Rogue Heart

by Samantha Wolfe

  After that the tension eased, for the most part, minus Cooper's continued resentful glances toward Ronan and wounded looks at me. Part of me felt kind of bad for how his misguided crush on me had played out and hurt him, but it wasn't my fault. And fuck him for being such an ass and narcing to my father about it anyway. He'd just have to get over it because Ronan is one of us now, and he's here to stay.

  Mom and Dad spent quite a while talking to Ronan about the past and he told them what he knew about Bravas. Apparently, the evil bastard spent the last twenty-two years amassing a powerful little empire for himself by taking over several more trueborn packs, in addition to his ties to a few gangs of demonborn abominations. Ronan had no idea one of them was his father's old pack, since he didn't know Bravas' name back them to recognize it later.

  After hearing everything Ronan knew, I was afraid that Dad was going to insist that we leave Wolcott to find another place to hide after hearing what he had to say. I love it here and don't want to leave. It's the only home I've ever known. I was greatly relieved when Dad fiercely and vehemently announced to all of us that we were going to stay and fight for our home.

  Ronan told my parents, Raven, and me about his life after losing his parents. It made my heart hurt to hear how alone he'd been most of his life since then, except for those years that Cormac had taken him in and given him stability and taught him how to fight and kill. And even that was taken from him by that horrible dark fae. At least he'd been able to avenge his friend and mentor, if not his parents. At that point, I started to wonder if Ronan planned to leave and go after Bravas next, but was hesitant to ask him about it at the time. What if I didn't like his answer? But sitting here now I know I have to ask him, or I'd drive myself crazy wondering and worrying.

  "Are you going to go after Bravas now?" I ask in a tremulous voice.

  He squeezes my hand tighter as he meets my gaze. "No, sugar. I'm not leaving you again."

  "Again?" I asked with a frown and furrowed brows.

  He instantly looks chagrined, and I feel his shame as he averts his eyes. "I put that fucking necklace on and lied to you," he said. "I was going to complete the hit, then leave and never come back."

  I gasp softly, his words making my heart hurt. "Why?"

  "I didn't want anyone else I care about to die because of me," he says with a pained expression. Now my heart hurts for a completely different reason. My poor Ronan.

  "It wasn't your fault, baby," I say, then reach over to turn his chin gently toward me. "You know that, don't you?"

  He nods infinitesimally, his eyes glittering with emotion. "I'm getting there," he admits, his ever-present guilt still there, but less than it was before last night.

  I nod in approval, then change the subject since I can tell that's what he needs. "Let's go inside," I say as I tilt my head toward the house.

  "Alright." He releases my hand, and we climb out of the car.

  He rounds the hood and comes up next to me, then grabs my hand as we walk up the sidewalk together. He's even more nervous now, and I do my best to send him calming vibes. The front door opens as we step onto the porch to reveal Raven smiling tentatively at Ronan. He grins back at her, his elation at seeing her is so raw and real through our bond that it damn near makes me cry with happiness.

  "Hi," she says as she steps out onto the porch to meet us halfway.

  Without a word, Ronan lets go of me and pulls his sister in for a fierce hug. She relaxes into his embrace and hugs him back. Their resemblance to each other is so obvious seeing them close together like this with their similar chins and noses, and the exact same shade of jet-black hair. He closes his eyes and lets out a long sigh of relief, then just holds her for several moments. All three of us have watery eyes and dopey smiles by the time they finally pull apart. Raven grins at me and gives me a brief but equally heartfelt hug before stepping away.

  "He's really excited about meeting you," Raven says to Ronan as she wipes an errant tear from her cheek.

  "So am I," Ronan replies as he grabs my hand again, trembling with equal parts enthusiasm and apprehension.

  She waves us toward the door. "Come on in."

