Bruno's eyes followed that pink little tongue, wondering what she would taste like, until her words made it through the haze of immoral thoughts forming in his mind. Seventeen. She wasn't even legally old enough, and in his realm, you needed to be eighteen before you found your mate, if you didn't find them when you were five. He had to do some research when Trixy was younger, and going through her dark times. Shit, is that why he felt a pull towards her that somehow wasn't complete? He looked down at her hand on his, his mind drifting to the thought of those little hands touching, caressing James, his mouth on hers, his body... he shook his head, afraid to go further. Afraid that if he stayed here any longer with those thoughts, he would go mad and charge at the Alpha on her pack. He raised his gaze to hers, seeing the flicker of something warm in her eyes, tinged with confusion at why she felt anything for a strange man. Pulling his hands away, he cleared his throat, looking to the side. "Have you eaten?" Why was he still here? He knows he should leave, but it appears that his feet have other plans.
She shrugged one shoulder, "Enough, so that I won't die. I guess the Alphas aren't done with me yet." Bruno's jaw tightened, but he knew that he should not interfere. "If it were possible, what would you like to eat?" Candice blinked, once, twice. Why would he care? Yet, her mouth had no problem answering for her. "Baked chicken, with pineapples, sauteed potatoes, even some steamed vegetables, but no broccoli. I hate those. Oh, and a glass of wine to go with it, followed by a huge slice of double chocolate cake." Bruno's lips twitched at her childish excitement over cake. He bit back his grin, nodded once and turned away, ready to leave. He paused when she called out to him, her voice growing small, like a child. He turned, looking over his shoulder. She stood there, in clothes a little too big for her, her eyes looking like she was the last kid left at school in the growing darkness. He felt his heart tighten, hating to leave her here, but breaking her out right now was not going to help her, him, and it would surely reflect badly on his sister, ruining her new position before it even started. He turned fully, his heart weakening at her look. Next thing he knew, he was standing in front of her, his hand through the bars, caressing her cheek. "I'll be back. I promise." Candice nodded, closing her eyes as she let his warmth seep into her. For the first time in years, she felt like someone truly saw her. How ironic, when she felt the most unattractive in the loose, drab outfit they gave her. She hasn't showered or even brushed her teeth since before the event, who knows how many days that was, yet this tall man looked at her like he would slay dragons if she only asked. She was tempted to use whatever little charm she had in this situation, something like pulling his finger into her mouth, but the thought drifted away just as quickly as it arose. With him, she didn't think it would work, and strangely enough, she had no desire to even try. His thumb stroked back and forth over her cheek, and she wondered if he was always warm like this. Her world has always been so cold. What would it be like to curl up in his arms? Would it take away this constant chill she'd always felt in her life after that day?
Bruno forced himself to retrieve his hand, his palm still tingling from their contact. His chest hurt, his heart pounding so fast. Slow, he needed to go slow, or else he was going to come off as just another jerk wanting her for her body. I mean, he did, but that wasn't the point. Damn, he was arguing and jsutifying himself to himself. He shook his head at his own foolishness. No wonder they wanted you to meet your special person at five, before hormones kicked in. He gave her one last look, one that he hoped conveyed his promise to return and left before he no longer had the will to.
Trixy blinked open her eyes, her body hurting like she had slow danced with a freight train that took the lead. It took a while for her eyes to focus. She noticed the white ceiling, thankful that the light was off. She swallowed, trying to loosen her tongue from making love to the roof of her mouth. She tried again, better this time. She slowly turned her head as her senses returned. Why was she here? The methodical beeping of the heart monitor told her she was in the medical bay. Her eyes slowly travelled down her arm to see that she was attached to the annoying machine. She blinked again, racking her brain for her memories. A slight shifting to her other side made her head whip around at the speed of a snail. Eyes fell on a chest that looked very familiar. She blinked again, her focus on those rippling muscles, and she could feel her lady parts grow warm. Damn it, why was that chest so far away, her tongue wasn't long enought to reach.
The chest in question began to shake, a low rumble of laughter echoing deep within. Her eyes drifted up to a strong jaw, lips spread in a smile that made her stomach do flip-flops, over a nose as strong as the jaw, into sparkling eyes that held their own pain, but less than what she was feeling. "I see getting into bed with you still has the same effects." Trixy frowned, at least she thought she did, but her body was not cooperating with her. As she looked at this handsome god lying next to her, memories returned. The event, her acceptance to the pack, her mate's proposal, the attack, the chase. Her mind went back to the night when she knew her charge was in trouble, and she headed out to help. She felt the cold of that dark mist in her bones and knew Annalise was in danger, both she and the pup inside her. She gasped, "What happened to the princess?" she asked, her mind wondering if she had failed them, which is why she was here.
