Chapter Eight

 

Winnie let Autumn into the apartment, against her better judgment. It was best to sever all ties with the pack, but she had to admit she liked the redhead. Autumn followed her to the living room, where Benjamin was putting together a puzzle. Her sweet boy had been rather subdued since the incident at the pool, and she was worried about him.

“I’ve come to tell you it’s time to stop hiding,” Autumn said.

“Hiding?”

“You haven’t left this apartment. At the very least, you have to be running out of food by now.”

“How do you know I haven’t left?” she asked suspiciously.

“Whether you want to admit it or not, you’re a part of the pack. We take care of our own. Besides, Matt owns this building. He knows everything that happens here, and he’s a friend of the pack.”

“How exactly is he a friend of the pack? He’s not a wolf, is he?”

Autumn smiled. “No, he’s not a wolf, but his wife almost ended up with Cole. It’s a long story, one best told by either Matt or Cassie.”

“Why are you really here?” Winnie asked.

“I came to kidnap Benjamin for a little while. I promise I won’t let him go near the pool. Aislinn and Connor are coming over with Zachary, so he’d have someone to play with. He could bring any toys he wants.”

Winnie worried at her bottom lip, torn between giving Benjamin some time with his friend, and wanting to keep him in sight at all times. The invitation hadn’t been extended to her, and she wasn’t going to be rude and ask to go too. After a moment’s hesitation, she agreed to let him go.

Benjamin’s eyes lit up as he grabbed his favorite toys, shoved them into his tote, and took hold of Autumn’s hand. Winnie watched them walk down the hall to the elevator; her instincts told her to go with them, but deep down, she knew her sweet boy was safe with Autumn. The pack had been kind to them, and very generous. She knew that if her son was at the alpha’s house, he would be well-guarded. Just because he’d nearly drowned during a party there, didn’t mean something bad would happen this time.

It didn’t keep her heart from racing, or worry from clouding her mind though. She closed the door and locked it before wondering what she would do with her time now that she was alone. Winnie hadn’t had any time to herself since school had let out, which was fine with her. She liked having Benjamin around, even if he did sometimes drain her of all energy.

As she looked around her small apartment, she realized that while she liked living here, it didn’t exactly feel like home. It was a nice place to live, far nicer than anything she’d ever had before, but she knew if she didn’t find a job soon, it would just be a temporary resting place. It was important to Winnie that she didn’t take charity. It had been difficult to accept the help of Sawyer and the pack, but she’d done it for her son. And if it came down to it, she’d probably do it again. But she’d hate every minute of it.

Winnie grabbed her purse and keys, then locked up the apartment before going down to the parking lot and her ancient hatchback. It took a few tries for the engine to turn over, but it finally started. She used part of the cash she’d found in her kitchen drawer to buy a paper and then she took it to the park. Winnie claimed a picnic table in the shade and flipped through the classified ads. The jobs all looked the same, but a large ad in the personals caught her attention. Her breath faltered as she read it.

Lonely wolf seeks Sexy Mate. Must have adorable five-year-old boy who likes to swim and play with Legos. Mate must be stubbornly independent and fiercely protective of her son.

Winnie…I need you.

A tear slipped down her cheek. Sawyer had taken out an ad in the paper? For her? She hastily wiped her tears away, grabbed the paper, and raced back to her car. She knew what she needed to do. As she maneuvered the streets of town, she tried to remember Sawyer’s address. She stopped in front of a house that looked transformed, but it was definitely Sawyer’s truck in the driveway.

Winnie parked and went up to the front door. Her hands shook as she knocked.

A moment later, the sexiest sight she’d ever seen greeted her. Sawyer opened the door with his jeans barely fastened and wearing no shirt. His chest was broad and tanned from his work outside, and she had a hard time dragging her gaze away. At least a day’s worth of scruff covered his jaw, but his hair was damp from a recent shower.

“I came at a bad time,” she said, taking a step back.

That’s as far as she got before he reached out, wrapped his hand around her wrist, and dragged her into the house. Sawyer shut the door, twisted the lock, and stared at her as if he weren’t quite sure she was real. Winnie swallowed hard and looked around, noting the smell of fresh paint and that he’d taken out the carpet he’d talked about. It seemed he’d been busy since she last saw him.

“The house looks nice,” she said. “I like the bushes you added out front.”

“You’re here.”

