CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

Eight years later

Putting his hand on the doorjamb, Eli knocked on the open door. “Come on, little man, time to go.”

Sitting on the rug among hundreds of colored, plastic bricks, seven-year-old Curtis lifted his head. Big brown eyes so like Eli’s own narrowed on him. “But I’m building a weapon of mass destruction.”

“You’ll have gifts to open at the main lodge,” Eli reminded the pup. It was the pack’s Christmas tradition to gather there at noon. Just thinking about the large dinner that awaited them made his stomach rumble. “Someone might have bought you something that will improve your weapon.”

Curtis’ nose wrinkled. “I don’t want to open the presents at the lodge. You’ll make me share with the other kids.”

Eli’s lips twitched, and he felt his wolf’s amusement. His boy was extremely possessive. “Christmas is a time for sharing.”

“I never learned how to share. I’m an only child.”

“No, you’re not. Now hurry up. Your mom and sister are waiting.”

With a long, suffering sigh, Curtis abandoned his toys and preceded Eli down the stairs. In the hallway, he pulled on his coat, gloves, and hat—frowning at Eli when he tried to give him a hand. His son was just as independent as he was possessive.

“Is Uncle Miles coming to visit later?” Rubie asked her mother as Casey zipped up the five-year-old’s coat. She’d shocked everyone when she popped out of Casey with a little mop of ruby-red curls—the color didn’t run in either side of the family.

Eli thought his daughter bore a strong resemblance to Roni, but she had her mother’s pale hazel eyes. Eyes that could make your stomach twist when she concentrated that mink-unblinking stare on you. His wolf liked that, though.

“Yep,” replied Casey with a smile. “He’ll be here after dinner.”

Rubie pumped her fist in the air. “Uncle Miles buys good presents.” She smirked at her brother. “I’m his favorite.”

Slipping on his boots, Curtis sniffed. “He just feels sorry for you because you were adopted.”

Rubie’s lips thinned. “Mommy, Curtis is telling lies again!”

Casey sighed. “Curtis, stop telling her she was adopted. And can we please have one day where you two don’t argue?”

Both kids just looked at their mother in a way that said, “can’t promise nothing.”

It wasn’t so much that they didn’t get along, it was that they were very different. Curtis was an indoor kid whereas Rubie was very physically active and liked to be outdoors. She’d play soccer all day long if she could. Like her mother, she had an innate talent for it.

Casey had retired from the Hounds a year ago, but she still got together with her old teammates to play for fun now and then. She often took Rubie with her.

Eli clapped his hands. “Come on, let’s go, I’m hungry.” Once everyone was all bundled up, he grabbed the bulging gift sack from beside the door and gestured for all three of them to file out the lodge first.

Stepping onto the porch, Casey inhaled deeply, drinking in the ozone scent of snow. The fresh, crisp air filled her lungs and made her shiver just a little. A thick, white blanket had covered the forest; frosting bushes, branches, and dead logs. It really was a beautiful sight.

The kids walked on ahead as they all traipsed through the snow. Casey loved the sound of it crunching beneath her feet. She was glad it was no longer snowing. She liked snow, she just didn’t like being outside while it was snowing. Having flakes of it pelt her face, chap her skin, and cling to her clothes and hair was not Casey’s idea of fun at all. But she’d enjoyed making a snow fort with Eli and the kids the previous day.

“Walk in front of me,” Eli said to her. “I like staring at your ass while you walk—it’s one of the best parts of my day.”

She snickered. “You’re so full of it.”

“Hey, that was a heart-felt compliment.” He threaded his gloved fingers through hers. “Did you hear from Adrian this morning?”

“Yes. He and Clare are planning to come by one day this week.” The mated mink-pair had initially wanted to drop by tomorrow, but it was tradition for the Mercury and Phoenix Pack to have a huge get-together on Boxing Day since, due to the number of visitors each pack received, they weren’t able to meet up on Christmas Day.

“I also got a ‘Merry Christmas’ call from Emily when you were in the shower,” Casey added. “My mom was with her, so she spoke to me for a few minutes, too. They’re planning to visit soon.”

