Voiceless, p.10
Voiceless, page 10
part #1 of The Willowdale Village Collection Series
Ah shit. Well, I hadn’t meant to make her sad, it was true someone had fucking bought it…
Hunter offered me a pointed look and opened the door, leading us into the large room. The smell of newly laid specialty dance floors filled the studio and new mirrors glinted without any of the dust or fade from before. A large music system and storage had been added on the far wall, the piano cleaned off and newly tuned.
If she was to follow the hall, she’d find a locker room for the dancers, a full office, and a bathroom suite. Instead, she stood looking around the space, no doubt trying out how to ask who bought it without sounding upset. I felt bad about holding her in suspense but I had a feeling that Hunter wanted to be the one to tell her.
After a moment, she turned towards us and I felt a surge of magic connect the four of us, opening up a channel of communication. “Who bought it?”
“We did,” Hunter admitted and then stepped forward grasping her jaw lightly. “Well, you did technically, you just need to sign the final papers and it's yours.”
Surprise colored her dark eyes as she arched a brow. “What? Hunter, what are you talking about?”
My wolf let out a rumble at our distance from her but I tucked my hands into my jeans knowing that I would probably mess up explaining this to her somehow. I could tell our mate didn’t like to be just handed things, so I felt like there was a certain way to handle this situation without causing her to instantly reject it out of guilt. Someone in her life had made her feel guilty about ever wanting anything for herself, and I wanted to erase that thought process as fast as fucking possible. She could have whatever she wanted, all she had to do was ask.
“When we showed you around town that first day,” I explained when Hunter hesitated, “you seemed to absolutely love this place. So the bank offered a deal to us and if you sign for it, you will own the studio.”
“Really?” she asked, her eyes sparkling with excitement as I realized it may not be as difficult as I assumed. It also confirmed my thoughts that she really fucking wanted this. I loved the idea of her being able to be part of something that she took so much joy from.
She followed it up with a small frown. “Wait, I know literally nothing about running a studio. I have never even had a job outside of helping with Bunny Bites for two days.”
“You’re great with numbers,” Luca pointed out seriously as she nibbled her lip listening to him for what I imagined was some way for her to rationalize this opportunity she wanted so bad. If my presumptions were correct and Colette hadn’t been allowed many things in her life that she enjoyed, this idea was probably terrifying and exciting at the same time to her.
“Lena hasn’t stopped talking about how fantastic you were at organizing her books. Plus, you can teach, which is what’s really needed for a studio. We can always hire other people for the boring shit.” Luca’s point was a valid one. It was a small town and people were always looking for work.
She exhaled looking around, clearly still undecided. “I’m not sure I could ever pay you back, I mean this is a huge deal, buying me a business--”
“You’re our mate, Colette,” I assured her softly as she blushed, meeting my gaze, “anything that makes you this happy, fucking thrills us. Plus, think of us as business partners, we want to do this with you, baby. I mean I know jack shit about dance but I’m sure I can help somehow.”
Her gaze flickered between us and tears welled in her eyes, a beautiful smile breaking out on her pink lips. A surge of affection and love rolled through me as I tugged her into my arms. Done being patient. It felt impossible to feel so strongly about her, but I did. I felt like my heart was being hit by lightning, a high coursing through my veins.
“Thank you so, so much.” She nuzzled into my neck as Hunter kissed the top of her head.
Luca tugged her away gently and kissed her cheeks where happy tears streaked her skin.
Hunter began explaining more about the building as she relaxed between the three of us, but I was distracted by everything Colette, so I didn’t hear a fucking word. Her smile was gorgeous and the excitement in her gaze was exhilarating. I could feel the bond between the four of us fueling a contentment I’d never felt before and that was saying something considering how close our family was.
My eyes moved outside momentarily, rain falling more steadily as I frowned, noticing an unmarked vehicle rolling by. Instinct told me that wasn’t a good sign and I tried to hide my unease from her.
Luca didn’t miss it though, and I had a feeling that while we had hoped they would disappear, we would instead be forced to deal with whatever trouble they were trying to bring to Willowdale.
Also, weren’t they supposed to only be allowed within the town limits at night? It was far easier to believe security was more lax then. I frowned, shaking my head, worried that Luca was sending off a quick message on his phone probably to ask Sheriff Liam what was going on.
Honestly, I didn’t care what we had to do. I wanted it handled as fast as fucking possible. I didn’t want to lose any more time than I already had with Colette in this lifetime.
10
Colette Allard
I thought I’d felt happiness before.
Willowdale was slowly teaching me that I had absolutely no idea what true happiness and contentment felt like. What it felt like to be supported and authentically cared about by those around me. To be listened to and heard. To be loved. Well, at least until I came here.
I blushed slightly as I picked at my dinner, wondering how the hell my life had changed so much. I wasn’t positive it was normal to feel this strongly about your mates, but everything they did made me… happy? That seemed too simple of a word, but it would have to do for the time being.
Currently, Hunter and I were sitting in a small diner on the corner across from my new ballet studio, my legs pulled over his as I picked at my fries. I’d already ate the full burger, so I was ready to go into a food coma.
