“It..it means,” She hiccupped. “That we’re together forever, no matter what.”
Lorcan nodded. “Together forever, no matter what,” He repeated. “You are mine as I am yours. You complete me, forever and for always.”
“Forever and for always,” She sobbed, trying to suck more air into her lungs.
“Please don’t cry,” He pleaded, leaning in to kiss at a tear as it slid down her cheek. “Baby, I love you so much. I have always loved you. There’s no need to cry, Presley. You’re pregnant with my cub and I couldn’t be happier about that.”
She pulled back, staring at him in wide eyed wonderment. “You couldn’t?”
A big smile made itself known on his face as he shook his head. “I couldn’t,” He said reassuringly. “I was just talking about the future, you know? I didn’t…..know that the future was actually now. Do you really think I wouldn’t be happy over hearing this? My god, Presley, you’re pregnant! We’re going to have a baby.”
She let out a small yelp of surprise when he picked her up from the ground, twirling her around in the confined space of the garage before his mouth found hers. He kissed her deeply, heatedly, and so passionately that Presley was afraid her heart was going to explode. She’d gotten upset over nothing.
He finally pulled back after a moment, his arms locked tight around her waist as he gazed up at her.
“You’re giving me a baby,” He whispered in awe. “You’re giving me the chance to be a father.”
Presley was so overwhelmed by the happiness she suddenly felt, that everything else ceased to matter. Her sadness was quickly forgotten; Dimitri’s anguish was forgotten; and her worries of Breslin Connor coming back were pushed to the deepest corner of her mind as Lorcan’s mouth found hers again.
Before she knew it, she found herself pressed against the wall and Lorcan’s strong body was pinning her in place. She squirmed against him, her legs locking around his waist as he attacked her neck with hungry kisses.
“I’m going to be a father,” He laughed, nipping at the sensitive flesh of her throat. She whimpered softly, allowing her nails to bite into his shoulder.
“Yes,” She gasped. “I think that’s how it works….”
She heard the material of her blouse being ripped as Lorcan’s scorching hands found her breasts, squeezing gently.
“So that’s why they feel different,” He growled, sucking at her pulse point.
She threw her head back, moaning. “Yes.”
Her mind shut down on her as Lorcan celebrated the news of their baby in his own way. She gave herself to him, right there in the garage, without fear of what the future held for them.
He was truly the only one for her. Forever and for always.
Twenty Three
If people didn’t get a hold on their feelings soon, Louisa was going to go insane. She decided that getting away from the Bamey house for a few moments was the best thing she could do. While Beau decided to teach the younger ursithropes how to shoot properly with a bow and arrow, she made her way into town with Davey Berdine in hopes of finding some nicely scented bath oils and a new hair brush.
“You’ll like it here,” The old man offered as he placed her bags into the truck. “Kadenburg is a real nice place to raise a family, too. Sometimes I regret moving off like I did.”
Louisa gave him a small smile as she nodded, slipping back into the passenger seat of the truck. She was silent as he got in, buckling his seatbelt before turning the key in the ignition. He did seem like a really nice man, and she enjoyed the company. He was one of the elders, as she understood it, and he reminded her of her grandfather.
They were only a few miles down the road when he decided to pick up the conversation again.
“I know you and your cousin have been through a lot, Louisa, and I have to say, I’m impressed with how strong you seem to be,” He glanced at her, smiling. “You’ll make a fine wife for a lucky ursithrope someday.”
“Thank you,” She replied meekly, glancing out the window as she watched the scenery blur by. “I’m not really in a hurry.”
“That’s understandable,” Davey nodded. “You’ve been through a lot, little lady. You just have to trust me when I say it’s always darkest before the dawn.”
She nodded, biting her lower lip. She hated feeling awkward around people, but she didn’t know how to talk about what had happened in China. She didn’t know how to express the feelings hidden so deep in her heart. It was easy to talk about everyone else’s problems and help them work through it….but she had a difficult time in practicing what she preached.
