The Heir (27 page)

"Not everyone has your strength." He yelled
from down the hall.

Jessica grimaced. "Sorry!"

Lauren shook her head and laughed. "You'll
never know how happy it makes me to see all three of you getting
along."

"Me too. I like having a brother and sister.
When I first came here I was jealous. I felt like they'd gotten
everything that was supposed to be mine-even my name! I feared that
there was no room for me, that I was excess baggage." Jessica
explained. "But with your caring, patience and understanding you
showed me how wrong I was."

Lauren took a seat on the bed and patted the
spot next to her. "I am only going to tell you this once and if you
repeat it, I will deny it." She warned. "I love James. I love
Riley. I love Dani. But your father, he was my everything. When I
lost him, you were the only reason I kept going. When I lost you,
my hope of seeing you again is what kept me going, without it I
would have given up. When I sent you away, you took my heart. You
have nothing to be jealous about because while I love everyone
equally, you hold my heart." Frustrated, Lauren held one of her
hands between hers. "I'm not explaining myself well, am I?"

Jessica shook her head and with the thumb of
her spare hand wiped away the tear that managed to escape. "I think
I understand." And she really did. It had taken falling in love
with Nick for her to truly believe her mom; if the love she spoke
about was anything like the love she felt for Nick, how could she
not?

She loved everyone the same but Nick, Nick
held her heart.

"Oh look! Now I've made you cry." Her mom
wiped away another stray tear.

"Happy tears." Jessica assured her. "Just
happy tears."

Lauren eyed her for a second longer before
standing up and helping Jessica to her feet. She gave her a tight
hug and said. "I am glad we had this talk but now you have to go
fix your makeup." She stepped back and looked down at her watch.
"And we are running late. I'll go downstairs and tell them you will
be right down?"

Jessica nodded and watched her mom leave.
Alone, she turned and looked around her pink room and smiled. It
was unbelievable but she was going to miss this room. She
remembered her shock when she'd first seen it, the time she'd had
to fix her ankle in here and the countless times she'd slammed the
door when she'd been upset.

All those memories had her shaking her head
and before she could get lost in her thoughts she turned and headed
into the bathroom to repair her make-up.

Minutes later she made her way down the
stairs to the sound of applause and whistles from her family, Axel
and Christian.

Together they made their way outside where a
couple of SUVs waited to take them to Nicks home.

Today was the big day.

Today she would be introduced to the
pack.

Today he would teach her to shift.

Today she would be joining her life with
his.

Chapter 21

"Are you ready?"

Jessica looked at Christian who was sitting
in the front passenger seat looking back at her with understanding
and encouragement shinning bright in his eyes. Jessica shrugged and
gave him a brave smile before turning to look out the window as
they rolled to a stop in front of Nick’s house.

In the front yard people were mingling and
helping themselves to the refreshments as they waited for her
arrival.

Almost as one, they all stopped what they
were doing and turned their gazes towards the SUV. Jessica placed a
hand against her stomach, trying to calm the butterflies that were
flapping like crazy.

Just then, directly in front of her, the
crowd parted to reveal him standing there.

Was she ready?

In answer she reached for the door at the
same time that Nick strode forward. He reached the SUV as the door
swung open and he held a hand out to help her down. "Thanks." She
murmured with a smile that she was sure stretched from ear to
ear.

"You look beautiful." He told her when she
stood in front of him.

Jessica could read the sincerity in his eyes
and she could have sworn she felt the butterfly’s in her stomach do
a couple of summersaults. Looking into the twin, hazel colored
pools that were his eyes she felt herself going under one more
time.

Like always, everyone and everything else
disappeared but him.

"I missed you." He murmured.

"You saw me yesterday."

"An eternity ago."

She threw her head back and laughed, making
him smile. "Laying it on a little thick aren't you?" She
immediately knew the question had been a mistake when a gleam of
mischief appeared in his eyes.

