Authors: Nikki Winter
Fallon had left the dining hall to stand outside and stare up at the stars as she leaned against one of the pillars on the deck; her thoughts a million miles away. “Nah,” She sighed. “Just needed a little quiet.” Things around the lodge had been pretty uneventful since its closing; normal activities commencing on both her territory and that of Brody’s. There had been no sign of the other alpha’s brothers but Fallon was keeping her guard up.
At the moment though, that wasn’t where her worries rested.
“Do you want me to go back inside?” Ransom softly questioned. They were having dinner with a good portion of her brood before she’d slipped out.
She shook her head, grabbing hold of his arms before they could unravel from her waist. “No, I like you being here.”
“Then what’s bothering you?”
Fallon didn’t answer and he slowly turned her in his arms. “You’ve been unusually quiet for the last few days. And that worries me...because you’re not snarly and when you’re not snarly I fear for the world around you.”
Do you love me?
He did. She
knew
he did but that didn’t stop her from wanting to hear the words. Instead of saying that, she simply buried her face in his chest and inhaled the scent that had been rubbed against her skin, her sheets, towels, furniture—tea tree oil. The hint of peppermint always tickled her nose but if nothing else, the strong smell gave her the deepest sense of comfort when he was near her.
“Unless you want me to bend you over out here in plain sight, I suggest you stop making those noises, sweetheart.” Ransom whispered. “I would hate to give everyone a show.”
“I don’t mind a show!” Anoki suddenly yelled, obviously standing on the other side of the door—the pervy bastard. “Show us why our alpha is so cheery! All in favor of this motion say
aye!”
A chorus of “Ayes!” went up and before Ransom could pull away and go back inside to do some damage, they heard something large and hard knock against the door then Anoki’s now nasal voice bellowing, “
No matter how hard you try, my astounding beauty will never be ruined, you insane bastard!”
There was another thump and loud laughter but no more bellowing from Anoki. Fallon could only guess that was because Makya had knocked his younger brother unconscious which drew a long sigh from her.
“God in heaven those two...”
“Are probably exactly what our pups will be like.” Ransom muttered, then continued sounding slightly confused as he said, “Or will they be cubs? A combination of both I guess...I need to find out if there’s a technical term for this.” He prattled on, completely oblivious to the fact that Fallon had stopped breathing the moment he mentioned having children. “I mean...they’ll already be little hybrid freaks that everyone will probably run away from in terror if they inherit that adorable snarl of yours and my unintentional habit of making people cry
but
they’ll be our little terror inducing hybrid freaks and that’s really all that matters right?” Pulling back, he looked down at her. “Baby?”
“Hmm?” Fallon’s heart was caught in her throat so it was kind of hard to answer him coherently at the moment.
“Are you listening to me?”
She nodded. “Mmm-hmm.”
He nodded, his stare seemingly focused on something only he could see. “Having Maddox to slap around made my childhood brighter so maybe we should have two yeah? Or three?” Ransom focused his eyes on her face again. “It’s completely up to you. We could have none and I’d still be happy because I have you.” He planted a quick kiss on her lips. “You have that look on your face that says you need a minute. Come back inside when you’re all zen, kay?”
For the second time, she nodded mutely. With a small smile, Ransom left her on the deck, her heart beating wildly in her chest as she questioned what the fuck had just happened. And, precisely, whose vagina did he think she was giving birth to his enormous offspring with?
***
“Our fearless leader twitching with the urge to maim yet?” Cree questioned as Ransom slipped back into a chair at the table.
He snorted. “No, she’s just out there...suspiciously quiet.”
Cree nodded. “Ah, yes, the silent brooding.”
Running a hand through his hair, he exhaled as he sat back. “She’s been at it for days now but she won’t tell me what’s bothering her.”
“Maybe,” Maddox mumbled around a mouthful of food. “She’s contemplating how to tell you that she really loves me and no longer wants your depraved hands all over her.”
