Dark and Damaged: Eight Tortured Heroes of Paranormal Romance: Paranormal Romance Boxed Set (124 page)

“Thank you,” he said quietly. “Thank you for mating with me and healing my people and our land.”

He kissed her, then swept her into his arms.

“Where are you taking me?” she asked, wondering if this was another ritual they must complete.

“To our home. It’s about damn time we had some privacy.”

He walked for what seemed like a mile and never faltered, though Aurora knew she was no lightweight.

Finally he reached his cabin. He opened the front door, then carried her up the stairs to his bedroom.

She gasped with pleasure.

White candles were scattered about the bedroom in crystal holders - on the dresser, the window sill, everywhere, their soft glow casting shadows upon the walls. Rose petals lay scattered on the white satin sheets. In a silver champagne bucket rested a bottle, and two crystal glasses sat upon the side table.

All so romantic and lovely. She could almost believe Robert loved her, wanted to love her. Almost.

He gently set her upon the turned-down sheets of the bed. “I wanted you to feel at home. Susan and the others helped.”

Aurora’s mouth quirked. “If that’s the case, then bring in iron chains and manacles.”

He drew his dark brows together. For a moment she wondered if he was angered. Then he smiled a little. “I can rustle up some ropes, if you like. That should suffice.”

She hugged herself. “You mean we’re not always going to have sex in public?”

A smile touched his handsome face. “No. That was only for the consummation of our mating. Every other time will remain exclusively private, unless you wish otherwise.”

She’d had enough of baring herself before others.

Aurora took the champagne flute he offered. They clinked glasses.

“To us,” he said softly. “To a successful mating, and to our happiness.”

Then he took both flutes, removed her robe and his. Robert kissed her, following her onto the bed. His lovemaking was slow and gentle this time, with none of the wildness of the Lupine in the grove.

After, she fell asleep, his arms curled around her as if he never wanted to let her go.

***

In the morning when she awoke, he was downstairs already, fixing her breakfast. Robert wore a mulberry robe. They ate and she asked questions about the pack as he sipped coffee.

Then he held out his hand. “Let’s go outside.”

On the balcony, he dropped his robe. Aurora stared at his nudity and belted her own robe more tightly. “What are you doing?”

Robert gave her an amused glance. “In my own home, I always walk about nude, sweetheart. You’ll have to get used to it.”

Stretching, he inhaled deeply of the fresh air. “Ah, smell that sweet morning mist. I love this time of day.”

She was too busy admiring the play of muscles flexing as he moved. He’d been inside her last night, every inch of him. He’d claimed her body, had known her exclusively. Yet now she felt him shutting her out. There was something he wasn’t sharing with her. She just knew it.

He scanned the back yard as if searching for something. Then his mouth curved into a delighted smile. “Come with me.”

Tugging her hand, he led her down the stairs to the yard. Robert crouched down by the slash pine tree and gently brushed aside a few pine needles.

“Look.”

She squatted down to where he pointed. From the bough of pine needles grew six small shoots. Aurora looked at him. “What is it?”

“Azaleas. I’ve been struggling to grow them here for a year. They like acidic soil. But no matter how I’ve tried, they haven’t taken root. It’s the damn curse.”

“Caroline’s curse.” Aurora searched his face and saw a shadow darken his eyes. “You never clarified what happened.”

“It was my fault.” He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “I was nineteen and Caroline came to our nursery to buy organic plants for a spell she wanted to test. I gave her a tour of our gardens and she told me she sensed a tremendous power in the earth and my people. I fell in love with her and invited her to stay with me to learn about the earth. We became lovers.”

Insight filled her. “She used you,” Aurora said gently.

He nodded. “She leeched power from the land to enhance her own magick. But her Mage powers were weak, so she turned to the dark arts and in doing so, poisoned the land, cursing it to become infertile. The curse spread to my people. I lost my parents, my four brothers and sisters, so much of our pack…”

Robert’s jaw tightened. “I vowed to do anything to save my people.”

Her heart turned over at the torment in his eyes. She slid her arms around his lean waist, rubbing her cheek against him. Such a strong alpha, who had suffered greatly.

