Releasing the Wolf (The Rossi Pack Book 1)

by Aimie Jennison

  In this moment, I know the man standing before me will be my mate. Jesse’s a strong, proud man. He’d never let a pack member that close. Not unless they meant more to him, like a Mate. I may not be able to help him with all those emotions, but I can ease some. His loneliness. I step towards him, closing my eyes as I leant in to kiss him. Only to find empty air where his mouth should be. Opening my eyes I find him standing on the far side of the room. Folding my arms across my chest, I raise my eyebrows in question.

  “Frankie, I can’t take advantage of you right now.” He takes a step backwards as though to make his point clear. “You still have options but if you kiss me now—” he starts. I don’t give him time to finish.

  Instead, I allow my wolf to surface. She’s angry and sick of hearing him throw the ‘options’ card at us. “No, Jesse.” I shake my head vehemently. “You say you’re giving me options, but you aren’t. You’re pushing me away from the choice I’ve already made. I chose you from the start and I choose you now.” I lift my hand in a stop gesture as he opens his mouth to speak and walk over stopping in front of him. “Jesse O’Keefe, you are still making excuses to get out of this. You really know how to give a girl a complexion,” I say with a grin, trying to break the tension I can feel building in the room. I’m not letting him push me away any longer.

  He places his mouth on mine and I relax into him, thankful that we’re finally on the same page. His hands roam all over my body, before he lifts me in his arms and carries me to the bed, all without breaking the kiss. He rips my clothes off, as my hands run over his chest and arms, loving the feel of hairs sprinkled on his chest. My hands move lower and I smile into the kiss as I discover his towel is long gone. Finally our wolves energies are free to roam over the bodies they have been dying to touch from the start.

  Our Mates.

  Chapter Thirty Six

  Frankie

  Opening my eyes, I find myself alone in Jessie’s bed. Glancing around, I see my torn clothes scattered around the room and deduce last night wasn’t some wild dream. We’d spent most of the night learning each others bodies, it was more than fun finding out how to make Jesse growl in a whole new way. The bathroom door opens as I’m reminiscing and I sit up pulling the sheet tight over myself. My eyes flick to Jesse as he steps into the room, a small towel wrapped around his waist. I watch as one small trail of water runs down his chest, I lick my lips wanting to follow its trail with my tongue.

  Jesse gives me a wide grin as our eyes meet. “Sleeping beauty finally awakes.”

  I giggle and can’t stop myself from playing along with the theme he’s set. “I didn’t even have a prince here to wake me with a kiss.” I stick out my lip in a faux pout.

  “Oh, let me fix that for you,” He strides towards me confidently and leans over me, placing his hand behind my neck as he brushes his lips against mine in a gentle, soft and exploratory kiss. His scent wraps around me like a blanket, the wonderful freshly cut grass mixed with something else I can’t quite place, but makes it all him. He pulls away all too soon for my liking and I reach out to pull him back to me forgetting the sheet I’d been holding. He groans deep in his throat and in a split second decision he rips the towel from his waist and pushes me down onto the bed, to give our bodies what they are craving from each other. Fully aware of the others in the house and their wolf hearing, I try to stay as silent as possible but before long Jesse sends me shattering into a million pieces and the others are the last thing I’m thinking about as I let out a scream of pleasure.

  I come back to earth as he collapses beside me on the bed, and as we lay in silence I feel the bed shaking. I crack open an eye to look at him. He’s shaking with laughter. “What!” I demand, feeling slightly affronted. We just had what I thought was great sex and he’s lying there laughing.

  “If they didn’t hear us last night… they did just now… I’m surprised… they didn’t barge in… thinking I was… murdering you,” he manages to say between laughs.

  I feel myself blush, and break eye contact. “I’m sorry. I tried to stay quiet, but…”

  Rolling onto his side, Jesse faces me before reaching out his hand to turn my face towards him, forcing me to look directly at his eyes. “Don’t be sorry for that, ever! You be as loud as you want, okay?”

  I nod and give him a kiss, he sighs as we break apart. “I suppose we both better get dressed and show our faces downstairs. Kelly’s here so there’ll be a great breakfast spread on.”

