Dawn's Innocence

She sighed as she heard a car rattle up the gravel road, leaving a trail of dust in its wake. "I've gotta go. That's my mom. Someday, I'll introduce the two of you. I promise." Fallon jumped up and brushed off her jeans. "I'll see you tomorrow." She galloped away, vanishing out of sight beyond a dip in the wide sloping pasture.

The wolf stood and yipped after her. Lifting his nose into the air for a sniff before he turned to the woods and disappeared into the thick wall of pines and hardwoods.

Chapter 70

"Ok, people work with me PLEASE!" Janine clapped her hands to draw the attention of the crowd mulling around the bluffs instead of listening to her every word with bated breath. The pack's interests were so easily diverted. How was she supposed to pull this wedding off without a bit of cooperation? "Everyone, come on, get into position." She reached to put a hand on Eloise's shoulder to drag the woman to the rear of the bridal procession and then quickly withdrew it when Nash loosed a protective warning growl.

"Honey, it's ok. Janine is just trying to help." Eloise bit back a chuckle at her husband to be. As if she needed protection from the pint sized powerhouse tugging on her blouse. Janine was positively harried, rushing here and there, adjusting this and that. People jumped to do her bidding, but nothing was ever good enough until it got Janine's seal of approval. The poor woman had about gone into seizures when some unsuspecting male had taken a seat and mussed up the center row of chairs.

How Patrick tolerated this woman was beyond her. He'd been completely complacent, going along with Janine's plans up to this point. He'd heard Nash growl at his woman and had set down the bundle of orchids he'd been carrying and stood across the bluffs obviously contemplating a smack down at the insult. Nash's stance was stiff and ready. The aggressive male energy between them crackled in the air. Oh hell no, not happening here and now. Not on the eve of her wedding. Janine had spent hours putting this place together and these two blow hard men were not going to tear it up. Eloise pointed to the archway decorated with lush greenery and fat purple blossoms. "I think you're supposed to be up there," she said to Nash.

"Yes, now go, go, go." Janine waggled her fingers at Nash, shooing him to the altar. "You and the Great Father will be there, waiting for your beautiful bride to arrive." She shot Eloise a grateful look and got back to work arranging the bridal party. Talk about a goat rope, every time she put someone in position someone else wandered out of the line.

Nash gave Eloise a quick peck and dropped the aggressive male routine. Janine was just so exhausting. They'd been out here for hours and the only thing that had been accomplished was arranging rows and rows of folding chairs exactly one and a half inches apart from each other. The woman was nit picky, demanding, and well, a little like a squirrel on LSD. His wolf wanted to take a bite out of her and on so many levels he agreed with his wolf. In the sake of peace, he gave Eloise a on the cheek and sauntered through the ocean of empty folding chairs to take his place at the altar.

The bluffs were awash with color and the fragrant scent of spring blossoms. Tents were set up to house the bridal party and the guests. Tables, decorated with dainty tablecloths and even more flowers were neatly arranged here and there. Frilly bows fluttered in the afternoon breeze. The scent of the flowers draped across the altar and the archway drew every bee for miles and they were all buzzing around his head hungry for the sweet smell of the blooms. All this finery and hubabaloo was to him, like a rash in a very uncomfortable place, but for Eloise he would endure.

"Honor guard! Positions please. You six will come up the aisle before the bridesmaid and groomsman and take your spots." Janine trotted to the front of the rows of chairs. "Dane, here. John Mark, here. Daniel, here. Grant, here. Hunter, here. And, Hanning, here." She stepped back, tugged on a few shirtsleeves to position the men where she wanted them and gave the guard a quick once over. Married women weren't supposed to look and married men weren't supposed to look so damn fine. The wall of muscle and testosterone got the innermost workings of her giddy female heart pounding.

Even Daniel, still trapped in that awkward teenage stage between man and boy, had a certain undeveloped male charm. It was easy to see what a freaking stunner he'd be when he finally grew into his gangly limbs and massive feet. The guys would look a lot more intimidating...and handsome in their dress gear and snapped to full attention than they did now in faded jeans and t-shirts and the just kill me expressions so apparent on their pained faces. "Perfect."

