by Helen Scott
"This is how it is," he replied, smiling up at me.
I leaned down and brushed my lips against his before saying, "If you want me to be on top, you only have to ask."
"I like the noise you make when you're surprised."
I could see that it was the truth. He really did like the noises I made, and not just when I was surprised either—I knew that. He liked the noises I made in bed, too. It was that thought that had me rolling my hips against him.
"You're so fucking gorgeous, Nina," Blake breathed as he stared up at me, my hair falling around us like a curtain, blocking out the rest of the world.
"You're not so bad yourself, handsome," I replied, leaning down to kiss him again.
I pushed my hands up under the hem of his t-shirt and let my fingers skate over the soft skin of his abdomen and up his chest as I worked his shirt off. As soon as his nipples were free, I leaned down and placed delicate kisses on each of them, which resulted in his skin breaking out into goosebumps.
He moaned softly, and I wriggled down his body until I could get to the waistband of his shorts, which I grabbed, along with his boxers, and pulled down, freeing his erection. His cock was a thing of beauty, and I couldn't help but to take it into my mouth, swirling my tongue over the tip as I tasted the saltiness of his skin.
The minute I did, I knew I wanted to taste him completely—to have him come in my mouth. I took him in as deeply as I could, lowering my mouth over him and sucking as I pulled back up.
"Nina," Blake groaned. "You keep doing that and I won't last long enough to fuck you."
I let his cock pop from my mouth and said, "I want to suck you off."
He stared at me for a moment as though he was trying to tell how serious I was. When he realized I wasn't joking he said, "Then I want you to sit on my face while you do it."
We stared at each other for a while, each trying to determine if the other was serious. It turned out we both were. I shrugged and said, "If that's what you want."
Blake just nodded, and I pushed to my feet, pulled down the boxers and the panties I'd been sleeping in and sat back down right over his face. The hot wetness of his tongue shouldn't have surprised me, but it did. I rolled my hips and felt him growl, the rumble coming up through his mouth and hitting my folds like a damn vibrator.
I sat there and enjoyed the sensation for a moment before leaning down and taking him back into my mouth. As I swirled my tongue around the ridge of his cock, I tried not to get distracted by the sensations of him licking my pussy, but when he pushed two fingers in, it started to feel like he was cheating.
It wasn't that we were in a competition, but I wanted to win nonetheless. So, I swallowed him down deeper than ever before as I cupped his balls and tugged on them slightly. I felt his mouth break away from my pussy, and I wanted to grin in satisfaction. His fingers started working double time, though, thrusting in and out of me almost as hard and fast as his cock would have.
I needed to up my game, so although I'd been taking him in my mouth completely, I pushed past that and took him all the way down into my throat until my nose touched his balls without me holding them.
He groaned and I felt a hand land on the back of my head as his hips flexed upward, pushing him even further down. It wasn't the most comfortable thing in the world, but if it got him off, I could withstand a few moments of this. After all, I'd done it for Roman when he fucked my mouth last time.
A moment later, I pulled back, needing to breathe. He didn't resist and instead refocused on pleasuring me. Blake's fingers were doing insane things inside me, and his lips and tongue seemed to be glued to my clit somehow. All the sensations he was giving me made me pause, and a;though I had his cock in my hand, I couldn't quite get it to my mouth again because I was too busy panting and moaning.
When he paused for a second, presumably to catch his breath or rest his tongue, I continued my ministrations. I pushed down, taking him completely into my mouth and using my tongue to play with what would be the top side of his cock, which made him groan and thrust upward. I took a breath and let him, pushing my mouth and throat down over his cock once more.
"Holy fuck, Nina," he muttered behind me.
His hand was in my hair once more and he flexed his ass, pushing just a little bit further into me. I held there, letting him do what felt good until I needed to breathe. As I pulled away, I tried not to gag, not wanting him to think I was going to vomit on his cock or something. Once I was ready, I pushed down again, and this time he was more forceful with his thrusts. I knew he was getting close, but I also knew I'd need to breathe before he could finish.
"I'm so close, love. Fuck," Blake groaned.
I pulled back once more and focused on the head of his cock, sucking on just that and circling my tongue around it. I played with the ridge and that flat bit where it smoothed out to the shaft of his cock, then I flicked the tip of my tongue across it. When I pushed down again, I repeated the action until I was as far down as I could go. Blake's hand wound through my hair and held me there. He thrust upward a few more times before I felt his whole body tense and he spilled himself down my throat in hot jets.
When he was done, I pulled back and lay there for a moment, pleased that I'd been able to get him off with just my mouth. When I moved to get up, his hands gripped my hips and he growled, "Your turn."
Without hesitation, he began working me like he knew every button to press and every nerve ending to stroke, and it was only moments before I felt my orgasm building within me. The low pressure had me pushing back on him, trying to get friction where I wanted it the most. Fortunately, Blake understood my needs and gave me what I wanted. His fingers were almost vicious with how fast they were working me, and his tongue was unrelenting on my clit.
