The Heir (9 page)

“Matt, you know better than to pop up out
nowhere like that on me!" He admonished when his canines no longer
impeded his ability to speak properly and glared at his best friend
as he pushed himself away from the door.

"I didn't pop out of nowhere. I was standing
right here," Matt spread his hands out "in plain sight the whole
time. Not my fault you were too busy trying to run and hide to pay
attention."

A mix of laughter and disapproval laced
Matt's last statement and if nick understood why. In Matt’s shoes,
he too would be laughing from the knowledge that he-the Alpha was
trying to hide. Matt’s disapproval was also understandable, because
as the Alpha he couldn't afford to let his guard down, not even in
his own home.

Nick gave a slight nod in acknowledgment of
the censure and ignored the laughter.

"I wasn't running or hiding," He argued as he
made his way to the bed and flopped down on it "Just tired and
wanted some time to myself." He finished lamely.

"Fine, I'll leave you alone," Matt conceded,
he trailed off for a second and then continued "as soon as you tell
me what happened between the two of you." To show that he was
serious, Matt crossed the room, sat down on the computer chair and
raised his feet to rest them, crossed at the ankles, on the
computer desk.

"Nothing happened. I don't know what you're
talking about." Nick grumbled and raised his forearm to cover his
face.

"Would you like me to refresh your memory? I
have the video on my phone." Matt informed him gleefully while
digging around in his pocket.

"What video!" Nick asked sitting up, shedding
all pretense of being tired.

"The video Christian recorded on his
phone."

"Recorded?!" He raised his voice in
astonishment. It was just what he needed; a video to feed more wood
to the fire. "Why did he do that?!"

"Because I asked him to."

"You asked him? Why?"

"I told him to keep me updated on everything.
He called to tell me about your first little interlude by her bike.
I didn't believe him,” Matt shrugged, “So I told him to record it
if it happened again. I considered it a have to see to believe kind
of thing,” He explained, “And imagine my shock when I got the video
message and there you were "Ice Cold" Nick heating up with..."

"Jessica" Nick interjected.

The breathless way he said her name, he gave
himself away a little bit more and Matt's grin became a full blown
smile.

"She is your… soul mate." Matt said the word
in mocking awe.

"You’re an idiot," Nick retorted gruffly.
"There is no such thing as a soul mate. I doubt there is even such
a thing as love."

Matt shook his head, not bothering to conceal
the pity he felt for his friend. "Your parents sure fucked you
up."

"Just because I don't walk around with stars
in my eyes doesn't mean there’s a problem with me. I'm just a
realist."

"You’re cynical."

Nick shrugged "It’s the same thing. So what
are the chances that the video can be contained?" He asked,
changing the subject. He lay back down and stared up at the
ceiling.

"None." Matt answered him, obliging him, and
Nick was grateful.

He hated brushing any topic that came close
to talking about his parents.

Then Matt's answer made him groan "Dammit
Matt, why didn't you think about that before you asked Christian to
record everything. “

"One, I thought he was kidding the first
time,” Matt argued, “Two, how was I supposed to know that you would
do it a second time, when I didn't even believe you had done it the
first?" Nick opened his mouth to speak but Matt raised his hand to
stall him "And three, they need this Nick."

The way Matt said it, with so much
conviction, made him sigh. "Yeah I know. They are too loyal to her
father’s memory to want something that would risk her
happiness."

They were the surviving members of Cade's
pack.

Nick's pack had been here no more than a year
when they, after eighteen years of hiding within the human
population, started to trickle in. They all wanted to be near when
she finally took her proper place. It was a testament of Cade's
character that even after so many years since his death his people
were still loyal to him and apparently that loyalty had transferred
to his heir.

Unfortunately that hadn't factored in his
plans. He'd thought that in order to lure them out he would need to
claim her first but he’d been wrong. When the rumors started, so
did the requests to join his small pack. Thankfully though, it
seemed that only those loyal to her knew of his plans-and her
reappearance. And they’d made one thing clear, they wouldn’t stand
by that she was unhappy. They would protect her the way they’d
failed to protect her father.

