Kiss Of The Alpha : A YA Paranormal Romance

Chapter 125: Chapter 125

Heather

I looked toward my cousins. "I think I’ll stay with my family. I’m sure you understand." When I moved to the back of the car, Brent followed.

First impression? I asked. As long as our bond was in place, I’d use it as much as I could until Brent had to leave.

Not everyone is backing her, but there are a lot who are. Even through the bond, his voice had a hint of wolf. He was under control, but just barely. You’re going to have to watch your back at all times, and I’m not going to be here to do it.

I never had any intention of letting my guard down. I grabbed my backpack and let Brent handle the rest. Do you think it’s a mistake to stay with Claudia and Raphael?

Anything is better than sleeping in the same house as her. But keep one eye open.

Always.

By the time we rounded the other side of the car, the crowd had dissipated. I made my way toward my cousins’ place. Their door hung open. "Hello," I called as we stepped inside.

"Come on in," Raphael said. "Claudia is changing the sheets in the guest room. They were clean, but she wants them fresh, too." He shrugged.

"Thanks. Where to?"

"Up the stairs. First door on the right."

The stairs creaked with age as I walked up, Brent close on my heels. The steps were covered with a patterned carpet that was a little threadbare in places. Claudia was in what I took to guest bedroom, rushing around the tiny twin bed. It had a white-painted iron frame.

"Can I help you do anything?" I asked.

"No. I’ve got it. Just one second and I’ll have this all ready."

"You didn’t have to—"

"Yes, I did," she said without pausing her quick movements. "You have every right to hate me right now, but we need you more than your pack needs you. The least I can do is make a clean bed for you to sleep in."

I dropped my messenger bag with a thud. "You need me?"

She kept busy as she moved around the room. A huge lace doily sat on top of the dark wooden bedside table, which was cluttered with an ornate lamp, some colorful dishes, a bowl of potpourri, and a lit candle. The potpourri and candle were going to have to go. The concentrated floral scent was already giving me a headache and I was barely in the door.

I stepped to the candle, blew it out and handed it to Brent. He grabbed the potpourri and went back downstairs. Knowing him, he’d grab all the rest of the little smelly things around the house and chuck them out the window. I hope they didn’t leave any important potion stuff hanging around.

Sure enough, I heard something crash. Hopefully, whatever it was wasn’t irreplaceable. Raphael started talking downstairs, but he didn’t sound angry, so I ignored it and focused on Claudia.

I felt awkward not helping as she rushed to make the bed, but if bustling around made her feel better, then I might as well let her have at it.

When she was done, she smoothed a hand over the white and yellow quilt. She was a couple years older than me, but she acted much older than that. It made me wonder how much responsibility she’d had to take over when her parents left the compound. "There. The closet is small, but empty. There are hangers, too. I don’t have a desk for you, but I could—"

"This is fine. I didn’t bring much. I’m not staying longer than the full moon."

Claudia finally stopped moving. "That’s fine. If we can’t do what needs to be done by then, it’ll be too late."

I shot a look over my shoulder as Brent came back into the room. He gave a barely there shake of his head. I haven’t figured out what Claudia’s planning, either, he said through the bond.

"What’s going on?"

"That’ll take a bit to explain. I’m sorry for what I did, but we’re desperate." She pushed past me to exit the room. "Get settled, and then come downstairs." She checked her watch. "Luciana will be here soon to make Brent leave. We can talk more once he’s gone."

Brent moved into the room and set my duffles by the foot of the bed. "What do you want to do? We can turn around now. I can take you home."

I shrugged. "It’s too late to back out."

"It’s never too late. I don’t like you being used as some sort of pawn in whatever game the coven is playing." I could feel his desperation through the bond, even if he looked cool as a cucumber on the outside.

I can’t, I told him through the bond. Leaving would mean a fight.

Brent wasn’t scared of fighting, but that was exactly what I’d been trying to avoid. "At least we sort of know why they told Luciana." I bit my lip as I considered the situation. "They’ve helped us twice. I have a feeling these weeks are about repaying the favor."

"I have a feeling you’re right."

The doorbell rang. "Time for the dog to leave." Luciana’s voice filled the house.

Brent growled and I stepped into him, wrapping my arms around his waist. Calm down.

I hate her.

I’m pretty sure the feeling is mutual.

Luciana was waiting in the living room, but neither of us said a word to her as we walked out the front door.

When we got to the front gate, Brent took off his shoes, shirt, and pants, but left on his boxer briefs. He handed it all to me, but I wasn’t paying attention. The sight of him took my breath away.

"Cherie?" He reached to cup my chin.

"Right. Sorry." I took his clothes and held them to my chest.

He pulled me close, and ran his hands through my hair. His lips came to mine, and I lost myself in the feel of them. His tongue ran along the seam of my lips, and I opened. Somewhere along the way I must’ve dropped the clothes because I wrapped my arms around his neck. My heart thumped in my ears, and I couldn’t get close enough. I slid my hands down his abs and around his back.

This was what I was missing. We’d been too sad last night to really do anything, but I ached for him. My wolf craved him, and so did I.

Brent bit my lip and rested his forehead against mine. "Call me if you need me."

I wished I could say the same, but I doubted I’d be free to leave the compound for anything related to the Weres. I kissed him lightly. "I’m going to miss you."

Since I’d stopped running from him and trying to escape St. Francis’s, we hadn’t really been apart. I saw him everyday.

As soon as he stepped beyond the gates, it was like he’d been ripped away from me. If I couldn’t see him with my own eyes, I would’ve thought he was dead. The sudden break in the bond left both of us gasping.

"Holy shit. This is worse than it was last time."

"That’s because you were distracted last time. Now you know what that feeling is like."

I ignored the icky sensation and reached over the gate to feel him. As soon as my hand touched his skin, the bond snapped back into place and I instantly felt better. "This is really going to blow."

He gave me a sad smile. It wasn’t very reassuring.

"I know." He stepped back and shifted. It took less than a second, and then I was staring at my mate in wolf form.

His boxer briefs were under his feet. He nipped them up with his teeth and passed them to me through the gate.

I stood there and watched him run until he disappeared around the bend in the road. I tried to reach him along our bond, but it was gone. Not just muted, but gone. A side effect of being on separate sides of the barrier. It was meant to warn other supernaturals away, and it would’ve worked if I weren’t being forced to stay here.

I closed my eyes for a second. My head knew that Brent was fine. He was running home, back to his cabin, back to the pack. And he was safe. But my heart, my gut, my bond, told me that everything was completely and totally fucked.

It was time I dealt with the coven for good. Maybe if I did whatever Claudia and Raphael needed, I could go back sooner than planned.

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