He gently removed her hands from his waist and turned her left hand over, exposing her birthmark. “And now the curse is broken, because of you. We are mated and our people and the land are saved.”

Standing, he pulled her with him and swept her into his arms. Robert planted several tiny kisses upon her face as she laughed, feeling his effervescent joy. Never had she seen this usually solemn alpha so boyish and happy. Aurora was glad she’d done something wonderful, yet she couldn’t help feeling depressed as well. He’d mated her to save his pack and the land, not because they shared anything special.

Then he set her down, smoothed back her hair and studied her face. A shadow darkened his eyes.

“What is it? There’s something you’re not telling me.”

He placed a gentle kiss upon her mouth. “In time. I want to relish these moments we have together for as long as I can.”

That didn’t sound promising.

Robert looked around, sniffing. His expression grew dark. “Someone’s been snooping outside. Guy.”

“He’s your beta.”

“Doesn’t matter. I’m your mate now. I don’t want another male nosing around you.” Robert cracked his knuckles and gave a grim smile. “Time to mark my territory. I’ve been lax, as of late.”

He shifted into wolf. The swift transformation always startled her. Then the wolf loped over to the slash pine tree near the porch and lifted his leg.

Aurora rolled her eyes. “Can’t you just pee in the bathroom like everyone else? What is it with guys peeing outside? Just because you can pee standing up.”

The wolf bared his teeth in a beastly grin and circled around the outside of the house, marking as he went. The scent was much stronger now… cedar and sandalwood. Aurora clutched her coffee cup, marveling at this. Was it because they were mated?

Or had her powers emerged now that the collar was off her neck?

A band of pack members came toward the house. Seeing Robert in wolf form, they gave joyful yips and shifted, rushing at him. Some yapped and rolled over, showing their bellies. One she recognized as Guy playfully sparred with him.

The after-mating welcoming committee. Aurora felt a stab of keen regret. And she could not join them. She remained an outsider still, not one of them.

But then the females shifted to Skins again, and Susan approached, glancing backward at the others. “We came here to invite you to a quilting party.”

Aurora frowned. “I don’t know how to sew.”

Her new sister-in-law nodded. “It’s okay. I’ll teach you. Get dressed. We’ll wait for you on the porch.”

***

That afternoon, she found herself ensconced in a circle of female Lupines, helping to sew a blue-and-white quilt with floral patterns. After pricking her finger too many times, she opted to watch and learn instead. One of the younger children climbed into her lap and promptly fell asleep. Aurora stroked the little girl’s fine, silky hair as she listened to the women gossiping. It was so peaceful, and she felt accepted at last.

She found herself humming an old lullaby she’d sung to Emily when her little sister got restless. Then the other children gathered around her and she went to the floor to teach them nursery rhymes. They started growing restless and hungry, so she went to the kitchen and found healthy snacks.

While the women sewed, she fed the children, smiling at their appetites and the messes they created. Without complaining, she cleaned up, enlisting their help with a few complaints from the older ones.

Gods, she missed doing this for Em. The absolute, shining trust a child put into you was humbling, and there was sheer joy in caring for and nurturing a child. Her arms ached to hold Em again. Was her sister okay? Happy in the adopted home where the Shadow Wizard had taken her?

She hoped so.

Bellies filled, the children gathered around her and curled up like puppies, using Aurora’s legs as pillows. She herself sat on the floor and leaned against the sofa, listening to the women gossip and feeling content for the first time in ages.

Suddenly the needles stilled and the women glanced up.

Robert stood in the doorway of the lodge’s living room, a smile on his face. His gaze sought hers and he gave a little nod.

Then he turned around and walked away, whistling. Susan stared after her brother. “I’ve never seen him this relaxed before, this happy.”

The Lupine gave Aurora an appreciative smile. “All because of you. You’re good for him, Aurora. You let him be a normal man, instead of the alpha who’s responsible for everyone and everything.”

A warm glow filled her at the praise. It faded as the women continued with their sewing. Certainly she felt more at home now with the Lupines. But what would happen when she killed their beloved dragon and everything fell apart?

How could she kill the dragon? She, who got emotional when a caterpillar died?

