Curves & Courage

by Christin Lovell

  My choice was inadvertently made for me when I viewed it that way.

  “Keep it.” He held everything close, not giving anything away in his tone.

  I nodded my head once in understanding.

  I moved past him, careful not to touch him. I knew one touch would weaken me. I would want to cling to him if he welcomed me back in his arms.

  Loving him enough to walk away took bravery. Loving him made me brave.

  “Sophie.” I stopped, meeting the knowing glare of the alpha. “Where are you going?”

  He already knew, but he wanted me to tell him. He wanted me to say it aloud, to discharge myself from the pack.

  “Let her go, Dad.” Dom stood behind me. Even as I was ready to leave, he was still defending me.

  Dan focused on his son. “Is this what you want?”

  “No. But you didn’t give me a choice. You forced me to run with you. I won’t do the same to her.”

  I stiffened as anger flared in Dan’s eyes. I knew Dom was referencing their move to the city, and I hated that I’d brought an old wound to the surface.

  “I wish you would reconsider, Sophie.” The way he looked at me…was that how all alphas stared at their pack members? Power crackled in his irises. Every look held intention, shook with purpose. Worse, I couldn’t look away. His presence seemed to overwhelm mine. I was at his command somehow; he easily overpowered my will. No wonder everyone obeyed.

  Was that how Dominick would be one day? Would I be hostage to his gaze every time he regarded me?

  I felt compelled to reply. “I wish Dominick would reconsider.”

  His attention flickered to his son before returning to me. He released me this time. He let me go with a simple, single nod of his head. He took a step back, clearing the path.

  Three adults stood in the living room, waiting, watching me. Confusion scrunched their features. Every step further weighed down my heart. It felt heavy enough to crush every bone in my body.

  I had to own my decision. What happened from here on out was my own doing.

  Damn. Being an adult was hard. Being a kid being an adult was worse.

  As I reached the end of the living room, prepared to round the corner between the dining room and kitchen, towards the door, I made the biggest mistake I could make: I looked back.

  Dom’s dad stood in the same place; he gave nothing away as he watched me. It was Dominick that broke my heart though. He stood outside his bedroom door in the hall. His feet were shoulder-width apart; his hands were stuffed in his pockets. It wasn’t any particular thing about him that cracked me; it was everything. It was torture leaving him. I would rather take a million beatings than leave him, but his choice was forcing me to take more abuse rather than stay.

  A single tear slid down my cheek. I swallowed hard.

  “Don’t go.” His voice was so soft. My gaze flew to his. His wolf sat in his eyes, peering at me. His lips were squished together, upset tightening his jaw. “Don’t do this, Sophie.” He ground his teeth, his limbs vibrating with anger. It was in the depths of his eyes, wrapped around his glowing wolf, that I saw the plea I heard in his voice.

  “I don’t want to.”

  He moved forward, swiftly closing the distance between us. “Then don’t.”

  My wall trembled as my eyes further glistened. “I can’t lose you both.”

  “You won’t.” He gathered my hand between his.

  It was too intense. The idea was too much to bring into focus, to acknowledge while watching him. “If I stay, you’ll fight; if I go, you’re safe.”

  “But your not,” he argued.

  I slowly lifted my gaze. “I love you enough to take it, all of it.” More tears escaped as my wall, that final barrier between us vibrated from the swell of my emotions.

  “Why can’t I do the same?” His brows furrowed, his eyes blazing. “That’s an awful double standard, Soph.” His nostrils flared; his exhales sounded like puffs from a snarling dragon.

  Cold seeped into my veins, freezing my thoughts, my feelings where they were.

  He was right. It didn’t quell my frantic heart. It didn’t stop me from fighting, from trying to somehow justify my intentions though.

  “Might I suggest a compromise?”

  Both of us turned to Dom’s dad. I’d forgotten our audience.

  His gaze passed between us before he spoke. “Dom, you agree not to fight unless he engages you. As the alpha of this pack, I don’t encourage seeking trouble, however I do permit defense if it finds you.”

  Dom studied his father. “Define engage.”