I was almost there when he scraped his teeth over that little bundle of nerves he'd been playing with, and a scream of pleasure launched from my lips. My body bucked against him, and as I came, he didn't stop fucking me with his fingers, drawing out my climax and sensitizing me to the point that any small movement had my body twitching and spasming.
Pleasure overload.
It was like my brain had short circuited, and I was face down and drooling on his cock, which was not as uncomfortable as it sounded. He pushed me up so he could shimmy out from under me before he picked me up and tucked me against him. His arms circled me, and he kissed the side of my head, smoothing some of my sweaty hair down as he did so, while my legs rested across his lap and my head on his shoulder.
"I've never done that before," he whispered as though it was some big secret.
"Sixty-nined?" I asked, feeling confused. I wasn't stupid; I knew my mates had been with other partners before me, just like I had before them. We didn't talk about it much, because we were all the jealous, possessive types, but it was interesting to hear this confession.
"I've never had an orgasm from a blow job."
"You've never come from a blow job," I repeated, shocked.
"I guess I needed you. What you did, I've never experienced anything like it. I hope I wasn't too rough," he said, his words rushing at the end as though he'd just realized that I could have been hurt.
"You think I'd let you if I didn't want you to?" I asked, pulling back and raising my eyebrows at him in challenge. "What we just did was amazing and fun, and I want you to ask whenever you want to do it again. I want to feel you come down my throat again. I want to taste you on my tongue. Don't ever feel like you can't ask for what you want with me, okay?" I cupped the side of his face and stared at him, trying to make sure he knew how serious I was.
"The same goes for you, love. If you want me to eat you out for hours on end, you let me know. Gods, you taste fucking amazing, especially when you come. I want to have you dripping down my face one of these days." He squeezed me tightly and added, "I will do whatever you want, whenever you want, wherever you want, within reason. All you ever have to do is ask or tell me what you need."
My heart felt like it constri
cted and swelled all at once. He was what I needed. They all were. Each of them gave me so much of themselves; I only hoped that they were happy with what they got of me.
"Do you think I wore you out enough for you to get some sleep?"
I nodded against his shoulder, already feeling unconsciousness dragging at me. "So long as Skuld doesn't visit my dreams again."
11
Nina
When I woke up the next morning, it was early. I felt like I hadn’t gotten any sleep at all, if I was honest. Between my activities with Blake and my dream with Skuld, everything about the night before seemed to involve me not truly sleeping or resting. I didn't mind, though. I wouldn't trade my time with Blake for anything. When I did wake, though, I was the only one that actually woke up this time; nobody else was awake.
It was just me and the peaceful morning light streaming through the leaves on the trees as I stepped out of the tent flap. I wanted to let the guys sleep in as much as I could. After all, they’d had just as much of a stressful time as I had. We were fortunate that, when we’d been planning to meet with Jax, we’d been able to do some preparations of our own, including planting the tent and our supplies in a place where we knew we would be able to get to them if we couldn't return to the hotel room, which of course, we hadn’t been able to do.
I slipped out of the shorts and tank top I’d put on when I went back to bed after my time with Blake, and I transformed into my wolf, shaking out my fur and taking big, deep breaths of the morning air, scenting all the different creatures and plants—everything that the forest had to offer. I wasn't going to go far, just far enough to satisfy my need to run.
As I looked around the campsite a few times, my wolf’s paws gently padding on the earth, I felt the desire to hunt, which wasn't something I had ever experienced before. Mentally, I wasn't prepared for that. Roman hunted well, and so did most of the other guys, but I had never experienced it.
The scent of rabbit caught my wolf's nose, and I began to follow it, unable to resist the lure. Instinct had me following the rabbit until I knew it was close enough that I could pounce on it. When it saw me, it froze, its eyes going wide. Its heart pitter-pattered in its chest at such a rapid rate, I thought I would give it a heart attack rather than actually killing it myself. Just the thought was too much.
I'd be forever grateful to the guys for hunting while we were on the run, but now we didn’t need to since we had our supplies. There were rashers of bacon, a carton of eggs, and even frozen waffles back at the campsite. I couldn't justify killing this rabbit just because I felt the urge to as my wolf. Besides, we had experienced enough death and danger already. I didn't want to add to it. So, I backed away and turned before I ran back to the tent in our campsite. When I got there, I was relieved to find that the guys were all still asleep.
I pulled some of the food out and began to cook it over the fire. We had banked it overnight, but there were still some embers in the very center that I was able to stoke back up. As I listened to the bacon sizzle and the eggs pop and crack over the heat, I couldn't help but realize that I was just as responsible for my mates as they were for me. I needed to protect them just like they protected me. It wasn't that I had never had this thought before. But now, for some reason—especially with the information about marking my mates and my mates making me—it felt all the more relevant. I would do everything I could to keep them safe. And if they wanted us to mark each other, then we could do that. I never wanted to be captured by Jax. I never wanted to be owned by him. But I also wouldn't force anybody to tie their life to mine—not if they didn't want to. And I wouldn't think any less of them for it either.
It was hard to imagine something like that, where one life depends on the other. But I had no doubt that Skuld was telling the truth. She wouldn't lie to me. She was depending on me too much.
