Chapter 22 - Franco
I had been nervous about approaching Tom’s door, but Killian had assured me this was where Sienna was staying. As soon as Sienna had come into view, I felt my fears melting away. It didn’t matter that I had stood face to face with the man who had cursed me. It didn’t matter that I was in the middle of an enemy pack. The only thing that mattered was her—and here she was.
The bag of crystals had been in my pocket ever since the day Sienna left the cabin. I carried them with me like a talisman, but it was time they were returned to her.
“Thank you,” she said, accepting the bag from me.
“Franco,” her father mumbled. “I’ll be…”
“Don’t worry, Tom,” Killian said. “Franco isn’t here to cause any trouble. Do you mind if we come in?”
Sienna and Tom stood aside and allowed us to enter the house. The initial shock of seeing my mate was beginning to wear off, and I was once again nervous about my surroundings. Sienna offered me a tentative smile, which settled my nerves somewhat. The only thing I truly had to fear was losing her, I reminded myself. It was in my best interest to remain calm and not be on the defensive. I could never risk hurting her again.
“What are you doing here?” Sienna asked me, not unkindly.
“Apologizing,” I said. “I was wrong to stop you from using your magic. You were right—I had no business telling you what to do. You are free to make your own choices, and I’m sorry for taking that choice from you. Can you forgive me?”
“I forgive you. But you have to promise that you won’t try to control me again,” she said.
“I swear.”
“Great! Now that’s settled,” Killian said.
“I’m surprised to see you two together,” Sienna said, looking between me and my brother. “I thought you hated each other.”
“All in the past,” Killian said with a wave of his hand. “Franco and I have talked everything out, and we understand each other now. We decided we aren’t willing to let the past come between us anymore. We’re on the same side of this—making the world safer for the people we love.”
I shot a look at my brother, reminding him not to throw the “L” word around too lightly. He looked back at me sheepishly, but before anyone could comment on it, a knock on the door startled the four of us.
“Anyone expecting more company?” Tom asked grumpily.
“No,” we replied in unison.
He opened the door once again, and in strode Lex. The Sparkle Hollow alpha looked stern and disapproving as he ventured into the sitting room where we were standing.
“Alpha Killian,” Lex began, “my guards alerted me that two men matching your description were seen coming into Sparkle Hollow and stopped here to visit Tom Mowry. Of course, I knew at once that your brother was with you. Last we spoke, you two weren’t on good terms. Is all well?”
“Apologies, Alpha Lex,” Killian replied deferentially. “We were coming to see you next, but I see now that we should have reversed our itinerary.”
“As I’m sure you know, Franco isn’t welcome here,” Lex stated.
“If you’ll allow us to explain, I think we can change your mind on that front,” my brother replied.
“Do you? Well then, what explanation do you have for your presence here?” Lex asked me.
“I mean you and your pack no harm,” I said. “I am merely here to make sure Sienna returned home safely, and to extend my apologies for my behavior to her. I have behaved in a way that makes me feel ashamed, and I’d like the chance to make up for everything I’ve done.”
“And why should I believe that?”
“Because of her,” Killian said, nodding toward Sienna.
Lex turned toward her, and I saw his expression turn from confusion to shock before settling on understanding.
“You are mates,” he stated.
“What?!” Tom exclaimed.
He grabbed Sienna’s arm and pulled her to face him so that he could look at the mark on her neck. The movement was sudden, and I had to take a deep breath and remind myself that she wasn’t in danger from him.
“Chill, Dad,” Sienna said. “The time for fatherly concern is long past.”
Tom dropped his hand from her arm, looking bewildered. However he had expected today to go, it wasn’t going according to plan.
“Your link to Sienna is acknowledged, but until you have proven your worth, I can’t allow you to stay within Sparkle Hollow,” Lex explained to me. “We have a small house on the outskirts of town. Actually… ‘house’ is generous. But if you wish to stay here, that is where you’ll need to go.”
“I understand. Thank you for offering the accommodation. I gladly accept,” I told him.
“I’ll escort you there now,” he said.
I began to follow him toward the door when Sienna interrupted.
“Wait a second,” she said. “I need to grab my things.”
I cocked my head and furrowed my brow in confusion as we all stared at her.
“You’re welcome to stay with your father,” Alpha Lex told her. “It’s only Franco who cannot.”
“I’ll be staying with my mate,” she said.
Without waiting for a reply, Sienna disappeared up the stairs. I heard footsteps as she packed her belongings and reappeared moments later.
“I’m ready to go,” she announced.
Lex led Sienna and me to a small building on the outskirts of town. It was in a ring of thick trees, well-hidden from view.
“Like I said, it’s not much,” Lex explained. “But it’s clean.”
“It’s more than enough. Thank you,” I said.
“If you’re going to come into town, I will need you to call me first to arrange for an escort,” he continued.
“Of course,” I agreed.