  Dan’s expression darkened, his wolf breaching his barrier. He crossed his arms over his chest, expanding his powerful aura. “He takes a swing at you. Are we clear?”

  Dom sighed, but nodded his head in agreement.

  “Sophie, I don’t enjoy sulking wolves. Dom is agreeing to terms that should meet your own. In return, I would very much like for you to stay.” His features softened, the beginning of a smile curling his lips. “This place could use a woman’s touch.” He exhaled softly. “If you don’t want to share a room with your mate, I’d be more than happy to move us to a three-bedroom unit on a higher floor.”

  It seemed too good to be true. After all this time…

  Tears fell fast and furious. My new alpha took the sledgehammer to that final barrage. I was open and bare, emotionally naked before them. Yet, I’d never felt safer, more comfortable.

  Dom smiled, apprehension prohibiting it from lighting his eyes or piercing his cheeks. He was waiting. They all were waiting.

  I met Dan’s hard stare. He’d given me more than my own father ever had: safety, consideration, opportunity…love, for certainly he wouldn’t go to such lengths, even offering to move, if he didn’t care to some degree. People weren’t that kind. We lived in a hard knock world full of hard hearts.

  I nibbled my bottom lip, trying to control my waterworks. A cursory glance at Dom showed his anxiety. They wanted me. They really wanted me, and not merely for servitude.

  I shook my head, announcing my answer before I said it. “Yes. Yes, thank you.” A nervous laugh erupted from me. “That sounds great.”

  Dom squeezed me against him, a shriek falling from my lips as pain sliced my side. It’s sharp penetration seemed to stab my lungs, making it difficult to breathe, to think beyond that split second of agony.

  “Oh, shit.” He immediately leapt away. “I’m so sorry, sweetie.” Concern crinkled his brow, twisted his lips as he assessed me.

  I nodded, offering him a forced smile. “It’s okay.”

  “Fuck. Damn.” His face fell in anguish.

  “Dom. Language,” Dan barked.

  I laughed, making it worse for a moment before the pain morphed into a dull throbbing. “It’s okay. I’m okay,” I assured him.

  Relief washed through me, easing tension I wasn’t aware of. Had I been that distraught over walking away from him? Did Fate have that tight of a hold over me already?

  Dom’s glare mutated into a devilish gleam. His lips flipped, ascending as a smirk hinted at his intent. I had seconds of warning, yet it didn’t prepare me for when he captured my lips, stealing my breath, kissing my aching heart.

  Chapter 32

  Dominick

  I wasn’t prepared to lose her. When the time came, I realized quickly just how much of me she owned already. Losing her would be worse than living without a soul, for she’d have taken half my life, half my mind, most of my thoughts with her. I wasn’t ashamed to admit my feelings. I loved the damn girl.

  She put everything on the line; she was willing to walk back into the fire in order to protect me. Me, a future alpha. Me, a man capable of defending himself. Me, someone she deemed an innocent worthy of being saved.

  There wasn’t a more sobering fact. She was willing to be beaten and bruised all over again for me. It was an infuriating, yet humbling notion. And I loved her all the more for it.

  She didn’t think she could be an alpha�
��s mate. Little did she realize that her hard decision proved she could be. It showcased how amazing she’d be. She would always protect the ones she loved; she would take the brunt of any force in order to save those she cared about. That’s what an alpha does. Every day, he makes hard decisions aimed at protecting those he’s ordained to, even when it means gambling his own life.

  Her lips were soft; her swollen flesh was silky despite the nicks marring it. I owned this kiss. I guided her lips wherever I wanted them to go. I was inflexible; my emotions were pressing at my surface. Fear made me more forceful than I wanted to be. Anxiety had me gripping her neck more harshly than I ought. She didn’t fight me though. She surrendered to me, again showing me how much she cared.

  Tension rocked my abdomen, tightened my chest. Shit. I almost lost her. I shook, withdrawing from her lips. My breathing was ragged as I pressed my forehead gently to hers, unable to stop the late onslaught.

  “Thank you.” My voice was a gruff whisper, thick with unshed tears. I was about to cry, but had never felt happier.