Casey couldn’t say she had a solid relationship with them, but it wasn’t awkward. They’d started speaking again seven and a half years ago, when she’d gone to visit Miles at rehab. Emily and their mother had been there and … well, Gayle had collapsed into heart-wrenching sobs the minute she’d spotted Casey.

It was when Ira tried forcing Emily to marry his friend’s son that Gayle had finally snapped out of her bullshit “I must follow my mate’s lead” state. You didn’t follow someone who was a complete asshole.

Gayle had rebuilt a relationship with each of her children, despite that Ira wildly disapproved. It had helped Miles a lot with overcoming his addiction, so Casey was glad of it. It had taken a while for her mink to accept Gayle and Emily’s presence in her life, though; she still didn’t trust them.

“Damn, it’s cold,” Casey said with a little shudder. “One thing I hate about winter is how dry it makes my skin.”

“I’ll give you a facial later.”

She gave the dirty-minded wolf the side-eye.

He put his mouth to her ear. “I love it when you swallow my come, baby, but blowing my load all over your pretty face is always a pleasure. Come on, let me. I’ll make sure you have a happy ending.”

She chuckled. “You’re an idiot.”

A small breeze came along, rustling branches and causing a few clumps of snow to cascade down.

“Will you two stop!” a male voice burst out.

Turning, Casey glimpsed Bracken through the trees. He was glaring down at two little dark-haired girls who could pass for identical twins.

The oldest, Regan, jabbed her finger at her sibling. “The Thing started it!”

“Stop calling me that!” Yasmin yelled.

Casey exchanged an amused smile with Eli. The cute pallas cats were only a year apart in age, and they could play together beautifully. They shared, laughed, and constantly made up weird songs. But it was never long before one was trying to choke the other to death, and it could be over the most menial stuff.

Madisyn strode up behind her mate. “What are you two demons whining about this time?” Her frown melted away when she noticed Casey and Eli. “Hey, guys! Merry Christmas!”

“Same to you!” Casey called out. She smiled at the pallas kits. “Did Santa bring you all the stuff you asked for?”

“He didn’t bring me the tarantula, which is a bummer,” said Regan. “I was gonna put it in The Thing’s bed.”

And then Yasmin launched herself at her sibling, taking her to the ground.

Bracken let his head fall back. “This is what I get for ignoring Vinnie’s advice to have them decades apart.”

Madisyn laughed. “We’ll catch up in a minute, Case.”

“Sure.” Casey gave them a quick wave and then headed to the main lodge. Kathy must have noticed them out of the window, because she opened the door before Casey had a chance to knock.

Kathy beamed at them. “There you all are!” She gave a hug to Eli and Casey and then made a huge fuss of the kids, peppering their little faces with kisses.

After removing their coats, gloves, and hats, they all walked into the living area. Casey wiggled her cold fingers. The room was gorgeously warm, thanks to the crackling fire. Most of the pack were already there, and she found herself quickly swept up in hug after hug after hug.

“Uncle Eli!” The Alpha’s son dashed over and wrapped himself around Eli’s leg.

Eli ruffled his nephew’s ash-blond hair. “Merry Christmas, Kellen.”

“Dad said the kids can open their gifts before dinner this year so that he doesn’t have to deal with my pouting and whining while he’s eating.”

“Good thinking on his part.”

Kellen released Eli’s leg. “What did ya bring me?”

“It might be in this sack.” Eli dumped it on the floor. “Take a look.”

“Presents!” yelled Kellen, and every kid in the room descended on the sack.

Ally and Derren’s take-charge son tried making the others line up, insisting he’d take out the gifts one at a time and call out whoever’s name was on the tag. He usually managed to make the other kids dance to his tune, since he was the oldest, but today they were all too high on excitement to give a hot shit what he wanted. It didn’t help his cause that his two little sisters were advising the others to “ignore Mr. Bossy Pants.”

Hearing her daughter giggle, Casey turned to see that Roni had balanced the little girl on her hip and was twirling in circles. But then Roni abruptly halted, and her eyes narrowed on the boy standing by Curtis. “What have you been eating, Cody?” she asked the eldest of her three sons.

The mini version of Marcus froze and then batted his eyelashes, all innocence. “Nothing.”

