Afflicted (13 page)

I should have got my ass in this damned truck instead of following her off to the fucking shower. I was thinking with my dick and didn’t put up a decent fight. Shit!

“There is no way in hell she wants to see me again,” Kaden muttered as he drove away from the cabin. He resisted looking in the rearview mirror.

“Fuck,” Kaden growled.

I should have never fucking came back here.

Kaden blew out a frustrated breath.

Having a human for a mate is the most complicated shit in the world.

“I just have to give her time,” Kaden concluded. His grip tightened on the steering wheel. He could do that. If that is what she needed, then he had to be willing to do that, and he had to take into consideration, she was human after all. The shifter world was foreign to her and pretty much all humans.

F
or two days Victoria thought about Kaden, all he had explained about mates, and shifters. It was a lot to take in. So, Victoria took the amazing sex out of the equation and wondered what that left. Sure it was crazy as hell. The guy could shift into a damned freaking werewolf in the blink of an eye. She was confused and conflicted. For starters, Victoria admitted to herself that somewhere deep down inside she wanted Kaden for herself badly. Since, their first time meeting in that tiny office at the bank she’d wanted him. Maybe it was pure selfishness, her I-need-to-get-laid hunger, or maybe it really was just something telling her Kaden was all hers. Whatever it was, Kaden had called her his so-called mate.

She even took him being a shifter out of the mix. The man he was, the one she’d come to know in such a short time frame, she liked that man. Victoria just didn’t know what to do. Was she even ready for a relationship? Was she ready to be with a shifter? That was the real question. The guy wasn’t your average humanoid. To shifters, having a mate was like marriage, until death do you part. Victoria found herself taking a trip out to Melody’s family farm after asking around town if anyone knew where she could find the Ashton farm.

After driving up an extremely long bump driveway, Victoria waited in her car for five minutes before exiting the vehicle. She wondered, what the hell she was doing here. Kaden had told her everything she needed to know. She had no reason to see Melody. No, Victoria knew what she was doing here. She needed to speak with someone who had been in her shoes. Melody knew about shifters and was mated to one.

Victoria knocked on the door.

“Come in,” an agitated voice rung out. Victoria did as she was asked and twisted the door knob.

“Hi, I’m looking for Melody,” Victoria called out as she walked slowly into the house. She heard someone sigh and storm into the living room. Victoria, was greeted by a young boy around the age of eleven, with a gaming headset on, carrying a soda can, and a bag of snacks.

“Back freaking porch. Mel you got company,” he yelled.

“Who is it Melvin?”

“I don’t freaking know,” Melvin shouted. “I have tournament to go start.”

Melvin hurried off trying to keep his snacks from slipping out of his embrace. 

“Melvin, you don’t let people in the freaking house that you don’t know you little apple head. I’m telling mom and dad.”

Victoria followed Melody’s angry voice.

“It’s just me,” Victoria announced as she stepped out onto the back porch.

“Hey you,” Melody said from her seat in the lawn chair.

“How is your ankle?”

“It’s good. So, what brings you here?”

“Your camera,” Victoria said as she handed it over. “And some advice from someone who knows about the shifters.”

“Shhh, are you crazy?”

“Sorry,” Victoria whispered.

“Come on. Let’s go somewhere more private to talk.”

Victoria helped Melody walk as they made their way up the stairs and into Melody’s room. Melody dropped down on her bed with a huff. Victoria waited until Melody was settled and the bedroom door was locked before speaking about shifters again.

“So, you and Kaden are mates?”

“That’s what he says.”

“Well, what did you want to ask me?”

“Honestly I just need to vent really. I am confused by all of this. I just can’t believe he turned into a damned wolf in front of my eyes. He at least could have shown me before we had sex. I mean the best sex of my life.”

“Hmm, so you are feeling kind of lied to, or something, because he wasn’t up front about being a supernatural being.”

