Astrid Cielo (23 page)

Miranda
smiled and she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Do
liars get punished?"

She
looked up at him from beneath her lashes and the hint of a smile.
 
Miranda was feeling naughty.

"Of
course, baby.
 
I won't tolerate
lying.
 
You know that."

"I
don't want to wear that wedding dress.
 
I
don't want to have a wedding.
 
I
don't-"

Her
yelp echoed in the room almost as loud as the smack he gave her bottom.
 
He rubbed the place he'd swatted and growled
when her teeth grazed his neck.

"I
hate it when you do that," she whispered.

His
hand connected with her ass again and she moaned.
 
God he loved this woman.
 
She squealed when he scooped her into his
arms and giggled all the way to their bedroom.

"I-"

"
Shhh
, Miranda, you're in enough trouble."

And
he was going to have lots of fun punishing his mate.

"So,
tell me all the juicy details."

Aspen
looked up from her whipped sweet potatoes and stared at Miranda.
 
Her brown curly hair had been pulled up into a
messy ponytail in deference to the kitchen rules Aspen had put forth and she
grinned as though waiting for some big secret.
 
Aspen frowned at the unfinished crescent rolls.
 
If they were going to have all the food ready
for the pride's Thanksgiving dinner, then Miranda needed to get a move on.

"Those
rolls aren't going to roll themselves, and what juicy details?"

Miranda
stuck her tongue out at Aspen, but dutifully began to roll the homemade
dough.
 
"You know, being with two
guys."

Aspen
laughed.
 
Oh, those juicy details.
 
"I'm sure it's not much different than
what goes on between you and Caleb."

"Yeah,
but you've got two mouths, two sets of hands and two...well, you know."

"Well,
I do enjoy the extra attention."

Miranda
sighed.
 
"I love Caleb, but if I could
clone him for a night...well...oh never mind I'm not sure I'd survive it."

"Too much information."

Aspen
placed the finished potatoes on the counter and Zackary dutifully entered and
took it out to the tables.
 
She
frowned.
 
"What's wrong with Zackary?"

"He's
not been the same since you were taken.
 
We've tried to make sure he knows it isn't his fault, but-"

"Oh
my God, I should've known something was wrong when he hadn't come to see me in
a week or so.
 
He always came by, but I
assumed it was because he knew I had Skylar and Xavier now."

Miranda
placed the crescent rolls in the oven and sighed.
 
"It's not your fault.
 
I'm glad that you've finally found
happiness.
 
I never said anything, but
your sadness was starting to overwhelm any other scent you carried, and frankly
I was scared for you and the baby."

Aspen
closed her eyes and thought back to her time before Skylar and Xavier had
re-entered her life.
 
Lonely, afraid, and
so sad her mate didn't want her.
 
Now
love replaced all those things, and she was so happy for that.

"I
didn't want to worry anyone, besides how would they help me if my mate didn't
want me."

Miranda
smiled.
 
"We would've done our best,
Aspen and you of all people should've known that, but I wasn't sure how to help
you."

"I
don't think anyone could've, but Zackary helped."

Miranda
smiled.
 
"I think you should tell
him that.
 
Maybe it'll pull him out of
this funk."

Aspen
nodded.
 
She would help him in any way
she could.

"So,
the pack is going to come to tomorrow's festivities?"

Miranda
bit her lip and nodded.
 
"Caleb
thinks it would be good...I don't know, PR?"

Aspen
shrugged and Miranda laughed.
 
"That's exactly what I thought, but if it makes Caleb happy, well,
who am I to rain on his parade."

Miranda's
smile ruined their surprise, but she still jumped when arms wrapped around her
from behind.
 
"Is everything
finished, baby?"

Skylar
stepped around her and cupped her cheek to give her a kiss.
 
My goodness what would she do without these
two?
 
Her cougar purred in approval and
Xavier bit gently on her earlobe.
 
"Anymore sounds like that and I'll take you on this counter."

Her
face heated at his fiery threat.
 
What
was more embarrassing was the fact she probably wouldn't mind a good fucking
about now.
 

Skylar
grabbed another two bowls of food and Xavier followed his lead.
 
Soon she was seated between her mates
enjoying Thanksgiving dinner.
 
Wesley
nodded at Skylar and Xavier as he took his seat across from them.
 

