“Iceberg?” Pike asks cutting into my thoughts.
“Yes, an iceberg. I think it sounds like a good example, if you’re going to question my inner rants you know you can pull yourself right on out of my thoughts,” I snap at him.
“Calm down, darlin’, I’m not questioning your rant. I think it’s a cute description.”
“Uh-huh. Is there a reason you broke into my mind, Tennessee.”
“I just want to reassure you that you’ll survive the changes and I’m glad to hear you want this to work, though there isn’t really a question whether it will or not. We’re mates, which makes us perfect for one another.”
“I’ll try to take your word on it, but I’m the type that has to see it to believe it Pike.”
“That sounds like a challenge, darlin’.”
“Not a challenge, just the way I am.”
“Oh no, it was a challenge and now I’m determined to prove it to ya.”
I can practically hear the wheels turning in his mind as he’s formulating his plan to win our so called challenge.
“So are you keeping Bonnie company while you talk to me or are you ignoring my friend?” I ask figuring it best to change the subject.
If I keep going on about him proving stuff to me he’ll be back in the bedroom to start doing just that.
“Emily and her are talking. They don’t even realize I’m not in the conversation.”
“Are they getting along?”
“Oh yeah, they keep going on about shoes or something. If I didn’t know better I’d say they’ve been friends forever.”
I should’ve known, Bonnie’s never met a stranger and in the few hours I’ve known Emily she seems the same way.
“That’s good to here. If Bonnie agrees to go with us they’ll be seeing a lot of each other.”
“Yeah they will. Emily’s offered to make breakfast. Is French Toast okay with you?”
“Yes, that’s my favorite.”
“Good, hurry up and get ready, so you can join us.”
“Alright, I’ll make it quick. Save me some, Tennessee.”
“Of course I will, darlin’.”
Twenty minutes later I’m freshly showered and dressed in a pair of jean shorts and an old Cincinnati Reds t-shirt. I find Pike and Bonnie sitting at the kitchen table eating while Emily’s at the stove making French toast. I take a seat and tell Bonnie and Emily good morning.
“So I hear I’m invited to go to Tennessee with ya,” Bonnie says after swallowing a mouthful of food.
Glaring at Pike I answer, “Yes, you are. I planned on talking to you about it myself.”
“Sorry, it just popped out.” Pike shrugs, a grin on his face as he continues eating his breakfast watching me and Bonnie.
Turning my attention back to my best friend, “So what do you think, Bon?”
“Living in a town full of men who can shift into wolves? Sounds like an adventure, and you know I’m always up for that.” I jump up and hug her.
“Thank you, Bon!”
“It’s not problem, Blu. The only thing I need to know is where I’m going to live and work.” She says hugging me back. I sit back down and look over at Pike for the answer. He takes a drink of milk to wash down his food then replies, “We’ll set you up with an apartment in the pack house and I’ll make a couple calls about finding you a job. I know a couple people have been in need of some office help.”
“Pack house?” Bonnie and I both ask in unison.
Emily walks over carrying a plate full of French toast, which she sets in the middle of the table before sitting down to make herself a plate. She looks at me and orders, “Make yourself a plate, doll. You’ll need the energy for all the packing we’re gonna do today.” She stares me down as I try to ignore her while I wait on one of them to answer our question.
Giving in I sigh and grab an empty plate and place two pieces on it then pouring syrup over the top ask again, “Okay, what is the pack house?”
She waits till I take my first bite then answers, “It’s where the alpha and his family live. It’s big enough that any pack member who wants or needs to can live there as well. There are a couple wings of the house that’s set up with apartments, most of the top ranking members that are still single live there. The mated pairs usually choose to live outside of the pack house, either on the pack owned land or near town.”
Stunned I look between Pike and her and ask, “How big is this place?”
“Big enough for what we need it for,” Pike answers simply.
“Alright. Where will I be living?”
Pike raises his eyebrows at my question. “You’ll be with your mate, of course.” I should’ve known the answer but I thought I’d double check.
“The pack house is also where we have all pack meetings and mating ceremonies and such. It really is a beautiful place, Bloom.” Emily continues explaining even though I’m not listening because Pike picks this moment to talk to me through our bond.
“Are you ok with living with me, darlin’?”
“Yes, but I wish you would’ve asked instead of taking away my choice,” I grumble.
“I’m sorry, but I’ll probably do that a lot; it’s the wolf in me. He knows what he wants and if he thinks it’s good for his mate he will act on it without asking your opinion. I’ll try to keep him in check and ask your opinion on things that involve us.”
“You better or you and your wolf will find your butts sleeping on the couch, Tennessee.”
