I pawed the ground nervously, my ears flicking back and forth as I tried to separate the sounds of the night from the sounds of Rhodes sneaking around. Normally it wouldn’t take much for my wolf to be able to find our prey, or boyfriend, but Rhodes was being frustratingly stealthy.
I huffed out an annoyed breath and sniffed the air once more as a branch cracked behind me.
Swinging around, I grumbled under my breath. A fox peered at me with wide eyes before whirling and disappearing back into the trees.
Down girl, I ordered my wolf, resisting the urge to give chase.
It was always harder to stop her when we were in wolf form, but ever since I was fourteen, and I lost control of her the one time she smelled a rabbit. I had chased the thing down and had it in my mouth when it let out a God-awful shriek.
I dropped it immediately, wishing like hell I could apologize as its fluffy butt hopped away.
A plaintive chorus of howls echoed in the distance. I cocked my head, listening to the echoes. The pack was on the other side of the mountain, probably headed for the valley near the lake.
This week had been unseasonably warm, and the ice cap around the lake would have melted by now, providing a lot of cold, clear drinking water.
It was exactly where I should have been, but I decided to follow Rhodes when he broke off from the pack a few miles back. We had stayed together until he raced ahead, losing me in the trees.
Another twig snapped, the sound bouncing off the carpet of leaves and sticks that made up the floor of the forest.
Another howl rose up from the pack, and I sighed heavily.
Fine. I would go back and join them.
I turned around and startled at the large brown wolf staring curiously at me. His dark eyes glittered in amusement as he watched me, his tongue lolling out.
Growling, I headbutted Rhodes’ shoulder.
Jerk.
He dipped his massive head, catching me lightly under my jaw and knocking my head up. His tongue swept against the pulse point in my throat.
Nudging my shoulder forward, he moved past me, walking slowly.
I followed behind him, as the treeline cleared, realizing he had led me to one of my favorite places in Blackwater.
There was a tiny, almost hidden, meadow that rested at the base of three mountains. It had the best flowers, and I often hiked out here to take pictures when I was home.
Rhodes stepped out of the way, and I froze, my breath catching at the beautiful sight in front of me.
The meadow was blanketed in a sea of atomic orange and royal purple, tinged with a silvery hue from the full moon hanging high above us. Daylilies were open and full, the petal-arms spread wide as they embraced the night sky.
I stepped further into the clearing, their sweet scent calling to me as I looked around in wonder. It was too early for them to bloom, and the first frost would shatter their beauty.
Fingers stroked the top of my head.
“I came by here last night on patrol,” Rhodes said softly, “and they were blooming. I came up here earlier and brought your camera.”
My head swung around to see him smiling down at me. Smiling and … totally naked.
His eyes narrowed playfully as he shook his hair out of his eyes. “Don’t look at me like that, or this trip will have a whole new purpose. I brought you here so you could finish that portfolio you were working on for your submission into the photography course for next year.”
I had mentioned that course I wanted to take once, several weeks ago when we were hanging out in his garage. He was reattaching a carburetor or something, and was asking me what I was thinking about majoring in.
Education. I loved school, and I wanted to be a teacher like my mom.
But I also loved photography, and I wanted to take a few classes at college this fall. Maybe even minor in it.
And he remembered.
… and I was still staring at him in amazement.
Sighing, Rhodes dropped his arms at his sides, palms up. “Fine. One quickie, but only because you clearly need it before you can get any work done. You’re insatiable.”
Oh, I was the insatiable one?
Challenge, accepted.
I shifted easily, fluidly, standing up and arching my brows.
His gaze heated, sliding across my naked body, lingering on the swells and dips he loved to tease, torment, and devour.
He took a step forward, and I planted a hand on his chest to hold him off.
“My camera?” Thankfully, my voice came out steady because my insides were a jumbled mess of hormones and want.
Now he lifted his brows, his grin unstoppable. “Lark, that’s kinda kinky. But sure, I’m down.”
“Ha, ha.” I rolled my eyes and dropped my hand, unable to keep my gaze from dropping.
Rhodes was anything but down.
“I need my camera for the flowers, Rhodes.”
He looked mortally wounded as he clutched his chest. “Are you saying I’m not as pretty as a flower?”
I laughed, my head falling back. “You’re the worst.”
“I could do my worst,” he teased, reaching for me.
I sidestepped his hands with a giggle. “Or you could get my camera so we can get back before the pack realizes we’re missing,” I retorted. I glanced around, thankful this place was several miles away from the perimeter of the Blackwater borders, so at least we wouldn’t be stumbled upon by someone on patrol.
But my parents were running with the pack, and they would probably notice we were gone.
My cheeks heated. They would definitely have an idea of why we were gone, too, and it probably wouldn’t involve flowers.
