Annie sat up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes, the gentle knock soft and hesitant, pulling from her light slumber.
“Can I come in?” The soft feminine voice asked, it was familiar and she nodded before realizing they couldn’t see her.
“Yes,” Annie called out as she pushed herself up, trying to smooth out her hair.
It was the woman from before, the one who had hugged her when she thought that Sam was about to send her away. The beautiful athletic women, her hair a messy ponytail of blue and pink strands. “I made you some tea.” She said with a smiled that made Annie’s heart do a flip.
“Thank you, Candy.” She realized she liked saying her name as she scooted to the edge of the bed as Candy sat down holding out the steaming mug to her.
“It’s no problem, I thought you might need something.” Candy blushed as her eyes shyly met Annie's. Her fingers brushed against Annie’s as she accepted the colorful mug and Annie sucked in a deep breath at the sparks she felt.
Her eyes shot down to their fingers. She wanted to ask Candy if she felt that as well, but didn’t want to seem weird to the pretty shifter. Annie had no doubt that Candy was part of Drake’s pack. She gave off the same aura as Beau and the other wolves gave off. That almost feral nature that all shifters seemed to have about them. There was something about her though that seemed to call to Annie, make everything she felt about what had happened with her sister and what might happen in the future seem a little less dim.
“Did you feel that?” Annie finally gave in to the nagging question.
“I did,” Candy said biting back a smile, as her eyes met her mates blue eyes. Eyes that reminded her of family vacations to the sea, the waters crisp and clear and so very blue.
“What, what does it mean?” Annie asked, her eyes darting to Candy’s lip as she lightly bit the soft flesh. Annie had never found women sexy before, but that simple bite made butterflies dance in her stomach and arousal course through her.
“You’re my mate.” Candy breathed out. She wanted to lean forward, to press her lips against Annie’s full lips. To bring her hand up and see if her skin felt as soft as it looked, to rest her hand on her belly. Feel the kicks of the baby, a baby she knew she would love no matter what. It was a part of her mate, how could she not?
“I’m not a wolf though.” Annie said, frowning as she pulled the mug back and inhaled the fragrant steam. Beau had told her that only wolves had fated mates, and that if his came around she and her sister would have to learn how to get along with her.
“It doesn’t matter. To me, my wolf knows. I know you’re it for me.” Candy said, worrying her lower lip.
“I’m not sure what I should say.”
“You don’t have to say anything.” Candy said smiling. Annie nodded her head as she lifted the warm mug up and took a small sip. The lemon ginger tea soothing and made her stomach rumble.
“This is really good, thank you.” Annie said before taking another sip.
“I’m glad you like it, maybe I can make it for you again?”
***
Candy wanted to kick herself. She didn’t know why she was having trouble trying to think of something to say to Annie. Normally if she liked someone, it was easy, all she had to do was tell them she liked them. It was so easy to do that with her previous partners. A night of fun or a few days of it and then she could go back to pining away over Eli.
This was her mate though, she didn’t want this to be a random hook up or a few days of fun. She wanted to woo Annie, to make her feel loved and cherished. To see her heart shaped face light up with a smile, see the hurt and the pain she saw be replaced with happiness. Happiness that Candy hoped she could be a part of.
“Would you like to go to the clinic later and we can have my mom check on your baby?” She asked.
Annie’s face dropped and Candy wasn’t sure what she had said that was wrong. Most of the women who came into the clinic were ecstatic over their pregnancies. Could it be the thought of who she had the baby with?
“We don’t have to, but I figured it would help you feel better to know that the baby is fine.” Candy said watching her mate’s face fall and the tears start, Annie’s shoulders sagged and her chin hit her chest.
“I don’t want to be pregnant. It was never supposed to be like this, I messed up so badly.” She said in a gasping sob, Candy leaned over taking the mug from her hand and sitting it onto the nightstand table.
“It’s okay, we’ll figure this out together.” She said grabbing Annie’s small hand in her own calloused ones. Years of holding drum sticks had left her hands calloused and rough.
“I don’t know what to do, it’s not just one baby. I couldn't let Beau know that, I didn't trust him and the pack doctor was helping me hide it.” Annie sobbed harder, the salty scent of her tears hitting Candy almost as hard as a punch to the gut. She moved closer, wrapping her arms around Annie, tucking the woman’s head to her shoulder.
“It’ll be okay.”
“No, it won’t. I’ve messed up before, but never like this. What if Abby doesn’t make it out alive? What will I do without her?” Annie’s thin shoulders shook and Candy got a grasp on how thin her mate really was. She need rest and to be taken care of, not to worry herself sick.
“Eli is strong and Drake will find her, I promise. Owen may be a bloodsucker, but I trust him. And that demon, I don’t know him but he seems to want to keep your sister safe too.” Candy blurted out as she rubbed her hand in a soothing circle over Annie’s back.
“I just need her to come home.”
“She will, they’ll bring her home. We could wait on the porch if you’d like.” Candy suggested, she had hoped before that they would find Abby. Now she needed them to find her for her mate. She didn’t think her mate would be able to handle it if they didn’t.