Sam gently stroked her face, calming her with his touch. "She is safe. You helped protect her, and both she and the little one are safe. She gave birth that night, and from what the doctor shared, you created a barrier that kept them safe through it all. Now, how are you feeling?" he asked, looking down at her with such concern. Trixy wanted to shrug, but her body vehemently protested that action. She groaned in pain. "Like I went diving in a lake of dump trucks, knowing that I can't swim." Sam's lips twitched at her description. "Damn, I just feel like I got real close and intimate with a speeding train that didn't give one hoot about my tender heart." She smiled, her body relaxing as she rested in the knowledge that she had saved Annalise that night. She closed her eyes, but they flew open. "Where is Bruno?"
Sam shrugged. "He woke up a bit after me, checked to be sure you were alright. Lorenzo checked on us before he woke. I was up at that time, and once he woke, I told Bruno that you just needed more rest. He came over, making sure for himself, and then he left. I'm not sure where he is, but he didn't seem as badly off as we." Trixy nodded slightly, the movement hurting her neck a bit. "Yeah, he has the physical strength, so I'm not surprised that he can even walk." Sam nuzzled her head. "That's enough talking. Lorenzo is giving me another day to rest before the Alphas begin questioning me, and I want to spend it holding you. Do you want anything?"
Trixy swallowed, "Just water for now." Sam turned, retrieving a bottle. She tried to sit up, but he shook his head. He grabbed a straw and inserted it, placing it at her lips. She drank slowly, not wanting to cause any problems. When she had had enough, he closed the bottle, placing it back within easy reach. Now that she knew everything was okay for the time being, her eyes grew heavy. Sam kissed the side of her head. "Go to sleep, my little mate. I'll be here when you wake up." Pulling her to his chest as best as he could, she snuggled into him and fell asleep.
Bruno checked in on his sister, glad to know that she had awakened for a bit. Lorenzo came in and, after doing a final check, discharged him. Sam asked him not to get himself in trouble as they were still in Bloodmoon territory. He nodded and headed out. He went looking for the kitchen, but when he heard how the other women were bashing Candice, calling her a foolish slut who would surley get what was comming to her, he turned away. There was no way anyone in that kitchen or even in the pack was going to help. Not even her friends, the ones who were standing next to her in the crowd, were the ones degrading her the loudest. He shook his head, glad that his sister was not mated to anyone from this pack. He knew that James was trying his best to change things, but it was going to be a long journey.
He wandered around, looking and taking mental notes, as he always does. He had to learn that skill from an early age, as the warrior guardian to the princess.
He found the garage, noticing a few men milling around. He approached, hoping that he gave off a friendly, well, at least a not-so-dangerous vibe. The men recognised him, admiring his skills even though he was not a shifter. They thought he was a regular human with exceptional skills or maybe a half-breed, and he was not one to correct them. He talked with them awhile, sharing stories. One of the men brought up Candice, but even though many of them believed she had a part in it, they were kinder to her with their words. Bruno held in his anger, wondering how many of them had been with her, one, five, all? While he was trying to convince himself that killing them would not be helpful, something one of the men said drew his attention. He mentioned Candice not having a great life, a weak mother and a terrible stepfather. The way he spoke let Bruno know that there was more to that statement, and he was not going to like the answer. He was tempted to press, to grab the man by his dirty collar and shake him until he revealed every last secret, but he knew it would only raise suspicion, provoke jealousy and bring more trouble than he needed.
He cleared his throat, "Hey guys, is there any way to get to the nearest town without the Alpha knowing?"They looked at each other. One guy nodded and motioned for Bruno to follow him into the garage. He raised a large tarp, revealing a regular-looking car, no frills, no fancy lights or markings, just a regular car that an average guy would drive. The guy tossed the keys at Bruno, "I heard that Alpha James and Alpha Bradley would be in a virtual meeting for a while with the council. That attack was big news and has to be reported, especially since it involved two packs, so they will be busy for a while. Take it and head up the path. When you meet the main road, just turn right. You should hit the town within half an hour. Just stay within the speed limits, and most people will think either you're visiting or just passing through." Bruno gave the man an appreciative hand on his shoulder. "Thank you. I won't be long." He jogged over and slid into the seat. Despite that the car looked normal, its engine purred to life with barely a sound, the slight vibration telling him that everything worked. He pulled out, following the directions he was given, soon heading into town.
