Chapter Thirteen
Luckily for Ray, Julia was not as drunk as she had been that other night. She could walk, but she had to hold onto his arm for support. He had to maintain a very slow pace. Both of his brothers were watching. A nasty fall could trigger more nasty comments from Raul. Ray remained silent, staring up at his front door, as a cool breeze blew through his hair.
“God, this is so cool…” Julia chuckled, banging her head against his shoulder. “My best friend is knocked up, and my pretty boy is taking me to bed. I mean, can it get any better than this?”
“Actually, it can.” Ray claimed with a hint of sadness in his voice. “But you’d have to be sober for that.”
“Explain yourself, sir.” She faked a British accent, rolling her eyes in mock annoyance. “Are you implying that I’m too drunk?”
“Julia…” he snorted in amusement, as he stopped just outside his doorstep. “I’m not implying it. I’m saying it.”
“I’m appalled,” Julia said, her voice drowsy, as she leaned over him. Ray glanced up at his staircase, and then down at her. He didn’t think twice. Climbing up the stairs could prove to be an impossible feat for her, even with his assistance. Circling his right arm around her back, he placed his left hand under her knees. He flexed his muscles, picking her up in his arms, as he arose to his 6’1” stature. “Ok, now I’m not so appalled,” Julia whispered, reaching her right hand up to his hair.
“You really have to do something about your drinking.” He suggested, stepping onto the landing. “That’s twice in three days.”
“Not really,” she disagreed, her tone sweet, as she ran her fingers through his hair. “I was drunk on Friday, but tonight? Nah.”
“Are you kidding me?” Ray asked, leaving the staircase behind him.
“Look at me,” Julia urged, her voice firm. Walking through his bedroom door, he obliged, as she slid her palm down his forehead. “I had four beers tonight. Ok, it’s enough to make my head spin a little, but I’m alright. I just wanted to get out of there; be alone with you.”
He didn’t dignify her statement with a comment of his own. Instead, Ray moved around his bed, gazing deep down into her eyes, as a hesitant smile formed on her lips. He bent his knees and eased her down, listening to her quickening heartbeat, as she turned her head to the left side.
“You’re a mess,” He chuckled lightly, staring at the curly eyelashes that adorned her face. “I mean, pretending to be drunk? Come on, Julia. I thought Monica was your friend. Why would you leave her party like that?”
“I wanted to see my man’s bedroom,” She confessed, her tone mellow, as Ray reached down to take off her shoes. “Mess, huh? I like it. What should I call you?”
“You mean other that ‘pretty boy’?” He asked, undoing the knots of her shoelaces. “I think one name is enough.”
“It’s cozy,” Julia commented, pointing up at the ceiling. “I’d love to wake up to the sight of logs in the morning.”
“You will tomorrow,” Ray assured, throwing her sneaker across the floor.
“I don’t think one time will be enough,” she muttered, bringing her gaze back down to his face. “It’s a whole different world out here. Mon and Kate won’t shut up about how beautiful it is.”
“It’s not,” he rejected that notion, tossing her other shoe behind his back, as his gaze ran up his body. “Don’t forget you’re in the realm of another species, mess. Fangs, teeth and muscle rule this world,” He added, scooting up along his bed.
“I can’t forget, pretty boy.” Julia whispered with her mouth inches away from his, as she snaked her left arm around his shoulders. “Not as long as you stare at me with those ‘undress me’ eyes. They’re the darkest green I’ve ever seen. It’s like they reflect the forest that surrounds your town.”
Once again, she had left him speechless. Ray could not force another word out of his throat. There was only one form of response he could come up with which did not involve speaking. Closing his eyes, he gave her a sweet smile, as he angled his lips. His mouth brushed over hers tentatively, as Julia pulled him closer. Her scent, the almond that so vividly reminded him of a morning spring engulfed him like a cloud of fog, more poignant than the alcohol that lingered in her breath. There was no urgency in her kiss, only her lazy, familiar playfulness. It felt more like a hint, a promise of the future yet to come.
“Goodnight, mess,” he whispered, closing his lips around the crease between her lower lip and her chin.
“Sweet dreams, Ray,” she breathed, blinking slowly, as she caressed his shoulder. Ray ran his right hand up her body, feeling her chest rhythmically rise and fall beneath his palm. Julia was descending into the arms of Morpheus, as he pushed a few strands of her hair back from her face. All that beauty, all that tranquility birthed a thought in his mind, one that he never believed he would conceive:
“Sometimes, reality is so much better than dreams.”
