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“I was too young to take over; it was my right, but I was only about ten or so. No one fought for the position. A shifter by the name of Sarin took over and started changing things.” His brow furrows and he stares straight ahead as he continues. “The pack started dealing drugs. My mother became addicted. I remember more of her than my father. I know I loved her. I did. But I was angry with her. It felt like she may as well have died with my father the way she ignored us.” His fingers pinch the bridge of his nose and he heaves in a deep breath. “She died a year or two later and that’s when things got worse.”
I rub his chest in encouragement. Placing small kisses on his shoulder, I tell him, “I’m so sorry, baby.” He kisses my hair, acknowledging my words.
“One day, the day I left, I heard them at the fighting ring.” He swallows before adding, “They used to make money by betting on the fights and taping them to sell on the black market.” A chill goes through my body. Suddenly, I don’t know if I want him to continue. “I heard Lev. He was crying. They threw him in with two wolves. Not shifters, just animals. Starved and angry animals.”
“Oh my God.” I let out a gasp as tears prick my eyes.
“I knew he’d heal, but only if he could fight them off. I was able to get him out and run before they killed him. No one stopped us.” He finally meets my eyes. “Did you notice the scar on his nose?”
I nod and whisper my admission. “I thought he broke it.”
“It’s scarred from the wolves. I didn’t realize the bones had to be placed together to heal right. I’ve offered many times to break it,” he says and chuckles, lightening the mood. “But he wanted to keep it. To remember.” His hand gently tucks a loose strand of hair behind my ear. “He may joke and smile, but he’s still hurting. They would’ve let him die. All for entertainment and a bit of money.” I bury my head into his shoulder, wiping my stray tears on his warm body.
The urge to cry nearly overwhelms me but I fight back the tears, eager for Devin to continue. Pressing my skin against his, I nestle as close as I can and wait for him to continue.
With a deep breath, he does.
“We left that night and I was determined to start a new pack. I wouldn’t ever go back. By then I was fourteen and just coming into adulthood. We met Vince first, only a few days after leaving. He was out hunting in wolf form, alone after his parents died. A bear had ventured into their den at night. It was just the three of them. His dad eventually killed the bear, but his wounds were too deep and he bled out before he was able to heal.” I swallow hard and try to get rid of the knot in my throat. I hadn’t expected all this heavy information.
Each one of them damaged in a way I could never know.
“Vince was hurting and in deep need of comfort and companionship. He was a bit older, but when I led us toward the river, he followed. A few weeks later, we found Dom and Caleb. They were fishing, two rogue wolves who’d fled their shit pack together. I found out eventually that Dom had killed his father and uncle, then taken Caleb with him before the rest of the pack went looking for them. When we saw them, I said nothing. I simply acknowledged their presence and continued to lead my small pack south, to warmer lands before the winter storms would cause us too many problems. They followed us. At first they kept a few miles behind. But one night when we set up camp, they came and sat around the firepit as though they belonged.” He smiles down at me before lying on his side and trailing his fingers down the curve of my hip. “And they did belong. I knew they’d come so I’d cooked extra meat and left it to the side for them. For whenever they decided that they could trust us.”
“I love hearing all of this. Don’t stop.” He chuckles at my soft words and kisses the tip of my nose.
“Jude was more difficult. He’s more reserved. We noticed him while we were hunting down south. Like Caleb and Dom, he followed. But he stayed in wolf form and didn’t approach us for nearly a week. A few times I thought he’d changed his mind and decided we weren’t the right pack for him.”
“Why?”
“I’m not sure. I never asked and he hasn’t offered his thoughts. It’s not my place to question his hesitation.” My lips part to object, but then I decide to keep quiet and let him continue.
“When he did finally confront us, he came to me in human form and asked who we were. I told him and offered him a place in our small pack. We were all just barely men, but we were a strong pack at that point. He nodded and asked, ‘When will you be taking your home back?’” Devin lets out a heavy sigh. “I looked at my small pack and knew it was enough. I decided that day to turn around and take my home back. Well, I burned it to the ground actually. It was too easy to take over. Most of the children were dead or sold. Half the pack was unconscious or strung out from whatever drug they’d taken. I challenged the Alpha, but the coward ran. We torched everything to the ground and started over.” A somber expression takes over. “When the Authority heard, they came and agreed that I had the right to challenge for the territory. I was young and naïve to think there wouldn’t be consequences. Thankfully, they were less interested in the laws I’d broken and more interested in discussing other terms. Alec helped us financially until I got my footing in stocks and a few startups. For years, making our pack a stable home was my only objective, until we had far more than enough. And then I started dreaming of you. I started living for the day that I’d meet you.”
My heart clenches at his words as his strong hand tilts my chin up and he leans down to softly kiss my neck. “I want sons and daughters, Grace. I want a family. A strong, healthy family.” His silver eyes find mine. “I understand that you’re young and haven’t fantasized of this like I have. But it’s all I want.” The bed groans beneath us as he gets onto his knees and trails warm kisses down my body to my stomach. “I would trade it all just to see you swollen with my pups.” He kisses just below my belly button and the sight makes my body heat. I can see him holding me, rubbing along my body as he listens to our unborn child growing inside of me.
“I—” I don’t know what to say. I speak without thinking, “I want that too. I do. But not yet. I don’t think I can be a mother yet.” My voice pleads with him for understanding. He closes his eyes and kisses my stomach sweetly.
“I understand.” He nods his head and lies next to me again, rubbing soothing circles on my back. “I do, sweetheart. And it’s all right. In fact, it may be for the best that we wait. I may have to leave soon. I need to talk to the Authority about this new development.”
“What does that mean? I don’t understand.” I’m overwhelmed with concern. “Leave for how long?”
“I’m not sure yet, sweetheart.” He rests his forehead on mine and smiles. “But as soon as I know, I will tell you. I promise.” I can’t help the pleased smile that grows on my face. Progress.
“Thank you.” I breathe out the words before finding his lips with mine and pushing my body against his. He chuckles at my lack of subtlety.
“You’ll be too sore for the claiming tomorrow.” I shake my head, but refuse to leave his touch. Nipping his top lip, I rub my thigh over his hip. He groans as my heat rubs against him. “Once more.” He breaks away and waits for me to meet his gaze. “But then you’ll have to wait. I don’t want you to be hurting.”
“It’ll be a good hurt.” I rub my cheek against his chest. He laughs again and rolls me onto my back, caging me in with his strong, hard body.
“One more time, sweetheart.” My head falls back against the mattress in incomparable ecstasy as my mate makes love to me, with long, gentle strokes until we peak together, finding our release in each other’s arms.
Lizzie
“Baby girl, wake up.” Caleb’s words barely register as I groan in displeasure. I was having such a wonderful dream, but for the life of me, I can’t keep a grasp on it and it leaves me without permission. I push against his hard chest.
“Five more minutes.” Both he and Dom huff a masculine laugh at my reluctance to wake up.
“Wake up, little one. Do you feel your wolf?” My eyes shoot open at the mention of my wolf. She came to me. I felt her.
