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Ethan

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"Alright Ev, why don't you both come back here tonight. You and I can fix up that mud. You move Lyanna into our cabin?"

Evan nodded. "Hope that's alright?"

I nodded with a sleepy half-smile. "It is. I'll come clean out my room eventually."

"Key word 'eventually'" Ryder snickered. I let out a warning growl while Char rolled her eyes.

Evan sighed and knocked on the island. "Alright, we'll let you know if there's anything new between now and tonight. Also call Levi, he wanted to talk to you when you had a, um, free moment brother."

Char blushed as Ryder started to chuckle. I grumbled out a few curse words as Evan held up his hands in surrender as he started to walk towards the door with Ryder on his tail. "Just don't ruin the other good couches in the house Ev, I want that brown one!"

Evan growled lowly to me then let out a huff before he stepped out the door and shifted. Ryder laughed and nodded approvingly at me before he clicked the door shut then followed after Ev.

Char sighed then pulled away from me before walking to the refrigerator and opening it. She was standing on her toes with her bottom lip between her teeth. My shirt was almost like a tent for her body, yet as she lifted onto her toes to see what Ryder had stocked in there, it started to tease me as it raised up.

I smiled into my coffee as I took a sip. This had to be what heaven was like. With her.

"What ya looking for babe?"

"Breakfast," she mused a bit as she crinkled her nose. "Hey, Ethan?"

"Mmm?" I took a sip of my coffee cup, cocking my head to see if I could spot the perfect little crease of where her ass met her legs from under my shirt.

"Is challenging someone here the same as it is at Tikanni?" She asked while she pulled a foil pan of something out.

"Yes, minus a few details but for the most part yes. Although I wish our laws said that I could just go lay his ass out," I almost growled out. As much as I wanted to rip him apart and string his intestines like Christmas lights around the pack house, I knew as well as anyone else that there were laws and procedures; there for a good reason to ensure the pack's safety and health.

She opened the lid off a tray and looked at me with those stormy blue eyes that I was pretty sure I would kill for. "How does baked ziti sound for breakfast?"

I cocked my head at her amusingly. "Good, but not as you as you would be for breakfast sunshine."

She flushed a little then gave me a mock scowl. "Later," she said as she turned to preheat the oven.

I sighed and slid onto a barstool that mismatched the only other one on the other side of the island. Mostly because when Eli bought them he didn't realize he ordered two different ones. Idiot. My beast and I chuckled inwardly at the memory at how pissed he was when he pulled out the pieces and realized what he did.

"Well?" she asked again as she pulled out a cookie sheet that Derek had sent with Ryder.

I took another sip of my coffee. Watching her do this only made me want to day dream of what this would be like in a few years. What this would look like. What we would look like. Us.

"Overall the pack laws state that you can't challenge the alpha without a good reason, so like I can't just challenge an existing alpha just because he pisses me off, I have to have a legitimate reason to present to the pack as to why he's unfit to rule.

"Every alpha has to be challenged in order to step down or be 'de-throned' if you will."

"Even heirs? Don't you just pass it down to them?" she asked curiously.

I nodded. "Yes, even heirs. Alpha males won't let their sons have their seat unless they are ready for it, unless they can beat them. Even Levi had to challenge his father and win just like my father had to challenge his father and win."

She nodded as her eyes widened slightly. The buzzer on the oven went off, signaling it was ready, and disrupting her from her thoughts. She pushed off the island and stuck the pan in the oven then slid onto a barstool opposite of me. She looked at me inquisitively with big eyes, like she was a kid waiting for me to finish my damn story.

"Well outside the case of an heir, you need a good reason. Part of the reason to have something solid is really more so you'll have the support of the pack. I can't just say he's a bad leader without proof, I need something that would hold up against him. Something that would also be undeniable proof to the pack that my claims are valid.

"So like for us, in an ideal case we would find some kind of evidence that would tie him to ten years ago. With that, he nor the rest of the pack members on the fence could deny it. It would be more than enough reason to do it, and it would be good for the pack. That attack tore everyone apart, they deserve blood for it too."

