Chapter 20: The Devil Comes To Collect

I was a puppet on strings and that was clear because when he’d asked, I’d had no choice but to turn around and face him. Revealing the short space between us, to which the discovery of burst a torch of colourful feelings and specific aches inside me. My body hungered to be held and humbled with warming affection and how could it not, there was basically no space between us. All it would’ve taken to feel his lips on mine would have simply required me to lift on the tips of my toes, pushing myself up through the tennis ball space between our faces. Yet I found myself just staring at him, overcome by his discerning eyes. They were...so blue and slowly travelling from my own down to my lips then back up my eyes, with a smoulder that gave me thoughts.

And shivers. Everywhere...

I didn’t have my were-abilities and shouldn’t have been able to but the potency of his scent wafted up my nostrils, just like it had the first night I found out he was my mate. The scent laced itself straight into my brain, my gut churned in response and my skin broke out in goose bumps of the anticipating nature. In that moment I realized, that both my beings were magnificently aware of him and his lure. For a split second, it occurred to me too that I shouldn’t have been able to sense my wolf especially in full since I’d been bound. But I didn’t dwell on it, I was far too taken by Brady.

He audibly inhaled the air, nostrils flaring and eyes reddening a shiny and beautiful navy blue tinctured with unmistakable desire. His gaze roamed the rest of my body and it’s like I could feel him straining not to act on his arousal for me, even though it was clearly consuming him from the inside at a rapid speed. His blue gaze met mine again and the way he stared at me looked like sex in its most basic form. I stared back at him with the same intensity and it was as though everything was right in its place and I couldn’t wait to wrap my body around the fact. As though on cue, a sharp stream of desire struck the bottom of my abdomen and spinal cord then took with it my sobriety. Leaving me lightheaded with need for what my wolf was screaming belonged to us.

As decided by the gods.

As accepted by him and delayed the sabotaged by me.

I could swear up until this day that the room was electrically charged. My breathing was coming up worked, there was heat radiating between us drawing me to him. I searched his eyes wondering if he’d make the first move. You see, I wanted him to and when I thought he was about to, he didn’t disappoint. Brady Victrolli took a step forward and lifted his hand up. He slowly ran his long trembling fingers through my hair, narrowing his eyes on me and as he pulled my head back to stretch the front column of my throat. Navy blue eyes stared back into mine and regardless of my flaming nerves, I let him pull my head into place and finalize the space between us.

His lips were softer than I expected, his mouth warm and wet, I whimpered when he growled and then I moaned when he roughly ran a skilled tongue over my bottom lip, lightly nipping on it. Our shared breath was right on top of my tongue I could feel the thud of his strong heartbeat and I delighted in the fact of it. My heart ached then bloomed; it felt like it was opening up in the bliss of intense desire. Never had a kiss felt so right, so fulfilling, so right...so meant to be...so sexy.

Speaking of sexy Brady released another low growl when he pressed into my hips. An involuntary moan left my lips when he encircled his hands to massage my bottom. With the restrained strength of an Alpha, he pressed me closer to his hard, defined and enticingly aroused body.

He smelled glorious, he had on a spicy cologne that had matured very well with his natural scent. A scent that lifted up my nostrils and spread through me in waves that sped into all my senses. The way his hands suggestively tugged at the hem of my shirt and simultaneously roamed the skin on my ribcage, in sensual yet rough touches made me ache, arch, liquefy in his arms then keen and moan in nubile desire.

I needed him on me...inside me...right in my blood...teeth latched onto my neck vein. I needed him.

It was both scary and exciting how I teetered on the line of pulsing for his mark, yet knowing I couldn’t possibly.

With full intention rocked by aching lust of wanting to take him inside me, I dangerously fumbled with the strings of his sweat shorts. I wanted them off him, the clothing piece was too much of a barrier between us. I needed to feel him, feel his skin hot on mine and wear his skin on mine.

First, he backed me up against the fridge door. Ravaging me in sweltering kisses that went from my mouth to my neck, my shoulder and collarbone and back to my lips. Then when that wasn’t satisfying either of us enough, he lifted me into his hands by the back of my ass. And walked us until he sat me on the countertop, he’d previously climbed onto.

