Authors: Hazel Gower
Brandon felt like a douche. His heart broke as
Jezebel sobbed and wiped tears from her cheek.
“Will I turn into a shifter?”
Brandon
gathered Jezebel to him. He felt terrible. He could say he loved her, but right
now he knew she wouldn’t believe him. He wanted to say it when he was sure and
he knew it would mean something to her. “The mating doesn’t turn you into a
shifter. It does give you some gifts, like you will be stronger, heal quicker,
never get sick or catch diseases, and you’ll live longer.”
Jezebel nodded. “Is that it?”
He debated if he should tell her he wanted, no,
needed, her to move in with him. “I would like you to move in here with me. I
want you to give this a chance. I will show you that being mated is a good thing.”
Jezebel sighed. “Give me some time.” She closed her
eyes. “I need sleep. I don’t know if I’ll be able to sleep, but I need it. Let
me sleep.”
“Okay.
Sleep.”
He moved
them down the bed and into the covers. Jezebel moved out of his hold and lay as
far from him as possible.
“Goodnight. Morning,” she mumbled.
Brandon lay there watching her until he knew sleep
had finally claimed her. He turned toward her and closed his eyes letting
himself sleep. He hoped the morning would be better.
Chapter
Nine
Jess’s body ached all over, and it wasn’t the good
ache she was starting to get used to from being with Brandon. No, this ache was
painful. Her body felt battered and bruised. She lay with her head resting on
Brandon’s chest and her leg thrown over him. Her body rested against the warmth
of his side. One of his hands rested on her butt, and the other rested between
her thighs over her pussy. Jess looked up to see his eyes closed and his
breathing even. Brandon looked different in sleep. Strands of his blond hair
fell over his face, and Jess stared at his perfect face. He really was
handsome, with strong manly features. Brushing the strands from his closed
eyes, she knew what she wanted. Jess just had to tell him.
Needing the bathroom she groaned as she eased off
the warm bed. Her legs felt like jelly, and every muscle protested. She did her
morning business, and as she washed her hands she stared horrified at her
reflection. Purple bruises were around her neck, and her left cheek had a nice
purple bruise while her right had a gash down it. Jezebel had a look down at
the rest of her body. She looked like one big purple and blue bruise.
Her parents were going to freak. Jezebel had
no idea what she was going to tell them or what she could tell them. Sighing
she hobbled back to bed snuggling into Brandon.
Brandon’s arms wrapped around
her.
“Morning, sweetheart.
How are you feeling?”
“Sore. I just looked in the mirror and down at
myself. I have no idea what I’m going to say to my parents. I’m one giant
walking bruise.”
“What do you want to tell your parents?”
Jess sat up, and he followed. “I want them to know
the truth. If you expect me to move in and other things, they need things
explained as why I’m leaving when I haven’t been with you for long. I’m their
youngest child and only daughter.”
“We can tell
them if you’re willing to take me as your mate.”
She nodded and hugged her legs to herself. “I’ll
move in and be your mate, but you have to give me what I deserve first. You
have made me realize that I deserve to be wooed. I want more than to be mated
in just your people’s eyes. I want a fiancé and a big wedding. I’m not saying I
want it all now, but I do want it.” She let go of her legs and knelt over him.
“I deserve to have the big princess dress and have my father walk me down the
aisle to my waiting man. Again, I’m their only daughter.”
Brandon nodded. “I can give you that.”
“I won’t give up my best friends either. I can’t. I
could never just desert them. They have been my closest friends for as long as
I can remember.
It wouldn’t be right for
me to get a boyfriend, mate, whatever, and then stop being friends with them. I
promise no more sleepovers, though.” She sighed. Brandon deserved that. She
could still be friends with Travis and Zeck and have no sleepovers. “I still
want to go to college. I want it all. I deserve it all.” She stroked his cheek
as he stared at her. “I don’t want it all this moment. I just want to know
you’ll give it to me eventually. I started this relationship telling myself to
enjoy it and take what I could. That when you got rid of me like I thought you
would to tell myself I at least got to have you and enjoy my time with you. I
should be lucky a Pride was willing to be with me in the first place. The more
I’ve been with you the more you’ve shown me I’m worth more than what I thought
of myself. That’s why I’m saying I’ll move in with you after Christmas if you
woo me. We have only been together for a week. It has been the best week of my
life. Give me time to at least to get used to the idea of everything you have
told me and what I saw last night. Christmas is Wednesday, and if what you’ve
told me is all true then we have a long time to be together. Please.”
He groaned. “Will you see me every day?”
Jess straddled him and wrapped her arms around him.
“Every day, I promise.”
His forehead rested against hers. “You’re right. You
do deserve everything. I had wanted to give that to you. Jezebel, I don’t ever
want you to think you have to settle and just take what you can get and be
grateful for anything. You deserve to be wooed, and have your big wedding, and
I want you to go to college. I’ll even pay for it myself. I want you happy.
When you’re happy I am.”
****
Brandon had gotten the okay to tell Jezebel’s
family. His parents had vouched to the council they would help keep watch and
make sure they caused no problems. His family was coming to support him as he
told them, and Jezebel showed them the condition she was in thanks to the
boogiemen.
He got out of the car as his parents and brothers
pulled up behind him. Brandon walked around and helped Jezebel out of the car.
She grimaced as she put weight on her feet. “My brothers are home. They weren’t
happy I didn’t come home last night to see them.” Jezebel winced again, and he
picked her up. “You have to put me down. It will freak them out more when they
see me and you carrying me. If I’m walking I won’t look as bad.”
Brandon shook his head. “Sweetheart, trust me when I
say you walking looks worse. I’m surprised with your ankle and knee you walked
out of the club last night. The adrenaline pumping through you and your shock were
the only reason you did.”
