Page 38 of Unbreakable Bond
Chapter 16
Zoey was totally eavesdropping.Not that she was doing it on purpose… or at least she hadn’t started eavesdropping on purpose. It was a wolf thing. Her hearing was far superior to what it had been just yesterday. She wasn’t standing with her ear to the door or anything. She didn’t have to. She was still standing in the kitchen, chomping on a piece of bacon, which was surprisingly delicious and cooked exactly how she liked it. But she’d heard every word that Rafe and Michaelsaid.
At first, the tension she’d felt coming from her mate had worried her. She’d worried the two of them would come to blows again. The tone Michael had taken with him bristled her wolf and made her frown. When her friend had snapped at Rafe, she’d almost stormed out onto the porch and gotten between them. Which was exactly why Rafe had told her to stayinside.
He didn’t want to put her in the middle. He knew she cared about Michael. Just like he knew Michael cared about her, loved her even. But mostly she thought that he’d been worried if she got between them it would be to take Michael’s side. It was a silly, insecure thought and she hated that she’d put it in his head. Because yesterday it might have been true but today it was impossibly inconceivable toher.
She cared for Michael. She always would. He was her best friend and she loved him. But what he’d said about not loving her like a mate should… she finally, finally, understood that. Because that’s how she felttoo.
Her attraction to him was gone and with her head and her heart a little clearer she could accept that a lot of what she’d wanted with Michael was to belong. To be one of them. Her parents were loving and supportive. The community was inclusive and welcoming. But she wasn’t a wolf and she’d always felt like an outsider here… except when she was withMichael.
He’d been her first friend and she’d clung to him fiercely. She’d made him the center of her universe. Just like he’d clung to her when his parents died and his brother left town. Even when they’d learned they weren’t mates, they’d clung to each other for reassurance that it would all beokay.
It hurt a little to hear Michael call her a consolation prize. She couldn’t deny that. But she also couldn’t deny that knowing what she knew now, he would have been herstoo.
Because Michael didn’t need her. He never had. He was strong enough to stand on his own. But Rafe wasn’t. Rafe needed her in a way that sheneededto beneeded.
Listening to the two brothers talk, to try and set things right, she saw now just how right fate was to pair her with Rafe. Not just because the attraction between them was off the charts. But because she was the bridge that could span the distance between him andMichael.
She wasn’t the one that would divide them like she’d feared last night. It was done. She and Rafe were mated. Michael couldn’t change that and he’d seen the error of his ways. The only thing they could do now was moveforward.
She was the reason they were talking, fixing things, and she knew just how badly Michael had always wanted Rafe to come home. Like she knew from the bond, from Rafe’s swell of emotions, that he wanted to mend what he’d broken between them. They were brothers and despite all of their differences, despite all the years of absence, she could feel the love betweenthem.
It warmed herheart.
What didn’t warm her heart, was the way Rafe talked about himself. As if he wasn’t good enough for her. As if he needed to be better. He’d said something along those lines last night but she’d thought he just meant healing his wolf. Listening to him talk to Michael she realized it went deeper thanthat.
“I’m not going to hurt her.” Rafe swore. “She’s my mate. I’d die before I let anything hurther.”
“But you can’t control your wolf. You said as much.” Michaelcountered.
Zoey huffed as they continued arguing and her own wolf stretched and shook inside of her. She didn’t like Michael’s tone any more than Zoey did and she’d had enough. They were talking abouthernow. She’d stayed out of it while they discussed pack business but this was her life too. She got a say. Final sayeven.
“He controlled his wolf perfectly fine with me last night.” She strolled onto the porch as casual as could be and plopped herself down into Rafe’slap.
She grinned at him when his eyebrows winged up. She could feel his surprise through the bond. He hadn’t expected her to come outside? Really? She pressed a quick kiss to his lips. No, that wasn’t it. He hadn’t expected her to stick up forhim.
Silly wolf. He was hers. She’d always protect him. Even from spats with his brother and his own innerdemons.
“I…” He groaned slightly as she settled more firmly on his lap, wrapping his arms around her automatically, “I thought I told you to stayinside?”
“Told?” She raised a skeptical eyebrow. “I think youasked.”
He gave her a pointed look, “Yeah. Asked. That’s what Imeant.”
She giggled slightly and nuzzled his cheek, “I did stay inside but I got lonely and I needed to touchyou.”
Rafe groaned again as she rubbed her body against his and she hid a smile in his neck. He was trying to stay strong. He wanted to send her back inside. She could feel it. But a bigger part of him was loving the way she touched him, kissed him, claimed him in front of his brother and for the world tosee.
Good.
Because she had a feeling this whole wanting to be around him constantly, wanting his hands on her body, his skin against hers, wasn’t going to go away anytime soon. So Michael might as well get used to it.Now.
Rafe was hers and she was free to touch him and kiss him wherever and whenever she damn well pleased. Her wolf practically purred when he pulled her closer. She kissed him again, a little harder this time and nipped at his lip with her teeth before pulling back and glancing across the table as if she’d just remembered they hadcompany.
“Michael.” She smiled sweetly, “Nice of you tovisit.”
His eyes were wide with a look of shock that made her want to smack him. He stared at her as if he’d never seen her before and she glared back at him. He shook his head and squeezed his eyes shut as his jaw all but hit thetable.
