Page 18 of Melissa's Mates (Blissful Bets)

Melissa pulled back her hair. “I’m to be mated with Connor and Channing. I didn’t know. I don’t think I want this.” The tears were coming so steadily, she couldn’t breathe.

“Channing! Oh that’s excellent news, honey. I know not very many people trust him, but he saved my life from Tom. I couldn’t adore him more. But who’s Connor?” Sarah’s words trailed off as if trying to remember.

Devon sat down on the opposite couch, and she looked back and forth between him and Sarah. “Devon, do you know Connor? Stephen says he has a bad reputation or something. Is that true?”

Devon’s mouth opened, closed, and then he turned and threw a quick glance to Sarah. “I know Connor. He’s…Truthfully, Mel, we don’t know much about him. He’s very quiet but very deadly. The story is that when he was growing up, something horrible happened to his family. He was meant to be Alpha, but he ran. He didn’t want it. Eventually they found him, and well, they couldn’t make him do anything. He took multiple beatings for years until finally they released him.

“But I do know one thing for a fact, and that’s how protective he is over women in general. He’s very passionate about the way the men in the pack treat them, even if they’re not mated. He’ll take good care of you. I have no doubt. But Channing? How in the world did you meet him, more less bond with him, too?”

Just the thought of what happened between them sent heat searing her body. God, she wanted to feel him again. She wanted to look into those light blue eyes and feel that strange pull as he claimed her.

Melissa shifted on the couch and took a deep breath. “Well, Julie lost her court case yesterday, and she wanted to have drinks, so I went with her. We were there a few hours, and as we were leaving, I ran into him. Literally. The moment I looked into his eyes, there was something. I felt a little scared at first because they reminded me of Tom, but after he kept trying to be nice, I could feel myself getting sucked in his direction. It was like I was meant to lean into him.

“Needless to say, he showed up at the Martini Bar last night and even though I was bet to take him home, I’d already basically decided on it myself. Well, one thing led to another, he bit me, and I got scared and ran. Connor showed up on the beach, and that’s where the shit hit the fan, and we all discovered the bond that links us together.”

Everyone remained quiet as they took in her words. She stared around the large living area, noticing plastic things covering the walls’ sockets. They were baby proofing already. Amazing. Adorable. Damn, she wanted to cry again.

“God help me. I think karma just bitch-slapped me.” Melissa burst into tears, again and laid her head on Sarah’s lap. She didn’t want to ever move from this spot. Control. Damn, she needed some about right now.

* * * *

Channing paced Melissa’s living room, ready to yank his hair out. He wasn’t used to this. The pull he felt for her almost made it impossible for him to stay within the walls of her house. He wanted to go to her, make sure she was okay. Her emotions poured though him, and he knew she was distressed. Even Connor seemed to pick up on her heartache.

“What do you think is happening?”

Connor looked up from the couch and shrugged. “I don’t know. The bond is still too weak for me to know what she feels. All I know is I feel like my heart is breaking. If I didn’t know about the effects of what we all have, I’d take it for my own emotions, but I know it’s not me.”

“Yeah, I feel the same thing. We have to make this easier on her. She’s new to all of this. There has to be a way we can cheer her up.”

“I’m lost. I’m not used to being around other people unless I’m eliminating them.”

“I’m not used to it, either.” Channing sighed. He sat down on the couch and rested his head in his hands. Everyone steered clear of him. His position to his servants caused him to make them fear him. For so long now, that’s all he knew. Now he’d have to find a way to soften up and woo a woman. He still couldn’t believe it.

“Where do you think she went?”

Looking up, Channing searched through his thoughts. “I’m not sure. She has a lot of friends.”

“I wish we could go and comfort her. I hate knowing she feels this way. Yes, I understand she’s having a hard time coming to terms with the way things are, but we can’t just sit and do nothing. We have to convince her.”

“Give her time. If we smother her, it’ll make things worse. Trust me. Did you not see the way she reacted earlier? She’s used to having things her way. We can’t take that away from her. She needs to feel in control of her life. We just somehow have to fit ourselves into it.”

Connor nodded and stood. “I’m starving. Popcorn is not breakfast. How territorial do you think Melissa is over her kitchen? I’m not about to cook if she’s going to get upset.”

Channing looked up and laughed. “I have no idea.”

Connor laughed back and grabbed his phone. “Take-out, it is. I’m not chancing pissing her off. Hey, you know what? I have an even better idea for after breakfast. Get ready Channing. With this plan, I think we can make way with Melissa.”

The vampire looked into Connor’s face and smiled. He had a few ideas of his own to try to get the feisty redhead to submit to her fate. With the combination of both, they might be able to master Melissa’s fears after all.

Chapter 8

Melissa walked into her house physically and mentally exhausted. Not even looking toward the men on the couch, she walked into her room and shut the door. Curling into a ball under the covers, she closed her eyes with every intention of finally going to sleep. Channing appeared out of nowhere, right next to her. She screamed and tumbled backwards off the bed.

“Holy shit! You did not just do that.”

His eyes were round as he looked at her. “I’m sorry. God, I must be stupid. I didn’t think. I’m so used to just appearing wherever I want to go. Forgive me.”

Cautiously, she eased back to the bed just as Connor opened her door. “Smooth, Casanova. If you would have waited, we could have come in here together.”

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