Releasing the Wolf (The Rossi Pack Book 1)

by Aimie Jennison

  I glance across at him and watch as he stares out into the distance taking in our surroundings with every step we take. “I want you to know I made a deal with Jesse. After tomorrow’s party, if I still haven’t found anyone of interest, he’ll accept my choice of him,” I blurt the words out feeling the need to give him the honesty he deserves.

  He flicks his eyes across to mine, guilt written on his face. “I know, Carter over heard you.”

  “Oh.” That’s news to me. My eyes fill with tears before they trail down my face. I feel like I’m stuck between a rock and hard place. I need Joey, he’d know what I should do. Who I should choose. Nate pulls me into his chest, wrapping his arms around me and holding me close. Feeling the safety his arms offer causes my tears to fall more freely. “How am I…supposed to choose? You are…both such good men,” I say between wracking breaths. “I’m torn in two. Half of me wanting you and the other half wanting Jesse.”

  Nate’s hand strokes my back as he holds me even tighter against his chest. “We’ll both be happy as long as you’re happy. Regardless of who you choose.” The sincerity in his voice rings loud and clear allowing me to relax slightly. My choice won’t kill either of them. “Come on we better get back. You know what Kelly’s like, he’ll have a hissy fit if the food gets cold before we get back,” he states releasing me and once again taking my hand to lead me back.

  Walking back into the house we find Kelly pacing the lounge and Gareth was trying to watch the TV around him, without much luck.

  “What the hell have you been doing? The food will be ruined. I might as well just throw it in the bin.” He glares at the pair of us before storming into the kitchen.

  I chase after him not wanting him to follow through on his threat. Managing to grab ahold of him before he reaches the plates piled with burger and fries, I veer him out the back door and came to a stop on the porch.

  Taking a deep breath he turns to face me. I relax slightly as I feel his energy, a little calmer against my skin. “I’m sorry. I think the moon is still affecting me.”

  “You and Nate both,” I say, unable to hold the grumpiness out of my voice. “I’d just finished mission control with him, to get back and have to do the same with you.” I sigh. Maybe I’m more affected from the moon than I realised too.

  “But I don’t require you sticking your tongue down my throat to make me feel better,” he retorts as he reaches out and gives my shoulder a playful shove. The frown on my face must show my confusion clearly because he clarifies his point. “I can smell him all over you. Even on your breath.”

  “Please don’t tell me you are jealous,” I beg, only half joking. I don’t think I can handle worrying about another guy in this scenario.

  “I guess I am,” he states, eyes wide in surprise. His answer clearly shocking himself.

  I reach out and pull him into hug, which he accepts without question. “You’re not jealous. You miss Gabby and this whole crap focus on me choosing a mate must be torture for you. I’m so sorry.”

  He cries in my arms for a minute before stepping back out of my embrace. “Thank you,” he breathes the words barely a whisper, before turning and heading back into the house.

  Nate’s drying his plate as we walk in, evidently having already eaten. The microwave beeps and he takes my plate of food out, before placing it on the table. “Here, Frankie, eat.” My stomach grumbles as I inhale the delicious smell and I don’t have to be told twice. I take a seat and pick up my burger.

  Kelly shakes his head. “I did not see where you got that from.” He walks through to the lounge, all the while muttering about nuking good food.

  I watch Nate hang tea towel in its place, out of the corner of my eye as I enjoy my meal. He gives me a kiss on the top of the head as he passes. “I’m going to head home now. See you tomorrow at Big Mac’s?”.

  “You can stay… if you want?” I suggest. “ It’s not like we haven’t shared a bed before.”

  Flashing me grateful smile he shakes his head and opens the back door. “Thanks for the offer but Kate will be wondering where I am by now. I was only meant to be dropping you off and making sure everything was good here.”

  By the time I finish my meal, clean up the kitchen and make my way into the living room, Gareth’s got his head back on the sofa and snoring quite merrily. I turn off the TV and place a blanket over Gareth before turning off the light and heading upstairs. Like usual I skip the steps that creak but Kelly’s voice calls out having heard me any way. “Is that you Frankie?”

