Legacy Found

Chapter Nineteen

Shelley had no idea how much time had passed when she woke. She kept her eyes closed as she soaked up the reality of the situation. James’s arms were still locked around her. He’d held her while she’d slept, just as he’d promised.

Her fingers were locked around a few strands of his chest hair and her thigh was thrown across his. Heat radiated from his large body, comforting her. The hair on his legs tickled her inner thigh. She could feel the steady beat of his heart beneath her hand.

She took a few minutes to simply enjoy being in his arms. It was quiet, but she could hear sounds from outside and knew it was still daytime. Probably sometime in the afternoon. It had certainly been an eventful morning.

I know you’re awake.

She stilled at the voice in her head. James?

Who else?

What is this? What’s happening?

He caught her chin in his hand and tilted her head up. “Open your eyes.”

She did and he smiled at her before lowering his head to kiss her. “It’s part of being a mated pair. We can communicate telepathically if we choose to. You were open and receptive. That’s why I was able to talk with you.”

“That’s amazing.”

“Useful too, in case of emergency.” He stretched and she leaned back, propping herself up on one arm to watch.

Oh, he was a prime specimen of a male. His biceps flexed and rippled as he raised his arms over his head. His chest flexed and his abs tightened into delineated bands of muscle. Stubble darkened his jaw, making him look dangerous. His brown and gray hair gave him the appearance of maturity, adding to his edgy look.

Shelley shivered and her body responded to his nearness. She wanted him again.

He caught her in his golden gaze. “Not this time. Not yet.” He brushed a lock of hair away from her face. “We need to talk.”

Sitting up, she wrapped the sheet around her and leaned against the headboard. He was right. But where to begin.

“You came back.” He settled in next to her, angling his body slightly so he could see her.

She nodded.

“Why?” His voice was soft, but she could hear the need beneath it.

Taking a deep breath, she sought the words to explain. “I was heading to Chicago with Isaiah and Meredith. But the farther away from you I got, the more I started to panic. I knew I was making a mistake.”

His golden gaze never left her face, but he said nothing.

She glanced away and traced her finger over her sheet-covered thigh. “You’ve done so much for me. You took me away from Gus’s diner. Bought me clothes. Offered me a job and a place to stay. Found my family.”

“So it’s gratitude.” His flat, unemotional words made her jerk her head up. James’s face was like stone.

“Yes. No.” She cupped his stubborn jaw, feeling the stubble brush her fingers. “It’s gratitude but so much more.” She withdrew her hand and curled her fingers in her lap.

She licked her dry lips and continued. “I didn’t remember ever living in a pack before. Didn’t know what it was truly like until I came here.”

“You’ve seen it at its best and worst.”

“I have,” she agreed. “It’s not always pretty, but there is a sense of belonging, of being part of something. I never had that before.”

James closed his eyes and sighed. “You always had a home here, Shelley. You didn’t have to mate with me in order to secure your place.”

Oh, she was doing this all wrong. He didn’t understand.

“I love you,” she blurted.

His head jerked up and his eyes popped open, pinning her in place. “Say that again.”

“I love you.” Determined to lay everything on the table, she continued. “I know I’ve got problems. Will probably always have some issues, but I’m strong enough to deal with them.”

“We’re strong enough,” he corrected.

Those words settled inside her heart, warming it and soothing old hurts. “We are,” she agreed, sensing he needed to hear the words. “You gave me the courage to meet my family, to begin to put my past behind me. To embrace the other part of myself. My wolf. Without you, I’m not sure I’d have ever found the courage to shift into my other half.”

“You did all those things yourself. My God, Shelley, I’ve never met another creature—human, werewolf or otherwise—who’s as courageous as you. The things you survived.” He shook his head.

She felt her cheeks warming and knew she was blushing at his praise. “I did what I had to do.” She was no hero.

“You did more than that. You overcame all those years of captivity. And it’s only been a matter of months, Shelley. It’s going to take time.”

“I know.” Pulling her legs tight to her chest, she rested her chin on her knees. “I was leaving when it finally occurred to me that I was hurting myself and you. I can work on my problems here just as easily as I could in Chicago.”

“You can do anything you want.” His confidence in her made her believe. “You’re strong and beautiful in both forms, female and wolf.”

“I want to be worthy of being your mate,” she blurted out. “You’re alpha, leader of this pack. You need a mate others will respect.”

He growled and grabbed her chin, angling her face toward his. “You are worthy. I’m the one who’s not worthy. You’re a prize. Any male would be proud to call you his mate. My Lord, woman, what you survived is nothing short of a miracle. One of your own making. All those years and you never gave up.” James pressed his forehead against hers.

A weight she was carrying on her shoulders and in her heart seemed to fall away. She traced the contours of his cheek and he nuzzled her nose with his.

Werewolves were very tactile. Always touching. She’d never had that before. Hadn’t realized what she was missing.

“I’ll have good days and bad days,” she warned. She knew a few months weren’t near enough to put the past behind her. She still had nightmares, although those had all but disappeared since James had started sleeping with her. His mere presence seemed to chase them away.

“So will I.” He kissed her nose. “I’m not an easy man to live with.” His lips grazed her cheekbone and her jaw.

