Remembering what Jill said about lowering his eyes, Damien spoke to Holt. “Thank you, sir.”
Holt let out a hearty laugh. “No need for formalities, my friend. Anyone that is the mate of Jillian Styles lowers his eyes to no one. The legendary lycan has all of our respect, it is an honor to have you here.”
“Mate? Wait, I’m not…” A hard hit on his back made him choke on his own breath.
“No need to be shy. We all know what’s going on. Jill’s clearly courting you, it’s no secret.” Holt continued patting Damien’s back, his arm going around his neck.
“My alpha, Damien is my boyfriend, not my mate. I wasn’t going to tell him I was courting him until Christmas.” Jill addressed Holt, a hint of embarrassment in the form of a blush fell across her face.
“Whoops, guess I gave it away. Sorry about that. Congratulations, Mr. Pierce, you’ve successfully done what most of us couldn’t.” Holt released Damien, walking away still laughing.
Jill helped Damien back to his feet. “Apologies for that. Holt is a bit forward.”
Damien didn’t say anything. Not only could he still not breath from the hard hits Holt administered but he was shocked to learn that Jill had apparently been courting him. Whatever that meant.
“Friends! Sons of Tenebris, daughters of Luna, we have two very special individuals among us. Jillian Styles, the lycan of legend has graced us with her presence. She brings with her, her mate, Damien Pierce. You will show them honor, you will show them respect and dignity or you will answer to the alphas among you. Alexander Kain, Gabriel Locke or myself.” Howls joined claps and hollers as the lycans acknowledged Holt's speech.
Jill shook her head, taking Damien’s hand. “We have some time, would you like to see one of my favorite places? Don’t worry about what Holt said.”
“Uh, sure. Jill, what does courting mean? To a lycan. I know to humans, it’s dating but what is it to you?” Damien asked, a bit nervous as to what her answer would be.
“It’s almost the same. Only for us, it’s when we’re intending to take the one we’re courting as our mate. I really wasn’t going to say anything until Christmas. Holt just beat me to it.”
Damien wasn’t sure what he thought. He loved Jill, that much he knew but all of this was still a bit overwhelming to him.
“Damien, courting doesn’t mean immediate commitment. Like humans, lycans take our time courting each other. We don’t date multiple individuals. Most of the time, we court who we want to mate with.” Jill said, trying to ease the tension she could see in Damien’s eyes.
They walked in silence, both thinking about what their future together might be.
Chapter Eleven
Jill led Damien to a place so beautiful, it took his breath away. Weeping willows shielded a small pond from one side while the other was a rock ledge covered in vine flowers and brush kissed with the wisps of winter frost.
A waterfall cascaded over the rocks turning into a soft mist before churning water so clear you could almost see to the bottom. Small hints of steam rose up from the water.
The smell of the flowers mixed with the soft hint of the winter chill and the leaves and bark of the weeping willow. It was a relaxing scent that eased the tension in Damien’s body as he looked around.
He nearly lost his footing when his eyes fell back on Jill.
She had stripped down to her underwear and bra and stepped into the water up to her waist. Her raven hair fell in silken waves down her porcelain back. The scars a faded pink against it.
The light of the moon pulled the blue highlights out of her hair, illuminating her icy green eyes.
Christ, she was perfect. Damien stood frozen at her beauty. His head fighting the heated need nagging his groin.
Jill turned to meet Damien’s gaze, smiling at the look of wonder she saw in his eyes. She held out her hand, inviting him to join her. “Well, are you going to stand there like a handsome statue or are you going to join me? This spring is warm for most of the year. It feels good on your skin.”
Damien hurriedly stripped down to his underwear, joining Jill to find it was almost like a hot spring only a bit cooler. The gentle warmth of the water relaxed his frayed nerves and eased his tense muscles.