“Yeah. I mean, and it’s weird, but I don’t understand, why I am finding reasons to get excited about being his freaking mate. I should be panicking and running the fuck outta this town. I should not be happy this man wants me. I feel like the most desperate woman in the world right now. Like I am the fucking poster role model for desperate women everywhere.”

I am not desperate. I have never been but Kaden is just something I want. I want to be his.

“Wow, honey you are a shifters mate. For shifter and shifter this mating stuff is just something natural to them. It’s normal to them to want each other so fucking badly and instantly. We’re human and used to the bland ass way of love. Come one we have to work at it, date, figure each other out, and hope we found the person for us to spend the rest of our lives with.”

“It feels right when I think about it. And saying that is not what a normal person would say. If I was talking to me, the one who didn’t know about shifters, I would be calling myself one crazy bitch. I know I am not in with the guy but I wouldn’t mind working towards that.”

I can’t stop thinking about him. I can’t shake him. He is just consuming my thoughts.

“It’s what you have to do. I didn’t love Adam overnight. It took time and his endless pursuing which I found to be hot as fuck. Who doesn’t love it when a guy gives chase?”

“God, I have my list of reasons to run but I’m ignoring it. Urgh, I don’t know who I am anymore.”

“It’s Kaden. You thought about it, you might have dreamt about it, and fantasied about it you know you belong with him.”

“Yes I do. I just wonder what kind life we would have.”

“I know one thing, you and Kaden are a fucking game changer. It means Adam doesn’t have to hide me and our love.”

“What do you mean?”

“Besides his younger brother Adam’s family doesn’t know about us. I am a human and he is a shifter and that means I am outside of the normal. You are going to be a huge development to the new normal that is going to take Collins shifters by storm.”

“How?”

“Kaden is the alpha sweetheart. The big kahuna. When they see that he is with a human that is going to be huge. I can go live with Adam and stop being cautious all the time. ”

Does your family know?”

“God no. I can’t do that and neither can you. Can you see the world accepting shifters?”

“No,” Victoria said as she shook her head from side to side.

“But if Adam and I could finally be together in the open it would be great, instead of walking on egg shells on the time. His family is just too antihuman and that pisses me off but not to the point where I am willing to end us. Not when I wear his mark.”

“What mark?”

“This,” Melody said as she craned her neck to the side. Victoria pushed her glasses up her nose and moved in closer to look at what Melody was pointing at on her neck.

“You can barely see it but it’s there,” Melody said proudly. “Shifters can notice it better with their amazing eye sight. This mark means I am already taken and mated. Kind of like a warning to other male shifters to back the fuck off,” Melody said with a laugh.

Oh I think I can see it but really faintly. It’s not that noticeable.

“How did that happen?”

“He bit me. I know biting is supposed to be painful but not this. This isn’t the normal bite. It didn’t hurt. Damn, I am having flashbacks,” Melody said, as she shuddered. “When Kaden bites you to give you his mark, clear your schedule, because the heat comes next.”

“What heat,” Victoria asked, with a confused expression on her face.

“Well, shifters have a bucket load of sex after a mark has been given. It’s just what happens between them. It turns them into sex maniacs.”

Mmm, that sounds like music to my ears.

“Yeah I think I will hold off on being marked.”

“You say that now. Just know that shifters, the men, can be a little possessive at times, and maybe too protective when it comes to this mate stuff.”

So they love harder in a sense.

***

They’d caught him off guard. It was the last thing he expected to hear from them. Kaden stood at the pool table eyeing the three men who’d helped him fix pack problems in matter of days. Even though they weren’t near to perfect but they’d made decent progress. Some progress was better than no progress.

“Kaden, all three of us talked about this and we just agree. We see you as the perfect leader for us. We don’t want you to go man. So, we want to do whatever it takes to get you stay here in Collins and keep your title as alpha.”

Damn. They are serious.

“That is just not what I had in mind. You guys knew that from the start.”

“We did,” Tristian said as nodded his head. “Kaden, you were born to lead. It’s in your blood. Some people have it and were just cut to do this. This is where you belong.”

