by Talya Bosco
Devon chuckled. “You keep saying that, but you've seen it's very possible. You can accept that we're werewolves, but you can't accept that we're in love with you?”
Larissa's heart contracted at his words. Could she accept that they were werewolves? Despite the fact it defied all common sense? Well, who was she to doubt based on that? Nothing about this entire week had made sense.
So there were werewolves in the world. Was that really so far-fetched? She believed in ghosts. Why not werewolves and vampires and the other things that went bump in the night? The legends had to have some basis in fact.
The evidence was right here in front of her. Or it had been two minutes ago. Now she had a very naked Jared in front of her. She knew she should be more freaked out by it all, but for some reason, she wasn't.
She didn't know if it was because of the conversation she and Michelle had earlier, or if it was something more. Something about the men themselves, perhaps, or how she felt for them. Whatever it was, she seemed to have accepted she was talking to a pair of werewolves.
But the other issue was another matter entirely.
“Love doesn't happen in a week.”
Jared sat back. “Says who? Why can't it happen in a week? In a day? In an hour? No one has ever been able to dissect what love truly is. How the hell are they gonna tell us how long it takes to experience it?”
Larissa looked at the two men in disbelief. How could they be in love with her? They barely knew her.
But then how could she be in love with them? She barely knew them.
But in love with them she was. She knew it in every fiber of her being. She was in love with these two men and would always be.
“Wait. You said your mother ran the contest, that she picked me out. What if she'd picked someone else? Wouldn't you be just as in love with her?”
Jared gave her a look as though to say don't be stupid, but instead of that, he answered her gently. “No. Not at all. My mother may think she rules the world, but she's been known to be wrong a time or two.”
Devon chuckled. “Denise got lucky, plain and simple. Hell, we're the ones who got lucky.”
Jared smiled. “If you ask her, she'll tell you she never had any doubt, but knowing her like I do, she was worried this wouldn't work.”
“And you two agreed to this? To have a woman be paraded in front of you like a slab of meat?” Larissa wasn't sure how to handle this entire situation, so concentrating on one thing at a time seemed the wisest choice.
“Not really. She planned the entire thing and only then told us about it. In fact, when I saw you the first time at the hotel I didn't even know it was you, the winner. All I knew was that I was attracted to you immediately. And I couldn't follow up on it because I had dinner planned. With her, in fact, now that I think about it.”
Devon shook his head. “And she was the reason I was in the lobby waiting for Jared when you came in last Sunday.”
“Damn, she's more manipulative than even I gave her credit for.” Jared's voice was full of respect for his mother despite his words.
Jared turned and took Larissa's face in his hands. “Larissa, I've said it twice already, and you haven't responded. Well, at least not in a way I want to hear. I love you, and I will love you as long as I live. I love your sense of humor, your intelligence, your inner strength. I love everything about you. Is there a chance you feel the same way?”
Larissa swallowed the lump in her throat.
“Before you answer him, Larissa, hear me out as well. I love you. I love your courage, your ability to accept people for who and what they are, and I love your self-confidence which is so beautifully mixed with your insecurities that rear their heads at the strangest times. There is nothing about you I would ever change.”
Larissa felt tears at the corners of her eyes once again as her heart filled to almost bursting. There was no way to doubt the sincerity in their voices. They truly were in love with her. All the rest could be handled later. Right now all she wanted to do was bask in that love.
“Well?” Devon's voice was impatient.
“Well what?”
“How do you feel, woman?”
“Oh.”
“Yes, oh.”
“Do you have to ask?”
Devon looked at Jared before answering her. “If you would just say the words, then we wouldn't keep asking.”
“Oh, okay, then. Well, I love you too.”
“That's it? You love us too?”
Larissa smiled. “Yup.”
The sound of someone clapping made the three of them get to their feet, as people emerged from the forest on the east side of the clearing. Denise, Paul, and Mathew walked into the clearing, followed by Michelle and two other men. “Well, it's about time the three of you declared yourselves. You took long enough.”
Larissa stood there in shock long enough for Jared to dress before rejoining her and Devon. And then the fact that his and Devon's entire family was approaching penetrated her brain. What the hell were they all doing here?
And had Denise really been clapping? What business was it of hers if and when they told each other they were in love? Dammit, this was a private conversation, and Larissa didn't appreciate sharing it with whoever else was in the woods.
Just in case, she looked around and realized that there were more people coming into the clearing. From the north, Susan came through the trees, followed by Jeffrey and—Larissa gasped—Philip. Instinctively she moved closer to her men. Jared's arms went around her and held her tight, but he growled at the man who approached them. Philip smiled and held his hands up, but stopped moving.
Denise frowned at her son. “Don't even think of starting anything, Jared. You knew it had to happen.”
“Had to happen? What had to happen?” Larissa tried to look back at Jared and Devon but was held too tight in Jared's grasp. What the fuck was everyone doing here? Why had Denise been clapping? And what the hell was she talking about?
“I'll explain in a minute, honey, I promise.” Jared kissed the top of her head before handing her over to Devon to face Denise alone. “Before this goes any further, Mother, be aware that we've called an end to it. No more.”