She nodded. "So then pack meeting?"

I nodded. "Yup, call a pack meeting and announce the challenge there. You then state your case as to why you're challenging them then you fight it out. If there's a pack meeting already on the calendar, then you can also just announce it there at the end."

She nodded solemnly and looked back at the oven. My beast was prowling, he was always prowling now. I didn't know if we could wait a week mostly because his lust for blood was about as strong as our lust for her. She was really the only thing keeping me in this house and not out that door to do what I wanted to do.

She slid off the stool and peaked in the oven for a bit, sighing disappointedly as she closed the door. "I think maybe twenty more minutes."

I cocked my brow slyly. There was plenty you could do with twenty minutes. My beast licked his lips and agreed as we eyed our female lustfully. "Come here sunshine."

She turned with a small smile tugging at her lips and walked slowly to me. Her dark hair was the perfect shade of bedhead right now and I made a mental note to always strive to keep it that way. In my eyes, I don't think that the moon could have made a more perfect female. My beast agreed as she enclosed us.

I pulled her between my legs and kissed her soft lips that were still swollen. Those lips. Those lips left images in my mind that I knew would set fire to the arctic; lips wrapped around my shaft while devious eyes looked up at me and I swear to the moon I almost died of ecstasy right then in that moment.

She let out a breathy sigh into my lips which only made me smile into her kiss. It was moments like these that made me want to just lock us up in here indefinitely. "The food will be ready soon," she whispered against my lips.

"But I'm hungry now," I replied with devious innocence as I kissed my way along her jaw and down to the mark that made my blood buzz a little louder. Just the sight of it was erotic.

I licked at it. The damn thing itself tasted like a honey unique to her on my tongue. She mewed softly and leaned her head back, giving me more access to the skin I was more than hungry for.

"Ethan," she sighed out. I knew she was trying to distract me but she was failing miserably at it.

"What?" I asked playfully against her neck. "I told you I was hungry sunshine," I said as I quickly grabbed onto her waist and propped her on top of the island.

Her eyes widen but I could see the desire swirling behind them; it's a look I've grown to crave. The bond between us crackled like a firework. I thought the pull was insane, this bond was even more insane. It was bliss. It was like was a line between our souls where I could feel the fiber of her emotions. She was humming now, calling to me like a siren; flickering images to me over our bond of our lovemaking from the last two days.

I shook my head playfully at her. "Tease."

She smiled deviously before I kissed her again. Screw breakfast, she was going to be my breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert. I grabbed her legs and pulled her closer to me, as I kissed her harder. She sighed into my mouth and snaked her fingers through my hair; tugging playfully while I nipped at her bottom lip.

I moved and bit at my mark again, sucking on it and drawing moans from her mouth while her body started to quiver a little. Melt a little. Arouse and churn a scent that I wanted to bury myself in.

She curved her body towards me, her body that felt like it was made for me. My chest rumbled as I slid a hand up her belly and started to push her backward She looked at me curiously but I just kissed her quickly and then nipped at her chest through my chest as she laid back on the island.

"What are you doing?" she breathed out.

I pulled her legs closer to me and grinned deviously. "Having breakfast sunshine."

Her thighs were like sweet milk as I kissed my way up them. She squirmed slightly as desired started to pour off of her. I felt a satisfied growl rumble off my chest as I nipped playfully at the soft skin that surrounded her core while my nose relished the smell that was all my female.

I slid the stool back a little and wrapped my arms under her thighs so I could pull her right up to the edge of the island. She let out a breathy moan and arched her back a little as I licked at the outside of her folds. Her folds that tasted like damn candy; I swear to the damn moon she was made of pure sugar.

Her eyes were dripping with anticipation and need as she looked down at me. I growled again at the sight of her; hair spread out on the table as my shirt fell loosely over her curves, hiding nothing from me. I never wanted her to hide anything from me. If I had it my way, she wouldn't have to ever wear clothes at all.

The bond swirled some more. It was flaming and licking over my skin. I rumbled and buried myself in her; in the place I could die happy in. God, she tasted so damn good. Like sweet nectar that was already making me more and more drunk with lust.