“Right,” Kaden said as he ran a hand through his hair.

“Just think about it. At least until the summer is over really give it some thought,” David said from the other end of the pool table.

“Rick is the only other person who has been riding me about staying here. Now I have the three of you on my case about it.”

It would be something I would really have to think about. And I will….

Kaden shook his head. Staying in Collins went against his original plans. There was no reason for him to stay. Well, maybe there was one thing. Kaden had been trying like hell for days to avoid going anywhere near the cabin. He barely got more than four hours of sleep since he’d left Victoria that day. He was giving her space and time like she wanted. Kaden found it funny how much Rick had been right. All he could was laugh about it now. His view about having a mate had drastically changed.

“Hey boys here is another round on the house,” Rick said, as he dropped off a few bottles of beer at the table beside the pool table. “Keep on working on this pack. You fella’s are doing a good job.”

“Thanks Rick,” Kaden said as he grabbed the bear off the table.

Kaden’s cell begin to vibrate. He reached into his back pocket for it and answered it on the fourth ring.

“Hello,” he said before taking a zip of the alcohol.

“Are you busy?”

“No, I am not busy. Is something wrong,” Kaden asked, as he left the beer on the table, and headed for the exit.

Victoria laughed.

“No, nothing’s wrong Kaden. Everything is just fine. I was just calling and wondering if you could come over,” Victoria said.

“Yeah, give me seven to maybe eight minutes and I will be there.”

“Great. I’ll see you when you get here. Bye.”

“Bye.”

Kaden hurried to his truck. He stopped in his tracks and ran back inside to tell everyone he’d met up with them later before heading back to his truck. Seven and a half minutes later Kaden was jumping out of his truck. He ran a hand though his hair as he made his way to the front door. Kaden blow out a breath, relaxed, and then proceeded to knock.

He inhaled deeply as the door opened. Her scent drifted up his nostrils.

Why was I against this mate thing? I didn’t think I even had a reason. I don’t even care that I can’t remember. This is my mate. Mine, mine, all mine!

“I’m willing to be your mate Kaden. I don’t love you and I need time for that. Love doesn’t happen overnight. Like said I’m willing to be your mate.”

“But,” Kaden said as he wondered what the catch was. It was only a few days ago when he stood in the yard and shifted right in front her. She’d seen him shift into a wolf. He’d been pinning for the worst but hoping for the best. Her willingness to be his mate at the drop of the dime took him off guard.

“No buts. We just have to take it slow and get to know each other more.”

“We can go as slow as you want.”

“Good, because I have decided to stay in Collins for bit longer. I don’t think they will be able to find a replacement for me at the bank anyway.”

Victoria bit the bottom of her lip. Kaden leaned forward and pulled Victoria in close. Moments late Kaden had kicked the front door closed with his foot as he backed Victoria into the cabin. Victoria whimpered against his lips with her arms wrapped tightly around his neck as Kaden kept backing up her up until she came to rest up against the small dining room table. Both of them were in the dillydallying in heat of the moment before it lead them down a road that neither were backing away from. Kaden’s Levi jeans were pulled down just far enough to release his erection, the condom, he’d had in his wallet was in Victoria’s soft small hands, and he watched though hazy desire ridden eyes as she moved franticly to place it on him herself.

The intruding sound of the ringtone caused Kaden to growl. He withdrew the cell phone from his pocket, yanked the battery out of it, and tossed it all over his shoulder. Victoria and Kaden lost themselves in the pleasure of his thrusts as he moved behind her in quick rhythm that caused short gasping sounds to fill the room to mix with Kaden’s shallow breathing. 

“No. More. Of. This,” Victoria moaned out.

“What?” Kaden stilled.

“No more sex. We have to take this slow Kaden,” Victoria rushed out as she bounced backwards urging Kaden to resume. “Just this once.”

“We can do that Victoria,” Kaden said, as he spread his legs further apart, and moved his hips again to a slow temp. “How hard could it be?