Page 59 of Bonded

“My foster mom said that a couple of days after she gave birth, she was killed. Story was it was a lover… or a rival. Maybe one of the other local packs, or maybe a stranger. Guess no one will ever know for sure and it’s not really somethin’ I wanna get into.”

“Yeah, it must be painful for you.” She looks up and strokes his face. “So, she’d just given birth to you both? It was lucky you survived. You must have been a strong pair of wolves?”

“I guess we were. I don’t know… we were a couple of days old when someone from the commune—where Rosie lives. They found us next to her body; that’s how we survived. Though she was dying, she’d stayed with us, to keep us warm and suckle us—’til she passed over. It was Zak’s dad, that found us and took us back to the village. The leader agreed we could be fostered by them—Zak’s parents. They’d lost their eldest grown daughter in an attack. Zak’s mom was desperate for another child but she’d already miscarried three times and they hadn’t been able to conceive again.”

“But they had Zak? I mean, you said Zak’s mom fostered you, right?”

“Yeah, Zak came along a couple of years later. He was a surprise. Our baby brother.” He smiles. “We all grew up together. You know, Zak used to get teased a lot, bullied by the girls. There were a lot of girls in that commune. He wasn’t what he is now. He was a more gangly, geeky beta wolf and spent hours tinkering with things, machines, anything mechanical. But with so few boys, we all stuck together. Me and him bonded and grew really close. Rhys was always bein’ an ass to him and I guess, I would step in and defend him. Rhys used to get the girls to prank Zak—those she-wolves can be vicious bitches, but I looked out for him, mainly just to spite Rhys.”

“No, no, you would have looked out for him, anyway. But it’s nice, that his parents took care of you after your mom… especially considering their loss. Most she-wolves never get over a pup’s loss, so it was good for Zak’s Mom. But you and Rhys are Blood-Alphas? You said the story, your mom was a Blood-Luna?”

“Yeah, she was. Just like you.” he kisses her forehead and smiles.

“So, then it was good for the pack, that they took you in?”

“Yeah, but there was a price for them bringing us up. Oh, not our parents, they were great. The commune’s leader, Ezra, told us we owed the community—Rhys and me. That’s where the Rosie thing comes in. We were honor-bound to a pact that Zak’s dad made. That we… would put some girls in pup when they came of age, including Rosie, Ezra’s daughter. But he was kiddin’ his-self. He hoped Rosie would fight to be an alpha bitch, but she doesn’t wanna be, and anyway she couldn’t fight anyone,” he laughs. “Oh yeah, sure she can be a mouthy bitch, but she’s too gentle to fight her way to the top. He made up some story she was born on a blood moon, and nobody questions him. With me being a blood, if I give her a pup, it gives Ezra more status.”

“But that’s not right, to be a girl blood, it has to be a super moon. So, what they just pretend?”

“Yeah, basically. The super moon was the month before Rosie was conceived, but no one thought about it enough to question him. He knows she’s not an alpha, but he hoped if I got her pregnant, then he could pass his grandchild off as a Blood-wolf and keep his status in the community. It also meant he wouldn’t get challenged for the leadership, with me connected to his daughter. To be honest, I don’t think any of the younger wolves give a crap anymore. Hell, half of them don’t even know the lores. They move out as soon as they’re old enough, it’s Ezra’s still clinging to the past. He rules by fear. His rules or leave the pack. Did you know Rosie’s in love with someone else, Samuel, but she’s devoted to her father. He’s got her so brainwashed that she’ll do whatever he says just to make him happy. And my honor says I still owe my debt, for them taking us in. So me gettin’ her in pup… I fulfilled my part of the pact. I mean, it’s not like it’s a hardship, right—Rosie’s a fun girl.”

He smiles, looking as Kat cocks her eyebrow, unimpressed. “Well anyway, over the years he’s presented someone he wants me to get pregnant, so I have.”

“Oh my God, Ryan…” Kat sits up and looks at him. “that’s awful. This man sounds like a complete control freak. How the hell can he do that, just hand girls over for you to put them in pup, even his own daughter, for God’s sake. Just like some business transaction? What and Rhys has to do the same?”

“Hell no! No, Rhys never bought into any of that shit. Rhys figures he doesn’t owe anyone anything in this world. He told Ezra to get fucked.” He grins. “Hey, don’t look at me like that. Rhys has no moral compass, so believe me just because he stood up to Ezra in no way makes him a saint. He still uses those girls, and Ezra allows it to happen. Hell, it wouldn’t surprise me if he even gets a cut out of it. Rhys gives them work in the club. Jacinta and some of the other hostesses came from the community too. I mean, it’s a struggle right, you’re a young she-wolf brought up in a commune you rely on for everythin’. So where do you go in this world? If you’re not an alpha or a mate… then you have nothin’. No money, no standin’… and then Rhys comes along and offers you a way out. But there’s always a price. He hooks them on drugs and then pimps them out. God, he’s such a fuckin’ asshole. I really can’t believe he’s my blood. He justifies it by sayin’ if he doesn’t take advantage then someone else will. He says because he understands where they come from, he protects them more than others would. The sad thing is, he’s probably right.”

“Oh, God… I didn’t know. So, why’d Rhys leave? I mean, he could have challenged for pack leader by the sounds of it?”

“Yeah, I think that’s what Ezra was worried about. He had him thrown out of the pack. Rhys wouldn’t follow the rules, even got his own following—some younger wolves thought Rhys was king, and Rhys believed it too. He didn’t care when they made him leave, he was goin’ anyway. He’s a good lookin’ charmer, so he found his own way. And now? Well, now he’s rich with his own club—his own empire to be king of. With his ego and charm, the girls just go looking for him. It’s not like they don’t know where to find him, right? Anyway, we didn’t come here to talk about my asshole of a brother. We came here for us.” He pushes her back, kissing her neck.

“No… wait. Ryah… this is nice. Us, talking. It’s good. I enjoy finding out about you, knowing about your past. So, is your debt paid now that you got Rosie pregnant?”

“Yeah, yeah, I guess. I’m mean, I had to wait till she came of age, but I guess now I have—”

“Yeah… no more. This Ezra, he’s not going to use you anymore. I think you’ve paid enough already.” She smiles, stroking his face, kissing him. “So, what does Ryan want?”

“Me?”

“If you could have what you want, what would it be?”

“Oh, I don’t know. I guess… a family and someone who loves me,” he says with a smile, brushing her hair back. “But right now… if I could have whatever I wanted right at this moment?”

“Um-hm… what would you want, right now?”

“I—he… he wants her… Wants to be with her—my wolf with yours.”

“Hmm,” Kat sighs, sitting back on her heels looking at him. “That’s really what you want?” Her lip quivers and she stares him in the eyes, thinking about what he’s asking. “You know I don’t do that. I told you I don’t do that. That I never give her that much control.”

“I know, but you asked me, and that’s the thing I want.”

She looks at him and takes a breath. Quiet and thinking deeply. “Okay…” She swallows nervously. “Okay, if that’s what you really want? Then I’ll do it. I will let them be together—I’ll do that for you.”

“Oh my God!” he gasps and sitting upright he holds her head and kisses her.“Are you sure about this? I mean, I don’t want you to feel like I forced you.”

“No, you aren’t. I mean it…. She wants it too. So, maybe I should let her be what she is for a night—be a wolf. But there’s one condition.”

“Anythin’… you name it, it’s yours.”

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