The Other Part of Me

Cassie

Having built up an appetite, Braden and Cassie showered together, dressed and made their way downstairs to the dining area. Cassie left her hair loose and pulled to the side where Braden had bitten her. The feeling while he bit her was single-handedly the most primitively erotic thing she had ever experienced. While his mouth was on her, she felt raw desire, passion and something she could have sworn felt like his soul reaching into hers. At that moment, she felt herself meld with Braden and join as one.

He later apologized and explained he had to restrain his inner wolf because of another one of those damn wolf traditions that seemed to be endless. In the meantime, she was sporting the most ferocious hickey she had ever received - and she reminded herself, rather impressed, he had created with restraint.

By the time the two had made it down to the dinner buffet, everything had already been put away.

"I can ask someone to make us something," he offered.

She placed her chin on his shoulder. "Let them rest," she said, remembering the grumpy matron that didn't seem too keen on her. If she had anything to do with the meal prep, Cassie didn't want to risk "secret" ingredients winding up on her plate. She had to try to get on Gloria's good side first, and she had an idea how. "I saw a few eateries in the village. Do you want to go on a date with me, or do wolves have to cross 37 hurdles to do that?"

He chuckled and spun her around to place a swift spank on her behind.

"Ouch!" She said partly in jest, but laughed. Having allowed Braden a new liberty with her body meant a little discomfort after they were done.

She thought about the process of the activity just hours earlier- he'd started off with digital insertions, and gradually, introduced his penis to her backside. Although he had been gentle, the sensation of his penetration was full of discomfort, he helped her breathe through it, and just when she thought the pain was getting to be too intense, as if a switch was flipped, she went from feeling splitting pain to amazing sensations of pleasure. Before she realized, she was pushing her hips back to meet his thrusts enthusiastically. He gripped her by the hair as he came inside of her. She was beginning to realize that was his signature move when he had control from behind and she found it drove her wild. "Dirty girl, I can read your thoughts." Braden wrapped her in his arms and kissed her temple.

She laughed, "I keep forgetting you can do that." She wrapped her arms around his waist and inhaled his scent. "I'm so sore but it was so worth it."

He pulled away, "Wait here," he said as he disappeared into the kitchen. He returned a moment later holding two low dose painkiller packets and bottled water. "Take one packet now and after we eat, take a third pill."

Once they were in Braden's SUV and heading into the village, Cassie eased her movements in the passenger seat to look at her mate's attractive profile. If only she had talent in carving marble busts, she knew he would have made the perfect model for her. She constantly found herself wanting to slide her finger down his straight nose and come to rest on those talented thick lips of his. She startled when she felt her breath catch and something in chest her flutter.

To a certain degree, it bothered her that she couldn't discern between what was real and what had to do with wolf-related feelings. "Braden," she called to him.

He grabbed her hand and kissed the back of it. "Hmmm?" Was the sound he uttered before settling their linked hands on her lap.

"These feelings that I have for you-" she immediately stopped. She regretted her choice of words as soon as they escaped her lips. She didn't want to come across as clingy or desperate, but she wasn't exactly living in her own world's comfort zone anymore.

He looked at her briefly before returning his eyes to the dimly lit road. "What about them?" He asked casually.

His words gave her confidence. "Are these feelings real? Or do I feel them because" she stopped. "I don't even know how to put is. I guess ... is it 'wolf-magic' of some sort?"

She saw him frown, but soon began caressing her hand with his thumb. She found comfort in the sweetness of his tender strokes. "It's a valid question considering you were not brought up as you should have been."

They approached the village. Braden found a parking space and pulled into it. As soon as he killed the engine, he unfastened both of their seat belts and took both her hands in both of his. "Remember the story I told you about mates?" She nodded.

"Going by that story, it means you and I were created together, for each other, and only for each other. Moon Goddess guided us back together in this lifetime." He stared, unwaveringly into her eyes. "If you're developing feelings for me, it means the feelings from the past are resurrecting within you."

She stared at the enticing, puffy thickness of his lips as they moved. "How do second-chance mates fall into this grand scheme?"

He reached over and placed his hand on the bruise he left on her neck. "Life can be long and lonely, and unfortunately sometimes the life string is cut for one of the mates. If the surviving mate can endure the loss, it means they will play a significant role in the guidance of the replacement mate somehow." Cassie noticed he was looking through her. "At least, that's how mother would explain it."

She saw a sadness overtake his features at the mention of his mother. He was transported to another time where he had her in his life. Why had they never talked about his family? The only thing she knew of his family was what Bridgette had mentioned about Braden's father.

"Braden, what happened to your parents?"

He was quick to sigh and look away.

She felt the hesitation in him. Of course, the subject would be painful-he developed a relationship with the two responsible for his existence whereas she couldn't even recall a single touch, or kiss from her mother. "Was it rogues?" She asked gently.

