Absence makes the heart grow fonder hehehe...
BREE WAKE UP! Brandon’s voice screamed, jolting her from a deep sleep. She opened her eyes and looked around, searching for Bran, but she was still lying on her inflatable camp mat. “Bran? Where are you?” She asked, closing her eyes, trying to pinpoint his location, but all she saw was darkness.It was just a dream, but she got up anyway. “Bree, get out! There’s no time!” A stabbing pain pierced her head, throwing her off balance while getting out of the sleeping bag. “Run Bree! Run to the west, away from the sounds.” The urgency in his voice had her unzipping the tent and scampering in the direction he instructed.Before going to bed, she oriented the opening of the tent to the west so that when the sun came out, it wouldn’t shine on her face.“Bran? Where the fuck are you, and what am I running from?” She asked, trying to collect her bearings.“Just follow my voice and you’ll be okay.”Fear gripped her heart as she ran. Waking up in a dark place with only her brother’s voice guidin
Brianna was too busy rubbing her face against the soft fabric and taking in the musky male scent she now associated with Grayson, so he had to ask again.“Does your face hurt?” He cupped the area she was caressing when he saw the adoring look on her face and a flash of yellow in her eyes. “Are you okay?”Brianna did not understand why she was having tender feelings for Grayson at that moment. Maybe it was hero worship. After all, he was the one who found her when she was lying naked in the middle of the forest and offered his shirt.She did not answer, instead focused her hands on buttoning down the shirt he lent her.It took him an enormous amount of self-control not to stare as her hands moved down her body, clasping the buttons together. The shirt swallowed up her frame, but he could still see the beautiful curves underneath when he closed his eyes. “Can you stand?” He asked after clearing his throat. It was hard to get a grip when invasive thoughts, like running in the forest nake
“Oh, so is this an added service? I did not know the sheriff kissed all the missing tourists as a reward for finding them?” A man standing a few feet behind Grayson spoke jokingly, jarring him out of the racy situation they were in.Grayson found Brianna easily because of her scent. As she wrapped her arms around him, the intoxicating smell of citrus lemon combined with the creamy coconut scent overwhelmed his sense of smell, which is why he never got a whiff of his brother’s approach.Aiden grinned. He had been on vacation when Briana arrived, so he only knew about her from the gossip going around town, and he was surprised that nobody mentioned the perfect pairing between the newcomer and his brother.The gentle wind changed directions, and he could smell the arousal coming from the pair. Grayson pushed Brianna back to stand on the ground, and Aiden noted he had never seen his brother look so tenderly at anyone as he did with Brianna at the moment.He knew there was something beyond
Bree opened her eyes and was embraced by complete darkness. She did not remember it being dark in the forest, but wherever she was, her eyes were taking forever to adjust.Her head pounded when she tried to get up, so she took deep breaths and laid back on the soft mattress.That seemed to help, so she closed her eyes and listened to the sounds around her, and there was silence. Even her ears felt funny, like they had cotton balls stuffed inside.Rest, her body dictated, but Brianna did not want to succumb to the darkness, so she groped her way around the room. She assumed she was in a room because the smell of dirt and the forest sounds were nowhere near. As she moved, her bladder made it known that she needed to use the bathroom.Grayson. She remembered seeing the sheriff earlier, so she knew he must have brought her to his home.“Agh!” Brianna screamed when her feet touched the cold, hard ground. The floor was dusty and dingy, and she wondered if he put her in the basement without
“Tell me you didn’t feel your fingers tingle before your claws came out?”“No, you did that. It was a magic trick.”He shook his head. “Do you remember what happened after I found you this morning?”“You found me?” Her brows came together to recall what happened. She blushed remembering the kiss, then her eyes grew enormous when she remembered waking up naked in the forest and Grayson draping his shirt as a cover. Her memory had been spotty ever since and there was nothing about the campsite that appeared in her mind.“I found your tent at the fire lookout and followed your scent.”“Where are my stuff? Did you get my clothes?”“Why were you sleeping outside?”“Bran. He told me to get out and run away. Someone was after us.”“Did you find your brother?”“No, I didn’t see him. He woke me up, and I followed his voice. We just kept running in the dark.”“Then what happened?”“I woke up, and you found me. What happened at the campsite?”“We couldn’t save anything. Everything was in tatters.
