“Yeah. A bond like that may take years to grow given the dramatic rollercoaster story behind all this. He
doesn’t get to just step into the daddy shoes because things are clear now. He has to earn your trust.”
Carmen pauses and looks around seemingly sensing something and then shifts further away to
rearrange plants along the wall units. I pause to watch her and then wave it off as nothing.
“Time will tell. I won’t reject him. I won’t stop him from making contact with me or seeing these two
when they are born. I think it’s one of those things that can’t just be fixed with a meeting and put to
rights overnight. I don’t even know him or anything about him.”
“Getting over what he is will be your first hurdle, and his part in the wars of the last two decades.” She
throws me an empathetic smile.
“Yeah…. enough about that though. What are you doing about my brother?” I know I shouldn’t ask as
she normally clams up and pretends she doesn’t care, but it’s driving me insane seeing no progress.
“Nothing. It’s all on him. I’m so tired or marching to the beat of other people’s drums. Chasing and
always ending up alone. He knows where I am and if he never finds his way to me I’m not going to stop
living and hold my breath. I can have a future without a mate. There’s plenty to do here and who
knows, maybe I can date casually whenever I have an urge that needs fulfilled.”
It seems Carmen really is fully pulling herself back together. Giving up even when she is bonded to
Jasper; putting herself first. This is more like the girl I used to see. The one who says screw it to the
Fates and decides on her own path to follow. The warrior inside the girl who won’t break with what the
world throws at her.
“Baby? Where you at?” Colton’s voice breaks in as he enters the room from across the other side.
Eyes scanning our efforts at making this a place to dine with guests and smiles radiantly when he locks
eyes on me. As usual the butterflies and goosebumps he causes me ripple all over my skin and
through my soul and my day gets brighter with him just being here.
Behind him Jasper follows at a distance, still carrying that pensive frown of his and a slight snarly aura
to him. I now know what carmen could feel coming. Back in the early days of imprinting I too was way
mor sensitive to my waits whereabouts if he got within fifty feet of me. Thankfully that’s dulled down a
little and I am no longer constantly hyper aware of his location unless sin wolf form.
“Here. All done and now to go soak in the tub while the kitchen deal with the menu for lunch.
Everything else is done. We just await their arrival.” I slide into his open arms as he gets close enough
and snuggle up to him, resting my head under his chin and letting myself relax finally. I have been
tense all day, ever since I woke up to a note on my pillow saying he was up and out to deal with some
things. I missed him crazily today, but I know he wants everything perfect. Colton’s nervous too and his
way of getting it out is to stay busy. He has the pack on guard duty just in case, and the ground looking
flawless for our royal visit. I think he’s torn between awaiting an old enemy he wants to be wary of and
impressing his father in law at the same time.
Carmen turns away and pretends to fluff some plants in the pots on the side dresser and I cast a quick
glance towards my brother who is still hovering by the far door. His eyes on her despite his efforts to
keep looking away and it ignites a tiny splinter of hope in my heart. He’s wavering. Being here a week
and seeing her form afar, sensing her, smelling her scent…he just needs a little push.
“Carmen, can you take those ones to the library. They aren’t needed in here.” I nod at the extra plants
sat on the floor from when we were styling the dresser and nod towards Jasper’s door which leads to
the same hall the library is on. She has no choice but to go that way or else it would be too obvious
she’s avoiding him. She has her pride after all. And I am not against using any method in my arsenal to
force my brothers hand. He’s deliberately kept away from her because he’s weak and I am almost a
hundred percent certain he won’t withstand any nearness.
“Hmm” she replies blandly, as though not bothered and swipes up the two pots, cradling them against
her chest before marching with confidence towards him without looking his way at all. I know it’s all
bravado and I inwardly applaud her ability to put on that cold front and act like he’s nothing to her, just a
mere fly in the same room that she has no need to bother with.
I sigh inwardly and wriggle enough in Colton’s embrace to hint at him to move slightly so I can watch
her walk out. Eyes glues to the sexy sway of her walk and smile gleefully as my brother’s eyes latch
onto her in that intense focus gaze of a wolf on the hunt. I feel like maybe today is the day he breaks.
She looks pretty today, crazily so. She has her old aura back, her skin is glowing and with her efforts of
her appearance, I see the beautiful girl who used to stroll around the valley like she owned the place.
Jasper’s eyes lock on her face despite himself as she walks towards him and goes to brush past him
without a word. I see the shift in him as his inner wolf kicks out and takes over every one of his
instincts. Eyes ambering of their own accord and that change in his mood hits me pretty powerfully.
There’s a slight gasp noise as a sudden hand catches her elbow in passing and tugs her to a halt in an
unexpected manner. She almost drops the plants and stumbles slightly before catching herself. Head
swiveling towards him as anger peaks out.
