You Broke Me First Phoenix Mountain Series Book 3

It’s so good to be home.

The sea is great, but really, I think I like the desert more. After all, it’s where I found the love of my life.

With everything starting to calm down, we can get back to normal life.

One thing that did change as soon as we got back was Darcy got his wish.

Once I got to the Unit, I hunted Craig down and switched charges with him. Hopefully Bear won’t be too upset. I know he liked my company. He seems to be a little more comfortable with me than anyone else.

He'll just have to adjust. I have an Alpha that not only needs my protection, but also needs me to keep an eye on him so he doesn’t wind up in trouble.

I didn’t waste time doing just that.

“God, I love how you protect me. Way better than ‘Not Hot' Craig.” Darcy drawls as he kisses my neck.

I burst into laughter as he lays naked on top of me in the sheets.

“Don’t get used to it. I still have a job to do. This doesn’t mean we stay in bed all day.” I say as I try to talk seriously.

“That’s exactly what it means, kitten. If Azriel has a problem with that, he can deal with me.” He leans close to my face.

“Darcy. You realize Azriel can do anything to you, right?” I arch a brow.

He raises his head slightly. “I’m not scared.” He shakes his head.

“He could do anything to that.” I point to his hips.

His face falls. “What?”

I nod. “Yep. He has a whole bunch of spells just for that.” Again, I point to his junk.

“You’re joking.” He looks concerned.

I slowly shake my head.

He scratches his head. “What time do you need to be at work?”

I laugh and hug his head. Nuzzling his neck.

****

As I stand on the field watching Darcy train his recruits, I kind of wish I checked it out sooner.

“Let’s go! Move it!” He yells as he runs them through drills.

I watch as Quinn leaves the group and falls on his back.

Darcy walks over and bumps his side with his sneaker. “Get up, recruit.” He barks.

Quinn can barely breath. “Man, I’m done. No one said this was going to be like actual work.” He whines.

Darcy reaches down and grabs his shirt collar. “Get up, ya big baby.” He yanks Quinn to his feet.

“Hey, easy! I’m just a kid.” Quinn scowls.

Darcy tick his jaw. “Get going.” He growls, pushing him toward the drills.

“Alright! Aren't you supposed to be the cool one?” Quinn stomps ahead of him.

“I am and the cool dudes don’t hang with whiney 9 year olds" Darcy puts his hands on hips.

“This sucks!” Quinn complains as he throws up his hands and joins the other recruits.

I chuckle as view the scene.

“It’s nice to see you happy.”

I turn and Bear joins my side. He has his hair tied back and in a black cut off tank with long shorts.

“Its nice to be finally happy.” I watch as Darcy pulls off his tshirt and wipes his face. They’ve switched to circuits which the trainers join in and he’s worked up quite a bit of sweat.

Bear crosses his arms and looks out to the field. “You two standing under the moon?”

I nod. “Yep. He asked me. I said yes.”

He looks at me and gives a small smile. “Good. I knew you two would be good for each other.”

“What about you? In the whole time I was with you, I never saw any girlfriends.” I ask.

He shrugs. “There’s girls. They’re just not special enough.”

“Are you giving them a chance or are you being too picky.” I arch a brow.

He shakes his head. “I can tell. Most just want my title. I want more than that.”

I nod. “I can understand that. May be this year is your year.” I smile.

He quickly glances at me. “I can definitely say it’s not.”

He taps my shoulder and runs out to the field.

I watch him leave. I feel like he just told me something, but I’m not sure what.

“Oh, Sam!”

I hear my name sung.

I turn and I’m being hunted out by three ‘Up to no good’ Lunas.

“Uh, hi.” I say. I’m confused as to why they’re even here.

Saysha, Trinity and Taylor stop in front of me.

Trinity puts her red hair up in a messy bun because it’s so hot out today.

“Can I help you?” I eye them suspiciously.

Saysha steps forward. “It’s your turn.” She smirks.

My brows go up. “My turn for what?”

Trinity crosses her arms. “To be kidnapped by us for an all girl adventure to get ready for the ball.”

I shake my head. “Oh no. I’m good. I don’t need any…”

Taylor grabs my arm. “Never mind, lady. You’re coming with us.”

As she pulls me with her, I thumb over my shoulder. “But, Darcy…I’m working.”

“He knows. He called us.” Saysha smiles.

I turn and look behind me. Darcy is on the field waving at me with a stupid grin in his face.

I scowl at him as the girls drag me off to God knows where.

****

“Ok. So nails and toes, check. How about hair?” Taylor says to Trinity in front of me.

The two are scoping out hairstyles on their phones while I stand back and feeling like a complete idiot.

We've been out for hours.

“Ooo! Guys I found it.” Saysha squeals. She flips her phone around to a picture of a dress.

“Guys, really. I can dress myself.” I say.

Trinity waves me down. “I like the neck line.”

“The color is stunning.” Taylor says.

Saysha nods. “It’ll be great with your complexion.”

I growl and grab the phones. “Ladies! I don’t need help.” I eye them all.

Taylor puts her hands on my shoulders. “Yes, you do. You’re only lashing out because you’re nervous.” She tilts her head to me.

I stitch my brow together. “No. I’m not nervous. I’m annoyed.”

Saysha grins. “Every Luna must go through us. It’s a tradition.”

I look at her. “Tradition? There’s only three of you and technically, she didn’t have to be accosted.” I point to Taylor who was the first Luna.

“True.” Taylor says. “But it is now. Come on.” She grabs my arm as I whine.

“Look. We’ll grab you a latte and start with shoes.” Trinity says grabbing my other arm.

