Heart of Stone - Book 2: Hearts Collide

Turning to him, her brows pulled together. “I thought you were an alpha though?”

“Yes, but I’m not of the Alpha Bloodline,” he said. “Neither is Hector or Gunner. We were not born from an alpha lineage. My father was a warrior and my mother was a tracker. Average pack wolves.”

Aubree noted his use of the past tense. She hesitated, wondering if she should ask or not. She decided to chance it. “I’m sorry. I just assumed because you’re the alpha. When did your parents die?”

“A long time ago.”

Reaching over, she grasped his hand in hers and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

He really had lost a lot in his life.

His deep blues flicked over to catch her hazels for a moment before returning to the road. He brushed his thumb over the back of her hand. “It’s okay. I was very young. I don’t even remember them, aside from their scents, and the fire.”

Aubree’s heart clenched in her chest. Damn. “They burned to death?”

Stone nodded. “They used the last of their strength to get me out of there, but they could not escape themselves.”

Aubree struggled to swallow the lump in her throat as her eyes stung. She immediately thought of her own parents. How happy they were the last time she saw them. How much she’d been fighting with her mother since she broke up with Dan and called off the wedding.

She knew they meant well. Knew that they loved her dearly. How hard would it have been if they both died at the same time? What if they died, still arguing with her over the choices she made? Was that how she wanted to remember them? A bitter, unhappy ending filled with hateful words and regret?

She vowed to call them when they came back that evening and try to patch things up and move on.

Dan wasn’t going to be in her life anymore. Her mother had to understand that, had to accept that, and move on.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered.

“I assure you, it’s fine. It was long ago, like I said. I don’t remember them or think about them.”

“How old were you?”

“Perhaps a year. They were very young when they met and had me soon after. I remember my father smelled of pine needles and grass. My mother, of milk, honey, and vanilla.”

“Is that why you like my smell? It’s like your mother’s?”

He glanced back at her. “No. I like your scent because it’s yours. It calls to me. I can’t help it that your scent is mixed with vanilla too.”

She nodded as she shifted in her seat so that she could lean awkwardly over and rest her head against his shoulder, her hand still held in his, fingers entwined. “Well, it’s okay to think about your parents and miss them. In love, they created you and gave birth to you. And in love, they gave their lives to make sure you could live yours.”

They pulled up to a red light and Stone nuzzled her head before kissing it. “I know.”

It was no wonder he hated vampires so much. They not only killed Adelaide and Arthur but his parents as well. How he was able to escape and survive was anything short of a miracle.

“So, what happened after that?” Aubree asked.

“Amora was visiting our pack. Do you remember I said she’s the oldest lycan I know in existence? She took care of me for a number of years before leaving me with Gunner’s parents, who were also members of the pack I was born into. They were high ranking warriors. Gunner and I weren’t close then. He had his own issues and concerns. I began misbehaving. She was like a mother to me. She believed it was best for me to stay and live with a stable family, but I was unhappy. I always felt a special connection with her—everyone did. It was her nature.

“She returned some years after I matured and took me under her paw again. That time, I went with her on her travels. We went all over Europe. When the plague struck, she took a bunch of pups up north with us. Gunner came with us as a guard. That was when we bonded. I agreed to return to our families’ pack after the plague had passed.

“By the time Amora had returned for her next visit a couple of hundred years later, I had joined the ranks of the warriors and was slowly climbing up the ladder. I wanted to make her proud.

“She requested our alpha to allow me to escort her to the next pack over. It was upon my return that I ran into Adelaide. She came with me, and Alistair followed.

“When we left in 1848 to come here, Hector joined us, not wanting to be left behind. As we made our way west through America, we met with Rosemary’s Pack, and he stayed with her. Since she was of the Alpha Bloodline, Hector had to follow her, regardless of his rank in our pack. We settled here, and that about sums up my life.”

Aubree shook her head in amusement. She hadn’t been expecting him to tell her his life’s story. “Sounds like you’ve lived quite a life, full of ups and downs.”

He nodded.

“So, if Rose is of the Alpha Bloodline, and they’re superior in strength, does that mean she’s stronger than you and Hector?” she asked curiously.

“Yes.”

Dang. That was hard to believe. “Even Gunner?”

He smirked and dipped his head up and down. “Yes, even Gunner.”

Aubree whistled as she looked out the window, the tall buildings in Minneapolis’ downtown core creeping up on them. “Alright then. Anytime I need to kick your butt, I’ll call her.”

“That won’t be necessary,” he said, still smirking.

“Oh?” She wiggled her eyebrows. “How so?”

Taking his eyes off the road for a second, he released her hand and reached up to stroke her cheek. She shivered involuntarily as a burst of heat flared up through her core.

He chuckled as he took her hand again and raised it to his lips, his eyes on the road. “Magic touch.”

She scowled as she tried to extinguish the flames licking dangerously lower in her core as he kissed each knuckle slowly, one by one.

Stupid matebond and the stupid effect he had on her. She wanted him to pull over and kiss her all over.

Through the corner of his eye, she caught him watching her, and she could feel the heat of his touch seeping through her. A low rumble crept up his throat as he lowered her hand from his lips as he turned his attention back to the road.

She smirked to herself. He worked himself up. Well, he worked her up too. With the way he kissed her knuckles so slowly and deliberately, how could she not be turned on? It was teasing, plain and simple. He knew it and was affected by her own emotional reactions to it as well.

“The magic touch can backfire,” she said.

“It’s only a hindrance when I can’t simply pull over and take you in the backseat,” he grumbled, releasing her hand to take the wheel with it as he rolled down his window and rested his left arm along the frame.

The breeze whipped across her face, a welcome feeling to snap her attention back on their business in the city.

They both needed to focus on the things they had to get done. Their emotional and physical desires could wait until later.

After today, they were driving down to Arizona to meet with the Spirit Walker, after all.

They had to hold off on their desires just a little bit longer.