“So why do you have a chocolate mustache?” Roni challenged.

A loud gasp came from the kitchen. “Who opened the chocolate trifle?” demanded Kathy.

Roni groaned. “Oh, for heaven’s sake!”

Cody pointed at his youngest brother. “It was his idea!”

Dash scowled at him. “Snitch!” And then they were grappling with each other, which wasn’t an uncommon sight. Marcus quickly broke up the fight and tossed the youngest to Zander, who caught him easily, making Dash laugh like a loon.

Roni and Marcus’ middle child, Keane—who was an absolute genius like his mother—sighed and said, “This is why I don’t like children.”

Casey felt a tug on her pants and looked down to see Curtis holding up a gift-wrapped box.

“Can you guard it for me?” he asked.

She almost laughed at his word choice. “Guard it?”

He handed her the gift sack they’d brought along, which was now empty. “You can put it in that.”

“Aren’t you gonna open it?” asked Ally, crouched beside him as she dumped all the torn wrapping paper into a garbage bag.

“Later,” said Curtis. “For now, I want to enjoy time with my pack mates.”

Ally’s face went all soft. “Aw, that’s the sweetest damn thing I ever heard.”

It was Curtis’ problem with sharing, that was what it was. And so each time one of the pack handed him a gift, he politely thanked them and chucked it in the sack.

Derren shook his head. “At his age, I wouldn’t have been able to wait for even five minutes before opening—” He flinched. “Jesus Christ.” The Beta growled down at the margay cub that was chomping on his ankle.

Sighing at his son, Jesse lifted him by the scruff of his neck. “Dude, we’ve been over this, you can’t shift and—ow, dammit, that was my finger!”

Casey bit back a smile, and her mink twitched her tail in amusement. Unlike most breeds of shifter, margay cats could shift as children. Harley and Jesse had two gorgeous boys. The oldest was polite, placid, and as musical as his mother. The youngest was freaking nuts, and he spent a lot of time in his cat form.

“Cassidy’s here!” Caleb bellowed.

Striding into the room, Cassidy laughed as the kids swarmed her like ants. She’d been part of Cain’s pack since they mated six months ago, so people were still getting used to not having her constantly around. It hadn’t been an easy adjustment for Willow, since the two girls were so close.

Being mated hadn’t changed Cain, but he was different with Cassidy than he was with others. He took care of her and protected her fiercely. Even now, he stood infinitely close to her, as if he might shove her behind him at any moment to shield her from a threat.

He’d left The Movement, just as he’d sworn that he would, and now all his focus was on her. And he hadn’t complained about her wanting to spend Christmas dinner with the Mercury Pack every other year—Casey liked him for that alone.

Eli pulled his niece into a hug. “Merry Christmas, sweetheart.” He and Casey exchanged nods with Cain.

“Right back atcha, Eli,” the she-wolf said, her smile bright.

“How’s life at your new pack?” asked Casey, rubbing her upper arm. “Are they being good to you?”

“Oh, yeah,” Cassidy assured her. “They like having a Seer, so they’ve been very welcoming. Although I think that’s partly because they fear that Cain will hang them by their own intestines if they’re not.”

Casey chuckled. “Good point.”

“Dinner’s ready!” Gwen sang, a hand resting on her pregnant belly.

The pack headed into the dining area and settled at the long table, disregarding Kathy’s seating plan like they always did. She hovered and fussed and poured drinks while everyone piled ridiculous amounts of food on their plates and whined at Marcus for hogging the gravy.

In between eating, drinking, and bantering, people snapped photos and pulled apart Christmas crackers. Kellen collected all the little jokes and read them aloud while the other kids traded the small toys. Kathy tried peer-pressuring everyone into donning the paper crowns. It didn’t work with Cain or little Keane, but the others obliged her.

Later, once the table had been cleared, Casey sank into her chair with a sigh. Dammit, she was bloated. And tipsy. Very, very tipsy. Most of the pack looked ready to fall into a food coma. Honestly, she didn’t think she had room for dessert, but she smiled when Kathy set it in front of her.

Shaya sighed at her daughter. “Willow, will you please get off your phone? It’s rude to use it at the dinner table.”