"I'm
glad you could make it."
 
Caleb.

"Thanks
for inviting me."
 
Wesley looked
around and Caleb smiled.

"She's
not here yet."

Wesley's
entire body sagged; though in relief or something else Aspen wasn't sure.
 
Wesley helped himself to a large portion of
food and began eating.

"Oh,
by the way, Skylar I've got a position for detective at the department.
 
You know
,
if you're
interested."

"I
don't know..."

Wesley
shrugged.
 
"Look, it's not as
glamorous as the Council, but it'll keep you close to home."

Aspen
looked at Skylar, and then took his hand in hers.
 
They'd discussed his hatred for his job, and
his belief he wouldn't be good at anything else.
 
"What do you want to do?"

Skylar
looked at her and nodded.
 
"I'll
give it a shot, but the only experience I have is with the Council, which
technically doesn't exist."

Wesley
grinned.
 
"You let me worry about
that.
 
We could always use a good
computer geek at the department, what with crime going cyber and all."

Xavier
laughed.
 
"I appreciate the offer,
but I'm pretty busy with my own business."

Aspen
looked up and waved at Essence as she led Gunner in.
 
She started towards them, but stopped
suddenly, her face draining of color.
 
Zackary was at her side before Aspen could wonder what was wrong, and
then Wesley looked behind him and jumped from his seat.
 
Zackary stepped in front of Essence and
Gunner, his body tensed for action.
 

"Skylar-"

Skylar
looked up from his plate and a grin broke across his face.
 
"Don't worry, baby, Wesley won't hurt
them and Zackary's just reacting to Essence."

She
studied them more closely and started when a hand clasped hers.
 
"How well do you know Essence?"

She
looked at Xavier and shrugged.
 
"I
don't know, I mean we've talked and stuff."

"She's
been abused and by the looks of it Zackary, too.
 
They're pretty well adjusted all things
considered, but Essence is still working through things."

"How
do you know?"

Xavier's
mouth formed into a frown and Aspen leaned in to kiss his lips.
 
She hated to see him sad.
 
He smiled and her heart raced out of
control.
 
"The first time she saw
Sky and me I thought she was going to bolt and if you notice she keeps all the
males at a distance, except for Caleb and Zackary."

Aspen
nodded as the past few months within the pride filtered through her mind.
 
Her heart bled for such a sweet woman to have
been hurt so badly.
 
She watched as
Essence led Gunner to the other children and took her seat.
 
Zackary talked some more with Wesley, then
walked away, his body still tense.
 
Wesley headed back to the table, but was intercepted by Caleb and they
filed into the kitchen area of the event center.
 

"Don't
worry, baby.
 
It'll all work out in the
end."

Aspen
nodded and clasped Skylar's hand in her free one.
 
Everything would work out in the end.

Wesley
smoothed his hair in his rearview mirror one more time then cursed himself for
primping.
 
He'd spent restless night
thinking about Essence's reaction to him.
 
He was used to being feared.
 
Hell,
he was a bear--literally--but Essence's fear frustrated him beyond belief.
 
How was he supposed to get close to her if
she feared him so much she nearly fainted?
 
And she had a son.
 
He'd not had a
chance to see the boy, except in passing, but he'd always wanted kids and he
planned to have many more with Essence.
 

He
grabbed the bouquet of wildflowers and stepped out of his SUV.
 
Already the pride had transformed the event
center located in the center of their community into a beautiful display of
flowers and other decorations that made his wildflower bouquet seem paltry in comparison.
 
Movement to his right caught his attention
and Wesley turned to find a familiar auburn-haired child playing in the
community's play area.
 
This was
Essence's child, and if he had his way it would be his too.
 
He walked slowly toward the child and knelt
in front of the sandbox the child was playing in.

"What
are you doing?"

The
child looked up and his mouth formed into an 'O.'

"Nothing."

Wesley
laughed.
 
The little guy was dressed in a
pair of carefully pressed khaki's and a button down shirt with a tie.
 
He located the discarded coat in the grass
nearby.
 
It was obvious that although the
child was now filthy, he'd once been squeaky clean.

"I'm
Wesley.
 
What's your name?"

The
little boy smiled and tilted his head.
 
"Gunner.
 
What
you doing here for?"

"I'm
here for Miranda's wedding.
 
