Her CEO Stalker and Her Second Chance Mate Chapter 149

Carter

As we sat on the couch, my mind whirled with all the things I had to tell her as she rifled through her bag and pulled something out. She handed it to me and Inscooted closer to her. I instinctively wrapped my arm around her and pulled her to my side. The photo was of a young Jake and Clyde with two nearly identical females. Jake and the female at his side had their eyes locked, their features softened, and there was love there. It reminded me of how Briar sometimes looked at me; she always captivated me when she looked at me like that. The other woman looked at Clyde with similar affection, but the way he stared back at her, I knew that expression. He wanted her, but not in a loving way.

Briar pointed at the woman with Jake. “This is the woman who raised me, my aunt,” and this is my mother,” she said, pointing to the other woman. “Alice and Evie, I don’t remember my birth mom, but this is the only picture I have.” Her fingers traced each woman’s features. “I can feel the difference, though, when I look at their faces,” she admitted. 

I ran my hand up and down her arm. I felt so privileged that she was sharing this with me.

“So much makes sense now, but now I have so many more questions. I feel like I’ve just taken 100 steps back from knowing myself. I wish they were here to at least tell me about her,” she said, her fingers trailing over Evie and Jake’s images.

I kissed her hair; there weren’t many words I could say. “I’m sorry, sweetheart,” I said, passing her back the picture so I could hug her properly. She let me, to my surprise. The feel of her inhaling deeply as her arms wrapped around me settled my resolve. She wanted my truths, and I’d give her the good, the bad, and the truly ugly of what I had been charged to do as my alpha’s command to protect this pack. Deep down, over the years, I had rationalized the deeds as necessary evils in the name of keeping my pack safe. I knew at my core that it was wrong, speaking them aloud was a heavy feeling, but as each sin of my soul spilled from my lips, the next felt lighter, easier to shed my misdeeds.

I eased my grip on her, in case she needed distance from me, but as I explained every assignment, she didn’t pull away from me. I felt her anger deep in that place in my chest where our bond lived. Instead, her hand found mine, bolstering my courage to continue, as I explained Jake’s warnings and Clyde’s tactics. I told her that my sister had confessed to deterring her from me, and she stilled.

“Do you think Clyde had anything to do with that?” she asked.

“I don’t know, honestly, my sister, like most of the pack, knows what Clyde has had me doing. I just can’t put my finger on her change of personality with you. I told her you were one of us. I haven’t told her who you are to me and frankly I don’t trust her right now. I brought you into my house, that should have said something to her. I never brought any of them here.” Briar stilled.

“So I’m the only one you brought home?” she asked. I nodded.

“What about Miranda?” she asked.

“No, her showing up on my doorstep was a red flag; she had forcefully crossed that boundary, and for me, that was the end of it,” I swore.

“Yet, you were so willing to bring me here?” she questioned.

“Of course, Briar, I told you, I knew there was more to you and me the first day I met you, I saw what had been done to you, and I wanted to protect you,” I insisted, and realized I had another confession. “I was enough of an asshole about it to prolong the power going on at Jake’s place, just to keep you here a little longer. Don’t be mad at Amber, I asked, and that meant she didn't have a choice.” I admitted.

She cocked her head at that, no doubt remembering.

“You accidentally signed your real name on the contract that day. That's how I knew you were lying, when nothing came up on your record but a few tiffs at school. I went to Martha, because she was Jake’s mother, to confirm who you were, that's why I took you to her. Besides, I had the suspicion of what you were suffering from, and she’s the only one I know with experience with that. I thought you were Jake’s daughter, as most of us assumed, since he left you everything.”

“He’s the closest to a father as I will ever have,” she said, sniffing. When I wrapped my arms around her, I could feel the inner turmoil like it was my own. This woman was so strong, I realized, she was dealing with so many revelations and handling them with so much grace. I couldn’t imagine finding this all out and taking it in stride like she was.

It was nearly dark when our confessions had all been laid raw at each other’s feet. Rosie pawed at the back door, and Briar stood.

“I need some air,” she said. 

She let Rosie out and followed her, and my feet found me right behind her.

She rested her elbows on the rail, her eyes looking out over the valley below. I stood in the doorway watching her, still afraid she would bolt on me.

“What does the inside of the house look like?” she asked. 

“Your room isn’t salvageable, I don’t think you should go inside until it's cleaned up,” I said honestly.

“We need that key,” she pointed out.

“I’ll get it for you in the morning,” I promised. She just nodded.

“I came here because this is the only place I’ve felt safe,” she told me. “Deep down in my gut, I knew I wasn’t going anywhere; a place without you isn’t worth living for me anymore.” I stilled. “I can feel our bond, Carter,” she admitted. “I didn’t before today, she pulled her hoodie and shirt over her head, exposing the new tattoo. The beautiful and feminine version of a phoenix adorned her once-damaged ribcage. Now, she was in nothing but her pants and a thin bralette. She chucked her tops onto a chair.

“I want to be reborn into who I really am. I want to shift,” she admitted. “I can feel it prowling under my skin, and I want to let it out. I just don’t know how,” she said, sounding defeated.

I came up behind her, resting my hands on her shoulders, squeezing with reassurance.

“I don’t know how, but she has been repressed for so long, but we will find the way,” I promised.

That's when I felt the link between us strengthen once more, and when she looked over her shoulder at me, I couldn’t help it as my mouth sealed over hers. When she opened for me, all our troubles washed away in that moment, and I let myself fall into her acceptance. I would never forsake this gift for anything. I decided. My alpha could threaten me all he wanted. This future with her was mine to protect and cherish, anyone who tried to come between me and that would regret it