She blinked up at him. “Yes. I, um…I saw your ad. In the paper.”

He stared.

“You could have just called, you know?” she said. “I’d have answered. Or, you could have stopped by.”

“I didn’t think you wanted to see me. Not after…”

Winnie moved closer, reaching and placing her hand on his chest. “It wasn’t your fault. If anyone should have been watching Benjamin, it was me.”

“You’re mine. Both of you. It was my job to make sure you both stayed safe.”

“It was an accident,” she said, something she’d had a hard time coming to grips with. She still wanted to blame herself for what happened, but hearing Sawyer say he was responsible made her realize that neither of them was at fault.

“I was going to shave and get dressed,” he said. “Would you…would you want to get some lunch with me?”

“Like a date?” she asked, smiling a little.

He nodded.

“I’d love to go on a date with you.” She felt his heart beating under her palm. Her body warmed as his muscles tensed under her fingertips. He was so big, so strong. And Winnie began to wonder if it was okay to want things for herself every once in a while. Like another kiss from Sawyer.

His gaze searched her face as if looking for clues as to what she was thinking.

“What is it, Winnie? You seem nervous.”

“Would you kiss me?” she asked softly. “I’ve thought of our last kiss often. Especially when I’m lying in bed at night.”

He growled, the wolf flashing in his eyes. “I’ve thought about it too. And so much more.”

Winnie licked her lips. “More?”

He nodded. “I’ve thought about having you spread out in my bed, completely at my mercy. I’ve thought about letting my wolf loose and claiming you so that you can never run away again.”

“Claiming me?”

“We don’t do that type of thing anymore, except in cases of emergency. Now we have weddings or mating ceremonies like civilized people.”

She smiled a little. “Maybe I don’t want you to be civilized.”

“You don’t know what you’re asking, Winnie. You said you needed time.”

Her hand curled around the back of his neck. “I’ve had time. Now I just want you.”

Sawyer slammed his mouth down on hers, kissing her with a ferocity that left her breathless. It was nothing compared to the sweet kiss they’d shared before. This one left her knees weak and had her trembling. His hands roamed her curves and slowly stripped off her clothes. Her back pressed against the cool wood of the door as she reached for his jeans, shoving them down his hips. They fell to his ankles, his desire for her evident.

His fingers pressed into her thighs as he lifted her and urged her legs around his hips. In one smooth stroke, he entered her, making her cry out in pleasure. It had been so long since she’d been intimate with someone, but their bodies fit together like two pieces of a puzzle. Sawyer’s lips claimed hers again as he made her his in every way that counted. She felt the rumble of his growl and looked up into eyes that looked more wolf-like than human. His teeth had lengthened and sharpened, and a shiver went down her spine as she wondered if he would bite her.

“Mine,” he said, his voice little more than a growl.

“Yours,” she said softly. “Always yours.”

His pace increased until she was clinging to him. As her orgasm stole her breath and left her weak and trembling in his arms, she felt his teeth pierce the skin of her shoulder as he claimed her as his mate. Sawyer’s hips stilled as he came inside of her, and Winnie could do little but hold on.

He kicked his pants away and carried her through the house to a bedroom at the back and into the connecting bathroom. Sawyer set her down on the counter and started the shower, his gaze never leaving hers. As the water warmed, he moved closer, and his fingers caressed the bite on her shoulder.

“I didn’t mean to do that,” he said.

“Are you sorry you did?” Winnie asked.

“No.” He smiled a little. “You’re my mate. I think my wolf knew it the moment I saw you. I was just biding my time on claiming you.”

“What does this mean for us? I mean, it’s like a marriage, right?”

He nodded. “Except there’s no divorce.”

“So…Benjamin and I move in here?”

“Do you want to? I know you’ve only had your own place about a week. If you’d like more time to get to know one another, we can live separately for a little while longer.” His lips twisted. “I won’t like it, but if that’s what you need, that’s what we’ll do.”

Winnie laced her fingers with his. “I don’t need to keep my place. It was a roof over our heads. A nice one, but it wasn’t really home.”

“Do you think you’d feel at home here?” he asked.

“I like your home,” she said softly.

“Our home.”

She smiled. “Our home.”

“Let’s get cleaned up, then we can go pack your apartment and bring your things here.” His brow furrowed. “Where’s Benjamin?”

She laughed. “You just now thought to ask?”

“I was a little preoccupied.”