For a few seconds Brady paused to scan me, with a sweetly dark smile as though he couldn’t believe we were in this position. I couldn’t either, we were alone in the entire house and aroused by and with each other. I remained sitting on the tabletop with him standing between my legs his hands running over my hips and thighs. “Hey,” I breathed a flirt, eyes going from scanning his Adam’s apple to trailing the way my fingertips were running over the skin on his bare shoulders. “You wear your blue blood tattoo very well.” I complimented meaning it but also with ninety percent sexual expectation.

He didn’t answer; he didn’t have to as he reached out to grab fistfuls of my hair, throwing my head back. When I stared into his eyes, the navy blues of his were clouded with an oiled shiny layer and vacantly fixed on the pulse on my neck. I wrapped my legs around him and pulled him closer to me so he would climb the tabletop with me as I lay back in welcomed temptation on it. Brady slowly hovered on top of me. Every second of his precise movements was prickled in the best way possible as he settled himself between my shaky open legs. Then he pulled back to measure me as though I was a damn seven course meal. I watched him swipe a pink tongue across his bottom lip before he considered me for consent. “Do you want me inside you? Right now?”

“I need you.” I rasped, shaking with absolute desire then checked for his consent. “What about me?” I already knew though, I’d just asked to be thorough. “Do you want to?”

With an attractive lustful smirk gracing his sweet swollen lips. “Sweetheart. I’ve been wanting this forever.” He claimed, in that tar gravelly deep voice of his that made me shudder under his glossy blue gaze.

I bit my trembling lip holding back a complaining moan from the lack of contact. “Don’t look at me like that,” I begged because, under his intense gaze, I felt ready to combust from the inside of my soul.

He chuckled and slowly started to grind on me on top of the countertop. As he did so he whispered words of sweet and arousing affirmations into my ear. I felt a rush of blood coursing through my veins when his tongue dipped and fucked my ear. Whilst one of his hands fumbled with the waistband of my trousers.

My body shuddered at the stimulation of his determined handling as my mouth suckled and nibbled on his neck. My body arched in search of skin on skin contact, fingers digging into his back. Only for the moment to be completely shattered when footsteps shuffled into the kitchen without warning.

“Ohmy!” Mrs. Victrolli’s voice cried the same cry as mine. “Oh gods!”

It was beyond mortifying.

She wasn’t just my Alpha - one entity with the actual Alpha - but she was also my mate’s - ahem - Brady’s mother. Who had just bore witness to me giving and receiving foreplay with her son in her kitchen under her roof.

It was mortifying!

I smacked Brady’s chest so he could move off me, but he remained still and didn’t budge.

“I didn’t mean to interrupt,” she said in an apologetic tone. She also didn’t exit the kitchen. “I brought a guest.” She spoke hand still resting over her eyes; Brady huffed a breath and reluctantly pulled himself off me then conservatively helped me down from the countertop. In time for Mrs. Victrolli to peak through her fingers and see us decent after we had a few seconds to fix ourselves.

It was too awkward I couldn’t look either of them in the eye. For I was far too embarrassed since I was still in a slight state of arousal as indicated by the rush of blood along my neck vein. As a blue blood by marriage, I knew she could probably sniff the heat that surrounded me - around us - and that made my embarrassment much worse.

No one spoke and there was no one else behind her or with her for us to know who the guest was.

“You can take the guest back at court or in the guests quarters. I’m sort of occupied right now.” Brady said.

“Oh, so you want us to give you room, perhaps more time alone with your mate?” the comment was delivered by a familiar raspy voice that carried with it a mocking tone and soon after my body caught the shock of her presence, she appeared.

It was the witch who would turn Dani into a dog if I didn’t comply with her demands. She was dressed in a pair of ripped dark denim pants tucked under a pair of knee-high heeled boots and a really cool looking worn-out leather jacket. “You must be my nephew’s mate. I’m Jenna.” She leaned on the doorway playing with a bronze pocket knife turning it in this and that way over her glove covered palm.

Before I could reply Brady spoke, “And you’re plenty admirable for turning yourself in. I’m calling this in.”

