“What the fuck?” Calla jerked at the sound of her brother’s voice. She slowly stepped around her mate and narrowed her eyes as Malaki marched toward her. “So, he touched you?”
“No, Mal,” she sighed, so tired of his anger. “I touched him. It was time.”
Malaki watched as Taze came to her side. She was thankful her mate didn’t wrap his arm around her shoulders or hold her hand. It was time she did it on her own, and even as the other Guardians and Protectors gathered around them, she didn’t care who heard her.
“Before you yell and scream, I want you to know that I refuse to talk to you until you and my mate can become friends,” she stated, walking toward her brother. “We went through a lot, but that time is over, Mal. It’s been long enough. You and I have to let go of what happened and live our lives before it’s too late. This fighting has to stop.”
“You know how I feel,” he said through gritted teeth. She wasn’t worried about Taze’s safety because Malaki hadn’t taken his eyes off of her. If he intended to attack, he would’ve already zeroed in on her mate.
“I do know how you feel, but you need to understand this.” She paused to walk up to him. He finally relaxed when she took his hands and squeezed them tightly. “I love him, Mal. He completes me. With Taze, I feel free for the first time in six years. Please, please understand that we have to let what happened go. I have. I can’t thank you enough for the things you’ve done for me, especially during our captivity. You did everything you could do, and I don’t blame you for anything that happened to me.”
A tear built at the corner of his eye, and he heaved in a ragged breath as the first one fell over his lashes. “I have nightmares about what they did. I see it over and over in my head, and I don’t know how to stop it. What they did to you…I just…”
“You have to get past it, Mal,” she pressed. “Come with me to therapy? Come talk to someone about this. I don’t know how else to help you.”
Malaki shook his head and brought their conjoined hands to his lips as he kissed the back of her hand. “I don’t know if I will ever forget the things I saw. I am so fucking happy you’ve found a way to get through it, and if he makes you happy, then that’s all I want. It’s all that mom and dad would’ve wanted, too.”
“What about you, Mal?” she asked, feeling like her brother was slipping away.
“I don’t know what the future holds for me,” he admitted. “You need to stop worrying about it and live your life to the fullest. You deserve the world, Calla. You truly do.”
“So, do you,” she cried as he dropped her hands and backed away. “Mal? Mal, where are you going?”
She watched as he turned toward Taze, his eyes still wet with tears. “Take care of her.”
“I will give her the life she deserves,” Taze replied and came to her side, wrapping his arms around her body.
“I need some time, Calla,” Malaki stated as he started to walk away.
She watched as the Guardians relaxed and moved out of the way so her brother could leave the area. There was so much he needed to work through, and she hoped he would join her during the therapy sessions.
“Mal,” she cried when he disappeared down the road to his cabin. Turning into Taze’s chest, she knew it wasn’t going to be that easy. “I have a feeling he will be gone by morning.”
Talon got word of their mating and gave Taze the next few nights off of work. He thanked his leader and took Calla home to gather some of her things before finally tucking her into their mated bed. Seeing her upset made Taze upset, but he couldn’t just leave her to go knock some damn sense into her brother. Although, that was exactly what he wanted to do.
She’d stopped crying for her brother, knowing Malaki had to get help on his own, but she knew it was best to let him go. There wasn’t much she could do for him if he didn’t want to help himself. Taze wanted to give his mate the ultimate gift of his friendship with Malaki, but there was no way that was going to happen overnight.
“Can I draw you a bath?” he asked as he slipped beneath the covers. Every time he touched her, the electric spark of their mating sent a thrill through his body. Taze didn’t think he’d ever get tired of it.
“Yeah, I’d like that,” she murmured, but rolled over toward him. “I have to let him go, don’t I?”
“It’s probably for the best,” Taze replied, kissing her brow. “He will come back.”
“I know,” she said, shaking her head. “He’s always been stubborn.”
Taze agreed, but didn’t say anything else. He didn’t want to spend the first night of their mating in bed worrying about her brother. Malaki would come around, but it was going to take time.