  Ronan follows her into the house, confidently leading me inside despite his unease. We're immediately greeted by Raven's little silver and white Siberian husky, Luna, who rushes up to us with a big doggy grin and vigorous tail wagging. She licks both our outstretched hands, then whirls to scrabble across the tile floor of the living room to the adjoining kitchen. She plops down between the two men standing on the other side of the room near a sliding glass door that leads to the back deck. One is my brother Emmett with worried eyes plastered onto Raven; the other is a middle-aged man with keen dark eyes and short salt and pepper hair. He's Raven's adoptive father, Brandon Cade.

  I don't know him well, but he's a good man and honorary pack member thanks to his association with Raven. He's currently still in his Wolcott P.D. uniform since he just got off the night shift, the cuffs of his shirt rolled up to reveal full sleeve tattoos twinning down both his forearms. The dog leans against Brandon's leg and licks his fingers as Raven comes up next to him, but he doesn't pay the dog or his daughter any attention because his penetrating gaze is focused entirely on Ronan.

  Ronan's hand tightens around mine, his distress rising as we cross the room to stand a few yards from Brandon. The other man's eyes calmly take in Ronan with an assessing and fearless gaze for a moment before he finally relaxes and smiles warmly. "She has your chin and nose," he says in his usual gruff tone.

  Ronan's anxiety quickly drains away at Brandon's words. "Those are from our father, but she has our mother's blue eyes," he adds with a smile of his own.

  "Any idea where she got her hardheaded stubbornness from?" Brandon asks with a smirk. Emmett snorts out a laugh at the question, earning a quick glare from his mate.

  Ronan's grin widens as he glances at his sister, who returns it with enthusiasm. "I'm afraid we both got a double dose of that from Mom and Dad."

  Brandon's eyes cloud over with sadness. "I'm sorry about what happened to your parents. I lost my wife, so I know that kind of loss is hard." He glances at Raven with so much love in his eyes that I tear up again. "I'm so happy I was there that night to find your sister."

  Ronan nods and takes in a shaky breath as his smile falters. "Thank you for taking care of her, for...for giving her what I couldn't, and for making her your own."

  Brandon swallows as his eyes glitter with emotion. "I couldn't have asked for a better daughter," he says waveringly. "I'm so grateful for her every damn day." He reaches over to put an arm around Raven's shoulders as she sobs softly. "And I'm so grateful that my little family just got bigger."

  And just like that, Brandon's sincere and accepting words make the tiny little spark of hope I always feel inside Ronan suddenly flare into a bright flame inside his heart. He begins to tremble with tears pouring from his eyes.

  Brandon's eyes well up too as he reaches a hand out toward Ronan and whispers, "Come here, son."

  A soft sob slips from Ronan's mouth, and he rushes forward into Brandon and Raven's open and welcoming arms. I stand there for a moment just watching the three of them hold each other as they weep with happiness. Then I glance over at my brother to see him looking at the tableau in front of us with tears in his eyes and a soft smile. He looks at me, and we share a brief moment of complete accord as we revel in the sweet joy of the one person each of us loves the most.

  I look at Ronan once again, my mate, my love, my future. I see a peaceful and happy calm emanating from him that I've never witnessed before. And it's all because this man, this rogue wolf, who had nothing and no one for so very long, finally has what he's been lacking all this time, family and belonging...a home. He's found all that with me, with his sister and her father, and with the entire pack. He knows he isn't alone anymore, and it's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen.

  32

  LYRIC

  I open the door to my attic bedroom
and walk in with Ronan right behind me. I hear a thump and glance back to see that he just set his heavy duffel bag on the floor next to the door. I love seeing his stuff in my space. I love him being here with me, love smelling his wild earthy musk blending with the familiar scents of my room. I sigh in contentment and smile, then spend a moment just breathing him in and admiring him as he looks curiously around, taking in the white walls and decor of my room.

  He looks at me and grins as he points a thumb toward the boxes in one corner that I have yet to unpack since moving in less than a week ago. "Planning on going somewhere?"

  "Nope," I say as I step closer to him and put my arms around his neck. I snuggle my face against his neck, taking a hit of male musk straight from the source as he wraps me up in his arms. "I'm right where I belong."

