Page 41 of Secrets and S'mores
Onyx
Ember stands knee deep in the water with only one of my t-shirts on and she’s so beautiful it hurts. She ran all the way to the boundary.
Jasper didn’t follow us, but I can feel worry through the pack bond. I try to relay confidence to keep them at bay. I’m about to do something that will make him very angry.
If we aren’t honest with her, she’ll disappear and do exactly what they are trying to prevent. And now that I’ve seen the scars, I know her packmates have no problem hurting her. How could Sienna and Ferris let this happen?
When she becomes Alpha, it’ll be harder for her to control those wolves since they’ve beaten her in thepast. These wounds weren’t from struggling and proving herself, they’re punishment for being young and not yet strong enough to stop it.
I have to convince her to stay until things are safe. Until Sienna changes things in that pack and drives out all the people who would hurt Ember. I don’t care if I have to go up there and take out those people myself.
“Some of the pack members are giving your mom a hard time and she wants to deal with them while you’re here safe and can’t get pulled into it.”
She stands silently. If her mother is overthrown, she loses her ranking and potentially her membership in the pack. A dark part of me wants that to happen.
“I want to go home.”
“I know,” I say. “That’s why I made you promise to talk it over with Jasper. He can tell you more. You going home right now might make the situation worse.” I’m not convinced her mom cares about her safety, so it’s likely true.
Her arms fold around her and she looks very fragile. “Alright.”
“Alright,” I echo her, running my arms over her shoulders and down her back. She melts into me. Moisture drips onto my chest, and I realize she’s crying. “It’s going to be fine.”
When she looks up at me, the tip of her nose is red and her lashes clump together. “No, I fucked up. I showed how crazy I am and hurt Hazel. Slate will either lock me up or kick me out.”
“Hey,” I say, my hands rising until I cup her face and force to look at me. “Do you think maybe you fightlike that because in your training, losing meant more than just a loss. It meant…” I trail off, one hand brushing over her shoulder blade.
She looks away, unable to meet my gaze. “If I can’t control myself, I’m a danger to everyone.”
“So you don’t fight. You stay with me, bake bread, help with the garden, do whatever you want to do. Forget everything else.”
For a moment, it feels like she’ll agree.
Her hand tugs on the back of my neck and guides me down until our lips meet. The kiss is slow and soft, and I force my hands to stay still. She needs comfort, not a mauling.
She breaks away and whispers, “Thank you for telling me the truth.” She pauses, and I can almost hear the thoughts in her head. “We should go back.”
I pull her in for another kiss. “How about later. We’re alone out here.”
“They’ll come looking for us soon, won’t they?”
Groaning, I rest my forehead against hers. “When will we ever get some privacy?”
Ember’s exhale is uneven, and I know she’s thinking of all the reasons we shouldn’t be together. But as far as I’m concerned, it’s a done deal. I’m in this with her.
10 Teeny Tiny Chickens
Ember
Onyx holds my hand on the walk back. My mind spins with the implications of the situation. I want to go home and help my mother protect our position of leadership. But she doesn’t want me there. I’m a liability in this situation - the young, female Heir in a pack of assholes. It’s why she paired me with Hawk. A strong male as my mate fortifies my position.
But I can’t help but wonder, what if that mate is Onyx?
The thought makes my stomach clench. It’s too much to think about a future with him. I’malready indulging in this fling with him. It’s all more than I deserve.
But what if?
When the woods thin and the fresh scent of his packmates reaches me, I squeeze Onyx’s hand. “Hey, I don’t want to talk with them about my pack yet. I need time to think. It’s enough to just know.”
