“I know what those bastards do. They took my cousin’s mate, hoping to force a litter from her.”
She nodded. “Breeanna was just nine years old and Megan was thirteen. I was eighteen and the only one old enough to take a mate to save our family. Adam, my brother, wasn’t even a year old at the time.” Her gaze held his. She needed for him to see the truth. “The pride leader would have killed my parents and baby brother and sold my sisters into hell if I had run off with you. That’s why I had to go back, Brand. My agreement to mate the pride leader’s son was all that protected my family.”
“Fuck.” He closed his eyes and his forehead pressed against hers. “You could have told me. I would have gotten them out.”
“And taken them where? Your pack and other prides would have killed them. If you’re not inside pride lands, you’re inside pack territory, or a lot worse. Either way, they would have been killed and my two sisters turned into breeders. It’s sick and wrong but just the thought of a bunch of males touching my sisters when they hit breeding age…” She took a deep breath. “Do you get that? They don’t wait until they are of mating age. Megan would have been sold to those monsters and she hadn’t even started high school yet. Hell, she never would gone because most prides think educating breeders beyond learning how to read is a waste of money and time. I also was afraid your pack would turn on you if you brought me home. We’re natural enemies.”
His eyes opened to stare at her. “You and I are not enemies.”
“I know that but does your pack?”
“They’ll accept you. Where is your family? I’ll bring them here and smooth it out somehow to make sure they are safe. I won’t allow anyone to hurt them, Charma. Your sisters won’t be touched by anyone.”
“They are fine where they are now. Megan mated last year to the younger son of a stronger pride leader in the lands adjoining ours. It was a negotiated deal when they fell in love, between the two prides. Percy, my pride leader, can’t harm my family without causing a war he can’t win. Their pride is bigger, their family really large, and they’d wipe out every male in my pride if it came down to a fight. Darbin, the other pride leader, accepted our family as his own when Megan mated his son. To harm any members of her family except me would be a grave offense.”
“Why not you?” His voice turned into a snarl again, his rage clear.
“Because I am mated to Percy’s son. I’m considered their property and not part of my family any longer. I’m not protected by Darbin.”
“You’re mine now to protect and no one will ever hurt you. Why didn’t you come to me sooner if you could have left a year ago after your sister and family were safe?”
“I didn’t know where you were. I thought you’d have mated by now anyway or you wouldn’t want me back. I only found you because the prides were declaring war on your pack and I saw your picture.”
“Us and our damn rules about not talking about our families.” He growled. “I should have given you my address and made you memorize it. I should have ignored you when you made that stupid rule.”
“It was safer for us both if we didn’t know where our families lived. We knew one day we’d have to part.”
“It was stupid. You could have come to me a year ago.”
“Why aren’t you mated?” It still stunned her.
“Why do you think?” He didn’t give her time to answer. “I never forgot you. I dated but they weren’t you, Charma. You’re the only woman I’ve ever loved and the only one I ever will. Women find me cold and remote because my heart is taken. None of my relationships lasted. You have owned me since the day you touched my arm and looked up at me, thinking I’d eat you.” He smiled. “I wanted to but not the way you feared.” He glanced at her lap. “I wanted to strip you bare and talk you in to wrapping those pretty thighs around my face.” He met her gaze. “And I still want you to.”
He straightened and pulled his sweater over his head. He threw it to the floor and Charma stared at his muscled, tan upper body. He still took her breath away. She studied the changes in the body she’d once memorized, his apparent, massive strength. His shoulders had broadened, his biceps were thicker than before and the inside of his right arm was marred by a new, thin scar. Her gaze lowered to his firm, rigid abdomen that rippled with a tight six-pack. More tiny scars adorned his lower stomach. She slid off the counter to reach him, her fingertips tracing a few of them.