“Now that's not fair!” he grumbled, crossing his arms over his chest.
Amber laughed at the pouting look on his face. He was just too sexy hot and adorable.
“You have to tell me how you do it,” he told her when she reappeared laying on the bed next to him, her leg draped across his hips, rubbing along the hard length of him.
“Honestly, I don't know how it happens. One day I was frustrated, which is nothing new, and I started thinking that I just wanted to disappear. I looked in the mirror, told myself I wish I could disappear, and then suddenly I was gone.”
He looked at her incredulously. “Are you serious?” Blake turned on his side and absentmindedly ran his fingers lightly down her ribs and across the curve of her hip. “All you had to do was speak the words?”
“Yes, seriously, I'm wondering,” Thoughtfully, her brows drew together, her lips pursed, “after we shared blood, you can now change to wolf when you want.” He nodded. “See if you can do it, see if you can disappear, too,” she urged him, sitting up on the bed, practically bouncing in her excitement.
Blake returned her excited look with a frown filled with doubt. “I want to disappear,” he said without conviction.
She pushed at his arm. “You have to be serious. Not a smart ass.”
He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. “I want to disappear. I want to disappear,” he repeated and heard her slight gasp. His eyes popped open, looking down at his body, he could still see himself lying there.
Amber rolled from the bed, looking, feeling the empty air for him. “Where did you go?” she asked, walking with her hands stretched out in front of her.
“You really can't see me?” Blake hopped up from the bed and came up behind her.
Amber turned and grabbed him, her teeth quickly nipping him at his bare chest. “Yes, I can see you.” She laughed when he yelped in surprise. “Looks like you either need to practice or you can't disappear.”
Blake looked slightly disappointed and pulled her with him when he plopped down on the oversized chair, his erection poking at her belly.
“Now that was just wrong!” he scolded her, swatting her naked butt with a resounding smack while she squirmed against him.
Amber laughed and kissed him again before pushing herself from his lap.
Blake reluctantly allowed her to pull away because they both felt the invasion in their minds of Adam tentatively connecting with Blake. Dawn had arrived and they were being forced to return to the rest of the world.
∞∞∞
We know you are happy, Blake, but you seriously need to tone it down a bit. Adam chided Blake while he walked towards the cabin. We can't all be lucky like you and find our mate, and a hot one at that.
Give it time, my friend; give it time, Blake told him, smiling as he opened the door, letting the hot comment slide. After all, he was right. Amber was hot!
Amber stood slightly behind Blake with a smile on her face when Adam made it to the cabin door.
Adam could see an iridescent glow that surrounded her and couldn't take his eyes from her. Blake frowned at him and looked back at Amber then back to Adam.
“What?” He asked out loud.
Adam shook his head, and blinked to clear the vision that he had seen.
“You ready to go?” Adam asked stepping away from the door, motioning towards the car that waited for them.
Blake took the house keys from Amber, closed and locked the cabin door before they headed to the car.
“Really, you had to bring the Caddy?” Blake asked, opening the door and helped Amber into the back seat, then scooted in beside her.
“It's as close to a limo as I could get,” Adam said laughing, sliding in behind the wheel.
“Where’s the tux and hat then?” Amber asked enjoying the game Adam was playing.
She read Adam’s mind to find that they were heading back to Blake's house, where the pack members were quickly gathering. He pulled out of the driveway and they were on their way.
When they pulled into Blake’s graveled drive, Adam felt her invading his mind again, and responded out loud. “Most members jumped in their cars and headed this way when the call went out that there was to be a, uh, meeting,” Adam explained and felt Amber's surprise at all the cars that were parked in Blake's driveway.
Blake was learning to read her body language pretty quick. He gathered Amber in his arms when he saw her hesitate and shrink slightly into the far corner. “You can do this,” he told her before the car came to a full stop.
Adam looked in the mirror and met her worried look. “They will accept you,” he told her and smiled at the surprised look on her face. He knew that she was a very private person and kept herself well guarded. One day, he would have to sit and talk with her about what he had seen for her future. For now, the vision of what she would soon be carrying would remain a secret and he wasn't thinking about the stone she always wore around her neck.
Adam broke their eye contact, opened the car door and got out. At the same time, Blake pushed open the back passenger door and stepped out. Turning, hand held out, he helped Amber to climb out when she unwillingly scooted across the seat towards him.
The instant Amber was out of the car; she could feel the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end and stiffened. Blake immediately put his arm around her shoulders and gathered her close.
I promise, honey, everything will be fine. He blended his mind with hers, filling her head with warm thoughts.
Amber stared up into his eyes, hers open wide with anxious hostility that made her skin crawl. “How and why is my mother here?” she whispered hoarsely.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
Now darling, you didn't think they would keep me away from your wedding now did you?”
“What the hell do you mean wedding? I'm not getting married!” Amber paced the floor, her arms wrapped around her waist. Stomach was in knots, head aching, Amber couldn’t believe her mother was sitting on the edge of the bed with an innocent smile on her face.