"I don't want to make her miserable Matt."
Nick stood up and went to look out his window. "You call me Ice
Cold, but it's all I know, I can't be something I'm not." The words
were spoken in just above a whisper, filled with insecurity.

Then as if he hadn't just said that, he
straightened his back and turned to look back at Matt. The only
person he trusted to confide his problems in. "I'm not a human boy,
I'm an Alpha. I can't do the flowers and candy thing, acting like
some whipped puppy. All I can do is show her the real me."

"You, whipped?" Matt asked with incredulity
clear in his voice and written on his face. "I want front row
tickets to that show."

Nick knew his friend was trying to lighten
the mood, and it worked. "You’re an idiot."

"And you're getting repetitive." He countered
"Seriously though, I want tickets. I mean I was ready to bet
against you losing your cool for a female, but you did, twice!"
Matt reminded him gleefully.

But he didn't have to. Her taste and the feel
of her were branded in his memory. He closed his eyes and
remembered it all.

When he’d teased her, it had been to appease
his wolf.

It had been hell, watching her run away from
those men. Even if it was from men that wished her no harm, it had
taken everything in him to keep his wolf under control.

Never had he felt his wolf so...unsettled.
Then Axel had walked towards them. His presence had only added
gasoline to the fire. Axel had been unable to control his lust for
Jessica.

His human side understood Jessica’s appeal
and that Axel would never betray him but his wolf went insane with
rage. It had taken every ounce of control to keep himself from
changing in plain daylight and killing his guard.

He had only planned to kiss her behind her
ear, to appease the wolf inside of him. Kiss her and show Axel that
he intended to claim her as his mate, marking her as his, beginning
the process. He hadn't expected the rush of desire that swept
through him at the simplest touch. It hade coursed through him like
a river overflowing its banks.

He'd been seconds away from completely
claiming her; moving his lips from her ear to her neck, when a horn
blaring brought him back to his senses.

He had been about to claim his mate in the
middle of the street.

It had been Axel who’d honked, pulling him
back from the edge of insanity only to find that his little tigress
was purring. The memory of the way she had leaned into him,
silently asking for more of his caress had him smiling. He couldn't
wait to explore her body in a more private setting.

He couldn’t wait to discover all the places
in her body that drove her wild.

He hadn't lied when he said that he didn't
know how to do the sweet act. When he regained his bearings he'd
felt like a fool, and his mind drew up blank every time he tried to
come up with something nice to say.

He'd wanted to say something like "I like you
please let me follow you home, I just want to make sure you're
safe"

Instead he took her backpack and promised not
to peek. He'd seen the pain and humiliation in her eyes before
she’d blinked them away and he'd felt so out of his comfort zone
that he chose to ignore it. Thinking back now he realized just how
big of a jerk he really was.

"Dude, what’s wrong?"

Nick looked up at Matt and for a moment
wished he could be as carefree as him. Wished he could drop it all
and walk away. But he couldn't because he'd made a promise.

To answer Matt he just shook his head and
said "Nothing just thinking"

"Thinking about what?"

For a second he wasn't going to tell him but
then changed his mind and told him everything. Started with her
bodyguards chasing her and ended with her threatening his family
jewels. The last part had Matt roaring with laughter.

Nick could have sworn that even the roof
shook with his merriment.

"It's not that funny" He grumbled.

"Yes it is. I cant…"

Suddenly Nick's phone started ringing,
cutting Matt off. Nick answered it and with every word from the
caller they grew weary and tense. "I'll be there." Nick promised
before hanging up.

"The council"

Nick nodded even though it wasn't a
question.

"Are you really going to go?"

