3 comments/ 9371 views/ 7 favorites As Luck Would Have It Ch. 01 By: jules9987 Groaning, I turned off the television and hoisted myself out of the ancient and sunken red couch. It was a hideous thing, really, but it was a family heirloom. The unsightly piece of furniture was passed on whenever the next in line graduated from living at home to their own apartment, and I only had so much time before Timmy finished college and I could invest in a brand new couch! I stretched my sore back muscles, an unavoidable consequence of spending two sick days on the support-less sofa with a tissue in one hand and the remote in the other. I shuffled over to the kitchenette, flicked on the electric kettle, and prepared a new tea bag and mug. Catching my reflection in the microwave, I tried to tidy the rat's nest of hair on top of my head. The beep of the kettle, followed by a heavy knock on the door interrupted my futile attempts to fix my hair. "Just a second, Deb!" I shouted as I poured the scalding water into a chipped mug I had stolen from my parents' house. "Shit!" I cursed as some of the scorching liquid sloshed onto my hand as I hustled over to the door, unlocked it, and yanked it open. Jesus Christ. He was hot. And he was definitely not Deb. No, no, no, definitely not Deb. She did not have such a pleasurable and immediate effect on my libido. He, on the other hand, stood over six feet, with broad shoulders and a defined chest. Shaggy dark brown hair poked out from a worn and faded Red Sox hat. Warm, brown eyes smiled at me as his lips quirked into a little grin. A dozen cocoons that had been dormant for what seemed like eons broke open and set the butterflies free to dance. I immediately became acutely aware that my hair was flying in every direction, my nose was red and raw and chapped from using thousands of tissues over the past two days. I was braless and wearing nothing but a long and baggy, bleach stained Phish t-shirt, and as luck would have it, I'd found my retainer case a few hours earlier hidden deep in the couch and had felt inclined to put it on. "Happy 50th!" he announced with a flash of perfectly straight, retainer free teeth. I blinked. I had no idea what he was talking about, but the sound of his voice caused certain juices to flow. "Excuse me?" He pointed to my battered old mug with a bit of an embarrassed smile. "Sorry, bad joke." I glanced down at the mug that I'd swiped from the house I'd grown up in. We'd given it to my Dad twelve years back and it had a big number 50 wearing a birthday hat over the 5 and balloons tied to the zero. He extended a hand. "I'm Brad, and this is Maisy." It was only then that I realized a little girl, around 4 or 5 years old with a mop of Shirley Temple curls, hung onto his left hand. Damn it, was this hottie a dad? They had the same eyes and hair color, but he didn't look that much older than me. Maybe 27? How many 27 year olds had 4 year old daughters? Then again, my mother had Charlie at 23. But that was 35 years ago! Realizing I'd left him hanging, I snapped out of my rambling thoughts and was about to shake his hand when I pulled it back at the last minute. "Sorry, I'm kinda sick." God, but I wanted to shake his hand, I just wanted to touch him. "I'm Jackie." I embarrassingly had no choice but to follow my introduction with a very rude and strong sniffle to prevent snot from dripping down my souvenir T from the show at Great Woods in Fall 2000. Considering that half the blood in my veins is Murphy, it shouldn't have come as a surprise to me that for the first time in 48 hours, there wasn't a Kleenex within arm reach. "That doesn't sound good. Have you ever tried airborne?" "Ask deh lady alweady Uncle Brad!" Maisy impatiently tugged at his hand. Thank god, she was only his niece and not a love child. "Oh, right. So, my sister is out for the night, and I'm taking care of Maze-dog here," He ruffled her hair with his free hand and she giggled. "And we thought that we'd make her a birthday cake, seeing as her birthday is in 4 months and 3 and a half weeks and all." He said this in a perfectly serious tone, but there was a playful glint in his eye I couldn't help but notice. "It's huh un-burfday, remembuh?" Maisy sounded quite exasperated with her Uncle, and shot him another impatient look. "I remember, I remember." He leaned towards me and cupped his right hand backwards against the left side of his mouth. "We're in the middle of an Alice in Wonderland phase." Brad shot me another grin and despite my clogged sinuses I caught a hint of soap mixed with scent I could only define as masculine. I grinned before I could stop myself from flashing him my metal mouth. The Disney classic had been one of my favorites as a kid too. "We were all ready to start baking when someone wanted to find out if eggs could bounce." Maisy sheepishly looked at the floor and shuffled her pink footie pajama clad feet. "I was hoping to find someone on the floor who could spare an egg before we got all bundled up and head out to the store. You're the last door in this corridor, you're the first to answer, and you're our last hope!" Brad begged overdramatically falling to his knees, and Maisy squealed in delight, jumping on his back. He was too cute. I laughed, "Let me go check the fridge." I opened my refrigerator and pushed a few tupperwares aside to grab the egg carton. "You're in luck! I only have a few left." I called out shutting the door behind me. I heard Brad's voice reply, but couldn't catch the words. As I rounded the corner I realized it was because he wasn't answering me. He was off his knees, carrying Maisy in a piggy back style, smiling down at a 5 foot 5 beauty. Debbie had showed up. Damn. Debbie. Debbie was my energetic, fun loving, gorgeous sister. And everyone with a Y chromosome immediately fell in love with her. She had long light brown hair that naturally fell in loose curls, bright blue eyes, and perfectly shaped eyebrows. People often told me we looked alike. I didn't see it though. Yes, our hair was a similar length, always had been, but where her hair fell perfectly, mine was a jumble of loose curls and waves covered in a thick layer of frizz, and mine was so dark you could call it black. We had similarly shaped eyebrows, but where she was born with them, I had to spend hours plucking away at a rebellious unibrow. As for our eyes, they were similarly set and shaped, but mine were a dull brown. No, I didn't see it at all. She woke up every morning a natural beauty, and I could look good after a two hour grooming session, complete with colored contacts. Despite her better luck during her dip in the gene pool, I loved her to death -- that is, when I didn't suspect her of wrapping my neighbor's cute little brother around her finger. He was the first guy I had felt any attraction to in over a year! "Hi Deb. This is Brad and Maisy. Brad, Maisy, this is my big sister Debbie." Debbie laughed. "I'm not that big, Jacks. Oh perfect! You have an egg for them! What kind of cake are you making? Chocolate, I hope." She snatched an egg from the carton and handed it to Brad with a flirtatious wink. "Uh, actually, vanilla." Brad awkwardly accepted the egg while making sure Maisy didn't slip down his back. "Wiff choc'lit fwosting and spwinkles." That kid needed some serious speech therapy. "Oh, boo. I was going to ask you to bring me a piece, but I can't stand vanilla cake. Well, you two have fun!" With that Debbie patted Maisy on the head, walked past me and headed straight for the couch. Brad smiled back at me over his shoulder as he headed down the hall. "Thanks for the egg! I hope you feel better soon!" I waved goodbye, shut the door, and sighed. I relived my brief conversation with Brad and shook my head. It was always after the fact that I came up with witty remarks and realized where I could have inserted a flirty gesture. Not that either would have helped much considering my physical appearance was in such a state of disarray. And even if he had knocked on a good day, I couldn't expect him to flirt with me, come in for tea, engage in a hot make out session, and get my number, all while keeping an eye on his niece. Debbie startled me from my negative musings. "What a freaking hunk, huh?!" I looked up to find her sprawled on the couch, totally oblivious to the plethora of used tissues surrounding her. "And you look like shit, Rudolph!" I ignored her dig. "Debbie, I haven't moved from that couch in two days. Do you realize how many germs you are getting covered in?" "Germs? Sista, there are worse things than snot covering this old couch. More like sperms!" I nearly gagged at what she was implying, and tried to banish the gross images of my older brothers and sisters doing the deed on the trusty old couch. Debbie was only eleven months older than me, and had spent the summer after college traveling through Australia with some friends. She'd come back completely broke, and had to live with my parents for quite a while to save up before she got a place of her own. She therefore only had the couch for three months before I'd finished school, gotten a place of my own, and inherited it. I'd told everyone I didn't care, she could keep it, and you would have thought I'd suggested we bury a sack of puppies alive. They were disgusted and appalled by the suggestion and they insisted it grace my new apartment. That didn't keep Debbie from complaining that she didn't have it for enough time, or prevent her from saying nasty things like her last comment. "You're sick, you know that?" I snarled at her as I started gathering the used Kleenexes. "No, I believe the sick one is you. Here." She pulled a can of chicken noodle soup from her bag and handed it to me. "Thanks." "No prob. Go warm it up and I'll pop in a movie. What do you want to watch, Away We Go or The Notebook?" "Ugh, you know I hate The Notebook!" I replied as I headed over to the kitchenette. "Well, they didn't have Griffin & Phoenix, so I got my favorite tear jerker instead." "My favorite tear jerker is so much better. You should get it for me for my unbirthday." As I searched for the can opener, I couldn't help but think of Brad with a little smile. Even though I'd probably only see him once or twice again in my life in the apartment building's elevator or something, his smile and hot body were great material for late night sessions with my battery operated boy friend. "You're what?" Debbie called back from the living room. "Nevermind! Just put on Away We Go. I've heard it's pretty good." Soon my soup was warmed up and I joined my sister for our Sunday night movie ritual. And despite loving John Krazinsky as an avid Office fan, I couldn't get Brad out of my head. Once Debbie left I turned into the bathroom, stripped off my t-shirt and kicked off my slippers and undies. I surveyed my body in the full length mirror. I was still trying to shed some of my college weight, but I was getting there. I'd lost most of my beer gut, but happily retained my modest and full breasts. My nipples puckered to points in the chilled air, and I turned on the tub. As the water rose I squirted some toothpaste on my brush and removed my retainer. After about a minute of brushing I thought I heard a rap on the front door. I stopped brushing and turned off the tub to listen. I didn't hear anything, but I threw on my bathrobe and spit the foam out of my mouth. With Brad still on the mind, I entertained fantasies of him stopping by to ravage me after his babysitting job. I got to the door and opened it a crack. There was no one there. Disappointed, I pulled it open all the way and peered down the hallway. No one. I was about to shut the door when I noticed a hefty piece of cake on a paper plate on my welcome mat. Jackie -- Hope you like vanilla and spwinkles. Thanks for the egg, you saved the day, I owe you one! Get well soon. -- Brad My stomach dropped and I smiled like an idiot. I looked down the hallway again. How had he disappeared so fast? I was pretty sure Maisy lived three or four doors down at the other end of the hall. Whatever, the point was he left me a piece of cake! And a note! I sank into the couch and ate the cake while reading and rereading the note. He had typically messy guy handwriting, but I loved the way my name looked in his scrawling letters. After reading the note for the hundredth time, I realized the bath water would be getting cold. As I sank into the now lukewarm water I couldn't help but be optimistic. He wrote specifically to me, not Debbie. He wanted me to enjoy the cake, he owed me one. Oh, Brad, I could think of ways for you to pay me back. Brad. Finally, someone to have a crush on, to anticipate bumping into, to fantasize about! And with a sigh, I let my imagination roam. As Luck Would Have It Ch. 01 Connor slowed his pace as he pulled his hood up to shield his head from the rain. He smiled to himself as the wind swept past him; he loved this weather. The gloomy, damp atmosphere was enjoyable on his morning run. He savored this moment of each day. He took this time to mentally prepare himself for the day ahead. Connor slowed his pace and stopped as he neared the old Victorian house. It was a great home, nestled close to the edge of the woods, with a large wrap around porch. It was a beautiful, but the condition was terrible. The paint was peeling, some of the fascia boards were rotted by the moisture. The home rested on the only piece of the woods that his family didn't own. Connor had plans to contact the owner and buy the old property when he found someone to share it with, but alas, his luck in that department failed him. There wasn't anything wrong with him, and he didn't lack admirers. Women couldn't help but throw themselves at him. At 32, he was fairly tall, about 6'2. He was lean, yet very muscular, and his warm, light brown eyes provided little contrast to his brown hair that he kept short. His face was chiseled to perfection, along with just about every other part of his body. He kept himself immersed in his business, running his construction company. Connor would know when he found the right woman, but he wished he wouldn't have to wait too much longer. He was starting to grow impatient and he longed to share his life with someone. Connor's thoughts were interrupted as he noticed a car parked in the driveway. He looked back to the house and he couldn't help but feel a twinge of disappointment. He wondered who decided to move into the house. Was this going to be a problem? It had been vacant for so many years. He was about to start back on his run when he glanced up and saw the window open. A scent enveloped his nostrils and he immediately froze. ~~~~~~~ The sound of the rain hitting the windows and the wind rustling through the trees was the closest experience to heaven that Fall morning. Audra stretched out her body across her bed. It was such a great idea to move here, she thought to herself. It really was a blessing her Grandmother had left her this house in her will. No one even knew she still owned this property; she kept this little gem a secret for all those years. Audra had just quit her thankless job at a company she had worked with since she graduated from college. At 28, she felt like she had thrown the best years of her life away; living in a place that didn't feel like home, while doing a job she despised. She had needed a new start, and luckily for her, her grandma just happened to leave her an out in her will. Audra kicked the covers off her body and walked across the room to the window. She opened the window and leaned out to smell the rain and feel it fall softly on her face. She opened her eyes and glanced over her property. She saw a man standing there on the road, staring at her. They both froze, staring at each other for what seemed like hours, but in reality was only a moment. Audra felt her body flush in reaction to the gorgeous guy staring at her. She broke their gaze and took a step back from the window. Deep breaths, Audra.. She thought to herself. ~~~~~~~ Connor watched as the woman disappeared back into the room. It couldn't be.. He thought to himself. That would just be too lucky. He felt the wolf inside him stir. His wolf recognized something in this woman and he knew he had to meet her. He knew the pull he felt toward her meant something. It didn't hurt that she was gorgeous. His body was drawn toward the house but he forced himself to turn around and he took off into a sprint back toward his home. He needed to speak with his family, they would know what to do. ~~~~~~~ Audra composed herself and stepped back toward the window. Should I wave? She thought to herself. Say hello? Audra leaned out of the window again, but to her surprise, he had vanished. She stepped back again, confused. She shut the window and walked into her bathroom to see if maybe her appearance scared him off. She glanced in the mirror.. Sure she had a mild case of bed head, but that was to be expected at 6:00 in the morning. She studied her features in the mirror. Audra was about 5'5 and she had beautiful, long, dark brown hair with green eyes that changed hue with the season. On this fall morning, they were a pale green. Audra was fairly petite, but toned. She loved to keep herself active and enjoy the outdoors. It seemed like Oregon was the perfect place to do just that. Audra pulled at an unruly strand of her hair and pulled her hair up into a ponytail. She shivered slightly as crossed her bedroom to make her bed. She had plenty to do. She needed to finish unpacking her boxes that were downstairs, and put everything in order. She slipped on a pair of sweatpants and thermal before heading down. ~~~~~~~ The door opened and Connor rushed past, before Graham had a chance to invite him inside. "Well good morning to you, too." Graham said groggily as he scratched his head. Graham was particularly surprised at Connor's abrupt visit. His older brother had always used him as a sounding board when he had a problem, but he never showed up at the crack of dawn in such an excited state. Graham felt good to be so useful to his older brother, who was the Alpha of their pack. For a 26 year old guy, Graham proved to be insightful and dependable, and he knew his brother respected that. Graham looked at his brother, pacing in his living room. He was usually so calm and collected.. What was bothering him? He curiosity couldn't wait for Connor to explain in his own time. "So what's the problem? Work related? Pack related?" "I.. I.. Think I found her.." Connor said slowly as he sat down on the couch and buried his head in his hands. Finding his mate was something he had always hoped for, but now he