That night as Robert turned to her in bed to make love to her, Aurora responded with the drive and passion she felt, but afterward as he fell asleep, holding her close, doubts slammed into her. What was she doing? Becoming ingrained into his pack, when she knew all this would vanish?

But it felt so nice to have a home, even if only temporarily.

In the morning, he made them both bacon and eggs. As they sat on the porch, eating, listening to the birds, he seemed even more relaxed.

“I saw you with the women yesterday. And the children.” His expression softened. “You’re fitting in just fine. You’re good with the little ones. You’ll make a great mother.”

If I stick around long enough
. Aurora pushed the thought away. “What’s on your agenda for today?”

“We have to attend the bi-monthly pack meeting. Wolf business. Then I will introduce you to the entire pack under my rule.”

A flush heated her face. “Don’t they already know me?”

He studied her and slid an arm around her waist as if sensing her discomfort. “Not everyone. There are eighty-one members of this pack who live either on this land or have private homes nearby, but we have many others who live further away. All have sworn fidelity to me. Doctors, lawyers, dentists, professionals who choose to live more in Skin, but still want the security of having a pack. Some by the beach, others as far as thirty miles away. We meet every other month in a hall not far from here.”

Aurora was afraid to ask. “How many total members of your pack?”

He squeezed her waist. “You’ll see. It’s nothing to worry about. I’ll introduce you as my mate, and they will swear loyalty to you as well.”

Nothing to worry about. Right
.

A short while after breakfast, they drove in his truck to the meeting hall. It was a long distance away. Robert spent the time filling her in on pack history. It seemed that there was a rival Lupine pack, the Silverns, who had nearly engaged him in a war for territory. The two pack leaders had ultimately declared peace, and set out terms for the agreement.

“The Silvern senior members will be there as well, serving as security while we meet inside, as per one of the agreements we made. We do the same for their people when they have a meeting. We watch each other’s backs.”

His casual tone relaxed her. Maybe it wasn’t such a big deal, this meeting.

“So it’s not like the other night, having sex in front of everyone.”

Robert shot her a sideways grin. “Only if you want. I aim to please.”

She playfully punched his arm. “No thanks. Let’s keep it in the bedroom-”

“Or the hot springs. Or the forest.” Then his grin faded.

“What?”

His hands tightened on the steering wheel. “Nothing.”

She’d officially mated this Lupine. He’d removed her slave collar. Yet he still maintained his distance. “Tell me. Stop treating me like a stranger, damn it!”

Raising his brows, he glanced at her. Aurora took a deep breath. “I’m now your mate and I still feel like an outsider because you keep secrets from me. If there is something going on that affects me, I should know about it. Or do you want me to pry it out of Susan?”

Robert sputtered, “My sister?”

“She’s good at telling secrets.”

He slammed a hand against the steering wheel, then sighed. “All right. I don’t want you feeling upset because you’re Mage, not Lupine. There are certain Lupine traditions an alpha would participate in with his new mate.”

“Such as…”

“Such as shifting before the entire pack and then running with them at night. And then the alpha and his mate consummate their bond - this time as wolves - beneath the moonlight.”

Aurora shrank back into her seat. No wonder Robert had growled at the pack last night when they’d wanted to run with the moon. He knew she couldn’t shift and complete the traditional ritual.

They rode in silence for a few minutes. Then he said quietly, “I don’t want you feeling like an outsider, Aurora. You’re my mate now.”

“Then don’t keep secrets from me. If there are traditions I can’t fulfill because of my… ah… uniqueness - I’ll deal with it.”

She put a hand on his arm. “Please, don’t shut me out any more. That hurts more than not being fully part of your traditions.”

Keeping his eyes on the road, he picked up her hand and brushed a soft kiss against her knuckles. “I promise, from now on, no more secrets.”

Not even the secret of the dragon? She wondered if he’d share that as well. Later tonight, she’d ask.

Guilt stung her. Yes, she’d helped lift the curse by mating with Robert, but she would kill his beloved dragon, the very creature the entire pack had relied upon. And dragons weren’t exactly caterpillars, either. They had fierce defenses. Rare silvers were rumored to spit fire and have sharp claws.