"Now then, Tristen, you're here." She pointed to a spot in front of Eloise. Tristen got with it and took his place. Thank god someone was cooperating. "Kacie...here." Janine stepped back and studied the formation, biting a fingernail with her front teeth. There was no good mojo flowing between these two. They stood rigid as far apart as they could get from each other...might as well be miles instead of feet for all the distance they had going on in their individual head spaces. Kacie's arms were crossed over her chest. Tristen casually picked his nails and pretended Kacie didn't even exist.

This simply would not do. Never. Never. Never. She'd seen store manikins with more warmth and personality than these two. "Will you PLEASE at least PRETEND to like each other? Closer, Closer, Closer." She pressed Kacie and Tristen shoulder-to- shoulder and jerked Kacie's arm, sliding it through Tristen's elbow. Damn, they were cute together. Kacie stood about a foot shorter than Tristen, but his size didn't dwarf her. And about the mojo...she was completely off base about that. There was a ton of mojo between the two of them. More like the oil and water than sparks and fireworks kind of magic between couples in love...but sometimes you had to work with what you had. "That's better. Smile. This is a happy occasion. After tomorrow night you two can kill each other."

"Ok, now then, Eloise your grand entrance starts right here." Janine nudged the bride into place. "Oh, this is going to be simply wonderful. Remember, all smiles. Happy, happy, happy!" Janine fluttered around, adjusting people a foot here, an inch there, until she had everyone exactly where she wanted them. And just for good measure, she nudged Kacie and Tristen even closer together. "Ok everyone, lets do this. Music!"

Chance took his seat and began strumming his guitar. He'd met with the bride and groom and asked them to describe their love for one another. An hour later they still hadn't quite been able to put it into words he could translate into song. Ever the professional, he'd chosen a slow, acoustic piece for the bride's grand entrance.

"Ok guards. Go!" Janine shoved at Dane and John Mark. "Go!" Hanning and Daniel were next. "Wait." She held onto the back of Grant's t-shirt. "Ok, go." She shoved at Grant and Hunter. "Tristen, Kacie, when the music changes key...Ok, go." Glowering, Janine shook her head. "Everybody. STOP! I need to have a word with the musician."

Kacie groaned and shook her head as Janine and Chance quibbled over a tempo change. Nice. She was stuck here, next to Tristen, with her arm draped through his. Pain stung at the inside of her cheek as she bit the tender flesh to keep her focus on anything but the feeling of his warmth beside her and the sensation of his skin gently brushing against hers.

Tristen glanced down at Kacie. She stood so rigid with her face drawn tight, as if she were in pain. He was getting to her. Working his way under her skin, like he always did. A crooked grin spread across his lips as his fingers traced the racing pulse in her wrist. He still had it and she still wanted what he had.

"Stop that!" Kacie huffed. She stared straight ahead, watching Janine frantically wave her arms at Chance. Kacie tried her best not to let the effect his fingers had on her as they traced the pulse point on her wrist in slow seductive circles effect her. Nervously, she shuffled her feet and bit the inside of her cheek so hard that she tasted blood.

"Stop what?" Tristen asked, hazarding to lean in a little closer. The cool morning had transformed into a warm and sunny afternoon. Kacie had stripped down to a little spaghetti strapped hot pink camisole top with a low v-neck. From his vantage point, he caught a nice view of the lacy beige bra and her hilly cleavage beneath. Either she was going to deck him for sneaking a peek and touching her or she was going to grab him and kiss the ever loving shit out of him. He was hoping for the latter. Apologizing was not something he did well. And if he could coax her out of holding him to one wouldn't that be all the better. "Janine said that we had to stand close and act like we liked each other."

"You don't like me," Kacie mumbled under her breath. Shifting her weight uncomfortably she avoided his eyes. She'd rather put up with Tristen's ogling her boobs and tracing seductive patterns along her inner wrist than risk the wrath of Janine and dare to move an inch out of position.

"I never said that," Tristen sputtered indignantly. He tightened his grip on her arm, pulling her closer till they were hip to hip.

Janine huffed in satisfaction. The piece Chance had chosen to play fit the occasion, but it just needed a little tweaking here and there. It took her no small feat to get him on board with her vision. Sometimes, it paid to be annoying and he'd given in. "Now that that's settled. Honor guard from the top!"