didn't know how to handle it. His wolf wanted her now, but Connor couldn't risk terrifying her. He had to proceed carefully. "You what...?! Where?! Who is she?!" Graham could barely keep himself calm. His older brother had been waiting more than a hundred years for this moment. "The old empty house at the edge of the woods. Apparently she is staying there." Connor replied in disbelief. He didn't even know this woman, but his heart ached for her. "And you what..? Just happened to run into her on your morning jog? I don't know anyone who enjoys such early hours besides you." "I stopped to look at the house, and then she opened the upstairs window and leaned out to feel the rain on her face. It was beautiful," Connor explained slowly. "She saw me, and we held each other's gaze for a moment, but then she quickly stepped back inside. I could feel my wolf getting anxious, so I had to get out of there." Graham couldn't believe his ears. "You found your mate, and then left her there? Wow man.. You must be going nuts right now." Connor looked at his brother with a pained expression on his face. "I need to go back to her, but I need a valid excuse. I couldn't just barge in on her at 6:00 am demanding that she be mine." "Ok, don't worry bro. We will think of something." ~~~~~~~ Audra just finished putting the last glass in the cupboard and sighed. Finally. The house was finally in order. She glanced at her phone on the counter and noticed it was 6:00pm. She was exhausted, and a bit disheveled from unpacking all day. She opened a bottle of her favorite wine and poured herself a glass. She took a sip of the Cabernet and let it roll over her tongue as she closed her eyes.. Delicious. She walked upstairs to her bedroom, stripped off her clothes and started her bath. She lit some candles and docked her iPod onto her iHome. Audra scrolled through her playlists as her mind wandered. She thought of that sexy guy from earlier, out for his morning jog. Her body was on fire just at the thought of him. She finally decided on a playlist and she stepped into the tub. The water soothed her achy muscles. Audra washed her hair with the shower head extension and then sighed as she leaned her head back, listening to the first lines of Peggy Lee's Fever. She drifted off as she imagined that gorgeous man walking through her bathroom door and stripping off his clothes. A tingle shot through her as she ran her fingers down her body, stopping to caress her breasts and pinch her nipples. She felt a low moan escape her lips and she imagined her mystery man pulling her out of the tub and carrying her to the bed. She pictured him spreading her legs as he ran his tongue down her stomach, teasing her. She trailed one of her hands down her body and rested at her clit. Using one of her fingers, she rubbed it, causing her breath to quicken. She imagined his hot breath at against her pussy. Her pace quickened as she pictured his face between her thighs, and brought herself closer to her release. She thought of him finally licking her slit and inserting his tongue into her. The thought was too much for Audra to bear as she body shuddered and she moaned at her release. Suddenly, she sat straight up in the tub. Was that a knock?! ~~~~~~~ "Why did you call her, Graham? You know she is just going to run and tell mom. Next thing, the whole pack will know and I will never get any peace until she has little pups running around. Connor winced as he watched Graham's twin Sophie come bounding through the door with a huge basket filled with... Muffins? "And just what is that Sophie?" "Oh don't you worry your pretty little head about this, Connor! This is just our little 'welcome to the neighborhood' gift for your one and only, AKA your excuse to officially meet her!!!" She practically sang, her eyes sparkling with joy. "Oh Connor, I just cannot wait to meet her! Ok quick, get your keys. We will drive this over and say that you noticed someone had finally moved in and we wanted to drop this off.." Sophie was gushing. She was oozing all of those crazy, girlish emotions. He hadn't seen her like this since she was mated to his one of his betas two years ago. "Sophie.. Don't you think that this is a bit odd? Muffins at 7:00 pm?" Graham asked. "Oh nonsense! Come on, let's go." Sophie could barely see over this basket. Connor couldn't help but chuckle at her. The girl had spirit. Not to mention, she gave him an excuse, while completely obvious, to meet his mate. All three of them piled in Connor's Tahoe, and they sped off down the road. They almost didn't recognize the place as they drove up. The house looked warm and inviting. Sophie beat them to the door and turned to inspect her brother Connor. "Ok roll up your sleeves and unbutton the top button or two. You look so serious." Connor glared at her. He did not take orders. "I'm just trying to he-" Sophie was cut off by a low growl from Connor. Not a threatening growl, but it was as if he sensed something, and he wanted it. Someone has been up to something... Naughty.. He tried to stifle his groan. "Control yourself Connor!" Sophie demanded as she turned around, too absorbed in the moment to realize what was happening. She knocked on the door impatiently, and waited. ~~~~~~~ Audra quickly got out of the tub and threw on some gray sweats and a black tee. She put on her slippers and made her way to the stairs as she heard knocking again.. "I'm coming, just a moment!" Audra called out. She stopped at the door and asked, "Who is it?" "Your new neighbors!" answered a cheerful woman's voice on the other side. Audra pulled the door open and was shocked, to say the least. Her gorgeous mystery guy stood to the left of a large basket that appeared to have legs, and another very good looking guy stood to the right. Audra glanced back toward the man she had just fantasized about. He had a small smirk on his face and his eyes burned into hers, as if they shared some sort of dirty secret. She blushed as she lowered her gaze.. The basket was launched into Audra's arms. She almost fell back, but she steadied herself and set it on the entryway table. She turned to see a stunning woman before her. She had wavy sandy brown hair and light brown eyes, just like the two men beside her. She looked stylish in her jeans, rainboots, and black peacoat finished with a charcoal gray scarf. Audra wished she had thrown on a different outfit, but quickly forgot as the smiles in front of her radiated kindness. The woman reached out her hand. "We-" Sophie explained glancing at her two brothers, "Are a few of your new neighbors. My name is Sophie and these are my brothers. Connor," she said, gesturing to Audra's mystery man, "is my older brother. And the other is my twin, Graham. Connor let us know someone had moved in here and we had to drop off this welcoming gift." Audra shook Sophie's outstretched hand. "I'm Audra.. Pleased to meet you! All of you," she said as she snuck a glance over to Connor. "Thank you for the welcome basket, you really shouldn't have!" She blushed when she reached out to shake Connor's hand. He took her hand and she felt her skin tingle. She held his gaze. His warm brown eyes stared deeply into hers, as if she were the only person there, besides himself. She felt that there was something animalistic in the way he was looking at her. She couldn't help but feel a twinge of excitement as her heart pounded. Audra pulled away to shake Graham's hand, but Connor's grip didn't loosen. Graham nudged him and he seemed to snap out of the trance that was Audra. "It's great to meet you," he managed to say. Graham shook Audra's hand and they all smiled at her. Well, all but Connor who was just gazing at her. "Would you care to come in and have a drink? I just opened a bottle of wine and I-" "Oh I would just LOVE a glass of wine," Sophie replied and she smiled. Audra led them into her living room and she went to grab a log next to the fireplace, but right as she reached down, Connor was there to assist. "Here.. Let me help you." Audra blushed and walked into the kitchen to grab some glasses and the bottle of wine. Something about these people made her feel at ease. Even with Connor and his intense stare. As Audra poured them each a glass, she excused herself to grab her glass from upstairs. She shot up the staircase and into her bedroom. She ran into her bathroom to inspect herself in front of the mirror. She groaned. She didn't even brush her hair before she answered the door. She smoothed her hair back, picked up her glass of wine and grabbed her phone. This is as good as it's going to get right now. ~~~~~~~ Connor was disappointed she disappeared upstairs so quickly. He longed for her presence. He felt a jab in his ribs and he looked over to Graham. "She is HOT,"Graham whispered and Connor growled lowly. Sophie nodded in agreement. She liked this girl. She knew they would be close. And she just loved how off balance she was making her brother. Oh if the pack could see their Alpha now. Audra returned back to the living room and settled down in a big chair, opposite the couch where the 3 were siblings sat. She took a long sip of her red wine. "So where do you live exactly?" Audra asked. "I didn't see many houses on my drive." "Well we all live on our family's land about a mile or so from here," answered Connor. He leaned forward on the couch to get closer to Audra's scent. He breathed in deeply and closed his eyes. He smiled to himself.. She smelled like vanilla mixed with spices. It was intoxicating. He loved it. He desperately wanted Sophie and Graham to make an excuse and leave. "Oh Audra, you will have to come by sometime! My.." Sophie had to think fast. "...husband and I are going to have a barbecue next weekend, and I would just love for you to be there. You can meet more people, get to know us better. It will be great!" "Sure.. I'd love to come!" Audra couldn't say no to such enthusiasm. Sophie made her feel so comfortable. The four of them laughed and chatted for another hour or so. Audra was happy that she was getting to know people up here. It made it easier not to miss her family back home. Audra tried to stifle a yawn. "I'm sorry," she said. "I just finished unpacking everything today and it took a lot longer than I expected. The house still needs a lot of work. I need to go in town tomorrow and see if I can find someone to fix the roof, fascia and eaves, and then have the house repainted." If you just didn't hit the jackpot, then I'm a human, Graham thought to Connor. Sophie was beaming. "Well, I happen to know someone who owns a contracting business!" Audra was surprised, and relieved that she didn't have to go into town searching the next day. Audra was lucky she brought her phone down with her. "Great! What is the number? I will contact the company in the morning." "Actually, Audra.." Connor interjected. She looked over to him and her stomach fluttered. "It is my company. I can be over first thing in the morning and we can get started." Audra couldn't believe it. Her heart started beating a little faster and she smiled at him. "Ok, wow, this is great. Thank you." Sophie turned to Graham and Connor, "Well, I'm sure we should let Audra get to sleep. She must be incredibly exhausted after such a long day." She turned back to Audra, "Thank you for the glass of wine, Audra! I'm so happy to have met you. Let's exchange numbers and I'll contact you about the barbecue." Sophie grabbed her phone from her bag and they quickly programmer each other's numbers. With that, Audra led them to the front door and showed them out. "Thank you for coming by. I'm really happy that I met some new friends." Audra glanced over to Connor, "...And I will be seeing you tomorrow, then?" "Yes, when should I come by?" he asked, not wanting to leave. "As early as you would like, I am an early bird.. I love to be up as the sun rises." she smiled softly. Graham and Sophie quickly glanced at each other and smiled. Can you believe it? She thought. It's uncanny, he replied shaking his head. Audra watched them get into their cars and drive off into the night. As Luck Would Have It Ch. 01 She was panting underneath him, and though he could not see her face, there was no mistaking her vapid grunting. From this view Jayden Ross could only make out the shape of his wife's feet with her delicate ankles and shapely calves. At the moment her legs were wrapped around a man he did not know. For a moment he stood there, watching as this stranger thrust deeply into his woman for what seemed like an eternity. Jayden cleared his throat and the two sprang apart like scalded animals. His wife reaching to cover herself, the man trying desperately to get his pants back on. "Fuck this, I don't want any part of this shit." said the stranger as he sprinted passed Jayden on his way out the door. "Well do you have anything to say for yourself? Anything at all?" asked Jayden. As she calmly lit a cigarette Jayden's wife replied "I want a divorce" --------------------------------------------------------- Rachel Brooks sat on an overstuffed black leather sofa, across from a balding man at his cheap, particleboard desk. "So you don't have any experience modeling then?" the man asked her. She shifted nervously in her seat as he gave her resume another look. "Not professionally..." She watched as he began busily scrawling out notes on the document. "But, I'm a fast learner. Please, I know I have what it takes." The man looked up, he could sense how nervous she was. Her bright green eyes were fixed on his. Her breathing was tense, for a little too long he watched her pert breasts rise and fall. When he made eye contact again, he could see that she was blushing. He knew he had her right where he wanted her. "I want you to stand up against the wall over there." the man commanded, picking up a cheap looking video camera. Rachel obeyed, the man watched her as she walked to the wall. Her long legs gave the impression that she was much taller than she was. Her short black skirt only magnified the effect. "Here?" She asked nervously tugging at the hem of her skirt. "That's perfect" The man sighed. "Why don't we go ahead and lose the shirt?" Rachel knew this was coming, it was only a matter of when? She took a deep breath and began to slowly lift the tight, black cotton t-shirt exposing her toned, flat stomach. "That's it girl." The man cooed at her. The words seemed to ooze out of his mouth. She slowly revealed the rest of her body, her small waist, the bell curve of her ample breasts, As she removed her shirt she let her arms drop to display her small pierced nipples. "You've been a really good girl today Rachel, you think you could be good for just a little longer?" he asked "I think so" Rachel responded, in her best attempt a sultry voice. "Good," he said "Well then, I want you to suck my cock" Without missing a beat Rachel dropped to her knees and crawled to where the balding man was seated. She fumbled for a moment with his belt before sliding it off and diving for his zipper. Within moments his cock was free, and she descended on it, sliding it in and out of her warm, wet mouth. She soon felt his hands in her hair urging her onwards. He moaned as he thrust his cock deeper and deeper down her throat. She could feel him throbbing and knew he was close. "This isn't even going to be hard" she thought to herself She worked her tongue on the base of his shaft as he continued to fuck her face. A few moments later he spewed his seed in her mouth. She promptly swallowed his cum, before giving him a few more courtesy sucks. "So, did I get the job?" She asked jokingly The man was still shaking and a bit out of breath. "Be out in L.A. in two weeks, and give me a call directly. I can't promise you fame, kid. But after that cocksuckin', I can sure as hell promise you work. There are boys down there that would kill to work with a little whore like you." She dressed in a hurry and gathered her belongings. "Oh, where do I pick up my check?" The man laughed "Here's a tip sugar, you should CHECK to see if you're getting paid BEFORE you actually do a job." Rachel felt her heart sink in her chest. "So I'm not getting paid for...for that?" "Not this time little lady, but like I said, call me when you get to L.A." As she walked back to her car she fought back tears. Even though she only gave a little head, Rachel was pretty sure this is what getting fucked felt like. --------------------------------------------------------- "You're late, Ross!" Boomed Jeremiah Givers Jr, Jayden's boss, and foreman of Jeremiah's Northwest Carpentry. His father Jeremiah Sr. had hired Jayden and when he retired, passed the company down to his highly incompetent son. "Wont happen again, boss." He replied. "No it wont happen again, you know why? Because if it does you're fired!" Jayden began to load his truck up with the necessary equipment for the day. As he was about to pull off he noticed Abby, the young brunette secretary that had recently been hired. He honked to get her attention, she smiled and waved back. "Maybe today won't be so bad after all" he thought to himself. And it wasn't. For two years Jacob hadn't felt quite right. He was just now getting used to the fact that he was a divorcee at 26, but he still missed his wife. Even though she had cheated on him, he missed her with every breath he took. But Abby... Ah yes, Abby was a ray of hope even on his dreariest day. He would often smile at her and imagine what it would be like to be with her, to hold her, to kiss her. To feel her body pressed against his. Abby represented hope for Jayden and though it wasn't much, it was all he had to hold onto at the moment. He spent his day setting hard wood floors, and dry walling add ons, in a house he could never hope to own, it was hard work, but his day dreaming kept him from complaining too much. He had dreams of being an architect, he was even in school to pursue that dream...but that was before the divorce. He couldn't afford to be an architect now, but carpentry and wood work let him be creative. Both were about to be taken from him. It was the end of the day, when a greasy haired Jeremiah Jr. called him into his office. "We have a problem, Ross." he said "If it's about me being late, it's like I said, It wont happen again" replied Jayden "It's not that. Jayden, we had a complaint about you...sexually harassing our employees, especially one Abby Palmer. As you know we have a zero tolerance policy against this sort of harassment..." "You're kidding me" Jayden interrupted. "I would never! This must be a mistake, just bring her in here and we can -" "I'm afraid that wil be enough, please gather your