  I open his bedroom door a crack and poke my head in, seeing Kelly sat on the edge of his bed with a solemn look. “Yeah, I’m just heading to bed. Are you okay?”

  “Some days are harder than others. Get yourself to bed, I’ll be okay.” The smile on his face isn’t very convincing but I can’t force him to talk.

  A menacing growl and the slam of a door pulls me from my dream of Carter punching holes in doors. I dart out of bed alert and ready for an intruder, only to find my room empty of intruders. I’m just curling back up under the covers when I hear Kelly snapping at someone. “Who the hell are you? Better yet do you know what the fucking time is?”

  “It’s none of your business. Where’s Frankie?” I’d recognize that voice anywhere… Danny. Deciding it would only end badly if I leave them to deal with each other. I run down the stairs two at a time, grateful for the T-shirt and shorts I’d slept in. Skidding to a halt in the entrance hall behind Kelly who is blocking the doorway, I can’t see around him but I can tell from his posture that he must be toe to toe with Danny. “Just get her,” snarls Danny his voice full of venom.

  I can feel Kelly’s energy pulsating with rage against my skin. “She’s sleeping! Go away and come back at a decent hour,” he lies, knowing full well I’m right behind him. He even Ben's energy was pulsating with rage.

  “No one is sleeping, with you two shouting out here.” I squeeze my way between Kelly and the doorframe. Danny smiles at me, probably thinking I’m on his side, as he steps back to give me room on the porch. I stroke Kelly’s arm as I step in front of him, hoping my touch will calm him before I turn my attention on Danny. “It’s two in the morning, couldn't you have waited until a reasonable hour?”

  “I’m sorry but I couldn’t wait another minute to see you.” He pouts and I roll my eyes. “Now get over here and give me a hug.”

  A rumbled growl coming from deep within Kelly’s chest causing me to turn and look at him. I flash him a reassuring smile before stepping into Danny’s outstretched arms. The hug between us doesn’t last long. I feel Kelly’s eyes boring holes into my back and know Danny would be able to feel them too. I catch sight of the suitcase on the porch and raise an eyebrow.

  Danny’s face lights up with a cheeky smirk. “Room for a little one?”

  “We’re packed to the rafters as it is, Danny.” I sigh, knowing I had no choice. He won’t take no for answer, unless Danny has had a personality transplant in the time he’s been interstate. “I’m sure we can squeeze you in somewhere.”

  Kelly grunts behind me and I catch sight of him heading into the lounge, I follow him, with Danny and his suitcase a few steps behind me. Gareth is snoring on the sofa, obviously in such a deep sleep the noise on the porch having not woken him up. Danny’s sharp intake of breath tells me he’s seen Gareth. I speak before Danny can go off on one of his tangents. “Gareth’s on the sofa, as you can see.”

  Kelly disappears upstairs, hopefully to get some spare sheets and organise our sleeping arrangements. “Do you need a drink, or something to eat before I show you where you’ll be sleeping,” I ask heading towards the kitchen.

  “No thanks, I’m good.” I turn back to see Danny shaking his head.

  I lead him upstairs, stopping on the landing outside Kelly’s open door. I glance in the bedroom and see a neat folded pile of sheets on the stripped bed, but no sign of Kelly. I wave Danny into the room. “It looks like Kelly’s left clean bedding on his bed for you.” I point to
a door across the hall. “That’s the bathroom.” Not that you could miss, with the flower plaque that states ‘Bathroom’ in big letters hanging on a nail on the door.

  “Is that your room?” Danny asks, nodding to the only other door in the hall.

  “Yes. Kelly’s going to be crashing in my room while your here. Night Dan.” I dart into my room and close the door behind me, not giving Danny the chance to argue about our sleeping arrangements.

  I spot a bundle on the floor against the wall as I walk over to my bed. Feeling Kelly’s energy radiating from that direction, I guess he must be in a makeshift bed. I lay in bed for at least ten minutes listening to Kelly huff, puff and fidget. Unable to take another minute of listening to his tossing and turning, I pull the covers back and shuffle my back against the wall. “Come and get in Ben, that floor can't be comfy, and neither of us are going to get back to sleep with you fidgeting like you are.”

