Finding My Pack (17 page)

  Tristan is already speaking when I tune back in. "...wanted to go back and save the goldfish before we left. I paid the attendant off, let her play for a while so she'd feel she earned their freedom instead of buying it. I didn't think she'd like that very much. We dropped them off at an apartment complex with a pond."

  "You left out when she put us in our place, dude. Kitten must have thought we thought she was stupid for wanting to save the goldfish, she told us that her eyes have always been open, she knew about fish in pet stores and that she just wanted our fish to have a chance like they did. Or something like that, I don't know, I'm tired." Reed says irritably. He makes his point by yawning.

  I feel a bit like an ass that I drug everyone in here after their long day, but I'm glad I did. It's been informative.

  "Alright men, go about your business." I release them.

  As he's making his way to the door, Logan stops in his tracks, forcing the rest to halt behind him. "Oh yeah, she called this home." He continues on his way shouting back. "And we owe her a fish tank!"

  The last part needs more explaining, but not tonight. I rock back in my chair. Kitten called this home, huh? Good.

Kellan

              I head to my room wondering why we owe Kitten a fish tank. I thought she didn't like captive fish? I hung back at the meeting, listening to the guys talk about my perfect girl. I'll take Finn's advice and have a talk with Kitten about her anxiety attacks. Whatever scares her is all in her head, each time she's had one it seems to come from out of nowhere. I still need to sit down with her and discuss what happened this morning with Remy, possibly get her on birth control if she wants.

  I'm sorry I missed out on time with her, but I'm happy she had fun. I'm a little upset that I wasn't consulted before she engaged in such strenuous activities. I know it's easy for the rest of them to forget she's injured, since she doesn't act like it, but she is and she needs to take it easy. I feel like the girl has been on warp speed since he opened her pretty eyes.

  I sigh, removing my tie and unbuttoning my shirt. The shower is calling my name. The clinic was filled to the brim today with every known sickness to man it seems. I like what we do there, giving medical attention to those who can't afford insurance, but my mind has been elsewhere lately. It doesn't help that some people get the wrong idea about our facility and fake back injuries and sprains just to get prescriptions, wasting our time, money and patience.

  I'm not surprised in the least that Kitten is a humanitarian at heart. She's just never been on this side of the fence before. She's always been the one in need. Not anymore though, she's under my care now. Mine and my brothers'. I'm positive between the eight of us that Kitten will be the most spoiled, pampered, and protected woman this world has ever seen. The great part is that I have no fear she'll turn into brat because of it.

  I step under the warm spray of the shower, thinking back to all the things that jumped out at me from throughout the guys' day. Kitten's possessive streak is quite a shocker. There's no doubt in my mind that's what caused her to fly off the handle when Tristan was shot at with paintballs. Remy told us how upset she was when she thought Logan had a girlfriend. I don't think she's aware of why she has those reactions, at least not fully.

  But with the possessiveness, her speed, her ability to heal quickly, the fact that she lived in horrible conditions and didn't catch a virus, even though she had no shots to protect her from falling ill. It really makes me wonder. I'll need to run more tests on her blood.

  I really need some personal time with Kitten. Not just to psychoanalyze her or check in on her health, but because I just want to be around her. I truly did miss her today. Those full, bow-shaped lips, her long platinum hair.... I give in to my arousal, bringing my hand down my abs to my hard as steel manhood. I let out a groan, picturing those pink lips stretched around me, her pale green eyes looking up at me while my hand fists her hair, guiding her up and down on me. Shit...this is going to be quick. I feel my testicles drawing up, my climax building. I explode, panting for air, wishing she was really here, swallowing my seed.

  I finish up and dry myself off. A pang of guilt shoots through my chest at thinking of my sweet girl that way. If fades quickly as I tell myself she will be ours shortly, if not eventually. Then there will be no reason for guilt. She'll be mine as much as I am hers. Man and woman sharing in the most natural act.

  I climb into bed, hoping to fall asleep quickly so I can be up and ready when Kitten comes downstairs. I don't want to miss a moment with her on my day off. Hopefully, I can steal her away from the others for a little while. I smile into my pillow at that thought.

Reed

  I lay awake in bed, reliving the day. I loved spending time with Kitten and my brothers, but honestly, I don't know if I can take many more heartbreaking scenes with the girl. I don't know why I'm so hung up on what's she been through. All of us have been through rough times. Myself included, and yet her past haunts me so much more than my own. I've drawn her smiling face countless times. The paintings and sketches hanging up in my studio. Her eyes always come out sad, though. Every. Single. Time. It's frustrating.

   I just want her to be happy. Truly happy. She has such a pure soul and kind heart that it literally splits me in two to think that she never had a toy as a child, she never had a mother to wash her hair and read her stories at bedtime. She deserved to have that and so much more. I wonder if she even had a hug before she came here. Werewolves need physical contact so much more than humans, I'm so happy that our family were the ones to find her. I'll hug her as much as she wants me to. I'll show her what a real family is like.

Jace

  I can't believe they are going to let her keep that nasty bear. If I was the one to win a prize for her I would have found a perfect one and insisted she have it. The darling girl came straight from the street. They want to give her broken things? What was going through Reed's head? She needs nice things. Things as pretty and shiny as her. I will show them what she needs. No girl of mine will have less than perfection.