things and go!" Jayden didn't have much to gather. Just enough to fit in one box. He had the awkward experience of being led by Abby's desk by security, she refused to even look at him. Jayden's heart felt like it had been ripped out of him. It took all of him not to shout at her, or try to explain. Right now he was focused on not crying. For a while he just drove, until finally he found himself in a 7-11 parking lot. He decided to get a pack of smokes, he hadn't smoked in years, but today seemed like the day. "Anything else?" The small Asian cashier asked "Lottery Jackpot is over forty million right now. "Fine, just one" The lady handed him a bag with his smokes and a ticket. "Good Luck" she called out to him as he left. "Not very likely" He responded more to himself than for her benefit. "Not very likely. Later that night he collapsed on his bed, the weight of the day hitting him. He lay in bed absolutely exhausted, but unable to fall asleep. As Luck Would Have It Ch. 02 The roar of the crowd erupting drifted through my living room's open windows. Sounded like another win for the home team. The delay on the television showed Big Papi hitting a homer in the bottom of the ninth. Now we were guaranteed a good night out on Lansdowne. I took a swig of my #9 and turned off the TV. "You ladies ready to par-tay?!" Hannah shouted from the bathroom as she ran the straightener through her kinky hair. I don't know why she bothered. She'd ultimately end up putting it in a bun anyway. "Hell yeah!" Jordan replied from my bedroom. I walked in to find her applying the final touches to her flawless makeup. "How do I look?" "Like a man-eater." I countered with a smile as I slipped on my heels. "How do I look?" I asked as I surveyed myself in the full length mirror on my closet. I was wearing a new top. It was a dark purple, deep cowl neck that tied at the neck in the back, and then hung open with another tie just above my backside. I felt completely ridiculous and exposed, but Debbie had insisted I looked "dead sexy" and wouldn't let me leave the store without it. I had intended to return it later, but I'd found it in my closet today and thought "what the heck." "Like a million bucks." Jordan assured me as she peered over my shoulder into the mirror with a wink. Jordan and Hannah were by best friends from middle and high school. We'd survived the grueling academics and pathetic social life our tiny all girls Catholic school had to offer. I found it pretty amazing that we didn't kill each other over those seven years and remained friends to this day, but since there were only eleven other girls in our class to choose from, we stuck together. We stayed close through college with e-mail and were happy to be reunited in the New England area post-graduation. Hannah graduated as a Friar and stuck around Rhode Island as a writer for the Providence Journal. She came up to Boston for the occasional "girls' night out." Jordan graduated from Cornell, and was currently attending Harvard Business School. Despite being the nerd of the group, she was a hard ass and the beauty knew how to make men fall to their knees. I scrolled to a party playlist on my ipod and hit play. Hannah danced into the room, gin and tonic in hand. "So, where to tonight?" As I had predicted, she had swept her hair up into a twist, exposing her long, graceful neck. I shrugged. It didn't matter to me, I was just happy to be with the girls. "Tequila Rain!" Jordan insisted as she bounced in her seat on the bed, red wine precariously swirling in the glass in her hand. How could I forget how much she loved that ridiculous place. "Please, Jordan, please, no, anywhere but there." The dance floor was always crawling with slimy men who grabbed and grinded when you least wanted them to. And with a top like mine, I was certain someone would attempt to loosen the ties, no matter that I double knotted them. "Fine, you spoil sport. How about Lansdowne Pub? That way, we can waste our perfectly sexy outfits by sitting around and drinking beer!" Jordan's offer dripped with sarcasm. Hannah, the peacemaker, stepped in. "Oh, shut up you two! I did not drive up from Providence for this old argument. I'm sorry I asked. Let's just go to Who's on First? That way you can dance in the basement, Jordan, and you can enjoy your beer on the first floor, Jacks. Problem solved!" "Fine. To girl's night." She thrust her now almost empty glass of Cabernet between the two of us, and we all clinked our glasses. A drink or two later, we were out the door and showing our IDs to the bouncer in no time. The bass was pounding in the basement. "I'm hitting up the dance floor, you coming?" Jordan asked us. Hannah nodded, but I insisted I needed another drink before I braved being watched by greasy, sleazy men. I worked my way over to bar, and self consciousness settled in as I felt eyes darting to my cleavage with every other person I passed. When I made it to the bar, I immediately attempted to adjust the cowl to be less revealing. Someone bumped elbows with me, and I moved over a bit. It happened again and, annoyed, I looked up into milk chocolate eyes. "Can I buy you a drink?" "Brad?" I was so surprised to see him that the question didn't even register. I hadn't seen my neighbor's sexy younger brother in months. After he left me a slice of cake and a note in the hallway of my apartment, I couldn't stop thinking about him. He was the star of my sexual fantasies for weeks afterwards. I always secretly hoped to bump into him in the elevator, and even occasionally made two trips from the car with groceries to increase that chance when in reality only one trip was necessary. I was hopelessly attracted to him, but as weeks turned into months, he failed to knock on my door. It would appear that Maisy's mom either only had one unbirthday a year or she got into the habit of stocking up on eggs. He laughed. "I was hoping you'd remember me." "How could I forget a man that left me cake on my doorstep?" I asked matter-of-factly. The bar tender came over, and Brad ordered himself a Harpoon I.P.A. "Make it two," I added as they both turned to me. Brad nodded in approval and smiled at me as the bartender went about pouring our drinks. "Are you actually a beer drinker? Or are you just trying to impress me?" "I am proud to be a beer drinker. And I'll have none of that light, low calorie crap. Impressed?" I grinned back, very grateful to be rid of my retainer mouth. "Very." He assured me with a clink of his beer glass to mine that the bartender had just finished filling. The fact that it was girls' night flew from my mind. All I wanted to do was leave, immediately, with Brad in tow, so we could get to know each other a little better. I looked him up and down. He was wearing the same well loved Sox hat, a green Sox shirt with a shamrock on it that hugged his muscles in all the rights ways, and a pair of broken-in light blue jeans. As my eyes traveled back up to his face, I blushed to find he was surveying me as well. I nervously took a sip of my beer and racked my brain for something, anything to say. "So, uh, were you at the game?" His eyes snapped from my breasts to my face, and he grinned his million dollar grin. His eyes, however, were not simply as warm as they initially seemed. Instead they held a more intense heat that shot straight to my lower stomach. "Hell yeah! My buddy's dad is a Boston detective, so he got us seats up on the monster since he was working tonight." As if on cue, Brad's extremely drunk buddy stumbled into him. "Sully, watch it!" Brad cautioned as he tired to steady his friend and avoid spilling any of his beer. "Jackie, this is Danny O'Sullivan, but everyone just calls him Sully. Sully, this is Jackie. She lives in Maura's building." Sully gave Brad a knowing look. "Maura's building, huh?" Had Brad mentioned me? Then he stuck his hand out to me. "The pleasure is all mine, Jackie," he slurred. "Nice to meet you, Sully." I shook his hand and took a gulp of my beer. Sully clearly could only focus on one thing at a time when intoxicated and reverted back to the task at hand. "Anyways, dude, I just ran into Smash and Ross downstairs. Let's go!" Sully turned and headed towards the stairs without waiting for an answer. Brad put his hand on my exposed lower back, and the warmth started to flood to my undies. "Those are some friends from college. Want to come meet them?" "Sure," I answered before I even thought. All I knew is that I wanted to keep his hands on me, and I would go anywhere with him tonight. "Where did you go to school?" I asked. He put a bit of pressure on my back to direct me towards the stairs, but before he could answer I heard a familiar bellow from down the other end of the bar. "JACK!" My older brother Freddie was trashed, but he would follow me to the end of the earth shouting my manly nickname if I didn't acknowledge him. He and Debbie shared the position of the middle child, since we were an even eight, and they both demanded the center of attention like no body's business. "Actually, Brad, I'll catch up with you later. I've got to say 'hi' to my big brother." I nudged him towards the stairs with a smile. He gave me a disappointed look, but I assured him I'd find him after. I turned around and was caught by Freddie in a big bear hug, but he pulled back when his hands touched the bare skin on my back. He raised an eyebrow, "Why aren't you wearing more clothes? Dad would kill you if he saw you wearing that." I knocked him on the arm, "Oh shut up Alfred, I'm a big girl now. I can wear what I want." He winced at his full name. "Don't call me that Jacquelyn!" "Then don't call me Jack! I'm a girl!" His eyes darted to the exposed valley between my breasts and he grimaced. "So I see. Well, come over on Sunday night. Merry will be in town, so everyone's coming to mine for pizza and booze. Mum's going to make her ice cream cake." He gave me another hug. "Beware of scum bags. You look too good in that outfit. Like Debbie." It was a running joke in the family that Debbie definitely knew how to dress for her body type, but it was not a talent that impressed my parents. She often showed up for holidays dressed a little too sexy for their liking, and would be forced to wear one of Mum's turtlenecks if she wanted to be allowed at the table. My mother would scold in her Cork accent "I'll not have kind of cleavage in my gaff, so." "Thanks, jerk." I replied and clinked my Harpoon with his Guinness, and knocked the final sip back. Then I headed downstairs to find Brad. The basement was dimly lit and there were speakers everywhere. It was impossible to escape the beat of the latest hits the DJ was mixing. I scanned the crowd for Brad, but he was no where in sight. Frustrated, I squeezed through the crowd, hoping to find him looming over everyone in his cap, but to no avail. I did, however, spy Jordan and Hannah tearing up the dance floor. I weaseled my way past a bachelorette party, and scooted across the dance floor to the girls. "Hi!" I yelled over the music. Hannah smiled back and Jordan shouted something that sounded like "where have you been, bi-atch?" but there was absolutely no way to confirm it with the music booming overhead. Hannah leaned in close. "I'm going to go get a drink. Can I get you a beer?" I smiled and gave her a thumbs-up. She leaned in to ask Jordan, who gave her an "okay" sign, and then she wove through the crowd to the closest corner of the bar. It was becoming increasingly difficult for me to resist Katy Perry. I finally stopped struggling and started to move to the beat with Jordan. She grabbed my hands and twirled me around. I thought, for the split second I was facing the other direction, I saw Brad's tall frame and baseball hat, but when I twisted back around, he was no where in sight. I started to get anxious noticing all the guys looming at the side of the dance floor and I frantically scanned for Brad, looking for a reason to leave the designated dancing area. It's not that I hate dancing; I love to rock out in the safety of my bedroom or the shower. It's just that I had had one too many experiences in high school where horny teenaged boys attempted to stick their hands down my pants while grinding that I never felt comfortable letting go and dancing for fun in public. As a result, I tensed up and pulled away the second I felt two large hands settle on my waist. I quickly spun around to explain that no, I did not want to dance, but thanks for the polite offer asshole, but I was face to face with a bright red shamrock on a green t-shirt. Brad pulled me to him, my hands going to his shoulders, and he put his lips to my ear. "Hi." I shuddered at his closeness and his warm breathe washed over my ear and neck. "Hey. I couldn't find you!" He chuckled, and I felt the vibration on my forearms through his chest. He tucked a lock of my hair behind my ear and smiled. "Well, I saw you come down the stairs, but you're hard to track when you scamper and duck through the crowd." "You were watching for me?" "Of course." The Katy Perry song faded into some typical club electro beat, and the dance floor started to get a little rowdy. People started to pack in and bumped into us, jostling us closer together. Brad started to grind his hips against mine and I kept in time. He pressed his hands into my back and pulling me even closer. I inhaled that distinctly masculine and soapy aroma I had just caught a whiff of all those months back. How a simple scent could turn me on so quickly, I don't understand, but I could feel my nipples harden against my shirt and Brad's chest. His chest was deliciously solid, and even though I was braless, since my top was backless, the thin cotton of our shirts was too much of a barrier for my liking. As if he sensed my need to be touched, Brad spun me around and pinned me to him with one arm wrapped around my hips and the other hand on my thigh. As I ground my butt back into him, he moved his hand down to my knee and slowly slid it up my inner thigh and back down, teasing me as we moved to the beat. He leaned down to my ear, "I've wanted to hold you like this since I babysat Maisy." I sighed as he nipped at my earlobe, and then pressed a kiss to my neck. I lifted my hand up to his neck and held his head in place as he continued to lick the rim of my ear and breathe heavily on my neck. I was flying high as I felt his hardening cock press into my back. As his hand continued to caress my inner thigh I repeated his words over and over in my head. He'd wanted to hold me since we met. He'd been thinking about me, for all these months, just as I'd been thinking about him. And, good god, he knew how to hold a woman. I pressed against him harder, and he moaned in my ear. "Be careful, Jackie," he half-heartedly warned into my ear. I smiled to myself, loving the effect my dancing had on him. I was surprised to find that despite years of hating the idea of grinding, I was completely turned on, and wanted nothing more that to have Brad's hands in my pants. But then again, Brad was a man, and not some clumsy and zitty boy from the single sex school in the next town over. As his hand around my waist started to travel up toward my left breast I heard my name. Shit. The girls. I'd completely forgotten that we were in public, let alone that it was girl's night and Hannah had gone to fetch me a beer. But when I opened my eyes all thoughts of Brad were replaced with worry. Hannah was pale as a ghost and looked like she was about to simultaneously throw up and burst into tears. "It's Zach." She began to tremble. "WHAT!" I couldn't believe the name that left her lips. "He's here. Here. In this bar." "We're leaving, immediately." I switched into mama hen mode, and extracted myself from Brad's arms without a backwards glance. I grabbed Hannah by the hand and marched through the crowd to find Jordan making out and grinding quite provocatively with some guy. Typical of Jordan. I was about to roll my eyes when I realized that that was probably exactly what Brad and I had just looked like. I yanked her out of the guys arms. "We have to go, now!" "What the fuck, Jackie!" Jordan snarled at me. "No. Now! Zach is here." I snapped back. "Mother fucker. Let's go." We snaked our way through the crowd and were heading up the stairs when I heard him call after her. "Hannah, you bitch! Get back here!" Hannah froze on the stairs. She slowly started to turn around, but I waved Jordan to keep moving. "Guys, keep going. I'll catch up!" I took a deep breathe, turned around and prepared to give Zach a piece of my mind when Freddie cut me off. "I got this, Jack. Get Hannah home." I'd never been more grateful to have a brother who had been the captain of the Notre Dame Bengal Bouts in my life. "Thanks Freddie, you're the best!" "Just get out of here." He shot back with a smile as he rolled up his sleeves. God, he loved fighting. Guess they didn't call them the Fightin' Irish for nothing. "Love you!" I called back over my shoulder as I took the rest of the stairs two of a time. I almost twisted my ankle and fell on the last few, but strong arms caught me. "Hey, what the hell is going on?" Brad's normally warm eyes held a concern that wrenched my heart. "Sorry, I've really got to go." I quickly replied and tried to push my way over to the door. "Wait! Jackie, hold up!" Brad trailed after me and grabbed my hand. I turned to see him holding out his phone. "Can I call you?" The butterflies returned as I looked into his pleading eyes. "Of course," I replied with a smile as I punched the numbers into his phone. I handed it back to him, kissed his cheek, and sped out the door to find Hannah and Jordan. