by Hazel Gower
Brandon looked up at his mate jumping up and down and dancing around. Jezebel swung her hips as she made her way over to him. “I won. I never win. Is it weird if I wish my brothers were here so I could tell them?” Jezebel’s eyes grew bright. “I think I should play games like this when they’re down for Christmas. I’d love to kick their butts like I did your brothers.”
Britney giggled. “You did good, Jezebel. You even pushed our parents off their winning streak. I think next week you should be my partner.”
He stood and wrapped his arms around Jezebel’s waist. “Nope, she’s mine forever. Find your own champion.” Jezebel sighed and leaned back into him, her hands holding his arm.
“No, thank you. I don’t want a mate for a very long time. I’m already surrounded by too much testosterone.” Britney smiled at Jezebel. “I have no idea how Jess can handle being around so much. Aren’t your closest friends males?”
He felt Jezebel shrug against him. “I think I’m missing some girly genes. I find girls harder to be around. Boys are straightforward and say it like it is. But to each their own, I suppose.”
Britney studied his mate for a while before she nodded and walked away. Brandon knew what Jezebel meant. Girls, women, could be nasty, conniving, and spiteful. Usually men and boys didn’t gossip, and if they fought it was a punch up and we’re friends or okay after. Women didn’t seem like that.
“Are you ready to go?” Brandon turned her so she faced him.
“Yes, I just want to thank your parents. I had fun. Thanks for inviting me.”
He leaned down and gave her a feather light kiss. “You’re family now. I’m glad you had fun. Come on. I think my parents are sulking in the kitchen eating cake.”
Brandon took her hand, and they walked hand in hand to say goodbye and good night to his parents. He was happy with how tonight had turned out. Jezebel had fit in just perfectly with his family.
Chapter Seven
By Friday Jess knew she had to have a Brandon-free afternoon. Travis and Zeck had the major shits with her. Jess didn’t blame them. She’d be cranky if they did to her what she was doing to them.
The table they sat at for lunch was a lot bigger now. Britney, Mac, Sasha, and a couple of their friends sat with them. Surprisingly Travis and Zeck were enjoying having them. They got into heated debates and generally goofed around.
Travis and Zeck had asked her to go with them Thursday to get some Christmas presents, but she’d had to decline because she’d gone to family night with Brandon. Jess had promised she would spend time with them tonight.
Last night had been a new experience. She’d had fun at family games night with Brandon’s family. Sasha and Savron had been there, and it was the first time Jess had seen them together since the night she’d met Brandon. Jess knew Savron picked Sasha up from school, but now that Jess went with Brandon when she wasn’t at drama she didn’t see them together. Last night though they’d been there. Sasha had looked happy, and they hadn’t kept their hands off each other.
Jess had just messaged Brandon as they walked out of class to remind him she was spending tonight with her friends. Jess was staying at Travis’s house. They were having a horror movie night starting with Freddy Krueger, and then moving on to Jason movies.
Zeck’s arm came around her shoulders. “I’m looking forward to a movie night tonight. I’m happy to have two weeks off school for Christmas and New Year even more.”
Travis came up beside her. “Yeah, I need the time off. You know how my family gets over Christmas. They all come together at my parents’ house and become crazy.” Travis glanced down at her. “You are still coming to Christmas lunch? My family is on their best behavior when you’re around. My mother loves you like you were her own daughter.”
Over the last few years since her brothers had started bringing girlfriends for Christmas lunch and dinner, Jess had learned to stay away. After having a couple of girlfriends tease her and be all-round bitches, causing problems and making things uncomfortable, Jess made sure that at Christmas she was scarcely at her house. For the last two years had gone to Travis’s house. Jess loved Travis’s parents. His mother spoiled her rotten.
“Of course, I love Christmas at your house. Isn’t your sister due for your second niece or nephew any day?”
“Yeah, any day now. Mom will take little Ben when she goes into labor. I hope Tessa lasts until after Christmas. This year Ben is old enough to know what Santa is and enjoy all that goes with Christmas, but if the baby brother or sister comes before Christmas all the attention will be on the baby.”