“He’s with Autumn.”

Sawyer nodded. “Then he’s in good hands. I’ll send a message to Gabriel and ask him to watch over Benjamin just a little while longer. He’ll be happy to hear that we’ve mated.”

Winnie kissed him. “Then we should hurry. I can’t wait to show Benjamin our new home and give him the good news.”

Sawyer lifted her into his arms and stepped into the shower with her. Winnie had never felt more right, more certain that she was meant to be with someone. When she’d first gotten a glimpse of Sawyer kneeling outside of her car, she’d never realized how much her life would change in such a short amount of time.

They washed quickly and dressed, then Sawyer took her by the hand and led her out to his truck, leaving her car parked at the curb. When they reached the apartment, he asked the lady at the lobby desk if there were any boxes they could use.

“There’s a bunch in storage that Matt tossed in there, in case anyone needed them,” she said. “Take whatever you need.”

“Winnie will be moving out today, but I’ll let Matt know.”

She nodded and turned back to whatever she’d been doing before.

Winnie went up to the apartment while Sawyer collected some boxes. It only took them an hour to pack and load everything into his truck. Before they picked up Benjamin, they took the everything to Sawyer’s house. No, their house. Winnie put Benjamin’s things into a spare room that looked suspiciously like it had been set up for a little boy. She placed her hands on her hips and studied the room.

Sawyer came up behind her and rested his chin on her head. “I probably presumed too much when I decorated in here.”

“You did this recently?” she asked.

“A few days ago. It’s nothing special. Just furniture and bedding from the big box store. I thought he could hang whatever pictures he wanted, so I left the walls bare. He likes blue, right?” Sawyer asked.

“He’s going to love the room, Sawyer.”

“I’ll just put your things in the master bedroom while you unpack Benjamin’s room. He might feel more like he belongs here if his things are already put away.”

She nodded and got to work. The wolf was right. If Benjamin’s clothes were in the dresser and his toys stored in the cute wooden toy box, then maybe he’d feel like he was coming home. She hated that things had changed so much for them so quickly, but she knew they were finally home.

Sawyer poked his head in the room a little while later. “Are you ready to get Benjamin?”

“I think I’m done in here,” she said, wiping her hands on her shorts. “But there’s something you need to know.”

“What is it, Winnie?”

“I know people think I’m responsible for the death of Benjamin’s father, and I may not have loved him like I should have, but the truth is that there were others who wanted him dead. I could never prove it though.”

“What happened to Paul, Winnie?”

“They said it was a drunk driver. But I don’t think the accident was so accidental. I think Paul’s parents arranged for it to happen. He’d called them the week before. I don’t know what they talked about, but he got rather loud before hanging up.”

“Do you want the pack to investigate what happened? If his parents were involved, the life insurance money could revert to Benjamin.”

Winnie shook her head. “I thought he needed that money, but what he needs is love and a stable home. We’re going to give him those things. Let them have their money.”

“I’m going to make a call and inform Ramsey of what you told me. I don’t want him suspicious of you any longer.”

“Be quick. I’m anxious to show Benjamin his new home and room.”

Sawyer kissed her and went off to make his call. When he came back in the room, he took her hand and led her out to his truck.

The drive to the Victorian was quiet. Sawyer had reached across the console and laced their fingers together as they’d left the house, and Winnie couldn’t help but feel that everything was right in her world. She hoped that Benjamin would be excited, even happy. As they pulled into the driveway at the alpha’s house, Winnie felt butterflies riot in her stomach. Sawyer had sent a message to the alpha letting him know they were mated, but would he welcome her to the pack? He’d seemed nice, but Winnie really didn’t know much about him.

They rang the bell and heard the sounds of excited little boys. Autumn answered, a hand resting on her belly. Winnie didn’t know how much longer she had, but the woman looked like she was going to pop at any moment. Autumn smiled and welcomed them into the house.

“Gabriel told me the good news,” Autumn said. “Congratulations, and welcome to the pack, Winnie.”

“Thank you,” Winnie said. “Has Benjamin been good?”

“He’s been an angel. I wasn’t sure how you felt about video games, but Zachary brought his PlayStation over, and they’ve been at it for the last hour.”

“He’s never played one before,” Winnie said.

Sawyer wrapped an arm around her waist. “Maybe we should get him one.”

“They’re expensive.”