"I don't like you," Kacie muttered. The procession moved so slowly. She hated formality. Her entire life had been about formality. The fancy parties, the clothes, her station as a pack mistress's daughter...all of it was for show. She kept her eyes pinned on Janine and refused to so much as glance up at Tristen. With the sun where it was in the sky, their shadows mingled on the grass. His larger shadow overwhelmed her smaller one until the two dark shapes of their bodies blended and became one.

"Yes, you do." Tristen winced as he caught Janine's scowl from the corner of his eye. He'd been focused on Kacie and missed his cue. He took a step forward. Feet together. Wait. Step. Feet together. Wait. Step. He repeated the routine over and over in his head as he escorted Kacie down the aisle.

Eloise smiled as she watched Kacie and Tristen march up the narrow walkway between the rows of chairs. Her daughter was a stubborn one, but not even she was immune to the effects of love and a good dose of male charm. Taking a deep breath, Eloise began her practice walk down the aisle toward her groom.

"Perfect! Perfect!" Janine praised the honor guard and the bridal party. "Ok, after the ceremony, the bride and groom followed by Kacie and Tristen, and then," she sighed, "the honor guard starting with Daniel in the rear. "Oh, it's going to be so beautiful." Sniffling, she reached for a hankie in her back pocket to dab at her tears. Weddings got her every time. "Ok people, that's a wrap. I think we've got it. Everyone go home and relax. Tomorrow is a big, big day."

Kacie exhaled and slipped away from the crowd and from Tristen. She walked to the edge of the bluffs and paused to look out over the sloping valley below. The brown, gray and black rooftops were cozily nestled in a cradle of greens and dots of purple and pink, with splashes of white from the budding spring trees. A few minutes alone, to do nothing but breathe before she faced the next twenty-four hours, was exactly what she needed. Tristen had her insides in knots and she didn't know how to untie them. The whole situation was unfair and it wasn't doing anything but causing the both of them pain.

She glanced over her shoulder to look at the people. Tristen was wrestling with his little brother Daniel. Sparring and preparing the teen for the life he was born to live. At one time, her life had been that simple. Days spent daydreaming about when she 'd officially become an adult. Now, that she was one. She missed the simpler times, when all she had to worry about was which jeans looked the best with which sweater.

Tristen hung back, watching Kacie stare out over the wide gulf of the valley below. Her fingers were wrapped tightly around her biceps, hugging her body, as if she'd caught a chill. He couldn't see her face and had no idea what she was thinking about. Maybe, she was thinking about him. Maybe, she wasn't and she was simply enjoying the sunny afternoon and the breathtaking view.

Regret dug at his gut. He had no right to be so hard on her. He shouldn't have walked out on her like that. He sucked at apologizing. In his heart, he knew he should suck it up, go over to her, and beg for her forgiveness. This thing, the argument, the damned way that they both wanted what the other one had was building a wall between them and if he didn't hurry up and make it right, the wall would be too high for either one of them to scale. Then, they'd both lose. He didn't want to lose her. Damn truth was, he loved her and he knew, and she'd admitted, that she loved him in return. Wasn't that enough? Shouldn't love be everything?

"Shit." He muttered under his breath as he scrubbed his hand along his jaw. "Damn it." The grass crumpled under his feet as he stood and took step after step to close the distance between them. If an apology would make this right and get her back into his arms, he'd do it, a thousand times if he had to. The truth was, he'd never felt so awful and out of sorts in his life. Without her, nothing seemed right.

Kacie glanced away from the scenery when she heard the sound of footsteps approaching behind her. The soles of his boots crunched bits of loose shale and rock beneath them. The steps, the length of the stride and the pressure of each step, she knew the sound of each footfall. Her chin tilted up as her eyes traveled along Tristen's broad chest and wide shoulders. Daring higher to roam over his firm, strained jaw that her lips had nibbled a path along less than two days ago. His lips were drawn into a tight circle. Pursing as if he had something to say, but was struggling with the words. Time stopped for a moment. The silence between them stretched out for hours and each second took an eternity to pass. She stood, silently waiting for him to say something.

"Kacie," he said softly. Her name, just to say it, was like manna to a starving man. He sucked in his breath when she tipped her head to stare up at him. Her jaw was set in determination. She wasn't the crumpled, sobbing female he'd imagined. She hadn't softened toward him one bit. Not, one tiny bit, she was still angry with him. And why shouldn't she be? He'd acted like a total ass. Too chicken shit to take the sting of her rejection again, he held his ground. Not apologizing, not going to lay him heart out there for her to stomp all over. "Never mind."

