Legacy Found: Legacy, Book 3 (29 page)

“So will I.” He kissed her nose. “I’m not an easy man to live with.” His lips grazed her cheekbone and her jaw.

“No,” she teased. “Really?”

He laughed and the rough sound sent shivers down her spine. She shuddered as his breath warmed her face.

He stilled, sensing her growing arousal. “Tell me again,” he demanded.

She knew what he wanted and gave it. “I love you.” He hadn’t said the words back and that caused a pang in her heart. But he’d already given her so much. And she knew he cared deeply for her. It was enough.

“God, woman.” He caught her in his arms and rolled them across the large bed. She laughed as he shoved aside the tangled sheets and tugged her on top of him.

Laughter fled as he slid his thick shaft inside her without warning. She gasped and then moaned as her moist channel stretched to accommodate him.

There was no rush, no words as he wrapped his arms around her and rocked them both to completion. Her orgasm flowed over her, comforting and somehow deeper than any other time they’d come together. Maybe it was because she’d said the words, said she loved him.

Still quivering from aftershocks, she snuggled close, struggling to catch her breath.

“I love you.”

She stilled as the harsh whisper reached her ears. She raised her head, not certain she’d heard correctly. His gaze was fierce as he captured her face in his hands. “I love you,” he repeated. “You’re mine. You belong to me. I promise to always protect you.”

Tears pricked her eyes. She struggled to keep them from escaping, but it was no use. They seeped out of the corners of her eyes and trickled down her cheekbones.

He swiped at them with his thumbs. “Don’t cry, baby. Don’t cry.”

“Oh, James.” She kissed him then, hard and deep. She never wanted this moment to end. Their tongues twined, mated. His cock flexed, still deep inside her, making her laugh. He was insatiable.

He rubbed his hand over her butt, squeezing gently. “That’s what you do to me.” They lay there a few more minutes and then he sighed. “We have to get up. There are still a lot of loose ends to deal with.”

Shelley sat up and eased off James. She shuddered as his semi-erection slipped from her. “Okay.” She was determined to stand by him, to be the kind of mate he needed. His responsibilities were many and vast. She didn’t know them all, but observing him this past week had been an education. An alpha was much more than a figurehead. He was like the CEO of a major corporation and mayor of a town, plus the Chief of Police.

James rolled out of bed and padded to the window. “They’re all waiting.”

Shelley lowered her head into her hands. “They’re all going to know what we’ve been doing,” she wailed. She’d been so caught up with what was going on between her and James she’d forgotten they’d all seen them enter his home together.

James laughed. “They’ll only have to take one look at you to know.” He came to stand beside her and brushed his finger down her neck. “You have beard rash.”

“I do not.” She rushed to the dresser mirror to inspect her face and neck. “It will fade.”

He came up behind her and nuzzled her neck. The prickly stubble brushed her skin. “Not if I don’t stop doing this.”

She laughed. She couldn’t help herself. He was incorrigible. “I’ll wear a turtleneck sweater.”

“They’ll still be able to smell me. I marked you during our joining. Humans might not be able to detect it, but other werewolves will.” Satisfaction tinged his voice. “They’ll all know you’re mine. We’ll have the formal ceremony as soon as possible.” He stilled and raised his head.

She was coming to know him well and knew he was waiting for her agreement. He was all alpha male, but he wanted her to be happy. “That sounds fine.”

He dropped another kiss on her neck and straightened. “Get dressed. I’ll be back.” She watched the play of muscles in his tight butt as he walked away.

“Get a grip,” she told herself and turned back to the dresser only to remember it was empty. Isaiah had her clothing.

Grabbing a sheet, she wrapped it around herself and padded down the hallway. She could hear water running and knew James was getting cleaned up. Shelley sighed, wondering if he had something she could wear. It wouldn’t fit, but she’d be covered.

She happened to glance down the stairs and there at the bottom were her two bags. She was torn between being thrilled to have clothing to wear and being mortified that her brother had come into the house while she and James were having sex and she hadn’t heard him.

She finally chose to be happy to have clothing. Hurrying down the stairs, she grabbed the bags and darted back to her room. She yanked open the bags, drew out everything she needed and went into the bathroom. If she was quick, she could wash and dress and be ready when James was.

