Chapter 44

All four men stopped the second they heard Marcy’s sharp disapproving tone. The only one of the four who seemed to have any sobriety left in them was Alaric and he looked a little more than terrified to have been caught coming into the house in such a state. James and Jaxson were leaning heavily on each other. Jaxson was unable to stop laughing and James was just trying to walk straight. Jett was hanging onto Alaric and smiled brightly when he seen Cassidy and seen she was alright. “James! She looks perfectly fine! You made it sound like you were the big bad wolf and ate her alive.” He joked, sending Jaxson into another round of laughter and James to look right at Cassidy with a wolfish grin on his face as his eyes traveled her body.

“Oh I’ll eat her alright. Breakfast, lunch and dinner.” James said with a gruff sounding voice that had Jett and Jaxson laughing so hard they nearly fell down.

“James!”

“James!”

Both Macy and Cassidy yelled at the same time. The mother appalled her son would say such a thing in open company. Cassidy blushing brightly, shocked and her mind instantly wandering to thoughts of the two of them in bed and just what he was implying.

“I think its time to go… Lets get Jax in a bed” Hunter said under his breath already getting up while Max frowned and pouted.

“Aw, but I wanted to hear how he gets out of this..” Max complained while he quickly stood and moved around the table to go with Hunter.

Jaxson put up a bit of a fight, resisting his adoptive brothers attempts at dislodging him away from James. “No! I want to meet my brothers crush. I have to.. To tell her how sorry I am.” He said as James rolled his eyes and flopped himself down on one of the couches.

“He blames himself for your treatment… Since he is the one who gave the official order to have you brought in.” James explained, frowning as his mother started to fuss over him being filthy and getting dirt all over the nice clean house, but Cassidy’s voice cut through and had everyones attention.

“He should be guilty.” She said sharply, looking firmly at Jaxson, remembering the same red furred wolf from that first night who had come to the road. She could easily see it was the man who looked so crestfallen over her words, and then in the next reassurance was happy as a lark again. “But I forgive him. I do understand, more than most, the need to protect your loved ones from danger. You found two strangers loaded to the teeth with weapons. I don't blame you for what happened down in those cells Jaxson. You are very loyal and I am pleased with your effort to protect your Alpha.” She said softly, feeling for the wolf.

Macy glanced at Cassidy when she handled Jaxson so well, making up her mind right then and there that Cassidy would make a hell of a Luna once she came around to the idea herself. “Come along sons..” She said, spreading her arms and herding the men towards the kitchen. “Lets get some coffee into you and get you sobered up.” She said warmly.

“I'm not your son!” Jett had complained, still being mostly held up by Alaric who was already following Macy’s direction knowing better than to argue with the elder woman.

“You are now. Now get moving. Lets give the Alphas some time alone together. Now move it pups.” Macy scolded them and moved the group to the kitchen, leaving James and Cassidy alone.

James was already starting to sober up thanks to the sped up metabolism of being a werewolf and what was worse, the alpha genes just increased it more. He had slouched back against the sofa and holding a hand over his eyes, slowly rubbing his for head against the headache that was starting as he dried up. Cassidy stood uncertainly for a few seconds after Macy had left her alone with James. She felt a little awkward, chewing on her lower lip for a moment before she leaned down and picked up a bottle of water and one of the sandwiches Macy had made. She went over to James and lightly touched the back of his hand with the cool bottle. “Here…” she said in a quiet tone. “You should eat something too. It will help with the headache I'm sure you are about to get.” She told him before sitting down close to him after he took the water and sandwich. She was quiet as he took a few mouthfuls of the sandwich and then washed it down with several swallows of water before she finally looked up at him and his bruised, mud covered face. “Are you alright?”

James grunted a little and leaned his head back, looking up at the ceiling. “I'm fine.” He said and looked over at her, frowning a little. “Jett and I had a little misunderstanding. Then Jaxson and I trained for a bit before Jett came back for more and Alaric joined in. We all ended up laughing at ourselves and then grabbing some drinks and headed here.”

Cassidy frowned when James said he and Jett had a misunderstanding and she glanced towards the kitchen. “He didn't act out of line I hope? I know… he isn't technically my beta any more but I have a responsibility towards him.” She said before she reached up and gently touched the brightly colored bruise at the corner of his mouth. “Did he do this?” she asked and then took a breath when James quickly caught her by the wrist and then kissed the palm of her hand.

“I deserved it. I was being an asshole to him but we are on good terms now. He isn't too bad of a guy.” James said with a bit of a smirk before bringing her hand down to place it over his heart while he took a few more drinks of the water and then sighed. “Truthfully, I was angry that… well… That you were a virgin and I didn't know.” He said and gave her hand a squeeze when Cassidy blushed and then tried to pull her hand again, keeping it firmly where it was. “I was looking for someone to blame because I hurt you, when I should have been more aware.” He said in a low, guilty tone.

Cassidy stared at James when he blamed himself for any kind of discomfort she might have felt from earlier in the morning. She could feel the heat on her cheeks and tried to pull her hand away from him at first but when he explained more, she relaxed a bit and then let out a quiet, shy giggle. “I mean… I wasn't exactly stopping you. It hurt for a little while, but I suppose most first experiences are like that. You more than made up for any pain James. I'm not complaining.” She said with a smile. James had such a mixture of relief and happiness at the news that he hadn't hurt her as bad as he thought, that Cassidy couldn't help herself and leaned over him, pressing her lips to his in an almost hesitant kiss in an attempt to show him he didn't have to worry. It was meant to be something sweet and kind from her, but when James gave a husky low groan all thoughts she had melted and her only thought was him and getting a better taste of him.

James understood the pull of the bond. He had felt it the second he met her. He felt it raise in intensity after he had marked her and she had not had a chance to mark him. It was going to play havoc with their hormones and instinctive need to be together. Not that he was complaining when Cassidy kissed him. The sound he made was involuntary, he pleasantly surprised when she kissed him and even more so when she deepened the kiss. James abandoned the half eaten sandwich and half drank bottle of water, his hands coming up to grip her around the waist and pulling her closer.

Cassidy felt like her body was coming alive when they kissed. Warmth spread through her and she felt oddly aggressive towards James. When he gripped her and pulled her closer, she took it one step farther and moved up over his lap, straddling over and seating herself firmly against him. She used the surprised and shocked look on his face to her favor over her sudden move and broke the kiss only to sink her teeth into his lower lip biting just enough to get his full attention before she let go. “I'm not complaining.” She repeated to him in a hushed whisper, linking her arms around the back of his neck and giving a startled yelp of a noise when James stood up out of no where forcing her to wrap her legs around his waist to hold on. “James!”

“You are a dangerous woman Cassidy Roan…” James growled at Cassidy in return before heading for the stairs, desperately in need of getting the she-wolf into a shower.

"Says the big bad wolf who threatens to eat me." She retorted with a grin before jumping when James' hands squeezed her ass in warning.

"It wasnt a threat. It was a promise."