“Once this storm has blown over, I really think you and Beau should consider moving back,” Davey added. “I think I might bring my family back around, too.”
“You may?” She asked thoughtfully. “Do you think that is something they would want?”
“It’s what every ursithrope wants,” He chuckled. “Kadenburg is our home, rightfully, and I think we should all live closer together. Even after Breslin is dead and gone, we’ll still have others who will try to come in and try the same thing. It never ends, but the important thing is that we fight against them together. We’ll always prevail as long as we stand united.”
She knew he was right about that. Perhaps that’s the mistake her village made. They had been so confident they could take on anything that came their way, but none of them were prepared for Breslin’s attack…..
She was lost in those horrible memories again, and it wasn’t long before she realized the vehicle had stopped. She blinked, pulling herself back into reality as she turned her head to stare at Davey.
“What is it?” She asked softly.
“I thought I saw something,” He frowned, shaking his head. “It’s probably just my old mind playing tricks on me. Can you do me a favor?”
“Of course,” Louisa nodded.
“Can you tell me what you’re feeling right about now?”
She knew what that meant. Ever since she’d told everyone about her gifts, they wanted her to use her empathetic powers to sense what was around them. It was the least she could do…..
Closing her eyes, she concentrated on the air around her. She could feel Davey’s apprehension, but there was something else, too.
“I feel….fear,” She whispered. “Someone is really scared. I think they might be hurt. Over there,” She pointed towards the woods, frowning. “He’s over there.”
“He?” Davey squinted, trying to get a better look from where he was sitting. “Do you know what ‘he’ is?”
Louisa released a soft breath, carefully rolling the window down before she inhaled the cool air, allowing it to circulate through her as her brows furrowed.
“He’s…..partially an ursithrope?” She replied in an unsure tone.
“Partially?” Davey grunted. “The hell do you mean, ‘partially’?”
It was true. She was just as confused about it as he was. She pushed open the passenger side door and stepped out, trying to zone in on the male’s scent again.
“He’s not fully ursithrope,” She explained in that same gentle voice. Though it should’ve bothered her, she was not afraid of what she felt. He was terrified, whoever he was, and she felt an overwhelming need to help him.
“That ain’t possible,” Davey said as he slammed his door and rounded the truck, standing beside of her. “Are you sure that’s what you smell?”
“Yes,” She glanced at him. “Don’t you smell it, too?”
The old man was silent as he inhaled deeply, his chest puffing out as he took in the maximum capacity of air his lungs would allow. He coughed and frowned. “Dagone, I think you’re right.”
Of course I’m right, Louisa rolled her eyes. “We should check on him. He’s hurt. He may need our help.”
“We ought to call Richard first,” Davey replied. “You got one of those cellular phones, by chance?”
Louisa shook her head slowly. “No,” She replied. “I’ve never needed one of those
before.”
“Well, shoot,” Davey huffed. “Get back in the truck. We can come back for him in a bit.”
Ridiculous! She rolled her eyes again, hurrying towards the woods as Davey called after her.
“Don’t do that, Louisa! He might be dangerous. Ah hell, Girl…”
Her heartbeat quickened as her shoes stepped off the pavement and onto the hundreds of dead leaves that lined the side of the road. She most certainly wasn’t thinking this through, but whoever he was, no matter what kind of being he was, he needed her help.
She carefully stepped over fallen limbs and rocks, making her way deeper into the woods as the large trees blocked the sunlight from her view. It was creepily darker and the distant sound of Davey’s voice seemed to be getting further and further away.
Maybe he was right, she thought, curling her fingers into her palms as her eyes searched the area. She didn’t see him, but she could feel him. He was very close and he was hesitant about approaching her.
“It’s all right,” She called out. “I’m not going to hurt you. I want to help you.”
Chills crawled down her spine when she heard the low growl sounding from nearby. She whirled around, her eyes darting past the trees as she tried to find any sign of movement.
