Kindle Notes & Highlights
This tent kept him up tonight. Willamena Barns and her mate, Matt, slept soundly inside.
And then the fire came when he turned sixteen. Worst. Hands down, the fire was the worst.
Wreck sighed and took another drink of his coffee. “Piss off, Gunner. No one cares about your theories.”
“Ha,” he said softly. Gunner was quiet for a few moments while Wreck stared at the green tent and wondered what Gunner wanted from him. When he spoke again, it surprised Wreck. “Rumor is, your mother didn’t name you Wreck. She doesn’t call you Wreck now. She refuses. True or false?”
“I want you here.” Gunner’s admission was infused with honesty, and it drew Wreck up short. He’d been imagining the ways he would kill the Alpha for bringing up old memories he’d worked so hard to bury. I want you here. Truth. Wreck glared at the Alpha, ears hot from his anger. A truth for a truth sounded fair to Wreck. “I don’t want to be here.”
Timber Harris eased her eyes open, and tried to focus her blurry vision on the white ceiling tiles above her. Where was she?
“Oh. Well, why did you leave? That’s weird.” Her memories did not support that. “Did I ask you if you were okay? My memory is fuzzy.” “Lady, I’m not the hero you are imagining me to be. Move.”
“Bingo-bango, I like mangoes,” she said, hauling her flowers to the passenger’s side door just in time for him to swing it open for her from the inside. “Mangoes are gross, and also, you weren’t really in a coma,” he said as she buckled herself in. “Unconscious yes, but the doctor said it was more like you were just sleeping really hard. If you were in a coma, there is no way they would’ve released you this soon.”
“Awww, a momma’s boy?” she teased. His tone was serious when he answered, “Yes. She’s what I’ve got.”
He wasn’t taking the bait and correcting her on the name, so she spouted off, “Fergus Bernard Squeeze Cheese Harrison Igoreson the third, the last in a line of Igoresons that—” “Wreck.” “Yes, we did have a wreck—” “No, my name is Wreck,” he ground out.
He sighed. “Wreck Itall is my name, but my mother only gave me the last name.”
“Why didn’t your parents come visit you?” he asked, an edge to his voice. “Why do you want to know?” “Because it has bothered me. I sat in your room with you for hours, and no one showed up. Where were your friends? Where was your family? I feel your goodness. You aren’t sick in the head or the body. You seem normal, so what is it? You were in the hospital and really hurt, and I know the doctors called your emergency contact, so what the hell?” “Why does it matter to you?” “Because you are a nice human.” Ooooh, the way he said human, like it was something other. “Shifter,” she accused him. “So
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“I almost killed you.” “But you didn’t! You took the fire away. What kind of animal could eat fire like that?” she uttered in horror as the answer whispered across her mind. Dragon. “You’re a dragon.” “I’m not a dragon.” “You’re a motherfreaking dragon.”
Green flames traveled down his arm with a whoosh. She gasped and jumped back a foot, but there was no heat from those strange-looking flames. His hand was consumed with the green fire, and a small smile curved his lips. “You gave me a new power. The world will probably hate you for it someday. Maybe you are the beginning of the end.” God, he was terrifying. Beautiful like some avenging angel come to earth, but terrifying.
The green flames sent a soothing sensation up her arm, and siphoned the burn from the handprint on her other arm. “You’re scary,” she admitted, hiding her smile as she considered touching him again. “Oh, you have no idea,” he rumbled, and she knew he meant it. He really was scary, and was self-aware as well.
The smile had faded from his lips, and his eyes were trained on the green flames roiling up her arm as they held their hands clasped. “You’re the one who is scary,” he said low. He released her suddenly. She stood there by her candy and her vases of flowers as he backed out of her driveway and drove away. Her? Scary? She was just a fragile little human. Him, on the other hand. He was a monster. The name Wreck suited him.
Captain turned and paused between two huge trees, canted his head. “The part of this where you aren’t alone. It’s scary. I hated the feeling of…feeling. I have to depend on Owen? On Ace? On my fucking brother?” He pulled a face and said softer, “On you? I was fine on my own. Owen was fine on his own. Ace was fine on his own. Gunner? Fine on his own. I know you’re fine on your own, Wreck. You can hold on to your stubborn pride as long as you want, but I’m telling you, it’s not as lonely on the other side.”
“I’m suddenly craving lasagna.” “I was going to cook you chicken parmesan, but challenge accepted. I will cook lasagna if you come over and let me repay you for hauling my car and saving my life and stuff.” He grinned. “Are you luring me to your lair?” “I’m trying,” she teased. “You keep playing hard to get.” God, she loved his laugh. “You know, sirens tempt men to their deaths,” he said.
“Maybe I’m a magical creature too!” she joked. “Fuck, if I could give away my magical-ness, I would.” “I’ll be using that in my everyday vocabulary now, just so you know. Magical-ness.” He smiled. “You can touch me again now. I’m good.” He cleared his throat and muttered, “I mean, if you want to. You don’t have to.”
“Why are you crying?” he gritted out. “Because your hurt is a really big hurt. I wish it was smaller.”
“Holy. Shit.” A blond-haired man uttered, looking up into the sky. Owen, if the pictures of the Fastlanders were anything to go by. “Well, that was pretty fuckin’ cool.” “Owen!” A big, barrel-chested man said, settling his massive hands over the little boy’s ears. “Language, man!”