Another rumble vibrated through me and over her skin as she moaned a little. Her fingers found my hair as my tongue found the entrance I was looking for. The entrance where I could happily eat away at the wetness that was pouring off of her.

She rocked her hips into me, grinding herself against me and stirring my ever-present arousal even more. We definitely were not eating after this. We had other things that we would be doing, probably in this kitchen.

"Ethan," she sighed out with a raspy voice that I was sure would be my undoing.

"Baby you taste so damn good," I growled out.

I moved slightly higher and flickered my eyes over her body; back arched and breasts thrust in the air while she looked down at me with wanton eyes. I smiled wickedly to her then licked my way to her swollen pink nub that I had become quite familiar with over the last few days. She let out a small cry as I took it in my mouth and sucked on it; teasing it with tiny bites and licks while I slipped my fingers in her.

She ground against my hand while I stroked at her over and over and over until I found the spot that made her throw her head back against the island. I tugged on her clit and flicked my tongue over and over it, pressing slightly harder with my fingers until she started to shatter around me. I growled in approval, my beast and I agreed that the sight of pleasing our female was more than satisfying and there was nothing more exquisite than the site of her in pure ecstasy of the moment.

"Ethan," she sighed out again as her orgasm rocked though her. Her fingers were tight in my hair as the bond felt like it was being tossed between two tides made of heat and euphoria.

I rumbled again then kissed my way up her belly, pulling my shirt off her with me as I went. She was panting hard and eyeing me hungrily as I dipped down and kissed her lips in a long kiss that promised for more. "Still hungry?" I whispered against her lips.

"Starving," she breathed out. I growled a little then went back to her lips, devouring her with my own insatiable need.

We eventually had breakfast. We had breakfast over and over and over again. That is, until we were actually eating baked ziti lazily on a worn leather couch in the front living room that used to be my grandfather's. She was leaned against the arm with her legs lazily draped over mine and picking at the cheesier parts of the dish. She had found my shirt again, and I was pretty sure that it had never looked better on anyone–or off anyone.

"What do you think it will show us?" she asked before she took a bite of her pasta.

"The tree?"

"Mhmm," she murmured.

"I don't know. It showed you the past, clips. Maybe we'll see something too?"

"Yes, but nothing has been really useful."

"We don't know that. Maybe it is and we just don't know it because we don't have context for it?"

"Maybe," she thought a little before she bit off a large piece. She swallowed it down and flickered her eyes to me. She wanted to ask my something, I could see it in her eyes. She seemed to be chewing on the words though.

"What is it sunshine?"

She sighed. "What do you remember from that day Ethan?" I stilled as she stared at me. Her eyes were apologetic yet determined. There was no hiding the truth from her. "Maybe you saw something useful? Can you think of anything?"

My beast stirred. It was a day that neither of us wanted to remember, but as we got closer to the truth it seemed the truth was buried in there. He whined a little. Images flickered through my mind that made my heart squeeze.

I looked back at her. She set her bowl down then took her hand in mine and kissed it. There was no hiding it from her, I couldn't even it I wanted to.

"It was tense. I remember it being that was all day, most of the week actually."

"Why?"

I shrugged. "I don't know. Eli thought something was up, but we didn't know what. Dad seemed stressed but, he wouldn't really tell us. He just said it was work, but I don't know, as the week went on I bought it less and less.

"I went with Eli and our parents to meet the Thornes at the line. Evan and Evangeline were still little. Evan had just shifted and my dad didn't want his wolf out just yet without someone with him.

"We were all so excited. There was supposed to be a barbecue the next day when Levi got there. We had invited some of our neighbors as well, Eli and Lucas kept joking around about finding their mates there.

"My mom was stressed out, though. I remember dad offered to take Eli and Lucas hunting. That's why we were with my grandparents. Pop and I told her we would take Evangeline and Evan for a few hours while she and Aunt Eve finished up what she needed to do.

"The whole time at the store I was so stressed out, though. I remember I snapped at Evangeline, and even pop was pissed for no reason. We eventually left without buying anything, pop was getting too agitated and I think we all knew something was wrong.