Jill felt so full of love as her cheek met his chest, savoring the beat of his heart. Her hand rested on his pectoral muscle to feel the rise and fall of each breath. The other rested upon his hip, feeling the indention of the bone against the muscle. The soft murmur of his blood as it moved through his veins relieved her to know he was still alive. The easy beat of his heart comforted her, bringing forth a sigh as she closed her eyes.
Damien raised her face to embrace her mouth with his, savoring the feeling of desire that radiated from her kiss. All doubt melted into nothing as his tongue explored her sweet recesses. His hand traveled down her side to her lower back, his fingers flattened over her tailbone.
Gently he pushed to bring her into his body as far as he could. His other hand caressed her face and neck. Their bodies fit so perfectly into each other it was if they were made to be together.
Damien didn’t know how but it was like he’d been waiting for Jill.
The pain, the loneliness, the awkward feeling of not belonging all disappeared in this moment when he allowed himself to truly be with her. No longer did he want to hold back his feelings. She'd shown him her world, opened herself to him willingly despite the slight fear of what he would think or do when she did.
Damien lifted Jill’s legs over his hips, the water helped him handle her weight even further as his hand held the soft cheek of her rear end. His thumb savored the soft skin of her thigh.
Jill’s fingers tangled through the strands of Damien’s soft hair. The feeling of his muscles as they tightened and relaxed under her hand excited her. His lips felt gentle against the skin of her neck, sending shivers down her spine.
The smell of him filled her nostrils, intoxicating her and raising her desire further. She had to be careful to keep control to avoid hurting him. Her hands ran over every dip and rise of the muscles of his arms.
Damien’s mouth on her collarbone made it hard for Jill not to grip his arm so hard it could bruise.
Damien grasped Jill’s hair, his fingers savoring the soft, raven strands that possessed his dreams almost every night after he first saw her on the college campus.
The feeling of needing to know her burned inside of him until he caught her in his room on their first night together. Then it wasn’t a matter of needing. He wanted to know her.
Everything felt right with Jill. She filled the holes in his heart he didn’t think anyone would ever be able to heal. She understood him on a level no one, not even his parents, could.
When their eyes met, they were dazed and full of the hidden desires they both knew existed for each other. A deep desire neither one of them could fight much longer.
Damien rested his forehead against Jill’s, his eyes closing. “I love you.” He said, his hand stroking the soft skin of Jill’s face.
“I love you too.” Jill smiled, her mouth once again meeting his in a sweet embrace.
They held each other close for what seemed like hours, their kisses warm and deep, the heat of their bodies mixed with the heat of the water.
A soft howl rose across the wind, grabbing Jill’s attention.
“That was Kain. We better go.”
Damien kissed her lips one last time, upset that he had to let her go. He wanted to make love to her.
Damn. He thought as he watched Jill get out of the water, shaking before getting dressed.
A thought came to him as he put his own clothes on, having to go commando since he didn’t have a change of underwear. He didn’t really care since he knew what Jill was getting for Christmas and it wasn’t going to be courting.
****
When they got back, Kain met them at the camp. He wasn't wearing any clothing since he'd just shifted back to human form after calling Jill. Damien turned his eye
s away still embarrassed since the idea of being naked in front of a stranger was still new to him. Jill wrapped her arms around Kain's waist.
“You almost missed us leaving. I am glad you heard my call.” Jill kissed Kain's cheek.
“I wouldn't miss this, Kain.” She turned back to look at Damien. “Ready to see your first, First Moon?”
Damien didn't know what to expect. He was still trying to get over how open the lycans were with their sensual touching. It made him jealous to see Kain's hands on Jill's lower back.
“Well, ready is a bit strong but I am curious.” Damien replied, pulling Jill away from Kain, his hand going around her waist.
Jill chuckled at Damien’s sudden display of possession. “That's a start.”
As they walked away from him, Damien couldn't help but see the look of heartache on Kain's face.
“Wait, Jill. I'll meet you there. I want to talk to Kain.”
