Chapter 190

[ 1,455 words ]

Ransom

“That boy is just so helpful,” Ms. Haley says watching as Dante stacks the massive bags of soil in the back of her shop.

“He is,” I agree, happy that he and Sage have been embraced by the pack so quickly.

I’m doing my wellness checks on our pack, walking through our markets as the vendors and artisans prepare to ship their supplies to the store fronts they partner with in other towns markets.

With Dante starting to pack school with the other juveniles it means he spends more time in the day here then his mother on weekdays.

Today, Sage and Dante are leading a hand at the sprouts shop Ms. Haley runs while she harvest and sets up beds for the new ones to start growing.

“Is there anything else you need, Ms. Haley,” Dante asks, dusting his hands off on his pants.

“No sweetheart. Thank you. Oh hold on one moment before you go.”

She bustles inside.

“Where’s your mom?” I ask Dante.

“Over in the butcher shop trying, Hamishes new flavor of jerky.”

I should have known. “I better go get her before he traps her there all afternoon.”

As I’m walking away I see Ms. Haley gives Dante a picnic basket most likely full of food.

Pack members wave hi as they go about their work. I walk into the butcher shop and smile when I see Sage with a package of jerky while Hamish wraps up some meat.

“…It doesn’t sound too weird right?” He asks her

“Not to me. The cherry flavor should compliment the saltiness of the lime and the heat of the jalapeno,” she says.

“I thought so. But you know how people get it, they are always skeptical until they taste it.”

“I hope you don’t mean me,” I say.

“That depends on if you try my next batch,” he jokes.

“I’ll get the antacids ready,” I tease.

He gives me a sour look before putting the package on the counter.

The butcher paper is wrapped over a huge hunk of meat. It has to be at least ten pounds of beef.

“Are you planning a party?”

“Nothing that cool. Dante volunteered my Birria making services for a get together the kids are having.”

“I heard about that when I dropped by the scent training IIya was leading.”

I grab the heavy package from her. “Come on, I’ll walk you home.”

“Thanks,” she says smiling.

We walk through the center of the pack towards the residential cabins.

“So is it safe to say you’re settling in nicely.”

Her mouth turns down. Not exactly a frown. More Le she’s mulling over her feelings. Like she hasn’t given herself a chance to.

“You know, I was surprised when you told me you were a hunter. It was just wild to think about how much you changed your life. And I guess that’s why I find it easy to speak to you, even about things I’ve never spoken of.”

“Well us humans have to stick together. I don’t know if you’ve noticed but we’re kind of out numbered here.”

That gets me a small smile.

We come up to her cabin and enter, heading straight for the kitchen.

“Coffee?” She asks.

“If I ever pass up on a cup, shoot because it’s probably an alien that’s taken over my body,” I say, putting the meat on the counter.

“I’ll file that away.”

I lean against the counter as she sets up the cups. Once the coffee is ready she pours us both a cup.

Fingering her mug she says, “I think I can be happy here, eventually, if that counts.”

“It does,” I reassure her.

“Dante is happy. Happier than I’ve ever seen him.”

“Why does that sound like it hurts you?” I say gently.

“Because it does. Not the fact that he’s happy. The fact that his wolf must have felt so lonely for so long and I didn’t even notice. I mean, what kind of mother am I if I couldn’t even figure that out.”

Shit. I set my mug aside.

“How could you? You’re not a wolf and what you know of them wasn’t exactly good. As far as I’m concerned you did the only thing you could to save your child. You got away.”

“And then he got kidnapped,” she intones.

“And then,” I press, taking her hand on mine. “You found us. We’re not just Dante’s pack now, we’re yours too. Even if you don’t feel like it yet.”

She smirks. “I guess I have to believe it if my Luna is telling me I am.”

“Such a bitch,” I joke.

She smiles.“Only on days that end in Y.” she claps her hands together. “Since you’re here, go put on an apron and you can help me season this meat.”

“I knew I shouldn’t have taken the coffee,” I groan.

I follow her directions helping her cut the chuck into three massive pieces get them seared and then get them in pots to start simmering.

We’re cutting the vegetables when I get the courage to ask, “Was it worth it? To bond yourself to a wolf.”

Until now I hadn’t known any other human beside Hazel who took that leap.

But Sage is different, she is the living embodiment of everything I fear. Of the thoughts that haunt in the dead of night.

“Yes,” she says without hesitation. “I never really had many choices in life. I grew up in the system, was passed from foster home to foster home until I aged out. The marines were just a way to survive. But all of that went away when I met Lorenzo. He chose me. He saw something in me worth keeping. Worth forsaking his predestined mate for.”

“He wasn’t your fated mate?” I ask, surprised.

“No. We imprinted. He said he wouldn’t spend his life waiting for someone who he might never meet when the person he wanted to spend the rest of his life with was right in front of him.”

I understood that sentiment.

Fated mates were rare. Most shifters never found theirs so imprinted couples were far more common.

“He was a smart man.”

“He was. And just two short years with him was worth everything that came after. It was worth my pain, worth my son. Love is always worth it.”

Something inside my chest cracks.

I clear my throat. “You never told me you were a romantic.”

“I’m not. I’m a realist,” she looks at me. “When you’ve seen as much death and pain as we have you learn how important it is to grab the good things with both hands.”

Her words are a well aimed blade right into my soul. They dismantle all my defenses, and suddenly the thought of losing Elliot isn’t as scary as the thought of never having all of him.

Or only giving him half of me.

My heart races as the only clear path illuminates itself in my mind’s eye.

I have to go see Elliot right now.

“I have to go,” I say untiring the apron and putting it on the side.

“Good. It’s time you stopped making that man wait,” she says with a raised brow.

I don’t have time to think about how I might have just been the subject of romantic inception.

I run out her front door.

Run all the way to our cabin.

Run upstairs to his office where I know I’ll find him wrestling away with pack paperwork.

I barge into his office and in a second he is on his feet and in front of me.

“Princess what’s wrong?” He looks over me, inspecting every inch like he always does.

Like me being okay is all that matters to him.

I grip his face, cradling it between my hands, forcing him to look at me. “I want to complete the bond.”

He freezes. His entire body going still.

His wolf flashes in his eyes.

But it looks as they turn back into his human green that almost guts me. The fear to hope.

The longing.

“Are you sure?” His voice is rough with emotion.

“Make me yours, Elliot.”

His mouth crashes onto mine and my back hits the door. He tears at my clothes, attacking them like they’re a threat.

He pulls down his own pants, unleashing my favorite toy and I reach down to grab it.

His thick cock pulses in my hand and I thumb the head, spreading the precum beading there.

He hisses. “Not today princess. There won’t be any time for you to play.”

The warning goes straight to my balls.

The hot temperature of his body pressing against mine makes me groan and he slips that talented tongue between my teeth.

With a strength that makes my cock hard he pick me up wrapping my legs around his hips and thrusting inside me without fanfare.

I cry out, digging my short nails into his shoulders as hecruts into me.

“I can’t wait anymore,” he grunts.

“Then don’t. Bite me, baby.”

He sinks his teeth deep into my shoulder, deeper than he ever has.

A blinding white spark snaps into place but the pain is quickly replaced by a flood of emotion.

Joy. Relief. Pride. Adoration. Love.

He’s mine now.

And I’m never letting him go.

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