A cold beer or five had been on the agenda while he’d hiked along the road toward Main Street. Somehow, his feet had led him away from Gee’s bar and along a dirt road winding up into the hills toward a beautiful wooden house. The craftsmanship of the original construction shone through and the occupants were slowly bringing the property back to its full glory. The contrast between the house and his shit-box of a trailer couldn’t have been more obvious.
What the hell am I doing? I’ve got no business being anywhere near such a beautiful, classy place.
The fucking occupants—well, one in particular—were the reason he lurked in the bushes like some Peeping Tom rather than sipping a cold brew.
Caitlyn Burrows. The most beautiful little red wolf he had ever seen in his goddamn life, in either form. He cursed himself for the asshole everyone called him for the harsh words he’d spoken to his mate earlier. The pain on her face had mirrored the sour hurt tainting her beautiful honey and vanilla scent, but what else could he do? She needed a decent man to look after her, not some broken down asshole. She looked fragile, too easy to damage, and he’d spent so long maintaining the façade of meanness cocooning his true nature, he didn’t think he could change.
Wasn’t sure he wanted to change, even for a prize like his Little Red.
So what am I doing, mooning around beneath her window like some pup with his first erection?
Nursing a serious case of blue balls, he shifted his weight. His cock had been painfully erect since he first caught her scent floating on the wind as she fled for the trees.
He was fucked.
Again.
With a sigh, he rose from his spot and glanced at his watch. Gee’s would still be open if he hurried. The large first floor window of her room had gone dark over an hour ago. He’d caught a glimpse of her when she drew the curtains, ducking out of sight to his current position.
His mind conjured all kinds of images of her creamy, soft skin, her glorious russet hair cascading free from the confines of its plait as he unlaced it. He imagined it sliding through his hands like silk until he wrapped it tight in his fist, holding her head in the exact position he wanted.
Shit! The jeans he wore with a white ribbed vest grew uncomfortably tight again, and he adjusted his dick without much hope of relief. He couldn’t waltz into the bar with a hard-on so he turned instead toward the woods. The wolf chafed to be free and perhaps a hard run would help to distract him. He’d kept strict control the past few weeks, shifting only once a week until, finally, the constant need to assume his animal form receded. Well until the sight of his mate fleeing had called forth the wolf.
A rasp of sound above his head had him twisting sharply as the window sash to Caitlyn’s room shoved open and she thrust her head out, gasping for air. Moving deeper into the shadows, he watched her wheeze and pant, fingers curling tight around the frame.
He froze in place as her delicious scent drifted through the still air, filling his lungs and scrambling his brain. The fear laced through it had his wolf on point and he took an involuntary step into the patch of moonlight beneath the window. A shuddering sob from above twisted his gut and he spoke in a low tone, which would carry to her sensitive ears.
“Hush, Little Red. It’s okay.”
Her sobs choked off with a gasp and he turned his face up into the moonlight as she leaned farther out of the window. Her gorgeous red hair tumbled loose, falling around her shoulders to hang down like a scene from a fairy tale. Unable to resist the lure of her beauty, he stepped forward, grasped the rose-covered trellis decorating the side of the house, and tested it for strength.
Deciding it would hold him, he crouched low and sprang upward, grasping high, ignoring the sharp thorns pricking his skin as he scaled the short distance to her window.
She covered her mouth in shock as Ven grasped the frame and braced himself nose-to-nose with her. The muscles in his shoulders twitched as he held his full weight on his palms and regarded her critically. Her cheeks were tear-stained and the dark circles beneath her eyes were ugly bruises marring her delicate skin.
“Give me some room,” he growled in a tone that brooked no argument, pleased when she automatically obeyed. Although her omega nature terrified him, it helped in times such as this when her instincts told her to follow a dominant’s instructions. He did not want her father to catch him sneaking into her room like a teenager.
He’d tidied up the spilled contents from the cooler after Caitlyn fled the gas station, leaving it in the shade for Stefan and Connor to find. He’d grunted an affirmation when Stefan asked whether his daughter had visited, turning away to hide the unexpected warmth in his cheeks. Ven Thorne did not blush.
