to have her taste. She gasped then pushed into him, wrapping her arms around his neck. She tasted of wine and Em, a delicate combination.

  When he pulled back, his wolf was on edge, ready to claim. Noah, however, wasn’t quite ready. Not until they talked more.

  “Will you be my mate, Em?”

  She blinked up at him then kissed him softly. “This is all so new to me, Noah. I thought my chance at a mate was lost. I haven’t given any thought to what I would do if it ever came again.”

  He let out a breath, his body going numb. She hadn’t said yes. Dear goddess, she hadn’t said yes.

  “Don’t give me that look. Please, Noah.” Her eyes filled, and she kissed him again. “I want you. I want your body, your heart, your everything. I know I do, but I’m not sure if I’m ready to take that next step.” She smiled then let out a shaky breath. “That’s a big step. A crazy one without first letting it settle. Do you understand?”

  He kissed her again then pulled back, holding his emotions in check. He wasn’t sure he completely understood, but he would try. “So you want to mate with me, just not right now?”

  Her nose wrinkled, making her look even sexier for some reason. He was officially losing it.

  “That makes me sound thoughtless, but I don’t know how else to say it. Everything is moving too fast for me right now. I can’t just jump into a forever after thinking for years that I would be alone. Years, Noah. Can’t we just take it one step at a time knowing we’re ending up in the same place? It doesn’t feel right to me at the moment to form a mating bond when my emotions are going haywire.”

  He nodded, disappointed, but relieved nonetheless. She wanted a future, she just needed to stop and think about it first. Knowing her, she’d make a list, go over each step, then work her way to being ready. That was his Em, and honestly, he wouldn’t have her any other way.

  “I get it. So we continue to date, court…be us. And when you’re ready to be my mate in truth, all you have to do is say the word.”

  She cupped his face, her small smile breaking him again. “I’m sorry, Noah. I just need to understand it all. I…I never thought I’d have this.”

  He turned his head and kissed her palm. “No need to be sorry. I’m only thinking of the good. As in you actually feel me as your mate to begin with. Goddess, you have no idea how hard it was to think that you didn’t think I was yours at all.”

  “I’m sorry I put you through that. I have no idea why I couldn’t make sense of what was going on. I feel like an idiot.”

  “You shouldn’t. It’s been a long time.” He gave her a wry smile, and she rolled her eyes.

  “Calling me old, pup?”

  Knowing better, he kissed her nose. “Experienced.”

  She socked him in the shoulder then squealed as he rolled her so she straddled him, his hands on her hips.

  “Watch who you punch,” he said, his voice strangled. This might not have been the best move considering his dick currently pressed against the warmth of her pussy through her jeans.

  Damn it. He didn’t know if he was going to make it. He might have to go rub one off to take the edge off—showing her just how young he really was apparently.

  She tilted her head, her eyes glowing gold, then rocked her hips. The friction of the movement about set him off, and he had to grind his teeth.

  “Em, baby. Maybe you should get off me so I don’t embarrass myself.”

  She lowered her body, her breasts pressing against his chest. Noah swallowed hard as she licked his lips.

  “I want you, Noah. I want you so badly I can barely breathe. But if we’re waiting to complete the bond, then I suppose we should wait to have sex as well. Though right now all I can think about is your cock filling me up until I come hard.”

  Noah groaned, his hips flexing. “We should stop now then.”

  “Okay,” she said as she rocked her hips again, letting out a little gasp.

  His grip tightened on her hips, and he thrust up against her clit, his cock throbbing. “You’re going to make me come in my jeans, Em. Is that what you want?”

  Her head rolled as she nodded then she cupped her breasts, keeping her hips moving at a rhythm sure to get them both off. They were dry humping on each other like teenagers, but fuck, Noah didn’t care. He wanted to see her face as she came, hear every catch in her breath.

  “Look at me, baby. Look at me when you come.”

  She opened her eyes, her gaze on his. He cupped her breast, tweaking the nipple, and she let out a gasp, her breath coming in pants. He kept his hips moving against her spread thighs, his dick aching close to bursting.

  “Noah, please.”

  He rolled her nipple through her blouse, and her lips parted, her body flushing as her eyes glowed gold. His balls tightened, and he groaned as he came in his jeans, his own eyes glowing as well.