“Do I really look that bad?”
“To me you always look beautiful, but, yes, you do
look like a truck ran over you.”
Her mother came running to her as she opened the
door. “Honey, what happened?”
Brandon picked up his speed and entered the house
not willing to draw more attention to them.
“Hey, Brat, where you
be—
what
the hell happened to you?” Jezebel’s brother took a step towards her,
then
glared at him with his fist clenched. “What did you do
to her?”
“Joel, Brandon didn’t do this to me. Where are Dad and
Samuel?”
“In the family room watching
football.”
Jezebel’s mother hovered around him.
“Let’s go there. It will be the best place to show
them and tell them. Did you bring girlfriends this year?” Jezebel sounded
tired. Brandon had called her brothers early in the week before they left to
come home. He’d gotten the numbers off his brothers. He’d had a talk to Jezebel’s
brothers, told them what selfish bastards they were being to their sister bringing
home women who were nasty to her and staying with people like that.
Joel didn’t look at his sister. “I thought this year
it might be better if we have you eat something at dinner. Or have you around
for a couple of hours so you don’t hide. I’m sorry I’ve been selfish, both
Samuel and I.”
Brandon heard a sob leave her. “You did that for me.
You came alone?”
Joel glanced at him, and he shook his head. He
didn’t want her to know he’d talked to her brothers. Jezebel’s mother saw the
exchange, and she nodded and mouthed “thank you”.
“Of course we did it for you.” He shrugged. “You may
be a brat, but I love
ya
.”
They walked into the family room as Jezebel’s father
yelled at the big screen.
When he saw
Jezebel in Brandon’s arms he jumped up and stormed to him. “What have you done
to my baby? Give her to me now.”
“Dad, he didn’t do this. Sit down. All of you.” They
must have heard something in her voice because they all sat.
“Jezebel, why are all the Prides in my house?”
Jezebel’s father glared at Brandon.
She sat with Brandon on the recliner. “They are here
for support. They are here because we have something to tell you and show you.
You have to promise you’ll all listen and not freak out or anything.”
“No, Jezebel, I’m not promising a—”
“Darrell, you can do this for your daughter. Look at
her.”
Jezebel’s parents stared at each other until her
father nodded.
Tyler stood forward.
“Hello, Mr.
and Mrs.
Dibson
.
I think it best if we show
you first.” Tyler started taking his clothes off, and Brandon felt Jezebel
turn.
Not wanting Jess to see his brother naked he
groaned. “Stop, Tyler. She’s my mate. I’ll do it. Stay with Jezebel.”
Tyler chuckled but nodded. Brandon eased Jezebel off
him and stood. He winked at Jezebel as he started taking off his clothes. He
slipped off his shoes and threw his shirt over his head.
When he unzipped his pants Jezebel’s father stood.
“Really, I don’t think this is appropriate. Jezebel, honey, turn your head.”
Jezebel giggled, and Brandon smiled her way before
he pulled his pants off and let the change come over him.
“Holy fucking shit,” Samuel said.
“Oh my God,” Jezebel’s
mother gasped out.
“No
friggin
’ way,” Joel
muttered.
Jezebel’s father didn’t say anything. He backed up,
looking at Brandon, obviously horrified.
Strolling to Jezebel he sat by her chair. “Isn’t he
amazing?” Jezebel said as she reached out and casually stroked him. When he
started purring she giggled and used both hands.
“He is
something,” Samuel whispered.
Brandon watched his mother step forward. “He showed
you this so you will believe what we have to tell you. I will tell you and let
my son stay in this form as a reminder.”
His mother explained everything. Brandon settled in
and relaxed against his mate. When the explaining of what being a mate meant
and that Jezebel was his, Jezebel’s father and brothers didn’t stay quiet. They
yelled their no.
Brandon’s father, who’d stayed quiet the whole time,
stepped forward and snarled. “I understand your concern, but speak to my mate
the way you have been again and I will show you what we can do. Got it?” His
father’s eyes flashed gold, and the men nodded.
Brandon’s mother smiled down at him and then looked
to Jezebel’s mother. “I know what we have told you and shown you
is
a lot to take in. You daughter is very lucky to be alive.
Last night she was at a club with Travis and Zeck, who are still in critical
condition. The club was a boogieman nest. Your daughter cannot be controlled,
or have her life drained from her, thanks to her being mated, but she still
went in without protection. The condition she is in is because she fought to
save herself and her friends before help could come. We shifters don’t go
anywhere by ourselves. We know the dangers.” He mother sighed. “I know Jezebel
is your baby, but she is eighteen. Now we could have not told you anything and
just helped Jezebel when she was ready to move out and so on, but Jezebel wanted
you to be told. She wants to do what’s right and not leave you in the dark.”
His mother smiled at Jezebel. “You have a wonderful daughter and should be
proud. Now I think I have covered everything. You may now ask questions one at
a time.”
“Brandon, could you please change back?” Jezebel’s
mother said.
Standing, he nodded his lion head. Then he stretched
letting the change take a hold of him. Brandon stood before them naked. His mother
passed him clothes, and he slipped into them. He then picked Jezebel up and set
her on his lap nuzzling her neck as she eased herself back on him and wiggled
to get comfortable.
“How you doing, beautiful?”
“Good. I needed to hear it all a second time.”
“The mate thing explains a lot,” Jezebel’s mother
said. Brandon turned to look at her. “All you have to do is look at my daughter
and your son when they are in a room. They are like magnets. I’ve never seen my
daughter like this with anyone else, even when she had a crush on your
brothers.” Jezebel groaned and buried her face into his chest. “Jezebel, how do
you feel about all this?”