Chapter 9
9
I f anyone had told Jackson he’d be sharing his home with Lady Amanda Windsor or that he would have mated with her, he’d burst out laughing. But now that she was in his space, it felt more than right. This was how his life was supposed to be and his heart and soul knew it.
Now all he had to do was get his head to believe it.
Along with the rest of the world.
That would be the real feat because no one in their right mind would ever consider their pairing to be fact. Thankfully, his feelings were real and mating couldn’t be faked.
But it would still be a tough sell.
While her father had agreed it was best she stay with Jackson, not everyone in the royal witch family thought it was a good idea. Her sisters had some trepidation but agreed as long as they were invited over soon. Jackson didn’t see a problem with that. The world would need to see both their families come and go freely.
But it was her aunt Alley who had been stirring up trouble. She had called the prince and demanded that either Amanda move back home or in with her. That she didn’t understand nor did she believe. She honestly thought it was a publicity stunt.
For the movie.
And that concerned Jackson.
If a member of the royal witch family thought that, so would others.
However, they were safer together at Jackson’s house than separated with her alone in her apartment. Not only that, but if she’d gone back to her family home, that might have triggered a different kind of speculation with the very witch that had tried to kill her if she mated with him.
No. They needed the world to know the truth. They were indeed a couple, because at the core level, that wasn’t a falsehood.
Jackson had claimed her as his mate.
Those things were not fabrications.
His heart beat in unison with hers. It was a strange yet familiar sensation. As if he’d been feeling it his entire life. His whole world revolved around her wants. Her needs. Her desires. His role in life was more than an alpha in the Crescent Moon Pack. He wasn’t exactly sure what the future held, but he knew it was important.
And he accepted his fate.
A realization he could no longer deny.
He pulled two bottles of Merlot out of the wine cooler and cracked one open. In the last week, his life had turned upside down, and now the world thought he had been secretly dating Lady Amanda Windsor for the last few months.
The more time he spent with her, the deeper the connection became. He’d read he should have been able to recall the imprinting moment, but he couldn’t. He knew it existed. Knew it was there. He could sense it. But it was as if it were tucked away in the recesses of his mind.
“Tell me why I need to hang out inside for a while? I’ve already smiled pretty for the cameras.” His younger sister of three years, Tina, breezed by, snagging a wineglass and helping herself. Her red locks bounced over her shoulder. “I’ve got work to do.”
All of his siblings had some difficulty with their chosen professions because of their father, but Tina took the brunt of it as an assistant district attorney. Every case she tried was scrutinized, and if she didn’t win, people would often accuse her of being soft because her father was in prison.
She was a tough wolf. She never let it ruffle her fur, but it did affect her love life in a weird way.
But she was lucky in the sense that trouble didn’t follow her like it had Jackson.
“I thought it might be a good idea for us to spend an evening together,” Jackson said with a cocked brow. “You know, act like a happy family.”
“Act?” his younger brother, Decker, shouted from the family room. “You dumbass, you’ve mated with Lady Sassy Pants. This isn’t an act. We don’t have a choice.”
“Don’t call her that. She’s right in the other room. Show some respect for my mate,” Jackson said.
He’d always hated the name Lady Sassy Pants. When she’d been younger, the press dubbed her Lady Sassy Pants because as a child actress, she did have a sassy, confident side that amused most, even him. Not many young stars could take the criticism she had been subjected to and stay in the business.
He glanced at his watch. His other sister, Lola, who was notorious for being late, had just texted. Both she and Decker owned an IT company together, using their computer geek skills to create… oh hell, he had no idea what they did. He could barely run his Apple Watch.
The master bedroom door squeaked open. He glanced over his shoulder and swallowed his breath. God, she was a walking fairy tale.
Her long hair had been pulled up in a loose bun on her head. Strays of her curly locks dangled on the sides of her face. Her long, thick lashes fluttered over her sweet blue eyes.
“Wine?” He held the glass out.
“I don’t like taking over your bedroom,” she said, her dainty fingers curled around the glass. “It’s your room. I get we’re mates and all that. And someday, we’ll probably want to share it, but I’m not ready.”
She might not be ready, but boy, was he. “It’s fine. Most nights, I fall asleep on the sofa watching television. Besides, there are four bedrooms in this house. I’ll manage.”
His sister cleared her throat.
“This is Tina, and over there is Decker. They will be taking turns, along with some friends, guarding the house on different nights.”