He slipped out of the bed and headed for the bathroom, turning the water on and adjusting the temperature. He’d made sure to install a large, jetted tub for her when he’d designed the cabin. He’d dreamt of this very thing many times over. With the mating, the need to pamper her was ramped up more than he ever imagined.
“Come on,” he urged, holding out his hand. “Let’s take a bath and get some rest.”
Calla yawned as they entered the bathroom, both of them slipping out of their clothes. Taze stepped into the steaming water first and helped her over the edge. They both let out a moan when they sank into the water.
He made slow work of washing her body, paying extra attention to the tense areas of her shoulders as he kissed the mating mark on her neck. “I am the luckiest male in the world.”
“I think I’m the luckiest female in the world,” she hummed as she ran her tiny fingers up and down his legs. She was giving off her mating scent, and his cock couldn’t hide behind his jeans when they were wet and naked in the water.
“You can’t touch me like that, sweetheart,” he warned.
“But I want to.” Taze heard the pout in her voice and smiled as he nipped at the mating mark he’d left on her skin just a few hours ago. It’d healed nicely, but with his saliva, the scar remained.
“I didn’t know a mating was this intense,” he admitted, releasing her when she turned around, kneeling before him.
“I didn’t either, Taze,” she grinned. The smile she gave him was full of trust and love.
There was that word again. She’d come right out in front of her brother and the entire pride and said she loved him. “So, you love me?”
Calla’s cheeks reddened, and she lifted herself from her kneeling position to cup his face. “I do, Taze. I think I have since we started training in that facility all those years ago.”
“I’ve known I loved you for that long, too,” he echoed, cupping her face and pulling her toward his lips. She was breathless by the time they separated. “I will keep my promise to your brother and give you the world.”
“You already have, Taze,” she said, wrapping her arms around his neck. His cock hardened even more when she pressed her breasts to his chest.
“How about we finish this bath and head back to the bed?” he asked through his extended canines. “I like the way you sit on my lap.”
“Mhmm,” she hummed and kissed him again. He could die in that moment and be a happy male. His mate’s lips were made for him, and he was going to make sure he touched them several times a day for the rest of their lives.
By the time they made it to the bed, he’d let her take the lead, climbing over his body and taking his cock with her tiny hand. She didn’t hesitate and brought it to her body, working her pussy until he was fully seated.
“You do like that,” she stated as she reached up to place one hand on the headboard and the other over his heart. When she swiveled her hips, he dug his fingers into them and rocked her body until she let out a sound that told him she was getting as worked up as him.
The end of the night came a few hours later, and his mate fell asleep cuddled against his side. He closed his eyes and said a silent prayer to the gods that Malaki would actually come back like he’d promised her, because if he didn’t, she wouldn’t take it very well.
By morning, they’d cleaned themselves up enough to join his parents for breakfast. His mother had hugged Calla the second they walked in the door. Taze watched as they laughed and bonded over her inability to cook.
“I like her, son,” his father grunted. Taze chuckled at his old man. He’d always been like that, and Taze was sure he got his outgoing nature from his mother. “You did good.”
“I think I did, too.” He smiled as his mate came around the corner. He prayed he’d always have that flutter in the pit of his stomach whenever he laid eyes on her, and although she was dealing with her past, he knew they still had a lot of growing to do.
It didn’t matter to him how long it took, because he loved her deeply. He’d protect her with his life and teach her more ways to protect herself should the day come when he wasn’t there to do it.
“Are you ready to eat?” she asked as she came to his side.
“Yes,” he said as he dropped his head to kiss her lips. “Let’s spend a little time with them and head home. I haven’t had enough time alone with you.”
“I’d like that, Taze,” she blushed as she lowered her voice. He glanced over her head, seeing his mother standing by the kitchen table. The spark in her mother’s eyes told him she felt the same as his father did. “How about we spar later today?”
“Yeah, I need a rematch,” he growled. “I have a lot of ideas on some ground work we could do.”
“Oh yeah?” she flirted.
“Yeah,” he nodded as he turned her toward the kitchen. “I do, love…I do.”