“Fine. Just make it quick Ok. I need to get back.” I look between the women.

“You can't rush beauty, Sam.” Trinity says.

They all giggle as I think about how hard I’m going to punch that Alpha when I get home.

After five hours, I was finally released from my female captors.

It was almost the end of the day, so Darcy was most likely just getting off the field.

I was wrong. He was getting out of the shower.

I stand in the locker room with my arms crossed and my toe tapping.

He struts over and grins. “Did you have fun shopping?”

He placed his hands on his hips. His towel hung low on them and he looked damn hot dripping wet.

I narrow my eyes and in a split second, snatch his towel off his waist, twist it up and snap it off the side of his ass.

“OW!” He jumped and his hand rubbed his but.

“Sam, what the hell?!” He scowled.

I walked up to him and threw a finger in his face. “Don’t ever do that to me again!”

“What? What happened?” He looked confused.

“Nothing happened. I had a great time!” I scowl.

“So, what’s your problem?!” He growls.

“I don’t like surprises!” I grit as I crack the other side of his ass with the towel.

“Ok! Ok! No surprises! Stop hitting me. Geez.” He winces while he rubs his other cheek.

I wrap the towel around his neck and pull him to my lips. I slam my lips on his and kiss him hard. He moans on my mouth as he melts.

I push him back, still holding the towel. “Thank you for a wonderful day!” I bark and push him away. I turn on my heels and leave the locker room. A smile creeps across my lips as I think about how wonderful the ball is going to be.

****

Did I mention how I don’t like surprises? Yeah, well, I got a big one while I was waiting for Darcy to finish up his trainers reports.

Zander called me and told me to meet him in the processing department of the prison unit.

“Zander?” I was confused as I see him with Azriel.

“Hi, Sam. We have some unexpected visitors and they’re asking for asylum here…in Phoenix.” Zander says.

“Ok. So what does that have to do with me?” I look at them both.

“This may come as a bit of a shock, my dear.” Azriel says.

Zander walks over to a dark monitor on the wall. He taps the screen and what I saw crushed the happiness I was feeling.

My mouth went small and my anger rose.

“No! No fucking way!” I shout at Azriel.

“Just…hear them out Sam. You don’t have to like them, but we feel like this is a part of your life that needs closure.” Azriel stood in front of me, rubbing my arms.

The pain of what these people did to me increased.

“They sold me to Black, Azriel! At twelve years old! Why the hell would I want to hear anything they had to say?!” I look at him with pure anger.

“Then tell them that. You must deal with this. You dealt with every thing else.” He says with care in his voice.

He was right. My parents were the last demon from my past life that I had to kill. I needed to tell them exactly how I felt in order to truly have a new beginning with Darcy.

I nod.

Azriel wraps his arm around my shoulders. “I’ll be with you for support.”

He leads me to the door and I blow out a breath. I really don’t know what I can say to these people. They stopped being my parents a long time ago.

Azriel walks in first. They don’t look any different from when I saw them last.

My mother places her hands in front of her nose. She gets a small smile on her face.

I’m not smiling at all.

“Samantha.” She whispers. I see tears in her eyes.

“Don't.” I spit low.

“Sam…” My father starts.

“Shut up.” I flare my eyes at him.

“Baby…please.” My mother pleads as a tear falls.

“No! Don’t you fucking dare!” I yell.

My face heats. My cheeks flush. I feel my eyes start to sting.

“Don’t you dare act like I’m your long lost daughter when you sold your fucking child to a goddamn monster!!” I lean on the table. My nostrils are flaring.

“Sam…I’m sorry…” My mother cries.

“Sorry? SORRY?! DO YOU EVEN KNOW THE HELL I WENT THROUGH? DO YOU EVEN CARE?” I yell louder.

I turn. “Yes, Azriel tried to give me a good life…” I turned back. “But I spent that life, everyday, FEELING LIKE A FREAK!”

I leaned on the table. “I SPENT EVERYDAY HATING MYSELF BECAUSE MY OWN PARENTS VALUED THEIR FREEDOM MORE THAN ME!”

I started to cry. “I HAD NIGHTMARES…FOR YEARS…IMAGES OF RAVENS KILLING PEOPLE I LOVED!”

I wiped my cheeks. “ALL BECAUSE OF YOU PEOPLE!”

“Samantha, please. We know what we did…we know…” My father put his hand on the table and an arm around my mother. “What we did was unforgivable. We don’t expect it. We just needed to see you and tell you how sorry we were.”

“Shove your sorrys.” I grind. “I’ll never forgive you for what you did. I don’t care what happens to you and if I ever see either of you again it’ll be too soon.” I seethe at them with clenched teeth.

“Samantha, please.” My mother begs. “Please, we just want to make it right.”

“You cant make this right. Ever!” I turn to Azriel. “Do not grant them asylum.” I wipe my cheeks again and storm out of the room.

After walking back through the security unit building, Darcy found me.

He knew something was wrong the moment he saw me.

“My parents are here.” I choke.

“Jesus. Come here.” He hugs me tight as I try to not waste one more tear in them.

“They want asylum from the Ravens. Darcy, I don’t want them around.” I raise my head to him.

He wipes my eyes. “That’s really Jake and Zander’s call, but one things for sure, if you don’t want them in our pack, then they won’t be allowed in.”

I nod.

“Ok. Let’s go home.” He wraps his arm around me and takes me home.

I tried to relax after, but my head was all screwed up. With my past. The words they said.

Azriel said I needed the closure, but I wish they just stayed away.

All I can do now, is try and focus on the ball. Push Jacob and Heather out of my mind forever.