Travis was so sweet. Leaning up she kissed Travis’s cheek. “You’re such a softy. Ben is lucky to have you for an uncle.”
Travis turned red, and Zeck laughed. “Softy. Pussy. They all sound the same to me.” Jess rolled her eyes at Zeck’s jabs to Travis. Boys.
Travis punched Zeck, and the banter flew back and forth.
****
Brandon was struggling. He needed to tell Jezebel what he was. He needed her with him. He’d only survived this long because she spent her afternoons with him. They talked and explored each other’s bodies. Last night he hadn’t got to have his hour or so sleep with her thanks to family games night. Last night she’d said she was spending tonight with her friends, and he’d even received a message to remind him not to pick her up.
The problem was he was too close to breaking point not to see her. Brandon had been trying hard to woo her and get to know her the best he could before he told her what he was and told her of the other part of his life. Before he told her that there were creatures in this world that were straight out of her worst nightmare.
Brandon knew Jess missed her friends, and they weren’t happy with the time she was spending with him and neglecting them. He thought if he picked her up from school and took her around to her friends he would get some time with her, enough that the small time could calm his lion and soothe his human side. He could spend the rest of his night training and fighting. His brothers Carl and Tyler were coming hunting with him tonight.
He stood by his car waiting eagerly to see his mate. Brandon was at least grateful that it was Christmas, and from today Jezebel was on a two week holiday. When he saw Jezebel he clenched his fists and took several calming deep breaths. Jezebel stood between her two friends Travis and Zeck laughing. She reached up and kissed Travis on the cheek. Brandon almost went over and ripped Travis to shreds. His lion went berserk that their mate had kissed another man. He let his senses reach out and listened to their conversation as they got closer. Jezebel didn’t notice him, and he dared not move for fear of what he would do.
“I’ll take you. I love watching a horror film with you the first time. You jump and are terrified of everything. Zeck and I were going to go this weekend. We thought you wouldn’t have time with all the time you’re spending with the Pride guy.”
Jezebel sighed. “Brandon. Travis, you know his name. You were the one who left me with him first.”
“I regret that.” They paused at Travis’s car. “It should have been me who had you at home with me, in my bed snuggling and being all lovely-dovey.” Travis wiggled his eyebrows at Jezebel, and she laughed whacking him on the chest. “I can be big and macho like him.” Travis winked at her and pulled her to him. “Mine. You my mate.”
Fuming at the scene before him Brandon stepped from around a car and yanked Jezebel out of Travis’s hold and held her against him.
“Argh, Jess, we’ll wait in the car for you,” Zeck said and pulled Travis with him.
Brandon glared after Travis. He knew Travis wasn’t joking. Jezebel might think he was, but Brandon knew better. He could smell the lust coming of the guy towards his mate.
“Brandon, didn’t you get my message?” Jezebel leaned back into his hold, and her hands wrapped around his arms that were locked around her waist. He was happy she didn’t try to get out of his hold. Right now he needed her, her smell, the touch of her skin against his and the soothing soun
d of her voice. “I’m hanging out with my friends tonight.” She turned in his arms. “We’re having a movie night.”
“I didn’t realize you were going straight from school. I thought I’d get the chance to see my girl before she spent some time with her friends.”
“Aren’t you sick of me yet? I’ve spent some time with you every day since meeting you.”
He tilted her head up and leaned down to brush his lips over hers. “Are you getting sick of me?” Brandon wondered if she was tiring of him, that he was too much for her. Some humans couldn’t handle shifter relationships. He’d heard stories of humans leaving their mates because they weren’t shifters and the bond wasn’t as strong. The shifter had then gone crazy and been put down. It was a reason why shifters didn’t want human mates, and it was rare that it happened.
“No. not at all.” She blushed. “I messaged you so you wouldn’t come because I knew if I heard your voice or you forgot and came to pick me up I’d change my mind.”
