Authors: Melissa Haag
I turned to go as he asked but ended up scooped in his arms instead. Despite my effort to suppress my hurt, he’d obviously felt it. He walked inside with me and up the stairs to our room.
He nudged the door closed behind us and then set me on my feet. Embarrassed, I stared at his chest. A tiny thread of annoyance tickled me, and his fingers touched under my chin with gentle upward pressure. I gave in and met his gaze.
“Tell me what I did that caused that much...unhappiness.”
“Go ahead inside. The rest is just pack business,” I repeated. “I’m not part of the pack.”
His shoulders dropped, and he heaved a sigh.
“I told you, you’re the heart of the pack. Without you, we don’t exist. I wasn’t excluding you; I was trying to give you an opportunity to do something you might find more interesting.”
“I
am
doing what I find interesting,” I said. “If I’m to be the Mate of the pack leader, I should know pack business.”
A wave of hunger washed over me.
“You should,” he said.
I knew I needed to retreat.
“All right. Good, then. I’ll just go and make sure we have enough food for everyone. Let me know what pack business you discuss.”
My attempt to leave the room failed. Before I made it a step, he caught my hand, and turned me around. His lips settled on mine before I could focus on him. The kiss was intense but thankfully brief.
“Save some food for me,” he said. Then he walked out the door.
* * * *
Thomas watched me hungrily throughout the remainder of the day as his pack business seemed to follow me wherever I went.
I helped find rooms for those who were staying. I handed out mats. I helped sort through our dwindled supply of clothes to find extras for those who were considering jobs. And I cooked.
After dinner, I excused myself and headed up to my room. Thomas was two steps behind me. I thought he’d give me trouble, but our routine didn’t change. He left the room so I could put on my night clothes then came in and blew out the lamp. He settled next to me and held me, just as he always did.
However, his hunger remained.
* * * *
I woke with Thomas wrapped around me again. It was still dark out. Thomas’ breathing was steady, but not as slow as it usually was when he slept.
“I doubt I need that stove installed in here,” I said, wiping the sweat from my upper lip.
He chuckled and lifted his head from my shoulder. “I’ll keep you warm every night until the day we die, if you let me.”
My pulse leapt. I loved this man with an intensity that scared me. Despite my doubts about our ages and my efforts to ignore how I felt, I knew my feelings wouldn’t go away. I couldn’t imagine a world without Thomas by my side. His calm acceptance of his responsibilities, his dedication to his people, and stubborn refusal to give up on me had won me over long ago. I surrendered to the feelings of love and commitment.
As if sensing my acceptance, Thomas growled and kissed me with a passion that stole my breath.
“Tell me you’re mine,” he said, pulling back to kiss my neck.
“I’m yours.”
His satisfaction washed over me.
“Forever.” He nipped at my collarbone.
“Yes. Forever,” I whispered as his hands skimmed up under my shirt.
I squeaked in surprise when my shirt disappeared along with my shorts. Then, his lips met mine in the longest, sweetest kiss we’d ever shared. Afterwards, he pulled away and stared down at me. He had that combined look of tenderness and intensity that stole my breath.
“I love you, Charlene,” he whispered.
My heart was his.
“I love you, too,” I said.
He gave me a small, satisfied smile and dipped his head to kiss my neck again. His teeth scraped me as he kissed a trail there. I wasn’t concerned. I trusted him not to hurt me. However, my heart skipped a beat as his bare hips settled over mine.
“Shh. Don’t be afraid.”
He slowed his kisses, and his patience eventually melted me from the inside. Each sensation took me further away from the physical world.
In my passion-clouded mind, I sensed the connecting threads of his pack and his continued struggle to hold so many. It distracted me from his caress along my leg, and I barely noticed his weight settle more securely. I felt one of the threads he held slip slightly as he nipped at my collarbone again. The pressure between my legs increased, and a sudden pain pierced me, pulling me from mindless passion. As I gasped, a thread pulled free as my will tried to slip into place. I quickly grabbed for the lost thread, and before another could escape, I wrapped my will around them all.
Together. Always.
“Charlene. I’m sorry,” Thomas whispered in my ear. “Are you all right?”
It took a moment to realize he wasn’t talking about the threads. I noticed the pressure between my legs and how he shook above me.