“Nice to meet you both.” She leaned against the counter, folding one arm over her middle. She blinked. Fairy dust filled the air. She groaned. “I’m so sorry. I’m still trying to figure out how to control this. When I’m alone, it’s not so bad. But your brother tends to bring it out of me like a faucet.”
“Damn, you weren’t kidding about that stuff?” Tina reached her hand out and wiggled her fingers. “It feels warm. But not wet. Oh. It tickles a little. If you’re the first pairing of the Fated Moons, your kids will be more like Trask. I mean a witch wolfairy. That would be oddly cool.”
“Drop it, sis.” Jackson glared.
“Kind of hard to,” Tina said. “That’s some serious fairy dust and all I can think about is that legend.”
“Trask keeps saying witch fairy wolf or a combination of that when it comes to offspring,” Amanda said. “But I don’t think they know because they didn’t really know what to make of me.”
Decker moved from the family room and perched himself on a stool at the island. Four years younger, Decker was the baby of the family. Jackson had taken on the role of parent when his father had been imprisoned, and for years, Decker had resented him.
Today, they had a close bond, even if it seemed like all they did was bust each other’s ass.
“Personally, I think all of its cool.” Decker smiled. “Not sure I’ve ever met a fairy witch before.”
“I don’t think there are many of us, so please don’t tell anyone,” Amanda said. “Trask is the only wizard fairy I know, and there is a bounty on his head with a couple of rogue witch covens, a few wolves, and some vampires.”
“Your secret is safe with us.” Decker winked.
“Lola isn’t coming,” Tina said with a scowl. “At least not until later when she takes over the night shift, which means I’m stuck here for a while.”
“Why not?” For the last few months, Jackson had spent most of his time at his cabin near Lake George, not in his home downstate. The house wasn’t huge compared to others in the same neighborhood, at thirty-two thousand square feet, but Jackson enjoyed the four acres of land and the private yard with a view many would kill to have.
“She’s got a date.” Tina tossed her hands in the air. “She’s always got a date and never with the same man.”
“I’ve given up trying to keep track,” Jackson said, resting his ass on the counter next to Amanda, taking in her sweet exotic scent. His hip pressed against hers. The last twenty-four hours had been torture between being at the cabin with her and now at his home. If he were being completely honest with himself, the only reason he’d invited his siblings inside had been to keep him from attacking the beautiful woman who would be resting her pretty head on his pillow, casting her scent all over his sheets.
“She told me she had a feeling this could be the one.” Decker frowned. He’d always been protective of both his sisters, but he and Lola had a weird bond. Most would have thought he would be closer to Tina since they were only ten months apart. Still, Tina was more like Jackson because they were both introverted and preferred being alone. In contrast, Lola and Decker enjoyed the party scene and never went more than a week without having a significant other of some kind. They hid behind popularity, whereas Tina and Jackson just hid.
“She says that about all of them,” Tina said.
“But wolves mate and…” Amanda snapped her mouth shut, staring into her glass of wine.
“We do, but it’s still a courtship, and my sister jumps into every relationship with both feet, hoping mating will happen. Usually, it ends as quickly as it starts, but eventually, she’ll find her mate. We all do.” Jackson had been avoiding this conversation with her for a few hours; even when her father had brought it up, Jackson brushed it under the rug. While he accepted the concept, he still needed time to get to know her, and fated mate or not, falling in love needed to happen organically.
Or at least that’s what he told himself.
Her father might believe in love at first sight, but Jackson didn’t, not even with his mate. However, the longer he stared at her or conversed with her, the more he knew he would love her forever.
“I’m happy to stay single for a while.” Of all the children, Decker didn’t want to find his mate. He wouldn’t admit that he was afraid of hurting his partner and being a parent, screwing up his pups worse than his father had messed with their heads.
They all also had to deal with the concept that their parents had been fated, but for whatever reason, their father had turned out to be a disgrace to their wolf pack.
“Your mate is going to have to be a saint,” Tina said.
“All of our mates will have to put up with a lot.” Jackson reached his arm around Amanda’s back, resting his elbow on the counter and his hand on her hip. He didn’t care that both his siblings arched a brow at the protective gesture.
“Here’s to that.” Tina raised her glass.
“I should head out since I’m on duty tonight,” Decker said, taking in his last sip of wine. “I’ve enlisted a couple of buddies of mine to help keep an eye on the place, and I should join them.” He nodded. “Tina, we should be good. You can go home and take over tomorrow.”