Grayson shifted their position and lay Brianna on the cot when he felt her stir. He wanted to hold her close, but thought she might feel afraid or resentful about what happened, so he kept his distance.He stood by the door while listening to her shuffling with the blanket and gasping when she realized her nakedness.The gentlemanly thing to do was to get her more clothes, but he did not want Brianna to wake up alone, so he stayed and cuddled with her until she awoke.“What happened to me?” Bree asked after tucking the blanket under her arms and wearing it like a sarong. “You shifted again,” Grayson replied, his back to hers, providing her some privacy.“Are all these fabric scraps on the floor my clothes?”He nodded. “I’m a monster,” she said dejectedly while slumping on the floor. “You’re not,” Grayson took a step, to hug her, knowing she must be feeling confused. But he stood his ground because she might not welcome his gesture, even if it was just to make her feel less alone.“W
“Why?” She was not used to people touching her face, and having a hunky and attractive man like Grayson holding her was not an exception. He was a werewolf, and her imagination ran wild as it recalled images of the horror movies she’d watched in her childhood. Grayson could easily slice her with his claws if he wanted to.“They’re fascinating to look at and I want to understand what makes them change their color.” The nearness of his face as he lifted her chin had her heart racing.“They change colors?”Grayson cupped her face with his left hand while his right forefinger and thumb widened her eyes. He tilted her face to the light to see the color clearer.He sensed her eyes change colors due to their initial attraction, but needed to be sure.“Does your eyes change colors, too?” Her scent wafted up to Grayson’s nose, and he released his breath slowly. He wanted to prevent his heart from beating faster, but Brianna picked up the subtle difference, anyway.“Sheriff, I can hear your hea
“Bree! Wake up!” Brianna shot up, thinking she heard Bran’s voice. Looking around, half asleep, she realized she was still behind bars. “We need to go! Now!”“Bran? I can’t leave. They locked me in jail.”“Bree, I can hear you, but I can’t sense your presence. Why is your vision so dark?”“I don’t know, maybe because I’m in the basement. Bran, I have something to tell you.”“I’ll break you out, but I can’t find any openings. Do you see a window? How did you get in there?”“Bran… did you know we were werewolves?”“Did they torture you? Is that how you found out? I swear I’ll kill them.”“Is it true?”“Yes, Bree. I’ll explain everything, but you need to tell me where you are so I can bust you out.”“Bran?” The voice disappeared.Was it all a dream?Bree snuggled under the covers, confused and feeling alone when she felt something else stirring inside her.A feeling of warmth and something familiar. ‘You are not alone, Brianna.’ ‘Mom? I miss you. Tell me what to do.’‘Brianna, I am not y
Grayson laughed. “I can manage. Don’t worry about me.” He reached over and kissed her temple. “I’m going before I embarrass myself.”Bree reached out and held his wrist. “No. I don’t want you to go.” Her eyes swirled golden, and when a slight breeze came through the open windows, he got a whiff of her arousal.Brianna took control. Pushed him to the bed and crawled on top. Ever since she said yes to pursuing their relationship, she had been feeling more empowered. That night, she felt like all her pent-up emotions were released, giving her the chance to fully harness her newfound strength.“You are not leaving until I get what I want.” She warned.He grinned. “And I accept.” His eyes shined silver as he felt the warmth of her body touch his. Everything about her felt silky and smooth, he thought, as his hands glided over her skin.Grayson kissed her with so much tenderness Bree felt as if they were caught in a dream where everything moved in slow motion.She enjoyed the way he swirle
Outside, Bree could feel the temperature cooling down as they sipped their tea. She had ditched Grayson’s coat when she came into the house, and though she felt the cool breeze on her skin, it didn’t feel cold, thanks to the hot beverage that kept her warm.They talked about her mother, and Bree appreciated Grayson for being observant. She was bothered that there was so much of her father in her that her mother had disappeared.“Did I tell you that my parents aren’t both wolves, either?”Bree’s eyebrows narrowed. “They’re not?”“No, my mother and grandmother are both human.”“Do you think you have more werewolf or human blood?”“I’ve thought about that, and I think the werewolf blood is more dominant only because it allows me to shift and have all these exceptional abilities, but I’m still human. I have the same feelings and get hurt the same way. Why do you ask?”“Because I’m scared, there is no more of my mother left in me. I think Bran has some of her skills. But I acquired nothin
Dinner at a fine dining restaurant where food was served in different entrees, in names she could not repeat, or tastes she could not describe, was not her ideal evening. But Grayson took her out on a very nice date, so Brianna said nothing to disappoint him.They had pleasant conversations during the meal, trying to identify the items on their plate. Some of the food came in fancy little spoons, in clouds of smoke, under flavored bubbles, and so little bites that she did not have enough to savor it.They were served 15 courses and by the end of the meal; she was more tipsy than full. Her tummy grumbled after Grayson paid the bill, which embarrassed her more than anything.She did not want to appear ungrateful, but she was still hungry.“What do you say about going to the diner around the corner and getting burgers and a milkshake?” Grayson asked while ushering her to their vehicle. “I’m sorry about dinner. It was a very wonderful experience, and I bet they worked hard to come up wit
