Her Brother, Her Mate

Carli POV

Simone was passed out in my bed when I got upstairs. I quickly undressed, put on one of my dad’s t-shirts and my shorts, and slid in beside her. I was trying my hardest to fall asleep when I heard my dad let Parker in. To my surprise, Parker came into my room. I pretended to be asleep as he walked over to me, bent over, and kissed my forehead.

“I know you’re not asleep,” he whispers, “You don’t go to sleep that easily when you’re mad. Come talk to me.”

“Tomorrow,” I hissed back, “I’m trying to sleep. I have graduation practice in the morning.”

“You can come talk to me now or I’ll get in bed with you and I’ll talk to you all night. About everything. Neither of us will get any sleep.”

“If you don’t go talk to him, I’m smacking both of you. Be quiet!” Simone hissed and turned over.

I reluctantly throw back the covers, ignoring the triumphant grin on Parker’s face and strut out of the room and to the couch, Parker following behind. He sits beside me and pulls me into his lap. I try to fight him, but give up quickly when his touch calms some of the turmoil in me.

“I know you’re mad I commanded you, but I want you to know why I did.”

“Cause you’re a jerk,” I glared at him, making him chuckle.

“No….well, maybe. But it was because I could sense you were running on pure rage and adrenaline, and I didn’t want you getting hurt. I also saw your little exchange with Vincent. I’m guessing that was his number he was slipping you when I was driving up?”

I looked away sheepishly, biting my l*p. Damn it.

“Thought so,” he chuckles, rubbing his nose down my neck, “You’re not going to rush off and take this on by yourself. You have nothing to prove to anyone, Carli. You need to let us help you.”

“You guys are the ones not letting me help!” I held myself back from yelling at him, not wanting to wake everyone else in the apartment.

“Carli, your dad and Elena love you and don’t want to see you in harm’s way.”

“It’s not just them! Every time I went to Alpha Jared to ask him if I could help, he told me it wasn’t my place. He treated me like I wasn’t good enough to do anything! You think it’s funny every time I get mad or frustrated. I’m losing my mind here, Parker. I can help! I got more done in one night just going to a bar than everyone has in the past couple of days. I just want you all to start respecting my opinions and choices! I feel like I’m losing my freedom more than ever, and I was so close to gaining it completely. I spent my whole life being disregarded. It sucks. I f*****g hate it!”

Parker stared at me, understanding in his eyes.

“I’m sorry if I look amused when you’re getting frustrated. I think you’re adorable when you get huffy and start making smartass remarks. I’ll try to stop,” I blushed at his words. No one thinks I’m adorable when I get pissed off. Most people think I’m a bitch.

“Also, I’m not trying to disregard your opinions and freedom. I just want you to be safe. Your parents are the same. I just got you back and your dad just got the chance to be your dad. Even if it’s annoying, we’re acting out of love, not because we don’t think you can’t handle yourself. You are one of the top warriors; our top female warrior. No one would accuse you of not being able to handle yourself. I just don’t want you to act alone or recklessly. If I had let you go tonight, that would have been reckless. You or I would have gotten hurt taking on 3 vampires by ourselves.”

He’s right. I was so confident in my own ability I was disregarding his opinions and his safety, doing the same thing I’d been accusing him of doing.

“I still want to be the one to kill her,” I muttered stubbornly.

Parker laughs softly, “I’m sure you do. You should, and I know you can, but we need to figure out the best way together. I’m not going to hold you back, but I’d like you to allow me to fight alongside you,” Parker says, resting his head on my shoulder, “You’re my mate. I don’t want to fight against you, but for you.”

I worked my l*p in my teeth, peering into his deep brown eyes, “You will let me fight them?”

“As long as I’m with you,” he smiles, pecking my lips.Content (C) Nôv/elDra/ma.Org.

I narrowed my eyes at him, “I’m still mad at you for the phone snooping bullshit too. Why were you looking for a reason to be mad at me?”

He huffs, “Carli, how would you feel if you heard me talking to my friends about my past s*x life? I just wanted to delete the app off your phone and then found those pictures. Just like you got mad about the picture on my phone, I was mad about yours.”