“No,” she teased. “Really?”

He laughed and the rough sound sent shivers down her spine. She shuddered as his breath warmed her face.

He stilled, sensing her growing arousal. “Tell me again,” he demanded.

She knew what he wanted and gave it. “I love you.” He hadn’t said the words back and that caused a pang in her heart. But he’d already given her so much. And she knew he cared deeply for her. It was enough.

“God, woman.” He caught her in his arms and rolled them across the large bed. She laughed as he shoved aside the tangled sheets and tugged her on top of him.

Laughter fled as he slid his thick shaft inside her without warning. She gasped and then moaned as her moist channel stretched to accommodate him.

There was no rush, no words as he wrapped his arms around her and rocked them both to completion. Her orgasm flowed over her, comforting and somehow deeper than any other time they’d come together. Maybe it was because she’d said the words, said she loved him.

Still quivering from aftershocks, she snuggled close, struggling to catch her breath.

“I love you.”

She stilled as the harsh whisper reached her ears. She raised her head, not certain she’d heard correctly. His gaze was fierce as he captured her face in his hands. “I love you,” he repeated. “You’re mine. You belong to me. I promise to always protect you.”

Tears pricked her eyes. She struggled to keep them from escaping, but it was no use. They seeped out of the corners of her eyes and trickled down her cheekbones.

He swiped at them with his thumbs. “Don’t cry, baby. Don’t cry.”

“Oh, James.” She kissed him then, hard and deep. She never wanted this moment to end. Their tongues twined, mated. His cock flexed, still deep inside her, making her laugh. He was insatiable.

He rubbed his hand over her butt, squeezing gently. “That’s what you do to me.” They lay there a few more minutes and then he sighed. “We have to get up. There are still a lot of loose ends to deal with.”

Shelley sat up and eased off James. She shuddered as his semi-erection slipped from her. “Okay.” She was determined to stand by him, to be the kind of mate he needed. His responsibilities were many and vast. She didn’t know them all, but observing him this past week had been an education. An alpha was much more than a figurehead. He was like the CEO of a major corporation and mayor of a town, plus the Chief of Police.

James rolled out of bed and padded to the window. “They’re all waiting.”

Shelley lowered her head into her hands. “They’re all going to know what we’ve been doing,” she wailed. She’d been so caught up with what was going on between her and James she’d forgotten they’d all seen them enter his home together.

James laughed. “They’ll only have to take one look at you to know.” He came to stand beside her and brushed his finger down her neck. “You have beard rash.”

“I do not.” She rushed to the dresser mirror to inspect her face and neck. “It will fade.”

He came up behind her and nuzzled her neck. The prickly stubble brushed her skin. “Not if I don’t stop doing this.”

She laughed. She couldn’t help herself. He was incorrigible. “I’ll wear a turtleneck sweater.”

“They’ll still be able to smell me. I marked you during our joining. Humans might not be able to detect it, but other werewolves will.” Satisfaction tinged his voice. “They’ll all know you’re mine. We’ll have the formal ceremony as soon as possible.” He stilled and raised his head.

She was coming to know him well and knew he was waiting for her agreement. He was all alpha male, but he wanted her to be happy. “That sounds fine.”

He dropped another kiss on her neck and straightened. “Get dressed. I’ll be back.” She watched the play of muscles in his tight butt as he walked away.

“Get a grip,” she told herself and turned back to the dresser only to remember it was empty. Isaiah had her clothing.

Grabbing a sheet, she wrapped it around herself and padded down the hallway. She could hear water running and knew James was getting cleaned up. Shelley sighed, wondering if he had something she could wear. It wouldn’t fit, but she’d be covered.

She happened to glance down the stairs and there at the bottom were her two bags. She was torn between being thrilled to have clothing to wear and being mortified that her brother had come into the house while she and James were having sex and she hadn’t heard him.

She finally chose to be happy to have clothing. Hurrying down the stairs, she grabbed the bags and darted back to her room. She yanked open the bags, drew out everything she needed and went into the bathroom. If she was quick, she could wash and dress and be ready when James was.

James stepped beneath the spray of cool water and rinsed the soap from his body. He was still partially aroused even after claiming Shelley and taking her several times. He had a feeling he’s spend most of the rest of his days in this predicament. And he didn’t give a damn.

He felt alive for the first time in decades. Shelley was his mate. And she loved him.

His chest swelled and he bowed his head, letting the water cascade over him. She was his miracle.

Twisting off the taps, he cut off the flow and stepped out of the shower. He grabbed a towel and dried off. Tossing the towel over a rod to dry, he walked silently to his room. He cocked his head to one side, tracking Shelley’s location, and could hear water running down the hall.

He closed his eyes and swore as his cock swelled. It was all too easy to picture Shelley naked, the warm spray caressing her skin, trailing over her breasts to pool between her thighs.

He shuddered and shook off the image. It was time to get dressed and deal with pack problems. But tonight. Tonight was another story. If Shelley wasn’t too sore, he planned to eat her from head to toe before sinking into her sweet heat.

