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Jackson was gone when I woke the next morning, and for a moment, I feared he might have had second thoughts after all. But when I came downstairs, he was there with Elena and Saffron, and I let out a sigh of relief I hadn't known I'd been holding. George and Mary were also present despite the early hour, having gotten up early to make the drive back to Reading. "Ah, Candace," Mary greeted, rising to kiss me on the cheek. "How are you, dear?"
Remembering my promise, I smiled. "I'm well," I said.
Mary nodded knowingly. "That is well," she said. "I wouldn't want to see you unhappy, dear. Jackson was telling me all about you, and I must say, I'm very, very pleased to see you're every bit as lovely as he said you were."
I blushed. "That's very kind of you," I said. 125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyXRW0nMM6b
"I'm only telling the truth," Mary said, patting me on the arm. "I'll get out of the way before my son-in-law goes through me."
Jackson had risen at my approach, but despite the open pleasure on his face at seeing me, there was hesitation in his eyes. My parents weren't present, but Mary had just about given her blessing to my relationship with Jackson going ahead. That was good enough for me, and I felt Jackson visibly relax as I made good on the promise I'd made to him the night before, and kissed him as thoroughly as I knew how. His response was all I could have asked for, and though there were tears in his eyes, he was grinning from ear to ear when we finally parted. "That's one way to get the day started," he said, kissing my forehead as he held me tightly. "I'd live through hell and back to get a kiss like that every morning."125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRlC6ObiVz9
"Oh?" Elena challenged, smirking. "What does that make me, chopped liver?"125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYuyuNb7DhL
I laughed as Jackson blushed, but Elena soon found the tables turned, and she was the one blushing when Jackson finally let her up for air. "You were saying?" he said. 125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoeGWqAcsxZ
George was laughing heartily at our antics. "I'd give my soul to be that young again," he remarked, smirking as his mate glared playfully and I had to smile. This was what a family was. 125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE14JRWPk0k
It was another wet day, but though the rain was much lighter than it had been the day before, Jackson insisted on driving me to school, and I happily accepted. Our parents were due back later in the day, but I already knew I wasn't going to hold back. And if they raised hell, then I was fully prepared to fight fire with fire and finally put an end to their ridiculous, outdated notions. Brother-sister relations were often the norm rather than the exception, and my relationship with Jackson was not something to be talked of in whispers, but something to be celebrated.
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Again, we arrived at the school gates a good half hour before they were due to open, but this time, Jackson drove around the corner and down a little lane. Gemma and I in happier days had played in the little copse of fir trees at the end of the lane, and it was secluded enough to afford more than ample cover as Jackson parked almost right under the trees. "There," he said, shutting off the engine. "Nice and quiet." He wasted no time, and the moment I undid my seatbelt, he reached over and pulled me onto his lap, kissing me soundly until I couldn't tell which way was up, his hands getting busy under my shirt at the same time. He broke the kiss long enough to gently nip at my neck before claiming my lips again, and I tangled my fingers in his hair, shuddering in pleasure as he ground his hips against mine. "You've no idea how much I want to throw you in the backseat and fuck you until you can't walk straight," he growled against my neck. "Don't want make you the source of gossip, though."
Tempted though I was to let him have his way, I had to reluctantly agree. "Doesn't mean we can't go for a drive after school," I suggested, amazed at my own boldness. But it felt good to be able to finally express myself freely, and Jackson chuckled as he kissed me again.
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When we returned home after our little "drive", our parents were waiting for us in the living room, and their faces told the story. I froze, but refused to let go of Jackson's hand, and he gave my hand a grateful squeeze as we stepped forward to face the music. Father didn't like that. "Let go," he warned.
Jackson raised an eyebrow. "I don't think so," he said.
Mother rose. "Let. Go," she growled, spitting the words out as if they tasted bad.
"Who ratted on us?" I demanded angrily.
