Her Brother, Her Mate

“That’s not what I’m asking you to do,” Parker pleads with my real father, who looks like he’s about to bust a vein in his neck.

“I don’t give a s**t what your asking me for, you and your parents can go f**k yourselves. I don’t care what claim you have over my daughter. I’m not going to talk her into s**t. You can leave,” my dad pointed in my direction towards the door, and that’s when they both noticed me.

Parker’s eyes fill with pain and longing, and I have to look away to not be swayed by his emotions.

“Carli, honey. You’re here. Why don’t you go help Elena in the kitchen? The young alpha was just leaving,” my dad’s loving voice carries over to me, turning hard as he glares at Parker.

“Okay,” I nodded, taking the excuse to leave, then walked the long way around the room, trying my hardest not to meet Parker’s eyes.

“Carli, wait,” Parker called out to me.

“She’s not waiting for s**t. Leave. If you don’t leave now, I swear you won’t like what I do next,” dad threatens him.

I peeked over at Parker, and almost caved and ran to him. His face looks so desperate and a single tear is running down his face. The guy I’ve always seen as my big, badass, stronger than anything brother is crying because of me, and it tears me up inside. I don’t know if it’s the faint mate bond pulling me to him, or his despairing stare, but I froze momentarily, lost in his droopy, tear-filled eyes, then started moving towards him.

“Carli,” my dad calls out to me, trying to step in my path.

“It’s okay. I’ll just show him out,” I gave him a reassuring smile.

He bares his teeth to Parker before retreating in the direction of the kitchen, “Hurry and show him out. I want to take a stack of boxes to your room before my brother gets here so you can start packing tomorrow.”

Parker growls when my dad mentions packing, but he wisely doesn’t argue further.

I grabbed Parker by the hand, ignoring the tingling heat from the touch, and pulled him to the door.

“Parker, what are you doing here?” I asked him when we stepped out in the hall.

His face falls and he looks at the ground, “I wanted to ask your dad for a favor?”

“What?” I scoffed, “You couldn’t get your dad to force me to stay, so you wanted to see if you could bully my dad into doing it?”

“Carli, no,” I let him grab my hands, and pull me towards him. “This isn’t about you staying here. I’m as done with my parents as you are. I just want you. I’ll follow you to Canada if that’s what it takes. I just don’t want to lose you.”

What does he mean he will follow me to Canada? “Are you really talking about leaving your pack because of me?”

“It’s your pack too. I don’t want it if I don’t have you here with me.”

I huff, rolling my eyes at his dramatic statement. I’m trying not to outwardly show that it gave me butterflies. This jerk. He won’t stay out of my sight long enough for me to think straight. I know it’s just the mate bond making me feel like this….right?

I unconsciously gripped his hands tightly as he gripped mine, and I had to concentrate extra hard to get my hands to listen to me and let him go.

“I need to go back inside,” I whispered, “I’ll talk to you later, though,” I added, and his face lit up slightly.

“When? I can wait-”

“Later, Parker. I’m about to have a pretty emotional dinner. The first dinner with them knowing I’m his daughter. I want to take one thing at a time, and if I know you’re waiting for me it’s just going to distract me. Please, let me have this time with my real family. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”

Parker cups my face in his hands, then tucks my hair behind my ears, “Okay. Tomorrow. Training’s at 5AM, right?”

I growl and he sighs, “Fine. I’ll wait to hear from you. I can’t promise I won’t be stalking you in the shadows.”

I almost laugh, totally picturing him as a puppy, whining and pouting while watching me from the marsh while I train.

“You’re such a pain in the a*s,” I huff, but a small smile breaks free from my control. “I’ll text you tomorrow. Good night Parker.”

When I go back in, I find Elena and my dad whispering to each other in the kitchen. It sounds like they’re debating something, but quickly smile when they see me standing there in the entryway.

“Carli!” Elena called out, coming forward and enveloping me in a warm embrace, “I made your favorite.”

I smiled lovingly at her, “It smells amazing.” It really did. She always puts smoked paprika in the batter and seasons the chicken with Cajun spices. My mouth is already watering.

“I heard about your talk with Nate,” my dad smiled down at me, pulling me from Elena’s hold, “You know?”

“I know,” I smiled at him, feeling heat build behind my eyes, “Dad.”