  Knowing if one of us doesn’t move now, neither of us will get downstairs for breakfast anytime soon. “Is Kelly the pack chef or something? He seems to do all the cooking here.” I ask as I stand pulling the sheet off the bed with me.

  Jesse settles into his side of the bed with his hands behind his head. “Yeah, I guess so. Keeping us fed seems to keep him happy. Cooking is Kelly’s life really, he has a restaurant in Subiaco but he hasn’t been back to work since Gabby died.”

  We’ve only been mates for a few hours but hearing him talk about Kelly losing Gabby, it causes fear to ripple though me for a moment before I chase it away. I lean over the bed and give Jesse another kiss, before wrapping the sheet around myself sarong style, not feeling comfortable enough to walk through the room naked, yet. “Okay, I better get showered and dressed because I can’t exactly go down dressed like this.” I point to my get up.

  He grins warmly as his eyes roam my body. “You’ll get no complaints about your fashion sense from me, not while you’re wearing that at least. It’ll be extremely easy to remove, just a little tug.” He winks.

  “Behave!” I warn him with a laugh, as I walk to the door, heading to the bedroom I should have slept in last night. Unable to wipe the smile off my face I blow him a kiss as I close his door.

  Turning around I bump directly into Carter, his hand’s gripping my arms are the only thing stopping me from falling. Once I’m steady on my feet again he releases his grip. “We need to talk,” he says. No, I’m sorry for sneaking up on you, or anything.

  Walking past him to my room, I reach for the door handle. “I need to get showered and dressed,” I say bluntly. If he wants to be rude, then two can play that game.

  “I’ll wait,” he says, leaning against the wall in preparation for the wait.

  I sigh, as I start to feel sorry for him. “You’d better come in and sit on the bed. You may as well be comfortable while you wait.” It’s only when the words have left my mouth that I start to wonder whether its was a good idea to offer that. I can’t imagine Jesse being happy with it. I certainly wouldn’t if the boot was on the other foot. As I walk into the room I notice a backpack on the bed, one of my backpacks.

  “Kelly brought some of your stuff from the farm. He brought your bike too,” Carter states, having clearly sensed my confusion.

  “Oh, right.” Opening the bag I’m surprised to find the clothes I wear most often, along with the usual essentials like underwear, a hair brush and a little bag off makeup. “How did he know what clothes to bring?” I wonder aloud, more to myself than expecting Carter to know.

  “He probably picked the clothes that had the most of your scent on them. Although he’s been living with you for weeks now, he probably knows what you wear on a regular basis, by sight,” he answers.

  It’s kind of creepy thinking of a guy sniffing my clothes, I much prefer the latter idea. Grabbing my jeans, my favourite emerald green tank top and my underwear, I go to the bathroom. Closing the door behind me I Feel immense relief at getting away from the anxiety radiating off Carter.

  Being aware of Carter waiting for me in the other room means I can’t spend time enjoying the amazing water pressure of Jesse’s shower. The farm’s shower system is in desperate need of an upgrade, I might have to ask Jesse who he used. Once I’m dressed I walk out the bathroom with my hair wrapped in a towel. My eyes meet Carter’s, who is sitting on the bed looking all stoic, facing the bathroom. I break eye contact by turning my head upside down and rub my hair dry, before heading ove
r to the dresser to brush my hair. I meet Carter’s eyes through the mirror having felt them on me the whole time. “You wanted to talk. So, talk,” I state unable to warm my icy tone.

  Carter runs his hands through his hair and takes a deep breath before speaking. “I’ll forgive you for sleeping with Jesse.”

  Not believing my own ears, I spin around to look at him in the face. “What?” I yell, unable to stop the question flying out of my mouth.

  “We’re good together Frankie. I can forget you slept with Jesse. Please,” he begs, leaning forward on the bed holding his hands in prayer.

  Anger surges through me. “Carter we are not together. We won’t be together again… Ever.” I glare at him, as my hands form fists at my sides. “You lost the chance of us getting back together when you were too busy chasing after Clarissa in the woods, to stop me from getting raped.” I shake my head as I remember the fear I felt that night. “I screamed your name in fear and the only person that turned up was Nate.”