I was praying to the gods she had forgotten but clearly, my prayers were useless because she pushed herself off the wall. Throwing me a scheming smile as she led us to the living room area. “Before you do that there’s something you must know first Brady.” She dramatically paused for effect serpentine eyes roaming the room’s décor.

“I told you I could only allow you five minutes but if you keep...” Mrs. Victrolli yanked an ornament from her hands and finished her sentence “...If you keep stalling I’m calling my husband and you know what he does to witches.”

Jenna fumed, turned her pocket knife to cut off a few split ends of her hair and then mumbled something in Latin that shattered all ornaments of the same design in the room.

I expected the She Alpha to react heavily but Mrs. Victrolli only shook her head in exasperation.

“I missed wreaking havoc in your house most.” Jenna shrugged. “It’s not why I’m here this time though.”

I looked at Brady willing him to look at me, but he didn’t. He also didn’t even look fazed it was as though he was used to violent outbursts of magic like this one. And the way his mother sighed implied that my assumption was right. I, on the other hand, had since left my state of arousal delving straight into a state of anxiety, regret, guilt and fear and more fear.

Tsk. I was a darn good mess mentally and emotionally.

“Jenna.” Mrs. Victrolli warned with a hard tone. “Lose the attitude.”

“Or she can keep it and tell us what she’s here for.” Brady moved closer to me and encased his hand over mine protectively. “I already know you’re behind the attacks and if you’re here to negotiate your men back then...” he continued to say but was cut off by Jenna’s malicious laugh.

“Oh Brady darling, you look cute playing Alpha.” she taunted, even though she didn’t look that much older than him to be saying comments like that.

“Just cut to the chase Jenna you said you could only talk in the presence of Brady and his mate, so here we all are. What do you want?” The She Alpha demanded with a tone that seemed worn out from possibly dealing with the same thing, same issue or same someone over and over again.

Jenna took off one glove to reveal a dainty pale hand to which she flicked the wrist of only once. The action lit up a dancing orange flame in her uncovered hand. I inhaled nothing and she looked at me from under her long lashes. Her dangerously beautiful blue eyes transfixed me into a nightmare in the broad daylight. I started to beg her from the inside, pleading with my eyes so she wouldn’t say anything.

“Jenna the only reason you’re here is because you’re my sister but if you keep playing with us I will have to call my husband.”

Sister?

“I’m here to collect something from my beloved nephew’s mate.” she finally said grandly taking a seat in the Alpha’s chair. One leg on top of the other, arms resting gracefully in the right pose you would expect from evil royal blood like Maleficent. With a deep penetrating gaze that fell on me and communicated the evil intent of her mind.

I shuddered with prickles like dried rose thorns under her scrutiny.

I felt evil too.

Brady protectively came in front of me blocking me from Jenna’s view. “You’re really pushing it.”

Mrs. Victrolli released her claws “I dare you to touch him. I’ve been nothing but patient with you for years. But my son and his mate are off-limits, I thought I made this clear last time you came here?”

“Oh you mean that time your son was desperate for his health. When your husband bullied my people just in case your precious heir’s mate was amongst us?” Jenna’s snort held no humor as she spoke. Switching her leg position by placing both feet on the ground before she put one leg that was down before on top of the other one. She elegantly took off the other glove and again lit it to play with a larger flame of fire before she unexpectedly threw it at Mrs. Victrolli.

Before both Brady and his mother could react the witch sent a wave of wind from her lips to put out the fire. “You should’ve seen your faces!” She threw her head back laughing. “oh my, you werewolves are so basic.”

“Then you’re basic too.” Mrs. Victrolli supplied. “Half of each remember, or has your time in the slums altered your mind?”

The witch stretched out her hand again, ready to threaten another fire whim...

Brady’s claws retracted and in instantaneous speed, he’d made it to the witch. My fear sunk into dark shades of anxiety as he harshly held her face down, voice dripping a venomous threat. “I don’t care that you’re my aunt. You’re still a murderous, unhinged witch that deserves the death sentence. The only reason you’re still alive, especially after last time is that cousin of mine.”

Jenna spat in his face.

His Alpha wolf was easily angered, “I’m putting you behind bars now!”

