Broken

Chapter Twenty-One

Tamara's POV

   I awoke to the sound of whispering voices. "They look so cute," a female voice whispered.

"They really do," a second female voice whispered. "Who'd have ever thought my brother would settle down?"

"I know, it's weird seeing him so whipped."

"Lilly? Kat?" I questioned sleepily.

"Um... maybe?" Lilly answer-asked.

"You spying on us?"

"No. We were merely observing," Kat defended.

"I'll take that as a yes," I said as I opened my eyes with a smile on my face. I stretched my body out, feeling Taylor's arms tighten around me as I did so. It was just then that I realised that I was sitting upright on Taylor's lap. My head had been resting against his chest. Oh yeah, he'd been cradling me after my nightmare, I must have fallen asleep. Taylor's back was on the headboard and his head leant back against the wall. It was cute that he'd held me like that all night; incredibly cute.

   I gently pried Taylor's hands from around my body, trying my hardest not to wake him. I failed. Taylor stretched his arms over his head before wrapping them around my waist, pulling me into his chest. "Morning, Beautiful," Taylor said sleepily. Kat and Lilly giggled, and I blushed.

"Morning, Taylor," I replied. "Your sister and Lilly, have been spying on us," I whispered. Taylor looked over at the two giggling girls and glared at them.

"What?" Kat asked innocently. "We brought you breakfast." She pointed towards a tray on the desk which was filled with food. "But you can only have it if we can join you."

"Oh, why don't we just have a feast on my bed," Taylor said sarcastically.

"Great," Kat and Lilly said in synchronisation. Taylor rolled his eyes as they joined us on the bed. I tried to move to sit beside Taylor, but he kept his arms clamped around my waist preventing me from doing so. I turned around in Taylor's arms and leaned back against his chest. He rested his chin on my head and began to run his fingers through my hair. I sighed in contentment.

"So, why aren't you two at school?" Taylor asked Kat and Lilly.

"Erm... we couldn't be arsed?" Kat answer-asked.

"That's not a good enough reason."

"What's your reason for not going to school?" Kat asked Taylor.

"I have my Mate to look after," Taylor answered.

"She should be in school in school as well," Kat pointed out.

"She's not well enough to be in school at the moment," Taylor argued.

"Children, children," Lilly intervened. "Why are you fighting? Taylor, we are missing one day, get over it. And, Kat, your brother is only doing what's best for his Mate; leave him alone. Now, can we please eat because, I for one, am famished."

"Well said, Lilly." Taylor said. Lilly smiled, obviously glad to have gotten praise from her Alpha. Lilly distributed the food, placing a plate in front of each one of us. I looked down at the plate and panicked slightly. I had no idea what it was and was embarrassed to ask in front of Kat and Lilly. Never the less, I didn't really like eating food without knowing what it was.

"Taylor," I whispered. "What is it?" I asked as quietly as I could.

"Sorry, Sweetheart, but you're going to have to speak up, I can't hear you." I sighed resignedly.

"What is it?" I asked louder. Kat and Lilly both gave me funny looks.

"You don't know what it is?" Kat asked shocked.

"Katherine!" Taylor scolded. "They're called pancakes. They have something called maple syrup on them. They taste delicious." I smiled at Taylor, glad that he understood my need to know what I was eating before I ate it.

   Lilly looked at me sympathetically. "How come you didn't know what a pancake was?" she asked.

"Now's not the time, Lilly," Taylor told her.

"It's alright, Taylor," I said. "I was refused the right to eat in my old pack and since becoming a rogue I haven't been able to afford to eat. The last time I ate anything before I met, Taylor, was about eight months ago when I found a half eaten sandwich in a bin. I felt disgusting, but I was so hungry that I didn't care." Taylor's arms tightened around me and Kat and Lilly gasped, looking at me sympathetically. I pretended not to acknowledge their silent messages directed towards me. I just plastered a fake smile on my face and ate as much of my breakfast as I could, which wasn't much, but more than I could have managed a week ago.

   After breakfast I went to take a shower. I loved taking showers. They somehow seemed to relax me and make me feel more alive. I don't really know how to explain it properly. It's weird really, but after being a rogue and not being able to get properly clean, because I couldn't afford body wash or shampoo, feeling clean was so refreshing.

   I quickly slipped into my some thick white tights, a sugar pink dress which finished just above my knees and a thick, cream woolen cardigan to keep me warm. After I was finished I went back into the bedroom where Taylor was sat at his desk looking over the pack finances. I walked over to Taylor and wrapped my arms around his neck. Taylor put down his pen and turned to look at me, a smile on his face. I lower my lips to his giving him a chaste kiss. He gets up from his seat at the desk and holds me at arms length, his eyes running up and down my body. I smirk slightly but take the chance to let my eyes run over Taylor. When I look back up at his face I notice a slight smirk on his lips indicating that I'd been caught. I gave him an innocent smile and shrugged, silently asking 'what are you going to do about it?' He smiled genuinely at me before smashing his lips to mine.

    "You're looking rather beautiful today, Tammy," Taylor whispered when he finally pulled his lips away from mine.

"You don't look so bad yourself," I teased him.

"Admit it, I look amazing and you know it," Taylor said cockily.

"You are a cocky ass, Taylor Anderson. You know that right?" I asked.

"Of course I do. You've told me many times," he said, a smile playing at his lips.

"I wouldn't have to tell you if you would stop being one."

"Sorry, no can do. How can I not be cocky when I look this good?"

"Fucking hell, how cocky can one dick head be?" I asked rhetorically.

   At this comment Taylor slammed me up against the nearest wall, his body flush with mine. His hands were placed either side of my head and his burning gaze bore into mine. "Would you like to say that again?" Taylor asked playfully.

"How cocky can one dick head be?"

"You know," Taylor began. "I was giving you a chance to redeem yourself, but now you're going to have to pay the price."

   His hands moved from the wall and towards my waist, my eyes following them suspiciously. Then it clicked. "Please don't do this, Taylor," I begged.

"Say I'm sexy as hell," Taylor bargained.

"Never!"

"Then I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to do this." I screamed when his fingers connected with my body.