Jill nodded, confused. Shifting into her wolf form, she joined the others already walking behind Holt, Cade and Gabriel.
Damien walked up to Kain, careful to avoid looking into his eyes. “Kain...I'm...”
“She chose you. There's nothing to be sorry for. You make her happier than I have ever seen her. I will always love Jillian but I know now I could never give her what she needed. You complete her, Damien. That is what is important.”
“Still.”
“Don't. You're a good man. I can accept defeat from someone with such a strong heart and will. Just treat her right and give her strong pups.” Kain choked on a chuckle at the look on Damien's face.
“Oh, they are coming. All lycan females want pups. It's just a matter of time.” He patted Damien's shoulder. “Come on, I will show you where you're going.”
Damien's mouth stayed agape the whole way. He wasn’t even thinking about having pups, yet. He’d just decided when he was going to have sex with Jill the first time. Lycan or not, if she wanted pups, she was going to have to wait.
“We are here.” Kain's voice served to help Damien return to the moment.
The place they arrived at was a wide-open circle of trees.
The moon shone like a spotlight over a large stone that overlooked a smaller circle formed from a barrier of smaller rocks. It had been cleared of debris almost as if it were sacred.
“I have to go. As an alpha, I have to be present for the changing. Jillian's coming your way.” Kain shifted into a beautiful sandy coated wolf much larger than Jill in size.
In her own wolf form, she lowered her head to her alpha, whimpering in submission to his position. Damien could swear he saw Kain smile before he walked off.
Jill snuggled up close to Damien’s side, her muzzle meeting his stomach. She closed her eyes as his hands ran through her obsidian fur. The sensation pleasing her to the point of joyful whimpering.
Holt stood above the packs in wolf form as the different pups of both species, human and lycan shifted in front of the alphas. Kain and Gabriel stood on either side of Holt, each greeting the pups of their packs with playful nuzzles.
Damien couldn’t believe what he was seeing. The children he saw earlier shifted clumsily into wolves in front of his eyes. The pups shifted into human form, each jumping for joy to try and please their leaders.
It continued until each one had met the alpha of their pack, lowering their eyes and showing their allegiance.
Once the last pup was inducted into its pack, Jill took Damien over to a mother who had newborn pups nursing.
“We can give birth either way. It depends on how we are when we're ready to have them. Some of us have them like this, others as human babies.” She handed the small ball of fuzz to Damien. It looked like a regular puppy to him only slightly bigger, yawning as it snuggled into his chest.
“We aren't so different, Damien. Luna has just blessed us with the ability to change into the lords of the night. We still have our children and love them just as any human would. We aren't the monsters we’re made out to be.” Jill knelt down, petting each pup. They squeaked and wiggled at her touch.
Damien's looked down at the little whimpering fuzz ball asleep against his chest.
“Seems she likes you.” Jill said, smiling, her cheek coming to rest on Damien’s shoulder.
“She?”
“Yes, that's a little girl. The mother told me she had four girls and three boys.” Jill took the pup from Damien and gave her back to her mother.
“You can have that many?” Damien asked, sort of worried at the idea.
“Sometimes but it’s rare nowadays. Most of us only have two or three. Lately, we haven’t been able to keep them alive. Having more is beneficial and increases their chances to reach the age to change. Our kind is dying, Damien. The vampires are killing us faster than we can produce. Most of those pups you saw won’t make it to even a year old.”
The sad tone in Jill’s voice tore at Damien’s heart. Her kind were in trouble and he didn’t know how to help though he wanted to.
Damien didn’t really speak much on the way back to Holt’s camp. Jill walked beside him in her wolf form, Kain on his other side.
After they arrived back at the encampment, Damien spent time with Jill, Holt and Kain for the rest of the night. Each one taught him about lycan culture. Explaining how they were different from vampires while the mothers all put their little ones to bed before sun rise.
