“Can I pet you? I mean, I know you’re not a dog. But I’ve always wanted to feel what your fur is like. Is that weird?”
In answer, he slid his head under her outstretched hand and leaned into her. Her smile was wide as she slowly slid her fingers through his fur. If he were a cat, he would’ve been purring at that point. As it was, he did his best not to shake his leg like a dog would at the feel of her hand on his body.
He knew this was hard for her. Knew that it was a step both of them had wanted to wait to take; one they might not have taken at all if the time weren’t right. But now that they were together, he would do everything in his power to make sure she understood that she was treasured, even if their mating wasn’t like everyone else’s.
He knew the ramifications of what they had done would come soon. But for now, he would lean into his mate and let her pet him. As she smiled when he slowly used his teeth to tighten the blanket around her, he thought maybe they could make this work.
Maybe he could have a mate and keep her safe.
Maybe he hadn’t doomed her to a fate neither of them was ready for.
MAX
Max hid behind the trees, watching the newly mated couple as Kameron let Dhani pet him as if she were the only one in his world. In all his life, Max had never thought to see his cousin react like that. He’d always hoped, of course. Had always thought that maybe, just maybe there would be a woman that could make Kameron let down his shields, but he hadn’t expected it to be Dhani.
Maybe that was why it worked.
But Max didn’t know much of anything anymore it seemed.
Didn’t even know who he was.
Because he didn’t like the idea that he wasn’t the nice one anymore. He didn’t like how he was treating those who loved him. But he didn’t know how to stop being this new Max. He didn’t know how to stop being so angry all the time. He didn’t know how to stop hurting.
He didn’t know anything.
And now he was the only Brentwood left without a mate. Every other sibling and cousin had found theirs, even if they had taken the hard road to get there. But now they would all find their happiness. He knew Kameron and Dhani had a long path to follow to find that happily ever after, but they would get there. He had to believe it.
Because he didn’t really believe in anything anymore. At least not much of anything.
He was the only one left. The only one without someone to share his soul with. And maybe that was a good thing. Because he was broken. Something had been taken from him, and not just a limb. He knew he wasn’t a shell of a man because of that. It went deeper than that…deeper than he knew how to comprehend. Because he was whole, yet not. And it had nothing to do with his physical body.
Once he had thought he might find his mate and show her the world that he loved and thrived in. That wasn’t the case anymore. Some part of him still thought there might be a woman that could be his. But even though the mating bonds had been fixed, he was so numb, he couldn’t really feel anything anymore. But maybe that was for the best.
Because he wasn’t the same man he’d once been.
Until he could discover the man he was now, he wouldn’t be the type of man a mate needed.
He wouldn’t be the wolf they needed.
He wouldn’t be Max. Whoever that was.
Chapter Fifteen
This time, the dream pulled her in so quickly, so violently, that Dhani couldn’t catch her breath. Instead, she fought, trying to claw her way back out of the dream. Because she knew nothing good could come of it, nothing that would keep her safe and whole anyway. Something was coming, she’d always known that, but as the dream wrapped its spindly fingers around her waist, pulling her down into the abyss, she knew there would be no waking up this time until the dream wanted her to.
So she fell.
The older woman was back again, this time staring at her. Dhani was part of the dream, rather than an observer, though. There was a baby crying in the distance, but she couldn’t see where it was coming from. There was another woman crying, a man trying to soothe her, but Dhani didn’t know where they were. All she could do was look at the older woman who stared at her. Then the woman spoke.
“Stand up. You stood up. Open up. You’ve opened up. But you must give up. Not now, but soon. Because, remember, sacrifice begets sacrifice. You are strong. Remember that, child. You are strong.”
Then Dhani screamed and woke up.
Only, unlike every other time, she wasn’t alone.
“Dhani? What’s wrong? Are you hurt?” Kameron hovered above her, his gaze intense as he searched her face before running his fingers down her cheek.
She sucked in a breath, her body coated in a thin sheen of sweat as she fought to slow her heart rate. “I’m okay.”
Kameron glared, his wolf in his eyes. His face lowered to hers, his breath warm on her cheek. “You’re lying. I get that you’re scared, but you’re lying. You don’t get to lie to me. We don’t get to lie to each other. Not anymore. We’re mates, remember? Talk to me. What just happened?”
They were mates. She still couldn’t quite comprehend that. The idea that she could still feel his soul wrapped around hers was something she knew would take eons to fully understand.
“Dhani.” His voice was low, not a growl but the kind of need she yearned for.
She shook her head and looked up into Kameron’s eyes. He was still hovering over her, their legs tangled as they lay naked in his bed. Or maybe their bed.
Strange how things had changed so quickly.
“It was just a nightmare. I get them sometimes. I’m sorry.” Sorry for waking him up, that was. She’d never lay in bed with a man before when she was thrown into a dream like that. Maybe she hadn’t been able to trust anyone enough to allow herself to fall into her dreams like that.
Or maybe whatever had led her to have the dreams in the first place knew that Kameron should be a part of it.
And there went that sense of knowing again.