"I definitely want to lay something thick
-"

Jessica covered his mouth with her hand
before he could say anything else. "SSShhh!" She looked around her
nervously and was glad that along with their great hearing
abilities, the people around them also possessed great manners.

Everyone acted like they'd heard nothing.

She blew out a breath of relief and removed
her hand from his mouth.

"Come one everyone is dying to meet you." He
took her hand and stepped forward but Jessica didn't move. "They
are going to love you." He murmured close to her ear and gave her
hand a tight squeeze.

His assurance was all she needed. She threw
her shoulders back and raised her chin, with a stronger sense of
self confidence running through her veins she kicked up her smile
and dared them to dislike her. She told herself that she would win
them over if they did, she could do anything as long as she had
Nick by her side.

He led her through the crowd up the steps of
his home and she didn't miss the curious glances that were sent her
way. Standing on the front porch, he took a deep breath and as he
released it she felt a ripple of power and command radiate out of
him and pass through the crowd.

"As you know, we've gathered here today, like
we have many times before to welcome a new member to the pack. I
have taken a mate-or she has taken me," He added with a mock
grimace as he rubbed his side that Jessica had just elbowed. The
light banter between the Alpha and his mate had everyone chuckling
and Nick added. "Greet Jessica Smith. You’re new female Alpha."

The declaration was met with loud cheering
and applause.

Nick grasped her hand and together they
descended the steps into the waiting crowd. Jessica was nervous,
she didn't know what to expect -or if anything was expected of her-
but she drew the necessary confidence from Nick who never left her
side. Everyone welcomed her with soft words, some with hugs and to
her dismay; others grabbed her hand and rubbed it against their
cheeks.

She swore to herself that if anyone tried to
lick her, she would run.

"They are showing you respect and their
subservience." He explained to her in a low tone when he noticed
her discomfort.

Jessica nodded her understanding and the
greetings continued until she was welcomed by everyone. After
meeting her and exchanging a couple of words, their interest slowly
returned to their food and drinks and when it was just the two of
them, Jessica looked around for her family.

"Where are my parents?"

"On the porch."

Jessica turned around and sure enough her
family was being entertained by Matt, Axel and Christian. They went
to join them and as the sun disappeared over the horizon so did the
time she had before she had to say goodbye to her family. Nick had
told her that the party was more for her family then for the pack.
He told her that the pack ceremony would be tonight, under the
moon, where she would shift for the first time.

Time flew by and before she knew it she was
saying goodbye to her family. It was an emotional goodbye filled
with tears and hugs and Jessica promised to visit the next day.
Nick wrapped his arms around her as they watched the SUV that
carried her family drive away.

When her family was out of sight Nick looked
at Jessica and asked. "Are you ready."

She nibbled on her lip. "Not really, I'm not
really an exhibitionist."

He threw his head back and laughed. "Glad to
hear that! If you haven't noticed, where you are concerned, I'm
very possessive and jealous-"

"Not you!"

He gave the tip of her nose and light tap in
response to her interruption and continued. "-so I will be the only
one who will watch you shift. I got you a robe that you can wear
out to the woods. When we are in the woods we will go off on your
own and return to the group once you’ve shifted. The robe is
waiting for you in our room.”

Jessica didn't miss his use of the word 'our’
and she had to admit that it had a nice ring to it. "Alright, so I
just take off my clothes and wear the robe down?"

"Yes but don't worry I made sure it was big
enough to cover everything." He turned her around and gave her
bottom of light tap "now go."

Nervousness and anticipation weighed down her
every step as she made her way up to their room.

Their room, she really liked the sound of
that.

What she didn't like was finding a strange
woman sitting on their bed.

Jessica stepped into the room and closed the
door behind her. The stranger stood up and they eyed each other
across the room in silence. The woman wore an expensive looking
black linen pantsuit with a red blouse, the same bright red as her
stilettos. She looked sophisticated and Jessica couldn't help but
find herself lacking in comparison. Looking at the stranger's face,
the first thing Jessica noticed was the malicious glint in the
woman’s brown eyes.

