Chapter 18 #3
Without another thought I was out the door, watching a large black SUV pull up.
Immediately, the door opened and my best friend practically catapulted herself out and I hugged her eagerly, so thrilled to see her.
Honestly, it was a wonder how Maya and I were friends because we were so different.
Not just in looks though, but more than that.
I thought I would get frustrated with her naive nature but she never seemed to use it as a crutch and if anything I found myself viewing things differently than before.
I had assumed that she had gone through something horrible but until I had heard my father talking it over with his Beta I hadn’t realized how bad.
They didn’t know much, but I knew she was rumored to be a phoenix and had been apparently abused by her mother and father, the latter having returned into town.
A surge of sisterly protective instincts ran through me because it was bullshit that someone as sweet as Maya should ever have to go through something like that.
I suppose it was good that she had the Moretti's behind her because if anyone was scary enough to handle that it was them.
I didn’t meet the guys’ gazes very often because I wasn’t very confident, even being an alpha, that I would be able to win that shit.
I also didn’t trust my wolf to not start shit.
Instead, I tugged Maya towards the door glad to finally be able to go into the backyard and see what was going on.
I honestly couldn’t even tell you what I was saying to Maya because I was so damn hyper.
Immediately, when we went through the french doors, the scent of myrrh and a darker undertone of citrus invaded my nose.
My wolf, a dramatic bitch who usually offered me a series of eyerolls and huffs through the day, stood immediately and stilled.
I felt my body lock into place as I searched the area.
Then it all made sense.
“Who is that?” I asked immediately but not giving a shit about the answer. My eyes ran over the truly massive man standing in our backyard, and that was saying something because I was tall for a woman. I had nothing on this 6’4 massive jaguar. Absolutely nothing.
My eyes ran over his olive skin tone in a greedy fashion as his charcoal colored eyes scanned the property in a lazy fashion, not having noticed me yet.
Which was good because I wasn’t positive I was ready for the bond trying to form between us.
A mesh of energy that was stretching towards him with each moment I stayed in the same space.
I wanted to run my hands through his dark hair while also turning and getting the fuck out of here.
A jaguar and wolf? That spelled trouble.
Hadn’t I always said I didn’t want a mate?
I had felt they were a restraint on your freedom.
This though? This didn’t feel restraining.
This felt like a pulsating sense of joy in the center of my chest that threatened to overwhelm me.
Then the wind blew and I felt my heart slow right as he snapped his gaze towards mine, his expression blanking completely.
The two of us suspended in the moment, my feet frozen to the spot.
I heard Maya say something, but a low whine broke from my throat as the man’s chest rumbled in a near purr.
I could feel myself wanting to crawl towards him and bare my neck.
I had never felt like this before. I could feel my entire center exploding with heat and the closer he got the more on fire I felt.
He was moving with an elegant grace but almost hesitantly as if he was worried I would run.
The only fucking running I would be doing would be towards him.
“Hi,” I whispered as he stepped up in front of me. I nearly moaned as his large rough hand cupped my jaw and my eyes fluttered slightly.
“Hello, little love.” His English accent had me practically melting. My eyebrows went up as I felt my entire face flush because fuck, could this guy be any more perfect?
“Who the heck are you?” I mumbled, barely able to talk. No seriously. Who the heck did he think he was being so perfect?
“Marcellus.” His voice was rough as my skin prickled with the awareness of how close he was, my nipples tightening and my nails biting into my palms trying to fight the urge to mark his skin, or bite him. I wanted my mating bite on his skin, maybe right on his chest so everyone would know…
I heard Croy briefly mention that they were associates but honestly unless it was coming from Marcellus, I didn’t really care right now.
His response, had me wanting to smile as a dark hint of humor flashed across his eyes and his lip tilted, “If two hundred years, is ‘a bit ago.’” Then he looked back at me, “Little love, what’s your name? ”
“Jordan,” I answered immediately, almost as if compelled.