He groaned as she said just the right thing. Brandon lifted her up so he could take her mouth to his. He needed to taste her. Jezebel wrapped her arms around his neck, and her tongue came out to meet his. His cock became rock hard, and he was eager to take her home and satisfy the both of them.
A loud car horn had him pulling away from her and wishing they weren’t in the school car park. He snarled as he noticed the honking coming from the car Zeck and Travis sat in. Travis held his hand over the horn.
Jezebel let out a loud sigh, and he slid her down his body. “I better go. Thanks for coming and seeing me.”
Jezebel walked away from him, but before she was too far away he strolled to her and stopped her. “I’ll pick you up from your parents’ tomorrow morning. I have to talk to you. There is something I have to tell you and show you.” Jezebel’s eyes avoided him, and her teeth nibbled on her bottom lip. Crap. He’d made her worry. He ran his fingers through his hair. “Don’t worry. I see you tomorrow. Have fun.” He kissed her forehead and stood watching as she walked to Travis’s car and got in, and they drove away.
Brandon didn’t know how long he stood in the almost empty car park calming his lion and willing his boner to go down. He couldn’t hold back telling her anymore. He needed Jezebel with him. His soul was heavy, and it was getting harder and harder for him to control his lion.
Walking to his car he got in and drove over to his parents’ to meet his brothers and organize where they would go hunting tonight.
****
Jess awoke slowly snuggling into Travis’s bed. His arm lay around her, and she looked to the floor to see Zeck snoring his head off. Jess had missed this. They hadn’t had a movie sleepover in a while. With all the drama with Sasha and this last week with Brandon, they hadn’t been having too much time together. Her birthday last weekend had been the first week in months they’d been alone just the three of them for a weekend. God, it felt a lot longer than a week.
Had she really been with Brandon for only a week? Wow, she’d been with a Pride man for a whole week. She remembered what he said to her at the school and closed her eyes. She hoped he didn’t want to talk to her so he could break up with her. But he had said he wanted to show her something also. He hadn’t acted like he wanted to break up with her. Maybe she should give him a rest from her. She could spend her weekend with Travis and Zeck. Sitting up she glanced at the clock. It was early. She eased out of Travis’s hold and went to her bag. Jess debated if she should call Brandon or just message him. Messaging him was safer. Getting her phone out Jess messaged Brandon. “Spending weekend with friends. Will see you Sunday night.”
Glancing around the room at her two best friends she fought with herself before she hit send. Time without Brandon would be good for her. She was falling hard for him. Not only was he amazing in bed, but he cared for her and was very affectionate. And she secretly loved his possessive, dominating way with her.
Putting the phone in the bag before she phoned him and told him not to worry about her message and that she’d see him later today she got back in bed and closed her eyes. She should be tired. They had stayed up watching horror movies until the early hours of the morning. Jess snuggled deeper into the warmth of the bed and blanked her mind.
Travis groaned beside her and pulled her to him. Her eyes snapped opened, and she lay stiff in his arms. Jess could feel his morning delight. After a while, when he didn’t move, she berated herself and relaxed. This was Travis, and he was her best friend. He would never do anything to her. Travis wasn’t interested in her like that. Zeck snorted in his sleep, and Jess giggled.
“Would it be rude if I chucked something at him?” Travis grumbled.
Jess turned and looked at Travis, and raised her eyebrow when his hands didn’t let her go. “Maybe a pillow, but nothing harder. The snorting is funny though.”
Travis grinned down at her. “What would you sleep on if I chucked your pillows at him to shut him up?”
“Hey, why would you use my pillows?” She grabbed her pillow and whacked him on the head. “Use your own. You’re the one it bothers. I’m used to you two snoring.”
Travis reached for her other pillow and hit her with it. “I don’t snore. Now you, wow, I’m surprised the whole house doesn’t wake.”
Laughing they had a pillow fight until the two of them woke up a grumpy Zeck. “What are you two doing?
Jess threw her pillow and hit Zeck in the face. “What does it look like we are doing? I’m kicking Travis’s butt in a pillow fight.”