Ransom didn’t have to reach over and slam his brother’s forehead into the table. Cree did it for him.
“Ow!”
“Now,” The vicious female next to him said with a smile, ignoring his brother’s death glare. “If I know my Fallon—which I do—then she’s brooding because you haven’t marked her yet and she’s trying to figure out why.”
He frowned. “Because a month ago she couldn’t even admit the fact that we’re mates. I don’t want to rush her into something just so she can lament about being rushed later on down the road.
That’s
why.” He loved Fallon; adored the very ground her bright white paws touched but he was being careful to step lightly. He’d done everything he could to show her that he wanted her comfortable and content and he would continue to do so as long as he was able to wake up to that pretty face every morning; her soft sleep-growls in his ear.
Cree nodded. “And as a sensible being, I understand such linear, calm thought. But Fallon on the other hand...”
“Thinks I’m holding back because I’m not sure if she’s really the one.” He completed in sudden realization.
“And now you’re thinking like your mate.” She said approvingly. “Fallon isn’t subtle, Ransom. She doesn’t know what subtlety is.”
“I sensed that when she broke Anoki’s nose two weeks ago.”
“She was being unreasonable!” The aforementioned wolf yelled, still looking quite dazed from his unplanned nap.
“You can’t play the gentle role all the time with her, especially not with this.” Cree continued. “You had to storm the beach before right?” He felt his face heating and she chuckled. “Oh you’re just so goddamn adorable.” She patted his hand. “Sweetheart, sounds carry around here.”
Ransom cleared his throat. “Can we change the subject please?”
Normally everyone knowing that he made Fallon scream wouldn’t bother him, but with Cree it somehow felt...
weird.
Giving him an indulgent grin, she replied, “I’m going to tell you what you should do and how you should do it
now.”
***
“You...you have to make it stop.”
Mason gazed up at Aaron with disgust, annoyed that his quiet had been interrupted. “I don’t have to do a goddamn thing.”
His baby brother’s bruised face came into view as the fire he’d built flashed across it. “They’ve been doing it every day, Mason.”
He sighed and shrugged, watching the firelight dance off of the cave walls. “What do you expect, boy? You’re the omega.”
“I expect,” Aaron gritted out. “That my
brother
would at least have the decency to stop his so-called pack from trying to crack my ribs every other hour.”
“Oh suck it the fuck up already. This is the shit that makes you a man. Every pup experiences the initial fuckery before things get better.”
“That’s bullshit and you know it.” The younger wolf growled. “You’re standing by and watching them
hurt
me. It’s not okay.”
He rolled his eyes, irritated by this particular line of conversation. For months now they’d been living like true wolves. Hard dirt to sleep on, the moon overhead and a cave to keep them warm at night; biding their time until the perfect moment came to strike Wilder Land. It wasn’t about the territory anymore. Oh no, now Mason simply wanted that bitch dead and when he was done with her, he’d go back for Brody.
“Look,” He snapped at Aaron. “You’re not a toddler. Pick up your lip, stop pouting and fight back like a goddamn man.” So what? The pack had been having a little fun at Aaron’s expense. Why couldn’t the kid shrug it off and keep going?
It did nothing but make his stomach turn when Aaron’s adam’s apple bobbed, his eyes watering as though he were going to cry. “Brody wouldn’t let this happen...” The whelp whispered.
Mason was up so fast that his brother fell backwards and toppled to the ground. His hands clenched at his sides. “What did you say to me?”
Nothing but pure defiance stared up at him. “I said,
Brody wouldn’t let this happen.”
His eyes narrowed. “Maybe I’ll take a turn reminding you of your position here, then throw you back out to the rest.”
Just when he lifted an arm to do so someone called his name from the mouth of the cave.
“What?” Mason snarled.
“Got news that the Wilder bitch shut down for the season.” Mason’s beta answered.
He pulled back and looked over his shoulder. “Meaning?”