Kitten shut me out today. It hurt me deeply. I'll never admit that, but it's true. Young women have always thrown themselves at me to the point of annoyance. This one is different and I have to say...I'm at a loss. I'm going to take Remington's advice and charm her. The problem with that is, she likes ragged stuffed animals and saving goldfish. She's quite an outspoken little thing too, isn't she? I chuckle at that. I know she has a love of food, but that's more Tristan's territory. I pull at my hair, wracking my brain for an answer.

  I smile at my reflection in the mirror, fixing my hair into place. I know the perfect thing. Something she can't refuse, no matter how much I hurt her before. I'm sure she'll forgive me. My smile fades when I think how time-consuming my idea would be. I have no problem with that, but that means I still have to think of ways to woo her in the meantime. It's going to be a long night of fixing my hair.

Kitten

I groan, I'm burning up; feeling like my skin is going to melt off me at any moment. I wiggle around, trying to get my limbs to move. I'm trapped, wrapped up burrito style in a top sheet and brown comforter. Ash's body is curled around me like a boa constrictor. My face against his chest, his leg locking mine between his, arms holding me in a bear hug. If I didn't know any better I'd swear he was trying to smother me.

"Ash." I groan out. He doesn't move. "Ash, I need to move."

  "Not yet Kitten." His voice doesn't sound sleepy at all.

  I stop my squirming. If he doesn't want me to move then I know I won't be going anywhere. "How long have you been awake Ash?" I ask softly.

  "I didn't sleep."

  "Why not?" Somehow I knew he was going to say that.

  "I'm not sure. At first I just wanted to watch you sleep. I sat in the chair across the room, watching as your little nose twitched as you slept. Did you know that you talk in your sleep, Kitten?"

  No. I didn't know I did that. I wonder what I said. I shake my head in answer. "Why am I wrapped up like a burrito Ash?" I wonder how he managed this without waking me. Maybe I was more tired than I thought.

  "You looked cold." He simply replies. No one has ever cared if I was cold or not.

  "I'm not cold anymore, actually, I'm too hot. Can I please get up now Ash?"

  "I don't want to let go of you just yet. If I do, you're going to get up, probably shower, then go down for breakfast and get swept away by everyone else. It's okay, I don't mind that it will happen, just not yet."

   I smile. He just wants to spend time with me? "Is Tristan already cooking?"

  "Yeah, I think he's about done," He grumbles back at me.

  "How about I hop in the shower while you go get breakfast for us? We can eat in here, right? Just you and me."

  Ash squeezes me tight, his lips press into my hair in a soft kiss. "You're a genius, you know that, Little One?" I giggle. I'm happy he likes my idea, I wouldn't mind more time with him as well.

  Ash jumps from the bed and dashed from the room, so now I'm left struggling to free myself. Did he sew this thing together? I roll around and eventually untangle myself. If there was a ninja level of tucking someone in, Ash would have mastered it.

  I grab one of his big gray t-shirts from the dresser on my way to the shower. I don't bother with my hair, I'll have to ask Logan how to get the paint out. For now I just braid it back. The lack of products in Ash's bathroom is almost comical in comparison to the other boys'. All I see is one bar of soap that has no smell to it. Yes, it all seems very...him. After drying off, I use my finger to brush my teeth with the toothpaste left out on his sink.

  When I step back into the bedroom, Ash is already there, sitting at a small table with one chair, three plates towering with food on top. Three? Is someone else joining us?

  "I didn't know hungry you...." He trails off, looking me up and down from my bare feet up to my face.

  "I borrowed your shirt, I hope that was okay, I didn't have anything else to put on, I'm sorry." Crap, I should have waited and asked him.

  Ash shifts in the chair, his face looking slightly flushed. "It's no problem." He rasps out. "I was just saying that I didn't know how hungry you'd be so I loaded us up." He gestures at the food.

  I contemplate where I'm supposed to sit but shrug and walk to Ash, climbing in his lap, sitting sideways. He doesn't protest so I figure he doesn't mind. He does slide me a little farther toward his knees, though. "This okay?" I ask.

  One of his big arms curls around my hip, holding me in place. "Yeah, I've been wanting to do this ever since I saw Reed do it." Has he? Why? I give him a small smile before I tuck into the food. Tristan made runny eggs and biscuits. Yummy.

  Ash occasionally holds a bite of fried ham or sausage to my lips for a bite with his fork. Apparently he wants me to eat meat. Just for fun I give him bites of my eggs and biscuits. He's feeding me, I can feed him too right? Together we manage to eat all three plates. My belly is so full I could already use a nap. I blame Tristan for making his food taste like heaven.

  I lean into Ash and press my face in his neck, closing my eyes and enjoying the smell of him. My whole body shakes with his laughter.

  "Did you eat yourself into a coma Little One?" He asks me.

  "Maybe." Can you really do that? I'll have to ask Kellan, he'd know. I feel his large hand skim over my leg, starting at my knee, down my calf, to my toes. My belly does the weird flutter thing like with Remy. Maybe I just ate too much. "I wish I could just go back to sleep."

  Ash keeps playing with my toes as he answers. "You can, I'll make sure no one disturbs you."

  I shake my head, lifting it so I can look at him. His focus is on my feet. "I have a few things I want to do today, I should probably get started with my day." I feel and hear him growl, which makes me giggle. I guess he's still not ready to let me go. That's okay, I don't want him to.