And those thoughts weren’t helping. He grinned. He was acting more like a newly transformed male than a mature one. He dressed in jeans, boots and a shirt, leaving the tails hanging out to cover his erection.

James went down the hall and into Shelley’s room just as she stepped out of the bathroom. True to her word, she was wearing a turtleneck sweater. Her jeans fit her to perfection, skimming her slight curves.

But it was her smile and the quiet love in her eyes that set his heart pounding. “Ready?” He held out his hand to her.

She took it and nodded. “I am.”

Together they went down the stairs to face her family.

Quinn stared at the man who was his father. He wasn’t certain how he felt about him even after spending time with him this past week. He actually felt more at home with the Striker brothers.

He snorted. Maybe because he didn’t really have a connection to them. Not like he did to Donovan Brody.

“You okay?” Simon asked.

“Yeah, I’m fine.” Quinn liked the youngest Striker brother. He was the closest in age to Quinn. If you could call thirty-five years close. Quinn was twenty-five while Simon was sixty.

He shook his head, still amazed. It was one thing to intellectually understand that werewolves had a much longer lifespan than humans, but it was another thing to be confronted with the reality of it.

James Riley, the alpha of the pack, was one hundred and sixty years old. That was truly mind-boggling.

Quinn’s head whipped up as he caught the scent of his father on the breeze. And not just his father, but several other males as well.

As if on cue, the front door of the main house opened and James stepped out with Shelley by his side. The big man placed a possessive hand on her back as he guided her down the steps. Shelley gave him a smile that was filled with love and caring.

He was glad for them both, but especially for her. She’d been through hell. But thoughts of what Shelley had been through brought them back around to his sister. Where was she?

Quinn shoved all negative thoughts aside. He would find Chris if it was the last thing he ever did. He studied all the males gathering in the clearing. Donovan nodded to him. It was like peering into a mirror. Disconcerting, yet familiar. Their hair color was the only major difference. His father’s features were a little harder and older, but that was to be expected since Donovan was about a century older.

Gavin and Grady walked beside him and they were quickly joined by all the Striker brothers. Alex and Meredith rounded out the group. James kept one arm around Shelley and raised the other for silence.

Immediately, everyone turned their attention to him.

“Shelley and I have mated.”

Alex gasped and gave a glad cry before running over to hug Shelley. “I’m so glad. For both of you.” She hugged her father too before her husband tugged her back to his side.

James turned to face Isaiah and Joshua. “I will take care of your sister,” he pledged.

Isaiah nodded and offered his hand. Joshua glanced at his sister. “Is this what you want?”

James bristled slightly but Shelley nodded and smiled. “It is.”

“Good enough.” Joshua turned to his alpha and offered a slight bow. “We Striker brothers have just gotten our sister back. She’s very precious to us. I couldn’t think of another male I’d rather see her mated with.”

James inclined his head slightly and turned to the other males. “You all accept my claim?”

Donovan and Gavin immediately agreed. Grady shook his head and sighed. “I must be getting old. First Joshua and now you. I gotta learn to move faster.” He grinned and offered his hand and his congratulations to the couple. Quinn found it fascinating to watch pack dynamics at work.

Once that was done, James was all business again. His sharp gaze went from Quinn to Donovan and back to Quinn. “Have you decided?”

There wasn’t much of a decision to make. James Riley had decreed that Quinn was going to Chicago where Isaiah and his contacts would help him locate Chris. “I’m in and so is Craig.” He wasn’t spending any more time separated from his family. The last year had been hell on earth.

“He’s human,” Donovan protested.

“He’s my family.” He wasn’t budging from this. If Craig wasn’t welcome, the two of them would set out on their own.

Donovan started to protest, but James held up his hand and the other male went silent. “Your brother knows what you are?”

“Oh, yeah. I’d never have made it without him. I trust him more than I trust any of you.” Several of the males growled, but Quinn wasn’t backing down.

“Then he’s more than welcome.” James’s eyes passed over the crowd, his piercing golden gaze pinning each man in turn. “Anyone have a problem with that?”

When no one spoke, James continued. “You’ll go with Isaiah and Meredith.” He glanced at them. “When are you leaving?”

“As soon as you’re done with us,” Isaiah answered. “We’ve been away long enough.”

“Understood.” James focused on Quinn once again. “Gather your belongings and be ready to leave.”

Frustration ate at him, but he held his tongue. He’d be more in the thick of things once they reached Chicago and he had Craig with him.

James reached out and rested his large hand on Quinn’s shoulder. “We’ll find her. She’s one of us, just as you are. You and your family always have a place here. And that includes Craig.”

Quinn’s throat felt tight and he nodded. “Thanks.” It was strange to be offered a home. He hadn’t had one since his mom had passed away. Not really. They’d been too busy trying to stay together and alive. He and Chris had had the added burden of dealing with the changes in their bodies and discovering what it truly meant to be a half-breed werewolf.

Their mom had never been sure if they’d be part wolf too but had done her best to prepare them for that eventuality. And thank God she had. Otherwise they might never have survived.

Quinn glanced at his father again. He wanted to feel something for the male, but didn’t. Not yet. Maybe in time. Maybe never. The only thing that mattered now was finding Chris.