“I didn’t go looking for something to be pissed about,” I scoffed, “You could have talked to me about it. I would have been honest with you and deleted everything. Snooping and getting pissed on your own is a douche move.”

Parker looked uncomfortable for a second, “Yeah, it was. I’m sorry.”

The rest of my anger dissipates, and I finally relax in Parker’s arms, tucking my head under his chin. “I’m sorry too. I shouldn’t have run off like that with Mitch and Mark.”

Parker’s chest vibrates with a silent growl at the mention of their names. “I’m kicking their asses at their training. They’re both going to be limping across the graduation stage with fat lips and a lesson in respect.”

I giggled at his statement, “They could both use a good a*s kicking. Don’t be too hard on them. They were just going along with me.”

“Coming onto you. They can’t disrespect me like that, eyeing up my mate right in front of me.”

He’s right. If I was in Parker’s shoes I would have drawn b***d at the club.

“We should get to sleep. I’ll take you to your rehearsal in the morning, then you can tell your dad about what Vincent told us tonight. We can make a plan together.”

“And you’ll let me help? You’ll let me kill her?” I asked, making sure he didn’t go back on his word.

“As long as I’m with you. We fight together, remember?”

I smiled and leaned in to k**s his lips softly. “Together.”

Thomas POV

I’m f*****g exhausted. Me and Elena have been combing the streets of Miami, following any shadow of a lead we could get. None of the vampires seemed to know anything and my frustration was building. Nathan found traces of rogues in the back of a deserted semi in the swamp, but it looked like it’s been abandoned for months. It was surprisingly close to where the attacks first started. They must have moved their nest when we became suspicious of the area and started patrolling around there.

When we got back to the packhouse, Mary stopped us, asking to talk with me privately. Elena and Nathan both rolled their eyes, continuing to walk up the stairs. Mary has been a bigger b***h than normal the past week. Especially to Elena, and I was getting tired of her bullshit.

“I want my daughter to move back to my home. You have no right to keep her with you,” Mary sneers at me when my mate and brother are out of earshot.

I raised a tired eyebrow at her. Seriously? What the hell is she playing at?

“What do you want me to do? Make Carli move when she doesn’t want to?”

“Well,” she turns her chin up defiantly, “Yes.”

“She doesn’t want to, Mary. I’m not making her do anything.”

“She is still my daughter! Not that woman’s but mine!” Mary yelled in my face.

“Sure as s**t never treated her like your daughter. I’m f*****g exhausted, Mary. I don’t want to argue about pointless s**t right now,” I begged her, just wanting to go up to bed.

I was startled to see Parker and Carli walk into the packhouse right then. It’s 2 in the f*****g morning! Carli looks and smells like she was out drinking and partying, and Parker is following solemnly behind her.

I urge Carli to come with me so we can go home and I can finally go to bed. She doesn’t put up a fight, which I am grateful for. I love this girl, but she can be headstrong at the worst of times.

I was turning off the lights in the apartment when I heard Parker knocking quietly on the door, so I let him in.

“What?” I glared at him. Carli said it wasn’t his fault, but I’m still not happy that the guy let her go out.

“Crash on your couch?” he asks with a small smile, and I reluctantly let him in. He’s being pretty great to my daughter, and I’m happy he is waiting for her to turn 18 before marking her. I’ve heard Carli get upset over it, but I appreciate him looking out for her best interests, even if she won’t.

I trudge to bed finally, but am right back out of bed when I hear Parker take Carli out to the living room. What is he doing? First he lets her go out when a vampire is trying to kill her, and now he’s dragging her out of bed to defile her on my couch?

I crack my door, listening to their conversation, and I’m in shock. He not only got her to understand why we are all so adamant about protecting her, he gets her to concede to him and even gets her to apologize. Carli doesn’t apologize. It’s a nasty trait she gained from all the abuse she took from Mary. She never knew why she was being treated badly, so she grew a strong backbone, a stubborn personality, and didn’t apologize to anyone.

Maybe Parker really is the best mate for her. No one can handle Carli that well.

I slip back into bed, pull Elena into my arms, and a smile stays on my face even after I fall asleep.