He waved a dismissive hand. “We’ll meet up with them on the ridge in an hour, and I told your parents I found this spot earlier. Your mom got me your camera from your room. It only takes fifteen minutes to meet up with them if we cut through the eastern path.”
He had really thought this out. For me.
“I can’t believe you did this.”
His expression melted into something serious and genuine. “I’d do anything for you, baby girl.”
My eyes closed as happiness exploded in my chest, all warm and fuzzy. I licked my lips as I opened my eyes with a nod. “Yeah, that’ll do it.”
His brow furrowed. “Do wha—”
I jumped at him, wrapping my arms around his neck and hooked my legs around his waist, as I pressed my lips to his, climbing up his chest like he was my personal jungle gym.
His hands grabbed my butt, holding my weight as his mouth opened. He gave me control of the kiss for almost a solid two seconds before he took over with a rough groan that set off a thousand tingles in my body.
He shifted my weight to one hand, the other coming up to cradle my jaw and angle my head so he could deepen the kiss while my hands tangled in the soft strands of his hair. He kept saying he needed a haircut, but I liked it longer.
The world spun for a second as he lowered us down, his hand leaving my face so he could balance us before laying me beneath him.
I winced as a rock dug into my back.
He paused, feeling me flinch. Chest heaving, he looked down at me like I was his own personal buffet. “Okay?”
I wiggled my shoulders. “Rock.”
He made a face. “I probably should have brought a blanket.”
“You brought me here to take pictures,” I replied with a smile, “not have sex.”
He barely blinked. “Baby girl, sex was always on the agenda tonight. Although, I kinda pictured it against a tree. We could try that.”
“Tree bark is the last thing I need exfoliating my butt,” I muttered, shaking my head.
“Fine,” he said with a dramatic sigh. The world tilted as he rolled us. I came up on top as he laid against the ground.
I braced my hands on the hard planes of his chest, grinning down at him as I straddled his waist.
“Better?” he asked, smiling.
“Much,” I agreed.<
br />
Another long-suffering sigh. “The things I do for you.”
“You mean the things you do to get laid,” I corrected with a giggle.
His grin was brighter than the moon. “That, too.”
Still laughing, I leaned down and kissed him again. The laugh turned into a moan as his hands slid up my waist, cupping my breasts. His fingers teased my nipples, rolling the tight peaks between the rough pads of his fingers.
I lifted my hips, angling myself until I felt him nudging my entrance. There was no resistance as he slid inside. A delicious fullness filled me, stretching me to the limits, until he was all the way inside.
I broke the kiss with a gasp as sparks of pleasure exploded inside me. “Oh, wow.”
“I think I like letting you do all the work,” he said, his voice sinfully deep and throaty.
My nails dug into the hard muscles of his chest until he hissed. I lifted my hips and slid back down the length of him. My head fell back with a groan, the tips of my hair brushing his thighs.
“Fuck,” he muttered. “Baby, you gotta move.”
I looked down at him. “Do I? Because it seems like when I say that? You go slower.” I rocked my hips against his once.
Darkness glittered in his eyes, his tongue sweeping across his lips. “Not always.”
“Hmm,” I hummed under my breath, rolling my hips again, watching the way his pupils flared.
His lips pulled back, baring his teeth, a second before he levered himself up, wrapping his arms around me until our chests were pressed together.
He kissed me hard, his teeth grabbing my bottom lip and tugging on it as he pulled away. His hands settled on my hips, lifting me up until he nearly slid out of me before jerking me back down.
My head fell forward onto his shoulder, my eyes screwing shut as I whimpered.
With a grunt, he thrust into me, completely taking the rhythm out of my hands until all I could do was take what he gave. Over and over and over.
I wrapped my arms around his shoulders, my nails gouging half-moons into his rippling skin as he surged inside me, grinding me against him with every snap of his hips.
His hand slipped between us, the tip of his finger slipping easily against my clit. Two strokes and I was gone, my body convulsing around him, dragging him over the edge of bliss with me.
Panting, chest heaving, I sagged against him.
His hand traced the ridges of my spine and fisted in my hair, gathering it in his fingers and pulling my head back.
“Okay,” I managed to get out, a loopy, drugged smile on my lips, “your way works, too.”
He chuckled, the warm sound vibrating between us before he kissed me again, slowly. After a second, he lifted me off of him.
I shuddered, my knees shaking as I stood up and waited for him to join me.
He winced, rubbing his ass. “Yeah, next time I’m remembering a blanket.”
I snorted. “Next time, pack a tent. We can spend the night.”
His eyes lit up like a kid at Christmas. “I love your brain, Lark.”
“Good,” I said, kissing his shoulder. “Now where’s my camera?”
He kissed my forehead and headed for a tree, reaching behind it for the waterproof case I kept my camera in when it wasn’t sitting in its designated spot on a shelf in my room.
After unlocking the case, he handed it to me.