Where's your
mother?"

Gunner
shrugged then busied himself with piling sand into piles.
 
Wesley squatted next to Gunner and watched as
the boy played.
 
Wesley sighed and set
the flowers to the side then picked up one of the tiny shovels to dig in the
sand with his future son.
 
How was he
supposed to be a dad?
 
He didn't even
know where to start.

"What
you building?"

"I
don't know.
 
A sand
castle?"
Wesley said.

Gunner
nodded and silence ensued.
 
It couldn't
be this hard to speak with a kid, right?
 
He'd interrogated the scum of the universe and talked the media in
circles, surely he could talk to one tiny boy.

"Why
aren't you with your mother, or even your Uncle?"

"I
wanted to play."

"Did
your mother say you could play, because it looks like you were all cleaned up
and ready to go to Miranda's wedding?"

Gunner
never stopped playing.
 
"I play all
the time."

Wesley
shook his head.
 
So, reasoning with a
what--three year old?--wasn't as easy as it seemed.
 
"Let's go Gunner.
 
I'm sure your mother wants you clean again
before the wedding."
 

He
picked up his flowers and stood waiting for Gunner.
 
Wesley was surprised when little arms shot up
toward him in the universal sign of 'pick me up.'
 
Gunner wouldn't be half as hard to win over
as his mother, since all it took was just a conversation over a sandcastle for
him to gain the little boy's trust.
 
He
accommodated Gunner and picked him up.
 
First thing he needed to teach the boy was not to talk to
strangers.
 
Already his gut clenched in
worry over the little boy being taken, and all because of a child’s blind
trust.

Their
trek was a short one, but the sight of Essence her tanned legs on display from
under a sky blue dress that hit right above her knees took the breath out of
him.
 
The skirt of her dress swayed
around her thighs with every step and led to ample hips and up to her
waist.
 
Her breasts pressed against the
fabric creating a lovely show of cleavage.
 
He swallowed and willed his cock to deflate before they tented his suit
pants.
 
Essence was fucking gorgeous, strawberry
blonde hair falling in gentle waves around her shoulders.
 
He walked to her as he overcame his jealousy
of her dress and wishing he were the fabric that clung to her so enticingly.
 

"I
think you lost someone."
 

Essence
looked up and it was like a punch in the gut.
 
Her hazel eyes widened when she saw him, then a feline growl erupted at
the sight of her son in his arms.
 
Gone
was the frightened female, though her scent still carried a faint dose of it,
and in its place rage.
 
Her teeth
sharpened before his eyes and her eyes glowed.
 
Damn she was sexy when she was agitated.

"Give
me my son."

Wesley
placed Gunner on the ground and the little boy hugged his leg before walking to
his mom.
 
Essence kept a wary eye on him
as she stooped to run her hands over Gunner.
 
Anger coursed through him and he stepped forward.
 
Essence stood and pulled Gunner behind her
then growled in warning.

"
Dammit
, Essence I would never hurt you or that boy.
 
Don't you understand that you're mine?"

Essence
paled, shook her head and sliced her hand in a downward motion.
 
"I'll never belong to anyone, never
again."

He
took a step towards her and Essence took a step back.
 
"Run, Gunner.
 
Go find Zackary."

The
little boy laughed, waved and obeyed his mother.
 
Wesley shook his head.
 
The smell of her fear and the way she
wouldn't let him near her was rousing his bear.
 
It wanted its mate and the man agreed wholeheartedly.
 
He took another step and just like before she
took another step back.
 

His
feet moved him before he could think or plan and he had her in his arms, her
eyes wide and her breaths coming in pants.
 
Victory at last.
 
She fit against him perfectly and he couldn't
wait to taste her, so he bent his head and took her lips.
 
At first she struggled, but just when he was
going to release her, she went pliant, her hands circling his neck.
 
Wesley tightened his grip and licked along
the seam of her lips.
 
He barely
restrained his cry of victory when she opened her mouth and he sank deep within
her.
 
Over and over
he
tasted her lips alternating between deep furrows with his tongue within her
recesses and tiny nibbles on her lips.

"Essence!"

Her
name caused her to stiffen and she turned her head to end their kiss.
 
Wesley sighed.
 
Essence shoved at his chest and he stepped
away from her and helped to steady her when she almost fell.
 