Zeck chuckled, grabbed his own pillow, and threw it at her. “Jess, you never win. Females are not as good as us males at games like this.”
Sticking her tongue out at her friends she felt light and realized she needed this. Zeck gathered her around the waist and got his other pillow and hit her with it.
They laughed and played until Jess’s tummy rumbled and they went to get breakfast
Chapter Eight
Jess thought she should maybe feel guilty for messaging Brandon and not calling him to say she was spending the whole weekend with her friends. She hadn’t even checked her phone since early this morning. The problem was she knew if she heard his voice she would miss him, and if he asked her not to stay with her friends and be with him instead she’d cave. As much as she loved Travis and Zeck they weren’t Brandon. Jess was having fun with Zeck and Travis, but Jess loved being with Brandon. He made her feel attractive and sexy. She loved how he spoke to her and how whenever he was with her he had to be touching her, even if it was only just holding her hand.
“Guess what I got us.” Travis’s excited voice snapped her out of her day-dreaming about Brandon.
“What did you get?”
Travis grinned and gave her a card as she looked down, frowning. It was a fake ID. It said she was twenty-one a week ago. Jess saw that Zeck held one, too. “Where did you get these?”
Travis tapped his noise. “I’m not going to tell. I have my sources. Just enjoy them.” His eyes grew bright. “Let’s go out and enjoy them tonight.”
Jess was unsure. She wasn’t one to break the rules. Sure she went to house parties and drank, but going to a nightclub was different. “I’m not sure, Travis. What if they don’t work?”
“They are really good, Jess. He also made us all twenty-one, so it is a bit more realistic, and we kept similar names.”
The pleading in Zeck’s voice had her caving, and Jess admitted they were really good fake IDs. “Okay, but you have to promise me you won’t leave me if either of you find female company.”
Zeck pulled her in for a hug. “I promise at least one of us will be with you.”
“I won’t leave you, I promise,” Travis said beside her.
Jess sighed. It was better than nothing. “Fine. Give me half an hour to get ready. If I’m going to look twenty-one I need to be in heels and dressed right. You two are lucky I brought going out clothes in case we got invited to a party.”
They both nodded, clearly just happy she
’d agreed.
Over an hour later she didn’t know if agreeing had been the best decision. They stood in a line for a club called Skin. Jess thought it looked tacky, but Zeck and Travis had both been eager to go. Jess was shivering with the cool night breeze. The outfit she’d chosen was knee high boots that Britney had picked and bought with her and a blue and black dress that hugged her curves. She’d left her hair out and scrunched it so it had more of a wave to it.
Jess had liked the reaction the boys had given her. Travis had been speechless for a moment until Zeck put his foot in. “Holy crap, Jess. I never knew you could look like that. Wow, you are fuckworthy.”
Travis had groaned. “Really, Zeck. You need a filter sewn to your big mouth.”
Zeck had stuck his middle finger up and winked at her.
Jess now glared at the two men beside her. Neither offered her a jacket or even held her for warmth. “Idiots,” she muttered, but they didn’t seem to hear her or else they were deliberately ignoring her. She was an idiot to agree to this. Now she was waiting in line freezing her tits off.
After waiting in line for over an hour they got into the club, and the bouncer didn’t even bat an eyelid at their IDs. The club was smaller than she first thought, but no one seemed to mind as they moved on the packed dance floor to music that blasted around them.
Zeck dragged her to the bar and ordered drinks for them. They hadn’t been in the club long when an enchantingly beautiful woman strolled over to them and went straight to Zeck. Zeck’s eyes almost bugged out of his head at the attention from the stunning woman.
Jess wasn’t sure about her. The fine hairs rose on her body, and Jess’s stomach felt uneasy as the woman draped herself over her friend. The thing that made Jess even more uncomfortable was that the woman wasn’t really looking at Zeck. Her eyes were on Jess.
The uneasy feeling multiplied when another woman came over. She was perfect, so beautiful it almost hurt to look at her. This one captured Travis’s attention.