Paul shook his head before speaking. “You know what that means, son.”
What the hell were they talking about? Were the men in trouble for telling her the truth? But dammit, they said Michelle had written the books to find people accepting of them. How the hell could she accept them without knowing the truth?
And what did Jared mean they were calling an end to it? An end to what?
She wanted to grab Jared, but he was out of her reach. Instead, she turned to Devon and asked through gritted teeth, “Devon, what's going on?”
Devon smiled almost sadly and kissed the tip of her nose. “Something that needs to be done, sweetheart. Don't worry. Stay here,” he told her before stepping the few feet to stand beside Jared. They stood there in front of her, almost like an impenetrable wall protecting her from something.
But the only thing on the other side of them was their family. Why would she need protection from them?
Devon addressed the others assembled.
“We both know what it means, and we're willing to accept the repercussions.”
“Have you told Larissa? Given her the chance to say how she feels?” Denise asked, her hands on her hips, her lips pursed in disapproval.
Larissa didn't give herself the chance to think about it; all she knew was they were talking about her future, and she'd be damned if she was going to stand there behind the men while they talked about it without her. She wouldn't cower behind them either. She walked up and pushed her way between Jared and Devon before facing the others. “Excuse me, but would someone please tell me what the hell is going on here?”
Denise gave her a long, hard look before answering. “Devon and Jared are next in line to be leaders of the pack. By revealing themselves to you before approval was given, they've jeopardized their standing.”
“What? What the hell are you talking about? You were just clapping when they told me they loved me.”
Jared wrapped his arm around Larissa and rubbed her shoulder with his thumb. “Devon and I already discussed it, Mother. It's not worth the price.”
“What price?” Larissa turned and looked at Jared. “What price, Jared? And how does it involve me?”
“Don't worry about it, Larissa. It's a moot point.”
“Don't you dare do that to me, Jared. And you either, Devon. I've put up with a lot of shit from you two, but I will not put up with that.”
Larissa knew she was butting in on something that probably had no bearing on her whatsoever—something she probably wouldn't even understand—but it didn't matter. What mattered right now was the fact they were keeping even more secrets from her. She was not going to allow that.
She ground out her words between gritted teeth. “If you two expect me to share my life with you, to be part of your lives, then you had damn well better be prepared to include me as a full partner, and that includes all decisions that affect me. Or you. And if you can't give that to me, then I will walk out of this clearing right now, and you will never see me again.”
Jared looked at her with pain in his eyes. “I won't let them cause you any more pain, Larissa. Nothing is worth that.”
“What pain? What are you talking about?”
“They've been testing you, Larissa, ever since you got to Kansas City.” Devon answered her, his voice almost too low for her to hear. “All the shit you've gone through has been a test.”
“What? What shit? What the hell are you talking about?”
Denise answered from behind her. “From the time your plane landed on the ground until you met the two of them, every little obstacle that's been put in front of you has been a test, Larissa. Your suitability as a future mate for my sons had to be judged.”
Larissa whipped around to look at Denise almost before the words were out of her mouth. “What did you say? My suitability?” Larissa felt her temper begin to rise as her heart sped up and her breathing quickly became labored. She knew she should keep herself in check, especially given the fact the woman she was yelling at was the mother of her lovers, but it didn't matter. Her patience had worn thin, and she damn well was going to get some answers.
“What the hell gives you the right to judge me? You were the one who picked me, lady, not the other way around. You have no right to test my suitability for anything, least of all how good I'd be for your sons.”
Larissa hadn't realized it, but she'd been walking closer to Denise with every word. When Devon's arms wrapped around her once again and pulled her back, the fact that she'd halved the distance between the two of them finally registered. What the hell had she been planning on doing? Starting a slapping fight with a werewolf?
“Larissa, she did it for the pack.” Jared's voice came from behind Devon.
Larissa fought her way out of Devon's grasp and turned around to face him and Jared. “For the pack? And you let her?”
“They didn't have a choice, Larissa. Not if they wanted you to be accepted as a full member.” Mathew's softly spoken words sunk in as nothing else could have.
Larissa looked behind her and then back to the men. “No, this is crazy.”
Mathew came up behind her and put his hand on her shoulder. “It's the way we've always done things, Larissa. If we want to keep the pack strong, we have to make sure that the leaders can handle whatever comes their way.”
Larissa closed her eyes and put her head down. It all made a sick kind of sense if she thought about it. Why would they want their leaders to be with a weak human female?
“What kind of tests?”
“It doesn't matter, Larissa. They called an end to the tests days ago. And they sealed their fate today.”
Larissa turned around and faced Denise. She was really beginning to dislike this woman. “I said, what kind of tests?”
Mathew sighed. “A variety. Your compassion, your fidelity, your view of self, your willingness to defend yourself or others when needed.”
Larissa shook her head. “I don't understand. I haven't been tested on any of that.”
Jeffrey spoke up for the first time. “Yes, you were. From the way you handled the traffic jam to the way you handled the information about your dates being canceled, it was all presented to see how you would react.”