He pulled away from her and walked out of the vehicle. All she could do was look at the sadness in his face as he came around to open the door for her. "Come," he offered his hand. "You still need to take that pill. We can talk after we eat." She looked at him tenderly. She wished she had been around when the rogues took everything from him. At the very least, she would have shared the heartache. Cassie placed her hand on his cheek and stared into his eyes. "We have each other now." She stepped out of the vehicle and kissed his lips tenderly.

He wrapped his arms around her and spoke in her ear, giving her goosebumps. "That reminds me," he told her. "We might end up having someone else in a matter of months."

She laughed. "We're getting a puppy?"

He closed the door behind her and pressed his hand against the small of her back, leading her towards the only restaurant still open. "It seems our wolves mated while you were in heat."

All traces of mirth slowly disappeared from Cassie's face. "What are you talking about?"

"Evangeline and Andrei," he said. "They took control while we were unconscious from exhaustion," he halted a few feet before they reached the restaurant to stand directly in front of her. "With Evangeline in heat, Andrei picked up on this and well, their instincts took over." He held her face, she couldn't physically look away. "They mated, Cassie."

She shook her head as best she could while it was held prisoner in his hands, "No, that's not possible, Eva was asleep the whole time. I took wolfsbane to prevent this."

His hold on her head eased. "You don't want pups?" He asked her softly.

"I mean..." she was measuring her words carefully now. She didn't want to say the wrong thing. "I didn't in the not so distant past."

She saw his posture stiffen.

"Braden, I didn't know what I was. I thought I was a freak of nature," she crossed her arms. "I didn't want any kid of mine to grow up feeling this way," she explained. In her mind, she considered talking to Eva about when it happened to see if Plan B was an option. Would Bridgette carry that in the pack pharmacy?

"Yes, Bridgette orders Plan B," Braden answered as he clearly connected via mind link. "Our kind isn't immune to drunken nights with random strangers. We're not from the dark ages, Cassandra."

She flinched at his use of her birth-given name.

He walked over to the restaurant and held the door open for her. She slowly took steps to where he stood and moved past him. She kept her eyes on his face, hoping he would make eye contact with her. It seemed he couldn't bear to even look at her at this time.

Fucking mind link.

"How many in your party?" A bespectacled young man with spiky brown hair asked.

"Just us." Braden answered lacking any hint of kindness or warmth. Thankfully, the host didn't seem to care. Cassie had already dodged a suspicious meal at the compound, she didn't want to think about spit winding up in her plate here too. "Right this way," the young man grabbed two menus and led them to an empty table to the right of the restaurant. The place was moderately full, considering how late it was.

"Your server will be right with you," he said before handing them each a menu.

Cassie smiled at him, "Thank you so much." He was quickly off, marching back to the host's station.

After the meal, which was had in silence, Braden and Cassie walked back to the SUV with the theme of silence continuing. He held the door open for her as she got in and walked back to his side, entering. The engine turned over. It was all very robotic and Cassie didn't like it.

She had wanted to have a conversation with him the whole time but talking about wolf babies and the Moon Goddess's plans for their union while famished and or hangry -- on his end, did not seem like a good idea. Braden was about to put the car in drive when Cassie put her hand over his and stopped him.

"I need you to understand something," she saw his eyes dart to her hand on is. "Please look at me?"

His gaze remained lowered. After a moment, he sighed and finally looked up at her. She needed to see the blue in his eyes as they always looked at her with affection and this made her feel whole-- but in the darkness of the night the colors were muted and it made him seem cold and distant.

Like the stranger he ought to have been if she had never entered this world.

"Braden, please understand," she touched his arm. "When I was alone, it was in almost every sense. I alienated myself from everyone- didn't even allow myself to have friends because I know that when you bond with someone, your brain will tell your heart that it's okay to open up and share your secrets. I've seen how easily an argument, or a misunderstanding can put an end to loyalty." She looked down. "And being what I was- not knowing what I was... I knew if I was ever in that situation, I'd have ended up being dissected for the sake of science. That's why I decided to be alone. That loneliness hurt, Braden, and I never wished any of that pain on any of my children, and especially not the risks." Although he remained silent, the atmosphere in the cab of the vehicle changed. She wished he'd have hugged her or stroked her cheek as he was prone to doing, but he didn't move.

"It doesn't change the fact that the wolves mated, and you very well could be pregnant now." He said softly. "If you are pregnant, what will you do?"

Cassie's felt her eyes widen as he was looking right at them. She quickly averted her gaze at once and looked outside her window. Honestly, she didn't know. She didn't want to think about it right now.

"Can we please have this conversation when we know we need to have it?" She suggested as means to escape for this talk.

She was tired and at this point, all she wanted to do was go home and sleep.

In her own bed.

In Los Angeles.

And mostly, she wanted to give Eva a piece of her mind.