by West, Tara
“I was hoping you’d say that.” He caressed her jaw, and her eyelids fluttered. “I’m going to take your mind off everything but me.”
“You think so?” She bit her lip, then let out a gasp when he reached between them and rubbed her clit.
“I know so.” He chuckled.
She spread her legs for him, and he worked his magic with deft fingers. “What do you have in mind?”
“For starters,” he said, trailing heat-searing kisses down her neck, “your favorite position.”
“Oh.” She knew the exact position he was talking about. They didn’t get to do it often, since they rarely had sex alone anymore.
She fell back against the pillow when he kissed down her collar bone to her breasts, sucking one and then the other, until the nipples were impossibly hard. Then he kissed farther down, planting his face between her thighs and swirling his tongue around her clit. She bucked against him, wanting so badly for him to fill her but not wanting him to stop either.
He worked her into a frenzy, bringing her to the precipice of an orgasm before pulling away and chuckling when she swore. The air whooshed from her lungs when he flipped her onto her knees. She arched back, giving him easy access and letting out a groan of satisfaction when he entered her. He lifted her, holding onto her breasts while she straddled his thighs. She laid her head back against his shoulder, and he pumped into her with short, hard thrusts. One hand pinched her nipple, stretching her tender flesh until she hissed, then he repeated the action on the other breast. His other hand worked its way down her stomach and found her sweet spot, circling her swollen flesh while he continued moving inside her weeping channel. She wrapped around him like a tight glove while he fucked her.
The building climax was unlike anything she’d ever experienced, and she knew without a doubt she was about to have the most intense pleasure of her life. Just when she thought she was about to reach her peak, he took her higher. She finally fell off the cliff with a silent scream, the intensity having robbed her of her voice. She stilled while the orgasm held her in its clutches, driving through her like a jolt of electricity, splitting her open, lighting every nerve ending in her body, and setting her on fire.
When she could speak again, she cried her lover’s name over and over while he banged her, setting off another wave of euphoria each time his thick head pounded into her womb. Just when she thought she’d expire from joy, he came, spilling his seed into her.
They collapsed on the mattress, panting like animals. After they cuddled and teased each other with pets and kisses, he pulled out and spun her around, lifting her leg over his hip and burying himself deep inside her once more. They kissed deeply, passionately, moaning into each other’s mouths, desire stirring again.
I never feel more complete than when I’m inside you, he said in her mind.
I wish we never had to part, she answered, feeling guilty for favoring Drasko over her other mates. She knew it was an effect of her blossoming womb, but for the moment, she only wanted him.
We have two days together, my love. He deepened the kiss, wrapping his arms around her, flattening her breasts against his hard chest and probing her dripping channel with his thick erection. Two days for me to show you just how much I love you.
She wanted more than two days, but as Drasko stroked the embers of her desire once again, she focused on achieving that next climax. Hot damn, it felt good to be loved by her second alpha.
THOUGH SHE WAS FAMISHED, and she desperately needed to drain her swollen breasts, she was too tired to drag herself from bed. Drasko looked just as exhausted, heavy bags framing his eyes and his hollow cheeks reminding her of Luc after a mission, but he carried her downstairs without complaint.
She sat on an ice pack, Hrod feeding from her breasts while Rone spoon-fed her warm moose chili. It took forever for Hrod to drain her. Poor babe. The goat milk Rone had been feeding him in her absence obviously wasn’t filling enough.
“Can you shift, Amara?” Rone asked, wiping her chin with a napkin.
“Of course not,” Drasko drawled, draping a leg over her knees. “Do you think I’d let her out of the room if she could?”
“Stop being a beast.” She lazily swatted Drasko.
Rone pulled Hrod from her breast and set him in his playpen before going back to work in the kitchen.
She wanted to help her sweet gamma, but she was too tired and sore to get up off the sofa. To think, two days ago she never wanted Drasko to stop making love to her. Now all she wanted was to be left alone for the next week, so she could sleep off her sex hangover and give her sore twat time to heal.
It suddenly dawned on her that she was a healer. How had she forgotten that? Oh, yeah, her brain was mush from all that sex. She pushed the ice pack aside and slipped her fingers under herself, sighing as her healing magic soaked in.
“Have you heard anything from Luc or the lone wolf?” Drakso asked Hakon, who handed Drasko coffee and then sat in the recliner across from them.
“He had to finish up his mission,” Hakon said. “He left Afghanistan this morning, and he still has to debrief. He won’t be in Alaska until tomorrow or the next day. Nothing from the lone wolf.”
Amara jerked upright. She’d figured Luc had found her by now. She knew his missions were important, but were they more higher in priority than saving a lone wolf and preventing more deaths? “Do you think the snipers got her?”
“No.” Hakon took a long drink of coffee. “We have other trackers looking for her. They would’ve called Father if they had.”
She looked from Hakon to Drasko. “So now what?”
“Now we wait for Luc and his team to find her,” Hakon said. “The feds had a team of hunters after her, but the trail went cold.”
“Hunters? Great Ancients.”
Drasko wrapped a comforting arm around her shoulders. “Luc will find her first.”
