SOUNDTRACK: Breathe with Me by Lacey Sturm and Lindsey Stirling. ***** ~ Kelsie ~ Cain opened his mouth under mine in the same moment his grip tightened on both my hips. Both of us sucked in deep, shocked breaths. The moment our mouths touched I stopped thinking. I was too busy drowning in the perfect feeling of being close to him. I’d never experienced anything like it. Sorry, Daniel. Not sorry. Cain’s kiss was far more intoxicating than the wine. Even though he had tensed when I stepped between his knees, his kiss was magical. His lips were full and soft and when I teased at his tongue with mine he responded immediately, a low groan rolling in his throat. His hands on my hips tightened, then pulled me closer. I held his face so he couldn’t move away. But as our tongues tasted and lips stroked slowly, he only held me more tightly. Our breaths mingled and my skin tingled with pleasure. At some point, Cain slid one hand up my back and into my hair and began holding me into the
~ Kelsie ~When I finally accepted that he really had left and wasn’t coming back, I found myself standing there, blinking back tears.Was he really avoiding me because I was only eighteen? Or was there something else?I remembered the disgust on his face… and then his words came echoing back to me, locked forever in my head.…You have no clue. No idea what you’re doing. How can you? You’re a child.I stormed into the dining room because I didn’t know where else to go. But the moment I stepped into the room I saw that wine bottle on the table.My cheeks were hot from the glass I’d already had—and from the embarrassment of his rejection.“Just a child, huh?” I muttered, picking up the bottle and not even bothering to pour it into the glass. I just tipped my head back and took a swig.It was a little too much all at once. I coughed and spluttered a bit. But it didn’t matter. As soon as I could breathe, I took another one. Then another.Soon, the warmth from the alcohol began to spread th
~ Kelsie ~I spent the night on my couch with all the lights on and every door and window in the house locked. I was curled up under a blanket with my old baseball bat. I jumped at every noise. And there was a lot of noises because the storm kept making rain clatter on the windows, or tree branches lash against the house.In my mind I kept seeing that moment when the dog’s eyes had glowed as he’d prowled after me… then that flash of lightning with Cain on the floor, naked and reaching for me.I would shudder every time and shake my head to make the images go away. It had to be the wine. I had to be… something that would make this all make sense.But even though I told myself that there had to be an explanation, that the dog had to be a drunk hallucination or something, it was hours before my eyelids got heavy and started to droop.I didn’t think I’d actually sleep, but I was woken suddenly by what I thought was the sound of soft knocking on the front door.I jolted awake, grabbing the
~ Cain ~ When Kelsie moved to sit on the couch, she refused to turn her back on me and it killed me. I hadn’t realized how hard it was going to be to see her scared of me. I had been so shocked and angry at myself the night before because I let her get so close. It wasn’t until she’d been on her ass on my porch, staring at me like I was some kind of monster that I realized how it would cut me if she stopped wanting to be close. And that made me think about what I must have been doing to her. She had admitted that she felt the tug of the bond. That she was having a hard time fighting it. Yet, I had rejected her every time we had gotten close. I hadn’t realized how it would feel when she rejected me. When she stared at me and instead of warm pleading eyes, there was cold fear. After I finally got control of my wolf I spent hours preparing myself to see her and smell her again, but to keep the leash on so tightly. I knew I had to fix this. So I only planned to soothe her. To give he
~ Cain ~Kelsie’s eyes were so wide the whites showed all the way around. She’d frozen in her tracks when I got around in front of her, but now she pulled that bat up and over her shoulder, ready to swing.Her breath heaved in and out between her bared teeth.She was terrified. It made me feel sick. But I had to show her. She had to have no doubts.She’d stopped going for the door when I got in front of her, but now she backed away, whimpering.“What the fuck! Don’t… don’t hurt me!”She thought I was threatening her?