"Don't you ever touch me
again!
"

Her
words said one thing, but her body it sang another, and this was one cougar
that would be his.
 
Wesley picked up the
flowers which were thankfully no worse for the wear and held them out for
her.
 
She shook her head and stepped
back.
 
Zackary stepped forward and eyed
him curiously.
 
Unlike the snarls he
received yesterday, the male regarded him simply with curiosity.
 

"Come
for the wedding?"

Wesley
never moved his eyes from Essence.
 
"Yes, Caleb and Miranda invited me."

"Cool.
 
Well, the ceremony is about to start and
Miranda is asking for her bridesmaid."

Wesley
stepped toward Essence who tensed and shook her head.
 
He reached out and gently took her hand to place
the flowers in them.
 
"For my
mate," he said then turned to walk to the event center.
 
Zackary nodded at him then turned to his
sister.

Wesley
smiled.
 
She would be his.

***

"Where
is Essence?"

For
a wedding Miranda had protested, Aspen was surprised to see her so
stressed.
 
Miranda paced her bedroom
while her mother followed trying desperately to pin and re-pin Miranda's dress
and hair.
 
Aspen wanted that.
 
She should really call her mother, because
despite their differences, she did love her parents.
 

Zackary
stuck his head in the room, his usual smile absent, as it had been for the past
week or so.
 
She really needed to remedy
that.
 

"Essence
is cleaning up Gunner again, but she'll be here soon, Miranda, I promise."

Miranda
stopped pacing, took a deep breath and nodded.
 
Her mother's shoulders finally relaxed and she placed the final pin in
Miranda's hair.
 
Aspen followed Zackary
as he left his strides much too fast for her.

"Zackary!"

He
stopped and turned to face her.
 
A part
of her wept for the young male who had once smiled so readily.
 
Now he frowned and dark circles had formed
under his eyes.
 
Was he having trouble
sleeping?
 
He rushed to her side and
looked down into her eyes, his hazel ones full of concern.
 

"What's
wrong Aspen?
 
Do I need to get your
mates?"

She
frowned.
 
"No, I'm fine, but I'm
concerned."

"Is
it the baby?"

So
protective, this one, not only to her she'd noticed over the past few months,
but everyone in the pride.
 
Though he may
only be barely an adult at eighteen years of age, he fulfilled the role of beta
in this pride perfectly.

"No,
Zackary, it's you.
 
What happened to the
guy who brought me banana and peanut butter sandwiches once a week, the one
that smiled all the time, and the one who saved me?"

He
shook his head.
 
"I didn't save you,
I let him take you."

Already
his eyes glowed from his cougar peeking out.

"You
know, when I first woke up that morning after my mate left I sat there thinking
he'd come back.
 
Hours passed and each
one was like torture.
 
I knew he wasn't
coming back, he'd left me…I left that same day, because I couldn't just sit and
smell him, so I came back to the place where I'd always felt at home—here,”
Aspen wrung her hand and took a deep breath before continuing.
 
“But then Miranda and Caleb were just finding
each other and each moment in their presence was like a stab to my heart.
 
I didn't think I could go on...then someone
handed me a glass of milk and a PB&J, and over the next few months, he
stopped by just to see how I was doing.
 
He kept that tiny spark of me alive when all I wanted to do was curl
into a ball and die."

Zackary
stared at her, but didn't speak.
 
He
shook his head.
 
"But when you
needed me the most, I let you down.
 
Just
like-"

He
didn't finish, and Aspen knew what he didn't say was exactly what she needed to
hear.
 
She jumped when arms surrounded
her waist from behind.
 
Damn wolves were
too sneaky for their own good.

Skylar's
rumbling voice responded where she left off.
 
"As far as I'm concerned you risked your life to save my mate, and
you forget that we got our asses handed to us too."

Xavier
clapped the male on the shoulder.
 
"You heard the woman, you're her hero.
 
We are forever in your debt for taking care
of our mate, when we should have been here doing that exact thing."

Zackary
didn't seem convinced, but he nodded and a hint of his familiar smile broke the
ever-present frown he'd worn for the past week.
 
Aspen sighed and relaxed in Skylar's arms.
 
Zackary gave a wave and left mumbling about
finding his sister.

"I'm
sorry, sweetheart; I never meant to hurt you."