Leaving the window, I ducked into the bathroom to check my appearance, relieved to see I looked normal, my hair was finally dry after my shower, loose and hanging down my back. There was a slight flush to my skin, and I felt rather energized despite having recently shared my power.
I blew Kellan a kiss as I passed his door, because I was a lovesick fool, but I didn’t let myself get distracted from food again.
In the kitchen I expected to run into Florence or Gerry, but found myself staring at a strange woman, sitting at the bench and reading Hunter’s usual paper while she atefourof the breakfast sandwiches. She had strong alpha energy and was definitely a wolf, her scent giving off a faint hint of strawberries.
Okay, who in the fuck was this shifter? She was clearly comfortable enough with the pack to sit in their kitchen and eat their food, and I wasn’t sure which part pissed me off more—the fact that she was eatingmyfavorite food in the house, or that she was so comfortable here when I’d never met her.
Comfortable and pretty, with long, tanned limbs, black curls, and a heart-shaped face.
When I stepped into the room, her head shot up and I almost took a step back, because pretty did not cover it. She was absolutely stunning, with huge blue eyes and full red lips.
Her face lit up when she saw me. “Emme!” she cried, like we were old friends.
She unfolded herself from the bench and hurried toward me, standing only an inch or two shorter than me. Along with her beautiful face, apparently she also had curves to absolutely die for.
Eatingmysandwiches andalsohaving perfect tits and ass…
Excuse the fuck out of me.
Her smile grew and grew, and the longer I stared into her features, the more I was reminded of someone. She had a more feminine look of?—
“I’m Kassidy. Hunter’s sister.”
Four little words and all my anger toward her vanished. “Shit, I’m sorry,” I said quickly, returning her smile for the first time. “I’m not sure if you could tell from my glaring, but I kind of lost my mind there and went weirdly territorial about another female shifter being in the house. I mean, it was mostly over the breakfast sandwiches, but a little over the alphas too.”
It was a huge overshare, but to my relief she snorted and let out a loud laugh. “Oh, damn. I see why my brother is so obsessed with you. You’re perfection.”
I froze at her freely offered compliment; my brain moved slowly as I attempted to process how I should take those words. Was I supposed to respond in kind with my own praise for this confident alpha? Friendship rules were hard, and I often felt like a fish floundering on land.
Kassidy saved me from overthinking when she placed her hand on my arm. “I’m a huge believer that women should always build up other women.” I was surrounded by her sweet, husky laughter. “And we also need to be honest with each other. Which is why I’ll tell you how amazing you are…andif the dress makes you look like a bag of potatoes. It’s balance. It’s trust. And it’s honesty. I value all three.”
“Me too,” I said, feeling comfortable with her already. Kassidy had a strong personality, like her brother, the hurricane. I’d already known that to some degree, after Kellan explained her decision to shun quintet life and live on her own without any pack. And not for a reason like mine, but because she valued her independence and privacy.
“In the face of honesty,” I continued, “I have to say that you’re quite possibly the most beautiful, intimidating female I’ve ever met. I really need to meet your parents and assess the genetic combination that created the perfection of you and Hunter.”
Kassidy’s face shuttered, but before she replied, a mocha scent wrapped around me, and a wall of muscles pressed against my spine. “You will meet my parents over my dead body, little omega,” Hunter said shortly, wrapping his arms around me. “Their particular brand of evil will never taint your particular brand of sweet innocence.”
I spluttered and tried to turn in his arms, but he was far too strong. He kept me locked against his front, his hands sliding under the hoodie and across the bare skin of my stomach. “I’m far from innocent,” I protested, squeezing my thighs together in an attempt to counter how good his touch felt. Kellan had flipped the switch, and whatever hold I’d had on my sexual needs was gone. “I found my mom’s body when she died, and went on the run, and lived like a rogue for years. I’ve seen some shit.”
Even if most of my adult life had been more about loneliness and boredom, the earlier years with Mom and her pack had left scars. Most internal, but I’d always have one large reminder on my back. My innocence had slowly bled from me in those years. Now I was a broken mess who couldn’t even bond with her pack except under duress.
Kassidy, who watched me closely, shook her head. “It’s not about discounting what you’ve experienced in your life, Emme. Hunter understands that you’ve been through hell too, right, brother?”
Hunter grunted, and we nodded along with the universal sign for agreement from an alpha. Or disagreement. Or anything, really. In this case, though, it sounded like the affirmative.
“It’s the purity of who you are in your essence,” Kassidy continued with a very brief smile. “Our parents are not good shifters. I’d go as far as to say that there’s true evil within them and their quintet. Hunter has the right idea in keeping them far away from you.”
Hunter brushed a thumb over my cheek, and I glanced up to find him smirking. “Your cheeks are pink, baby girl. You can’t take compliments, that’s for sure, but I do enjoy this flushed look on your face.” His thumb scraped lower and lower, until itbrushed over the mark on my shoulder, shifting the hoodie to reveal the bite. “How are you feeling after this?”
“I think that’s my cue to leave,” Kassidy said as I remained caught in Hunter’s predatory gaze. “I just popped in to check on our Kellan. Tell him I’ll see him tomorrow at the family barbeque.”
Shit, it had been almost a week since we got Kellan back here, and tomorrow was the Sunday family event.
“Tomorrow is hockey,” Hunter said softly, gaze remaining on me. “They had to shift the game back a day.”
“I’ll see you there, then.”
“See you tomorrow,” I called to Kassidy, tearing away from her brother. “It was really nice to meet you.”