“Don’t be frightened,” She squeaked. “I know you’re hurt. Let me help you. Please?”
A twig snapped and she turned around to face the other direction. A few branches were swaying from the tree before her. He’d just been there, but now where was he?
“It’s okay!” She called out, her chest rising and falling with quick breaths. “I promise you’re safe now. Please just come ou-”
She shrieked in surprise when she felt herself tumbling to the ground. Something heavy pinned her against the leaves and she quickly rolled over to meet piercing blue eyes, wide and terrified, staring right at her.
“Oh my gosh,” She panted, leaving her hands at her sides as she licked her lips. “Um….hi?”
He was very handsome. She noticed it straight away. And he was young. He had to be around her age. His brows were furrowed as he searched her face. He was uncertain, which she could understand. He leaned down, allowing the tip of his nose to graze against her cheek as he sniffed.
“Uh…..” She blinked, staring up at the treetops as a shiver made its presence known beneath her skin. His nose traced over her throat before he pulled back and their gazes connected once more. “I’m Louisa,” She whispered.
He frowned, quickly standing up. He clutched his side and growled again, lowering his head.
“You’re hurt,” She pushed herself up from the ground, taking a step towards him. “What happened to you?”
He didn’t reply as he lifted his eyes to stare at her again. Another growl sounded from him before he took a step away from her.
“No, don’t go!” She pleaded, reaching her hand out towards him. “Please. Let me help you. I know a lot has been going on around here lately, and I can promise that I will do you no harm. I am like you.”
To prove her point, she willed her eyes to glow. She knew they would shimmer like liquid gold, and hopefully it would prove to him that she was on his side. Even if he was only part ursithrope –even if that was impossible-she would help him. Something in her very soul was begging to fix whatever was broken inside of him.
His growling turned into whimpering as he staggered back, resting against the tree behind himself. He was incredibly thin; sickly thin. It looked as if he hadn’t eaten in days. The dark circles beneath his glowing blue eyes told her he needed rest, and plenty of it. What had happened to him?
“Louisa!” Davey called out. She could hear the sound of leaves crunching beneath heavy boots as the old man came into view. “Louisa, is everything ok—Oh my god.”
Louisa turned her head to stare at him, noting the look of surprise on his face.
The elder ursithrope quickly approached them, his eyes widening in surprise. “Greg. You’re alive.”
–––––––-
Did he make a mistake? Sometimes that’s what it felt like. For the past few days, he’d been torturing himself with the questions and thoughts of ‘what if’? But he knew this was better; it had to be better. Dimitri didn’t need an added complication of Rutley and his stupidly confused feelings on top of everything else.
What an idiot he was. God, how could he be kissed by his dead best friend’s boyfriend and like it? It was all so wrong. He was disgusted with himself. Why did life have to be this hard?
It was never this difficult in Florida. At least when he was having guy issues then, it was because his boyfriend –ex boyfriend-cheated on him with some thirty something bartender from the local club. That was so much easier to deal with than what was happening right now.
“Jesus H. Christ,” He muttered, tilting his head back to take another swig of the beer he’d been nursing for nearly an hour. He was trying to slow down the pace. Being on beer number twelve for the day probably wasn’t healthy or smart, but damn it, he didn’t want to think or feel anything.
Liam would hate me so much right now. It was a thought he’d had often since leaving the Bamey house. His mom hates me. His dad probably hates me. Lorcan definitely hates me….I hate me.
He was depressed, angry, and lonely. That was never a good combination for anybody, but it was especially bad for Rutley because he’d been holed up in a hotel room outside of Gatlinburg for the last seventy-two hours, debating on what to do.
On one hand, he could go back to Kadenburg and face the music; or on the other hand, he could run far, far away. The latter was sounding more and more appealing by the second.