Once the eggs were done, I scooped them onto one of the small plates we had packed, covering it so they would stay at least a little warm. The bacon still needed a little more time, but I figured I could add the waffles to the pan, as well as the breakfast sausage. I wanted to show them that I could care for them just as they cared for me.
This was a two-way street. It wasn’t just them picking up after me, rescuing me, and taking care of all of us. I wanted to care for them just as much. I just hadn't had the opportunity to show them that yet. The tent flap opened, and Denver's had peeked out.
“That smells amazing,” he said as he stumbled toward me, his hair all mussed from sleep. He wasn't the only one awake either. The rest of them filed out one by one until they all sat around the campfire and I was dishing out eggs, bacon, sausage, and waffles. We even had one of those stove-top espresso makers we set on over the campfire, where the coffee bubbled over from the bottom container into the top one. It let the guys have a little bit of a pick me up first thing in the morning, which I knew they appreciated. We couldn’t carry this stuff around with us all the time, but we knew where to stash things now. We knew how to hide. It was a lesson I wish we hadn't had to learn, but learn it we did.
They were mostly eating in silence and sipping their coffees. Occasionally, I brewed some more. The words began to bubble up in my throat, and I wasn't sure if I should say them or just keep my mouth shut. But eventually, I caught Roman watching me with suspicion, and I knew that they were already aware I had something to say. I might as well get it out there.
Once I was done chewing on a piece of waffle I said, “Thank you for everything you've done for me. Thank you for taking care of me, feeding me, clothing me, protecting me, saving my life, and supporting me as we go through this insanity. Thank you for all of it. I cannot find the words to thank you enough or tell you how much I love you, all of you.” I paused for a second, making sure I still had control of my emotions before adding, “I know how lucky I am to have each of you, and I would die to protect you.”
“Where's all this coming from, love?” Blake asked.
“I had a dream visit from Skuld. She told me a little bit more about Freya and our connection with one another. It just made me realize how lucky I am and how grateful I am to have all of you around me. None of you abandoned me just because of this multiple mate thing, which is what has happened in the past, according to Skuld.”
“Of course we’re standing with you, mate,” Micah said. “I love you, beautiful.”
“I'd never be anywhere else but by your side,” Tate spoke up next.
“I'd never be able to walk away from you; you're my mate. There's nothing else to it. Whether you have five mates or twenty or two, it doesn't matter. You're still my mate, and I love you with every fiber of my being. And I will protect you with every fiber of my being.” Blake’s voice was so impassioned it made my heart clench.
“Obviously, I'm with you since I left my pack. I hope you realize that. I hope you know that, even though we are still getting to know one another, I do care deeply for you,” Denver said.
I nodded at him, smiling a little shyly.
Finally, Roman looked at me, and I knew he didn't have to say anything. Yet he did. “I have loved you since I first laid eyes on you in that godforsaken oil change shop, when you practically threw a pen at me and kicked me out. Even then, I knew there was something there. I knew you weren't just a human woman. There was something different about you, and I had actually planned on talking to you about it when I came back to pick up my car. But then I chickened out, which is something I regret, and I can't help wondering what would have happened differently if I had forced you to look at me and talk to me.”
“That first time we met…” I shook my head as I spoke. “I never would have looked at you. You would have had to hold me down and pry my eyes open. I was terrified.”
He nodded in understanding. “That doesn't mean the urge to find out more about you wasn't still there. But right now, as much as I would like to continue this love fest, I think we should get ready to leave. After all, we've got to get out to my pack…my old pack's territory.�
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I nodded, and we began packing up our breakfast things and our tent and making sure everything was tucked away—hidden from prying eyes and, hopefully, talented trackers, so we could come back and find it again later. We also changed, and I put on the cleanest clothes I had and got myself as mentally ready as I could for what was about to happen.
I just wish I knew for sure what I was supposed to do. I wish Skuld had shared that little tidbit with me, but I had a feeling she was telling me exactly what I needed to know, when I needed to know it, and I just had to let go and trust in the process. I've never been good at trusting people or processes. I’m too independent. I just hoped I could change and learn to trust again.
12
Nina
We each had a small pack with us as we left our little campsite. Everything was cleaned up, and the fire had been thoroughly stamped out. There definitely weren't going to be any forest fires started because we were careless. We were all ready for the day—for the walk to Roman and Micah's old pack. Their territory wasn't too far from here, and it was a beautiful day, so I wasn't complaining.
The walk was going to take us most of the day and, in some ways, I was grateful, since it gave me a chance to burn off some of the nervous energy running through my system before we got there. I just wished my emotions weren't constantly swinging between being confident we were going to be able to accomplish this and terrified that we were going to be turned in to Jax.
I knew if the latter happened, we'd figure it out. That was what we did, but I really didn't want to risk it. There wasn't another option, though, at least not as far as I could see. And I was sure if the guys had thought of something, they would have suggested it as well. It wasn't like we were all adrenaline junkies that got off on putting each other's lives in danger.
Roman and Micah's pack had already kicked us out once. They had insulted us and said we were perverting the mate bond. If they felt that way after just one more mate, then I hated to think how they'd feel about us now, when I had five.