“Always look up,” Amanda said with a sweet smile.
“I thought you said witches couldn’t actually fly,” Tina said.
“We’re dealing with black magic. They turned birds into wolves. They’ll use it to fly because we won’t suspect it,” Amanda said and she had a valid point.
“I also watched Trask turn from an owl into himself.” Jackson could stare at her tanned complexion all day long. There was nothing about her looks he didn’t appreciate. He could only hope her true personality would be the same.
“He’s Toldar. His black magic is sanctioned when used for good,” Amanda said. “And according to Isadore and Daphne, it was documented and sent to the council.”
“I’ve seen witches do some sneaky things, but I can’t say I’ve ever seen one fly.” Decker set the glass on the counter. “Amanda, good luck with my brother. He’s a total pain in the ass.”
She smiled. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
“I’ll be lurking around if you need me,” Decker said as he waltzed out of the room, confidence radiating from his strong frame. Joining the Crescent Moon Pack had been good for Decker. But Jackson knew underneath that tough exterior was an injured boy who still hurt over a legacy he had no control over.
“Well, I’m not going to be a third wheel.” Tina set her glass next to the sink. “Besides, I’ve got court in the morning. I’ll be back tomorrow evening to help out.”
“So much for moral support as we watch the entertainment news shows.” Jackson slipped his hand under Amanda’s shirt, rubbing his thumb on her hip, thankful she didn’t pull away. On the outside, it appeared she had accepted their union. Their fate. But he sensed that on the inside, she wasn’t so sure.
“I wouldn’t worry about the reporters and their hype. Having the prince and our mom at the press conference, I’m sure, made an impact when you told the world of your crazy, wild love affair. Still can’t believe what a good little actress Mom turned out to be. She nailed it. It was like both families couldn’t be happier about this pairing.” Tina patted his shoulder before leaning up on tiptoe, kissing his cheek. “I’ll see myself out.”
Tina had let herself in and out of his house since he’d bought it. He wasn’t about to walk her to the door now, nor would he let Amanda do it.
“See you tomorrow, sis,” he said.
She waved over her head, disappearing into the other room. Minutes later, the front door clicked closed.
Jackson continued to sip his wine, his arm wrapped around Amanda, fingers under her shirt, gliding across her supple skin as more fairy dust filled the air.
“Your siblings are nice,” she said, raising the glass to her pink lips, the red liquid easing into her mouth.
“I’ll keep them.” He rotated his body. “We don’t have to watch the news.”
“No. I want to.”
“All right.” He took her by the hand, led her into the family room, and brought the opened bottle of wine with him. They sat on his dark-brown leather sofa that his mother picked out for him. Two swivel recliners were positioned on either side of the couch. The television hung over an electric fireplace. In the center of the room, covering part of the dark wood floor, was a white plush area rug, also found by his mother. She loved to decorate and had made a decent business out of doing it for other people.
Knowing she now had a place of her own to decorate with all the nice things she hadn’t been able to afford during his childhood made him smile. However, some people wouldn’t dare use his mother’s services because of her ex-husband, a thought that made his blood thicken with rage.
He pointed the clicker at the TV and found the channel where the most popular entertainment show was about to begin. The music that kicked off the show floated out of his surround sound speakers.
A picture of the two of them, sitting on a sofa in the studio, holding hands, flashed across the screen before panning over to Barbara Hollie, the show's host and the woman who conducted the interview.
“The entertainment world is all abuzz with the news that Lady Amanda Windsor of the royal witch family in the Coven of the Silver Flock is indeed in a relationship with the son of her uncle’s murderer,” Barbara said, starting the interview.
“Oh fuck,” Jackson muttered.
“When we come back, we’ll hear from Lady Amanda and her new love, Jackson Ledger, in an exclusive interview.”
“I should have known she’d do something like that.” Jackson tossed the remote on the coffee table.
“My father’s going to go apeshit on her.” Amanda curled her thumb and forefinger around a piece of hair that tumbled from her ponytail bun thing.
“For the first time in my life, I’m hoping for some sort of literal gag spell, shutting that woman up forever.”
Amanda let out a slight laugh. “I have no idea why both our agents thought she’d be the best one to do this interview. She’s always been the kind of person who goes for the juicy gossip and not the real newsworthy story.”
“Ratings. And the show is number one regarding tabloids, which is all this is.” Jackson knew no matter who did the interview, comments would be made about his father, even if they danced around the subject.
