Making Up
Gerry
As our mates left, I narrowed my eyes on Osprey. He held my gaze, and Kraven grew furious the longer we stared each other down, trying to take control so he could issue an Alpha challenge. Finally, Osprey sighed before taking a step back with his hands up.
“Look, Gerry, I didn’t come to interrupt your life or intrude on your personal space. Scarlett really did just want to spend time with Annie. I know that the last few years have been tense between us, but I am really hoping that we can change that. I know that I will become Alpha for our sleuth, but that doesn’t mean that I have to be a shitty brother. Scarlett and Annie have always been close. I don’t want to be the reason that they cannot continue to be so. So, if you would accept my apology, I will be more than happy to extend it,” he said.
I eyed him for a moment before holding out my hand. “Alright, Osprey. I’ll forgive you, and I will apologize for touching Scarlett inappropriately. I should have never done that to her or to you. Especially not knowing what she has been through and that she is your mate. I will never do anything like that again,” I replied.
He massaged the back of his neck. “Yeah, well, I’m sorry for threatening Annie.”
“You didn’t.”
His eyes moved over my face before he nodded. “Alright.” He cleared his throat. “So, you and Annie have really gotten this house set up very quickly.”
“Yeah. We tried to make sure that we would have everything we needed. I didn’t want Annie to not have a bed to sleep in or food to eat,” I said as I began to walk toward the guest room to get it prepared like Annie requested of me.
“Yeah. I get it. So, how’s Annie doing here? Like really doing here?” He asked.
“She’s fine. Some boys in her class were harassing her a little, and her teacher got after her, but nothing much has happened. She’s only just started, and everyone knows that she is under my protection, so I’m really not foreseeing any issues.”
“That’s good. I’m glad that you are willing to protect her. When she first mentioned wanting to join a program, I must admit that I was terrified for her. She is so innocent that I worried about someone taking advantage of her,” he admitted.
Something in his voice made me glance at him, only to find that he was watching me closely. I nodded, biting back a challenging growl as I pulled a set of queen-size sheets out of the bathroom closet to make the bed.
“I won’t let anyone take advantage of her. She is here with me, and I won’t let anyone do anything to her. Anyway, how is Scarlett doing? Mom told me that she is pregnant again,” I said, trying to get him to change the subject without him noticing—too much, that was what I was doing.
When his face broke out into a large smile, I knew that once again, the topic of his mate made him forget about everything else. It was the same way for me with Annie. I shook my head to try to refocus on what Osprey was saying. I really didn’t care about his relationship with Scarlett or what was going on in their world. I just didn’t want to talk about my relationship with Annie. After I got the bedroom ready for Osprey and Scarlett, we went downstairs to the kitchen, where I made us some coffee before we went out onto the porch. I sat on one of the stairs while Osprey leaned against the railing. We drank our coffees slowly, neither of us knowing what to say, so we opted to just remain quiet while we looked out over mine and Annie’s property.
I know that we had both apologized over what we thought would create a tentative peace pact between us, but we both knew that we hadn’t meant it. That was the thing with strong Alpha males. When it came to our women, threats would not be tolerated. I hated him, and I knew damn well that he still hated my guts too. When he finally sighed, I glanced at him.
“What’s up, brother?” I asked, not giving a damn what was on his mind.
“I really want to go for a run. Godric is getting on my nerves. He hates being away from Scarlett,” he answered.
“I don’t understand why you didn’t go with them,” I told him.
He cursed under his breath. “Because Scarlett didn’t want me to go. She is still angry that I forced Annie to come home that night.” He started massaging the back of his neck again. “Which, by the way, I am sorry for that too.”
I narrowed my eyes on him, wondering what he was up to. “It’s fine you brought her back. That’s all that matters.” I stood up stretching before starting to strip my clothes off. “I guess we can go for a run.”
He gave me a grateful smile before taking his clothes off too. In a matter of minutes, we were racing through the forest, running the length of my property before changing directions to explore the rest of the borders. I made mental notes of a few places that I would be bringing Annie to make love to her. We had been running for almost two hours when my heart started to race and I felt like I couldn’t breathe. Kraven stumbled, and we face-planted, making Godric turn back toward us worriedly. Kraven pushed him away as we reached for Annie’s link.
‘Annie, are you alright?’ I asked her as anxiety filled me.
When she didn’t answer me, Kraven started running toward the front gate, determined to get to the mall where we knew Scarlett and Annie had gone to shop. When confusion and longing filled me, I reached for my link with Annie again, concerned with her lack of answering me.
‘Annie, what’s wrong?’ I almost screamed at her.
‘Everything,’ she cried as her regret and shame flowed through our link.
‘Where are you?’
‘On my way back. I’m sorry, Gerry. I’m so sorry,’ she sobbed.
‘It’s okay, Banannie. Just tell me where you are so I can come to you.’
‘I’m running down Maple.’
‘Okay, my love. Keep heading home. I’m on my way.’
I kept our link open so that if she needed me, she could just reach out. As we neared the corner of Orange and South Bend, her scent drew closer, alerting me to her proximity. Before we could round the corner, Annie came barreling around it, and Kraven wasted no time in shifting back so we could catch her when she flung herself at us. The force with which her body hit mine sent us tumbling to the ground. She landed on top of me, sobbing hysterically as she wrapped herself around me.
“Oh, Gerry,” she whimpered tearfully. “It’s terrible!”
I ran my hands down her back as dread filled me. “What happened, baby? Who hurt you?”
“Nobody hurt me,” she told me as she buried her face in my neck.
“Then what happened, my love?”
“I met him,” she said.
My hands stilled on her body. “Met who?”
She let out another sob as her tears rolled down my neck before whispering defeatedly, “My fated mate, Gerry. I met my fated mate.”
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