The pretty teenager held up a finger, her gaze still on her cell. “One sec, Mom, just one … There, done.” Willow pocketed the phone and turned to her chocolate trifle. Noticing her father was staring at her, she blinked. “What?”

“Tell me you weren’t talking to that punk again,” said Nick.

“I wasn’t talking to that punk again.” She pointed her spoon at him. “And Kye is not a punk. He’s my friend. Leave him alone.”

Instead, Nick continued to grumble about her friendship with Kye, earning him huffs and eye rolls from Willow.

Eli draped an arm over the back of Casey’s chair and kissed her temple. “You full, baby?”

“Unbearably,” she replied. “And now I can’t stand the feel of my waistband. Is anyone going to wake up Kent, or should we just let him rest?” she asked no one in particular. The poor guy was slumped in his chair, his eyes closed, his mouth slack.

Smiling, Caleb flicked a hand. “He’s fine.”

Playing his fingers through his mate’s hair, Zander eyed Bracken. “You look like you could just as easily doze off.”

“Had a crap night’s sleep,” said Bracken, spooning some trifle. “The girls took hours to settle last night because they were so excited. They woke up, like, three times, asking to go check if Santa had been. And Madisyn woke me up at one point, snarking in her sleep, ‘You smell like feet, Morpheus, where the fuck’s the blue pill?’”

Madisyn’s cheeks pinkened. “I did not say that.”

Bracken snickered. “Trust me, you did.”

“Eli, Casey—one of you make her stop,” said Nick.

Looking at her daughter, Casey had to stifle a smile. Rubie’s eyes were locked on Nick’s, unnervingly blank in a way that could give even an Alpha a chill. “Rubie.” The single word was a warning.

Her gaze slid to Casey. “My mink wants to bite his jugular.”

Bracken shook his head. “I love you, Rubes, but you minks are vicious creatures. Your mom’s mink bit me again right on the back of the—Don’t you dare, Regan!”

But Regan dared. Ignoring her father’s warning, she splattered her sibling’s face with a handful of trifle. Predictably, a fight commenced that included Regan getting repeatedly smacked over the head with an empty dessert bowl by Yasmin.

Dash tapped Harley on the arm and asked, “Can I have the rest of your trifle?”

Harley raised her brow. “What’s the magic word?”

Dash’s face scrunched up, and he lifted one shoulder. “Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo?”

Shaking his head at his son, Marcus burst out laughing. “Kid, you crack me up.”

The little boy was a hoot. He was also pure trouble, which Casey’s mink really liked about him—typical, really.

Eli kissed her neck, inhaling deeply. “I really should stop doing that,” he whispered.

Casey frowned. “What?”

“Breathing in your scent in public,” replied Eli, still whispering. “It goes straight to my cock, which has no sense of decorum—it doesn’t matter where we are or how many people are around, it gets rock hard for you.”

She smiled. “You can show me just how hard later.”

“Oh, I plan to.”

That night, Casey flexed her grip on the rungs of the headboard as her mate’s tongue stabbed deep into her pussy. Yes, this was what she needed. He’d teased her mercilessly—licking, lapping, nipping, and rubbing his tongue up and down the side of her clit. Each time a little growl rumbled out of him, she all but shivered.

Flooded with feel-good chemicals and covered in a fine sheen of sweat, her body twisted, writhed, and bucked as he pumped his tongue inside her. Her pussy spasmed, aching for more, tightening as her orgasm crept closer and closer.

Eli’s fingertips bit into the globes of her ass, holding her to him as he devoured and tortured her. God, she was wound so damn tight, she felt like she’d burst any second. He knew every sensitive spot she possessed, knew how to drive her into a fever pitch of pure need—something she appreciated when he wasn’t taunting her this way.

“Eli,” she rasped, feeling her release hurtling toward her. “I’m gonna—”

“No.” He nuzzled her folds. “You’re not coming until I’m inside you.”

She bared her teeth at him. “Asshole.”

Getting to his knees, he fisted his cock, lookingso sure and in command.“I want you riding me tonight.”