Brianna was nervous.How do you date someone you’ve slept with before? How does one step back and restart a relationship?Grayson instructed her to dress nice as they were going to dinner at a fancy place out of town, so she went to the only boutique in the area to find a pretty dress.She had been happily looking at the selections when disaster struck. Bree remembered her wallet was still missing and none of the credit card companies wanted to send her a replacement card in Silvercreek. They sent all the cards back to her address, but how would she pick them up when she was thousands of miles away?“Did you find what you’re looking for?” The lovely owner asked. They had met before when she was searching for Bran and she thought Violet had a very calming presence about her.“Well, I have a problem.”“I know. Your wallet is missing and you want that dress but don’t have money to pay with?”“How? Did Grayson tell you I was broke?” She leaned in to whisper.“No, I’m clairvoyant, plus I
Marina had been spying on Brianna the last few days and every time she came home, Marina noticed a shadow had been following her. At night when she lays in bed she pretends the shadow transforms into a man and makes love to her. Pathetic, right? But ever since Grayson found his mate, her fantasies about him weren’t giving her the same satisfaction. Marina sighed. When did she become such a shallow creature? Sure, she always pinned for Grayson, openly flirted when they were together, and tried to sneak in once or twice into his bedroom to give their relationship a jumpstart, so ever since Brianna came into the picture, she had become desperate. It was not something she was proud of.Marina did not want to be that person everybody despised, but jealousy and hate had taken over, and she couldn’t stop the hateful feeling she had for the other woman.Marina had been the town’s favorite before Brianna arrived, and though she must admit Brianna trumps her in her accomplishments in life, th
Grayson was in town early the next morning, checking up on everyone. He dropped by the office to see if anyone reported any injuries. The night deputy reported a very uneventful evening. This was weird because even though Silvercreek was a small town, there was always something happening to people in the area.There were always missing dogs and cats. Neighbors had disputes and the local bar always had people brawling.Next, he went to the cafe that was right beside the bakery and both women seemed cordial to each other. They were competing businesses and on regular days, they would annoy each other as soon as they opened the shop. But today, the owners were smiling and complimenting each other.“Ladies, is everything good today?”“Oh yes sheriff, we have more of those pastries I sent you yesterday. I hope you didn’t finish them yet.”“No, Patrice, but I will get two boxes of baked goods. Can you deliver one box to the station?”“Definitely, Sheriff.”“Do you want anything from the caf
Bree stretched out on the bed like a contented wolf, wondering what Grayson was up to. He wound her up earlier until she gave in and then just left her to deal with her pent-up emotions. Now that she was free to pursue her feelings, she wanted to unwrap Grayson as she would excitedly unwrap a Christmas present, tearing the packaging apart, not caring about getting it back together.Grayson had been going around, talking to people, calming them down. There was nothing else he could do but check on the pack and ensure nobody got hurt. Some houses found broken figurines or vases when the wolves began mating inside the house, but so far aside from being horny and wanting to shift. Everything in the compound looked good.Grayson used his alpha authority to calm everyone down and convince them to get back inside. He suspected the lust he felt for Brianna earlier transmitted when they were together, but that had never happened before. Did he cause them discomfort? He was the only person wh
It took Brianna a hot second to make up her mind. She could blame Grayson’s muscled body leaning against hers, or the feel of his breath as his lips hovered over her, but it was all her heart’s undoing.Why shouldn’t she fall in love with a handsome man who can cook and has a stable job? Why shouldn’t she stay in Silvercreek when Bran already gave her his blessing?It had always been her pride that kept her from Grayson.Marina could be a nuisance, but in reality, Bree did not consider her a contender because she knew Grayson belonged to her the minute their eyes met after she fainted in front of the grocery store that first day she arrived.Bree didn’t want to admit she was falling so fast because there was no such thing as fated werewolves. Well, werewolves didn’t even exist a month ago. But now everything was possible. So why not romance? Why not love?Embracing the possibilities of being with Grayson opened a new can of worms. The ball was in her court and it was her turn to dict
“She wasn’t?” He asked, intrigued.“No, my mother was a witch.” Now everything made sense to Grayson. He heard of witches brewing concoctions of every kind. So there might have been something out there that could suppress their wolf. Having this information made him wonder if Brianna’s mother stopped their wolf from coming out?“I knew wolves found their mates in humans, but this is the first I’ve heard of this. I guess everything is possible.”“Why do you sound skeptical? My parents were deeply in love with each other. Just like any other normal couple.”“Of course they were, but I didn’t know if you knew that fact.”“Grayson, if you’re going to insult my parents under their roof, then I suggest for you to leave.”“That’s not it, Bree. I wanted you to see that they are of different origins, yet they found each other. Don’t you think it’s the same for us? We were thousands of miles away from each other. There was no chance we would have met in this lifetime had your brother not gone