~ Kelsie ~It was impossible. It couldn’t be true. And yet, as we sat there in my living room, I couldn’t deny that I’d seen it with my own eyes.Cain was a wolf.Or, a man who could become a wolf.Or a wolf who could become a man?He must have realized I was starting to freak out, because he had stopped talking and was just waiting now.I licked my lips.“You’re saying that you… you were born this way?” I asked.He nodded.Okay.&ldqu
~ Kelsie ~ I inhaled sharply, because I felt a jab of his fear through that little space in my chest. But I swallowed it back and leaned closer. “And if he didn’t kill me? If I stayed safe? What would happen between us then?” He still looked sad, but his brows rose and his eyes glowed. “The most amazing… the most beautiful thing, Kelsie. There’s nothing on earth better than loving your mate.” I clenched my hands to fists to stop myself reaching for him. But I hoped he saw the determination in my eyes. “The
SOUNDTRACK: To the Wolves by Stitched up Heart and Escape the Fate. (WARNING: Explicit lyrics.) ***** ~ Cain ~ My entire body trembled as my wolf surged forward overcome by the desire for Kelsie and rage against this pup who had hurt her and wouldn’t stop pushing into her space. There was a chaotic moment in my mind where I imagined the satisfaction of yanking that door open and tearing out his throat. But Kelsie, with her beautiful legs still wrapped around my waist, took my face in both her hands and turned me to face her, holding eye-contact as she tried to whisper through her heaving breath. “I’ll get rid of him. Just… stay calm.” She was alarmed, but not panicking. Her scent was a tangled mess of desire and thrill and fear… and something solid. The growing bond between us glowed with warm light. It made my chest expand. We stared at each other for a long moment and for the first time in five years I felt the soothing calm of a mate. Her heart’s warmth and care washed over
~ Cain ~The celebration lasted late into the evening. We talked and joked through the afternoon until the bonfires were lit. Then we feasted and danced. And the pack… whatever had happened between all of us was a miracle. Because suddenly, Kelsie could hear all of them clearly, and they could feel her—sense her love, her strength, and her heart.And they were starting to love her as much as I did.Well, almost.For the past hour we had huddled together on a log next to the bonfire, a thick blanket over our legs. But then Kelsie leaned into my ear and whispered, “I need to go to the bathroom. And I’m going to have to put pants on, there is just too m
~ Kelsie ~I’d been giddy all morning. Nervous, but only the kind of anticipation that came with something exciting. Cain and I were already mated, already claimed and marked. So I didn’t expect the ceremony to have any real impact, except to make me and my mother cry.But the moment the wolves closed in around us, it was like the air began to crackle.And then, when Cain started the words, goosebumps trickled down my spine.He swallowed hard, his voice deep and husky—and echoed a second time in the pack link.“See here my will that is bowed to yours,” he started quietly. “I eat my pri
SOUNDTRACK: “Every Part of Me” by BASHAM. ***** ~ Cain ~ Staring at Kelsie as she looked up at her Dad—whose face was a picture of relief and pride—made my heart begin to beat even harder. I didn’t know where she and her mother had found such a gown, but she looked stunning in it. It looked like the entire thing had been knitted—like a thick, luxurious cableknit sweater, yet somehow it hugged every curve of her body from the high turtleneck, all the way down to her hips where it flared and hung in heavy gathers—but when she moved, the fabric clung to her legs beneath the skirt as well, revealing every curve and… I had to clear my throat and remind myself we had an audience as Kelsie reached up to hug her father, and the pack began to gather
SOUNDTRACK: “N E W H E A V E N” by Conquer Divide ***** ~ Cain (three months later) ~ ‘Where are you, beautiful?’ ‘Won’t be long, they’re just finishing my hair.’ ‘Your dad is just about ready to plan a siege of the house if you don’t come out soon.’ ‘Mom will keep him under control, don’t worry,’ she laughed. I wasn’t so sure. I stood at one end of the small clearing near our packhouse, arms folded and my sweater-sleeves pulled up to my forearms because that was how Kelsie liked them. My breath made a cloud in the winter air, b
~ Kelsie ~I was stunned when Felix became human again. Then hope rose in my chest, because he was clearly weak and struggling. Bleeding and panting, staring at Cain and struggling to speak.A little piece of me crumbled. He looked so shaky and broken. I wondered if he would submit and Cain would let him live. I could feel my mate’s conflicting emotions, that he didn’t relish killing his brother. But the betrayal…The fiercest emotion burning in Cain was rage—at the betrayal.I knew this wasn’t easy on him.I swayed closer, wanting to go to him, but knowing I couldn’t intervene while they were still technically fighting.All the wolves stared at them, eyes cold a
~ Cain ~Had I been fighting another wolf who didn’t know me so well, this was the moment to engage, to rush and take their neck high and bear down, flip the dog on his back and close on his throat if he didn’t submit.But Felix would be expecting that. And sure enough, in the blink where he realized there was no danger behind him and returned his full attention to me, he switched—rushing his longer body and heavier weight forward, on the attack, to make me hesitate.I didn’t even think, just let my instincts take over and feinted, first to one side, then the other, waiting for the third switch and praying Felix would instinctively anticipate it.And he did.A howl of victory started in my head as Felix shifted h
~ Cain ~‘Kelsie, get back!’ I screamed in the link as I leaped into my wolf to meet an attack for the second time in a handful of hours.There was a sick pit in my stomach, something that told me I would hate remembering this day. But there wasn’t time to think about it or give in to regret.I had a wolf to kill.I didn’t hesitate.As Felix raised his hackles to make himself look as big—and be as difficult to grip—as possible, I was already flying through the air towards him, ready to take the throat of my own brother.But for the second time in a few hours, time slowed, as if I moved through thick mud and saw ever
~ Cain ~Shaking with the intensity I turned to Lauren. “You hated me that much?”“I never hated you,” she breathed, but she didn’t meet my eyes. “I just… I wanted to have what you had. And… Felix…” she trailed off. I waited, but then my patience snapped.“Felix, what?!” I roared.Many of the wolves flinched, including Lauren, whose head dropped even lower. She clutched her hands in her lap.“Felix admired me. He needed me. He wanted me. You… you didn’t.”“Didn’t need you?” Are you fucking kidding, Lauren?! You were my mate!”
~ Cain ~“Tell me,” I growled, low and hard. “Tell me how that day went down when I ended up betrayed by my mate and my brother.” I seared him with my eyes, let him see and feel my fury.But although he tensed, Felix only sighed.“I had already been… enticed,” he admitted.I felt sick. But Felix went on, relentless.“She’d promised me that she’d raise me. That I would become Alpha over the others, except her. She’d promised me that I would have her all to myself. I just had to make you believe that it was me who was running the whole coup. She didn’t think… she didn’t think she could fool you if you had a chance to actual