Pushing his head and broad shoulders through the open window, he wriggled forward until he could catch his weight on the floor before sliding the rest of the way in. His cock didn’t thank him as he caught the bulge of it against the window frame and he hoped the dark would hide his brief wince of pain.
Rolling onto his back, he studied his mate where she stood over him, eyes wide in amazement. Fighting the urge to grab her hand and tug her down until her long, lean body sprawled across him, he folded his arms behind his head and crossed his ankles. The ridiculousness of his casual pose brought a sweet smile to her lips and his own tugged upward in response. He couldn’t remember the last time he had tried to put another person at ease, tried to make them smile.
It just wasn’t his style.
This woman would turn everything he thought he knew about himself on its head given half a chance He scowled angrily. Caitlyn Fucking Burrows would make him weak if he let her. He never wanted to be weak again.
Her smile faded in the face of his fierce expression and he steeled himself not to reach out and comfort her. His wolf snapped and snarled in his head, furious at Ven for not taking proper care of their mate. The wolf had a point. Maybe it would be okay to let his guard down here in the dark seclusion of her room. They were alone. He could indulge his desperate need to soothe her without risking anyone in the pack thinking he had gone soft.
He lifted himself up to sitting, flexing his thick abs as he did so, wanting to show off his strength to his mate. His sudden movement sent her into retreat. Her legs hit the edge of the bed and she sat. Rolling forward onto his knees in front of her, he used his big arms to cage her in. Pressing his nose deep into the side of her neck he drew her sweet, natural fragrance deep into his lungs.
The tension in her slender frame eased as the heat of his body soaked into hers. Turning his neck slightly, he gave her access as she tentatively pressed her face into his shoulder. They stayed there unmoving, processing the essence of the one person who would complete them. A moment of peace and communion. The ice around his heart spider-webbed with tiny cracks.
Bracing his weight on his left hand freed his right so he could raise it to stroke through the fiery waterfall of hair cascading down her back. Her vanilla and honey scent intensified as her body relaxed. She pressed closer into his chest, the slight weight a burden he wanted to bear forever.
His blood heated at the feel of her high, small breasts pressed against him, the thin material of her nightgown and the thick cotton of his vest an irritating barrier. He wanted to feel the tight buds of her nipples against his skin, wanted to feel them pebble harder as they brushed against the smooth hard planes of his pectoral muscles.
A growl rumbled deep in his throat as he fisted her hair, tugging her flat until she lay half across the bed, splayed out before him like an offering from the gods. He swiped his tongue over his lower lip as he studied his prize.
Those little breasts of hers would fit completely in his mouth; her shapely thighs would feel so soft when he hooked them over his shoulders and buried his tongue deep in her tight pussy. Mouth watering, he licked his lips, imagining how good she would taste.
The skin on her arms prickled with goose bumps and he could hear her heart racing in her chest. My Little Red is as rev
ved up as I am. He smiled in anticipation, palming her thighs open. The motion caused her nightgown to ride high, affording a glimpse of pale pink flesh.
The sour change in her scent cleared the clouds of lust from his brain. He dropped his hands away from her skin as though scalded. He’d been mistaken in assuming her heart raced with excitement. She stank of fear. Ven rocked on his heels, watching in horror as his mate scrabbled with her nightgown, tugging it down over her thighs as far as she could.
Fuck! I am such a selfish bastard! Her past served as another reason he shouldn’t get involved with her. He knew the stories about why the Burrows had fled the Tao Pack like thieves in the night. Magnum had always taken whatever he wanted and that had included Caitlyn. Ven knew all about being a victim. It had taken several years and a monster growth spurt before he’d been big enough to fight his uncle off. His adult strength gave him a protection Caitlyn would never have.
Fury and despair roiled in his gut. Ven knew how to fight. He didn’t know how to heal himself, never mind anyone else. She needed soft handling, tenderness, and the kind of caring he doubted he could find within him.