  Actually, I just didn’t give a shit anymore. The only person I wanted to impress was Sophie. I didn’t care what anyone else thought of me. Only she mattered.

  “I love you.” I felt it with every fiber of my being. Damn the werewolf stories; damn what the human world thought was an appropriate timeframe. I loved her; there wasn’t a shadow of doubt.

  She smiled against me. “I love you too.”

  My dad cleared his throat, pulling our attention to him. His expression was a mix of amusement and, dare I say, fear. “I’ll give you two a few days to adjust before we introduce you to the pack, Sophie. It’ll also give Dom time to take you shopping for whatever you need.”

  She opened her mouth, prepared to argue I knew. My dad even paused, raising a brow, waiting for her rebuttal. She surprised us all by closing her mouth and nodding her head in agreement.

  My dad was alpha for a reason though. “You’re not to skimp, Sophie. We’re not millionaires, but we’re not hurting financially. I assure you, you won’t bankrupt us.”

  She blushed, caught red handed.

  He turned to his beta. “Alert the others. I want the building locked down within fifteen minutes. I don’t want her father catching us off guard. I want everyone ready. We defend our own, and will not be bullied.” He stared at Sophie, holding her gaze as he spoke the last of his orders. He made sure she knew she wasn’t alone; I wasn’t alone in the fight.

  “Can I do anything to help?” she asked.

  He smiled for the first time in a while. My dad didn’t smile often. He was a serious alpha, intense, always focused, always watching. “Relax. You need to give your body a chance to heal.” He moved towards her, placing a firm hand on the edge of her shoulder. “I will give you a few chores while you live with me, Sophie, but for the most part, I encourage kids to be kids. I’ll expect you to act your age; I will do everything in my power to ensure you have as many carefree years as possible before you must step up with Dominick before the pack.” His eyes wrinkled in the corners. “You deserve that, sweetie. And the sooner you embrace it, the sooner you’ll please this alpha.”

  I knew my dad was shocked when she threw herself around him. Damn. She’d been through so much. It almost made me feel guilty for the life I’d lived until now.

  He awkwardly patted her back, uncertain of where to touch her.

  She withdrew quickly, moving next to me. I pulled her into my side. This was where she belonged, where she would always belong. Damn her father.

  “Let’s get going, Swanson. Ladies, round up the children. Move them to the upstairs playroom and drop the shades. I don’t want them witnessing anything.”

  They left us alone. I knew he’d done it on purpose. He was giving us a moment of peace before we faced the storm.

  She gazed up at me, her eyes full of adoration. “I’m sorry for scaring you. I panicked. I didn’t know what else to do.”

  My wolf growled, angered by the memory. “Just promise me you won’t leave. We’ll talk it out. Shit, I’ll even sleep on the couch. Just don’t go.” I didn’t care about image right now. If the kids at school caught wind of what a sap I’d turned into, I’d be expelled in a week. It didn’t matter though, as long as I had her.

  I stared into her, watching, waiting for her reaction, praying I didn’t find doubt.

  Her smile eased my viscous heart. “I promise.”

  Suddenly, she was trying to bite back her smile; humor lighting her eyes. “You don’t snore, do you?”

  I quirked a brow, feeling my wolf relax with me. “Is that a deal breaker?”

  Her eyes twinkled. “Maybe.”

  “No, sweetie. I don’t snore. I snarl.” I roared friskily as I jerked her deeper into my arms. Yeah. This definitely felt right.

  Chapter 33

  Sophie

  The hours passed. I knew the longer I sat with Dom, the angrier my father was growing. I knew I ought to be growing more scared, yet I was becoming less afraid and more comfortable.

  Kris had come over. He and Dom entertained me with stories of their antics. I laughed so hard, my side and stomach hurt.

  “Are you trying to induce pain?” Dom scowled at Kris.

  “Who the hell talks like that, bro?” Kris scoffed. “Are you trying to induce pain?” Kris mimicked with a pretentious accent.

  I giggled as Dom flicked his friend off before putting on a charming smile and winking at me. “You two are crazy.” I shook my head in mock dismay, my cheeks throbbing from grinning so much.

  “Crazy for you, baby.” Dom winked again.