He chokes out a laugh and sob combination, gripping me tighter, “I wanted to tell you. You have no idea how much I wanted to.”

“Mary commanded you, didn’t she?” I ask, feeling my tears break free and my heart pounding in my chest as he holds me tight.

He just nods his head, gripping me tighter.

“That b***h,” I muttered, burying my face into his shoulder to hide my tears. I can hear Elena softly crying next to us.

My dad must be pulling her to us, because I feel his hand leave my back only for her to press in behind me. I feel 18 years worth of loss and longing, and an undeniable unconditional love from both of them, my parents, and I never thought I’d ever get to feel this feeling. My loose tears soon turn into ugly sobs, and I can feel them doing the same.

“Well, look what we have here?” Uncle Nathan’s voice boomed heartily in the small room, then I felt all our bodies being squeezed together.

“Get off me you fucktard,” my dad grunts, breaking the tension and making us all laugh.

“Aww, but I felt so left out,” Uncle Nathan pouts playfully, musing my hair, then offering Elena a k**s on the cheek. “I want to introduce my niece to her cousin.”

Uncle Nathan pulls me from my dad’s arms, then walks me into the living room. “Carli, this is your cousin Courtney. Courtney, this is your long lost cousin, Carli.”

Courtney stands from the couch, smiling ear to ear. She looks so much like me. Maybe a little more rustic with her weathered jeans and flannel top. She must have come straight here after getting off the plane. She has girl-next-door vibes, with her kind eyes and brilliant smile. Her auburn hair is windblown and loose, and her green eyes shine as she takes me in.

“Oh my gosh I’m so glad to finally meet you,” she squeals softly, jumping back and forth on her feet before running to give me a big bear hug. “I’ve heard so much about you from Uncle Thomas!”

I laughed softly and returned her hug. “Hi Courtney. It’s nice to meet you too.”

I love her and her sincere kindness exuding from her already.

We get to know each other better over dinner. Elena’s chicken was a huge hit, as it always is. Fried okra, buttered corn on the cob, and apple pie for dessert. All my favorites. Elena must have gone all out today. Every bite I take, I m**n in appreciation, making her grin widely. I’m so thankful for her. Even without me knowing, she has always tried her best to be a mother to me. I’m sitting between her and my dad, and I can feel their sincerity as they watch me eat. It’s overwhelming, and by my second bite of apple pie I’m tearing up.

“Oh, sweetie. Why are you crying?” Elena asked, wiping the tears from my eyes.

I take a shaking breath, “I’m just so happy and pissed all at the same time.”

“I know, honey,” she tells me, rubbing my shoulders while my dad takes over, wiping the tears from my eyes.

“I’m glad we can finally be your parents,” my dad tells me, choking up himself.

“Bout time,” Uncle Nathan says gruffly, stuffing a huge bite of pie in his mouth, “I was getting restless waiting for my badass niece I heard so much about daily. I was ready to go rogue and just kidnap you so you could be free from those evil people sooner.”

“You’re going to love Blue Cliff, Carli,” Courtney tells me, smiling with tears in her own eyes. “I can’t wait to show you everything. We have the lushest forests, magical waterfalls, beautiful valleys with wildflowers; I’ll show you all of it. I know you’re a warrior. We have strong warriors, and way more men than women. You will be a hot commodity,” she giggles.

I smile politely, but for some reason, the thought of leaving Crystal Moon hurts. My heart feels like it’s lodged in my throat, and I try desperately to swallow it back down. Parker’s heartbroken face flashes in my head, and I feel homesick even thinking about leaving here.

“I thought Alpha Jared said he took back my transfer?”

“Well,” my dad looked at Elena, who nodded for him to continue, “We already talked, and decided to renounce the pack with you. Alpha Axel agreed to accept us as rogues, so there is no need to apply for a new transfer.”

“I can still go?” I asked, dumbfounded.

“We can still go,” Elena corrected me, running her fingers through my hair, “It was always the plan for your dad and I to follow you. That’s why he has been working so hard to prepare the pack to deal with these rogue vampires. He doesn’t want to inconvenience Beta Anthony anymore than he already will be.”

I nod, knowing how busy my dad has been. We haven’t heard of another attack in several days, but I know it’s been weighing on him.

“But Parker,” I muttered softly, looking down at my hands.

Dad grimaces, “Yeah, I wasn’t expecting that,” he sighs.