Kameron shook his head and sat up. The sheet pooled around his waist, and her gaze followed his happy trail down to the dark shadow of his lap. She licked her lips but forced her eyes to his as she sat up, as well. She was still a little shaky from her dream and being near him, but she wanted to be on the same level with him as she spoke. She needed to be.
“Don’t be sorry. You didn’t do anything wrong except lie to me. But, really, I probably would have lied too. Since, like you, I don’t like others knowing what I’m feeling or thinking.” He ran a hand down his jaw, his beard growing in since he hadn’t shaved the day before. She’d liked the way it had felt against her skin, liked the way she was learning more about him with each passing moment. Things were moving far too fast for them, but she was soaking it all in as quickly as she could.
“If I have to tell you everything, does that mean you have to do the same for me?”
His jaw clenched, but he gave her a tight nod. His hand fisted on the sheet beside them and she followed his lean, muscled arm up to his face again. “I’ll try.”
That was something at least. And if they were going to sleep in the same bed every night, then he needed to know what he was in for when it came to her dreams. And when it came to her in general.
She’d never had to explain this part of herself before, and she wasn’t sure she could, but she’d try. Because he’d risked everything for her, just as she’d done for him. And though she didn’t know every aspect of him, she couldn’t hide herself anymore.
“I have nightmares that aren’t truly nightmares. Ever since I can remember, I’ve had dreams where they feel like…more. They’re not always so serious, but sometimes, it almost feels like a knowing. I’ve told you about that before, how I can almost feel where I need to be or what decision I need to make. That’s the basis of my dreams. I can’t explain it, but I know it’s important. Before I knew about shifters and witches and that magic was real, I thought I was crazy. Now, I’m not so sure. But I had a dream tonight, o
ne that scared me.”
She told him the words the old woman had spoken, the words Dhani knew were important. She still couldn’t wrap her head around them. All she knew was that, somehow, she’d gone through part of what the woman needed her to do, but the hardest steps were yet to come.
She’d been told she was strong. But was she truly strong enough to face what came next?
He sat there a moment, his gaze intense as he listened. “I knew things were different. You’d mentioned it before, but if you want, we can look into it more when you’re ready. Things aren’t the same as when you were living in the human world.”
That reminded her, “Do you think it will change when I’m a wolf?”
He frowned. “I don’t know. Things aren’t the same for every human that changes into a wolf. And I don’t know what happens when you’re changed into a cat.” He paused. “I’m thinking you’ll go wolf since it requires a dominant or Alpha to change you, and without Audrey, we don’t have a cat shifter to start the change. As for these visions of yours, I know Avery is a foreseer, and her visions only became more manageable and clearer once she became a wolf. I don’t know why you have these…dreams, though. They sound almost like prophecies, yet they’re…different. I don’t know what to tell you other than that you’re Pack now, so no matter what happens, you won’t be alone when everything changes after you shift.”
He paused while she tried to come to terms with his words, then he cupped her cheek.
“What?” she asked.
“We never talked about it, but you know what’s coming soon. Becoming a shifter isn’t easy. It’s not for everyone, and it can easily go wrong. The Pack bonds and mating bonds should help, but it’s still going to be traumatic. I wish there was another way. Witches can stay as they are because their magic becomes entwined with the mating bond, but that isn’t the case for humans. We’ve searched for a way for those who mate into the Pack to remain their human selves, but there isn’t one. For you to remain healthy and stay part of the Pack as you grow older and into the bond, you will have to become a shifter. That means Gideon will have to bring you to near death, then bite and tear into you until we’re sure the shift will take. Pain meds and any other drugs only hinder the change.”
Her hands shook, but she nodded. He put his hand over hers, calming her. This icy, gruff wolf sure knew how to comfort even if he told himself—and her—that he wasn’t any good at it. “I know. I talked with Aimee about it. What Audrey and Walker had to do in order to save her life wasn’t pleasant, but she’s alive now to talk about it. I knew going in that I’d have to leave my humanity behind. I knew it, though it doesn’t make it any easier. I’m not ready, but I don’t know if I’ll ever be ready.”
Kameron leaned forward and cupped her cheek. “We have time. Let’s get used to who we are now with this new bond first, then we’ll take the next step. Not to mention, we still don’t know what the ramifications are from our very public debut in the human world.”
She winced. “I keep trying to suppress the memories of what my parents did. It’s not working.”
Kameron growled. “Blade. It was Blade. It’s always been Blade.”
She narrowed her eyes. “If I didn’t know otherwise, I’d say you have an obsession with the man.” She didn’t like the idea that Kam was putting the worries and safety of his Pack on his shoulders as he was. Then again, he was the Enforcer. Perhaps that’s how they survived.
“He needs to be ended. If it’s by my claw, all the better.”
“Kameron.”
“Don’t start. My family and Pack, my mate, are all in danger because of that man. I’ll stop at nothing to make sure he never has the chance to cause more harm.”
Dhani let out a breath. “Then I’ll help, too.”
“You’re a teacher. Your job is to keep our young safe.”
The idea that she actually had a place in the Pack was something that warmed her, but she wasn’t done yet. “Yes, but as your mate, it’s my job to keep you safe and sound. Emphasis on the latter since you’re the big, bad wolf and I’m the human here.”