That she was good with. They switched positions, and she took a moment to drink him in—to admire that rugged face, powerfully built body, and that very fine cock. And he was all hers.

Eli looked up at her, his eyes smoldering with so much carnal hunger it took her breath away. “Come on, baby, wrap that pussy around my dick.”

More than happy to do so, Casey straddled him and curled her fingers around the base of his cock. She lowered herself onto him, sucking in a breath as—

He punched up his hips, and she found herself impaled on his hard, oh so thick shaft.

Her lips parted in shock. “Jesus, Eli.”

“I needed to be in you. You were taking too long.”

Splaying her hands on that warm, solid chest that was packed with muscle, she slowly rose until only the head of his cock was inside her. Then she sank back down. His groan of masculine appreciation went straight to her core.

“Fuck yourself, baby. Ride me hard. That’s it.” Eli slid his hands up her smooth thighs and grabbed her hips. Possessiveness pounded through his blood as he took in the sight of her rising and falling on his cock, her eyes glazed, her breasts jiggling. “Love your body. Soft and strong and perfect.”

He filled his hands with her breasts, shaping and squeezing. Teased her nipples into hard little buds that looked painfully tight. “Harder, baby.”

She dug her nails into his chest as she rode him harder, scoring his flesh. After so many years, he had a countless number of teeth marks and scratches scarring his skin, and he loved every fucking one of them.

“Come here,” he ordered. She leaned over, and he splayed his hand over her throat as he kissed her hard. Savored her taste. Drowned in her scent. All the while, he punched up his hips, drilling her pussy hard with his cock. But when he sensed she was ready to come, he stopped. “No.”

Ignoring her curses, Eli rolled them over. “Shh, you’ll get what you need. But not yet. You don’t come until I say.” He hooked her legs over his shoulders, groaning as he slid even deeper inside her. “Not until I say, Casey,” he reminded her.

“What-the-fuck-ever,” she snarked, but he knew she’d hold on for him.

Eli pulled his hips back in a slow, smooth movement, loving how her pussy tried sucking him back in. And then he slammed so deep the breath stuttered out of her. He ground his teeth as her tight inner muscles clamped around him. So damn hot.

He grazed her cheek with his mouth. “Breathe.”

The whisper feathered over Casey’s skin and made her stomach flutter. She hadn’t even realized she’d been holding her breath until then.

“Grab the headboard again. Good girl. Now I fuck you.”

And that was exactly what he did. Casey dug her heels into his back as he powered into her. Fast. Brutal. Ramming deep over and over, his eyes locked on where their bodies joined.

“Love the sound of my cock slamming into you while you’re so wet.”

Casey was unbelievably wet. She was also hot and desperate for release. Her orgasm was brewing inside her, making her skin flush and her muscles tighten. So many sensations were sweeping her under—his thickness stretching her, his balls slapping her ass, his fingertips digging into her hips, his cock throbbing inside her.

His eyes flicked to hers, hot and dark. A growl rumbled out of him. “Yeah, you love my dick, don’t you?” Covering her hands with his on the headboard, he jackhammered in and out of her pussy so hard and savage she knew she’d be sore. Then he shifted his angle so that he was hitting her sweet spot with each powerful thrust.

“Make me come, Casey. Make me blow my load inside your pussy right now.”

He bit her shoulder. Waves of white-hot bliss fired through her blood, arching her spine and trapping a scream in her throat. Eli growled as he pounded harder and faster. When she reared up and bit into his shoulder, he exploded with a snarl of her name. His cock throbbed and pulsed as jet after jet of hot come splashed her inner walls. Then the strength left them both.

Fine tremors racked her body as she lay there, struggling to catch her breath. She felt all sated and warm and deliciously sore. Her mink was dozing off, just as content.

Panting, Eli dropped on the bed beside her, flat on his back. He dragged her to him so that she was burrowed into his side. She loved the way he held her so close, like he hated even the slightest bit of space between them.

He stared down at her through glazed, heavy-lidded eyes. “You okay?”

She hummed. “Fine. Did you have a good Christmas?”

“I had an amazing Christmas, as always. What about you?”