“You are mated now, there has to be a wedding.” Winona continued to smile at her, but a worried frown creased her creamy smooth complexion.
Blake! Amber yelled angrily for him through their connection.
He must have been waiting outside the door because it opened immediately and he had a sheepish grin on his face. “I thought having your mother here might help,” he said softly, holding out his hand while walking towards her. She swatted his hand away before he could touch her. “What is the meaning of all this?” She exclaimed, standing with her hands on her hips, glaring at him.
His eyebrows drew together in concern. I should have explained.
Amber didn't bother with the connection and yelled “Damn right you should have explained!” Practically stamping her foot in anger and keeping her hands in tight fists on her hips.
“Now, honey.” Winona stood up, placing her hand on her daughter’s shoulder. At her touch, Amber almost violently shrugged the hand off and stepped away, whipping around to face Winona.
“I haven't seen or heard from you in how many years? And you show up out of the blue, for a wedding that is not happening? I don't care if I’m mated, I have a say if I am to be married or not! Why now? Why not come get me when I was being used as a punching bag at that shelter? When I was on the run by myself all those years? While I continued to run to avoid being taken back to the pack you always warned me of? Yet you stayed with them! You abandoned me for a pack you are supposed to hate?” Amber accused.
Blake had no way of soothing the terrible pains she was enduring. He hadn’t realized that seeing her mother would cause her misery instead of happiness. He knew nothing he said at this point would calm her down. Standing still with a hand still reaching towards her, he knew she would refuse his touch so he dropped his hand. Instead, he sent comfort to her though their connection only to find that the wall was back and she was keeping him out completely. Her anger resonated in the room, throughout the entire house
. Blake felt the whole pack below became still and silent. They could feel her anger and his anxiety loud and clear. He had to get them away from the house so he could talk to her. Try to calm her down before she bolted.
“Can we take a walk and talk about this, away from here?” Blake asked out loud since he couldn't communicate with her any other way. He knew he had made a big mistake by not telling her about this.
“You want to take a walk and talk?” She stammered in her anger. “You want to talk now that you have all these people here? You think I am going to roll over like a good little doggy and let you pet my tummy in front of your pack, just bow down to your wishes to keep from embarrassing you?” She got louder the angrier she became. Amber had never been so mad in her life and she wanted Blake to know he was the reason for it. Taking steps closer to him until her finger was poking his chest with each word while he remained silent.
Amber wasn't finished with her mother by a long shot. Whisking around, she stalked back to her mother. “And you stand there like nothing in the world has happened. What happened to you? Where did you go?” she asked and fought the tears that were building quickly, the tightness in her throat. “You left me all those years ago without an explanation, without a call. I have not seen or heard from you. Not a fucking word!”
Blake knew Amber was really angry. She despised that word and for her to speak like that she was on the verge of a losing her temper completely. If he didn’t get her out of the room, he was afraid she might actually shift and attack her mother.
“I just might!” Amber exclaimed, reading his mind even though she wouldn’t let him in to hers.
Winona shook her head sadly, standing in front of her daughter, not knowing the emotions that flowed through Amber, or how close she was to danger. “I have a lot to tell you.” Winona tried to sooth Amber and smiled nervously.
“You sure as hell do!” Amber exclaimed. The slight smile on her mother’s face did nothing to calm her and seemed out of place in the situation. Instead it angered her further; Amber shook her head in dismay, trying to clear her mind. She had never felt so angry; her wolf was pacing wildly inside of her. Her skin began crawling. Amber felt her eyes sharpen when the irises began to swirl. Her teeth were elongating, her wolf was dominating her, trying to emerge. Her wolf would protect her and would take care of the one causing her all this pain.
Winona saw that her daughter was struggling to contain her wolf and stepped back with a gasp. Her worried eyes sought Blake's, who was quickly at Amber's side.
Grabbing her shoulders, and without further thought, he placed his lips on hers. At first Amber struggled, but he held on tight and refused to loosen his grip or allow her to turn her head away from his kiss.
Her wolf stopped struggling the moment it felt the presence of his wolf. Amber's mind began to clear and found the wall she had rebuilt to keep her emotions safely in check was quickly crumbling, again. On its own, her body was melting into his kiss, responding to him. She wanted to stay mad, but couldn't. Her wolf was preening at the attention his wolf was showing hers. Her skin stopped crawling, her breathing returned to normal. Blake pulled back when he felt her calming down; he gazed into her still swirling eyes.
“Your mother jumped the gun in assuming there was to be a wedding,” Blake explained holding her gaze. The swirls of brown and yellow were hidden slightly when she narrowed her eyes and stared at him silently.
And just because you kiss me and my wolf backs down doesn't mean you can control me. Amber told him.
Blake smiled when her words brushed his mind, relived that that she had opened their line of communication again. He had been afraid that she would rebuild her wall and keep him out permanently.
“I can't,” she told him with a frown.
“What do you mean?” he asked her worriedly.
“For some reason, I can't block my thoughts or stop you from communicating with me like I could before.”