Stolas focused on the winding road in front of him as he navigated Eli’s van in the fading sunlight.His mind going to the pretty werewolf and Abby’s twin, he tried not to listen to the softly spoken conversation going on behind him.It was next to impossible to not hear Owen and Eli talking.“I feel like I do with Abby.”Eli said and Stolas peeked into the review mirror at the wolf.“What did you do?”“The demonmarked you, claimed you as one of mine.”“Is it like a mate bond?”Eli asked as he sat across from Owen, his back pressed against the door of the band.Fingers picking at a drum case as he tried to focus on anything but the man that he now felt drawn to.“Yes and no, it will fade over time if I don’t feed from you again.”Stolas tried to tear his attention away from the conversation once again, thinking about what Sam had said. 
Annie watched the witches chant around her sister, she could feel the magic pulse around them.Abby lay still in the circle, her eyes closed.She looked peaceful in sleep; the moon was just beginning to shine and it made her sister look otherworldly.Annie felt a hand sneak into her own, threading with her fingers, and she looked up at Annie.Smiling softly at the strength that the woman was trying to lendher.It made her heart beat faster; she was beginning to have feelings for the wolf.Candy didn’t look like she would be the affectionate type to Annie, with her wild pink streaked blue hair.Her arms were bare in the tank top she had on, showing arms that weremuscular from beating away at her drums.Her shorts didn’t do much to cover up legs that were toned and strong from hours spent running.Annie couldn’t help but wonder if the skin of her legs would be soft and smooth if she touc
Abby was taken inside to rest and the remaining members of the pack had headed off to do other things.The witches were taken inside and give space to rest until Sam could teleport them home.Candy stood watching Annie as the dark-haired man spoke with her.His smell wasn’t as delicious as Annie’s but Candy still couldn’t help the way her wolf perked up at his soft scent.Almonds with something clean, like a citrus fruit and incenses that tickled her nose and made her think of magic.She walked closer to two of them. His voice was calm and soothing and she felt the same pull to him as she did to Annie.Candy bit her lip. How could this be?That she was drawn to both of them. She could feel her wolf brushing against the surface.The beast wanted out, wanted to go to its mates.The man turned his head, shaking his long hair over his shoulder as his indigo eyes met hers.Candy felt her pulse qui
Dinnerwas hadin comfortable conversation by the three.Stolas made his way up to talk to Sam while Candy walked Annie to her room.“Thank you for dinner,”Annie said with a slight blush staining her cheeks.“Anytime, I enjoyed cooking for you.”Candy said, she wanted to kiss Annie but didn’t want to scare her away.Stepping closer, Candy nervously fidgeted with the hem of her tank top. Annie looked up at her with wide blue eyes as she tucked a lock of hair behind her ear.She stepped closer to Candy, feeling the heat of her body through her thin t-shirt.“Is it okay, if I-“Annie said before looking down shyly.“Yes.”Candy blurted out as she leaned forward, pressing her lips to Annie’s soft lips.Annie sighed, feeling the sparks from before, the he
Candy tossed beneath the cotton sheets in the darkness of her room. The cold shower she had taken had done nothing to take away the need she felt. The longing to go to her mate, to take her. Claim her, to be claimed.Dragging her hands through her hair, she thought about what Annie’s words. Her mate had enjoyed her kiss, she reached up touching her lips. She could feel her cheeks heating with a blush as she thought about how Annie’s cheeks had flushed as her eyes had shined with arousal. Candy could feel the wetness pooling between her thighs as the need grew worse. Her wolf wanted her to go to her mate, to touch her. To taste her, it was a need she felt ingrained in her bones.Letting out a sigh of frustration she looked up at the ceiling kicking off her covers, her body felt like it was on fire. Begging to be touched. Closing her eyes, she thought about Annie and the kiss they
“I, I-“Annie stammered as Candy’s honey-colored eyes met hers.“You?” Candy asked, her lip twitching into a smirk as she felt her body responding to being close to her mate. The need to touch her had her fingers itching and her pulse racing.“I was just going to ask where the shower was?” Annie said biting her lip as a blush covered the tops of her cheeks.“Was that all you needed?” Candy asked as she bit her lower lip, a mischievous look in her eyes as she stepped closer to Annie. She brought her hands to Annie’s waist.“Yes,” Annie hissed out. Her body pulsing with need as she brought her hands up, tangling them in Candy’s colorful strands. She pressed her lips against Candy’s the kiss was a battle for dominance one that Candy easily accepted and relished in as A
Candy stilled her movements as she heard the cry slip past Annie’s lips.“Annie?” She asked, unsure of why her mate was crying.“Y, y, yeah?”“Did I do something wrong? I’ve never been with a woman before and if I did something wrong, please let me know.” Candy said as she sat up to look at her mate. Annie had her hands over her face as her shoulders shook.“No, no. You were perfect.” She said with a sob.“Then why are you crying baby?” Candy asked as she moved to lay beside Annie.“I just, I didn’t... I’ve never, it’s never felt that amazing before.” Annie said with a hiccuping sob.Candy gently grabbed Annie’s wr
Annie straightened the borrowed shirt that Drake had brought her as she followed Candy. Her nerves were frayed and she really didn’t want to go into the clinic.Didn’t want to face the physical proof on the screen that she was pregnant. The flutters and strange alien movements were enough for her. The ultrasound that she had done over a month ago was more than enough proof for her.Asking the pack’s doctor to keep her secret had been a gamble, it was one she was glad she had taken.Beau’s response to her pregnancy hadn’t been a joyous thing. Not that she had expected it to be. He had never raised his hand to her, but when she had told him it was the first time she had been afraid that he might strike her.Sure, he had been rough with her. At that moment though as