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Thanks for reading! Please leave comments, I could use constructive criticism just as much as praise :-) Don't forget to vote! Xoxo Jules As Luck Would Have It Ch. 02 Here is chapter 2. I apologize for the wait. I'm still looking for an editor, but hopefully I will find one in time for the next chapter. Thanks for all of the words of encouragement and the feedback. They are much appreciated. ~~~~~~~~~~ Connor pulled his car into the garage. He leaned back against the cool leather seats and sighed. His wolf stirred impatiently, begging him to shift and go on a midnight run back to Audra. And how would you explain that without scaring her away? Connor felt the irritation rise as he struggled to come up with a plan. He didn't normally deal with such minor home reparations, but he needed to spend as much time with her as he could. He and his wolf just found her and to be apart from her for too long would be anguish. He would have to make time to work on her home himself, deal with pack issues, take meetings, and continue running the business all at once. Luckily for Connor, the local packs were at peace at the moment, so pack life had been relatively calm. He could rely on Graham to deal with small issues if they arose. He figured he would need about a week to work on that house. That would be all the time he would possibly have to explain to her what he was and convince her to let him mate with her. Connor smiled as imagined it. Her submission to him, their bodies moving together as one. He groaned in delight at the thought. Connor stepped out of his car and made his way into his home. He walked through the hallway to the large living room in the back. He would have to acknowledge his guests if it he was going to have any sort of sleep tonight. "Mom, Dad.. To what do I owe this pleasure?" Connor leaned down and kissed his mother on the cheek as his dad stood up to wrap his arms around his son. His mother smiled at him, apparently very excited. Connor couldn't help but share his Mother's excitement, but he also felt a pang of irritation. Sophie. He wanted to figure this out with as little help as possible, but there was no turning back now. He looked down at his mother sitting on the massive couch in his living room. She was a stunning woman by all means. Her hair was sandy brown and wavy, but starting to show her age with a hint of silver streaked through. Her hazel eyes sparkled as she looked up at her son. She leaned back and waited for him to explain. 'Well...?' She prompted him mentally. Connor cleared his throat and sat down on the chair opposite the couch. He looked at both his parents. "I take it your darling Sophie has already spilled the beans?" Connor's father chuckled a little, and his eyes were dancing with amusement. He was the spitting image of Connor, with salt and pepper hair, and face that showed his age. "You know your sister all too well. She just about broke our front door down within moments of talking to Graham. She whisked your mom away earlier today and they baked those muffins all afternoon. So it's true then? You've found her?" Connor saw his mother lean forward in anticipation. You couldn't help but love the woman. He decided not to make her wait any longer. "Yes, I've found her, but she is human. I have to proceed with extreme caution. I don't want to scare her off." "Is it true she lives in that old Victorian at the edge of the woods? Is she all alone? That's a massive home for just one woman." Connor's mother was infinitely curious about the woman who had suddenly entered her son's life. "Yes, she lives in that house and it appears she is alone. I haven't seen anyone else around. I didn't pick up any other scents," Connor explained. "Does she have any family around these parts? It's a shame, a young girl on her own in a big home like that." His mother turned head toward her husband. "Don't you agree, Jack?" She kept her eyes on her husband. 'I'd feel much better if I knew her history. That house wasn't for sale and I believe it is still in Jane's family. I wonder if there is any relation? I don't dare mention this to Connor, yet. It might be too painful, she communicated through their bond, a glimmer of sadness traveled through her eyes. Just give Connor some time to get to know the girl, Emma.' Jack squeezed her hand as he looked at her, 'You'll have all your answers soon enough, my love. If she is any relation to our dear old friends, we'll know when we meet her.' His reassuring look put Emma at ease. Connor watched his parents curiously as they silently communicated with each other. He knew better than to pry in their private conversations, but he couldn't help but wonder. His mother sensed his apprehension and turned back to him. "So give me all the details. I want to hear everything sweetheart. How did you find her?" Connor explained to his parents about his morning jog, and the first moment he laid eyes on Audra. "Mom, she is beautiful, and incredibly sweet. I think you two will get along very well. " Emma could see the flood of emotion cross her son's face. She couldn't help but be extremely happy for him. Connor continued, "I did find out earlier this evening that she is from Los Angeles, but not much else, I'm afraid. She did mention that she needs some help on some home repairs. Sophie hinted that she knew someone who owned a construction company, and I was only happy to oblige." Jack suddenly laughed, "You didn't happen to mention that you run the company? You don't necessarily do the physical labor?" Jack continued laughing. "Are you sure you remember how to do home repairs and not just observe every now and then?" Jack kept teasing him, and he could see his son's frustration. His chuckles finally softened after Emma pinched his arm, giving him a warning. "I think I can handle it. It was the only chance I had to see her. Now I have a week or so for her to get to know me. I'll have a couple of the guys come and help with the roof and painting, but I will handle the rest on my own." "See Jack, it's clear that Connor thought this through." Emma smiled at Connor, "I can't wait to meet her, my dear." She stood up, trying to hint to her husband that it was time to leave. Jack finally stood up and patted his son's back. "Well, my boy, it seems as if you have your work cut out for you. We will see how this all turns out at Sophie and Ben's barbecue." Jack caught his son's look. "Yes, your sister already sent out a mass text to everyone." Emma pulled her husband along. "You get yourself some rest, Connor. You have quite the week ahead of you." Jack and Emma hugged Connor, and made their exit. Connor yawned, clearly exhausted. He made his way up the stairs and to his bedroom. Connor entered his room and looked out the massive windows at the compound below. In the distance, he could see the smoke from a fireplace coming from Audra's home. His heart sank as his desperation to be near her grew with every passing second. He kicked off his clothes and collapsed onto his bed. Thoughts of Audra filled his mind as he drifted off to sleep. Audra awoke and checked her phone on the nightstand beside her bed. 5:45 am. She stretched out and sighed as memories of the previous evening drifted back into her mind. Suddenly, she sat up. Oh crap, she thought to herself as she shot out of bed. Connor! She quickly made her bed and hopped in the shower. As she stepped out of the shower, Audra wrapped herself in a large towel and used another towel to towel dry her hair. She walked to her closet and decided on a pair of jeans and a black thermal. Her phone beeped on her nightstand. One unread message, but she didn't recognize the number. "Hey early bird. It's Connor. I hope you don't mind, but Sophie gave me your number. I'm on my way, I'll see you soon." Audra dressed quickly and slipped on her black chucks. She was finishing applying mascara as she heard Connor's SUV pull up. She quickly put on some chapstick and ran downstairs. She felt like a giddy child on Christmas morning as it seemed her feet couldn't get her down the stairs and through the hall fast enough. Audra stopped and regained some composure before she opened the door. Relax, she told herself. She opened the front door as Connor was getting out of the car. Her heart skipped a beat. It looked like a scene from a dream. The early morning fog was dense in the backdrop of the woods. Connor stood next to his SUV and grinned at her. He was wearing some work boots and jeans with a long sleeved black shirt. She could see his well defined muscles outlined against the material. And she had to admit, the man looked damn good in a pair of jeans. He smiled as she blushed. Had she been that obvious? Connor smiled at Audra. He loved how he could feel her eyes traveling over his body. It was obvious she liked what she saw. He took his turn to look her over. Audra walked down her steps and down the path toward him. Her thermal hugged her breasts and clinged to her flat stomach. Her jeans fit just perfectly and he couldn't wait until she led him to the house so he could get a look at that ass. He could not get over how sexy she looked in her casual outfit. Audra blushed as she noticed the pleased look on his face as he examined her body. She watched as Connor leaned in to his car and pulled out two coffees. "I wasn't sure which kind of coffee you would like, so I brought just plain old coffee or a vanilla latte. Your choice." Connor smiled at her as her eyes lit up. "Vanilla Latte, please!" Audra smiled as Connor handed her the cup. "Let's go inside and we can discuss the work that needs to be done here." Audra turned and started walking toward the house, feeling his eyes watch her. She was relieved he couldn't see how flushed her face was at that particular moment. Connor's suspicions were correct. The woman had a great ass. Not big, but not flat; it had a perfect roundness to it that begged to be squeezed. Connor shook himself out of it and quickly followed her into the house. He was impressed by how put together the house seemed. It was just as welcoming in the early morning light as it had been the previous evening. He glanced as they passed the library. He saw some boxes on the floor, but most of the shelves were lined with books. He smiled to himself as he imagined the both of them in that room, spending a lazy afternoon curled up next to the fireplace reading to each other. He glanced at a couple pictures on the wall that he hadn't noticed the night before. There were some old family photos that were practically ancient mixed with some more current photos. Connor smiled. Audra's smile lit up every photo she was in. Hell, the girl lit up the room when she entered, so he wasn't surprised. One picture stopped him dead in his tracks. It was an old black and white photo from the early 1920s. There were three people sitting by a stream having a picnic not too far from where this house stands. Connor knew everyone in the photo because he had taken it. He noticed his older brother and his mate, Elizabeth smiling at each other and Elizabeth's sister Jane smiling at the camera. Connor's heart sank looking at the picture. How was it that she was in posession of this photo? Suddenly, it dawned on him. How had he not made the connection earlier? Audra turned around and walked back toward Connor to see what caught his attention. "Ahh.. It's a great picture isn't it? That is my grandmother Jane right there," Audra pointed to the picture. "That is my great Aunt Elizabeth and her husband Grant. Unfortunately, Grant died tragically right after their wedding. My grandma never gave me the details, but my aunt was so distraught, she committed suicide shortly after. My grandma stayed in this home for a little while after, but moved down to California, wanting to be close to the rest of her family. We all assumed she sold this place years ago until we found out she left it to me in her will. Unfortunately, this is the only photo I have of my grandma and her sister together." Thinking about Grant put Connor in a more vulnerable state than he was already in. He did not like it one bit. Fortunately, Audra motioned for him to follow her. When he looked into her eyes, there was a sudden sense of comfort to his soul. Audra led him through to the room they had been sitting in the night before. She sat on the couch and to her surprise, Connor sat closely by her. She wanted to break the uncomfortable silence that had suddenly filled the room. "So I was thinking we could start with the roof," Audra began, taking a sip of her coffee. Connor was barely listening as he closed his eyes and breathed her in deeply yet again. That scent. It was exhilirating. A smiled traveled over his face, and he leaned back against the couch. "Sure," he replied, opening his eyes and gazing at her. His wolf grew impatient, but Connor had to reason with him. They both wanted her, now. It took all that Connor had to restrain himself. "I can call up some guys and we can get to work on that immediately." Audra sighed in relief, "That is absolutely wonderful. You don't know how happy I am that you can do this all so quickly. I am relieved to hear that the house will be in better shape before winter arrives. Once we finish our coffee, I will show you the eaves and fascia boards. They really are in a terrible state." She kicked her shoes off, sat back against the couch and pulled her legs up under her. She was trying to act as nonchalant as possible. Connor watched her as he took a sip of his coffee, taking this as a golden opportunity to get to know her better. "So why did you move here? Most people would die to live in a warmer climate." "I just wasn't happy in Los Angeles. I'm not dying to see and be seen. I am not a fan of weather over 70 degrees, almost every single day. The traffic going anywhere is horrible for a majority of the day. The list goes on and on. When my grandma left this house to me in her will, I decided to quit my job and move." "Do you miss your family and friends?" Audra paused for a moment and frowned. "Well of course, but my parents are planning on retiring to their home in the desert and most of my friends are starting families. It just seemed like the right time to form my own path in life." Connor respected that she made such a big move on her own. It took some guts. He smiled and her. "So you are really going to live in this big old house by yourself?" "That's the plan," Audra said. "So let's talk about you. I know you have a construction company.. A funny set of twins for siblings..Tell me something about yourself. Something that no one knows." Connor laughed. His life was pretty much an open book to his pack. He thought for a moment, cocking his head to the side. "I once left home, a long time ago." He thought he could reveal a little without letting everything out. "My older brother passed away and I decided to travel the world. I went searching for myself. I had to be sure this is where I wanted to end up. As it turned out, at the time, there wasn't any place or anyone in this world that meant more to me than home and my family." Audra rested her hand on his arm and gave him a comforting squeeze. "I'm sorry for your loss. That must have been a hard time for you." He smiled at her hand and the instant warmth it brought to his body. Sensing Connor didn't want to go into further detail at this moment, Audra tried to lighten the mood and poked his bicep. "That can hardly be a secret, though. I'm sure people noticed your absence after a week. Well, I know I would have." Connor looked into her eyes, slightly amused by her little flirtation. "Oh yes, they knew I left. They just didn't know I considered never coming back." He held her gaze and Audra noticed a hint of sadness that washed over his eyes. She put a hand over his and looked down. She wasn't going to push him into explaining the whole story. It would be something he would be able to share in time, if he so choosed. Connor loved that he could confide in her and be comforted by her. It was something that he definitely was missing in his life. She could be his outlet from world. He couldn't let her go, ever. He covered her hand with his. "Ok.. Let's get a look at what's going on outside with those eaves and fascia boards. I'll call some guys over and we will get working on the roof." Later than evening, Connor's crew left and Audra smiled as she watched Connor pack his things in his truck. "Hungry?" she called out to him. She watched as he turned from his truck back to her with a huge smile on his face. "Thought you'd never ask. I was running out of things to load in the SUV." Audra laughed. "I was thinking about ordering some pizzas. Does that sound good?" "That sounds wonderful. There's a great place called Marcello's, where they cook the pizzas in huge brick ovens and they taste just like the pizzas you would get in Naples. Do you have any particular kind you want?" He noticed a huge smile cross her face. "Do they have a quattro formaggi pizza? The last time I had one of those was in Italy with my cousin a couple years back and it was delicious!" Connor smiled, making a note to ask about her travels later. "Yes they do. I know the owner so I will place the order. I'm going to run home and shower really quick. I'll swing by and pick up the pizza's on my way back." Connor didn't want to leave, but he was dirty and sweaty, and those things mattered to women, or so Sophie told him. "Sounds good. I'll see you soon." Audra watched as Connor got into his SUV and pulled away. Her heart saddened as drove out of her sight. Pull it together, Audra. He will be back before you know it. Stop acting like a love sick puppy. Audra was sitting beside the fireplace, engrossed in a book, when she heard a knock at the door. She set her book down and walked down the hall and opened the door. The delicious aroma of the pizzas filled the entryway. "Oh Connor, those pizzas smell amazing. Come in." Audra smiled brightly as she could feel her heart doing flips in her chest. Connor smelled just a wonderful as the pizzas, and he looked as handsome as ever. He dressed casually, in a pair of stonewashed jeans, a black hoodie and some black shoes. She took the pizzas from his arms and led him to the dining room, which was conveniently off to the side of the room with the fireplace. Connor smiled when he saw the dining room. Audra had set up the table with two plates across from each other. She had a couple candles lit, the fireplace crackled, and Billie Holiday's voice sang softly in the background. Connor couldn't help but look at her longingly as she motioned for him to sit. "What can I get you to drink? I have another Cabernet, or I have some beers in the fridge. Let me warn you, though. I don't ever buy typical light beer. If you'd like a beer, I will bring you one. I assure you, you are in for a treat." Connor smiled, surprised. The girl had good taste, she had traveled, she was fond of books. The more he knew about her, the more he knew she was meant for him. "I'll take a beer." She flashed him a smile, "Oh good, me too!" Audra returned with two glasses and one large bottle of beer. "Good choice, Audra. I love Belgian beer. That particular bottle is one of my favorites." Audra poured them both a glass of beer and Connor gave them both a slice of pizza. Audra took one bite of hers and murmured in appreciation. "Mmm.. This is amazing! I can't believe this place is around here! They have gained a new loyal customer. It tastes just like the one I had in Italy, if not better." "So I take it you like to travel?" Audra's eyes lit up and she