  “Nate,” he says with a vehement laugh, as he stands and walks towards me. “Oh yeah, it would’ve been him you slept with last night, if he wasn’t dead. You shagged with him in the forest after all.”

  “How dare you?” Unable to hold my hands at my sides any longer, I slap him across the face. “I was not the one having sex in the woods, that was you! I slept and yes I was next to him, but no there was nothing sexual in it. Hell, Big Mac was there, ask him what happened.” I pace a few steps away from him, to stop myself from lashing out again.

  Carter rubs a hand over his cheek. “I notice you didn’t deny the fact that if Nate was here, you would’ve woken up with him, this morning.” His words cause me to regret stepping away from him and I silently hope his cheek stings like a bitch.

  Grabbing my hairbrush, I throw it in the bag roughly. Taking my anger out on inanimate objects is nowhere near as satisfying as that slap was a moment ago. “I don’t know how you can stoop so fucking low, bringing him into this? No. I wouldn’t have been with him. My wolf and I had already picked Jesse I thought I had made that perfectly clear before I left the bar.” Giving up on my bag, I turn to face him not caring if I take my anger out on him. He bloody well deserves it. “Nate had already told me he knew I was meant for Jesse. The only reason I am telling you that is because I don’t want to hear you mention Nate like this, to anyone downstairs do you understand?” I put as much power to my words as I can, giving him a death stare to make it clear I’m serious.

  “As if you could stop me,” he mutters under his breath.

  I walk up to him making us toe to toe and poke a finger in his chest. “You saw what was left of Daniel. Granted I might have a fight on my hands with you, since you’ll have more chance and strength to fight back but so help me I’ll try.”

  He opens his mouth to reply as a fist raps on the door. We break apart and I walk over to the door knowing it’s Jesse, his scent entering the room through the gap under the door. He’d been in the next room, so he’ll have heard everything. The way our voices were raised he wont be the only one. I pull open the door grateful for the interruption.

  Jesse’s eyes go straight to Carter, who is still standing at the other side of the room where I’d left him. I turn my head to see Carter staring at me with wide eyes, he’s clearly shocked at my reaction. “Are you coming down for food before we go visit your buddy, Gareth?”

  I whip my head back around at his words. Guilt surges through me, I’ve been so focused on Nate’s death, I hadn’t really thought about Gareth and his recovery. Reaching out I take his hand, entwining our fingers with a smile. “Yes,” I say before looking back at Carter. “We’re finished here,” I add for his benefit.

  About halfway down the stairs the smell of food hits my nose and my stomach growls in appreciation enticing a laugh from Jessie. “You have done a lot of exercise since that roast last night.” I can’t help but laugh too. “Are you okay?” he asks stopping on the stairs and turning to face me.

  I look at him blankly, unsure about what he’s referring to. He nods towards the way we’d just come, making it clear he’s meaning what just happened between myself and Carter. “You heard everything.” I state, not really needing a reply but he nods regardless.

  “I nearly went downstairs, but when I heard you tell him to go inside and wait while you showered, I just couldn’t make myself leave. I’m sorry I didn’t mean to listen in on the conversation but you weren’t exactly whispering. I’m pretty sure the guys in the kitchen might have even heard bits.” He looks down at the floor breaking eye contact, showing me exactly how sorry he is. Being Alpha, he would never be the first to break eye contact with anyone, unless he believes he’s in the wrong. To be honest I don’t think Alpha’s even admit to being in the wrong, it goes against their nature.

  I tilt his chin with my finger, so our eyes connect once again. “I’m glad you heard everything you did. You're my mate, there is nothing I want to keep from you so if it concerns me, it concerns you.”

  Jesse cups my face in his hands and kisses me on the forehead. “Mate.” I lean in to plant a kiss on his lips as a phone rings downstairs, I open my eyes to find him already taking the rest of the steps two at a time. “I better get that,” he calls back up the stairs.

  Following my nose the rest of the way to the kitchen, my stomach growls loudly with each step I take. I find Kelly facing an army of pans on the stovetop. As I get closer I can see what’s in each of the pans, sizzling sausages, poaching eggs, beans, tinned tomatoes, bacon and mushrooms sharing the last pan. “It smells divine, Kelly,” I praise, practically choking on my saliva.