"Don't take that tone with me," Father said, also rising, and looking as if he wanted to tear throats out, starting with Jackson's. I growled in warning as he approached, and he froze. Never had I let show my aggression concerning his wearying antics regarding Jackson and I, and Father's eyes were wide. He wisely backed off. 125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnWH3QsOari
Mother wasn't as easily cowed. "Your mate," she said to Jackson, "told us she plans on making a home with you and your sister." Her face showed what she thought of that. "I told her under no circumstances was I ever going to allow that to happen. She laughed in my face and told me I was a fool if I thought I'd stop the four of you from making a family."
"Candace is too good to waste on you," Father added, regaining some of his earlier foul mood. "To that end, I've arranged for her to be sent to the Hollow Stones pack, where she'll mate with Alpha Jonas."
"Over my dead body," Jackson warned, pulling me to him and wrapping his arms around my waist. "Candy belongs with me."
"No, she doesn't," Mother insisted. "She's too good for you; you're a mutt, and I wish to God I'd aborted you."
Jackson went rigid against me, and I wincned. "That's low, even for you," I snapped. "But your dislike of our closeness makes more sense now. Well, I've got bad news for you; I'm carrying Jackson's cub." Werewolf females could always tell when sex resulted in conception, and I'd woken with the classic signs that morning. "So a mating with Alpha Jonas is off the table," I added, relishing in the shock on Mother's face. "He won't take damaged goods, and I can't stand the sight of him anyways." Jonas was also my oldest brother, but I'd have hated him regardless of whether he was related to me; he'd raped me as a cub, and Jackson had nearly killed him when he found out. Father had beaten Jackson bloody for retaliating, and from then on, Jackson and Jonas had been mortal enemies, with Jackson telling me afterwards that he'd killed Jonas if he ever laid eyes on him again.125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlcbqVtqxoI
"Jonas is a good man," Father insisted. 125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZCRnOEGCt4
"He raped me," I reminded him. "And you thrashed Jackson for defending me, when you should have given Jonas what for! And for what? So you could have your perfect, pure-blooded grand-cub to raise into the perfect Theta I never was?" I spat on the ground. "Forget it. I've already spoken to my teachers, and they've agreed to let me transfer to school in Reading. Elena and her parents will be coming back later to take Jackson and I home, and I'll kill you if you try and stop me."125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4KQGPD70l5
Mother went pale, and even Father looked shocked. I wouldn't kill them of course, because they were still my parents, but I owed them very little loyalty, most especially after the way they'd threatened to kill Jackson if he ever came back. But as I felt Jackson tighten his arms around me, I sensed the moments my parents rolled over, metaphorically speaking. "Then go," Mother snapped. "You're no daughter of ours."125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHNWNNW75xw
"And good bloody riddance," Jackson whispered as we hurried upstairs. "But is it true?"125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuX9SLpqWQv
I turned and kissed him. "It's true," I said. "And if our little girl or boy falls in love with Saffron, so much the better."125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkuB9nmxFPx
Jackson grinned. "I like the sound of that," he said, kissing my forehead. "It's entirely up to them, of course, but I'm not going to come down on them like a ton of bricks and insist they're not good enough for each other." He sighed. "Mother and Father are not to come near them."125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ69Lo1Qt1Ok
"The thought never crossed my mind," I assured him, kissing him again. "But is that why you came back?"125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeaLJgtNQsl
"To take you home? Yes." Jackson pulled me close and stroked my hair. "The only reason, to be fair," he admitted. "That's why I never truly gave up, even when I thought my efforts were for naught. Elena saw how unhappy I was, so she pushed to come down here so you and I could properly mate, and now that we have, we're going home and living out her dream as a happily family of four, and five when our cub comes along."125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4WWM0gNOR0
I closed my eyes, listening to the reassuring sound of his heartbeat, a sound I'd thought I might never hear again, but now a sound I knew I'd hear for the rest of my life. "I can hardly wait," I murmured. "I love you."125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjZHIYtJ66b
Jackson kissed my hair. "Likewise," he said, and I smiled as I snuggled closer. 125Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrR27ZrdXTl
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