📎 A/N. Hello my lovelies,  here we are again :)

For those celebrating 4th July, I hope you have had a wonderful weekend with friends and family.  For the rest of you - I hope your weekend has been safe and happy.

Don't forget to vote if you like this chapter.  Even you silent readers... go on it's really easy ;)

Take care and enjoy and most of all thanks for all your support  :-)

❤ ℳ

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Murphy and Joshua managed to pile out the door before they abruptly halted midstep. Striding towards them, was a very angry looking woman holding two white food containers.

Errant curls had escaped from the confines of the hair tie where she had valiantly attempted to tame her shoulder length waves. The sun reflected off her chestnut tendrils giving her face an aura of being framed by fire. Further adding to her current state of mind.

Kaitlyn stopped before she reached the bottom step. Looking up at them through narrowed, rigid eyes, they could literally see the daggers she was casting at them.

Clearing his throat, Joshua attempted to alleviate the tension that hung heavy in the air. "I wasn't expecting you to get up so early," he said, as an apologetic smile broke across his face.

Murphy crossed his arms and leant against the vertical beam at the top step, watching the unfolding drama. His expression gave nothing away.

"I just bet you weren't," she snapped as she looked between them, "silly me - thinking that as you are all so paranoid of being discovered, you would be hidden away in the mountains somewhere. You can imagine my surprise when it dawned on me that the whole bloody town is made up of only Immigrants. And that the Immigrants are in the business of showing the tourists around."

Joshua had the decency to look contrite as he made his way down the three steps to stand in front of his granddaughter. "I was going to tell you this morning."

"Thanks for the heads up," she drawled as she shoved a container into each of their hands, "I'm going for a shower."

Kaitlyn stopped as she reached the doorway and turned back to face Murphy. "Oh, and by the way, your mother and Jenny send their love." She then addressed both men. "And one of you owes Molly a new apron and blouse."

With that, she turned on her heels and disappeared into the house.

"What the hell was that all about?" asked Joshua as he stared at the screen door in confusion.

"We probably should have warned her what she was walking into," admitted Murphy as he took a peek in the food container, "what's in yours?" he asked, changing the subject.

Joshua opened the lid and a broad grin overtook his features. "Potato Farl. Your mother certainly knows how to make my morning."

Both men sat down on the top step and, balancing the containers on their knees, began to consume their breakfast.

Murphy took a bite of the Baileys Chocolate Cheesecake that was discovered in his container and considered Kaitlyn's reaction. "It's one thing to know what we are in a city full of humans," he remarked, breaking the silence a short while later, "It's quite another to suddenly realise you are the only Human in a town full of Werewolves."

Joshua's face was guilt ridden as Murphy's words and meaning sunk in. "I didn't consider that." Glancing behind him, "Do you think I should go in and talk to her?" he asked Murphy.

"No, best leave her be. Knowing her, in the next five minutes her mind will obsess about it, overanalyse it, and she will be fine with the whole thing once she calms down and comes to grips with it."

A thought suddenly struck Murphy, "Who's Jenny?"

An odd look appeared on Joshua's face as he glanced at the man next to him. "Your niece."

"What are you talking about? I don't have a niece."

"Your sister might have something to say about that," came the sarcastic remark.

Joshua stood up and sighed as he noticed confusion clouding Murphy's expression. "If you are going to break all contact with your family, you just might miss out on some of the news every now and then."

Throwing his empty container into the bin he headed out towards the gate. "Well, I'd better go into town and see what damage has been done and sort out when we can present Kaitlyn to Alpha Nathan."

Murphy watched in silence as Joshua disappeared around the corner and down the main road. Something was picking away at his conscience as he tried to finish his cheesecake in silence. The sensation was growing in intensity with each passing moment.

Out with it! he demanded, not able to take his Wolf's not so subtle hints any longer.

He's not the only one to blame, accused his Wolf.

She's not my responsibility.

Are you sure about that?

What are you talking about? Murphy demanded, What's gotten into you lately, you've been acting strange.

Murphy was perplexed, his Wolf had been more agitated than normal. He had required more runs than he had in years, and to make matters worse, was keeping something from his human half. Murphy couldn't put his finger on it but Wolf was hiding something.

Any further conversation with his Wolf was cut short when Kaitlyn, fresh from her shower sat down beside him. Neither speaking as Murphy finished his meal.

"She seems nice," Kaitlyn said breaking the silence a short while later.

"Who?"

Kaitlyn rolled her eyes. "Your mother, who did you think I meant."

His resulting dismissive grunt told her he didn't want to talk about it.