Rising from the floor, he stretched his arms. Ray had been feeling fatigue eating away at him, even before the celebration began. Now, he could finally rest his wearied body. Still, he would not lie in bed just yet. He meant to catch one last glimpse of his siblings. Therefore, he moved around his bed, and went to his window. The crisp, night air rushed into his bedroom, as he pulled the window sill up. Much to his dislike, the yard was empty. But, before the feeling of sadness could settle over him, the scent that stormed into his nostrils puzzled him. It was no stranger to him; it had been a while since he had last smelled it, but, he could make no mistake about it: shifter’s pheromones, the female scent of arousal of his kind. Ray could not let this go uninvestigated. He had no idea about her identity, and, in truth he could not even guess as to who was approaching their property, especially so late at night, but he had to see for himself. For all he knew, this could be any female of his town, trying to seduce his Alpha.
Ray pulled the window sill down in a hurry, and spun around. He wouldn’t tiptoe out of his bedroom; this was much more important than disrupting Julia’s sleep. He jumped over most of the staircase steps, his gaze caught on the cabin entrance, his pulse rising more and more by the second. The scent of pheromones grew even stronger, as he swung his door open. Ray jumped outside, feeling his heart thumping against his chest. A glance to his left confirmed his suspicions. There was a female in the area. Still, this was no ordinary female. She was not residing in his town. It was Dominic’s cousin, Victoria. Her outfit was much different than the faded jeans and the loose, purple t-shirt she had on the night before. She wore a short, denim skirt and a red, low-cut top that left little to the imagination. The moonlight was reflecting off her long, bronze legs, as she sauntered towards him. Her lips curved into a seductive smile, as their gazes met. In an instant, Ray felt his blood boiling in his veins and pound in his temples. The blonde outsider was trespassing. Her presence in his pack’s territory was punishable by death.
“Awake so late?” Victoria’s feminine voice tore through the silence. “That’s too bad. I was hoping to sneak up on you.”
“You’d better get the hell out of here, Victoria,” Ray grumbled, narrowing his eyes at her. “You have no right being here. You know that.”
“Relax, Ray,” she urged, her tone calm as she stopped in front of him. “I’m not here to fight you. I’ve come bearing a proposal. Would you like to hear it?”
“Not really,” he groaned, lightly shaking his head sideways. “Leave: now.”
“Your scouts said your brothers have already chosen mates.” Victoria raised her tone, undeterred by the nasty glare in his eyes. “You haven’t. Mating with you would secure some living space for my pack. What if we…” she paused, and slowly leaned closer, “…tightened up our relationship?”
Her voice was dripping with lust. Her sky-blue eyes sparkled with a mix of desire and mischief, as she reached her hand to his crotch. Victoria cupped his balls over his pants, nudging her nose against his cheek. She was turning him on; under normal circumstances, Ray would have seized the opportunity. Nevertheless, this situation was anything but normal. Victoria was his enemy, and Julia was sleeping on his bed.
“You’re playing with fire,” he spoke through gritted teeth, his breath getting heavier, as he intensified his stare.
“Why?” She asked in a sexy whisper, flicking the tip of her tongue over his cheek. “Is it because of the sweater you’ve been dating?”
A ferocious snarl rumbled from his throat, as she finished her sentence. Ray had not allowed his own brother to taunt Julia. An outsider like her absolutely had to pay the price for her rudeness. Thrusting his right arm up, he grabbed the blonde by the throat. A violent jerk to his left pinned her up against the outer wall of his cabin. Killing rage began to sweep through him, as he firmed his grip.
“Sweater?” He growled, a gray glow spreading across his eyes, as he let his beast peer out of them. “I should rip your heart out right here and now, you fucking whore!”
“Humans are weak,” Victoria choked out, squirming, as her eyes narrowed to slits. “Even the ones like her.”
“Like her?” Ray squinted at her. “What are you talking about? What’s so special about her?”
“I can’t breathe.” More of her choked out words convinced him to loosen his grip. Ray released her neck, his chest heaving, as he eagerly awaited her answer. “Damn it…” Victoria coughed, tilting her head down. “You scared the shit out of me.”
“Don’t make me ask twice,” he demanded in an authoritative tone, casting a vicious glare down at her. “I’m waiting.”
“Why don’t you ask her about her parents?” Victoria suggested, dragging her gaze up to meet his; “her father, in particular. Believe me; she’ll have a lot to say about him.”
“You tell me,” Ray commanded, unable to banish the rage that sent his voice down an octave. “Who was he?”
“Like I said, ask her,” she smirked, swallowing hard. “You can torture me all you like. I’m not telling you. Goodnight, Ray Bradford.” Victoria walked away, shuffling off past him. A wave of doubt descended upon him, as he found himself alone in the yard. For a moment, Ray believed that his rival was simply playing mind games with him. Sowing the seed of doubt within him would be an ideal way for her to break his spirit. But Victoria maintained eye contact with him the entire time. She was either a great liar, or she was telling him the truth. In any case, Ray had a long and difficult conversation with Julia ahead of him; one that he could only hope did not end up in an argument.