He drove down the main street, surprised that it was bigger than he imagined. When they had arrived months ago, he was too busy sulking about his sister being claimed by some random man he did not know. After what happened to her, he was overly protective of her, especially her heart. If her powers hadn't confimred that Sam was her true mate, he would have lost his shit, and maybe even his life, but he would have made sure to drag Sam to hell with him. He brought his mind back to its mission, and his patience was rewarded. He found a small dinner on one of the corners. He pulled to the side, his eyes doing a quick appraisal. The large windows that looked over the main street shone in the sun. There were little smudges on the door around the handle from countless hands, but other than that, it looked clean. He peered inside, observing the way the waitress moved, their smile tired but genuine. It seemed satisfactory, and he went inside, his stomach rumbling at the smell of food.
He slid into a corner booth, which gave him a great view of both inside and outside. He put the keys in his pocket and grabbed a menu off the table. He could tell that the place was clean, and his glance into the kitchen when he passed showed no signs that anything unethical was underfoot. A girl walked over to him, her belly beginning to round, as she entered her second trimester. Is everybody pregnant in this region? He shook his head, "Hi," he looked at her name tag, "Cammy. Can I have a coffee, black. Toast, eggs, bacon, a ham sandwich with he works and a piece of peach cobbler for dessert, with whipped cream." Cammy wrote it down, a language only waitresses knew, and walked off, yelling to the cook, before she slapped down his ticket with his order and headed to another table seating a family of four.
A few minutes later, a steaming cup of coffee was placed in front of him, and he inhaled. Ahhh... for a small town, they had the good stuff. He took an appreciative sip, feeling the liquid slide down his throat and awaken his mind. He frowned as echoes of his sister screaming at him to at least drink some water rang in his ears. He raised a hand, signalling for Cammy, who came over, completing her recent order. "Can I also have a glass of water? I feel like my little sister would rake me over the coals in my dreams if I don't." Cammy smiled, "Sure thing, sugar", and she brought him a large glass. The temperature was just right, not too warm and not too cold. He swallowed down half before reaching for his coffee again. He was going to need a refill, but before he could ask, Cammy came over, "Just brewed this batch," and she filled his cup once again.
His meal came, and he arranged it in front of him like a feast. He ate, taking a few bites of everything, and soon his plates were empty and his stomach was now doing the happy dance for peach cobbler. Cammy brought it over after clearing away his plates. She noticed how his eyes sparkled like a kid's, the way his gaze stayed on his desert. She chuckled, "Here you go, with extra whipped cream, on the house". Bruno looked up at her like she was an angel, and she chuckled, shaking her head and walking off. He was so cute, but her husband was still the most dashing guy she's ever met, her eyes glazing over at the hard-working man, wishing time would move faster so she could see him soon.
Bruno dug in, the first bite transporting him to paradise. The peaches were just the right level of sweet and juicy, without dripping out of your mouth, and the whipped cream was cool and added to the sweet taste. There was a dusting of cinnamon which tied it together, and the crust was just right. He savoured every bite, even asking for another. When he was finished, he leaned back, closing his eyes and enjoying the way his body hummed in utter food satisfation. He imagined bringing Candice here, both of them talking over a good meal, trying everything on the menu. He opened his eyes, wondering if she would even be welcomed here. He needed to get her out of that damned cell first before he could make any plans for dates and such. His hand paused, while reaching for his wallet. He wants to date her, properly, show her the way a man is supposed to treat a woman, not use her for his own selfish desires. He rolled his eyes at his mushy thoughts. "Hey Cammy, that meal was delicious. I want to have some to go, is that possible?" Cammy nodded, her pen and pad ready. He gave his order, and she tallied up everything. He paid, and she went over to the kitchen to prepare his order for pickup. He sat there waiting, sipping his third cup of coffee, his eyes glancing over at the empty glass. One side of his mouth lifted as he thought of boasting to his sister that he drank a whole glass of water before lunch. He pictured her rolling her eyes, the way she would throw up her hands, giving up for the day. His packed meal arrived, and with a nod of thanks, he left, heading back to the car. He did a quick survelience, but no one paid him attention, so he started, turned around and headed back to the pack. He hoped that Candice would like the meal that he brought for her. Her smile of thanks would be enough.