“Arizona might be nice,” He thought aloud, taking another drink. The bitter liquid ran down his throat, hitting his booze filled stomach as he made a small face. He was going to pay for it later, but for now, he didn’t care. He just didn’t want to think. He thought too much and he thought often. Most of his thoughts were about his dead best friend’s boyfriend and what a sucky best friend he’d become.
“I wasn’t even there for his funeral,” Rutley muttered, flinging the beer bottle across the room. He gained some satisfaction from hearing it smash against the wall, but within only a few seconds, he was felt nothing but remorse and self-loathing.
“I kissed his boyfriend,” He added while shaking his head. “I tasered my dad for trying to do his job….which is also my job, yet I can’t even seem to do that right,” He sighed, burying his face into his hands. He was tired. He needed to sleep, yet it didn’t come easily. Every time he managed to drift off, he would see Dimitri’s face. It was becoming a real problem for him.
“I can’t like him.” He whispered. “It’s wrong. We don’t even know each other.”
It didn’t matter how many times he told himself such things, he just couldn’t make his heart accept it. He knew what he felt for Dimitri was wrong on so many levels, but it felt so right.
“Liam loved him,” He said aloud as he stretched across the floor to grab another bottle of beer. “And he loved Liam. There’s no room in that equation for me. I’m a fucking idiot.”
His head fell back against the wall as he downed the bottle within a matter of seconds. He needed the alcohol to stay in his system. He needed to remain numb and incapable of piecing thoughts together. If he allowed himself to be sober for one second, it would a second of agony in which he missed a man he could never have. Life was a cruel mistress.
As the room darkened from the sun’s absence, Rutley found himself sprawled out on the floor, staring absentmindedly at the bland ceiling. He’d officially drained his mind-numbing poison supply, and he knew it would only be a matter of time before his brain started to function again.
“Why do I have to like him?” He asked quietly. “Why do I have to like my dead best friend’s mate?”
His lower lip quivered as the threat of tears burned at his nostrils. Never in his life had he been put in such a predicament. Who in the hell decided to make a mo
ckery of his existence?
“I’m supposed to hate him, damn it,” He growled between clenched teeth. “I should’ve killed him that night and none of this would be an issue.”
No, that was stupid. He couldn’t imagine watching the life leave those hazel eyes. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw those beautiful orbs and there was no way he could fathom the thought of them going dark.
“I’ve only known him for a week,” He muttered. “You can’t care about somebody in such a short amount of time. That sort of thing doesn’t exist.”
Like he even knew what the hell he was talking about. His parents got married after two months of dating. What did time have to do with it anyway?
“We’re too different,” He mumbled, his speech slurring as he pointed at the ceiling. “He’s a wolf. Me? I’m not a wolf,” He shook his head. “I hunt wolves. Yep. That’s what I do. It’s like a fisherman dating a mermaid. It just wouldn’t work out.”
He snickered, seemingly amused with his drunken contemplation. He rolled over onto his stomach, resting his chin against his forearm as he closed his eyes.
“He talks stupid anyway,” He added. “He can’t say words the right way. Cah? What the fucks a cah….” He groaned, rubbing at his temples. “Let’s take the cah to the pahk. So stupid.”
He fell silent, listening to the sound of his relaxed breathing as the minutes dragged by. Whatever he was trying to accomplish wasn’t working out for him. It didn’t matter if he voiced Dimitri’s flaws or the cons of being with him; because his mind was throwing a pro back at him each and every time.
I like the way he talks. Opposites attract. It takes a day to fall in love and a lifetime to forget.
He lifted his head upon that thought, frowning. He wasn’t by any means in love, but he was in a lot of like at the moment. Yes, he liked his dead best friend’s boyfriend. No, they couldn’t be together. He groaned as he forced himself to stand up, swaying back and forth.
“I am a fucking idiot,” He declared, glancing in the mirror. “They’re dealing with something bigger than this….bigger than all of us and what are you doing?” He pointed at his reflection, making a small face. “You’re throwing yourself a pity party and tossing them to the wolves-literally!”
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