“Stunning name,” he noted softly as I felt myself lean towards him.
“No!” My dad’s loud voice echoed as he walked outside, “Absolutely fucking not.”
Now, normally my dad was a reasonable man.
After losing my sister and mother? Well, he’d become…
protective to say the least. I felt an annoyance flare in my chest because I had literally talked to him the other day about how we both needed to focus on being happy.
He was a young guy and as much as I didn’t want a step-mom, I also didn’t want him being alone.
I turned on my heel as the slight haze popped, “Dad, stop it.”
“No.” My dad approached looking down at me. “We aren’t doing this. You just turned eighteen and I have no idea who this asshole is. He sure as hell isn’t a wolf from our pack. Plus, no offense, Marco, but anyone who hangs with your crowd doesn’t have a reputation of being fucking safe.”
Everything he said was true and none of it mattered. He could be a fucking assassin and I wouldn’t give a shit. You couldn’t deny a mate bond and I sure as hell didn’t want to.
“Sir,” Marcellus pulled me against his chest as I let out a small comforting sound, leaning into him, “I understand your concern--”
“No.” My father responded sharply.
Marcellus didn’t like his tone at all, I could tell.
Any chance of him not being dominant flew out the window when I felt pure shifter energy fill the air.
Holy crap. I could feel the alpha energy circulating through the space and I knew at once that he was not only more powerful than myself but more so than my father.
I think the only person I knew stronger than him would be Marco and possibly Henry…
but dragons were a different level of power.
You just didn’t mess with that type of situation.
“I understand what you're saying, but we need to talk about this. Specifically Jordan and I need to talk, no doubt my brothers will be along shortly if they feel the bond and unless you want to wait…” Brothers?
Did he just say brothers? Oh Christ. I could feel my wolf let out yips and dancing the fuck around.
Marcellus continued, “I don’t want to pull rank on your own fucking pack lands.
” Why was that so sexy? I should feel annoyed with his dominance and instead I just found it ridiculously attractive.
I felt my smile grow as my father turned and walked towards the house, following promptly because not only did I want this to go well but I needed to know more about my mate.
I felt him following me and I resisted the urge to look back as my father ushered us into his massive office.
I immediately sat down on the edge of the desk, my father pacing the floor behind it.
I was focused on Marcellus though, his dark eyes and small, private, wicked smile making my toes curl.
I was absolutely caught in his energy and the way he filled the space, the room almost spinning as I gripped the desk harder.
He approached and stood in front of me, smoothing a hand down my neck and pulse while watching my father with curiosity.
My father turned and growled, “She just turned 18, Marcellus.” Wrong.
I was a year older than everyone in my grade because I had been held back after everything with my sister and mother…
so I’d turned eighteen this past March. He continued anyway, “I know exactly how fucking old you are, you’re literally almost ten times her god damn age. ”
That was sort of hot.
“Okay first of all,” I turned to look at my father, feeling Marcellus snag my hip slightly so I didn’t move away too far. “I am perfectly capable of making my own decisions, Dad. Second of all, you don’t have a lot of excuses to talk. Mom was literally half your age.”
I didn’t feel bad for bringing it up. My father and I were best friends at the heart of it all and we weren’t one of those families that didn’t talk about loss.
Our pack had been supportive when they’d lost their Luna and behind closed doors we still talked about the two of them, never wanting to lose their memory.
My father narrowed his eyes. “Seriously?”
“Seriously.” I crossed my arms as Marcellus let out a low attractive rumble, his chin resting on top of my head as if it was the most natural thing in the world. As if we had been doing this forever. As if we had been together for years rather than minutes…
“He’s not a wolf,” my father bit out, “you are the future alpha of this pack, Jordan.”
I broke away from Marcellus, his throat letting loose a frustrated noise, as I walked towards my father. I could see the concern radiating from him as I placed a hand on his arm and spoke quietly. “Dad, it’s fine, really. Trust me on this.”