“What are you doing? Let go.” She snaps at him, almost dropping the pot she has in that hand but he
smoothly takes it from her with his free hand and places it on the table by the door. Eyes never leaving
hers and that yearning aura hitches another thirty degrees.
“Let’s go talk.” He leans back to try and look her in the face as she dodges him by trying to walk
forward, but she turns away moodily, holds the pot even tighter and refuses to back down. He has no
idea how much of a wall Carmen is capable of building and winning her over won’t be that simple. If
anyone can ignore an imprint bond and hold out for a long time, it’s her.
“I’m busy. Some other time. I have things to do.” She twists her arm to release herself but his grip
doesn’t loosen and instead he takes a step back, so he doesn’t have to lean to look at her. Keeping
level with her and I relax, knowing Jasper isn’t going to back down anymore. I can see it all over him.
He’s made up his mind and he’s willing to try and figure this out with her. Carmen glares at him with
passionate hatred and tugs her arm once more, this time a frown of scorn and warning him with amber
eyes that she’s not in the mood and will get physical.
“Sis… I’m borrowing your interior designer.” Jasper catches the rim of the other pot she is holding and
tugs it out of her other hand with precise efficiency. Quick and slick, like a pro as he removes her only
weapon. Dumping it on the same table before spinning her around so the arm in his embrace ends up
across her body along with his, and her back jammed up into his abdomen and chest. The back of her
skull under his chin as he leans down and whispers something in her ear.
I almost jump out of Colton’s arms with utter joy at this intimate tackle and Colton shakes his head at
me and rolls his eyes. Something tells me this isn’t all that much of a shock to him and maybe he knew
my brother was softening, giving how much time he’s spent with him.
My brother looks like he paid attention to his appearance today too. Tailored black shirt under black
leather jacket, over washed out jeans in a whole bad boy biker style. It’s not his normal MO, but a more
casual and sexier version of the vampire styling he came home with. His hair is gelled up in a spikier
fashion and his whole aura seems a little predatory. That’s a Lychan who is overcome with desire for
his mate and willing to bow down to have her. I guess the imprint is slowly eating away at him and
finally the lust urge is killing that stubborn wall he built up.
Carmen elbows him in the stomach and causes a loud ‘oofft’ noise, then groan but he doesn’t relent
and release her. Instead, he spins her back towards him, bends down and flips her over his right
shoulder the second she starts to curse him out and fight back. She erupts in crazy femme fashion and
starts going at him with fists and knees in a bid to be free.
“She might be a while…. Maybe a few hours.” He winks my way, mischief in the depths and I am finally
sure that she will be marked by dusk. He smiles somewhat oddly, and then slides his arm around her
legs to stop her thrashing about so much, completing ignoring her assault as though she’s nothing
more than a slight wind flapping against his clothes.
“Put me down. Jasper, I fucking mean it. Let me go, you asshole. Put me down!!!” Carmen is reaching
ear aching levels as her rage and fury ignite her gift a little, and Colton is the one to sigh and put an
end to it. If he leaves it then this room will crumble into oblivion and my ears will end up bleeding.
“Carmen, go with your mate and stop making a fuss. Calm down.” He alpha tones her and my mouth
gawps open in shock that he would make her submissive in this manner. That he would misuse his
ability in this way, but I guess I also kind of applaud him too for being that helpful. Carmen’s body goes
limp instantly, her face snapping towards us as she death glares Colton with all the venom she can
muster. I know in her head she is cursing him out like a maniac and probably imagining impaling him in
pretty creative ways.
This is for her own good and I know she doesn’t really want to keep going on like this and not sorting
things out. My brother won’t do anything against her will, but she does need to spend some time with
him and listen to whatever he plans to say.
“I actually hate you.” She mutters under her breath in a controlled manner before pulling her arms
under her body, crossing them over her chest and sticking her chin in the air. Making it clear she’s not
happy at all. I should tell him to put her down, but I just can’t bring myself to intervene in this case.
They need this. I wave instead and throw her my most loving smile that I hope emphasizes that I’m
allowing this out of my love for her.
“I know. Have fun.” Colton smirks and salutes my brother in a mock gesture.
“Thanks.” Jasper nods our way, still cold and aloof but that glimmer in his eye tells me he isn’t taking
Carmen off to argue and reject once more. There’s a possessive edge, a definite air of male
testosterone about him and the way he’s holding onto her hints that he’s finally giving in to the fact he
can’t outrun the one person he wants most in the world. Tomorrow I predict we will have another pairing
in our pack. Let them go sort out their issues and figure it out.
It’s taken a week of longing for her. I only hope she doesn’t keep denying it and I don’t see either of
them again until she bears his mark.
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