  “I'm sorry, it’s not the floor. I haven't slept without fidgeting since Gabby died.” His voice sounds muffled from the covers.

  Of course...he’s missing his mate, he should be having pack comfort. If ever there was a moment for a facepalm this was it. “Please Kelly get in. Let me give you some comfort. You’ve done so much for me these last few weeks, let me do this for you.”

  Kelly stays still and silent for moment, before getting up with a grunt and sliding into the bed next to me. I feel his skin against my own and deduce that he is only wearing some boxers. I pull off my t-shirt leaving me in just a crop top and shorts, knowing more skin is better when it comes to comforting a pack member.

  Kelly is laid on his back, staring at the ceiling. Obviously not willing to take what I’m offering. Turning over I face the wall, grabbing his left arm on the way. Giving him no choice, I pull him over me so he’s spooning my back. Within seconds I feel him relax into the mattress and let out a deep rumbling snore.

  Once again, raised voices pulls me from my slumber and I wonder if I’ll ever manage to sleep tonight? I listen trying to make out any words but all I can hear is the deep baritone of two undistinguishable male voices. The sound of footsteps come up the stairs, before I can move Kelly’s arm from over me.

  The door bursts open and I smell Jesse before I hear his voice. “Something’s wrong with Kelly.”

  I can hear Danny stomping up the stairs behind Jesse, muttering to himself. Something about “storming in uninvited.”

  Jesse isn’t paying any attention to Danny or his muttering, his focus is all on Kelly laid beside me. Kelly who is deep asleep and feeling content through the pack bonds.

  I slide out from under Kelly’s arm and climb over him as quickly and quietly as I can so not to wake him. Although, I’m pretty certain that even an earthquake wouldn’t wake him upright now, not that we ever get any of those here in Western Australia.

  Grabbing my t-shirt off the floor, I push Jesse out of the room as I pull it over my head. “Down stairs,” I order, pointing the way. They both follow my instructions without argument.

  In the kitchen I boil the kettle and pull out three cups, knowing I need coffee before I can deal with any agro between Danny and Jesse.

  Danny starts before I even have the instant coffee out of the cupboard. “This moron just stormed in here like he owned the place, and everyone in it.” The snarl on his face and his fisted hands by his sides remind me of the Danny I used to know.

  “This moron knocked. You told me to piss off.” Jesse snaps, before turning his attention to me, his voice turning gentle, “I’m sorry Frankie, but Kelly felt comatose. He’s done nothing but pace since Gabby died, until he vanished through the bonds couple of hours ago. It had me worried.”

  Contemplating over the fact that I’d at least had a couple of hours sleep and wondering if I’ll get a chance to go back to bed before having to start the day, I turn to Danny. “Can you give us a minute, Dan?”

  Dan throws a filthy look at Jesse before stepping into the lounge and closing the door behind him. Human ears wouldn’t have been able to hear the grumbled, “fucking moron”, under his breath. Our werewolf ears had no problem hearing them.

  An amused smile crosses Jesse's face. “That guy has some serious issues.” he states, settling himself against the cupboards behind him. “I’m guessing you sleeping with Kelly is the reason for his dramatic change?”

  I shrug. Not really knowing the answer myself. “Neither of us were sleeping with him tossing and turning on the floor.” I say, before explaining myself more. “He’s still grieving over Gabby. Joey’s death has added another hole in the pack bonds, which hasn’t really helped him.” I pause to take a breath, swallowing down the lump in my throat that the mere mention of Joey always seems to evoke. “The three of us spent a lot of time together these last few weeks. I just thought sleeping next to me might comfort him. Like it had for you after you were shot. I don’t know why no one else had tried to do that for him. He was asleep in seconds.”

  Jesse rubs a hand over his face. He looks as tired and worn down as I feel. “We all did. We tried every combination possible. Male. Female. Both… We even had a puppy pile of five of us, myself included. Nothing made a bit of difference. He just stared at the ceiling all night.” After a moments thought he asks a question that’s barely audible, “how come it worked with you?”