His lips crashed onto hers at the exact moment his strong hand went around her throat and gripped her firmly enough to hold her in place, but gently enough to make it pleasurable. Ooohhh, he knew how to choke a woman in the sexy way, not the scary way.
She knew it was wrong. She knew. She was a human, being touched by a powerful being she knew so very little about. He scared the shifters here, and now she was standing in his embrace begging for more. Perhaps he was right. Perhaps she wouldn’t be able to survive him.
don’t think we can be friends,” he whispered as he grabbed her hand and lifted it against his, palm to palm. He intertwined their fingers. “We’re past it, and we can’t go back. My animal can’t go back.”
“I try to fight it, but it feels like I’m burning from the inside out. It’s not fair to you. It’s not. I know it’s not. You don’t deserve this life. You deserve better. Steadier. Safer.”
Wreck released her right hand and brushed her hair off her neck. He cupped her there and lowered his lips to her ear. “Until tonight, nothing could hurt me.” “I hurt you?” she asked, horrified. He smiled tiredly. “It’s a good thing, Timber. Someone should be able to protect the world from me. You can.” Gooseflesh rippled up her arms. “I don’t want to protect the world from you. I want to keep you safe.”
“What was his name?” “Brandon.” “Brandon’s a shitbag. He and your parents deserve each other.”
His eyes were so full of…something. “You have a phoenix tattoo,” he whispered. “Why?”
“Mean what?” she asked on a breath. “You’ll help me rebuild this place.” A wicked smile took her lips. “Yes, but you won’t enjoy the process.”
He gritted his teeth and froze on top of her, every muscle tensed. She could feel the pulsing of his release between her legs, and it was perfect. Her body throbbed on and on, encouraged by his release, and she thought this was the most beautiful moment she’d ever existed in. Whatever she’d expected from a shifter, she hadn’t expected to be so well taken care of. She hadn’t expected to be cared for.
“You look fine,” Hallie called. “Yep. Well fucked,” Owen agreed. “Oh my gosh.” “Enough,” Wreck told his Crewmate.
He could burn the whole world for you.” “He could also accidentally burn me along with it.”
He was the perfect balance of dominance and sweetness, and she knew that last part was just for her. He was a cactus to his Crew and barely said a kind word, but with her, he understood her and her needs, and was thoughtful.
I just ordered one of my trading cards to be printed for him. His birthday is next week, and he collects them. He will have the only trading card of me in the world. I talked to the printer and signed paperwork that only this one would be printed, ever. It will be the hologram one. Don’t tell him. Sloane texted me an hour ago to invite us (you and me) to his birthday party next weekend. She told me I’m not allowed to burn his birthday party. Annoying. I like that she invited you though. Ruger is the coolest part of the Fastlanders.
“Your cock is what?” she said, trying to suppress her smile. He cleared his throat. “You know.” “I don’t know.” Wreck ran his hand down the scruff on his face and shook his head. “Forget it.” “That cock is mine.”
She loved him. Could he tell? Could he feel her devotion? She knew it was too early, but she couldn’t help what her heart felt, and what her mind knew. Every single fiber of her being was absolutely certain that this was love. She felt as if she wanted to cry, but that didn’t make any sense. She didn’t understand herself in this moment. “You’re tensing up,” he observed softly, hugging her to his chest. “What’s wrong?” “I don’t know,” she answered him honestly.
“I shouldn’t have asked for us to do that.” “No, no. None of that was on you. I actually feel…” She shook her head, looking for the right word. “Relieved.” “Do you feel seen now?” he asked softly.
“Say it,” she said low. “You already know.” “Do I?” He huffed a laugh, and leaned down to press his lips near her ear. “I love you too.”
“Possessive,” she said low. “Protective,” he corrected her. She liked it.
His face crumpled, and he said, “I love you too. Timber, I love you too.” And then he tensed, and another wave of forest-green flames consumed everything, blurring her vision completely.
“What am I?” she asked softly. “Silly girl.” He kissed the side of her head, and kept swaying her. He inhaled deeply, and slowly let his breath out. “You’re everything.”
“Not me!” Owen called out. “I think I can fly now, and probably shoot laser beams out of my eyeballs.” The audience laughed, and Damon himself chuckled.
“But…” Damon continued as he nodded his head and looked to Timber with a small smile. “It turns out I didn’t need to worry about Wreck—or as his mother and his new wife and mate call him, Josiah. As it turns out, he’s a good one. He can destroy, and he can heal, much like all of us possess the power to do to others.”
“My dragon is restless, and needing more territory. You are going to claim it on my behalf. You will be the Alpha of the next Crew of my mountains.”
“Yes,” she said thickly. “Damon made sure I was up for moving before he brought it to you. He knows I have found a family here. He was very kind, and gave me a lot of time to think on it.” She nodded in encouragement. “The Fastlanders know too, and the girls will be FaceTiming me anytime I need it. And Sasha is going with us. She’s already getting everything together to transfer to a local hospital there for work. Your mom? She’s moving near us. We’re going to do this, Josiah. You’re supposed to do this. You’re supposed to be an Alpha.”
Damon was handing Wreck a deed to some raw land that meant nothing. With Timber at his side, it was going to be up to Wreck to bring it to life. Wreck’s Mountains Coming soon.