The more he learned the more he realized how wrong the stories and lore were. Humanity made them out to be snarling monsters looking to kill when they wanted. They confused the lycans with werewolves.
When Jill came up to Damien, he was about out cold from being so exhausted. “Come with me. Holt says he has a tent we can stay in for the night.”
Jill led Damien to a large tent near the base of a tree. On the outside, it looked like a nomad’s living quarters with meat and fish hanging from poles set to dry in the sun. The door was a flap that could be zipped like a modern tent but inside it was larger than he expected, as if it were a one room house.
Jill undressed, crawling underneath one of the thick blankets on the floor.
Damien lay on the blanket next to her in his jeans. “You know, as amazing as this all is, I have to admit. I'm a bit overwhelmed.”
Jill turned over, reaching out to pet Damien's face. “Take it slow and handle what you can. I know you’ve been through a lot lately. This would be too much for me too if I were in your shoes.”
Damien raised up to rest his head in his hand. “I have to be getting back tomorrow. I’m sure Dad’s worried since Chelsea’s been missing for so long.”
Jill sighed. “I know. Just let me have tonight beside you.”
Damien smiled. He got up to get behind her, using his own blanket to cover up and falling asleep to the sounds of the night.
Chapter Twelve
The following morning was bitterly cold. The bite of the wind whistled through the trees, muffling out the sound of the morning animals as they began their daily search for food.
The sun was well into the sky, casting the different colors of the fabrics of the tent across the floor.
Damien woke up in the soft fur bed he fell asleep in, not realizing where he was at first. He hadn't gotten the chance to take a detailed look since he was so tired the night before.
The floors were adorned with decorative rugs depicting all kinds of different patterns. One in particular was a deep red with golden patterns that had what looked like tribal wolves woven into what appeared to be flower petals.
The walls had different furs hanging from wooden poles, all from all varieties of animals. In the corner was a small area someone could make coffee and enjoy a good book.
All together it was very homey.
Jill was already awake, letting Damien sleep after the late night they'd had. As his vision became clearer, he began remembering the events of the previous night. Damien remembered how close he was to making love with her only to be suddenly ripped away. Honestly, it seemed like a pattern in
their history together. They rarely were alone when they wanted to be.
He’d seen the lycan children weaving in and out of the tents. Their mothers talked in both wolf and human form like they were speaking the same language.
Damien’s heart ached at the pain in Jill’s voice when she spoke of the situation her people were in. She’d mentioned the odds of the little pup he’d held living to reach a year old were slim to none.
Jill walked in with some breakfast, sitting down on the ground in front of Damien. “Good morning. I hope you rested well.”
“It was okay. Thank you for breakfast.” Damien replied, his voice sullen.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. Just needing some coffee is all.” Damien lied to avoid worrying Jill. From the raised brow on her face he was pretty sure she didn’t believe him.
Jill kissed his cheek. “Try to eat. I'll take you home after you've had time to get some food.”
She got up to go meet Holt and Kain about trying to get Damien some clean clothes. Much to Damien’s dismay, he might have to settle for wearing Gabriel’s again.
****
When they pulled up to the house, Damien hesitated, staring out of the window towards the wooden door he’d gone through so many times. Only now it was almost intimidating. He still had no idea how he was going to explain Jill or where he’d been.
Sighing, he got out to head up the wooden stairs leading to the door.
Jill stayed in the car. She knew this was already hard enough for Damien. Her kind didn't reveal themselves to strangers too often unless the situation called for it.
“Damien!” Charlie hugged his son close to him. “Where have you been?”
“Sorry, dad. I know it's been a while. I've been staying with Kain. Where he lives doesn’t have the best cell phone service. I did text you though.” A sense of guilt filled Damien for keeping his father in the dark but he thought it would keep him safe.
Charlie patted his son's shoulder. “Right. You did but still, I’m going to give Alex a piece of my mind the next time I see him.”
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