The beta grinned. “Meaning no one on that territory but her, her pack and those bears.”
Grinning back, Mason allowed his lips to curl into a leer as he turned his attention to his brother once more. “Go get yourself together, boy.”
Aaron scrambled away from him, running out of the cave and Mason shook his head. “Pussy.” He sighed and started out of the rock-made structure and past the group of men standing around. Snapping his fingers, he said, “Let’s start brainstorming eh?”
It seemed that his opportunity was finally knocking. Mason was just opening the door.
Chapter 17
“Are you ready to tell me why you’ve been so pouty lately?”
Fallon bit the inside of her cheek and buried her face into the space between Ransom’s neck and shoulder. They were lying together in the grass near Hanging Lake, enjoying the quiet time they had now and knowing that it was coming to an end in a few days when the lodge reopened and families once again swarmed in.
“I’ll take that as a
no.”
He murmured, sliding his palm down her back in slow gentle sweeps. “Eventually you’re going to flip your shit and bellow about whatever injustice has been done to offend your delicate wet-nosed sensibilities, baby. And when you do...I’m going to mock you.”
“
Or,”
She snarled. “I can lay here and stare at the stars and pretend like you’re not making me want to punch you in the crotch.”
“I like that second option. Go with that.”
Her mouth curved at the corners. “What am I going to do with you, Tottles?”
Ransom snorted. “Adore the very ground my paws touch because you know you can’t live without me.”
It was her turn to snort. “Is it comfortable in the fantasy world you exist in?”
He sighed. “Yeah...but there
could
be more honey.”
Ridiculous. He was absolutely ridiculous but so adorable that there was really nothing she could say right now that wouldn’t start with her blurting out,
“I love you!”
So Fallon kept her mouth shut, and her forehead pressed to his shoulder; enjoying this quiet time more than he would ever know. Ransom didn’t look at her and expect answers to problems; he did his best to solve them himself. He’d taken on at least half of her pack responsibilities to give her a chance to sit and
just breathe for a minute
as he liked to call it.
He never got jealous when she spent hours on end with her pack. He clearly wasn’t threatened by her relationships with the guys and he treated Cree as though she were his little sister. He was consistently calm and respected her position as alpha while reminding her that she could relinquish control without feeling weak when she was with him. Her grizzly simply gave her everything she could ever ask for without even really trying. Hopefully his clear signs of adoration would be enough to keep her Daddy from killing him when her parents came to visit. She had no clue what his sleuth would think when he told them but Fallon got the distinct feeling that he really didn’t give a fuck about anyone else’s opinion.
It wasn’t a rebellious, middle finger to the world, attitude. He just really
didn’t
care. And she was so grateful for that.
“Uh-oh. Somebody’s contemplating on something other than chasing bunnies,” Ransom teased. “Watcha thinking about, baby?”
Biting her lip, she turned her head and replied, “You and your great, big magical bear co—”
“Excuse me, your highness!”
Fallon’s back snapped straight at the sound of Cade’s loud and amused voice from just a few feet away. “
What?”
“Full moon tonight.” Her pack mate answered matter-of-factly. “Or did you not notice because you’re too busy thinking about your boyfriend’s great, big, magical bear co—”
“You finish that sentence and I
will
hurt you.
Badly.”
She cut in.
Ransom’s chest rumbled with his laughter and she pinched him.
“Ow!”
“Don’t encourage the stupidity of others!”
“But it’s so funny!”
“
Ransom!”
He gave her his signature goofy grin. “Go hunt. I’ll be here when you get back. Me and my great, big, magical bear co—”
She slapped a hand over his mouth and turned to Cade who was
clearly
laughing. “Go. Away.”
The wolf held up his hands with a smile. “We’ll be waiting for you, oh great leader.”
Her bark was enough to let him know how irritated she was as he took off running to where the rest waited for her. Grumbling, Fallon got to her feet and stripped before handing her clothes to Ransom.