  “I’m just about to dish up then I’ll start on your pancakes,” he says, pointing to a bowl full of pancake mix without taking his eyes off the food before him.

  I give him a quick peck on the cheek. “You’re a star, Kelly.”

  “Hey, don’t distract him. He might burn it all,” shouts Clarissa. I turn to find her peering though the open french doors which lead to a courtyard positioned in the middle of the house, windows on all sides.

  “Well I don’t want that. I’ll leave the chef without distractions,” I say, throwing a wink at Kelly before making my way through the french doors.

  Stepping outside, I notice everyone is sitting around a large wooden table. Quickly choosing an empty seat I lower myself into it, my arse barely touches the seat before the subject I’d been dreading approaches it’s ugly head. Well one of the two subjects I’d been dreading.

  “Come on then give us the juicy details,” demands Nicky as she plans over the table seemingly on tenterhooks.

  Remembering Jesse’s earlier comment about my screaming, and putting it together with Nicky’s comment makes my face blaze.

  “Here,” says Kelly, placing a plate full of food in front of Nicky. “Get this down your neck and leave the poor lass alone. She isn’t going to tell you a thing.” He winks at me before placing another equally full plate in front of Tracey who’s sitting next to Nicky, with a sour look on her face.

  The centre of the table is loaded up with a pot of coffee, a pot of tea, and a jug of juice, along with clean glasses and cups. I help myself to a coffee and take a long savouring sip, hoping the caffeine fix will calm my nerves down.

  Clarissa, sitting on Tracey’s other side sits back in her seat and looks at me, eyeing me up and down for what feels like hours. “You’ve got a good pair of lungs on you, girl,” she states,causing the table to erupt in laughter. Fantastic! I’d only just gotten rid of the burning cheeks caused by Nicky and now I can feel them burning twice as bad.

  Kelly walks back in, a plate in both hands and one resting on the crook of his arm. He places one on the table in front of Kate and another in front of Clarissa. Kelly places the plate from the crook of his arm at an empty place on the table. After pouring himself a cup of tea he sits down and digs into his breakfast. Carter follows him in his own plate in hand, making a beeline for the seat beside Clarissa, placing his plate of pancak
es in front of me and pulling a squeezy bottle of golden syrup out of his front jean pocket as he passes.

  I look up at him dumbfound. “Th…Thanks,” I manage to stutter. Glancing around I can see I’m not the only one shocked by his actions, everyone else is staring at him in silence too.

  Cutting a cross into my stack of pancakes, I squeeze a lovely sticky dose of golden syrup onto the top one and watch as it pours through the cross, covering them all. I close my eyes as I take my first bite enjoying the taste way too much. Kelly makes the best pancakes I’ve ever tasted. He cooks them in the same pan he cooks the bacon in, and that makes them so delicious. Swallowing the first mouthful, I open my eyes to find everyone’s eyes on me, even Jesse who had taken the seat next to me without me even noticing.

  “Did you just orgasm on a bite of pancake?” Big Mac asks, having also managed to take a seat at the table without me noticing. Some werewolf I am. Give me plate of pancakes and my instincts are shot.

  Feeling my face burning it’s way to that lovely beetroot colour again, I feel the need to say something to make them understand and take away my embarrassment. “He cooks them in bacon fat,” I state as if that’s a perfectly clear answer to such a question.

  The table erupts into laughter. Hating being the butt of everyone’s joke I ignore them, making sure to eat the rest of my pancakes with my eyes open and definitely no appreciative noises. After a few more giggles, conversation picks up once again. I listen to everyone as I sip on my coffee, Jesse and Kelly seem to be discussing something pertaining to the pack in quietly muttered words. Struggling to follow their conversation I let my ears wonder to Kate, Clarissa and Carter who are discussing the latest movie releases I almost choke on a sip of coffee as I hear Clarissa getting excited about the latest Marvel movie. “Civil War, have you seen it? Bucky Barnes, I love that man.” Clarissa is the last person I would expect to be into the comic movies.