"Once we crossed the pack line I knew. I could smell it in the air. I could smell the scent of rogues mixed with smoke." I blinked hard, pushing back the pain that I need I couldn't let eat at me anymore. "The rest was really a blur. I remember trying to find them and yelling out to the family link. I could feel their pain, it was so intense that it almost killed me.

"Grandad wouldn't let me go, I tried. God I tried so damn hard. The worst part of all of it was waiting in that damn shelter. It was like being suffocated with their pain and our fear. I still have scars from where pop clawed me to keep me there," I said as I pushed down my shorts a hair to show her three parallel silver gashes slightly below my hipbone.

"Oh my God Ethan." She leaned up and let her fingers carefully trail down one of the line. "I'm sorry," she breathed out.

I sighed and kissed her forehead as I pulled her loser to me. "It's not your fault sunshine," I sighed against her head. She leaned back against my shoulder and nuzzled my neck a little, settling me down a little and chasing the pain away.

"It wasn't hard to find them. I found them. I found them and part of me wishes I hadn't." I let out a sharp breath against her hair. "They had defanged them and cut off the skin of their backs, took them as trophies. They didn't even give them a warriors death, they just slit their throats with silver and left them for dead.

"The next thing I knew I was being pulled away by I think Thomas. I don't really remember. I remember seeing Levi. He ran up with Billy, Lander, and David. He walked over to me and looked at me for the longest time before looking at the scene behind me. After that everyone was focused on him, he was about to go rogue right there."

She kissed my neck gently then turned to me. "I'm so sorry baby."

I pulled her into me more. I pulled her close to me and promised myself that I would never let the past repeat itself. I would never let anything happen her because if she went to the moon I would be right behind her.

I couldn't do this without her. I had no idea how the hell Levi had, but I was sure that if anything happened to her that I wouldn't be able to make it. I wouldn't want to. I wouldn't want a life without her; my beast agreed.

"How about we talk about something else?"

I sighed a little and nodded. "Please."

"Well, when should we move everything in?"

I let out another breathy laugh and looked down at her. She leaned back a little wish a soft smile dancing on her lips. "We should probably do it soon. Evan will want to start getting our old cabin together for him and Lyanna soon."

"Who would have thought?" She smiled a little to herself.

"I'm still shocked Lander let her come down here."

"Really?"

"I probably wouldn't have let a daughter of ours come down here sunshine, Lander has way more self-control than I give him credit for."

Char stilled next to me. I looked down at her as she looked at me in a heap of panic. "Oh my God Ethan what if I'm pregnant!? Oh my God! We didn't use a condom! Oh my God Ethan–"

"Sunshine," I playfully slapped my hand over her mouth to shush her. I bit back laughter as best I could but I was losing that battle. Her eyes widened a little more and I couldn't help but start laughing. "How did no one tell you this?"

"What?" she gasped out. "Tell me what?!"

"Baby you're not getting pregnant, you're not in heat yet," I chuckled out. "However–"

"Hold on, what?! Heat?!" I couldn't stop laughing. I couldn't believe that no one had told her all of this yet and the look on her face was just so priceless; cheeks red with flustered emotions and thoughts. Although I guess I understood, I can't imagine that's a conversation that Levi wanted to have with his daughter.

Hell, I remember the day gran explained all the birds and the bees shit to Evangeline; Evangeline came home and walked straight to her room like a zombie. She was only like thirteen-ish? I remember checking on her and finding her on her bed eating a bar of chocolate and staring at her television mindlessly. It was then that she told me what gran had told her and I swear to the moon that was not a conversation that I wanted to have with my younger sister.

Although, to my surprise Evangeline said something like, 'It's just so icky, like, just, ew!' I remember being pretty pleased with that, saved me from having to beat the shit out of any idiot that would try to get in her pants, although later I did have to do that.

But with Char, it was just hysterical. "Ethan!" she slapped my chest playfully. "It's not funny!"