James stepped beneath the spray of cool water and rinsed the soap from his body. He was still partially aroused even after claiming Shelley and taking her several times. He had a feeling he’s spend most of the rest of his days in this predicament. And he didn’t give a damn.

He felt alive for the first time in decades. Shelley was his mate. And she loved him.

His chest swelled and he bowed his head, letting the water cascade over him. She was his miracle.

Twisting off the taps, he cut off the flow and stepped out of the shower. He grabbed a towel and dried off. Tossing the towel over a rod to dry, he walked silently to his room. He cocked his head to one side, tracking Shelley’s location, and could hear water running down the hall.

He closed his eyes and swore as his cock swelled. It was all too easy to picture Shelley naked, the warm spray caressing her skin, trailing over her breasts to pool between her thighs.

He shuddered and shook off the image. It was time to get dressed and deal with pack problems. But tonight. Tonight was another story. If Shelley wasn’t too sore, he planned to eat her from head to toe before sinking into her sweet heat.

And those thoughts weren’t helping. He grinned. He was acting more like a newly transformed male than a mature one. He dressed in jeans, boots and a shirt, leaving the tails hanging out to cover his erection.

James went down the hall and into Shelley’s room just as she stepped out of the bathroom. True to her word, she was wearing a turtleneck sweater. Her jeans fit her to perfection, skimming her slight curves.

But it was her smile and the quiet love in her eyes that set his heart pounding. “Ready?” He held out his hand to her.

She took it and nodded. “I am.”

Together they went down the stairs to face her family.

Quinn stared at the man who was his father. He wasn’t certain how he felt about him even after spending time with him this past week. He actually felt more at home with the Striker brothers.

He snorted. Maybe because he didn’t really have a connection to them. Not like he did to Donovan Brody.

“You okay?” Simon asked.

“Yeah, I’m fine.” Quinn liked the youngest Striker brother. He was the closest in age to Quinn. If you could call thirty-five years close. Quinn was twenty-five while Simon was sixty.

He shook his head, still amazed. It was one thing to intellectually understand that werewolves had a much longer lifespan than humans, but it was another thing to be confronted with the reality of it.

James Riley, the alpha of the pack, was one hundred and sixty years old. That was truly mind-boggling.

Quinn’s head whipped up as he caught the scent of his father on the breeze. And not just his father, but several other males as well.

As if on cue, the front door of the main house opened and James stepped out with Shelley by his side. The big man placed a possessive hand on her back as he guided her down the steps. Shelley gave him a smile that was filled with love and caring.

He was glad for them both, but especially for her. She’d been through hell. But thoughts of what Shelley had been through brought them back around to his sister. Where was she?

Quinn shoved all negative thoughts aside. He would find Chris if it was the last thing he ever did. He studied all the males gathering in the clearing. Donovan nodded to him. It was like peering into a mirror. Disconcerting, yet familiar. Their hair color was the only major difference. His father’s features were a little harder and older, but that was to be expected since Donovan was about a century older.

Gavin and Grady walked beside him and they were quickly joined by all the Striker brothers. Alex and Meredith rounded out the group. James kept one arm around Shelley and raised the other for silence.

Immediately, everyone turned their attention to him.

“Shelley and I have mated.”

Alex gasped and gave a glad cry before running over to hug Shelley. “I’m so glad. For both of you.” She hugged her father too before her husband tugged her back to his side.

James turned to face Isaiah and Joshua. “I will take care of your sister,” he pledged.

Isaiah nodded and offered his hand. Joshua glanced at his sister. “Is this what you want?”

James bristled slightly but Shelley nodded and smiled. “It is.”

“Good enough.” Joshua turned to his alpha and offered a slight bow. “We Striker brothers have just gotten our sister back. She’s very precious to us. I couldn’t think of another male I’d rather see her mated with.”

James inclined his head slightly and turned to the other males. “You all accept my claim?”

Donovan and Gavin immediately agreed. Grady shook his head and sighed. “I must be getting old. First Joshua and now you. I gotta learn to move faster.” He grinned and offered his hand and his congratulations to the couple. Quinn found it fascinating to watch pack dynamics at work.