“When do you want to open the studio?” Hunter asked curiously as I took a sip of my milkshake. It was chocolate with extra chocolate… and some more chocolate. I really felt like explaining my favorite type of candy or sweet treat wasn’t necessary after placing that particular order.
I tilted my head and shrugged. “I mean as soon as possible, I have no idea how many people are actually interested around here.”
“More than you would think.” He rubbed my shoulder as he let out a small yawn, probably on his way into a food coma as well. “When the studio shut down, some students transferred to the larger city at the base of the mountains, but it became such a hassle during the winter months that a lot of kids stopped dancing.”
I nodded and titled my head thoughtfully, “Well, I would say that I can hold an open house to gauge who is interested and what class levels we would be looking at, then I can work up a schedule. Oh! Maybe we can even work it out so we can hold a twice a year recital. I used to love those as a kid. Do we have a theatre in town? Like at the high school?”
“We do,” he nodded and then smiled. “I love how excited you are for this.”
“I’ve always wanted to teach dance,” I shrugged and then flushed. “I used to help the teachers at the academy teach Saturday morning classes with the little kids. It made my weekends way more interesting, especially since it meant not going to the country club with my parents.”
“I’m not sure I’d ever want to meet you parents,” Hunter admitted as I leaned my head on his shoulder and nodded.
“You know they never called? I’ve been gone almost a full week and absolutely nothing.”
Hunter stilled and turned me so I was looking up at him, his voice rough as he spoke out loud. “That’s because they are stupid, Colette. They are stupid and clearly selfish. I think I would realize you were gone, even if it was only for a moment or two. Actually, I know I would. They have absolutely no idea what they’ve lost but I bet they will one day, but at that point it will be too late, little fox.”
“Why?” I teased, feeling a bit breathless under the intensity of his gaze.
“Because you’re already ours,” he stated simply, dipping his lips down to mine.
A soft sound came from my throat as he brushed my lips in a teasing manner, my nails biting down into his forearms as I tried to move closer to him. His slight scruff brushed against my skin as he brought a hand up to my jaw and cupped it, deepening the kiss slowly but then pulling back to tug on my bottom lip experimentally. I shivered, my entire body turning into melted butter, as his grip tightened on me, his other hand on my waist. Holy crap. I was kissing Hunter Graves. When he pulled back, my breathing was fast and uneven as a low growl broke from his throat, his nose rubbing against mine.
A small throat clearing had both of us snapping our heads up to find an embarrassed young woman, probably around my age, standing there and offering me an awkward smile. “I am so sorry, just needed you to sign this so you can be on your way.”
“No problem,” Hunter grunted as I offered her a small, slightly embarrassed smile. She was gone then and I wrapped my arms around Hunter burying my head in his chest and sighing happily.
“Come on,” he said suddenly and tugged me out of the booth, making me squeak at how fucking fast he moved. Our intertwined hands and his rumbling chest had me confused as we neared his car, the other two having left a bit ago to go back to the packlands for something.
“Where are we going?”
“To get your stuff,” he grunted. “I need you moved into our house officially so I can start saying ‘let’s head home.’”
“Home?” I asked quietly, feeling my chest squeeze hopefully.
“Damn right, it's your home,” he mumbled and I couldn’t help but laugh as he parked in the back of Bunny Bites and all but pulled me from the vehicle. Impatient, are we?
As we walked up the back stairs, my hearing picked up as I tried to see if Lena was home. I didn’t hear anything so I pushed the door open almost immediately, coming to a stop as a laugh bust from my lips.
“Ah shit,” Lena mumbled looking up from where she sat on the couch, very comfortably, I might add, between three massive men. Well, I suppose one was relaxed on the floor in front of her but, still. I recognized Ari, but that was about it.
“Really?” Hunter grunted as Lena offered an embarrassed shrug.
I nodded towards my room and she followed as I heard Hunter exchange awkward greetings with the others. Well, awkward on their end. Hunter sounded a bit intimidating, but I knew he was pretty much a harmless grumpy teddy bear. One that could rip your throat out, but I didn’t have to worry about that.
“You are moving out?” she asked, her lip dipping.
I nodded but then squeezed her hand. “But I won’t be that far, plus it sounds like you will have a few visitors?”
She shrugged. “Yeah, they’re alright.”
“Baby!” Ari called from the other room. “You gotta give us more credit than that.”
I couldn’t help but smile as she helped me pack up. I frowned, realizing how little I had and fixed her with a look. “I don’t have a lot of money left but I have some, do you want to go shopping tomorrow? I am going to need something other than your brother’s oversized stuff.”
“I like you wearing my shit!” Hunter called out as Lena chuckled, making me scowl because I clearly was projecting too much if it could be heard through my other bond. See? I really needed to figure out this telepathy stuff.
“Noon?” she asked as I nodded, putting the bag over my shoulder and grabbing my charger. Wouldn’t want to forget that.
I found Hunter glaring down at the other three men and rolled my eyes, pulling on his hand as we left. I was humming something under my breath, relaxed and amused by Lena’s situation, that I barely heard my phone ringing. I froze outside our car and looked down at it, my eyebrows shooting up.