“Yes.”
I held the collective will of the pack; and before I could decide if I should tell him, he moved; and I lost myself to the moment.
* * * *
I woke first, an unusual event. While I snuggled against Thomas, I gently explored the threads I held. Through his connection, they felt so very human. I knew that, if I wanted, I could easily manipulate them as I could a human.
I traced the threads to their counterparts and felt each individual’s will. Mary and Gregory were there, easy to distinguish from the rest. As I touched Mary’s contentment, I noticed something more. It was as if several other threads drifted from her. I lightly touched one and felt Winifred. Through Winifred, I felt hundreds more and gasped aloud. They were all connected like a spider web.
“Charlene?” Thomas said sleepily.
“Sorry,” I said. “I didn’t meant to wake you.” I tried to quell my panic but it didn’t work.
“What’s wrong?” His arms wrapped around me and gently rubbed my bare skin.
“Thomas, can you read my thoughts now?” I asked. Fear consumed me.
“In a way. I can only read the thoughts you send to me.”
I have secrets,
I thought at him.
“I know you do. And whatever they are scares you. Keep your secrets, Charlene. It doesn’t bother me. If you ever want to tell me, I’ll listen. But your secrets won’t change this or how I feel about you.”
What if they do?
They won’t,
he thought back at me,
because I love you unconditionally.
I touched his will. It didn’t slide from my grasp anymore. Through my hold, I felt my will spider out through his connections and further still through the other connections. When I touched Winifred and Grey, and the Elder in Europe, the number of connections exploded to the thousands. Near and far, I had complete control of them all.
Though Thomas’s love was unconditional, I knew his acceptance would always have conditions.
I was now the potential threat he and Winifred had feared.
Present...
“You’ve been doing that a lot since we left,” Thomas said coming to stand behind me. His hands settled on my shoulders as I continued staring out the hotel window. Bethi, Gabby, Luke, and Clay were now barely visible in the glow of the streetlights. They were on their way to find the fifth member of our little group. Bethi’s excited nervousness and her desperation had been palpable.
I was relieved that only the four were going. Emmitt, Michelle, and Jim were a door down from our room. Close enough to keep safe, though Gabby had assured the Elders she would be watching for Urbat. So far, their net hadn’t closed on this area.
“Doing what?” I asked, gently laying my hand on his.
“Drifting off. Do you want to talk about it?”
“No, I don’t,” I answered honestly. He wouldn’t accept less. “Mostly I’m thinking about my past.” And what I would do to keep the ones I loved safe.
“You’re worried.”
“I am. I’m worried that my secrets, when you hear them, will be more than your Claim can withstand.”
He turned me, and I met his serious, dark gaze.
“You’ve always been stubborn. But, I can’t believe that after all these years, you still doubt me.”
“It’s not doubt in you or your ability to love me. I’ll never doubt either. I’m worried you won’t be able to forgive me everything.”
He frowned. “Now, you’re worrying me.”
“I know. And I’m sorry. I love you, Thomas. More than ever.” I sighed and looked out the window once more. “Something is pulling at me. Something dark and ominous. It’s whispering to me to be strong, to wait. It’s telling me the end is near. The end to what? I don’t know. But I sense it’s not going to be good. When Bethi started talking about Judgements and balance, it felt right.”
I sighed again and said the words that had been weighing on my mind.
“The cycle is almost at its end. I feel like it’s the end of our time here, of me.”
Thank you for reading. Gabby and Clay, Emmitt and Michelle, Bethi and Luke, and Thomas and Charlene aren’t done yet! The series continues with Isabella’s story (keeping reading for an exclusive sneak peek).
Did you know that reviews on reader and retailer sites help shape the future of the Judgement Series? I try to read them all and listen to what each says. Because so many of you have asked for more, I’ve decided to write novellas from Clay, Emmitt, and Thomas’ point of view. I can’t wait to share their stories. Keep leaving the reviews, and I’ll keep listening!
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The Judgements:
Additional Characters:
The light’s Gabby sees:
Coming 2015
The phone rang before my alarm. Hell hath no fury like a woman woken before her alarm. I fumbled to find the phone in the dark.
“Hello?” My voice crackled.