With that, Lex left, and Sienna followed me into the house. It was barely twelve by twelve and could easily be called a shack. Inside was a double bed, a wall-mounted cupboard for supplies, a wood-burning stove for cooking and heat, and a door leading to a tiny bathroom. The bed was covered with a patchwork quilt, and next to it stood a tall bookshelf filled with books, knickknacks, and a few potted plants. Overall, it was one of the coziest rooms I had been inside.
“I’ve never been in here before,” Sienna said, setting her bag down on the floor. “It’s quite nice.”
Now that we were alone, I felt awkward once again. She had accepted my apology but had insisted on accompanying me to keep me in line. I wasn’t sure where we stood, or how to ask.
“I’m going to light the stove,” I told her.
“Before you do that, come here,” she said, walking toward me.
I tensed as she approached, thinking she was going to lay into me now that we were alone. Instead, she wrapped me in a hug that felt like home and laid her head on my shoulder. I felt the tension dissipate as we held each other. Her fingers dug into my back as she squeezed me tighter, and I realized that she had missed me just as much as I had missed her.
I breathed deeply and brought my hand up to the back of her head, pressing myself against her.
“I missed you so much,” I murmured.
Sienna pulled away and moved her hands to my shoulders. Looking into her eyes, I couldn’t hold back any longer. Passion overcame me as I placed my lips on hers, tasting her sweetness.
She responded enthusiastically, wrapping her arms around me in an embrace. I reached down to grab her under her butt and lifted her. Her legs wrapped around me, and I carried her to the bed, laying her down gently as I continued to caress her face and neck with kisses.
Sienna pulled my shirt up over my head and eyed my torso with lust in her eyes. Her hands roved across my pecs and abdomen, settling on my waistband as she began unbuttoning my pants.
I stood to remove my clothes, and by the time I had done so, she had gotten completely naked on the bed.
“That was fast,” I chuckled.
“I told you, I missed you,” she said.
She wagged her finger at me, encouraging me to join her on the bed. I climbed on top of her, spreading her legs apart and placing one of her ankles on my shoulder.
“I missed you, too,” I murmured into her ear.
I plunged my erection into her warm center slowly and deliberately as she moaned into my ear. She threw her head back and closed her eyes as I withdrew.
“Look at me,” I told her.
Her emerald eyes snapped open and stared into mine, sparkling with desire as I reentered her slowly. She bit her bottom lip, and I could tell she was anxious for a faster pace, but I wanted to make this last.
“Don’t look away,” I ordered.
We stared into each other’s eyes as I moved slowly in and out of her. With each motion, I felt her wetness increase.
“I’m going to make you cum for me, princess,” I said.
“Yes,” she whispered. Her breath came in short gasps as I increased the speed of my thrusts.
I kissed the leg resting on my shoulder before lowering it. She immediately wrapped both legs tightly around my waist and started to rock her body against mine, taking control of the speed and pressure between us.
I moaned in delight at how our bodies intertwined and fit together with perfect symmetry. I had never believed in true mates before, but with Sienna, everything had changed. There would never be a woman more perfectly designed for me in both body and spirit.
I lowered my mouth to her neck and began to kiss her mark as her hips continued gyrating against my pelvis. She groaned, and I knew she was nearing orgasm.
“That’s right, cum for me,” I whispered against her skin.
Sienna’s back arched as her legs began to shake. I raised myself up and grabbed her thighs, gripping them tightly as I thrust harder and more passionately. She shouted my name as she reached the pinnacle of her pleasure.
“Yes, Franco!”
At the sound of my name on her lips, I ejaculated into her and then collapsed forward, catching myself on the bed beside her. We panted from our exertions as we recovered our breath.
When I was finally able to move, I disentangled myself from her legs and laid down next to her.
“That was our best one yet,” she murmured, eyes still closed.
“For now,” I said. “I have a feeling it’s just going to get better and better.”
She smiled contentedly, and I pulled her onto my chest. Even though we had just had sex, I couldn’t help but want to feel her body against mine. I never wanted to let her go.
The birds sang outside as we held each other peacefully, enjoying the silence. The feeling of peace was indescribable. I never wanted this moment to end. If I could live like this with her for the rest of our lives, I would be happy—curse or no curse.
“Franco, we need to talk about the curse,” Sienna said as she propped herself up on her elbow to look at me.
“I know you were upset that you couldn’t break it, but I don’t want you to worry about that anymore,” I said. “We will find a way to cope with the side effects.”
“I came back to Sparkle Hollow so I could talk to my father about it. He said that the curse is powerful because it came from an intense emotion. I still think there is a way to break it,” she explained.
“Does he agree?”
She hesitated, letting me know that he wasn’t on board with her plan.
“It’s not worth it, Sienna. I have everything I need right here,” I said, drawing her back onto my chest.
“I’m still going to convince him to help me,” she said stubbornly.
“I’m asking you not to do that,” I said.
I had promised her that I wouldn’t try to control her anymore, but the fear of losing her or seeing her hurt was greater than my fear of being stuck in the curse for all eternity. If I couldn’t control her, perhaps I could get Tom on my side and thwart her plans.
“We’ll see,” she said.