It would be just my luck they would call tonight. Although hadn’t they always done that? Waited until a moment of happiness before destroying it? At least they were on brand.
“What’s wrong, little fox?” Hunter asked, suddenly in front of me and looking concerned.
“It’s my parents,” I projected. Picking it up before he could take my phone or some shit. I briefly wondered how the hell this was going to work since you know… I couldn’t fucking talk to them.
The phone was silent for a moment before my father’s voice came over the speaker.
“Yes, of course I know she can’t say anything,” he snapped to who I assumed to be my mother. “Colette, this is your father.”
No shit.
I put it on speaker and leaned against the hood of the car before he began talking. “We have no idea what you were thinking leaving in the middle of the night like that. Scared your mother half to death and without even a call?”
I’d left a note. Also, I called bullshit on scaring my mother. The woman forgot my birthday almost every year. Not being able to find me for a bit wouldn’t have fucking phased her.
“You are to return from whatever pointless trip you’ve made and be home in two days or less. I have no idea what point you were trying to make, but it’s over. Now, I suggest you book a flight home with the money you stole before we have to send law enforcement after you.”
And he hung up… What the actual fuck? I stared at my phone with disgust and powered off the device, feeling shitty. They hadn’t realized I was gone for almost a week… and then what? Just ‘get back home or else’? I mean for all they fucking know it could have been someone else with my phone. I shook my head, hating that they had to be so, well I didn’t even have a fucking word for it. Just awful. They just sucked as people.
I was so caught up in my moment that I didn’t even realize how furious Hunter looked. I let out a small worried sound as he opened the sedan door and ushered me in. His massive form crouching down so that he could talk to me but still keeping me out of the rain while he was soaked. His dark hair was messy and eyes furious, his jaw tight and tension rolled through his frame.
“Have they always fucking talked to you like that?” he demanded.
“Dismissive, patronizing, rude? Yeah. That’s them.”
“Fucking assholes,” he mumbled and then buckled me in, making me roll my eyes with a momentarily amused smile because I think he forgot I had hands sometimes. As he got into the car and pulled away, the storm grew heavier and so did my heart. I couldn’t help it completely.
I think I’d been living in a bit of a fantasy world the past few days. I had thought that maybe if I just never talked to them, I’d forget about the parents that found me somewhat of a nuisance. As it stood though?
My parents always got what they wanted. If they wanted me home, they were going to go through an extensive effort to prove that point.
But this time was different. This time I didn’t care what they wanted.
This time I was doing what was right for me.
11
Hunter Graves
“What do you mean they are at the station? You better fucking mean our local one, Liam,” I bit out as concern and anger coursed through me.
I eyed the squad cars behind him, hoping to see my mate. Instead, I could see the tension running through the officers making me know this was going to be a huge fucking problem. Our police force was good but if we were being honest, as shifters we didn’t get worked up about much. Well, except for the people that we cared about. So if they were worked up, that meant my sister was in trouble. Which fucking meant that Colette was with her and in trouble.
“I mean that they crossed the town’s border thirty minutes ago and are now down at the local station in Galena,” he grunted. “Apparently they are holding them, I don’t have details--”
I called out to Luca and Dylan, not caring why Colette was at the station but needing to see her. To make sure that she was okay. I swear to fucking Christ if anyone had even touched her, I would lose my shit, let alone if it was in a rough manner.
It didn’t surprise me that my sister had dragged her into some insane shit. She’d always been a bit wild. Then again, I had been a dumbass and clearly hadn’t asked where they were going shopping today.
“Luca! Dylan!” I bellowed again as I grabbed my keys and jogged towards my large SUV, my brothers looking entirely confused. Well, that wasn’t true.
Dylan looked like a kicked puppy because Lena had told him they were going by themselves when he asked if he could go with them today. I wouldn’t have been okay with that if I’d known they would be fucking leaving town.
Luca shook his head, muttering something, clearly having heard the conversation. Yeah, he may or may not have mentioned something about finding a way to track our mate last night. Which I had said was crazy… Now, not so much.
Once in the car, I pulled out of the driveway towards the gates as the officers put on their sirens making my ears ring. My wolf growled under my skin, frustrated at the concept that our mate was in potential trouble.
“How the fuck did none of us ask where they were going shopping?” I demanded.
No really, my brow furrowed as I tried to remember whether or not they’d mentioned it.
“Good morning,” Colette’s sleepy voice echoed through my head as I looked up from where I stood at the kitchen counter reading through a file one of our enforcers had handed me. I was really glad that she’d been able to sleep in and I couldn’t help but admire the way the early afternoon sun surrounded her. The woman was a piece of art.
“Morning,” I pulled her against me as she tilted her head up offering a small smile. Dipping down I pressed a kiss to her lips as she sighed into it. The breathy sound had my cock going hard immediately and I suddenly had the urge to know what she sounded like when I was fucking her.
“Colette!” My sister’s loud voice had me groaning as my mate offered me a small teasing smile.
“Ready to go?” she asked immediately as I realized that Colette was dressed as if she was going out. Her long legs were in black leggings and she was wearing rain boots and an oversized sweater of mine. I wasn’t positive how but she made the entire look extremely sexy.
