I cum inside her once again, and it’s enough to take just a slight edge off. It’s enough to sate me until I can get Winne home and under me for as long as she lets me.
I kiss her shoulder and smile against the exposed skin there, loving the warm, sugary smell of her skin. “Let me carry you home, my love”
She starts to answer me, but my phone rings. Reluctantly, I pull out of her warmth and put my cock back in my jeans before helping Winnie up off the floor.
I kiss her nose and reach into my back pocket, taking my phone out and answering.
“Stone,” I say, by way of answering.
“It’s Xavier. I caught the scent outside of my home, and it’s strong. He’s close. Gwen is inside, but I want another set of eyes while I track it. Can you get here?”
I look over at Winnie who’s fixing her dress and pulling her chocolate curls up into a ponytail. She looks at me as if sensing my stare and raises an eyebrow in question.
“Hang on, X.” I put my hand over the mouthpiece while I look at Winnie, torn between leaving her here alone and needing to go find the rogue shifter.
As if reading my mind, she comes over and puts her hand on my face. “I’ll bolt the doors and stay inside. The twins are on their way to do prep work for the morning. They should be here any minute. I’ll be fine. You go take care of our pack.”
Hearing her say ‘our pack’ makes my heart clench. It’s like she’s realizing that she’s going to be leading our people, too. And she’s trying to be a good mate and do what’s best for everyone.
I nod silently, okaying this plan, not really having a better option at the moment. Dominic is with Ruby, who is about to pop out three cubs any second, and the rest of the pack are with their families.
Putting the phone back to my mouth, I hold Winnie to me, needing her strength right now. “I’m on my way.” I hang up the phone and kiss the top of Winnie’s head. “Stay inside, and be safe. You understand?”
“Yes, Alpha.” They sarcastic way she says it makes me smile, and I lean down, kissing her lips before going to the back door.
I give her one last quick kiss as I stand at the back entrance of the bakery and wait for Winnie to shut the door and listen for the locks to click into place. Once they’re secure, I turn, heading for Xavier and Gwen’s place.
13
Winnie
I glance up at the clock and see that it’s almost three o’clock in the afternoon. Stone has been gone longer than I thought he would be. I thought I had it bad before when I only had a crush on him. Now that I actually have him, my need has grown ten-fold. I’m not sure anything can calm it. I’ve gotten most of the prep work done for tomorrow and a lot covered for the rest of the week as well. I’m still pissed that Trish and Tamara didn’t show up, but not shocked.
I called both their cells, and it was clear at two and a half rings they cleared me. My bear growls at the reminder, making me smile. It’s been so long since I felt her, and in the past twenty-four hours she’s made herself known. She also seems to have a little attitude and is super possessive of Stone. I bet with a little help from him I’ll be able to shift.
When I hear the front door to the bakery open, I make my way back out to the front to see Trish and Tamara standing there, arms full of bags, clearly having been out shopping all day. Both act like they aren’t hours late. I already know what their plan was. They were hoping that I’d have everything done by now. And I do. I couldn’t risk them not showing up at all, so I had no choice. Their plan worked, and it pisses me off.
They are grown adults now. Before, you could toss it up to being spoiled little brats. They’ve always been like this, but it got worse when their dad died two years ago. I get that hurts, but at least they had a dad at one point. I had nothing, and they made sure I never felt like a part of their family. I won’t do the same to them. They’re a part of this pack, and I won’t for one second treat them like outsiders or like they are beneath me. I don’t ever want someone to feel like they don’t belong. I know what that feels like. I can’t and won’t act like them, but I can give them a dose of reality.
I’m glad I can do it when no one else is around to see it. If Stone ever finds out how miserable I really was growing up with the Stockton family, it will eat him alive. I’ve learned that we both lived in our own little hell, and I don’t want to make his any worse. And even after everything, I wouldn’t trade my past as long as at the end of the road I still got Stone. Knowing I’ll have him for the rest of my life makes everything worth it.