“I hope you’re right,” she mumbled. She remembered how scared she’d been as a lone wolf, and she hadn’t had to resort to killing anyone. She couldn’t imagine what this poor girl was going through.
“No more worrying, Amara.” He touched the tip of her nose with a playful smile. “It’s not good for the baby.”
“Lunch is ready,” Rone called. He set the last platter on the table. “Come on, Amara. You need to eat.”
She struggled to sit up, grateful when Drasko lifted her off the sofa and set her at the dining table. Her stomach growled and then lurched, as if it was trying to claw its way to the bountiful spread Rone had prepared. That little bowl of chili he had fed her had hardly made a dent in her protector-sized hunger. Her mouth watered when she inhaled garlic, onions, buttery crust, and fragrant meat. “Everything smells delicious.”
“I made your favorites,” Rone said with a wink, scooping a large cheeseburger and onion rings onto her plate. He poured a pitcher of what looked like strawberry milkshake into a tall glass and handed it to her.
She beamed at him, planting an affectionate kiss on his cheek. “Thank you, Rone.”
She was so hungry, she barely remembered the taste of her meal. She ate three, possibly four cheeseburgers, too many onion rings to count, and at Drasko’s insistence, a bowl of green peas, followed by two strawberry milkshakes. After they finished lunch, Hrod was hungry again. She gladly obliged him, missing the warmth of her little cuddlebug and wondering how she’d survived two days without him.
Rone arranged pillows around them, so she could relax without worrying about rolling over with the baby in her arms. She stroked his chubby cheeks and kissed his forehead as he fell asleep on her breast.
Before she fell asleep, she thanked the Ancients for her family and sent a prayer that they’d keep the lone wolf safe, so that she, too, could experience the acceptance and love of her mates.
AMARA GLIDED THROUGH the cabin as if she was pulled on a stream of air. She recognized this weightless feeling. She was dreaming. Though Hrod hadn’t teleported her spirit since pregnancy, she knew that he
had understood her prayer to keep the lone wolf safe; he had taken his mommy to see the girl.
A young woman was curled in a ball on a rug beside a fire, a blanket pulled up to her eyes. She quietly sobbed into the fur of an Alaskan husky. The dog dipped his snout under the blanket, licking his master.
Amara’s heart clenched at the sight. Though she couldn’t make out the woman’s features, her agonizing cries pierced Amara’s soul. She remembered all too well the desolation and mind-numbing fear of being a lone wolf.
“Where will we go when the food runs out, Mako?” the woman asked, scratching behind the dog’s ears. “What if the person who lives here finds us? Will he call the cops or shoot us?”
The dog nuzzled her brow.
“I’m so sorry I killed that man,” she continued. “I couldn’t let him rape me. I didn’t have a choice.”
The dog responded with more licks and cuddles.
“Thank you for being my best friend,” she said with a sob. “I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
Amara wanted to reach out and comfort her, but she knew from experience the woman couldn’t see her. She strained to see her face, but all she could make out was a tangled mop of dark hair. Then, just as quickly as she’d invaded the lone wolf’s private space, she was sucked back through her dream. Arms flailing, she screamed as she fell through a dark, spinning vortex. She woke with a gasp, landing on the floor, clutching a strong pair of legs.
Chapter Seven
“Amara, are you okay?”
She looked up at Rone, who was holding a sleepy Hrod. “Why did you wake him?” Rone looked puzzled. “He had a smelly diaper.”
She breathed in deeply. The pungent odor from Hrod’s diaper made her nose crinkle and nearly brought tears to her eyes.
She fanned her face. “Ugh. What have you been feeding him?” Drasko helped her up and onto the sofa.
“Just goat milk,” Rone said. The baby squirmed. Rone took him upstairs but not before Amara and Hrod shared a look of understanding. It was then she realized her little boy was wise beyond his years. No ordinary child would’ve known to take her to the lone wolf. He was trying to help Amara save the girl.
Drasko sat beside her, clutching her hands. “What happened?”
“I saw her. I saw the lone wolf.”
HAKON FROZE, APPREHENSION gripping him. He crossed to the sofa in a few long strides and knelt in front of Amara. “What do you mean, you saw the lone wolf?”
“Hrod showed her to me.” She rubbed the sleep from her eyes. Her face was gaunt, and her eyes had heavy bags after her two-day mating marathon with Drasko. She covered her mouth to hide a yawn. “She’s in a cabin in the woods.”
Hakon and Drasko shared dark looks. Hakon leaned forward, clutching her shoulder. “Any clues where this cabin might be?”
“No, but the cabin’s not hers. She’s afraid the owner will find her.”
Hakon cursed under his breath. “Do you think there will be more bloodshed?” Though he felt badly for this lone wolf, he was also worried about his tribe. One body reflected badly on them. More deaths could undo the years of trust developed between the Amaroki and the government. There was only so much cleaning up Johnson could do before the feds came down on them.
Amara said, “She’s peaceful. The man she killed tried to rape her. She did it in self-defense.”
Hakon breathed a sigh of relief, though he still feared for this lone wolf’s safety. “Anything else?” He hoped he could glean anything that would help Luc find the girl.