A soft sob escaped her lips. Fuck it, he would try his best. Scrubbing a big hand over his face, he counted slowly, bringing his body and temper under control, walling his emotions in tight behind their barriers where they belonged.
Another shuddering sob racked her delicate body as she lay sprawled and vulnerable on the bed, hands twisted in the hem of her nightgown, and he felt like an utter dog. Rising to his feet, he hurried to the large dresser, rifling through the drawers until he found a pair of yoga pants.
Kneeling beside her, he placed her feet in each leg of the pants before slowly pulling them up. He got them to mid-thigh and turned his head away from her, making it clear he wouldn’t look.
“Stand up, Little Red,” he whispered. “Let’s get you covered.”
Caitlyn wobbled as she pushed to her feet so he braced her weight against his shoulder to help her keep her balance. It was a bit awkward without being able to see but he managed to tug the pants up, settling them around her slim hips before smoothing her nightgown down.
He lifted the cover on her bed and coaxed her to slide beneath the raised sheet. She obeyed him silently, allowing him to tuck her in before he moved around to the opposite side of the bed. He shucked his jeans, glad he had soft cotton boxers on for once, before easing into the bed behind her.
She lay in front of him, her rigid posture making the wolf inside him crazy, but the man remembered all too well fearing another’s touch. He needed to show her she would always find a place of safety in his arms. Sliding closer, he adjusted her position so her head pillowed on his shoulder and her hips were bracketed by his. He couldn’t do anything about his thick erection pressed against her ripe little ass, other than ignore it. Sliding one thick thigh between hers, he caged her body and forced himself to breathe slow and deep.
“Relax, Little Red. Feel my breath, feel the rise and fall of my chest. Hush now, my heart.” He murmured reassurance to her over and over again until gradually her body yielded, melting into his. Their breathing rose and fell in sweet harmony and a sense of peace, of utter rightness stole over Ven.
“I’m so sorry.” The words were barely a whisper but they struck his heart deep. Tucking her closer, he pressed his lips against the creamy, soft skin of her shoulder.
“Don’t be sorry, Caitlyn. Don’t you ever apologize for how that bastard made you feel. I’ll never demand more of you than you can freely give me. Never,” he vowed. His wolf gave a soft growl of agreement.
“You must be cursing the fates, Ven. I’m a poor excuse for a mate.” She sighed.
The irony of her words twisted like a knife in his heart. “That makes two of us, Little Red. Now go to sleep.”
Brushing another soft kiss against her skin, he allowed himself to relax as her breathing slowed and she drifted off to sleep. She felt so good in his arms, so right. He would allow himself a few hours to indulge in the idea this could be his life if he chose it. He could sleep beside his mate every night, keep her safe from harm and let her sweet kind nature smooth the roughness in his soul.
Ven closed his eyes and smiled without humor. A fool’s dream in a world as harsh as theirs. A fool’s dream it would remain.
Making a soft noise in her sleep, Caitlyn struggled a little against the tight grip of his arms. He slackened his hold and was rewarded when she turned in her sleep, almost climbing on top of him in her unconscious desire to get as close as possible. Her arm slid over his shoulder, fingers curling into the thick mass of his hair.
He raised his hand, gliding his palm down her spine in soft sweeps and she nuzzled her face into his shoulder with a sigh, muttering a few nonsense words.
He was in Heaven.
He was in Hell.
Chapter Four
Caitlyn smiled to herself as she puttered around in the kitchen, making breakfast for everyone before they disappeared to their various job sites. She’d woken early and alone, the breeze from her open window and the heady scent of amber on her pillow the only markers Ven had come to her in the night. She’d rolled in her sheets, burying her face into the pillows to capture the traces of her mate before fear of discovery had her leaping into action.
Her sheets were currently revolving in the large washing machine out in the utility room and her skin glowed from scrubbing in the shower to remove any trace of his scent. Her wolf had mourned the loss but she didn’t want to face questions from her family. They would only interfere and make a mess of things, and she was doing a fine job of that all on her own.