Once that was done, James was all business again. His sharp gaze went from Quinn to Donovan and back to Quinn. “Have you decided?”

There wasn’t much of a decision to make. James Riley had decreed that Quinn was going to Chicago where Isaiah and his contacts would help him locate Chris. “I’m in and so is Craig.” He wasn’t spending any more time separated from his family. The last year had been hell on earth.

“He’s human,” Donovan protested.

“He’s my family.” He wasn’t budging from this. If Craig wasn’t welcome, the two of them would set out on their own.

Donovan started to protest, but James held up his hand and the other male went silent. “Your brother knows what you are?”

“Oh, yeah. I’d never have made it without him. I trust him more than I trust any of you.” Several of the males growled, but Quinn wasn’t backing down.

“Then he’s more than welcome.” James’s eyes passed over the crowd, his piercing golden gaze pinning each man in turn. “Anyone have a problem with that?”

When no one spoke, James continued. “You’ll go with Isaiah and Meredith.” He glanced at them. “When are you leaving?”

“As soon as you’re done with us,” Isaiah answered. “We’ve been away long enough.”

“Understood.” James focused on Quinn once again. “Gather your belongings and be ready to leave.”

Frustration ate at him, but he held his tongue. He’d be more in the thick of things once they reached Chicago and he had Craig with him.

James reached out and rested his large hand on Quinn’s shoulder. “We’ll find her. She’s one of us, just as you are. You and your family always have a place here. And that includes Craig.”

Quinn’s throat felt tight and he nodded. “Thanks.” It was strange to be offered a home. He hadn’t had one since his mom had passed away. Not really. They’d been too busy trying to stay together and alive. He and Chris had had the added burden of dealing with the changes in their bodies and discovering what it truly meant to be a half-breed werewolf.

Their mom had never been sure if they’d be part wolf too but had done her best to prepare them for that eventuality. And thank God she had. Otherwise they might never have survived.

Quinn glanced at his father again. He wanted to feel something for the male, but didn’t. Not yet. Maybe in time. Maybe never. The only thing that mattered now was finding Chris.

Epilogue

James stood on the front porch and gazed up at the clear night sky. The stars twinkled and the moon was almost full. He heard her coming up behind him before her slender arms wrapped around him.

“How are you doing?”

That was the question, wasn’t it? He’d done something today that no alpha ever wanted to do. He’d banished some of his people from the pack. A wolf without a pack was fair game for hunters. They would find it difficult to live in the outside world without the protection the pack offered. Some of them had never had to deal with humans before, preferring to leave it up to him and others. And maybe that was part of the problem. Because they’d spent too many years insulated from reality, they hadn’t wanted to accept his leadership or his half-breed daughter.

“James?” she questioned softly.

He reached around and tugged her into his arms. Shelley eased the ache in his heart. “I’m okay.”

She traced her fingers over the buttons of his shirt. “I know this evening wasn’t easy for you.”

That was an understatement. After Isaiah, Meredith and Quinn had left for Chicago, James had called a meeting of the entire pack. They’d all shown up, many curious to know what was going on.

The first announcement had been the return of Shelley to the pack and the fact that they’d mated. That had been greeted with celebration. After all, Shelley’s bloodlines were impeccable.

But even then there was grumbling. Some folks thought she was tainted by all the years she’d spent with the hunters. The fucking Carlos clan was never happy and the Jenson clan had been quick to support them.

“I’m sorry you had to hear the insults tonight.” That had been the hardest part for him. Not being able to protect Shelley from the venom that had been tossed her way.

She shook her head. “It’s not your fault. We talked about this before everyone arrived. I knew it was a possibility.” She linked her arms around his neck and hugged him tight. “I’m more shocked that it was only a handful of them. Most of the pack accepted me.”

She was right. James had to focus on the positive.

Shelley leaned back and he could see her clearly. Damn, he loved her more than life itself. She’d left her hair down and it flowed around her shoulders. The light from the house made it shimmer like a halo around her face, emphasizing its heart-shaped and fine features.