"Oh, there you are!" Mrs. Morretti placed a hand on Troy's arm garnering both of our attention. "Come, my dear, meet the rest of your family."
"Okay, but I think we're bringing a tag-a-long," Troy answered looking at the baby in my arms.
"I can still meet people with a baby in my arms," I said moving to the general direction she came from.
"Of course you can dear." She smiled brilliantly at me and led the way towards the group of people who all resembled Troy and her in some way.
"Your family?" I whispered to Troy and he nodded with a grin. As we approached the group turned so that I was facing an array of Auburn and brunette haired people along with the mates of those standing there in an array of hair colors and physiques. I hastily threw my gaze back down to baby Charlotte who was still blissfully asleep. In that moment I was the center of attention again meeting everyone.
"Everyone I'd like you to officially meet Rosabelle, my mate." His hand slid easily around my waist and I shifted leaning into him subtly for support and encouragement. My eyes flicked up to his face and saw that he was smiling down at me. His hand also squeezed my hip as I returned a small smile. Charlotte fussed a bit and my attention quickly turned back to her as I slowly rocked her shushing in a soothing tone. When she settled I looked back up at everyone. The mates were holding each other and looking on with loving eyes.
"Sorry for the distraction," I indicated Charlotte with my head, " it appears someone can't not be the center of attention, it's lovely to meet you." I smiled as everyone laughed and then introduced themselves.
"Rose this is my mate Xander," Gwen was the first to introduce her tall blonde blue-eyed mate. He nodded in respect.
"Luna, it's a pleasure."
"Rose is fine, it's lovely to meet you as well." He nodded again and I noted that he wasn't much of a talker. I wondered at his role in the pack, was he a guardian? It would make sense given his non-communicative state and his physique.
"You've already met my mate, Reese, and I'm Wyatt." An auburn haired man with green eyes smiled at me. I returned it in earnest.
"Ah yes, the famous Wyatt and that would make you Colton." I turned to the dark haired blue eyed man holding Peyton. He laughed and nodded. I liked both of them immediately, they shared a similar demeanor of calm and easy-going.
"Very intuitive." I shrugged.
"It's not hard when you're one of the last to be introduced."
"And speaking of," Mrs. Morretti spoke up and I turned my attention back to her. "This is my mate and Troy's father Nathaniel." I looked up at the stoic older version of my mate, so similar in looks apart from the grey at his temples and his blue eyes. Troy's mom smiled at him and his face softened into a look of adoration showing his empathetic side. Charlotte fussed again and I softly hummed to her swaying a bit and her eyes opened. She started to scrunch her face into a cry and I continued to sway cooing softly to her.
"Charlotte, pretty girl don't cry. No, it's okay." She let out a small whimper in the beginning of a fit and I continued. "I know I'm not mommy, but I promise I'm just as nice." I used my baby voice and she stopped looking at me before breaking into a baby smile and cooing back in baby babble. I smiled brilliantly back clucking to her. Satisfied that she was content once more I turned my face back up to the man I was being introduced to. His face had softened when he looked at me.
"You're very good with pups." He nodded at Charlotte. "That will serve you well as a Luna."
"Thank you." I flushed with his praise and looked down at Charlotte. Then I turned my face up to see my mate looking at me in much the same manner that his father looked at his mother.
You will be a wonderful mother. I blinked at the sudden intrusion into my mind.
Troy?
Of course who else were you expecting?
How did you do that?
I just searched out your mind with mine.
So you can get in my head anytime you want?
Technically yes. I began to wonder how many times he'd been in my mind without my knowledge invading my thoughts. Putting it aside I returned my attention to the group in front of us.
"Oh, Rose! We almost forgot to introduce Troy's twin Greyson."
"Actually we've met Mother." He responded before I could.
"Oh?" She looked between us intrigued.
"Greyson stopped by the house last night when I stepped outside for some air." I felt the curiosity in the air grow despite the intention of my explanation. I looked to Troy who gladly took over.
"He heard that I was back and stopped by to see me." Everyone seemed to relax.