“I’m kinda sorry that it’s over.” After losing her grandparents, she’d stopped looking forward to Christmas. Miles had rarely been around, so she’d been relatively alone. Oh, she’d had her pack mates, sure, but they’d been busy celebrating with their families—just as it should be. Then she found Eli, and everything changed.

Now, she was never alone at Christmas. It was a time that made her feel all warm and fuzzy inside, especially with how excited the kids were.

Eli was so good with them. A devoted Dad who protected, encouraged, and supported them; who made sure they knew they were loved. He was also careful to treat them both the same, and she figured it was because his own mother wasn’t as affectionate with Roni as she was with Eli and Nick.

Casey remembered how much he’d worried about her throughout her pregnancies—he was just a worrier when it came to those he loved. Probably because he’d already lost one of them and knew just how easily it could happen.

She also remembered how proud and elated he’d been when holding both his babies for the first time. He’d been a hands-on father from the start. Whenever he’d fed them during the night, she’d heard him talking softly to them—sometimes it was utter nonsense, sometimes it was a story they were far too young to understand, but he seemed to have loved it.

He’d once confessed that some part of him worried that he’d be taken from them when they were young, just as his own father had been taken from him. As such, he made the most of every moment he had with them—particularly since he wanted them to have nothing but fond memories of him.

Tracing circles on his chest, she looked up at him. He was wearing a pensive expression. “What’re you thinking?” she asked.

“That I’m a lucky bastard.” He palmed the side of her face. “Thank you.”

She blinked. “For what?”

“For being mine. For moving to my pack. For giving me two amazing kids. For just being you.” Eli sipped from her mouth. She was his little powder keg. The person who made every single shitty thing he’d been through worth it. His wolf plain fucking adored her; would do literally anything for her. He was just as gone for her mink.

Their mating ceremony—which had taken place a month after the Ignacio business was over—had been, hands down, one of the best days of Eli’s life. She’d already fully committed to him by that point, yes, but he’d loved that they could finallycelebrate it without the cloud of danger lingering over their heads.

All her teammates had attended the ceremony, so it hadn’t been a surprise that a “friendly” game of soccer commenced at one point—the Hounds vs. the Mercury Pack males.

Yeah, his pack mates had lost in a dramatic fashion.

“I used to think that fate was cruel,” he told her. “Don’t get me wrong, I was thankful that I had a true mate out there somewhere and I was determined to find you. But it still seemed shitty that the universe would predestine two people to be together, that it would make them two halves of a whole, if one of those people was fated to die a lot sooner than the other.”

She nodded. “I get it.”

“But fate’s far from cruel. It gave me you, and nothing on the fucking planet could make me regret finding you, even if—God forbid—our time together was cut short. You’re by far the best thing that ever happened to me. Every single one of my all-time favorite moments have you in them. The only thing I regret is that I didn’t find you sooner. When it comes to you, it’s the only regret I’ll ever have.”

She swallowed and bit her lip. “You’re gonna make me cry. And then I’ll have to hurt you.”

He spoke against her mouth, “You can take a few compliments—you’re tough. I love that about you. Love all that spirit and fire and grit inside you. Love that you’ve passed it all onto our kids.”

“Nah, I think they get it from you.”

“No, they got that whole ‘them being a trial at times’ thing from me.”

“Oh, there are times when you can be a real handful,” Casey conceded.

Eli’s lips twitched at the unintended inuendo. “A real handful?”

“Yep. You push and push, and you’re not gentle about it. But I can take it, I know how to push back. And it’s not like you’re too hard to handle or you expect me to bend all the time. Or that we’re always going back and forth over the same—” Casey broke off when his lips curled into a wide smile. She felt her face heat. “Okay, I’m shutting up.”

Shaking with silent laughter, he put a hand over his eyes.

She poked his side. “You can stop laughing any second now, Chuckles.” But he just laughed harder, the bastard. “Seriously, stop. You’re making the bed rock, idiot. It’s like the more I tell you to stop, the harder and harder you do it. What’s worse is that you do it in public, too, even though you know it makes me all flustered. Believe me, I don’t like that this stuff comes out of my mouth. If I could swallow it back, I would. Especially since you always erupt into—” And then she realized she’d done it again. “Oh, shut up.”