I turned it on, adjusted the settings and lens before crouching down and snapping a few test shots. I looked at the images I had taken on the small screen, analyzing the lighting as Rhodes came up behind me, sweeping my hair to the side and kissing my neck.
I smiled. “That’s not helping.”
“You taste good,” he muttered, his tongue licking across my skin in a long pass.
With a shriek, I twisted away. “Stop. I need to focus.”
Holding up his hands, he took a big step back. “Fine.”
Biting my lip to keep from laughing again, I focused on the camera, tweaking a few settings before settling in and taking a few pictures. Wide shots, detailed shots.
I lost myself to the beauty of my subject and the steady click of the lens shuttering.
“We need to get going soon,” Rhodes called.
I turned from where I had wandered to the middle of the meadow. His body was all angles and shadows, the moonlight catching a few places and hiding the rest.
“Can you do me a favor?” I asked softly.
“Anything.” There was zero hesitation in him as he answered me.
“Shift.”
His eyebrows rose. “Are you sure? Won’t your teachers ask how you got so close to a dangerous predator?”
“Not for them,” I replied, holding the camera to my chest. “These are for me. I want a picture of you in my favorite place.”
A tiny smile hooked up one corner of his mouth. A second later, his wolf was in front of me, watching curiously.
I lifted the camera again taking a few shots that would never make it into any public viewing. These were mine. I would look at them and remember this night for the rest of our lives.
Once I was done, I walked back to him, kneeling down to put the camera away.
His cold nose pressed against my shoulder, and I leaned into him, letting his fur warm my skin. I inhaled deeply, my eyes closed, as I committed this night to memory so I could relive it over and over.
I locked the camera case and put it back behind the tree. Maybe I could convince him to hike back up here with me tomorrow to get it. Or we could take one of the four wheelers the betas sometimes used to pack a picnic and hang out all day.
“I guess we should get back,” I said reluctantly, turning around.
His shoulders lifted and fell as he exhaled hard.
I crossed back to him and knelt until we were eye level before taking his face in my hands. I smoothed a hand over his soft fur.
“Thank you for this.”
He let out a rumbling groan, leaning his head into my touch.
I pressed a quick kiss against his muzzle. “I love you.”
His eyes met mine, and I could see that same love reflected back at me.
Closing my eyes, I focused on shifting. My bones warmed, twisting and reforming faster than I could track, until I was on four legs again.
As I shook out my fur, I opened my eyes to look at Rhodes.
My breath caught as the world shattered around us. The ground trembled, and I almost fell over from the force of it. As fast as it happened, everything sucked right back in, imploding around us.
Everything fell silent. Even the trees stopped moving as the breeze disappeared.
My eyes locked on Rhodes, and it all made sense.
Mate.
Acknowledgments
Sitting here writing this a few days before the world closes the book on 2020, I’m amazed that I’m even here, trying to organize my messy thoughts.
God; my Provider, Savior, and Sustainer has seen me through these crazy months. It’s through Him I find my strength, and Him who gave me the gift of being able to create worlds and characters.
I owe so many people a thank you (and more) for helping this book see the light of day.
My family: My amazing mom, Cheryl, and my incredible father, Butch. You two are everything to me. Thank you for always believing in me and cheering me on; for keeping me grounded and letting me dream. My not-so-little-brother, Micah; you are one of the best men I know. My sisters, Sherry & Tricia; thanks for a childhood of laughter. My sister (in so much more than law), Lauren; thank you for always being at the ready with a meme and a prayer. My beautiful nieces, Aria & Nora: I didn’t know how incomplete our family was until you two came into it.
The 3 people who breathed as much life into this book as I did (either by text, phone, or hugs): Krista Davis, Vonetta Young, and Chris La Forest.
My own Inner Sanctum: Tracy Kirby, Valerie Fink, Jessica Baker, Kayleigh Gore, Asis Gonzalez, Lisa Carina Gaibler, and Katie Akers. Special shout-out to Ricarda Berg
er who’s eagle eyes caught a multitude of last minute typos that saved all of our eyes.
My facebook Blackwater Pack Group: THANK YOU. You all mean the world to me. Thanks for letting me tell you a story, and for being excited with me every step of the way. Thank you for spreading the word.
For anyone reading this right now? You’re amazing. Thank you so, so much.
About the Author
Hannah McBride has been many things in her life: a restaurant manager, a clinical research coordinator, a dreamer, a makeup brand ambassador, an event coordinator, a blogger, and more. But at heart, she's always been a writer, and in 2020 she decided to make it official. Good luck stopping her now.
Also by Hannah McBride
Blackwater Pack Series:
SANCTUM
BROKEN
PREY
LEGACY (coming May 2021)
For giveaways, teasers, and overall fangirling about the series, join our Facebook Group:
BLACKWATER PACK
Prey (Blackwater Pack Book 2) Page 45