Kacie scowled after Tristen as he stormed off. He probably thought his shadow was too precious to mingle with hers. After all, she was the slut that had tried to coerce him into her bed. "Hey!" She turned on her heel determined to set this straight for once and for all. Enough was enough and she was done. He didn't want her. She got that. It hurt like hell. She wasn't going to allow his sanctimonious ass to judge her anymore. He came off so cocky and so sure about what he thought about her. She wasn't going to let anyone think those kinds of things about her, especially not him. "What's your problem!"

Tristen stopped in his tracks and turned to face the pint sized bundle of fury barreling toward him. "You!" He held his ground and stared down at her as she bulldozed her way into his space.

"Me?"

"I didn't say it simply enough for you? You are my problem." Tristen bit back his rage as Kacie's finger poked him in the chest.

"I'm your problem? Well, you are certainly mine too! How dare you look down your nose at me like that! Who do you think you are?" Kacie was so angry she was practically screeching at him. The heat of Tristen's glare burned down into her, infuriating her further. Now he was pissed because she'd called him out? She could see his outrage written all over his face. Too bad, he'd have to deal. She wasn't backing down. They were going to settle this. Today.

"I know who I am. Do you know who you are? I doubt if you do. Looking down my nose at you? What the hell are you talking about?" He snatched the finger probing him in the chest with his hand and held it tightly. "I came over there to apologize to you. Now, I'm glad that I didn't. I was right all along. If anyone owes someone an apology it's you."

"Me? Apologize for what?" Kacie twisted her finger in his hot palm, trying to free herself from his grip.

"Exactly my point. You don't get it do you? You were the one that turned me down. You should be apologizing to me. I proposed to you in earnest. I meant every word I said. Every. Word."

Kacie saw the hurt her refusal had caused him. He was striking back. Trying to hurt her because she'd hurt him. That gave him no excuse for treating her as he had. "Just because I didn't go all girly on you and automatically accept what has to be the worst proposal in history didn't mean I was ready to dump you. You were the one who walked out the door. Remember? You got pissed because I bruised your fragile ego."

"Yeah, it hurt. I got pissed because you broke my heart...not because you wouldn't...never mind that. Damn woman, don't you understand anything? I want you so bad that it hurts and not where you think it hurts. It hurts right here." He took her fingers and pressed them to his chest right over his heart.

Kacie felt Tristen's bounding heart pulse beneath her fingers. His chest was warm and firm, rising up and down as he breathed. Shame washed over her. She'd convinced herself he was angry because she'd bruised his ego. She'd believed, because she wanted to, that his proposal was a heat of the moment kind of thing. He'd meant it. He'd really meant it. He wanted his forever and he wanted it with her. "I guess we're just too good at hurting one another. The last couple of days have been hell for me."

"Me too." Tristen slid his hand down Kacie's forearm and latched his fingers around her elbow, guiding her closer to him. "I never meant to take out my frustrations on you. It was wrong of me." She felt so good against him. So warm and soft. Gently, he tucked his free arm around her waist and folded her into him. He rested his chin on her head and rocked her slowly to a rhythm only their hearts shared. "I'm sorry I was such a jerk. I had no right to treat you like that."

"Tristen, we can't keep hurting each other like this." Kacie closed her eyes and nestled into the warmth of his chest and his arms. Her body swayed in time with his and it felt so right. She slid her arms around his neck and tipped her chin, staring into his hooded eyes, "What do we do now? I meant every word I said too. I do love you, I just... I don't know what to do with it. "I wish I could be everything you want me to be."

""Babe, you are. You. Are." Tristen smiled and brushed his lips across hers.

Kacie inhaled Tristen's masculine scent and let it carry her off to a place where love could bloom and she felt safe and secure. She stood up on her tiptoes desperate for more than just a brief brushing of lips and meeting of bodies. His mouth was hot on hers. His tongue traced the vermilion border of her lips until she opened up for him. His tongue swabbed against hers hungrily and eagerly. Devouring her as she melted into his arms. Leaning on him heavily for support, Kacie drew a deep, shuddering breath.

"That was some kiss," Tristen panted. His fingers found the belt loops of her jeans and wound through them. Pulling her so close against him that there wasn't space enough for a molecule of air to separate them. "We should fight more often. I never knew how much fun making up could be."