"I have to" Nick rubbed his eyes with his
index finger and thumb wearily. "If I know them, and I do, I'm
going to be stuck with them for weeks. You're in charge while I'm
gone. "

Matt nodded and thumped Nick in the back in
reassurance. This hadn't been the first time he'd been summoned by
the council and every time they'd manage to come up with one excuse
after another to keep him with them for months. Because Nick needed
their support, he had no other choice but to comply.

"Take care of Jessica. I want the best guards
on her at all times. All other shifters are to keep their distance
from her, I know they are anxious to be close to her but they will
have to wait." Nick gave his orders as he pulled out his suitcase
and started packing. His easy mood and camaraderie disappeared. He
was no longer just the best friend from moments past but also the
Alpha.

"Don't worry; I'll take care of everything.
And when it comes to your mate...How much trouble could she
be?"

Nick chuckled at his ignorance but decided
that he would rather have Matt learn firsthand just what a handful
the future Alpha female could be. He had no problem leaving Matt in
charge because he knew that Matt didn't covet his standing as
Alpha. Matt would take on the responsibility but only as a favor to
his best friend not a desire to lead.

An hour later he, Axel and two other
bodyguards got into a black SUV and drove away.

Chapter 6

Jessica was half way up the stairs when she
heard her name being called. Sighing, she turned around and walked
back down to the family room. Feeling like she was headed for the
gallows.

With so much happening she couldn’t believe
she’d only been here two days. And she had three more months to go.
Months that Jessica had no idea how she was going survive. She
couldn’t wait until she turned eighteen.

Jessica pushed thoughts away and mentally
prepared herself for take two-or was it three-with her mother. In
the living room she found her pacing back and forth in front of the
window. Jessica’s appearance went unnoticed and she took a good
look at the woman who’d born her.

They had the same raven hair and stood at
around the same height and she’d also gotten her curves from her
mother.

So this is what I've been missing, Jessica
thought.

Growing up, she never acknowledge it, but
she'd always felt incomplete. Felt that half of her was missing
because she didn't know where she’d gotten her black hair or her
blue eyes from. Now she knew. She got them from her mother.

Knowing what she’d inherited from her mother,
made her wonder if she’d gotten her lips and nose from her father.
Now was the time to find out.

Jessica coughed to get her mother’s attention
and took a seat on the couch’s’ arm rest. Startled, Lauren put a
hand against her chest and smiled as she turned to face her.

"You surprised me. You move around so
soundlessly and I didn't think you heard me when I called your
name..." Her words trailed off and she took a seat across from
her.

Uncomfortable with the silence that followed,
Jessica fidgeted in her seat for a second then looked at her mom
and apologized. Apologized not just for scaring her but for
everything she’d done.

Lauren gave her a shaky smile and shook her
head and spoke with conviction. "You have nothing," She and slashed
a hand through the air, "nothing to apologize for. I should be the
one begging for forgiveness-and I will for the rest of my life. If
I could go back in time I would do things differently, I really
would."

Jessica saw the pain and remorse in her
mother’s eyes. It tugged at her heart strings. This was what she'd
been waiting for, a heartfelt apology. All along shed needed an
acknowledgment that she'd been wronged and hurt.

"Thank you." She told her mother "That's all
I wanted." Lauren made as if to say something but Jessica shook her
head and continued. "I know I probably should have waited and heard
you out earlier. But it hurt." Jessica emphasized her statement my
tapping her chest, right over her heart. "It hurt to see you give
to someone else what should have been mine."

Jessica's eyes began to cloud with tears. She
didn't blink, refusing to let them fall. Her voice was unsteady
though, betraying all the pain she felt inside.

Lauren stood up and went to sit next to her.
Closing the distance between them, she took Jessica’s hand and
enclosed it between both of hers. "Never. My love for you wasn't
given to anyone else. I've saved it just for you. Give us" she used
a hand to indicate the two of them "a chance. Give me a chance to
show you that I do love you."

"I want the truth about me," Jessica voiced
her request just above a whisper.