Bret couldn’t find Nikki.

After searching the house, a new fear took hold, and his bear paced within his mind. Two fears blended into one. They had to find their mate.

He tracked down Sam alone in the kitchen.

“Have you seen Nikki?” he asked, trying to hide his worry, but Sam wasn’t stupid.

She frowned, turning from the fridge where she had put something away. Sandwich makings were on the counter behind her where she had apparently been making herself some lunch. With everything that had happened, Bret was slightly surprised to see the house and pack had returned to their normal routine, but he understood.

Like him, Zach had pulled through and was going to make a full recovery. However, the pack was in mourning. Patrick had been discovered at the edge of the property, a trail of blood leading from his body to the house. It was believed that even mortally wounded, he had tried to follow Edward and his Alpha’s family but hadn’t made it.

“No, I haven’t. I saw her this morning when I told her to get some rest, but other than that…” She paused, concern spreading across her face. “You don’t think…”

Bret didn’t answer. He couldn’t. He was already out the door, shifted, and running toward the woods. He didn’t know which way she had gone, but he was going to find her. He had known better than to give her space. Knowing her, she had probably thought leaving was better than staying. If he had stopped to think about it, he would have been hurt that she had that little faith, but he was too busy panicking. He didn’t know how much of a head start she had gotten, but if she was on foot, he could catch her.

Suddenly, he saw a flash of movement through the line of trees. His heart pounding, he headed for that direction, crashing through the trees with no thought of being quiet.

Nikki whirled around, her eyes wide as she saw him skidding to a stop in front of her.

“What are you doing here?” she squeaked.

Glaring at her, his harsh breathing filled the silence before the sound of bone snapping and shifting followed. Within seconds, he was standing tall in front of her. His nakedness didn’t bother him, but he fought a smile as he saw Nikki struggling to keep her eyes on his face without much success.

“Where are you going?” he asked quietly.

He wanted to yell at her for having so little faith in what they had, but he refrained. He understood she was scared—scared to trust, scared to love, scared to give herself again after what had happened—but she wasn’t leaving him, and the sooner she got that, the sooner they would be happy.

At his question, she paled but met his eyes.

“Leaving.”

He watched in shock as she turned and started to walk away from him, away from them. Without thinking, he grabbed her arm, stopping her.

“Why?”

For the first time since he had known her, she didn’t flinch or duck. Instead, she turned and glared at him, a red hue of anger putting the color back in her face.

“Because it’s for the best!” she shouted, jerking her arm from his suddenly slack grip as he stared down at her, speechless at the most stupid answer he had heard.

“Best for who?” he asked quietly, dropping his hands to his side. “Best for you? Best for me? Who, Nikki? Because I don’t see it, so enlighten me, please.”

He could see the struggle in her eyes, the pain and fear of failure, but he could also see the love, and mixed with all of it, it tore him up inside. He hated to see the struggle, but she had to have faith in them, in him, or it would never work.

“I love you, Nikki,” he whispered. “But in the end, you have to love yourself enough to give us a chance. Trust yourself. Have faith that we are meant to be together. I can’t do it for you.”

Silence.

Fear. Indecision. Pain. It was all reflected in her beautiful tear-filled eyes.

“I don’t want to hurt you,” she choked, covering her mouth with a shaking hand.

Her shoulders shook, and his throat tightened as he looked down at her suffering, at the love warring with fear battling inside of her. It took all his control not to pull her into his arms, to hold her tight and never let her go, but he took a deep breath and resisted. In the end, it was her decision, not his. She knew how he felt. The so-called ball was in her court.

A lump formed in his throat, further strangling him, and it was hard to swallow, let alone breathe. He was losing her. He was losing his mate. The fear was winning—the fear of taking that chance.

With a heavy heart and feeling as if his whole world was imploding from the inside out, Bret turned and started to walk away from the woman he loved, away from his dream of a family, of being happy as a man and lover. Seconds ticked by with each step, and it was harder to breathe the farther he walked, but he didn’t stumble. He couldn’t. He could hide when he got back to the house, but with his bare shoulders straight, the distance between Nikki and himself grew.

Suddenly…

“Bret!”

He swirled and barely managed to catch her in his arms, her sobs shaking her whole frame as she wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her tear-stained face against his naked chest.

“I l-love y-you. I w-want to t-take that r-risk. I-I’m sorry.”

Filled with relief and joy, Bret fell, taking Nikki with him but breaking their fall as his knees hit the hard ground. Arms tightening around her, he kissed her neck, kissed her whole face before taking her mouth with his, his tongue sliding in between her lips.

“I love you,” he murmured against her lips. “I love you so much.”

Kissing her with a deep thirst for more, he leaned her forward, his arms beneath her back to cushion her from the ground as he stretched out beside her. Her arms never left his neck as she returned his kiss, her mouth opening as her tongue tangled with his, their fast breaths filling the silence of the woods.

With him already undressed, his clothing in shreds back at the house, she matched him skin for skin in mere seconds.

Large hands skimming her sides, they kissed and touched, his bear roaring with happiness and love, aching to be free and claim her himself. He spread his legs, the haze of lust and love blinding him to everything but her, her scent, her love, their bond.

He sank in deep, and he barely heard her gasp and moan, her head moving side to side, her eyes closed.

“Nikki, look at me,” he rasped, staring down at her.

Her eyes slowly opened, the dazed love and lust within them almost causing him to lose what little control he had managed to maintain and hold.

“I love you,” he said roughly as he sank deeper inside of her. He pulled out and sank down again as she tightened around him. “You’re mine,” he growled. “Mine.”

“Only...yours.” She gasped, her back bowing, trying to get closer to him, pushing her hips up against him. “Just yours.”

With a vicious growl, he went faster, surging up inside of her with a fast pace that spoke of more than urgency, more than lust or satisfaction. With every move, he let her feel his love, and for the first time in his life, he opened himself up to a woman, to anyone, and let them in, let her in.

“Bret!” she screamed, her insides tightening around him as she came with one last thrust of her own hips.

“Nikki,” he groaned back, his own release hitting him stronger than ever before.

At the height, he leaned down and sank his teeth into the side of her neck, sealing and confirming their bond, their love.

And their future as mates.

 

 

 

 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I hope you have enjoyed reading book 2 of the Vendetta Series. Be sure to watch for future volumes coming soon.

~ Desiree