A commercial ended, and Barbara’s face came back on the screen. In the background, video footage of Amanda and Jackson played.
“Earlier today, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Amanda and Jackson to discuss their new movie together and their secret love affair.”
The camera panned to the couple sitting on the sofa.
“At least we look like a couple in love,” Amanda said, folding her legs under her butt, sipping her wine. “And I’m not floating around with fairy dust.”
“Your father and Trask did have to work some special magic to make sure your fairy side stayed hidden,” Jackson teased, leaning back and resting his feet on the table. A warm swirl filled his gut. He felt comfortable with her at his side. There was a natural ease between them, and it showed during the interview. “And we are fated, whether it happened the way it was supposed to or not. That’s not acting on that sofa.”
She was his fated mate. He had claimed her, and she had done so in some weird fairy way, even though, according to Trask, fairies didn’t mate. But she did stand with him, accepting their fate.
“I hate starting off with this question, but you know our viewers are all wondering, how does the royal family feel about you dating the son of the man who murdered your uncle?” Barbara asked.
Jackson remembered the question and how it made him squirm, but looking at it on television, his anger hadn’t shown through.
“At first, there was some concern, not because of Jackson, but because of how the tabloids would make our relationship into a circus, which is why we kept it a secret for so long,” Amanda said, resting her hand on his leg.
Watching how he laced his fingers through hers on the television pulled a smile across his lips. He had to admit, they made a good-looking couple.
And they looked happy together. An odd thing to notice when they were essentially strangers.
“So, tell me, why go public now?” Barbara asked.
“We knew once we made the announcement we’d be co-starring together, we wouldn’t be able to hide it anymore,” Jackson said, looking at Amanda. “We had to tell the producers. The director. Our agents. They all agreed. But honestly, we’re tired of not being able to be ourselves.”
Jackson swallowed, hearing his own words and remembering how he felt saying them during the interview. He’d been staring at Amanda, and his pulse pounded. Being attracted to her was one thing.
Wanting to be with her another.
The fact that they had mated, something entirely different.
The rest of the interview discussed the movie, but Jackson focused on their body language. He worried that someone would notice an uncomfortableness between him and Amanda and question their relationship, possibly accusing them of creating more hype for the movie.
Nothing about their movements seemed awkward or contrived. They leaned into each other and touched each other randomly. They had locked gazes a few times, pausing to smile at each other. They really did look like two people who cared deeply about one another.
The show ended on a bit of a sour note when they did a montage of each of their lives, reminding the world once again that Jackson was the son of a murderer.
“I think it went well enough.” Amanda pressed her hand against his thigh, squeezing gently, sending a shock to the tip of his tongue.
“The interview was good, but starting with my dad and ending with him will be what everyone talks about.”
“It will die out quickly. Besides, tomorrow morning we get to walk out of this house, greeted by the paparazzi, then followed to our favorite coffee shop and have a million pictures taken.” She reached out, pushing his shoulder with her hand in a playful gesture.
“Did you notice they never once asked us about mating?” he asked.
“Does that really matter?”
He nodded. “It’s not like no one knows I’m a wolf. When I dated Heidi, everyone always asked if we’d mated. I mean, she’s a wolf too.”
“I really don’t understand how that process works.”
“You kind of do, since it’s already happened.” He laughed. “There is imprinting, which we did first, which is weird because that bond can be broken. But there is also the whole fated mates, which we believe is predetermined and can’t be broken, and we did that too. But it still needs to be sealed.”
“That’s an interesting way of saying we haven’t had sex yet,” she said, her eyelashes fluttering, sending fairy dust everywhere.
“That’s only part of what I meant by that statement. But when a fated couple mates, that love they will share is instant. We were robbed of that.” He ran his fingers through the dust, feeling its warmth. “Once we meet our mate, that’s it. We don’t want to be with anyone else.”
“Do you feel that way with me now?”
“Truth?”
“Yes.”
“Another woman could walk through here completely naked, offer herself to me, and I wouldn’t notice.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “It concerns me Barbara didn’t ask. It usually comes up when they talk about my mother and the fact she’s never remarried, much less had a boyfriend.”
“You really believe a man like your father could have been your mother’s perfect match? Your mother is so kind and gentle. I don’t buy it.” Amanda tucked a piece of hair that had tumbled out of her loose bun behind her ear.
“I don’t want to believe it, and my mother has cut him completely out of her life and seems happier, so I suppose it’s possible.”
“Can mating be a choice?”