Amber stood with Blake's arms around her and glared at her mother in concern. “What have you done to me?” she asked her mother in misery.
“Nothing!” Winona exclaimed in innocence, holding her hands up, backing further away. “I haven’t done anything.”
Blake placed his hand softly on Amber’s cheek. “Amber, your mother didn't do anything. You lost control of your emotions is all. You will be fine once you completely calm down.”
“I have never lost control of my emotions like that,” she retorted even though she knew that she was still not in control of her emotions, she didn’t want to admit that weakness in front of her mother. She didn’t understand why she was reacting so badly to her mother.
“This is a stressful situation.” He put his fingers gently across her lips to stop her from responding with the anger he knew she still felt.
“The ceremony the pack is here to witness is that of our joining as mates, the blood ritual. We don’t have to get married if you don't want to, that is more for the human side of us. But eventually, I would like for us to be able to talk about it.”
Again, he had to put his finger to her lips to keep her from interrupting him. “I know marriage is a big step and you don't like to be controlled. I assure you, I would be the last person on this earth who would want to take away your freedom. I love you as you are.”
Amber didn't know how to respond to that. Her mind was racing with the thoughts of getting married, but the appearance of her mother was the issue. Although she had dreamed of the days when she would reunite with her mother, in reality, it was a lot less joyous with how it had come about.
Accepting his words, Amber looked almost cross-eyed, but pointedly at the finger that still covered her lips. She considered opening her mouth and biting it, but was afraid that her still protruding canines might bite through his finger, like she had Zach’s. Blake smiled in response to the memory and quickly removed his finger to allow her to speak.
“OK, in the way distant future, we can discuss it.” She refused to say the word right now. “Not that I will say yes, but we can discuss.” Pulling back slightly in Blake’s arms, Amber looked at Winona.
“Now, I realize is not the best time for us to have this conversation, but I intend on having one with you very soon,” she told her mother seriously. She knew her eyes still had the gold specks when her mother anxiously nodded at her, the out of place smile still on her lips. “And I expect some answers!” Amber insisted.
Amber was at a loss. Not knowing what to think of the emotions, one minute in complete control, the next a raving lunatic, and with just a touch of Blake's lips melting into his arms like a swooning teenager. She hated being out of control and would have to get her emotions in check. She thought of Blake and the ceremony that was to take place. If she went through with it, that meant she would be tied to Blake’s pack for the rest of her life. Looking at Blake, even though she was still in turmoil, she knew she wanted to be with him.
Shaking her head Amber turned back to Blake, “I need to take that walk you suggested and for to you explain a few things to me before this ritual is to take place.”
Relieved, Blake nodded his head in agreement and turned to Winona, “Excuse us, please,” he told her, lowering his head slightly in her mother’s direction.
In acknowledgement, Winona lowered her head in return and leaned forward with her shoulders, lightly bowing towards the floor.
Amber didn't understand the hierarchy of who was supposed to do what, and honestly she didn't care. She didn't bother excusing herself and turned to go without another word to her mother.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
Blake walked beside Amber as they descended the stairs in silence. The pack members who milled around the large living area came to a stop when they heard their muffled steps on the marble stairs. They had all heard what had taken place up stairs and they stared as Blake led Amber into the room.
Amber held her head high, walking through the sea of new strangers. No one said a word while Blake led her to the front do
or where Adam waited with his hand on the doorknob.
Adam pulled the door open and Amber met his eyes when he spoke to her mind. Please don't be too rough on him, dear. He really does love you and is trying to protect you.
Amber gave him a reserved smile and walked on past without responding. Feeling Blake’s irritation, she glanced at him to see that he was staring at Adam with an irritated frown. Adam waved and smiled “Bye, kids, don't be too long now, we have a ceremony to prepare for.”
Blake rolled his eyes and led her out onto the porch. Before he could steer her off the porch she stopped dead in her tracks. Blake felt her tense and knew what, rather who, she had scented and allowed her to turn back around.
There on the porch, stood the man she had begged long ago not to send her away. Amber didn't know if she wanted to rush into his arms and hug him or punch him in the face.
Her grandfather didn't give her time to decide. Instead, he took the couple of steps it took to reach her and pulled her into his embrace. Amber immediately wrapped her arms around him and held him close. The conversations had started up once again inside the house, but her mind was focused on the man in front of her.
With tears in her eyes and a wobbly smile she looked up into the slightly wrinkled face. His dark chocolate eyes twinkled at her and he returned her watery smile. “Little one,” He said gruffly, hugging her to him again.
Amber buried her face in his barrel chest and allowed the tears to slip down her cheeks unchecked. Now this is how she had imagined reuniting with her grandfather.
His voice was as deep as she remembered it those many years ago. “I know Blake has some explaining to do, but do you mind if I tag along? I think I can probably fill in on a few blanks spots.”
Amber couldn't say a word. Her throat was still tight and she glanced over her shoulder to see Blake smiling. She couldn't help but return the smile with one of her own.
Blake held out his hand and her grandfather shook it. “We would be honored if you would join us, Mr. Hamilton.”
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