He lowered his head and kissed her softly. “We’ll figure this out. All of it.” His chest rumbled as the sheet fell from her grasp and landed at her waist, leaving her breasts bare to him. “But first…”
She snorted, then moaned as he licked his way down her neck. It seemed they were going to banish the serious thoughts of the morning in the best way possible. And now that he was hers in at least some of the ways she was just learning, she could indulge.
Finally.
He explored her mouth as she slid her hands up and down his back, her nails digging in as he moved down slightly to suck on her neck. Her breaths started coming in short pants as he rocked against her. They were both already naked, his rock-hard cock pressing against her wet heat. If she angled her hips just right, he’d slide right in. And since she already knew she was soaked, he’d glide in to the hilt easily, and she’d probably come immediately.
But since Kameron was who he was, he put a hand on her hip, stalling her.
“Not yet. I’m going to taste you. Touch you. Feel you. Then, after you’ve come a few times, I’ll fuck you hard into the mattress.”
Her eyes rolled back as he played with her nipple after he moved his hand from her hip. He rested on his other arm so he didn’t put weight on her and the action moved his cock away from her heat. She would have pouted, but his hands on her felt far too good for her to complain right then.
Instead, she let her legs spread, and her hands continue to roam over his body. His skin was so smooth, yet it had a roughness to it that told her his body had healed over and over from battles. He didn’t have as many scars as she might have thought because he healed so quickly, but Kameron had a warrior’s body, and she craved more of it.
“I love your nipples. They’re just the right size for my mouth. It’s like you were made for me.”
“Funny that,” she said on a pant. “Your cock is just the right size for me.”
He looked up and grinned, and she knew she could fall for that expression. He rarely smiled, but when he did, it made her heart hurt in the best possible way. This man, this wolf, was hers, and she was enjoying getting to know all parts of him—more than she thought she would. Maybe the moon goddess knew exactly what she was doing when she put the two of them together.
Kameron’s mouth trailed down her belly and then moved between her legs. The blanket had long since fallen to the floor, and she went up on her elbows so she could watch him taste her. The strong muscles of his butt flexed as he moved, his back wide and rippling with strength. This was her man, and damn he had a talented tongue.
When he started to tease her entrance with his fingers then slowly slid them into her, curling the digits and finding that special spot inside, she arched her back, her head falling back so her hair splayed across the sheet below them both. She called out his name as she came, but he didn’t let up. Instead, he held onto her hips, demanding more. And because she could feel the need, the craving along the bond, she came again.
His eyes were gold when he looked up, his mouth wet from her desire. Then he placed his feet on the floor, grabbed her hips, and flipped her over onto her stomach.
“On your knees,” he growled.
Her body seemed to immediately heed his command, and yet she was just fine with that. She went up onto her knees as his hands dug into her hips. Then he slammed into her with one intense thrust, and she knew she would be lost again at any moment.
He pumped in and out of her, his cock stretching her as she moved her hips to meet him thrust for thrust. He was so wide, so long that she knew she’d be sore later, yet she knew it would be an ache she’d savor.
This man knew exactly what he was doing to her, and from the grunts and growls behind her, he liked what she was doing to him, as well.
Good.
When he pulled out all the way, she rolled out of the way and turned so she could pull him down.
Thankfully, he let her and went to his back on the bed. She quickly straddled him, took his dick in her hand, and slowly slid down his length.
They both let out a groan when she was fully seated, then she gave him a grin. “Ready for me to ride?”
“It’s about time I get to play with these pretty breasts.” Then he did, and she moved, her body rolling over his as the orgasm came again.
And when she was finally out of breath, out of everything, she went to her back, and he rolled with her, finally coming inside her as he growled her name. Then he bit her again, marking her as his, and she knew she’d forever remember this moment. This man. This wolf.
Her man. Her wolf.
Hers.
Chapter Sixteen
Kameron hated waiting. He had never been patient, even though with his position he had to be more patient than some. He always had to find the right time to either attack or be on the defensive. He had to strategize, collect all the facts, and then present them to his brother and Alpha.
But it didn’t make waiting any easier.
Waiting to see how humans would react to Dhani becoming a Pack member, to becoming his mate, was a new form of torture. He was still trying to get used to the fact that she was his. Everywhere he walked around the den, he could feel a slight pulse inside his chest that told him she was near. He didn’t know what would happen to them eventually, what would happen to their bond as it evolved, but he knew that this moment was important.
And in order for what they were and everything that was to come to remain important, he needed to know what was going to happen next.
He also knew more than most that there was no telling what would happen next. No foreseers or prophecies like his mate was most likely seeing would help him find the right path.
Kameron knew that things would have to change. He couldn’t just hide his mate away inside the den wards and pretend that everything was going to be okay. Because it wouldn’t be. The world needed to see that she was free to come and go as she pleased and that she wasn’t a chained-up bride or whatever the tabloids were saying. And though he wanted to wrap her in cotton wool and hide away from the world, he knew that wasn’t something he could do. Not only would it be wrong, but Dhani would kick his ass.
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