“Yes and no. It’s often hard to explain because fated mates are different. They are predetermined and have a higher purpose. But being with your mate and accepting them are a choice, but not who they are. That’s decided by fate.” He struggled with the concept of soulmates because of his parents. His father was more than an alcoholic. He was a bad man and didn’t care about anyone but himself. He blamed others for his misfortune. Took advantage of everyone he could, and he preyed on the weak.
“So how do you know someone is the one you’re supposed to be with?”
“You just know,” he said, placing the palm of his hand on the side of her face, his thumb rubbing the soft skin on the top of her high cheekbone. “I’ve never trusted witches,” he said so softly he barely heard his own voice. “You have the power to change how people think and feel.”
“Vampires have the power to kill more so than any other creature.”
“Vampires are my race’s enemy in general, but at least with them, I don’t have to worry about them casting some spell on me that I would have no idea existed unless some mesmerizing witch decides to take a look inside my whatever and nearly dies in the process.”
“But I didn’t, and most witches are good and don’t use their witchcraft to harm others.”
“Perhaps. However, someone did, and had that spell never been cast, we would have mated the second you walked into Paul’s office. I would have instantly staked my claim. And you would have felt me do it.”
“Maybe a little piece of you did because I started blinking fairy dust.” She raised her hand, circling her tender fingers around his wrist.
He sucked in a breath.
She leaned closer, her lips only an inch from his. Her sweet strawberry scent teased his system.
“You can trust me,” she said.
“I know.” The simple declaration surprised him. The deep connection he felt for her scared him, and he didn’t scare easily.
Slipping his hand behind her neck, he pressed his mouth against her plump, rosy lips, which tasted like a Creamsicle. Her eyelids danced over her deep-blue eyes like a well-choreographed waltz. It took all the control he could muster not to lift her into his arms and drop her on his bed. He wanted her, but for the first time in his life, he wanted to savor every inch of her supple skin.
Her chest heaved, shoving her firm breasts against him. A deep growl vibrated from his throat while their tongues explored every crevice of their mouths with a tenderness he’d never experienced before. While there was a deep desire to please, there was no desperation to be inside her. Instead, it felt like the first time he’d ever kissed a girl with the glorious wonderment of what could be next.
He eased her back onto the sofa, unfolding her legs. He lay down next to her, their lips still locked in a tangled web of affection. Heat poured from their bodies, soaking them with a sweet nectar.
There was no rush to strip them of their clothing, but the passion and intimacy between them exploded with the fierce drive that no way would anyone ever do it for him.
Except her.
Only her.
He nuzzled his face in her soft neck, kissing her supple skin, nibbling on her ear, enjoying the way her body shivered. His hand rested on her tight, flat stomach under her shirt, her skin softer than any piece of expensive silk money could buy.
He had no control over fate, and it seemed his destiny would be in the arms of Lady Amanda for the rest of his life.
She pulled his body over hers, letting him ease between her legs. Bracing himself, he raised up, staring down at her passion-flushed face, her lips slightly parted. A sweet but seductive smile emerged.
“You’re a beautiful woman,” he whispered. “Since we’ve met, I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you.”
She bit down on her lower lip in a voluptuous invitation.
He felt confident she desired him as much as he did her and that if he continued, they’d end up entangled between his sheets.
“You’re not so bad yourself,” she said, her hands burning his skin as her fingers dug into his shoulder blades, her legs wrapped tightly around his waist.
He growled.
“We’re flirting with fire,” he said.
She shook her head. “We’ve moved past that. If not tonight, tomorrow. If not tomorrow, next Friday. So, why fight it?”
“Because once we do this, there will be no turning back. I can barely control myself as it is," he said. “You have to understand that, for me, this is instinctual. Primal and?—”
She interrupted him by slipping her tongue in his mouth and grinding her hips against his growing erection.
“My insides are shaking like a volcano,” she said, her eyes sparkling with intense heat. “It’s like a constant battle between the person I know deep in my soul I’m supposed to be and the person I’ve been pretending to be my entire life.”
“I don’t want things to be awkward or strange.”
“Because things are so normal now,” her words dripped with playful sarcasm.
“You’re going to talk me into taking you to bed, aren’t you?”
“Do I really need to twist your arm?” She batted her thick eyelashes. “Besides, I am your fated mate—something we both need to fully embrace. I know you’ve accepted. I’m ninety-nine percent there.”
He pulled her to her feet in one swift motion. “Guess I better make this really good.”