At the end of the night, I was exhausted and Nathaniel and Tanya kindly invited us to stay the night with them. Troy accepted and by 1:00 am I was bleary-eyed and leaned into Troy's shoulder as we sat around a fire.
"I think it's time to say good night." His voice rumbled through me as he shifted my body to the side so he could stand up. I blinked my eyes open and started to stand up when his hands scooped under my legs and behind my back cradling my body against his chest. I yawned and closed my eyes letting him carry me inside. Inside he walked upstairs and into a bedroom laying me down on the bed. His body heat left and I curled up in a ball on the bed cuddling into the bedding for warmth. I heard him shifting around but ignored it in favor of sleep. "Doll." His voice washed over me and I sleepily moaned a response. "Doll, you gotta get changed."
"Nooo..." my soft voice answered almost without thought.
"Come on," He shifted me off the bed and carried me into the bathroom. He set me on my feet and I swayed slightly before I steadied myself. Blinking against the bright light I started to pull pins from my hair letting it down. His hands joined mine pulling out all the pins and then running through my strands as I sighed. Then his hands went to my shoulder and down to the zipper on my gown, slowly he pulled it down exposing the sexy white lace bra and underwear that I was in. I stepped out of the gown and he dropped it to the floor growling at the sight. I caught my breath turning to face him in only my heels and underwear. I noticed then that he was wearing only dark grey sweats and nothing else. Slowly I woke up eyeing his frame as my body started to respond to his touch and gaze. His hands reached out and touched my waist grabbing me and holding me hostage against him. Without thinking I leaned into him and ground my hips against him. I stood on my tip toes and turned my face up to his pressing a kiss on his lips. He took control of the kiss and moved his hand behind my head holding me in place as he bit my lower lip so I would open up to him. I obliged letting his tongue in to duel with mine. He moaned and I lowered myself back to my feet and his mouth followed me down. Slowly he walked backward into the bedroom pulling me with him.
"We shouldn't," I whispered against his lips. He smirked against my lips before spinning us. "What are you do-?" I squeaked as he picked me up and tossed me onto the bed. I giggled and he growled following me onto the bed and placing his hands on my body. He crawled up over me brushing my bangs away from my face and then leaning down and placing kisses on my forehead, cheeks, and mouth. I sighed as he worked his way down my neck to my collar bone. "Troy..."
"Mmm." His lips barely left my neck to respond.
"We really can't in your parents' house."
"Mmm..." He wasn't paying attention and his mouth was centering on my collarbone
"Troy." His tongue traced over my collarbone and I shivered. He kissed the spot using his teeth to nibble at it. "Troy." He growled as I pushed against his head. His teeth clamped and I whined in pain. Troy's teeth pushed harder breaking the skin and I screamed in pain. He held me down as I struggled against him. I whimpered and writhed against his hold. My hands flailed, pulling his hair and pushing against his shoulders. "Let me go!" I screamed. He finally released me and I scrambled away from him leaning against the headboard. "What the hell?" I searched his face and saw my blood on his lips. Moving away from him I ran back to the bathroom and anxiously looked at my collarbone in the mirror. The blood was still flowing from the two puncture wounds where his canines had sank in, and I reached for a washcloth to staunch the flow. Troy appeared in the mirror. I shrank away from him as I took fear-filled breaths and maintained eye contact with my collarbone in the mirror. I winced setting the damp cloth against my skin but managed to hold it there letting the blood soak in. His hand reached for my waist and I jumped moving further away from him and trapping myself in the bathroom.
"Don't touch me."
"Can I just explain?" I glared at him in the mirror. "I'm sorry, I lost control."
"What the hell?" I yelled. "You can't just say sorry for biting someone to the point of bleeding." He reached for me once more and I moved leaning against the wall to get away from him. "Don't. Touch. Me." His hands dropped and he looked hurt. I started to reach out to him my wolf whimpering in pain at the thought of hurting him. No, he did that to himself. He bit me and people who do that don't deserve my sympathy. I stayed against the wall holding my hand over the bite marks as though I was protecting it from him.