The bright happiness of the morning faded as she recalled her fear when her mate had touched her so sensually. The look in his dark eyes had excited her for a few precious seconds before the memories of the past crowded in, spoiling the moment. Sometimes being a wolf surrounded by other wolves and their enhanced senses sucked. And when he’d stood up, she had been so sure he would leave. She wouldn’t have blamed him. Who wanted damaged goods for a mate, after all?
A soft snarl from across the room had her turning to look at her twin brother, Connor, who sat at the breakfast table, shoveling pancakes and sausage like he hadn’t eaten for a month. He stood swiftly, fists clenched as he regarded her, and she knew she had let her thoughts stray too widely.
“I fucking hate it when you think such terrible things about yourself, Caitlyn. It makes me so goddamn angry to know I couldn’t protect you when you needed me most. I hate Drew for doing what I should have done. I should have been the one to kill Magnum, not him.” The waves of his anger and distress filled the room, threatening to choke her along with her guilt.
If she hadn’t been so weak, then Connor wouldn’t feel so bad about what had happened. It was an endless spiral she couldn’t escape and it hurt so much to know she had let down her family by falling victim to Magnum.
They would be horrified to realize the deepest source of her pain, would protest vociferously, but she knew. Being the only omega in the family, she had a duty to ensure the dominants could protect her. Going off for a walk alone had been stupid and thoughtless.
The kitchen chair crashed to the floor and her twin embraced her, squeezing her so tight her ribs protested. She clung to him, cursing her vulnerability. Her family would be much stronger without her—the chink in their armor.
More scents surrounded her. Comforting touches caressed her skin as the rest of the family was drawn into the kitchen by the noise of the fallen chair. Her father curled his arms around her shoulders; her mother held Connor, knowing he needed comfort almost more than Caitlyn. Caleb joined them, his hand warm on her hair as he held Hannah against his side. A tiny hand slid into hers and she felt sweet little Jessie use her gift to soothe, trying to draw the pain away.
The delicate child’s touch put a bit of steel in Caitlyn’s spine. Jessie’s innocence needed to be protected from the ugliness marring her soul. Tugging her ha
nd away, she wriggled until the rest of the family gave her space. Connor had to be pulled free by their mother and the pain haunting his eyes stung like a slap in the face.
How long did she have to carry the weight of his grief? She turned her face away from it, plunging her hands into the soapy water filling the sink. Keeping her back to the room, she scrubbed the pans she had used to make breakfast, tucking away the seeds of resentment sprouting in her heart. She carried on with her chores, avoiding eye contact with the others as they sat at the table and made a big deal of eating their meal.
Marjorie and Hannah made sterling work of holding a bright and breezy conversation about the latest plans for the restaurant. Will and Bridie had ordered stacks of classic movie posters, and Caleb gave an exaggerated sigh at the prospect of hanging and rehanging them until the women reached a consensus on the perfect spot for each of them. Genuine laughter rose, stifled when Connor stormed out of the room, banging his plate and silverware on the counter beside the sink as he went.
Shuddering at the force of his anger, she brushed against their mental link. Something deep inside her broke when she hit the tight shield he’d once again slammed in place. She held in the sob forming in her chest until it burned like a brand under her heart. A gentle hand rubbed her back and a soft coil of warmth eased through her, unknotting the fist of pain, allowing her to catch her breath.
Hannah continued to use her healing gift as she spoke sharply to her mate. “Your brother is a gigantic P I T A.” She spelled out the acronym. They’d all learned Jessie would pick up on any curse word and merrily use it for days.
“Come and sit down, Caitlyn,” she urged before instructing Jessie to go and brush her teeth and get her school bag. Drying her hands on a dish towel, she allowed Hannah to steer her toward the table and Connor’s abandoned seat. The tiny healer stood beside her, hand still rubbing across her shoulders as she addressed the rest of the family.
A Mate's Redeeming Touch Page 3
