by Donna Flynn
The steering wheel snapped leaving a large crack through the rounded plastic and he looked into the rear view mirror to find eyes of amber staring back at him. He lowered his head fighting his wolf, forcing himself to calm before the shift overcame him and turned into the very thing guaranteed to earn Mercy’s hate. It took all he had to squelch his wolfs desire to fight for its mate, but by the time Mercy walked to the car he had returned to a somewhat calmer state.
The door opened and Mercy got in, tossing her bag in the back seat, then buckling her seat belt before turning to him. “Let’s go,” she said in a clipped voice.
“Sure thing,” he said starting the car and pulling out of lot, his hand over the crack, so she wouldn’t see it.
They drove in silence for most of the ride until he decided he had enough of her cold shoulder and tried to end it. “So your friends are nice.” She looked at him coolly, but said nothing. “Gina was gracious enough to help me to all my classes and Lane seemed really sweet.”
Her eyes flared with anger as she glared at him. “Leave Lane and Gina alone, they are both vulnerable to guys like you and we both know you are not capable for a long term relationship. I don’t want one of them to get hurt.” She had all day to work up to the rage she was feeling and now it all came tumbling out.
Seeing him with Gina, Lane, and all of the other girls that stalked him all day long, was just too much and now he had the nerve to flaunt them in her face. It was frustrating, worrisome, and had her so upset, she wanted nothing more than to strike something or someone.
“Whoa I have no interest in hurting anyone!” he argued. “Since you were too busy with Kirk to help me out, I was thankful they were there, that’s all.”
He pulled into his driveway and parked thinking they could clear the air, but she was in a fine temper and before he could say anything more she attacked again.
“You know what your problem is Alec?” He shrugged which only made her angrier. “You don’t like not being the center of my world. You can’t stand Kirk getting any little bit of my attention, but guess what, he’s my boyfriend now so get used to it or leave me alone.”
She opened the car door, got out slamming it behind her and stalked towards her front porch.
He was fast though and was on her before she even noticed him following. “Don’t ever do that again!” he snarled grabbing her arm, pulling her roughly against him.
Captivated by his swirling eyes, confused by their change from brown to amber she could do nothing more than stare up at him. “Alec,” she whispered uncertainly.
His body trembled as he held her close, his breathing grew labored and the rage he was feeling made him reckless. “You don’t know me at all if you think that I would hurt your friends. Hell, you just don’t seem to know me anymore period.”
His grip tightened on her arm, he leaned down his lips hovering just over hers and she gasped. He wanted to kiss her, to show her that he was the one for her and that no one else should ever touch her again, but he feared scaring her more than she already was.
Mercy, frightened by his outburst, knew she should pull away, but as his warm lips hovered over hers all she wanted was for him to kiss her. It was wrong, she was dating Kirk, but her body did not agree with her mind. Before she could stop herself, she pressed closer, twining her fingers deep within the silk strands of his hair pulling him towards her until their lips met.
Alec growled low in his throat taking her mouth savagely, delving into her warm willing lips with relish as she clung to him desperately. She whimpered in his arms pressing closer until it felt as if their bodies were one. His flesh rippled as her warm hand moved under his t-shirt caressing his back as he held her within his arms. His wolf sprang to life wanting to claim its mate, but he managed to hold him back and savor the moment he had longed for most of his life.
Mercy pulled back meeting his heated gaze with her own unsure what was happening between them, confused by the rush of emotions his touch stirred within her.
“You’re so sweet,” he whispered kissing her again.
Mercy was undone. Her body took control, and her brain went on vacation, as his warm lips moved against hers once more. Nothing mattered, but Alec and the need to be as close to him as possible. She became consumed by his fiery kisses. The feel of his heated skin under her hands drove her crazy and she moaned when he lifted her, wrapping her legs around his waist as he pressed her back against the car.
In that moment she would have followed him anywhere, done anything he wanted, but her cell phones sudden ringing brought reality crashing back down around her. She pulled back shocked by her behavior, her feet dropping to the ground as he stared down at her with desire-laden eyes. Alec too appeared shaken, he took a step back giving her space, but she was tempted to just ignore the phone and pull him back into her arms.
The phone rang shrilly again and she looked down at the number on the screen placing her hand over her mouth to keep from screaming at the insanity of it all. The trembling of her hands made it difficult to open the phone and Alec’s heated gaze on her did not help, but somehow she managed to communicate. “Hello?” she answered breathlessly.
“Are you alright?” Kirk asked his own voice strained, as if he was aware what had been happening before he called.
“Ah yeah I just…” Alec spared her a dark look then stalked off leaving her to talk, but she realized she was unsure what to say. She was defiantly not okay, as matter of fact, she was as far from okay as possible, but she couldn’t explain that to him of all people.
“Mercy,” he said again.
She looked at the phone in her hand and lifted it back to her ear taking a deep breath. “Sorry I was in the middle of something.”
“I just wanted to make sure you got home safely,” he told her his voice filled with concern.
“Why wouldn’t we, Alec is a good driver,” she told him trying to sound upbeat, but it was weak sounding even to her own ears.