Ignoring his obvious reluctance with this particular subject, Kaitlyn decided to persevere. "She said they haven't seen you for a couple of decades."

No answer.

"What happened?" Kaitlyn questioned, her tone not condemning his actions, simply trying to understand the rift.

Murphy fidgeted slightly before answering. This was a conversation he tended to shy away from. Something within the Werewolf pushed him to try and make Kaitlyn understand some of his past. "I spent twenty years looking for Elijah. With your father's help, I finally caught him. It was my right to challenge him to 'Deathblow Combat'. The Alliance knew it, Alpha Nathan knew it, and my father knew it. It was a time honoured tradition which I was denied."

"What happened?" Kaitlyn asked quietly, prompting him to continue.

"Alpha Nathan and the Alliance ordered me to hand him over and to put that monsters fate into their hands. Nothing I said could change their mind. What was devastating was my own father took their side," he spat out bitterly, the memory was still fresh in his mind, "I had no choice, I had to hand him to them and recall my challenge."

Kaitlyn could see the anguish and rejection etched into his face. She placed her hand lightly on his arm to provide some form of comfort and to let him know she empathised. "So how did he escape from their custody?"

"No one knows," bitterness creeped back into his voice, "and, once again, he was free to roam the earth killing innocents. After that I couldn't forgive any of those involved."

"Can I ask a question?" began Kaitlyn as she considered some of her own feelings on the subject, "How many has Elijah killed over the years?"

"Too many to count."

"And I am assuming that June wasn't the only Werewolf he killed?"

Murphy shook his head. "No."

"So there are a number of others like you who want revenge?"

"Yes," he confirmed not sure where she was going with this.

Kaitlyn paused before continuing. "So what makes you so special?"

He snapped his head round to face her. "Pardon?"

"Why do you get to be his executioner? What about those others whose lives he destroyed. Don't they have as much right to challenge him or witness his punishment?"

His only response was a slight tightening of his jaw.

Undeterred, Kaitlyn pressed on. "Isn't that your job? You took on the task to track him down and bring him to justice. Would you deny all those others closure, or to at least look him in the eye - and ask why he destroyed their lives?"

"Don't get me wrong," she explained further, "I want him dead just as much as you do. And probably given the chance, I'd kill him as well. But from what I understand of how packs work, the needs of the collective are paramount to how you all function. Wasn't your father, and the Alliance, trying to heal the damage Elijah had made, by giving all those affected the chance to face the person who took their loved ones?"

Murphy was stunned. Kaitlyn was right. His single minded focus was to appease his own hurt. To heal his wounds. What about the countless others? In reality, both Joshua and Kaitlyn had as much right to see Elijah dead as he did. The revelation both floored and unnerved him. He did not wish to delve too much into what it implied. He could feel emotions, long held at bay, rise to the surface.

Murphy glanced down at her hand as she gave a gentle squeeze on his arm. Following it back up, he took in her expressive face. Her hair still damp from the shower, was starting to curl, giving a hint of things to come once dry.

It still astounded him how astute she could be. Werewolves, who were hundreds of years older than this one human, did not hold a fraction of the capabilities that he was quickly coming to understand she possessed.

A gentle morning breeze disturbed some of the tendrils as it whipped around her face.

With his free hand he reached up to pull at one of the ringlets which was forming. Her hair had fascinated him from the moment they had met. It's unwavering ability to do exactly what she didn't want it to do, reflected Kaitlyn's personality perfectly.

Murphy's eyes shifted to Kaitlyn's face. Light coloured freckles scattered across the bridge of her nose and cheek bones giving her a youthful and vibrant look. Her expressive hazel eyes now reflecting confusion at his actions. His dark eyes locked with hers as he struggled to understand the warring mental state currently overriding his better judgement.

An emotion he did not understand, pushed through his carefully built granite walls and his body reacted to her sudden intense gaze as her lips parted involuntarily. Kaitlyn's tongue absently moistening her lips tipped the scales, and he slowly and painstakingly leaned towards the mouth he could not take his eyes off.

Dipping his head, he subtly and softly brushed his lips across hers, inhaling the smell of her he recognised the fresh honey and cream soap that she favoured.

Pulling back slightly, Murphy swung his eyes upwards to meet hers which were currently wide with shock. She didn't pull back - instead, her pupils dilated and her eyelids became hooded as she returned his intense gaze.

Murphy let go of the strand of hair he had been clutching onto. He cupped her cheek and gently drew her closer, nipping at her lower lip as their lips met.

His mouth slanted and he felt a shiver run through her body as he intensified the contact.