He chuckles at my threat then pulls out of my thoughts. Bonnie and Emily are still discussing the move so I focus on finishing my breakfast. I can see out the window that it’s a clear sunny day and I know I want to slip away for a few hours by myself. If I’m going to be leaving this town for awhile I need to visit Dad’s grave to say goodbye. I haven’t been there since the funeral because I wasn’t strong enough, but now that Pike is here supporting me I know I can handle going.
It takes us most of the day to pack all the things I plan on taking with me, we don’t have to worry about the furniture or any of the kitchen items, but we gather all of my clothes, the pictures off the walls, my collection of books and Dads movie collection. Bonnie asks if I want to pack any of Dad’s or Rose’s stuff from the shed out back, but I know there isn’t anything there that will make me feel connected to Dad, just his old clothes. As for Rose’s stuff, it could be used to start a bonfire and I wouldn’t blink.
The only thing I know without a doubt I won’t go without is the swing off the front porch, Dad crafted it with his own hands and he used it to rock me to sleep when I was a baby. When I got older he’d take me out there to read me my bedtime story. Some kids got quiet stuffy rooms with creaking rocking chairs, but my Daddy gave me a warm breeze to gently sway us and the sound of crickets as the background music to our fairytales. Now that I’m older it’s where I go to think, and even if I have to make Tennessee build a porch on that humungous pack house, it’s coming with us and will be put up.
Taping down a flap on the last box Emily asks, “Since we’re done here, do you need help packing, Bonnie?”
“Good heavens yes!”
“You guys go ahead over and I’ll meet you there after I run an errand,” I tell them.
“Don’t even think you’re going somewhere without me, darlin’,” Pike warns.
“I don’t need protecting, Tennessee,” I reply taking our conversation into our minds.
“We’ve went over this, until the threat to you is eliminated I will be stuck to your side like glue. Go ahead and let that sink in so you can get over it and then we can proceed to the grave yard so you can visit with your Daddy.”
“H-how?” I could’ve sworn I’ve been blocking my thoughts when I was deciding to go to Daddy’s grave.
“Nope, we’ll have to work on you blocking yourself, but if I’m gonna be honest with ya, darlin’, I love knowing I can slip into your thoughts at any moment.” I want to be mad at him for being too controlling but I can feel thr
ough our connection that he’s doing it all to keep me safe. I can’t get mad about that and I’m not ready to block him, anyways. Our mating isn’t complete and until it is I want us open to each other.
“Alright Tennessee, you can come with me. I’d like to properly introduce you to my Daddy since you’re gonna be around for awhile.”
“Awhile?”
“Yes. What’s wrong with awhile?”
“It’s more like I’ll be around till the good lord pulls the last breath from my body.” He grabs me around my waist and pulls me to his chest. “This is forever Bloom Michael, I’m not some teenage boy making promises I know I can’t keep. I’m a shifter and when I promise you forever you better believe I mean it. Got it?”
“Yes.” It comes out more as a sigh. This man has succeeded in healing up the hole in my heart and now he’s tattooing his name all over it, just in case someone has a question about who it belongs to.
Oh we’re all his alright and he’s all ours. My wolf grins from pointy ear to pointy ear.
“Good,” he replies and then his mouth is on mine demanding I submit to his claim on me.
“What the heck just happened?” Bonnie asks breaking through the bubble that’s just the two of us.
“What do you mean?” Emily asks looking back and forth between Bonnie and us.
“Instead of arguing they just stared at each other and then started to make out in front of us. Not that I’m complaining because that part was pretty … wow! But still, what the heck?”
Laughing at Bonnie’s description Emily explains, “They were talking through their mate connection. It looks like they resolved whether or not Pike is going with her and by the grin on his face I’d say he won.”
“Wait, go back. What’s this about a mate connection? Is that your way of saying they’re psychic now?” Bonnie’s brow scrunches up as she stares at us as if she just needs to look harder and she’ll be able to see a string that connects us.
“No, it’s not like that at all. They can’t read everyone’s minds, just each others. It’s something special between mated pairs so they’ll be able to protect and care for one another. It makes the mating easier especially when one of the mates isn’t use to our ways. It’s a lot easier to explain being connected when you have a way to prove it. Now that Pike is the alpha he’ll be able to connect with all the pack members thoughts as well, though alpha’s only use that ability when they sense someone could be hiding something dangerous to themselves or the pack.”
“Please tell me that my moving into this wolf house of yours won’t make me pack, because I’m so not ready for Big Bad here to be sorting through my most secret thoughts.” She cocks her hip and stares at Pike waiting for an answer.
“No, Bonnie, you won’t be official pack just by moving into the house. Though if you decide you want to become pack there is a way to do it. If you’re gonna be living amongst us it might be something you’ll want to consider.”