grinned. "I love it! There are so many places I would love to go. Do you travel anymore?" "Don't get much of a chance to travel, but that doesn't mean I don't want to." Connor smiled at her. They wouldn't have too much time in the future to travel together, but he would make sure they were able to take a week here and there so he could show her little bits of the world. As Luck Would Have It Ch. 02 Audra talked about the places she wanted to see, and Connor shared his experiences where he had been. The ease of their conversation seemed like they had known each other for years. After a while, they moved to the couch and Audra leaned back in Connor's arms. Connor noticed her book lying at the end of the couch. "Jane Eyre, huh?" Audra sighed happily, "Yes, I love old romantic classics. I've read them all a dozen times, but I love them so much, I can never stay away too long. Jane Eyre is one of my favorites. It isn't the perfect romance; it's dark and flawed. I guess that is why I love it so. Life is complicated, but it can turn out beautifully in the end." Connor sighed and hoped that she would feel the same way when he told her about himself. He lost himself in his thoughts and when he looked down, Audra was asleep. He leaned down and kissed the top of her head. He couldn't move without disturbing her, and she looked so peaceful, so he leaned his head back against the couch and fell asleep. Audra wasn't sure when she woke up but she noticed she was still in Connor's arms. Her heart fluttered when she realized just how much she loved feeling his arms around her. She started to get up but he pulled her close again. "Connor," she whispered. "Wake up." His eyes slowly opened and then he remembered where he was. "I'm sorry Audra.. I just fell asleep. I'll go." He smiled sheepishly at her. Audra's mind was telling her no, but her heart was urging her. "No, it's fine. We both did. I was just going to tell you that we would both be more comfortable in my bed. It's bigger." Connor suddenly was wide awake. "Are you sure? I can just leave.. I don't want you to feel uncomfortable." Please stop me, make me stay. "Don't be silly.. I don't know why, but I feel extremely comfortable with you. But hurry, I'm sleepy and I want my bed." Audra led him upstairs to her room. She grabbed some clothes out of a drawer and went into her bathroom to change. Connor looked around her bedroom, taking in his surroundings, as he kicked off his shoes, took off his hoodie and jeans. He hoped he wouldn't freak her out. Boxer briefs and a t-shirt shouldn't seem too forward, he thought to himself. He stood there, unsure of what to do next. He felt his wolf getting excited, but he had to calm him down. It's too soon, we can't push her. Audra came out of the bathroom in some sweats and a tank. Connor couldn't help but notice that her breasts were almost spilling out of the tank and he watched as her nipples hardened through the thin material. Great, Connor thought to himself. Couldn't she have worn something else? He watched her as she got into bed, and she caught his glance and smiled. "Aren't you coming?" Audra pulled the covers back for him. He looks HOT, she thought to herself. His boxer briefs hugged his muscular thighs and there was a pretty substantial bulge. His shirt hugged his muscular arms and chest. She needed that body against hers. Connor didn't waste any time getting into bed next to Audra. He looked over at her and she was staring at him. "What? Is this too fast for you? Should I go?" He had never been so unsure of himself. His fears were quickly put to rest as Audra cupped the side of his face with her hand and gazed at him intently. "I just don't know where you came from.. This is completely the opposite of what I expected to happen when I moved here." Her hair fell loosely on her pillow and her eyes shined in the moonlight that was streaming in from the window. "You are so beautiful," he said, and he watched as her cheeks flush. He leaned over and kissed her, pressing his body against hers. He pulled away, not wanting to go too far. Audra snuggled up to his chest and fell asleep. Connor shortly followed. Audra woke up to tight muscular arms wrapped around her body. So it wasn't a dream.. She smiled to herself and felt relief. If only everything could just hold still and time could stop for a little bit. Audra wanted to stretch out this moment as long as possible. She could feel his breath against the back of her neck, and his rock hard chest against her back. How she got so lucky to wake up to this, she would never know. She felt Connor's arms tighten around her as he pulled her closer. "Good morning.." Connor murmured sleepily. "Good morning sunshine," Audra replied. She felt Connor's lips on her neck, planting soft kisses up to her jawline, but stopped suddenly. The man was driving her wild. Audra turned her body over in his arms and looked up at him. "Why did you stop? That felt so good. A couple more seconds of that and I would have been putty in your hands." "Audra.. Can we talk?" He caught her eye hesitantly. "There's something I want to talk to you about before we go any further. I want you, now, but I can't make love to you without being completely honest with you." He saw the sudden fear that passed through Audra's eyes. While she appreciated that he wabred to disclose whatever secret he was carrying, she couldn't help but fear the truth. She pulled back from him, her eyes studying him. "What is it?" Surely he isn't married. Oh no, what if he is married? Dammit, I should have known that this was too good to be true. "Are you married? Is this some sort of extramarital fling? If it is, I want no part of it." Connor saw her crestfallen expression and his heart ached. He hated being the cause of this. "No, Audra.. It's nothing like that." Connor could see the thoughts racing through her mind as she tried to figure out what it was. He took a deep breath, breathing in her scent, calming himself. It's now or never, Connor, he told himself. "Yesterday, when you noticed me staring at the picture on your wall, and you came over and pointed out the people in the picture.." Connor trailed off, trying to choose his words wisely. "You didn't have to point them out to me; I already knew who they were." He watched Audra and tried to gauge her reactions to his words. Sensing her confusion, he continued. "I have met your grandmother before, and her sister Elizabeth. The man in the picture was my brother, Grant." If Audra thought she was confused before, it was nothing compared to how she was feeling at that moment. "Impossible. There isn't any way you could have met Aunt Elizabeth. I was never able to meet her. She died decades before I was even born." Audra eyed him curiously as her mind tried to make sense of what he had said. "Audra, I took that picture. The reason I was able to meet her is that I am a couple hundred years old. You can't tell because... Well... I am a werewolf. We age differently than humans." He watched as Audra's eyes widened. Audra's mind was racing with this new information. She sat there stunned for a moment. "Is this a joke?" Connor shook his head. "Why are you telling me all of this? If this is true, wouldn't you want to keep it a secret? I just don't understand. Why would you tell me? Of all people. The new girl in town. You don't know that I won't run to the authorities." Connor reached forward and pulled her close again, but she pulled away again. She was calmer than he expected her to be. "Audra, I knew your aunt and grandmother very well. They were good women, trustworthy, yet headstrong. They were loyal, and my family trusted them. Since you are related, i know you must carry those same qualities." Connor decided to tell her she was his mate later. He could see that Audra wanted to hear more, so he decided to start from the beginning. "This little patch of land has been in your family for years Audra. Where this house stood, used to be a little cabin that was used as a summer home for your ancestors. Then, people just stopped coming up here. In the late 1800s, a man came up here with a crew that knocked down the old cabin, and built a Victorian home in its place. After it was built, the man left and returned with his young bride, but she hated it here. She wanted to be close to society, and this would not do. They stayed all of two months, before they left. The house remained pretty much untouched for years. It wasn't until around 1921, that two young women moved themselves into this home." Audra was fascinated. Her grandma had shared this story with her, but she found it interesting that she was hearing her family's history from another point of view. He must be telling the truth. Connor sensed her fears slowly fading and he continued. "Naturally, we were all curious to see who they were. My father, as pack Alpha at the time, warned us from getting too close to humans. My older brother's curiosity got the better of him, and he forced me to go with him to learn more about these new women. We shifted into our wolves and made our way through the forest toward this house. Before we reached the house, we found your great aunt and grandmother sitting by the stream, having a picnic. The minute my brother laid eyes on your great aunt, his wolf howled. He found his mate, but he scared the poor girls. His wolf grew impatient and whimpered when he noticed the cowering girls on the other side of the stream. Your grandmother was crying, but your aunt tried to maintain a calm exterior, assuring her sister that they were going to be ok. She and Grant stared at each other from across the stream. I nudged at him to back down and he growled at me. I had never seen him act that way. I told him to retreat and we would return in our human forms to officially meet the girls. Reasoning with his wolf was hard, but I finally managed to convince him. We returned to our pack and Grant and I made plans to visit the girls the next day." Audra was shocked to say the least. Her grandma never mentioned the wolves out by the stream. "So what happened?" "Well, we paid a visit to the girls and it was very obvious at the start that Grant and Elizabeth had a connection. They spent almost every waking moment of the day together. My father was getting frustrated with Grant. He was trying to teach him how to be the new Alpha of the pack so he and my mother could finally relax, travel the world. He demanded that Grant officially mate with Elizabeth and be done with it, so they could continue with their plans. After a month, Grant finally had your great aunt convinced. They mated. Elizabeth shared with your grandmother everything that was happening, and your grandmother accepted it. Had your aunt been a fickle, unrealistic woman, your grandmother would have fought hard against it. Truth was, your grandmother and I had never seen our siblings so happy. That kind of joy comes once in a lifetime." Audra watched as Connor's expression darkened and he clenched his jaw. "Unfortunately, there were people who despised the joy between the two young lovers. Their union had ruined some plans. The Alpha, Frederick, of a neighboring pack, had always planned on his daughter, Alex, mating with Grant. He was greedy and he felt that was the only way to expand his power in the area. When he had heard that Grant mated a human, he was livid. On the night of the full moon, the first time your aunt was to shift and become a wolf, an evil trap had been set into motion. Our pack decided to let Grant and Elizabeth have the first couple hours to themselves, and somehow Frederick caught wind of it. After Elizabeth and Grant shifted and ran far enough away, to where no one could reach them in time, Alex appeared. She distracted Elizabeth and Grant, causing a commotion. By the time Grant sensed the danger, it was too late. He and Elizabeth were surrounded by dozens of wolves. Grant was the strongest wolf in our pack at the time, but he was no match for what awaited them that evening. When he reached out to my father and I, we tried our hardest to get to his aid in time, but we were too late." Connor paused and closed his eyes tightly, shaking his head. The memory was agonizing, but he continued. "We arrived with enough members of our own pack to fight off the others. When the other pack had scattered, we found Grant's lifeless body over Elizabeth's. We pulled him off and saw that she was holding on to her life by a thread. We quickly brought both of them back to our compound and our healers worked on Elizabeth for days. She was in a coma for weeks. Finally one day, she woke, screaming Grant's name. Your grandmother was by her side, but she just wouldn't calm down. My mother and father came and she calmed somewhat, until they told her what had happened, and she couldn't come to terms with it. She spent her days crying, in agony of what she had lost. When she had regained her strength, she asked if she could stay at the Victorian house with your grandmother for a couple weeks. We were all too willing to give her whatever she needed. After a week or so, it appeared she was getting better." Connor paused again and shook his head. "One day, your grandmother went to run an errand in town. When she returned, Elizabeth was gone, but my parents were there. They didn't need to say anything, their expressions told her everything she needed to know." Connor turned over to his back, his pain radiating from his body. Audra scooted closer to him resting her head on his chest and wrapping her arm over him. She looked up at Connor and saw a single tear drop down his cheek. She pulled herself up to kiss it away. Connor wrapped his arms around her. "It wasn't until a couple days ago, that I truly understood those feelings between Grant and Elizabeth." Tears were streaming down Audra's cheeks. They had all been through a horriying experience together. No wonder her grandma had never shared this with her. Connor's immense pain was evident. "I am so sorry, Connor..." She was at a loss for words, until suddenly she realized what he just said. "Wait, what do you mean?" Connor held her gaze. "You are my mate, Audra. My wolf recognized you the morning you leaned out that window. We have a strong connection to each other. It's why you feel safe around me. You're mine, and I have been waiting years for you." Audra took a moment to let the enormity of what he just said settle. "I thought I was crazy, feeling the way that I do." He smiled, relieves she was taking everything so well. Audra turned to lay back as she stared at the ceiling. She couldn't explain the happiness that she felt when he was near, but what if something happened to him? Her thoughts drifted back to her aunt and his brother. She thought of the depraved people who caused their families so much pain. "Wait, what happened to Frederick and Alex?" Connor winced. He had hoped she wouldn't ask. "It was a bloody time, Audra. They are dead and gone. Let's leave it at that." She wanted to know more, but his expression to her to stop. "So that is when you left, then?" "Yes. The pack needed a new Alpha, but I told my father that after all that had happened, I needed time to think. Becoming the Alpha was never something that was supposed to happen to me. I didn't know if I wanted that life. My father agreed to let me go, and he would continue as pack Alpha until my return. As you and I both know, I wasn't so sure if I would ever return. After seeing most of the world, and what it had to offer, I realized that I missed my family, and these woods. So I came back, and accepted my future." He stopped and looked at her. "Our future." As Luck Would Have It Ch. 03 I know you all want longer chapters, and I tried! I swear I did! But then I ended up editing a lot of my efforts out because it was just filler fluff and pointless dialogue. Sorry. I'll try not to keep you waiting too long for the next chapter, but I'm moving cross country later this month, so no promises ;-) Thanks for your votes and comments! Xoxo Jules ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ I quickly caught up to the girls and looped my right arm through Hannah's left. Jordan held her right hand. She was breathing heavily and tears were silently trickling down her cheeks. None of us said anything on the short walk back to my apartment in Kenmore Square. Jordan rubbed Hannah's arm as I searched for the key to my apartment. As I opened the door, we dumped our handbags on the ground and solemnly trudged into my bedroom. We sank down on to my bed, and let Hannah cry. All three of us cuddled on top of the comforter, not bothering to change into pajamas. What were silent tears on the walk home became gut wrenching sobs that shook her body uncontrollably. I knew she felt not only terrified, but angry, guilty, ashamed. I wiped a tear from my own eye as I cursed Zach for destroying her spirit. "He can't hurt you now. I love you, Hannah. I love you, so much," I whispered into her hair when her sobs quieted down. She squeezed my hand and hiccoughed. "You're safe," Jordan assured her. We all fell silent as we hugged. Her sniffled eventually died down and sleep overtook us. I woke up with a start a few hours later as I just barely caught and saved myself from rolling off the bed. Hannah was stretched out, hogging most of the mattress, with Jordan and I precariously perched on the edges. I slipped out of bed, grabbed some pajamas, and headed to the bathroom. I quickly relieved myself and shed my risqué outfit. A very haggard-looking raccoon grimaced back at me in the mirror as I stepped into a pair of boxers and an old lacrosse t-shirt. So much for smudge proof make up. I felt the beginnings of a hang over creeping up on me as the last of my buzz wore off. I fished two tablets of ibuprofen out of a bottle from the medicine cabinet and padded into the kitchen for some water. As I stood swirling the remaining water in my glass, I suddenly remembered Brad. My tummy immediately warmed and I squirmed as I recalled his hands on my body. I dug my phone out of my purse that I had discarded just inside my front door and plopped down on my hand-me-down couch. Three missed texts! jack i destroyed him is Hannah pk? "Yes, Freddie, Hannah's fine," I mumbled to myself. i meant ok? did u get home? is Hannah relly upset? is she ok? let me no if she needs anything "Ugh, I don't want to be hearing from you!" . "Really, Freddie? A blank text? How drunk were you?" I grumbled to myself as I tossed my phone on the end table. My brother was the last person I wanted late night texts from. "Hey." I snapped my head up to see Hannah walking into the room. Her face was still a bit