Murphy, no longer capable of restraint, wove his strong fingers into her damp hair as he sought entrance to her mouth. His tongue probing, tentative and demanding at the same time.

He felt her initial shock give way to something else, as her eyes closed and a low moan escaped Kaitlyn as she granted him access. Her hand now resting on his chest as he deepened the assault.

The heat from her light touch spreading its way throughout his body, setting it alight so that every nerve ending was attuned to the woman in his embrace.

Further parts of his walls decayed as his restraint further weakened and he deepened the kiss. It became more demanding, more intense, turning into something else, something more primal as liquid fire shot through his veins.

Pulling her closer, and without breaking contact, he swung her round so that she now straddled his thighs as he hauled her closer to him. They were locked chest to chest, caught up in the moment.

He snaked his free hand around her waist and rested it on the small of her back, pressing her tightly against his aching body as their tongues duelled frantically. His other hand gripped her hair tighter as they lost further control of their actions. Instinct, now overpowering common-sense and restraint.

He felt her hand move upward and her fingers rested on the back of his neck. She was as affected by this as he was. The pressure on his neck increasing as she too pulled him closer.

She tasted divine, a hint of something sweet along with a slight coffee flavour. Their breathing becoming more erratic as the intensity of the embrace heightened and became fever pitch as their shared heat added fuel to the fire.

Murphy felt her skin growing taut and flushed as desire licked through him, searing his body and then his conscience. With a heated shudder, he gripped her arms and pushed her back, his breathing ragged as he held her at bay.

His eyes met her confused and hurt ones, as he reluctantly pushed Kaitlyn away from him. No longer able to meet her questioning gaze, he quickly stood; not sure what to say or do. Or even how it got to that point.

"That shouldn't have happened," Murphy said absently, as he scanned the horizon. Unsure how things escalated so quickly and desperately looking for an avenue of escape.

Before a stunned Kaitlyn had a chance to respond, or catch her breath, Murphy was striding away from the house. Not once looking back.

Throughout entire escape from Joshua's cabin, Murphy's Wolf had been irate with it's human half. Leaving Murphy in no doubt of what it thought of his actions.

Murphy was angry and disgusted with himself.

How could he have been so stupid as to give in to temptation so completely? This was his fault. He had acted like a hormonal teenager. Not a mature Werewolf who should have known better.

He had insulted and belittled June's memory in one moment of weakness. Only June had the right to elicit that sort of desire and feelings. Not someone not his mate. Not Kaitlyn.

How could you let us cheat on our Mate? he growled at his Wolf who had been irate with him since the moment he broke physical contact with Kaitlyn.

Not cheating, his Wolf growled back at him.

How could it not be cheating? Murphy demanded, June is - was our Mate. We wanted to die when she was taken.

You are not ready,  his Wolf responded with a snort, projecting an image of turning its back on Murphy in defiance.

Murphy's temper escalated. His Wolf was again acting strangely. It's actions both erratic and unpredictable was getting on his nerves. What are you hiding?

Until you learn to let go of the past, you are not in a position to accept your future.

What the hell does that mean? Murphy barked at his Wolf half, now totally confused.

You need to work that out. I can't tell you what you should already know.

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Kaitlyn watched in dismay as Murphy's retreating back disappeared, her breath and pulse still raging out of control.

Touching her swollen lips, the memory and reality of what had just happened hit her in full force.

She had been kissed a great many times in her life. Whatever 'that' was, could definitely not be called a kiss. It was in its very own class.

Her breath caught in her lungs as she recalled the raging desire he had so quickly managed to elicit from her. Her whole body had been vibrating in pleasure at such a simple act. Something that others, who had gotten so much further, had not even come close to.

Bringing herself back under control her mind flooded with a multitude of scenarios and his reaction to the kiss.

Closing her eyes Kaitlyn took a deep breath to centre herself. She should be hurt that he broke it off - and seemed to be able to do so easily and without any effort.

However, the reality was - he was correct. It should not have happened. They worked together. She was human, and he was not. A repeat, no matter how pleasurable, could not be allowed to happen. Ever.

Resolute that they were both in agreement on this, Kaitlyn headed back into the house, absently bringing her hands up to touch her lips as she did so. Her subconscious however, ignored her decision and continued to replay the feel of his body and lips against hers.

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A/N. so what did you think ???

... Murphy let his guard down  ... what did you think of their kiss?  Hands up who where shocked it happened ;-)

... who'd a thought that Murphy had a sweet tooth - Baileys Chocolate Cheesecake ... yummm :-)

... and Murphy has a niece he didn't know about.... any other comments ??? ;-)

Don't forget to vote :-) 

Take care and be safe.

~M.