Series: Shifter Ops Series by Renee Rose
Total pages in book: 68
Estimated words: 65371 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 327(@200wpm)___ 261(@250wpm)___ 218(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 65371 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 327(@200wpm)___ 261(@250wpm)___ 218(@300wpm)
I wait for him to go on, but he doesn’t. He looks out the darkening window, his eyes glowing slightly, telling me he can see in the twilight far better than I.
“But what?”
“I wanted to be there for you,” he croaks.
“So why weren’t you?” This time, my voice cracks–I can’t help some of the emotion returning. Some of my resentment. “We needed you, Channing.”
“You needed Geoffrey,” he says gruffly–a tone I’m not used to hearing from him. “You needed a man. Someone who could protect and care for you. Someone responsible. I wasnt that man, Julia. So I left. I went to become the man Geoffrey was.”
I cock my head, eyes narrowing in confusion. “I didn’t need you to be Geoffrey. I just needed my family.” Tears spear my eyes. The hurt beneath my resentment coming up to be expressed. “You don’t understand. We were in mourning… I lost my husband and my son’s father. And then I lost you too! My only solace while I was grieving him was that at least Geo would have an uncle. And then we lost you both. What did we do to deserve your rejection?”
“Julia,” Channing chokes. His own eyes look damp. “I couldn’t stay. You don’t understand.”
I slap his chest. “Explain it to me!”
“Because I’m a fuck-up, Julia. I didn’t want to fuck up your lives, too.”
I shake my head. None of this makes sense. “How could you possibly?”
Channing shoves his hands in his pockets, a gesture that makes him look more like that wayward teen I remember. “It was the day of the funeral. The casket hadn’t even been lowered in the ground when…” He trails off, working to swallow.
“When what?”
“My wolf…” He sucks in a breath like there’s not enough air in the room. “My wolf made it clear that he wanted to claim you.”
I draw back in shock. Blink, trying to absorb what that means. “What?” My hand goes to my outer thigh–the place Geoffrey marked me with his scent the night he claimed me. The scars are still there–more permanent than the simple wedding band I took off. Geoffrey’s scent is still there, telling other wolves I’ve been claimed.
Channing gives a miserable shrug. “You were my brother’s fated mate…and also mine.” His eyes glow green when he stares at me.
My wine glass slips from my fingers, and he catches it with lightning reflexes, splattering us both with the red zinfandel.
“Oh God!” I’m happy for the distraction. For the chance to organize my thoughts. “I’m sorry.” I grab the dish towel and press it against his stained white t-shirt.
“Julia.” He takes the towel from me and sets it on the counter. When he cradles my head with both hands, there’s nothing boyish about him.
He’s all man now.
My panties dampen. The flesh between my legs squeezes.
“Now do you understand? Why I left and stayed away? Why I was afraid to come back?”
My breathing has grown erratic. Wild. I’m mesmerized by his glowing green gaze. The intensity of his focus on me. “What were you afraid of?” I whisper.
“This.” He lowers his head and kisses me. It’s a passionate kiss, filled with love and need and the promise of pleasure. His lips move over mine, claiming my mouth, stroking it. Tasting it. His tongue slides along the seam, pressing in, bold but respectful. Slow enough for me to refuse if I wanted to.
I don’t.
I’ve never wanted to be kissed so badly in my life.
Never wanted to give myself to someone. Never felt so treasured.
All this time, he waited for me.
Channing Armstrong. Pining for me.
Denying himself this pleasure of me.
Growing up for me.
I feel the importance of it in the wood floor under my feet. In the shake and tremble of the trees outside the window. In the walls of the house.
Geoffrey was wonderful. Geoffrey was hot, and dominant, and manly.
Channing is all of those things, but with a legacy of pain and wanting that spans years. He tortured himself over me.
I know what it means for a wolf to have an unclaimed mate. I know it can kill some males. They go moon mad.
Channing nearly killed himself for me.
So I reach for his head, and I kiss him back. Kiss him until we both grow feverish, and he picks me up by the waist and sits me on the counter. Spreads my knees to stand between them and slide his hands up my shirt.
And that’s when Geo comes running down the stairs.
Channing jerks away from me and rubs his mouth with his hand as he turns to face Geo, who stares at us both with wide eyes.
I find my voice. “All done with your homework?”
Chapter Eight
Channing
Guilt shades my run with Geo. I’m not sure whether I’m guilty over not being here all along for him or for showing up out of the blue and wanting to claim his mom. I haven’t acted with integrity, and I want to punch my own face over it.