  Kris rolled his eyes. “Don’t tell me I’m stuck with sappy, love sick pups twenty-four, seven now.” His upper lip curled in repulse.

  “I’m gonna give you hell when it happens to you.” Dom narrowed his eyes on Kris.

  “Whatever, man. Won’t be happening for a while, so knock yourself out.”

  Dom laughed. “That’s what I thought.”

  The room fell silent. The guys were slow, but noticeable, as they turned their focus on me. Their eyes had a faint supernatural glow to them, reminding me of their wolves beneath the surface, reminding me of my own docile wolf lurking.

  Dom took my hand, cradling it between his in his lap. A smile lifted his lips into a wistful expression as he watched me. With Kris sitting across from us, I felt like a hawk was circling me overhead; I was being scrutinized from every angle. It wasn’t uncomfortable, but not soothing either. I was hyperaware of their stares, their all-too-knowing gazes.

  I fidgeted. “Um, so, do you have bedtimes?”

  That broke their concentration. They looked at each other before bursting into a fit of laughter.

  “God, I love you,” Dom exclaimed.

  I huffed, feigning frustration. “It wasn’t that funny.”

  “The question, no. The way you asked it, as if we were still eight, was priceless,” Kris howled.

  I sighed. Boys will be boys.

  The front door burst open, jarring us from our carefree moment. “Showtime!” Swanson announced.

  My heart took off, beating wildly in my chest. My pulse skittered about as my gut knotted. A shudder rolled through me.

  “We’ll be behind you, sweetie.” Dom kissed me softly, as if he wasn’t eager for a fight, as if he wasn’t anticipating delivering retribution. I knew the truth though.

  I stood, knowing I couldn’t keep the angry version of my dad waiting long without consequences. Dom immediately followed, taking my hand in his. He laced our fingers and gave them a gentle squeeze, assuring me he was there.

  I glanced back at he and Kris. Fire blazed in their eyes. How quickly they were willing to take up arms for me was humbling; it was eye opening.

  My dad wanted to be irate with me, but why wasn’t I fuming with him? He made my life a living hell. He destroyed my youth. He killed his own daughter’s soul.

  I lifted my bruised face upwards, set my shoulders and began marching towards th
e door. I needed this. I didn’t realize until this moment how badly I needed closure with the man; I needed to tell him exactly how he made me feel, for how I felt was far worse than I looked.

  The elevator ride down with the three men was quiet. The moment the doors opened in the lobby, fear singed my spine.

  The building’s foyer was filled with men I’d never met, men, all werewolves, all standing with their backs straight, their arms folded across their chests and their eyes ablaze. They weren’t just defending me; they were heated as well.

  His fists smacking thick glass echoed towards me. Suddenly, it felt like I had lead in my shoes. Every harrowing step seemed to rip open my memory file and send me backwards; every step forward had me recalling some horrid moment with the furious wolf on the other side of those doors.

  The crowd instinctively parted for Dom and me. Walking through all of those people willing to fight for me only showed me how stupid I was for never fighting for myself.

  My hands shook, my wounds seemed to flare up with fresh pain as my father’s looming figure came into view. Standing a good 6’7”, he towered over me. His fat fists slammed against the glass, causing the doors to tremble, but thankfully, they didn’t give. His muscles rippled and flexed beneath his frumpy clothes. It was the same outfit. He’d been wearing the same clothes all week, only now, his shirt hung open completely unbuttoned despite being half tucked in.

  I winced as his words carried towards me. “Get your fat ass out here! Stop being a bitch! This is between me and you!”

  I bit my lower lip, watching in terror. As much as I hated to admit it, he was right. This was between me and him, not him and them.

  I extricated my hand from Dom’s. A growl erupted from him; his eyes glowed as his wolf attempted to take over. I placed a gentle hand on his chest. “Please let me try.”

  His gaze danced between my father and me. A war was waging inside him, I knew. His body vibrated before me; his wolf snarled and snapped beneath his surface, shaking my confidence a bit.

  “Swanson.” The man was beside Dan in a second. “Go with her.” The alpha gave me a hard stare. “I trust him.”