  I answer, even though I’m sure his question was to himself. “Maybe it’s to do with my blood and it’s strength within the pack. Like how I didn’t need to be brought into the pack because of my father creating the pack with his blood. Rossi blood.” I shrug my shoulders. I don’t have the foggiest clue why it worked, but need to try and come up with an answer.

  Watching him think my words over, I can almost see the cogs turning in his head. “Maybe. But there is another possibility. Your mother was always able to calm anyone down. Even the most rabid pack members. Leave Maria in a room with them for five minutes and they would be as calm as stone when you returned. She was an Omega. Maybe you are too.” His words sound like he’s working through his thoughts aloud, not looking for confirmation.

  I put two spoons of instant into my cup and look to Jesse. “Coffee?”

  He shakes his head and looks to the closed lounge room door. “Is he going to behave? Nate was concerned for your safety earlier and after meeting him myself, I’m starting to get concerned too.”

  I finish making my coffee an give him what I hope is a reassuring smile. “I can handle Danny. The only thing I’m concerned about is how he’s going to act with you guys. He seems to find all guys a threat. I think I’m going to have to give Big Mac’s a miss. He’ll be picking fights left, right and centre if I go.”

  He gives me a kiss on the top of my head before walking out the back door. “Don’t worry about us, nothing can get out of hand at Big Mac’s. No one wants to be banned,” he throws over his shoulder before disappearing into the early morning light.

  Chapter Twenty Eight

  Frankie

  By the time one in the afternoon comes around I’ve come to the conclusion that if we wait for Kelly to wake up and feed us, we’ll have died of starvation. I’m throwing together some miserable looking sandwiches as he walks into the kitchen, full of the joys of Spring. Prancing over to me, he slides his hands around my waist while smacking a kiss on my cheek. “I don’t know what you did to me, but that was the best sleep I’ve had in months...I feel whole again.” The sheer joy on his face, evidence of the truth of his words.

  Feeling down the pack bonds, I can tell he's so much closer to whole than the empty shell he was yesterday. “I’m glad I could help.”

  After casting a mournful look at my sandwiches, Kelly pushes me out the kitchen. “Catch up with your friends. I’ll sort this mess you’ve made out and bring you all something edible.” I thank him with a kiss on the cheek before joining Gareth and Danny in the lounge.

  As I pull my clothes out of the wardrobe, I find myself thinking about how miraculous it is that the day has passed without anymore fi
ghts, before kicking myself, I’ve probably jinxed us all now. With Kelly in the shower it’s the first time I’ve had two minutes to myself all day. As I slip my little black dress over my head theres a knock on the door and I hear it click open before I can say ‘come in’. I straighten the hem and glance up, not surprised in the slightest to find Danny standing in front of me. I knew he’d manage to corner me sooner or later. Kelly had been good at keeping himself between us most of the day.The hours Kelly had been comatose, Danny had been catching up on his sleep too, thanks to his red eye flight. If Gareth is correct about his motives, now is as good a time as any to set him straight. I heard his sharp intake of breath and smelt his arousal. I guess Gareth is right about his intentions after all.

  He takes a sharp intake of breath before speaking and I catch a sharp scent of arousal. “You look beautiful, Frankie.” Any woman would be flattered with his attention, after all, he’s a good looking guy. Unfortunately I’ve seen the ugly side of him one two many times. He’s wearing tight faded jeans and a Rip Curl T-shirt. He’s as well built as any of the pack guys, but his body is hard earned and nothing to do with werewolf genetics. Danny has been boxing since he could walk, his dad was a boxer and his hero. When we were fourteen, a bunch of us went to watch him. Danny was so excited, it was the first proper fight that his dad let him watch in person. Unfortunately it was the first and last fight of his dad’s he saw. He died during the fight, due to a punch that landed badly. Belinda, Danny’s Mum, tried to stop him fighting after that but Danny wanted to make his dad proud by following in his footsteps, fighting. When the cops brought Danny home for street fighting, his mum decided the boxing clubs were much safer than the streets.

  I smile. “You look pretty good yourself, Danny.”

  I rakes his eyes up and down my body. “I want you back, Frankie. We didn’t give us a chance before.” As I give him a sad smile, a frown forms on his face clearly confused. Did he really think I’d jump at the chance to get back with him?