"Yes, it is," I laughed out. My beast just shook his head at me while I tried to push the laughter down. Charlotte crossed her arms and growled at me which just made this more humorous. I sighed and caught my breath. "Alright, well, it's really hard for were's to have children. First off, finding your mate is hard enough, some don't ever do. You can only reproduce with your true mate or a potential bond mate. So, that and females have to be in heat. It's like when female humans ovulate. I seriously cannot believe that no one told you this."

"Hold on, so what is this 'heat'? The last heat related thing I went through was hell, God Derek and Levi couldn't keep enough ice on me," she said with a grimace.

I sighed and kissed her forehead. "Well, kind of. I've heard it's kind of like that, or it starts like that. Basically, your body will crave its mate so much that it will be in physical pain if they are not there to, 'alleviate' it," I said with a sly smile. Her cheeks flushed a little which made me chuckle more. "Sunshine you don't know how adorable your look right now."

She rolled her eyes and broke the flush then slapped me again which just made me start to laugh some more. "Asshole," she grumbled. She sighed and looked at me pensively, but really it was just a delicious look on her. "How long does the damn thing last?"

"What?" I scoffed playfully. "You say it like it's such a bad thing?" She rolled her eyes which made me growl playfully at her. I bit the bottom of my lip then quickly flipped her under me. She grumbled a little but I just laughed against the skin of her chest. "It's only a week, give or take a few days, unless if your mate is with you to 'alleviate' it. Usually, males will take their mates away into a cabin far out from the pack because her heat is like stupid arousing to the other males around."

"Are you saying you're going to lock me up in the mountains somewhere?" She cocked her head at me while my eyes trailed the edges of her lips.

"That's exactly what I'm going to do sunshine." I kissed her collarbone before moving back to her lips. Her lips which turned into many more kisses in many more places as we wasted away the afternoon in each other's arms.

I wanted to lock her in that cabin forever. I wanted to lock her away with me in our home forever and ensure that nothing ever harmed her. For now, until the danger was gone all I could do was fall into her arms and let her take me away from this mess.

Soon though, night came. Charlotte was anxious, as was I. We both picked at dinner but our nerves got the best of us. My beast was on edge. He wanted to tear Thomas' throat out and if she weren't there with me, I would have let him.

We turned on a movie, and laid in bed while the night waned on, but I could feel it. Feel her tension that was only fed by mine. My wolf was pacing by the time Evan came. He had saddlebags on his back filled with the same things our father used to use to make the mud he would make us roll in before a big hunt. It was to hide our scent and keep any of Thomas' cronies off our tails.

"Brother." Evan gave me a small smile and nodded.

I let out a sigh and opened the door wider for him. "Take it to the side with the hose, I'll get a shovel."

"Evan here?" Char called out as she came down the stairs.

"Ya babe," I answered.

Evan waved as she walked over to me and eyed the saddlebags. Evan just shrugged. "I heard it's the latest fashion little sister."

She grumbled a little while Evan rolled his eyes and started walking towards the backyard. We got outside then walked around to the side of the house where Evan turned on the hose. I found some shovels I had laying around and tossed one to him.

"Sunshine hold the hose and water it down as we go," I told her as Evan started to turn the rusty knob on the hose.

She nodded and took the hose from Evan before I tossed him a shovel. We dug out some soft dirt and spread it over a big enough area that Evan I thought would be good to roll around in. Char kept watering it down as we went, making the dry dirt turn sticky as the water hit it.

"Ev, dump the ash in," I said as I shoveled more dirt into our mud pile.

He nodded and dropped his shovel then went to the saddlebags he brought. The smell of smoke from the ash was familiar, too familiar to me. Evan walked it over then started to scatter them over the mud hole we made, a mud hole that we used to make with our dad all the time.

Evan dumped the last of it out then picked his shovel up and started to blend it in with the mud. Eventually, I quit shoveling dirt and walked into it then started to try and spread it around with my toes.

Evan dropped his shovel soon and joined me. We stomped around until we were both pretty satisfied with the concoction we had made. "Well, sunshine," I said looking up at her stormy blue eyes, "time to jump in."