  His answering laugh reverberates through his chest into mine. "That's pretty cheesy, even for you."

  "Get used to it," I say, enjoying the feel of this lighthearted and carefree side of him through our bond. It's a side of him I hope to experience more of in the future. "I'm not going anywhere." I lean my head back to glare threateningly at him. "And neither are you."

  "I wouldn't dream of it, sugar," he says, smirking at my threat. "I'm not going anywhere either." He leans down and picks me up, coaxing my legs around his waist before palming my ass in both hands. "You're mine," he says in a low growl as a primal and possessive heat rises up inside him that has his eyes flashing with his wolf. He nips playfully at my lips as he carries me across the room.

  "What are you doing?" I ask, laughing as I thread my fingers into his thick soft hair.

  His sexy grin is wicked and utterly irresistible. "I'm about to fuck you in an actual bed, sugar."

  "Hmm, I thought we were going to sleep, but I like the sound of that much better," I say. "And not just any bed, my bed."

  "Our bed," he corrects me, his expression softening with affection as he lowers me down onto the bed.

  He hovers over me and takes my lips in a slow and decadent kiss as he languidly thrusts his denim covered erection against my sex. I writhe beneath him seeking friction and relief for the needy throbbing between my legs. When he pulls away to catch his breath, I'm left feeling dazed and euphoric.

  "I like this," I say in a breathy voice.

  "Yeah?" His tone is warm with amusement.

  I nod. "I like us being together without something crazy going on or some kind of life-threatening danger hanging over our heads."

  His expression instantly sobers. "Sugar, we're still in danger, and will be until Bra-"

  I shove a finger against his lips and scowl. "Don't you even say that evil bastard's name right now." I glide my fingertip over his gorgeous lips and temper my expression. "Just shut up and kiss me."

  He gives me a narrowed-eyed stare as he growls in response and snatches up both my wrists to pin them to the mattress above my head. I moan and arch up against him, loving the feel of him restraining me. He swoops down to capture my mouth with his again, swallowing up my happy noises with another deep and drugging kiss that has our desire melding together in a heady rush. The kiss goes on and on until we're both quaking and trembling with need.

  Ronan pulls away again, panting for air as he lets go of my hands, and we both begin yanking desperately at each other's clothes. Within seconds, we're both naked and plastered together skin to skin, groaning and growling like animals as we writhe and rub against one another. He begins working his way down my body with low appreciative noises, nuzzling and kissing a path of liquid heat as he goes. By the time he reaches my toes, I'm an incoherent and squirming mass of want and need.

  He raises his head to glide an admiring gaze over my body as he moves back up to put his lips to my ear, his hard muscular body blanketing mine. "Every part of you is a privilege to touch," he murmurs, his warm breath fluttering over my skin. "Every goddamn inch."

  Then he pulls me up into his arms, taking me with him as he turns to sit cross-legged on the bed. I end up in his lap facing him with my legs wrapped around him as he lifts me up until the head of his cock is nudging at my entrance. He teases me like that for several interminable moments, biting and nipping at my mouth until I can't take it anymore.

  "Please," I say. "Please, Ronan, please!"

  And that's when he finally impales me on his cock in one swift motion that instantly sends me flying over the edge into an orgasm. I arch my back and scream, happy as hell that Wyatt and Harmony decided to stay at our parent's house last night. Ronan cries out with me, our foreheads pressed together as we breathe each other in. It feels so good to him that he barely keeps himself from following along with me as my insides clamp down hard and spasm around him in wave after wave of bliss.

  As I settle from my release, he takes a hold of my hips in a near bruising grip and starts pumping me up and down on his cock as he moans out my name repeatedly. I latch my hands around the back of his neck and hold on tight as our shared pleasure begins its ascent again, the intimacy of our face to face position feeding it as we rise higher and higher together. He kisses me deeply yet again, completely and irrevocably owning me with every sweep of his magical tongue.

  "Love you so much, sugar," he says into my mouth between possessive kisses that serve to underscore our soul-deep connection.

  "Love you too," I reply between moans of pleasure.