Autumn shook her head. “I have a feeling if your mate wants to get his new son a game system, he’s going to do it. It’s not every day you gain a family.”

“She’s not wrong,” Sawyer said with a grin.

Winnie sighed. “Fine. Get him a game system, but when your bank account screams, remember that I warned you against it.”

Sawyer kissed her cheek. “I’ll remember.”

The boys let out another whoop and Sawyer led her into the living room. When Benjamin saw them together, his eyes went wide, and he stood so fast the controller clattered to the floor.

“Mama. Is it time to go home already?” Benjamin asked, looking at Sawyer in curiosity.

“We have a new home to go to,” she said.

Benjamin’s lower lip stuck out. “Are we living in the car again?”

“No, sweetheart.” She knelt in front of him. “Mama has something else to tell you. I went to see Sawyer after you left earlier.”

He looked over her shoulder at Sawyer. “Are you friends again?”

Winnie bit her lip. “Something like that. How would you feel about having a new daddy?”

Benjamin looked from her to Sawyer and back again. “A daddy?”

Sawyer moved forward and knelt beside her. “Benjamin, your Mama and I did more than talk today. I claimed her as my mate. Do you know what that means?”

Benjamin shook his head.

“It means she’s my wife. And that makes you my son.”

Benjamin’s eyes teared and he slowly eased closer to Sawyer and wrapped his arms around his neck. “You’re really my daddy now?”

Sawyer nodded and held the boy tight. “I’m really your daddy now.”

Winnie thought she might cry and couldn’t help but wrap her arms around both of them. When they stood, Gabriel congratulated them on their mating. Autumn offered to have them stay for dinner, but Winnie was anxious for Benjamin to see his new home. They excused themselves from the alpha’s home, and Sawyer drove them home.

“Benjamin, whatever you don’t like about your room can be changed,” Sawyer said.

“Do I have my own bed?” her son asked.

“Yes. You have a bedroom with a bed, dresser, and bookshelf,” Sawyer said. “I thought I’d let you pick out the pictures for the walls. Your mama and I already moved your things into your room. Are you ready to see it?”

Benjamin nodded eagerly.

Sawyer unlocked the door and let his new family inside. Benjamin slowly walked through the rooms and Sawyer pointed out his bedroom. Winnie couldn’t help but smile at the look of wonder on Benjamin’s face. As Benjamin explored his new room, she leaned against the doorframe and watched him. Sawyer stood behind her with his hands on her hips.

“Mama. Daddy.” Benjamin came a little closer. “Could we order pizza for dinner? I want to eat in our new home tonight.”

Sawyer chuckled. “We can order whatever you want.”

Winnie excused herself and stepped a little way down the hall to give Sawyer and Benjamin some time together. Sawyer stepped into the bedroom, but he left the door open. Winnie leaned against the wall as she listened to them.

“You’re really okay with your mama and me being together?” Sawyer asked him.

“I haven’t had a daddy for a while,” Benjamin said. “And my other daddy wasn’t as nice as you. I get to tell all my friends I have a new dad.”

“You sure do.” She could hear the smile in Sawyer’s voice.

“I’m going to be the best little boy ever,” Benjamin promised. “Do you think I could have a little brother or sister?”

She heard Sawyer chuckle and felt her cheeks warm.

“I’ll do my best,” Sawyer said. “Now, why don’t you play for a bit and your mama and I will order that pizza you want.”

“Daddy?”

“Yeah, buddy?”

“I love you.”

Winnie’s throat tightened.

“I love you too, buddy.”

When Sawyer stepped back into the hall, she saw the emotion in his eyes and knew that Benjamin’s words had affected him deeply. She hurried to his side and led him into the kitchen. He wrapped his arms around her waist and held her tight.

“Sawyer?”

“Hmm?” He kissed her slowly. “What is it, sweet mate?”

“Benjamin isn’t the only one who loves you.”

He smiled a little. “Is that right? And who else do you think loves me?”

“I do,” she confessed.

He traced her nose with his. “Guess what?”

“What?” she asked softly.

“I love you too.”

Winnie smiled and kissed him again, harder and deeper than before. As her toes curled in her shoes, she realized that all of her dreams had come true. It had been a long time since she’d believed in Prince Charming and fairy tales, but Sawyer had proven that some fairy tales could still come true. This Cinderella had finally found her place in the world. In Sawyer’s arms.

 

~*~ The End ~*~