“I worry,” he answered dully.
“Can I call you in a little bit, I have to do some homework and it’s my night to make dinner.” She walked into the house and laid her bags down, feeling like the world’s worst girlfriend.
“Yeah, you take care alright.”
He sounded miserable, but she was not in the frame of mind to help herself, much less, anyone else feel better, so she just said goodbye and hung up.
She walked to Lucan’s office to ask him about the dinner plans, surprised to find Cade and Gregory with him talking in hushed tones. They all turned as she walked into the room, their looks assessing as if they all knew what had happened between her and Alec and her cheeks flamed with embarrassment.
Lucan broke the silence. “I ordered pizza for dinner, so get your homework done and relax a bit.” He smiled warmly and she felt instantly relieved. If he had any idea that her and Alec had been trading kisses just outside he would not have been so calm.
“Thanks Luc.” She left them alone and ran up the stairs, walking to her room slowly, wondering why she had allowed Alec to kiss her at all, but the answer was simple. He was the one who held her heart, had since she was six years old, and probably would the rest of her life. It was stupid, thoughtless and she hated herself for even thinking it when she had a nice guy like Kirk around, but still there it was.
*****
The next few days were a trial for both Alec and Mercy. They were like polite strangers on the ride to and from school and once there they went their separate ways. Alec spent his days watching Mercy cozy up to Kirk in the halls at school and Mercy spent her days watching other girl’s cozy up to Alec with all the subtleness of a tiger stalking its prey.
The kiss between them hung like garlic in a room full of Vampires, neither wanted to address it and both wanted it to go away. It all came to head on the ride home one afternoon when Mercy decided she had enough and took matters into her own hands breaking the mutual silence. “So are you going to the bonfire tomorrow night?” she asked tenta
tively. He snorted, but did not reply. “It would not hurt you to get involved with the school, homecoming is a big event and supporting our team is important.”
“Really,” he sneered. “If you want to fix this thing between us don’t use a stupid bonfire as the excuse to get the ball rolling.”
“Okay then how do I go about it, because I am not sure why you’re mad at me at all? You are the one who kissed me! Not once, but twice I might point out. If anyone should be trying to mend this it should be you.” She folded her arms over her chest giving him a cold stare.
“Angel, it took two for those kisses to be so hot. Don’t blame me for your reaction, maybe old Kirk just isn’t the right guy for you.” He gave her a drool look and pressed harder on the accelerator out of frustration.
“Oh and I guess you are! I didn’t start this, you and your wandering lips did! For your information, I did not even want you to kiss me!” She turned towards the window so he wouldn’t see the lie in her eyes.
“Yeah, that’s right, it was all me. You keep on telling yourself that if it helps you sleep at night.” He pulled into the driveway, parked, then turned to her. “Ask yourself though why you took so long to pull away, or if you even would have if Kirk hadn’t called.”
Mercy threw open the car door and grabbed her bag, angry he was turning everything on her. “God you just can’t stand the fact that I have another guy in my life.” She got out and leaned down to peer at him. “News flash Alec, you’re jealous. You have always had me to yourself and now you do not want share.” She slammed the door and took off towards her house, but he moved in front of her almost knocking her down as she collided with him.
“You think you know it all don’t you?” He grabbed her arms and pinned them to her sides. “You don’t know anything Angel. I kissed you because I wanted too and right now I am not sure whether to throttle you or kiss you again.” He pulled her against him ignoring her backpack as it fell to the ground with a loud thump.
“Alec don’t do this please,” she whispered, suddenly very afraid of the feelings his being so close stirred inside of her.
“Don’t do what?” he asked his lips so close all he had to do was move a fraction of an inch and he would kiss her as he so badly wanted.
“This…don’t play with me, I don’t think I can handle it, not when I know I would be the only one who took it seriously.”
Her voice was pleading, she shook in his arms, and he knew he couldn’t go through with it. “Like I said you don’t know near as much about me as you think you do.” He let her go, reached down and handed her the backpack. “We can do this your way. I won’t kiss you again Angel, unless of course you beg me too.” He turned to walk away, but stopped and looked back arrogantly. “And you will.”
By the time, she could form words to answer he had opened the door of his house and disappeared from sight. With a sigh, she wiped the tears that rolled down her cheeks and headed for her own home. It was unfair, she genuinely liked Kirk, was happy to date him and then Alec came barreling back into her life ruining everything.
*****
Alec watched from his front window as she walked to her house, her head hung low, tears rolling down her cheeks. He had been hurtful and he hated himself for it, but he hoped that she might come to see just how much she cared about him if he pushed her.
Confident he was doing the right thing he pulled out his cell and dialed grinning with satisfaction when it was answered almost immediately. “It’s Alec, I was wondering if you might want to go to bonfire with me tomorrow night.” He smiled when he got the answer he wanted setting his plan in motion. “Good, I’ll pick you up at seven.”
*****
“Lucan, Kirk wants to take me to the bonfire tomorrow night is that okay?” Mercy asked as they finished dinner that evening.