  "Wanna...wanna fuck you everyday till I get you pregnant."

  And my ovaries explode as another powerful orgasm hits me. "Oh God, yes!" I cry, this time taking him with me as I completely come apart, convulsing and twitching in his arms.

  He presses deeply up into me one last time and detonates, throwing his head back and roaring as his cock jerks and pulses inside my spasming pussy. We're nothing but rapturous joy now, twined together and cemented into two complimenting halves of a whole. His dark to my light...my yin to his yang. We're pure perfection, soaring higher and higher, one heart and one soul. I'm his and he's mine, just as it was meant to be from the first moment we set eyes on each other.

  When I finally come back down, I'm already under my fluffy white comforter with Ronan spooning behind me. His arms are latched around my body, cuddling me close with our legs tangled and his nose burrowing into the back of my neck as he murmurs my name.

  I twist around in his arms until we're facing each other, and reach up to cradle his scruffy cheek in my palm. "Are you serious?" I ask as I beam at him. "You really want to have babies with me?"

  He smiles warmly as he places his hand over mine, his dark ocean blue eyes brimming with conviction and certainty. "Of course," he replies. "I want it all with you, Lyric. You're my second-chance and my future. You're the perfect revenge against the man who stole everything from me." His eyes flash cobalt, his low vehement growl resonating through my body as his next words settle deep down in my soul. "And I'm taking it all back."

  33

  VIKTOR

  I spread my hands out over the spire of hood-shaped bluish purple flowers, taking care not to actually touch any of them or the lobed and serrated leaves of the striking four-foot plant in front of me. I could accidentally poison myself just by negligently touching the tiniest bit of my bare skin to any part of it. Which is why I'm wearing protective gloves and eye wear, a hooded microporous cover all, and even a dust mask over my mouth and nose for fear of its pollen making me sick. Thanks to my magical and more mundane manipulations, this plant is just that lethal to a human, though still not anywhere near toxic enough for my purposes...yet.

  I gather my will and reach inside myself to tap into the deep well of power there, then let a small amount trickle slowly down from my fingertips onto the plant. It's painstaking and tedious work as I carefully coax the deadly aconitine that naturally occurs in the plant to higher concentrations without outright killing it with my efforts. It's so slow going that it's taken me nearly two decades just to get these plants to this point since earth magic has never come easily to me. But very soon I'll have the ideal weapon against
my enemies that will work in minuscule amounts and act exceedingly fast without me having to be present to give it a boost with my power. I can't wait to see what my wolfsbane can do to a trueborn when I finally have it perfected.

  A few minutes later, the leaves start to vibrate almost imperceptibly and wilt slightly along their edges. I know from experience that it's my cue to stop before I push too far and kill it. I pull back my power, withdrawing it slowly to avoid shocking the plant like I've learned the hard way in the past. I take a moment to catch my breath, then step over to the next wolfsbane plant to start all over again when I hear the sound of someone tapping on glass.

  Irritated over the intrusion, I turn a scowl toward the opposite side of the humid greenhouse filled with wolfsbane plants. I can just make out a tall blond woman grinning at me through the fogged over glass door with what looks like a small cardboard box tucked under one arm. I relax as I recognize her. If it had been anyone else interrupting me, I'd have been tempted to perform a potency test on them with one of my wolfsbane plants. Harlow knows only to bother me out here for a good reason.

  I nod to her, and she immediately steps inside and saunters over to me, heedless of all the toxic plants in here with us. They're harmless to her after all. She's dressed in her usual fashion when she's off the clock, a black biker jacket over a plain white T-shirt, old ripped jeans, and a pair of heavy black boots. Her golden blond hair is down today, hanging in soft waves around her starkly beautiful and misleadingly youthful face. She stops a few feet away from me and holds up the box with a smirk.

  "This just showed up for you, boss," she says in a sweet melodious voice that's completely incongruent with what I know about her violent personality. Her blue eyes twinkle with amusement as she waggles her dark brows. "It's from Nash."