swollen from crying and her eyes were red, but she managed a weak smile. "Jesus, you scared me!" I laughed. "Can I get you some water? Ibuprofen? You probably feel worse than me." "I can get it for myself" she said heading into the kitchen. " Ugh, my head is splitting in two! Where do you keep the medicine?" she asked over opening and closing drawers and cabinets. "I'll get it. Just get yourself a glass of water," I retrieved the bottle from the bathroom and Hannah joined me back on the couch with a stolen bar glass full of water. We sat in companionable silence for a moment, sipping at our water, before I spoke up. "Want to talk about it?" Hannah sighed and shook her head as she picked at the edge of one of the fraying red cushions. She never wanted to talk about it. I worried that bottling it up would only make things worse as it ate her up inside. "Ok. But you know I am always here to listen, right?" She looked up at me and smiled as she nodded. Zach and Hannah had been lifeguards together at a country club in Newton three years back. She liked him immediately. We all liked him immediately. He was wicked hot, fun, outgoing, and treated her like royalty. He bought her gifts for no reason, refused to ever let her pay for anything, gave her rides everywhere. Hannah had been a virgin, still holding out for at least a very serious boyfriend, if not an engagement ring. She considered Zach nothing but a summer fling. After about a month, things started to go sour when he realized he wasn't going to "get any". It was like he lost all respect for her because she wouldn't put out. He turned nasty, rude, and verbally abusive. It was as if Mr. Hyde came out to play. When their boss witnessed him try to trip her when she was carrying the overnight vacuum to the pool deck, he was fired. We were all really worried that he would blame her for his termination and do something drastic, but luckily Hannah only had one week left of work before she returned to school. She'd only told us the story once, and she was very sparing with her details, but that wasn't the end of Zach's abuse. About a month or so after the start of the semester, Hannah answered a knock on the door to her apartment and was greeted by a very angry Zach. She has no idea how he found out where she lived, but he forced his way into her apartment and raped her. The only details she shared during a tear-filled sleep over the following Christmas break was that it hurt, she bled a ton, and he had hit her repeatedly and even choked her as he came. She's changed a lot since it happened. She's much quieter. She used to be little chatty Kathy, but not any more. I don't think she's touched a guy since it happened. I didn't want to press the issue and bring up any more bad memories, she'd had enough for one night, so I just reached for her hand and squeezed it. "Thanks for taking me home." "Oh, stop it," I insisted. "It was no big deal. There's no way we would stick around with that kind of ass hole lurking nearby. Plus, you know I hate those kinds of places anyways." "No I mean it. And you're just saying that. I know you were actually having a good time on the dance floor for once. I'm really sorry I interrupted you with that guy. You never dance like that." Hannah's eyes scanned my face, and I felt awfully bashful as I recalled the way Brad and I were dancing... if you could even call it that. "So, who was he? Did you know him or something?" I felt my body temperature rise and I knew my cheeks were red. "Umm, sort of." Hannah waited a second, and then twirled her hand around a few times in a 'go on' gesture. She wasn't going to let me keep this to myself. "Well, remember back in March or so, I told you about my neighbor's brother who I had a crush on?" I asked, unable to meet Hannah's eye. "Shut up. No way!" she squealed, and we spent the next half hour dissecting each and every possible innuendo before our drooping eyelids deemed it too late to continue and, yawning, we headed back to bed. The following morning we brunched at Trident Café. Hannah reassured us she didn't want to talk about it and she turned the attention to me. I had to rehash all the Brad details for Jordan to hear. "You're fucking kidding me! That was Johnny Cupcake? He's effing hot!" Jordan had consistently referred to Brad as Johnny Cupcake (after her favorite t-shirt store) as soon as I had told her how he'd knocked on my door looking for an egg all those months ago. She determined that he was going to call within the next 24 hours, we were going to plan to get dinner but would be too attracted to each other to make it to the restaurant, and hook up on my decrepit couch. "You're finally going to get laid!" she squawked and beamed at me as the patrons at our surrounding tables eyed us with interest. Embarrassed, I took a large bite of my English muffin. "Yeah right, Jordan. I bet you ten bucks he doesn't even call within the week!" "Damn it, Jackie! Don't go jinxing yourself!" Hannah groaned. "Oh you are so on! Better stop at the ATM girl, because he was all over you last night. There is no way he can hold out for a whole week! His dick would explode." Hannah choked on her orange juice and I couldn't repress on a giggle. "It's true! It once happened to a guy I was teasing and holding out on." We finished up our meals as I tried to change the subject. Sometimes I couldn't handle how graphic Jordan was, especially when she was being graphic about Brad's penis. After paying the waiter, we went our separate ways, wishing Hannah a safe drive back to Providence. I went grocery shopping and did some other errands, and despite my bet with Jordan, I managed to check my phone every three seconds with the hope that Brad had texted me. Naturally, everyone else in my acquaintance deemed it necessary to call or text me to catch up over the course of the day. By six o'clock Saturday night I was completely frustrated and decided to leave my phone at home when I went out to dinner with my co-worker Chelsea after Freddie called asking after Hannah. I met up with Chelsea by seven and, unfortunately, she gushed about her new nephew, Bradley James, the entire meal. All I could think about for the extent of the conversation was whether Brad's real name was Bradley or Bradford. Of course, I came home to no new messages. I shouldn't have kept my hopes up with my luck, but a girl can dream. I dragged my feet through my bedtime ritual, and thanked god I didn't have his number. I knew I would have done something dumb, like texted him "sleep tight" or "sweet dreams" in an attempt to get him to text me back, but would only succeed in embarrassing myself beyond belief. I finally fell asleep to thoughts of Brad nibbling my ear lobe as we spooned in my bed. I slept late the following morning, and then dawdled in bed for ages entertaining fantasies of Brad. I refused to look at my phone for fear of disappointment, and eventually made my way to the kitchen for some scrambled eggs. I frowned to myself as I prepared my breakfast. Eggs, just like everything else in the world at the moment, reminded me of Brad. It was as if my wager with Jordan had triggered some sort of irrational need for Brad to acknowledge that he had my phone number immediately. He needed to prove me wrong, and live up to Jordan's prediction. I couldn't resist any longer and ran to my bedroom to check my phone. Nothing. No missed calls, no messages in my inbox, nada. Letting out a frustrated growl, I stormed back to the kitchenette. I threw some boursin in my eggs and poured them into the frying pan. After polishing off my breakfast with some OJ, I tidied up my apartment. Well, more like I attacked my apartment with every cleaning solution, brush, machine, and spray I owned. As I ruthlessly scrubbed every tile, corner, crevice, and rug I came up with excuses for Brad. He stuck to the stupid rule that a guy waited a few days before he called. He left his phone charger at work and his cell died Friday night. He was suffering from a two day hang over. His niece, Maisy, broke her leg, needed surgery, and he was at the hospital all weekend visiting her. He fell down the stairs at the bar and was suffering from amnesia. He was a secret agent and was on a mission in North Korea. It was getting a little ridiculous. I puffed up the couch pillows and sat down with a huff. Who was I kidding? He was probably just a shameless flirt who had no intention of ever calling me. And if he ever did call, there was no way I was going to answer. I was going to make him sweat it out just as much as I was. The second an unkown number showed up on my phone, I was going to ignore it, and make him leave a message. I was not going to be treated like -- my musings were interrupted by my ringing and buzzing cell phone on my counter top. My heart jumped into my throat and I ran over to see who it was. It was a 617 number I didn't have saved in my phone or recognize. Oh my God, it was him! I licked my lips and swallowed hard. "Hello?" "Hey, sis! You ready for some pizza? I can't wait to see you!" Damn. I tried to sound happy to hear from my big sister. "Hi, Merry. When did you land?" "About two hours ago. Got a cute blue pay-as-you-go phone, so this is how you can reach me over the next two weeks! But don't text. I forgot how much more expensive texting is than calling over here. So annoying." "Well, not really when you have a good plan. And aren't you filthy rich in American terms with all the Euros you're making over there?" "I wish, if only the exchange rate was as much in my favor as it was a few years ago I'd be a gazillionaire!" "A gazillionaire, huh? So, are you with Freddie?" I asked. "Yeah!" Meridith answered enthusiastically. "The little runt picked me up from the airport, then we went out for a quick bite to hold me over until dinner, and we just got me a phone." "Am I the first you called?" "Haha, you know you're my favorite, but Freddie insisted I call Mum first to let her know I landed." Merry had always been very protective of me growing up, defending me when Deb got catty and tattling on our brothers when they tore off my Barbies' heads. We may be six years apart, and she may live practically 3,000 miles away, but she still doted on me like I was four years old. "Did you bring me back anything good?" "Maaaaybe." I could tell from her tone that I was guaranteed at least a Galaxy bar and a bag of Taytos while the boys all had to fight over Cadbury. I never understood why they preferred it to Galaxy. It had a chalky aftertaste in my opinion. "Can't wait! What time should I come over?" "Whenever you want! We're headed over to Freddie's place now. We'll probably order pizza around six." "Ok. I'll just jump in the shower and be over soon." "Right. See you soon." "Bye." I flopped onto my bed after I got home from the family dinner. Family dinner was always exhausting. I never remember just how loud, boisterous, and chaotic a meal with 10 people can be, particularly when 8 of them are siblings. Not that it was an official family meal. There were only 8 people there, six of us siblings and two parents. But, honestly, once you pass the seven marker, who's counting? I believe Charlie was somewhere over the Rocky Mountains as we ate our pizza, flying home from a business trip, and Billy was still in school. Stanford was on some sort of quarter system that went into June or something. He had explained it to me multiple times. I never understood why they didn't just do normal semesters like everyone else. It was good to see the rest of the fam though, especially Merry. I had guessed correctly, she did bring me back some Taytos and a Galaxy bar, and she surprised me with a big box of Rittersport from the airport. We all squished into the living room area for pizza and beer while watching an exciting Sox game. My brothers were getting a bit too raucous and rowdy, so Debbie, Merry and I moved into Freddie's bedroom to watch the last couple innings. I groaned and rolled over to my side to set my alarm for the next morning. How the hell had Merry dragged the Brad story out of me? She was so sneaky, I could never keep a secret from her. And she was way too romantic and positive. Originally, my mom had spelled her nickname "Meri," but at eight years old, she insisted that they change the spelling to "Merry" since Christmas was her favorite holiday, and it seems the happy holiday spirit stuck along with the spelling. "So, tell me about the boy" she had insisted after we found the right channel. "Ugh, he still hasn't called!" I had replied before I even realized she had tricked me. She always did that. She knew I wouldn't tell her of any early developments with a guy because I didn't want to get my hopes up, so she just asked about him instead of asking if he existed. She just knew that if she asked how he was, I would automatically fill her in and forget to refrain. The sneaky bitch. And so, I had to spill the whole story for the third time in two days. Debbie claimed that she knew all along that something would happen between me and the neighbor boy. Although she was far less raunchy than Jordan had been, Merry also predicted a happy future for the two of us. Her version included love at first sight, a short engagement, marriage, babies, and a happily ever after. Her explanation for the lack of a phone call: he was too nervous to call because he was so in love that he feared the feeling wasn't mutual. However, she assured me, those nerves weren't enough to prevent him from showing up at my door on, oh, probably Tuesday, with a bouquet of roses. Merry's twisted romantic ways of thinking make absolutely no sense to me. Frustrated and confused I grabbed some pajamas and made my way to the bathroom. I furiously washed my face and brushed my teeth as my mind reeled. Why was everyone else so confident he would call me? It was seriously messing with my head. Plus, none of them had even met him. Debbie doesn't count. Hell, I don't even count. Less than ten minutes of conversation and a bit of grinding on the dance floor doesn't mean I actually know the guy. I haven't had much luck in the past. Okay, I haven't had any luck in the past, so why should Brad be any different? Why was Merry so sure it's going to work. If I listened to a word she said I'd only end up being hurt ten times more than if nothing ever ends up happening . That was the problem with positivity. If you set yourself up for success, you fall that much further when you eventually fail. I spit the foam from my mouth and rinsed it out thoroughly. I slipped into an oversized Harvard football t-shirt I don't remember ever taking from Timmy. Maybe it recently got mixed in my laundry during a trip home. I turned out the light and headed back to my bedroom. I turned on the fan and got under the sheets. After about ten minutes of trying not to think about Brad I gave up. What was wrong with me? Why was I obsessing over this guy? It had only been two days, and I was freaking out like some crazy bitch. He was turning me into a nut case. I was over analyzing and freaking out like some psychotic high schooler with daddy issues. I needed to calm down. I took a few deep breathes and decided to change my train of thought. Hell, maybe he would call. He wasn't on some kind of deadline. He could call me when he had time. Maybe he had a really busy weekend. I mean, we did seem to have a connection at the bar. Even the first time I saw him there seemed to be a little chemistry every time he quirked that incredible smile at me. Oh god. That smile. My insides squirmed a little and I reached for my bedside table. There was one fool proof way to calm down, and I retrieved the sleek purple device from the drawer. I slipped my hand up under my shirt and tweaked my nipple until it gathered to a sensitive tip. I imagined Brad's hands on me as I started to roll and pinch my breast with one hand as I wriggled out of my undies with the other. A soft pulsing between my thighs began to grow stronger as my ministration to my nipple became increasingly pleasurable and I grabbed my vibrator after I deposited my underwear on the ground. I removed my hand from breast, licked my fingers, and found my clit firm and aching for attention. I moved in slow circles as I imagined Brad naked. I imagined him standing next to the bed, proud and erect as he watched me touch myself. In my mind, I crawled off the bed and took him in my mouth as I switched my vibrator on and coated it in my dripping juices. I nibbled up his shaft, and licked the red trail I left behind before taking him as deep into my throat as possible. I slowly inserted the vibrator into my pussy as I increased the pace and pressure of the circles I drew on my clitoris. I imagined looking up under my lashes into his smooth chocolate eyes as I hummed on his cock and as soon as we made eye contact he hauled me to my feet. He threw me on the bed, covered me with his body and devoured my lips, then ravenously made his way to my nipples. "Oh, god," I murmured to myself as sparks of bliss fluttered in my tummy while I imagined him sucking ruthlessly on my nipple and biting hard. As Luck Would Have It Ch. 03 Sorry for the wait! I hope you enjoy. Thanks to my editor MizzWolfe. I changed this around a bunch on the poor thing, so any editing issues are my own. ************************************* "Explain to me how you know I am your mate?" Audra could not deny the pull that she felt to him, but she wanted to know more. What exactly was she getting herself into? Connor cleared his throat and looked at her, trying to choose his words wisely. "Well, my love... Werewolves mate for life. Every wolf has one true mate. The wolf inside recognizes the mate instinctively. When I was jogging that morning and stopped to look at the house, you opened your window and your scent called out to me. My wolf recognized you immediately. In that moment, I knew with you in my life, I would be complete. I'll admit, though, I was worried because I sensed that you were human and I didn't want to scare you away. I could feel my wolf inside growing more excited with each passing second, so I had to leave. I went home to talk to Graham." His fingers traced her jaw as his eyes explored her perfect face. "That's why we showed up at your house that night. Sophie and my mother baked muffins and made up a basket as a welcome gift so I would have an excuse to introduce myself to you. I know this sounds crazy, but please do not be frightened. I would never hurt you and I will spend my life protecting and loving you. Not only does my wolf recognize you as our mate, but I do, too. We fit perfectly together. You can't deny