  When they caught their breath, he pulled Emeline to his chest, kissing her softly. “I can’t believe I just came in my jeans like a teenaged boy.” He winced and shifted his legs. “I need to go clean up.”

  Emeline laughed then kissed his jaw. “I’m just going to say, even without touching skin to skin—best ever.”

  He grinned, his chest puffing out like a rooster. “Oh really?”

  She rolled her eyes, pushed on his chest, and then sat up. “Don’t get a big head.” Her eyes drifted to his jean-clad dick, and he snorted. “Well, from what I felt, you’re big enough already. On that note, I should let you get cleaned up, and I should do the same. At home.”

  His wolf growled, and he wanted to do the same. He didn’t want her to leave, but he knew they were taking things slow. Forcing her to stay with him forever and never letting her out of his sight would probably defeat the purpose.

  He nibbled on her lip then rolled off the bed, landing on his feet. He held out a hand. “Would you like me to walk you home?” he asked, knowing they both needed air, or they would be stripping off their clothes in no time.

  She shook her head but took his hand. “I’m a quick walk under the moonlight away. And I need to breathe. If I were to let you come home with me…well…”

  He grinned then kissed her, letting his lips brush against hers in a gentle caress. “I’ll see you in the morning, Em.”

  “I’d like that.”

  “You’re not getting rid of me any time soon.”

  “I don’t plan on it.”

  With that, he walked her to his door, but not out of his life.

  She was his mate and knew it.

  He was one step closer.

  Thank the goddess.

  ****

  Emeline stretched her hands to the ceiling, trying to wake up. She’d tossed and turned the night before, cursing herself for not staying at Noah’s. On the other hand, if she’d stayed there, she’d have thrown her plans in the air and mate marked him right then.

  Images of her riding him while they wore their clothes filled her mind, and she groaned.

  Okay, enough of that. Noah would be there soon, and they would spend the day together. They hadn’t really talked about what exactly they would be doing, but she had an idea. The day before had been a day full of surprises and, like their toast had promised, discovery.

  While she would have loved to spend the day rolling around in the grass with Noah and learning every inch of him, they had other things to do. Namely, work on the spell for North. Each of them had serious preparation to do, as well as studying up on techniques. It would have been great if she could have told Lexi and North what she and Noah had found, but she hadn’t wanted to get Lexi’s hopes up.

  So when Lexi had called just a few moments before, Emeline lied. No, not lied, she had told the other woman they were still working on it. They were, after all, but she hadn’t elaborated. Emeline was just too worried that they’d find out, as she and Noah worked at it, that it wouldn’t work and she’d disappoint them when there had been
a way to prevent it.

  When she and Noah got closer to the end of their timetable, they would tell North, Lexi, and the rest of the Jamensons. There was no way they’d be able to keep their excitement to themselves for long. If the others happened to mention the way she felt, well, then they could attribute it to her new relationship with Noah.

  She smiled wide, her cheeks hurting from doing that so much.

  Her mate.

  Noah was her mate.

  She still couldn’t quite believe it.

  She also couldn’t quite believe that she hadn’t completed the mating the night before. Even though she would have loved to cement their bond, she knew it was the right decision to wait until she was centered.

  And from the way she was feeling at the moment, she knew it wouldn’t be that long a wait for either of them.

  Thank the goddess.

  “Why are you smiling, girl?” Meryl snapped from the doorway she hadn’t heard open.

  Emeline turned on her heel, cursing herself for not locking the door. While the den was safe now, she still should have made it harder for Meryl and the other elders to come into her home without asking. Before, they had been welcome because there had been no other way. Now, though, Emeline wanted her space.

  Well, it was too late now.

  Also, the fact that Meryl called her “girl” was not lost on her. Emeline just chose to ignore it. Meryl, being as old and batshit crazy as she was, was also far too set in her ways. There was no pleasing the woman. It had taken Emeline leaving the elder part of the den to start to see it fully.

  “I’m happy, Meryl. Good morning. Would you like some tea?”

  Meryl snarled. “No, I don’t want any tea. I want to know why you’re disgracing yourself and the Pack. I smell that pup on you. It’s an abomination. That’s what it is.”

  Emeline froze, her eyes wide. “Excuse me?”

  “You heard me, girl. Noah isn’t for the likes of you. You’re an elder. You’re not to act like a tramp and screw the little pups in our Pack. You’re supposed to stay within our elder den and act accordingly. Fraternizing with the pups is a sin.”