“Ah.” Jenna exclaimed with wild joy. “You’re just like your father, my father and every other useless father head. I didn’t tremble beneath their injustice. Tell me, kid, do you believe you have any power over me? You are nothing and everybody knows it. Especially your mate, he rejected you for a reason.”

Brady faltered.

She capitalized on that by staring at me. “You made a good choice rejecting him, because when you accept a mate and take their mark. It’s not just their family you’re marrying into it’s also all it comes with it. You marry their trauma, their unconscious beliefs, their ego, their coping mechanisms, their inner child, their patterns and their learned communication patterns. I can smell the attraction you have growing for Brady on you. And to you, right now. I’m just a devil who’s come to collect but years from now you’ll see I did you a favor. I am your saviour, the blue bloods are rotten. Me being here flaming in fire and in lycanthrope. Despite all of you having been led to believe my kind was a myth is all the proof you need to see them for the rotten dictators they are.”

Mrs. Victrolli stepped forward. “Jenna you left us no choice but to...”

“SILENCE!” Jenna fumed angered fire on her tongue, burns of her flames taking root from the tips of her blazing red hair to the ends of her red painted nails. The flames touched on Brady who still had a hand on her neck. He suffered no burns as he quickly removed his hand. Her clothes and throne chair wasn’t affected though. “Or I will end you right now, sister!” Her vocal cords strained with anger and hurt.

“Try it and see how fast I will have you head your head on a stick.” Brady seethed, his own chords straining.

“No you won’t” Mr. Hannez came in through the unlocked door “Only an Alpha has the right to give a death sentence and you’re not anyone’s Alpha.”

“He hasn’t been coroneted yet but he’s been acting Alpha long enough,” Mrs. Victrolli said.

“Brady will never be coroneted.” Mr. Hannez smiled looking at me.

My heart pounded through my ears in fear and dread of being ousted.

“No pack can ever have an Alpha without a mate, or a dead Alpha.” He lowered his robe on top of the table. Him disrobing in front of a blue blood or in this case two of them. Was an act of him denouncing the current order of our council...were-people government really.

“Hannez?” Mrs. Victrolli whispered, her voice holding a tone that was willing to reason with him.

Jenna cut in, “Like I said I’m here for Malik.”

All heads turned towards her.

“What? He nicely offered to let me break his bond tie to your son,” she said this as she freed herself from the loosened grasp of Brady’s hold.

Everyone’s heads turned to me.

“I’m sorry,” I was crying by then but I don’t think any tears were flowing even when I meant it.

“So it’s true?” Brady racked two shaky hands through his dishevelled dark as night hair—perhaps as dark as my heart at this point. His blue eyes encased with flecks of silver looked borderline smoked and tormented. He released a bitter chuckle lolling his head when I gave my answer in silence. “I’m done.”

His words cut through me like a sharp slice of a Katana blade. I felt pained to my bones and deep in my veins.

“It’s probably for the best,” Brady concluded as he pushed past everyone heading for the door. “Jenna, you can have him. Mom come with me.”

“Brady!“I cried after him

He paused, his knuckles shaking and pale from the hold he had on the door and said “You know I’ve been obsessing over what could have gone wrong with us. I think I found something...what may have come off as me bullying you in school was just me listening to playground flirting tips. I was a kid who bought into all of it and exercised my masculinity on you for your affection.” He sighed dejectedly “I wanted you to think I was cool, I wanted you to like me and understandably that’s a dumb excuse but...ack! just forget it. You didn’t even give me a chance.”

All excuses were null in my head. But I managed to try for one good reason. “It...you hurt me, and left me to be hurt badly. For years.”

His voice took its lenient Alpha tone and echoed in the room. “Well...if you feel that this traitor and that serpent witch will help you sever the bond to me. Then go right ahead and do as you fucking, please. It wasn’t going to work anyway, you hold on tightly to the past and I keep being the only one steering this ship. So I’m done. Done!”

The door banged shut his mother trailed behind him in tears. It hurt that I knew how my reasons were valid, it hurt how I now understood him too.

And that’s when my tears rolled down to keep my guilt and regret company.