"Doll please," I whined and huddled against the wall. He stepped towards me and I shrank away. "Please, I'm sorry. Just let me see and come back to bed."
"Get out," I said softly raising my eyes back to his.
"Rosabelle."
"Get out." He hesitated but then listened and I crumbled as soon as he left falling so that I was sitting against the wall. My knees pressed against my chest as I leaned my head back against the wall. I pulled the cloth off my neck looking at the blood soaked into it. I just didn't understand why he would do something like that. I suppose the only way to find out was to ask him. I wasn't going out there. I wasn't prepared to talk to him tonight about this so I did the only other feasible thing I could think of and spread a towel on the floor next to the bathtub and leaned my cheek against it closing my eyes to go to sleep.
The cool tile felt good on my cheek and I put all of the thoughts out of my mind drifting to sleep.
********
I awoke to the sensation of floating and looked up to seas of green.
"Shh... I'm only taking you to the bed to sleep. I bandaged your wound for you." Too tired to fight I closed my eyes once more.
********
Waking up I stretched and then curled around the pillow placed next to me. When the pillow wrapped an arm around my waist I jumped slightly. Opening my eyes I found him watching me. I frowned slightly remembering the dream I'd had.
"Morning,"
"Good morning, Doll." His tone was wary. I shook it off and continued on my train of thought.
"I had the strangest dream last night."
"Hmmm..."
"After the party we were..." I stopped and flushed. "You know, but then you did something weird."
"Oh?"
"You latched onto my collarbone, like a vampire and bit me." I laughed at how crazy it all sounded. He wasn't laughing and I stopped. "What? Oh my god! Are vampires real?" That got a small chuckle out of him.
"No."
"Then what? I mean it's not like you actually..." I stopped as my hand reached the bandage on my chest. I looked at him wide-eyed before scrambling from the bed in a flurry of limbs and blankets.
"Rosabelle." His hands reached out grabbing for me but I was already halfway to the bathroom. In the mirror, I saw the same bandage on my left side right over my collarbone. Slowly I peeled back the bandage and exposed the two small bite wounds. The area around them had reddened despite their healed appearance. I turned back to him standing in the doorway.
"What did you do?" I asked breathing heavily unsure if I should be afraid or not.
"I marked you."
"You what now?" I glared the angry female in me rising.
"I marked you so that every other male knows you're mine."
"Why are you so damn concerned with all the other guys? There are no other guys."
"Even if there were I wouldn't be concerned about it now."
"You didn't have to be concerned about it before!" I yelled. "Now the only thing you need to be concerned about is if I ever talk to you ever again." I stormed past him and picked up the dress from last night putting it on without doing up the zipper. I left the room and went straight back to the room where we all got dressed last night. I knocked on the door but got no answer. Opening it I found Coral just waking up when I entered and I hastily apologized.
"I'm sorry, I didn't know where else to go I need clothes."
"No, it's okay, I'm awake anyway." She got up and walked into the closet. "What do you need?"
"Anything is fine." I sat on the edge of the bed waiting in comfortable silence.
"Coral?"
"Yeah?" Her head popped out of the closet.
"Troy said something about Ryder being your school bully?"
"Oh, that." I watched her face deflate.
"You don't have to say anything if it's too personal."
"No, its okay, we're working on it."
"Did he ever... umm... mark you?"
"Yeah, why?"
"Does it bother you?"
"What?"
"The mark."
"No, why would it bother me?"
"I don't know because it's so possessive and patriarchal."
"Ahh... I see." She reappeared with a hoodie and a pair of shorts, taking them I hastily dressed in the hoodie and then slipped the shorts on letting the dress fall to the floor. Picking it up I handed it to her.
"Thanks for the clothes."
"Wait. Why are you asking all this stuff about being marked?" I shrugged.
"I was just curious." She cocked her head inspecting me.
"Why didn't you ask Troy?" I sighed and moved the hoodie to the side.
"We are no longer on speaking terms." She gasped moving closer to inspect it.