it." Connor finally stopped and his eyes met hers, his body tensed as he waited for her to respond. "I know there is something intense between us. I just need some time to let everything sink in. I know how hard it must have been for you to be that honest with me. And I'm not completely freaking out, so that says a lot for the connection I feel with you." Audra pulled herself closer to him. "You just need to be patient with me." Connor leaned to kiss her forehead, and whispered, "All I need is you near me. You are here now and that's all that matters." They settled in a comfortable embrace as both were silent, lost in their own thoughts. Audra's alarm went off, surprising both of them. Audra grabbed her phone to turn it off and noticed she had a text from Sophie from the evening before. "Happy hour tomorrow?" Audra had completely forgotten about Sophie. She looked up at Connor, "I think that's about all the information I can handle for the moment." She gave him a reassuring smile to let him know she wasn't afraid. "I hope you don't mind that we wait a little longer to, uh, you know..." Audra blushed at the thought. Connor leaned forward and brushed his lips lightly against her, sending a wave of heat through their bodies. "Love, I can wait. I've just made an ancient myth a reality for you. You have had to suspend your disbelief more in the last hour than most people do in their whole lives. Really, it's fine." He smiled gently at her. "Thank you." She looked into his warm brown eyes and felt her stomach flutter at the warmth and affection she could clearly see. Starting to rise, Audra said, "Well, I think we better get up and get moving. I have some things I need to do before I go to happy hour later." Connor tensed up, with a sudden wave of jealousy. "Happy Hour? With who?" "Relax, it's just Sophie. She texted me last night." Audra laughed, handing over her phone to let him to read the text. "Ohhhh." Connor laughed and couldn't help but feel relieved. Not only was she taking all of this information in stride, she was also rapidly integrating herself into his life. His confidence with his new found mate soared. ~~~~~~~~~~~ Later that evening, Audra drove into town to meet Sophie. As Audra pulled up to the bar, she could see Sophie getting out of her car. Sophie looked as classy and as fashionable as ever. On this evening, she was wearing skinny jeans with black knee high stiletto boots. She wore a modest black blouse with a plum pashmina wrapped around her. Her hair pulled back in a sleek bun, and her makeup, while minimal, was perfect. "Audra!!! Hello, doll!" Sophie called out, waving frantically. Audra smiled, suddenly at ease. Sophie was a ball of excitement, warmth and kindness. It was impossible not to share her mood when she was near. Suddenly, Audra found herself wrapped up in a tight hug. "It is great to see you too, Sophie," Audra said, laughing. "Let's go inside, I have a feeling we have LOTS to talk about." Sophie linked her arm through Audra's and guided them through the entrance of the bar. She was relieved when Connor called her earlier to let her know that he told Audra that they were werewolves. The small look of the bar on the outside was deceiving. The inside was expansive; with a large bar to the right of the entrance and a little lounge area close by for those who didn't want to sit at the bar. The left side of the bar was made up of little alcoves in the wall that contained booths. Each alcove had a heavy velvet curtain separated and tied to the sides to offer more privacy when needed. Audra's cheeks warmed at the thought of what must go on in those alcoves. Audra's thoughts were interrupted and Sophie pulled on her arm, leading them past the lounge toward the back of the bar. Audra suddenly felt nervous, as if all eyes in the room were on them. Sophie noticed Audra's apprehension, "This is pretty much an all Were bar. Everyone is either a Were or know what we are, and they are simply curious when a new person enters. That curiosity has escalated now that you are here with me, the Alpha's sister. Don't worry, you'll be fine." Sophie squeezed Audra's arm reassuringly. Audra relaxed slightly as Sophie led them to the largest alcove that was in the back corner. It was set apart from all others and was very private. Audra noticed the booth was marked "Reserved" in the corner. She raised an eyebrow at Sophie, giving her a curious look. "Yes, we have our own table. We do own the bar, after all." Sophie laughed and continued, "Just one of the many perks to being part of this family. This place gets pretty packed on the weekend nights. It's one of the few hotspots we have in this area, so this little table comes in quite handy when we go out." Audra took a moment to continue looking at her surroundings. The bar looked like one of those trendy places she used to frequent in downtown Los Angeles. The decor was cool, with dark, rich mohagony tables, black leather seats in the booths. Audra noticed steps in the other corner that led to a dance floor. There was soft lighting that kept the place fairly dark, but each booth had candles that added to the intimacy. There were about 30 others in the bar, a pretty even mix of men and women. She couldn't help but notice most of them glancing over to their booth and whispering. "So Audra" Sophie started, motioning for the cocktail waitress, "tell me everything. Connor says that you know about us. How are you dealing with this sudden news? Are you ok?" Audra could see the genuine concern in Sophie's eyes. "It's certainly a lot to take in, but-" Before Audra could finish, a woman's irritated voice interrupted. "Who's your friend Sophie? I can't believe you walked right past me without introductions." The voice was apparently trying to maintain a cool, unaffected tone, but it wasn't working too well. "Oh? I hadn't even noticed you were here," Sophie replied abruptly, causing the woman to flinch. Audra noticed the tension building, and Sophie had a strained look on her face. The glare she was shooting the other woman became as cold as ice. She followed Sophie's glare and looked up to see a beautiful blonde woman standing next to their booth, her icy blue eyes watching Audra curiously. She decided not to let her nerves get the better of her in this situation and she reached out her hand to the woman, "Hi. I'm Audra, I just moved into the area a couple days ago. Sophie was sweet enough to welcome me to town and show me around. And you are?" The woman struggled to see if Audra was telling the truth. "Kirsten," she replied briefly shaking Audra's hand before sharply pulling away. Audra couldn't help but feel this woman would be no friend to her. Audra was excellent at reading people; she knew whom to befriend and whom to stay away from and this woman was definitely trouble. "Yes, Kirsten. Now if you don't mind, we were in the middle of a conversation." There was no mistaking the command and dismissal in Sophie's tone. Kirsten quickly stepped back, her eyes never leaving Audra. After what seemed like an eternity, she turned on her heel and stalked back to the bar. "That woman is bad news, Audra. Unfortunately, this isn't the last you will be seeing her. I need a drink. Where is that waitress?" Sophie sighed, motioning again for the cocktail waitress. "Oh, I am thrilled, really. I just can't wait until we cross paths again." Audra responded sarcastically. She tried to perk up and decided to revert back to their original conversation. "So, yes... Sophie, I can't help but feel that all of this was meant to happen. Am I completely crazy?" "No, of course not," Sophie replied. She glanced up as the cocktail waitress appeared at their booth. "A bottle of Pinot Grigio please," Sophie said looking to Audra for approval. Audra smiled and nodded and the woman walked away. Sophie continued, "As I was saying, no you aren't crazy. The bond between mates is incredibly strong; the fact that you feel it so strongly as a human only means it will be that much stronger when he officially mates with you." She paused for a moment and smiled. "Oh, Connor must be thrilled! I'm happy he found you! He has been a total bore these past few decades, and with you around, things are changing. For the better, I might add." She put her hand on Audra's shoulder and gave it a reassuring squeeze. "So what exactly happens when we mate? Does it hurt? What about turning? I mean, if that is what I choose to do." Audra's head was swimming with questions. She knew she could ask Connor, but she missed having girlfriends around that she could seek advice from and talk to. She felt that Sophie could invaluable in that area and she was grateful. "Well, darling, mating is rather delightful in my opinion. As for turning, I was born a werewolf. You should speak to my mother. She will be able to tell you everything. She was a human, once." Audra was surprised upon hearing this news. "Really?" Audra paused for a moment imagining Connor's mother. "Do you think that would be a good idea? That is such an intimate detail to share with your mother. Won't she be uncomfortable? It's kind of an awkward conversation to have." Sophie laughed. "Oh Audra, you worry too much. Things are different with werewolves. We are open about sex and those types of things. She won't be offended if you talk to her about it. Quite the opposite, actually. I'm sure my mother would be honored to share her experience and knowledge with you." Audra couldn't help but feel a bit insecure about talking to Connor's mother about such things, but it would be something she would need to do. "Ok... When can I meet her?" "Don't be mad, but you can meet her now." Sophie picked up her phone and texted something and then placed it back down. "She has been pestering me with questions since yesterday and I told her she could come meet us here, if you were taking the news well." "Oh Sophie, you can't be serious!" Audra suddenly became aware of her appearance. She glanced down at her outfit. Skinny jeans, black wedge booties and a sheer black blouse with a modest tank top underneath. She suddenly hoped she was dressed appropriately enough to meet Connor's mother. She smoothed her hair back away from her face, causing Sophie to laugh. "Oh Audra, you look fine," she managed to say through her laughter. She poked Audra playfully. A couple minutes later, a woman, who looked maybe 15 years older than Sophie, entered the room. She was graceful and radiated authority. Her hair fell in waves down her shoulders, and Audra could see where Sophie got her fashion sense. Emma wore a simple black dress that was mostly covered by her taupe trench. It was understated and simple, but beautiful. She exuded a Grace Kelly type elegance as she walked toward their booth. It was at that moment that Audra noticed how tall she was. Without her black pumps, she still would have been taller than most women, and some men that were there. Everyone turned to look at her and bowed their heads in respect. The whispers in the room soon caused an excited buzz. There were two women from the Alpha family and one human stranger. If they weren't curious before, this definitely sparked their interest. Kirsten watched with building fury from the bar. She knew that Audra woman hadn't been completely forthright. She simply had to find out just who this woman was to the Alpha family. "Oh my goodness!" Emma gasped, as she approached the table. "How Connor didn't immediately see the family resemblance is beyond me. My dear, you are every bit as beautiful as Jane and Elizabeth. I'm Emma, Connor's mother." She slid into the booth next to Audra and hugged her immediately. Audra couldn't help but return the hug with equal enthusiasm. She felt as if this woman were already family. "I'm Audra, nice to meet you." Sophie looked confused at first, but then things started to fall into place. "You are related to Jane and Elizabeth!? I do not know how I didn't put this together sooner!" Emma laughed, "You'll have to excuse my children. The minute the word mate comes to mind, all sense goes out the window." She reached over and squeezed Sophie's hand lovingly across the table. Turning back to Audra, "I'm sorry to hear about your grandmother's passing, Audra. She was a special woman. I so longed to keep in touch all those years, but I didn't want to overstep any boundaries." Audra swallowed the lump in her throat at the thought of her grandmother. "It's okay, really. She is in a much better place now, with her husband and sister. It's so nice to meet others who knew her. What was she like back then?" She managed a smile. Emma's hazel eyes sparkled at the memory of her dear friend. "Jane? She was incredible. She was one of the kindest women that our family had the honor of knowing." A memory of Jane caused Emma to chuckle softly. "Of course, she was startled to find out her sister fell in love with a werewolf. She made herself the chaperone for all outings the first week. Even after the day had ended, she would notice Grant sitting outside hoping to catch a glimpse of Elizabeth. She would yell out the upstairs window for Grant to go away, but he would sleep outside, every night. Jane's fear subsided when she realized that Grant wasn't any more a threat to her sister than she herself was. She forced herself to back away and give them time and she finally came around completely when she saw the love they shared." Emma paused again, her heart full with grief as she thought of her son and his mate. She quickly recovered and continued, "Jane was fiercely loyal to her sister, and extended that loyalty to us by association. She opened her heart and was very accepting of Elizabeth's new life. Even after Elizabeth died, she stuck around to make sure we were all okay. She was a constant presence at the compound; teaching the young ones how to read and write, sewing and mending clothes that were hard to come by in those days. She was truly a wonderful woman, in every sense of the word. We all knew she wasn't meant for our pack, though. Her loneliness was apparent and after a couple years, she decided to return back to Los Angeles, to her family. We wrote back and forth a couple times, but after she married, we drifted apart." A wave of sadness passed through Emma as she recalled those times when she wanted nothing more than to contact her old friend. "Ah... but such is life. Things change and you move on." Audra loved hearing about the side of her grandmother she never knew. Her grandmother shared very few details of her life before Elizabeth's death. She smiled gratefully at Emma, "Thank you. It's so nice to hear about her life before she came back to Los Angeles." Emma smiled back at the girl who had won her son's heart. "Oh my dear, I have plenty of stories to share with you. Another time, though. I know you must have other questions for me. Tell me, are you adjusting well to the news? You must have more of your Aunt Elizabeth in you than you realize. She was much calmer to the news than your poor grandmother." "I think I am handling it well enough, but it's possible it just hasn't sunken in yet." Audra managed a small smile and took a moment to think about what she should ask first. At once, all her questions just came spilling out. "Emma, I don't know where to begin... Sophie told me you were once human. What happens when you mate? How does it feel? Everything is happening so fast, but it all feels so..." Audra's voice trailed off. If one woman could understand what she was going through, it would be Emma. Emma gave Audra a knowing smile. "I think the word you are looking for is 'natural' and yes, that's how it happens. I met Jack when I was 20, and we fell in love instantly. It was a whirlwind romance, and within a week we were mated." Emma paused and smiled at the memory. "As for the mating, all Connor needs to do is bite you right here when you are making love and you will turn on the next full moon." Emma pulled back the collar of her blouse, showing Audra the twin crescent scars on the graceful curve of her neck. "Once you have turned, you will need to mark him the same way, making him yours and that will be it. The bond will be complete. While turning is slightly painful at first, it will ease over time and after your first few shifts you won't feel any pain at all. It will become second nature." As Emma finished explaining, their bottle of wine arrived at the table and the women were each given a glass. "That's incredible," said Audra, clearly awestruck. "It really is. You will see it as a gift, my darling. Just wait." Emma's kind, confident tone helped to sooth Audra's final worries. "Isn't Connor the leader of the pack? What if the pack doesn't accept me as the Alpha's mate? I have no idea what I am getting myself into." A concerned expression returned to Audra's face. Sophie perked up, seeing that she could help in the conversation again. "Oh don't worry; we will prepare you for everything. You'll meet everyone at the barbecue on Saturday. I can't wait to show you off. You'll be the talk of the party." Audra's body flushed as she thought of the barbecue. She had completely forgotten about it. Her nerves must have been showing because both women at her sides looked at her with confidence. "You will be fine." Emma said, smiling warmly. The women chatted for another hour or so. Their kind words and advice gave Audra more confidence as she slowly got used to the idea of becoming the Alpha bitch to a pack of werewolves. Suddenly, her phone rang, interrupting their conversation. "If I know my son well enough, that will be him. He must be feeling anxious not having you near." Emma grinned. She was delighted. This bright, kind woman would be perfect for her son. Audra glanced at her phone and laughed. "You know him very well indeed, Emma. Do you mind if I take this?" Both women nodded for her to take the call. 'Mom, isn't she great?' Sophie smiled with pride, talking directly into her Mother's mind. If her brother had to pick someone as his mate, this was the perfect choice. She wasn't pretentious or snobby, she was modest, gentle and not to mention beautiful. 