Bonnie’s face goes from one of relief to one of intrigue. She may not be ready to apply to be part of the pack today, but she isn’t going to dismiss the idea either.
“I’ll think about it, Big Bad.”
“Okay, now that that was thrown out there, let’s go get this stuff done. No offense to Ohio, but I’m ready to be home. So the sooner we get this done and get on the road the better.” Emily’s already headed to the door before anyone can respond and just before she steps outside she tosses over her shoulder, “Pike join me real quick. I need to have a word with ya.”
Chapter 27 – Pike
~ I don’t want to lose you ~
“You summoned me?” I know my voice drips of sarcasm, but as her alpha I don’t appreciate being ordered around. Damn these women, not one of them are giving me the respect my position demands.
Emily waves her hand in my general direction; like she’s trying to rid the air of my aggravation. “Pike, get over it. You may be my alpha and I respect that, but you’re also my brother and I will always be your annoying little sister. So the best I can promise is when we’re around the pack I’ll keep my disrespect to a minimum, but any other time. Well, that’ll depend on my mood.”
I close my eyes and rub my temples. I just know a major headache is getting ready to pop up and being stuck in a car with these three for nine and half hours is not gonna help it.
“Emily Layke Masterson, did you drag me out here just to give me that speech?”
“Technically, I didn’t drag you; you walked out on your own two feet.”
“Emily!” Her name comes out as a growl.
She throws her hands to her hips. “Don’t ya dare growl at me, Pike Lykos Masterson. See I know your full name too, and I’m not afraid to use it either.”
I take a deep breath and release it then ask again through gritted teeth, “Okay sister dear, did you need something when you politely asked me to join you out here.”
“Why yes, dear brother, I did.”
“Emily, enough of this, just spit it out.”
“Geez, you’re no fun.”
“Now!” I command.
“I was thinking about the Rose issue,” She quiets her voice so only I’ll be able to hear her.
“What about it? I told you I’m not bringing it up until we’re safely back in Tennessee.”
“I know, but the more I’ve thought about it, well … I think you need to tell her before we go. She needs to know what she’s walking in to, Pike. Her mother is part of the pack she’s joining. Hell, she has three half brothers she knows nothing about. As her mate you’re suppose to protect her.”
The wolf takes control and I grab Emily’s arm, “I am protecting her. Don’t ever accuse me of not doing so again.”
She pushes me away, not even fazed by my outburst. “You’re sending your mate into a situation you can’t protect her from. She will be hurt by this, but if you warn her at least she won’t be hurt by you keeping it from her, and she’ll be able to prepare herself for what’s getting ready to happen.”
“I need her to go. If she finds out she might decide to stay here.” There’s vulnerability in my voice and I hate myself for letting it slip through.
“If you lie to her about it, she’ll leave you anyway, and I doubt she’ll come back. But, if you’re up front with her you have a much better chance of keeping her. Tell her, Pike, you know it’s the right thing to do.”
“Fine, I’ll do it after we visit her Daddy’s grave.” I sigh, my heart’s heavy with the task I need to complete today that has nothing to do with packing. Heck, if this goes bad all the packing could’ve been for nothing.
Emily comes over and grabs me into a hug. “Good luck brother. I have faith she’ll make the right choice.”
“I just hope that choice doesn’t take her away from me.” I grip my sister tighter to my chest, I need the comfort of home, and my sister’s the only piece of home I have with me.
The front door slams and the two girls from inside spill out onto the porch laughing. I know when they catch sight of Emily and me because the laughing abruptly stops.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t … we didn’t mean to interrupt. We just thought you’d be ready to leave,” Bloom explains as she watches my face for any sign of what might have happened. I smile to reassure her everything’s okay, but it doesn’t reach my eyes, because I’m not sure it will be okay after we have our talk. She doesn’t notice my apprehension, and I’m smart enough to keep our connection closed so she can’t pick up on the thoughts running around my mind.
She walks down the stairs and grabs my hand, knotting her delicate slender fingers through my rough larger ones. I pull her hand to my mouth and kiss it gently which causes her to reward me with a soul warming smile.
Letting our hands fall back between us I ask, “Are you ready, darlin’?”
Squeezing my hand she replies, “Yep. Are you?”
“I am.” Lord, I hope we are.***
She’s still gripping my hand as we walk through the cemetery. W
e stopped and bought a bouquet of daisies to place on his grave and her other hand has those grasped against her chest.
The cemetery is located on the outside of town in the opposite direction of the cabin. There’s a tiny white church at the front of the property that has a blood red door and the sides are covered in stained glass windows. A black wrought iron fence circles the whole property as do large maple trees. There are head stones scattered all around the grounds. I notice some newer stones, but most of the one’s we pass are from the early 1900’s.
Reviving Bloom (Bloom Daniels Series) Page 12