"Just the person I've been dying to meet." A
chilling smile accompanied her words and immediately Jessica’s
guards went up.

"Really?" She asked; amused, annoyed and
intrigued all at the same time.

Instead of answering, the stranger turned
away and crossed the room to Nick's dresser. Her long chestnut
colored hair slicked back in a ponytail that swung from side to
side. A rueful smile crossed Jessica’s' lips as she stood back and
waited while the brunette checked her makeup in the mirror.

Her actions were a complete contradiction to
her words. For someone dying to meet her she wasn't acting like
it.

"Curiouser and curiouser," she murmured under
her breath and smiled at the brunette.

On a different day she would have flung the
stranger out the window by now.

But not today.

Nothing could ruin her day, not even the
stranger’s insolence. This was her version of cloud nine and she
wasn't coming down any time soon. The brunette, busy applying a
coat of red lips gloss, saw Jessica’s' smile through the mirrors'
reflection and she smiled back. A smile that Jessica likened to the
smile she imagined the wolf gave to Little Red Riding Hood before
trying to eat her.

"Dying to meet me," Jessica repeated to
herself. She took a step forward and her eyes connected with the
strangers through the mirror. "I'm sorry but I can’t say the same
for you." She told her, injecting a light heartedness into her tone
that she didn’t really feel.

The brunette turned around, poised herself
against the drawer and introduced herself. "My name is Kate."

Kate said her name as if it was supposed to
mean something to Jessica only a raised eyebrow. The shock that
crossed Kate’s face before she schooled it back to a look of
disinterest told Jessica that she had expected a different
reaction.

"Nice to meet you Kate, anything I can help
you with?" Jessica asked with studied carelessness. Taking a page
from the brunette’s book, Jessica affected an air of disinterest
and looked around the room for the robe that Nick had gotten her.
She spied it on his chair and, dismissing Kate, she moved to
retrieve it. Jessica folded the robe over her arm, walked towards
the door and flung it open. Looking expectantly at Kate she said,
"I would love to chat but I am a bit busy at the moment."

Kate looked at her incredulously then threw
her head back and laughed, "You really are as naive as he told
me!"

That brought Jessica up short.

"Excuse me?"

Kate shook her head as she tapped her nails
on the dresser. Nails that, Jessica dully noted, were beautifully
manicured and the same shade of red as her lips. "Nick told me you
were naive but I didn't believe him."

Confused by the cryptic comment, Jessica
watched in silence as Kate moved around the room. The aura of
familiarity she exuded among Nicks belongings had her hackles
rising. "Who are you?" She asked her cautiously.

"When nick told me his plans I didn't think
anyone could fall for his lies. Now I see how wrong I was. And I
don't think that what Nick is doing is fair to any of us."

Kate smiled but it didn't reach her eyes,
cold eyes, which looked down at her with a mixture of pity and
disgust. "He is willing to sacrifice all of our happiness for some
misguided sense of responsibility."

Jessica grew more confused with every word.
"What are you talking about?"

"I am nick's true mate."

Her statement was met with silence.

Jessica thought about it for a second then
decided that it was her turn to laugh. Shaking her head and wiping
away tears of mirth she told her, "nice try."

She'd almost fallen for the act but the hard
glint in Kate’s eyes had given her away. She didn't look or sound
like a person in love. She looked like someone spurned and after
vengeance. Still shaking her head, Jessica turned to leave the
room, refusing to listen to any more lies but Kate’s next words
stopped her in her tracks.

"He only wants you for your inheritance!"
Kate shot at her retreating back.

Slowly, Jessica turned back around to face
her. "What inheritance?"

Kate crossed her arms across her chest and
looked smugly at her, "believe it or not, Nick and I were supposed
to mate but he put me aside when he learned about your existence."
Kate shrugged, "Who could blame him? I don't think anyone would
give up that chance of mating with the Lykaon heir."