'Yes, Sophie. I am so incredibly happy for Connor. I can't imagine she will receive a warm welcome from everyone, though'. Emma had a feeling someone in particular wouldn't take too kindly to this sudden addition to Connor's life. As Luck Would Have It Ch. 03 'Unfortunately, Audra had the pleasure of meeting Kirsten already, just before you arrived. You walked past her when you came in. She's glaring at us from the bar. I've been waiting to give that woman a piece of my mind, Mom. Maybe now I won't have to. Connor will certainly put her in her place.' Sophie was suddenly fuming again, but she calmed herself as Audra hung up her phone. "I'm sorry, but Connor said something happened at the house and he needs me to get there as quickly as possible. Do you mind terribly that I leave early?" Audra smiled apologetically and turned to hug Sophie. Sophie laughed at how impatient Connor could be, and she nudged Audra along. "Of course not, Audra. I know better than to keep the Alpha waiting." Audra said her goodbyes and made her exit from the bar, purposely avoiding the glare she was feeling from Kirsten. ~~~~~~~~~~ "You can't be fucking serious." The male voice sounded irritated, and slightly bored. "Don't act like that, Bo." Kirsten whined. "I need to find out who she is, I need your help. The Alpha's sister hates me and probably warned her about me, so it's not like I can get close to her. I promise that you won't be disappointed. As much as it pains me to say, she is rather attractive." She added in her best wheedling tone. "Do you think I just wait around all day, with nothing to do? I have things I am trying to put in place here. You aren't the only one trying to climb up the ranks in a pack. I can't just leave on a whim to go do your dirty work. Stop acting like such a child and handle things yourself." Bo's irritation was intensifying at the interruption by his sister. She always found the perfect timing to enact her little schemes. Kirsten gripped the phone tightly in her frustration. "Bo, just help me. I'll never ask you for another favor as long as I live. Just get close to the girl and tell me who she is to the Alpha family. As for your own pack, tell them that your sister is sick and you need to visit her." "What exactly would possess me to make a trip there to help you? I don't feel like getting involved with the Alpha family of your pack." Bo was already bored with the conversation and he let it show with the tone of his voice. Kirsten could tell he would need more convincing and tried another tactic. "Did I mention she is human? If I recall, you happen to love turning little weak defenseless humans." Kirsten waited as she could feel her brother contemplating the situation. This had Bo's interest, however he still felt the risk was too great. "And get myself killed? If she has ties to the Alpha family and I take her, they would hunt me down." Kirsten was not enjoying the direction this conversation was going. She groaned in frustration. "Just find out what she is doing. I'm not asking you to do anything. If you happen to take a liking to her, then we will come up with a plan to make it possible." She waited, hoping he would give in. "Kirsten, if I do this for you, that's it. No more favors. I'm done playing your little games." His voice was cold, harsh and completely serious. He wouldn't be bothered again by his troublesome sister. Kirsten couldn't keep in her relieved sigh. She would get her way, again. "I promise. I owe you one!" "That you do, sister, and don't think for one moment I will forget to collect." His threat was followed by silence and Kirsten knew he ended the call. ~~~~~~~~~ Audra pulled quickly up to her house. No fire. No gaping holes in the wall. The roof was intact. Audra was going through a mental check list when her eyes locked with an adorable male sitting at the top of the steps leading to her porch. She took in a sharp breath to quell the sudden butterflies in her stomach; a reaction she knew would become all too common when she would lay eyes on him. He sat there, bent over with his elbows resting on his knees. A sheepish grin crept up as he saw her get out of her car. "House emergency, huh?" She laughed, unable to keep up her stern expression as she walked toward him. "Yeah... About that..." His laughed, his eyes burned into hers and she couldn't help but feel happy that she came back early. He stood up and walked toward her, closing the gap between them. "I missed you, Audra." He reached down and pulled her into his arms and kissed her passionately. The kiss sent a wave of pleasure through Audra's body and it made her lightheaded. The only reason she was still standing stood in front of her, with his strong arms holding her close. Once she regained her wits, she pulled away and swatted at him playfully. "Come inside, let's eat something. I'm starving." Connor laughed and followed her inside. He smacked her butt as she walked into the kitchen, causing Audra to yelp in surprise. "You know, you are looking pretty hot in that outfit." His eyes traveled over her body appreciatively. "Oh? I'm glad you approve," Audra laughed as she searched through her cupboards for anything that would spark her interest. She started pulling items from the shelves and the fridge. "Make yourself useful and open a bottle of wine," she teased handing him a bottle. She pulled her phone from her purse and docked it on the player in the kitchen. Connor watched as she went through playlists on her phone. He saw her smile brightly as she made a choice and soon Dean Martin's voice was singing Mambo Italiano. He laughed, "Got a thing for ol' Dino, eh?" Audra turned to him and was beaming, "My mom and I listened to this every time we cooked. It's brings back fond memories in the kitchen." Connor smiled warmly at her as he watched her get to work. She put a pot on the stove and started boiling water. She kept herself busy, making a cream sauce while the water boiled. He chuckled softly as she sang along while she danced around the kitchen. "So how was happy hour with Sophie?" He couldn't help but feel curious about how the two spent their afternoon. "Oh, it was great actually. I met a girl named Kirsten, who was a bit off-putting; she didn't seem to care too much for me." "Kirsten can be quite a handful," Connor replied dryly. "Yeah, well, we didn't talk much. Your sister scared her off, which was pretty funny now that I think about it," Audra grinned at the memory. "I did get a chance to spend some time with your mom. Connor, she is lovely." Audra looked up as she poured the penne pasta in the boiling water and noticed disappointment flash across Connor's face. "My mom? She was there?" Connor couldn't help but feel a little upset. He wanted to be present when he saw his mother's reaction to Audra. He made it a point to have a little chat with Sophie. He could certainly understand her excitement, but this would never happen to him again, and he wanted to experience everything first hand. A low growl escaped him. Audra picked up on his change in attitude right away. "She was great, Connor. We were able to discuss certain things that probably wouldn't have been mentioned in your presence." She noticed her reassurance didn't change his mood. She decided to try another tactic. "She calmed my fears about mating and the transformation, if that helps any." She crossed the kitchen to where he was standing and brought her hands to cup his face. Another growl escaped his lips, but this time his mood had definitely changed. He pulled her close as his gazed into her sparkling green eyes. "So does that mean you have decided?" He could feel his wolf howling with satisfaction. "Well I don't think there was ever a question of if I was going through with this. It was more of a question of when, silly." She kissed him quickly and returned to the stove to sear the chicken. Before she knew it, two strong arms were wrapped around her waist and Connor's face was buried in her hair. "You make me deliriously happy, Audra. I don't think you have any idea." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Audra woke the next morning with strong arms wrapped around her. She snuggled closer to Connor. "Will I ever get this bed to myself again?" Audra teased him, knowing he was awake. "Not if I can help it," was Connor's growled mischievously as he leaned down and kissed her neck. He could feel his wolf pacing. 'Soon.' he reassured his wolf. He smiled and pulled Audra closer, pressing their bodies together. Audra started pulling her body away from his. "We have a lot to do today, Connor. You have to start on the eaves and I have to start looking for a job." Her statement startled Connor and he was surprised he hadn't thought of the possibility sooner. "A job? Why? I can take care of you, my love." "I need to make my own money and I can't just sit around and do nothing. My little nest egg won't last forever and I will not be a kept woman." She gave him a solemn look, letting him know her stance on the situation wouldn't waver. Connor considered her words carefully before he spoke. "Ok, I can respect that. How about we compromise? My family owns a few businesses and I could certainly get you a job. That way, you will be helping out the pack and you can make an independent income." Audra could sense that Connor would be adamant about this particular topic, so she chose to let it rest for now. "Deal. I'll see what your family's businesses have to offer, but if I can't find anything that I'm interested in, I'll look elsewhere." She tossed a pillow at Connor and quickly darted in the bathroom to avoid retaliation. "Why you little..." Connor laughed as he tried to open the door to the bathroom but found it locked. "I'll get you later, my pet. Don't you worry!" ~~~~~~~~~~ Kirsten smiled brightly as Bo approached her car. She popped her trunk and rolled down her window. "Throw your suitcase in the trunk." She watched as he opened the door and settled in the seat beside her. "How was your flight, brother dear? It's really good to see you!" Bo gave her a half smile as they pulled away from the arrivals curb at the airport. "Yeah, it's good to see you, too. I hope I don't live to regret this trip, Kirsten." He eyed her suspiciously as she drove. "So tell me more about this woman." "She is the bane of my existence, Bo. I've tried for years to get close to the Alpha's family, and this girl appears out of no where and is having drinks with them? It's not fair." Bo looked at her, not sure if he should be concerned or not. "So you haven't bedded that Alpha crush of yours yet, have you?" Kirsten was suddenly seething, "Exactly why I need to find out who she is. I can't have her throwing a kink into my plans." The two continued their conversation as they pulled into town. Kirsten suddenly put on her breaks as she noticed Audra getting out of her car in front of the coffee shop. "That's her Bo! Quick, get out of the car and follow her." Bo sighed in relief. It would be much easier to meet in town. He followed Audra in the coffee shop and stood by as she placed her order. Audra settled down with her laptop on an empty couch in the corner. She glanced at her watch. She had an hour before she was to meet up with Sophie and talk about the family businesses. She started checking her e-mail, but was soon distracted when her name was called. She walked to the counter and grabbed her coffee, and the next thing she knew she walked face first into someone's chest and her coffee dropped to the ground. "I am so sorry, I wasn't paying attention!" She was incredibly embarrassed. Her mind was worlds away. "Oh no, I should be apologizing. I was texting and I didn't look where I was going," the stranger replied with a guilty smile. Audra looked up. 'What is it with the men in this town?' She was in shock. She ran straight into a extremely good looking man. He was tall, with shaggy light blonde hair and crisp blue eyes. He wasn't her type, but he was gorgeous, nonetheless. "No worries." was all she could manage in reply. She went back up to the counter to explain her misfortune in hopes of getting a new cup of coffee. "Allow me," the stranger insisted, putting money on the counter to cover the new cup of coffee. "Well, thank you." Audra smiled gratefully. The barista handed her the new cup of coffee and she returned to her seat. Before she knew it, the stranger was sitting next to her. "I'm Bo," he said as he held out his hand. "Pleasure to meet you...?" Audra took his hand and shook it, "Audra. Nice to meet you, too." She pulled her hand away before he was ready to let go. When they touched, Audra got a strange feeling from the man, but she could not place it. She decided it was best to be on her guard and she fixated on the screen in front of her. "I'm sorry to be rude, I just have a lot to do this morning. I hope you don't mind." She tried to focus on her e-mail, but she could feel Bo's intense eyes on her and it was enough to make her squirm. He moved closer to her. "I don't think I have seen you around before. New in town?" Audra didn't want to share much, but didn't feel the need to lie. "Yes, I'm new to town." She could feel his eyes traveling over her body. He tried to be discreet, but there was no hiding his reaction. He grinned at her. "Oh, well then you must let me show you around." Realizing that he wasn't getting the hint, Audra closed her laptop and gathered her things. "That isn't necessary. My, uhh," Audra stalled as she didn't know how to define to a person what Connor was to her. "My... Boyfriend is actually from here. I'm sorry, but I really do have a lot to do. I have to go now. Goodbye." As she stood up and walked past him, Audra felt his hand wrap around her wrist, stopping her in her tracks. Shocked at the sudden contact and his strength, she spun around to face him. "I hope we meet again, and soon." Bo was intrigued. She had another were's scent all over her, another male, but he didn't care. He would have to thank his sister later for bringing him to such a fine human. His sister would have to come up with a plan on how to ensure that Audra would be his. She would be fun to turn and he couldn't wait. He might even consider bringing her home to his pack. He could feel his groin tighten as he watched Audra walk away. She had a delicious body. He waited until she got close to her car and he got up and walked out. Kirsten was waiting impatiently in her car as he approached. "Well?" Kirsten asked promptly. "I didn't find out much, but she is new to town, claims she has a boyfriend and has another Were's scent all over her." "Male or female?" Kirsten was suddenly very curious. "Definitely male." "Shit!" Kirsten was furious. She had a feeling her suspicions were correct, this woman was about to ruin all of her plans. "Not to worry, Kirsten. I want her. We need to devise a plan, and fast." Bo smiled deviously. ~~~~~~~~~~ "Heya Soph." Audra said as she walked up to Sophie in front of the office building. "Hey Audra!" Sophie squeezed her tightly and then pulled away suddenly. "What is that smell? Whose scent is on you? I can smell Connor, but there is another faint smell and I don't recognize it." She leaned in again and inhaled deeply. "Yeah, I can't place that scent." Sophie frowned. "Huh?" Audra thought for a moment. "Oh, I ran into this guy at the coffee shop and spilled my coffee. He wouldn't leave me alone and I got a weird vibe from him, so I left. Do you happen to know him? His name is Bo and he knew I wasn't from around here." Audra could see Sophie's concern. "I don't know any guys named Bo, and that scent is definitely unfamiliar. He is most certainly a werewolf, though." Sophie tried to force her worried look from her face as she pulled out her phone and made a call. "Connor? Hi, yeah, I am with her now." Sophie waited a moment. "Well, I think you should meet up with us. Audra ran into some guy at the coffee shop and he is definitely a Were, but I couldn't place his scent. I believe we have an outsider." She paused again. "Yes, Audra is fine. Just meet us at my office." Sophie ushered Audra into a modern office building. When they entered the elevator, Sophie could sense Audra's worry. "Audra, relax, sweetie. Weres are supposed to contact a pack if they are coming to visit the territory. We just weren't aware of any visitors, that's all. Since Grant's death, strict rules have been set in order to keep everyone safe. Connor just needs to look into it." The elevator doors opened and Sophie guided Audra through glass doors. She turned to Audra, and beamed. "Welcome to Clair de Lune Event Planning." Audra loved the office immediately. The walls of the office were a light gray with a touch of shimmering silver. The desks were all white and luxurious. The receptionist noticed Sophie and Audra, "Good morning Sophie!" She eyed Audra curiously. "Hey Sam. This is Audra, she is considering the position as VP here. We will be in my office. Hold all my calls. Connor will be stopping by, see that he comes directly to my office." Sam's blue eyes widened and nodded her head as she watched the two women disappear down the hall. ~~~~~~~ Connor rushed through the office and didnt even stop at the receptionist. He walked down the hall, causing everyone in his path to back away. The moment he opened the door, Audra's scent washed over him, mixed with something he couldn't place. He didn't like it at all. "Audra." It was the only thing he could manage before he pulled her into his arms. "Did he touch you? Are you okay?" Connor stepped back to look her over, then pulled her in for another hug. He inhaled deeply, trying to grasp the faint scent. Audra smiled at his protective nature. "Connor, I'm fine. We just bumped into each other and I spilled my coffee. He did try and talk to me, but I was getting a weird vibe from him, so I made an excuse to leave and went. That was it, no pressure. Just a bit odd that he knew I was new to town." Connor's eyes flashed with a sudden fire and his grip on Audra tightened. "Sophie, I dont recognize the scent. He's not one of our own, that's for sure." As Luck Would Have It Ch. 03 I turned up the setting on my vibrator and started thrusting harder while I imagined him pushing his cock inside my hungry pussy. The thought was too much. Imagining Brad, pushing and pulling inside me as his balls slapped my butt drove my hands to greater speeds. I stopped breathing, squeezed my eyes shut and frantically shoved my vibrator as deep inside my vagina as I could. A gasp ripped from my lungs as a burning, pleasurable tingle spread from my clit through my legs and stomach. My mind spun as I tried to form coherent thoughts, but all I could come up with was "holy shit." I trembled against my pillows and moaned as I slowly stroked my sensitive and soaking skin before it became too much. I jerked as my clitoris became too sensitive, and removed my vibrator. Exhausted and content, I smiled up at the ceiling. Brad would call. He had to call. There was no way I could give myself such an orgasm with him on the mind for him not to call. He had chased me up the bar stairs for my number. I was happy to lose this bet with Jordan. He was going to call.