“As long as you’re back by eleven I don’t see any problem.” He sat back in his chair looking thoughtful. “So, what happened to Alec, he has not been around the last couple of days?”
“You know Alec. All the girls at school have been hanging all over him. I’m sure he’s probably out with one of them,” she said dismissively still reeling from their encounter that afternoon.
“Funny, his father said he has been home every night this week and he seems to be upset about something.” He leaned closer looking suspicious. “You two have a fight or something?”
“Or something,” she told him rising from her chair.
“What does that mean?” Cade asked suspiciously.
“Nothing, we just had a disagreement, it isn’t important. I have homework to finish, so I’ll see you later.” She walked out of the kitchen leaving both men staring after.
“Maybe I better talk to her,” Lucan said rising from the table.
“She will talk when she is ready,” Cade told him stopping him from chasing after her.
“What makes you so sure?”
“She isn’t ready to face this yet. Her feelings for Alec must be confusing. She has always thought of him as someone unattainable and now he is there every day doing everything he can to win her affections.”
“What are we supposed to do sit around and watch her hurting?” Lucan asked frustrated by the entire situation. Some days he thought it might be better to tell her everything and pray she would understand, but the thought of her hating them for all the things they hadn’t told her, kept him quiet.
“I know, I wish there was a different way too, but trust me she will come to us when she needs help she always does.” He tried to sound confident despite his own fears, but he too was worried.
“Once she finds out the truth, she may never trust us again.” Lucan sat down ignoring the dishes in the sink to ponder the past. “Should we have told her all those years ago?”
“She wasn’t ready then. I think she will be hurt, but she’s not six anymore she can handle it.”
“Yeah let’s hope, because I can’t imagine her hating us.”
“Spoken like a true father.” A familiar voice said from the screen door.
Both men stilled at the sound of a new comers voice and turned to the door where the one person they never thought to see again stood watching them through the screen.
Chapter Twelve
“What the hell are you doing here?” Cade jumped to his feet ready to rush the door, but Lucan moved in front of him blocking his hasty assault. “Let me at him,” Cade argued shoving at his brother, his wolf roaring to life inside of him.
“Don’t let him get to you, he wants you to fight him, so he can prove he’s stronger it’s the same old trap don’t let him win,” Lucan warned.
Cade felt his brother push him down in the chair as his body prepared to shift. His head dropped down to his chest and his bones began to move, but Lucan was too busy focusing on his father to help him.
“What are you doing here?” Lucan asked walking closer to the door calling to Gregory mentally to let him know of his father’s unexpected arrival.
“I heard you had a daughter and thought it might be appropriate to come by and meet my son’s offspring,” his father explained.
He looked older more ragged than the last time they had seen him and Lucan sensed a desperation about him. “Funny I don’t recall you being very concerned about family in the past. What do you really want?”
“I wasn’t lying I wanted to meet my granddaughter.”
“That’s bull…” Cade ground out. His shirt rippled as his bones moved underneath his skin preparing for the shift.
“Cade we do not need to be nasty,” Gregory said walking into the kitchen from the front foyer looking completely at home. He placed his hand on Cades back and leaned close to his ear. “Relax, you’re better than this, do not let his presence goad you into acting rashly.” He smiled as Cade sat back his eyes eerily dark, but his body still human, then he walked to the door and opened it. “Mather, are you coming in or were you planning to stay out there all night?”
“Thank you,” Mather replied s
tepping through the doorway looking uncomfortable, something one did not often see in an Alpha. “You’re looking well Gregory.” He looked over the Alpha who had adopted his sons with barely concealed distaste.
“And you Mather are looking…” Gregory arched his eyebrow. “Well you’re still alive.” He closed the door and extended his arm towards the table. “Why don’t you take a seat so we can discuss why you are here?”
“I am here to meet my granddaughter,” he explained taking a seat across the table from Cade who snorted loudly.
“To bad she’s not here,” Gregory, told him sending a mental note to both brothers that he had sent Alec to guard her room.
“I can wait,” he answered defiantly leaning back in his chair eyeing the three of them closely.
“Well I am sure you can, but I will not allow it.” Gregory’s words were sharp and Mather leaned forward anger radiating from him.
“You will not allow it?” Mather growled his hands on the table as he stood. “Who the hell are you to tell me I cannot meet my granddaughter?”
“She is under Lucan’s protection and he is part of my pack, which makes her mine. Do not cross this line Mather we have always been civil in the past, but when it comes to my pack I will not tolerate anyone who defies me.” His eyes glowed with power as he stood his massive body intimidating to even the best of Alphas.
“I did not come to fight with you regardless of what you think.” Mather walked to the door and opened it resigned to leaving. “I only wanted to see the girl, but I suppose it will have to wait.”
Gregory flew across the kitchen quickly pinning him against the doorframe with a snarl. “Do not bother Mercy, if I hear you have so much as whispered to her, I will kill you.”
He slammed the man back against the wood frame smiling at the loud crack of protest the wood made then walked back to Lucan’s side placing his hand on Cades shoulder making them a united front. “This is my pack you’re messing with, get out and don’t come back.”