“You mean Tony's mother-in-law didn't really have a heart attack? And my other date's girlfriend didn't go into labor?”
“No. It was all made up.”
Her eyes narrowed, and she turned her gaze to Philip. “And you? You were trying to be that offensive?”
He hung his head for a moment and then met her gaze. “I'm sorry, Larissa. I didn't want to hurt you, but I had to do it. Orders.”
Larissa already had enough ammo against Denise. She decided to let that one slide.
Larissa turned and looked at Denise. “These are your idea of tests?”
“Yes. The way you handled the news about Tony's mother-in-law tested not only your compassion but also your acceptance of those who choose a style of life different from your own. And Philip was a test of your inner strength, your confidence in who and what you are. We all have an inner core of strength, but for some it's weaker than in others. It's not easy being in a triad; society often spurns us, treating us like pariahs. We needed to know how you would handle disapproval.”
“Just wonderful. I hope I passed them, then, because they didn't even register on my radar as a blip worth remembering.”
“You did.”
“Great. Then I guess I'll just leave now.”
“What about your men, Larissa? They, too, were being tested at the same time.”
Larissa threw up her hands in frustration. The politics and machinations of these people were getting old fast. “Would you please just get to the point, Denise? It's been a long day, and I'm tired. I don't know if I can handle much more of this.”
The smiles that ran across Michelle's and Susan's faces suddenly had her feeling a bit less dejected and more confident.
“Jared stopped the tests days ago. The first day you two spent together he was supposed to take you somewhere else where we had something planned for you. He refused and took you to the museum.” Denise glared at her son. “With no explanation, I may add.”
“So you're telling me they failed too. Because they didn't want me to be hurt any more than they thought I had been?” Before Denise could answer, Larissa turned back to her men. “Did you know they were testing you as well?”
Devon shook his head. “No. We were told if we interfered or told you what was going on or revealed our secret to you that it was grounds for banishment from the pack.”
Larissa felt all the anger that had built up over the last few minutes rush out of her body as a wave of love pushed it out.
“So what you did earlier? Telling me who you really were? You were facing banishment to do that?”
Jared reached out and stroked her cheek. “Life in the pack wouldn't have been worth anything without you. And we weren't going to let them continue hurting you.”
Larissa bit her lip as tears ran down her face. “You fools. They weren't hurting me. I told the truth, I didn't even realize what they were doing. None of it matters to me. And it definitely didn't matter to me once I met you.
“Philip said some cruel things, yes. And I was disappointed that I wasn't going to have my dates. But it wasn't important. I subscribed a long time ago to Eleanor Roosevelt's belief. No one can make me feel inferior without my consent. And although they might have disappointed me, no one here has actually done anything that hurt me.”
“That's not true. Earlier today, we did something to hurt you. You were crying in the bedroom,” Devon pointed out.
Larissa sniffed and shook her head. For a brief second she worried about coming completely clean in front of everyone else, but she realized it didn't matter. Yes, they already knew
more than they had any right to know, but if she wanted a future with Devon and Jared, it was beyond time to be shy. “No. That's not it at all. I realized I'd come to love you, and I knew I had to leave in a couple days. That I would never see you again. That's why I was crying. I didn't want to lose you.”
The men pulled her into their arms and held her tight for a long moment, none of them wanting to let go. Finally, someone coughed behind them.
They separated and turned to face the others, together as a single unit for the first time.
Larissa saw the glitter of what looked like tears in the corners of Denise's eyes, and became even more confused. Why was the woman crying? She was the one who was banishing her children.
“Larissa, Jared, Devon. I am sorry. Truly sorry for what I have done to you all, but please believe me when I tell you I had no choice. I never meant to hurt any of you.” Paul and Mathew were behind her, each with an arm wrapped around her, as though supporting her, giving her strength.
Paul cleared his throat. “Jared, Devon, we've lied to you. We've all lied to you. I only hope that someday you can forgive us.”
“Are you going to banish them just for loving me?” Larissa asked, beyond tact.
“No. Not at all.”
Denise, Paul, and Mathew stepped forward until they were mere feet from Larissa, Devon, and Jared. Denise reached out and held Larissa's hands in her own. “I have never been prouder of my boys than I am right now, in fact. They have shown they are wonderful men capable of all the finer emotions and will be excellent leaders.”
“I don't understand.” Larissa's gaze bounced among the three alphas.
“That was the test.” Devon's voice was cold.
“You were testing how long we'd let you hurt the woman we'd come to love.” Jared's voice sounded surprised. And angry.
Larissa pulled her hands from Denise's grasp and reached back to her mates. Whatever it was that Denise had to say, Larissa had the feeling it was going to hurt them more than anything else had done to this point. And she was determined to give them as much support as they had her.
Denise looked at the men behind Larissa. “From the moment you met her, you've done nothing but protect her, keep her from harm. Even when you thought it would mean banishment from all you knew, you didn't stop. You even came down here to say good-bye without knowing how she felt for you, because you loved her so much.”