“She has a dog with her,” she said. “A husky.”
“I’ll relay that to Luc. I’m sure it will be useful.” Hakon stood. “Thank you.” Though they were no closer to finding her, and they had more questions than answers, Amara had given him hope. The girl was scared and alone, which hopefully meant she’d be willing to go with Luc when he found her.
“Don’t thank me.” She grinned. “Thank our baby.”
“Maybe he can show you more after we go to bed.”
She twisted the frayed end of the blanket. “I hope so.”
His nostrils flared, and he tensed when he heard the sound of an unfamiliar truck engine pull into their gravel drive.
Rone paused on the stairs, clutching the bannister. “Who the hell is that?”
She struggled to stand, thanking Drasko when he helped her. “Are my fathers here already?” She smoothed back her hair, anticipation lighting her silver-blue eyes.
Hakon strode to the front door. “They aren’t due until tomorrow.”
He swore when he looked out the window and saw a familiar scrawny boy and a big red-bearded man get out of a truck. “How the fuck did he find us?”
“Who?” she asked, walking up behind him.
He said with a snarl, “Your stupid damn cousin!”
When she took a step back, he regretted his tone. Drasko wrapped an arm around her waist, swearing under his breath.
Hakon briefly wondered how the humans had made it this far onto the reservation without being stopped and sent home by the tribal guards who patrolled the roads. Then he remembered all shifters were on lockdown, and no one was watching the roads. Still, Johnson had agents on duty outside the reservation at all times. What had happened to them?
Hakon flung open the door while Drasko grabbed the shotgun from the closet.
“What are you doing?” Amara asked.
Hakon turned to her, his deep protector voice taking over. “Stay inside.” Hakon nodded to Rone. “Watch her.” Ignoring her expletives and foot-stomping, he cracked open the door and went out on the porch. Drasko followed, slamming the door behind them.
Hakon did his best to restrain the protector who clawed at his insides. “What the fuck are you doing on our land?”
Roy paused, sharing wary glances with the red-bearded man Hakon recognized as the hot-tempered asshole named Skunk. Hakon had had the misfortune of working with Skunk in the field. Their time together lasted all of three days before Hakon had him transferred, threatening to rip out the guy’s windpipe if he had to spend another day in his presence. When Skunk wasn’t clocking in late to work, he could be found at the bar or strip club, blowing his earnings on alcohol and lap dances. It seemed he had found a new pastime—helping Amara’s cousin get into trouble. Skunk was smart enough to stay by the truck, but Roy strode up the steps like a blind chick walking into a den of wolves.
The boy said bravely, “I came to check on my cousin.”
“Go home,” Drasko growled, leveling the barrel of the shotgun at Roy’s chest. “You’re trespassing.”
The boy stumbled back, shielding his face as if he could block buckshot. “Are you fucking crazy?” he yelled.
Drasko cocked the chamber. “Try me.”
The door rattled behind them. Hakon cursed when Amara joined them, shrugging off Rone’s grip.
“Please don’t shoot him!”
Hakon pointed at the door, letting her see the angry protector in his eyes. His voice dropped to a low baritone. “Get back inside.” He hated having to refuse his mate, but what choice did he have? Contact with this human could expose his tribe and bring a mob down on their heads.
“What kind of hold do you have on her?” the boy demanded.
Hakon’s chest felt like it would implode when he saw tears in her eyes. Lower the weapon, he projected to Drasko.
Fine, his brother said, taking a step back and pointing the barrel at the wooden floorboards, but if he so much as blinks wrong, I’m filling him full of lead.
Hakon held a hand out to Amara, smiling when she took it.
It’s not my intention to hurt you or your cousin, but the risk is too great.
She sniffled, her smile watery. I know. She sucked in a breath, then faced her cousin. “They care about me, Roy.”
His face screwed up tight, making him look like a child on the verge of a tantrum. “If they cared, they’d let you see me.”
Tension radiated off her skin in waves. “I
t’s not them, it’s me.” Turning up her chin, she held tightly to Hakon’s hand. “I’m sorry. I’m trying to put my past behind me.”
His lower lip trembled, a sad, rejected child shining through in his luminous eyes. “I never did anything to you.”
Hakon wished things could have been different between Amara and her cousin. It was clear he cared for her.
“I know you didn’t. It’s complicated. I’ve moved on.” Words tumbled out of her mouth like they were tripping over her tongue. “I have a new family now. My past is so painful, I’d rather not relive it.”
“You think I don’t have a painful past?” He threw up his hands, tears wetting his pale eyelashes. “I’ve lost everyone. Even Annie.”
“Annie? What happened to her?”
He looked away, wiping his eyes with the back of his hand. “She turned to drugs and then disappeared.”
Her shoulders caved inward. “I’m so sorry.”
“She was all I had left.” Roy sniffled again. “There’s Dad, but he can hardly function now. That’s why I got a job up here, to earn enough money to pay for his private nurses.”
Her eyes widened. “You’re paying for his nurses?”
“They were neglecting him in the state-run home. You’d know all about it if they’d let me talk to you.”
Fuck. How did Hakon know the boy would play on her sympathies?
Your uncle chose his fate when he abandoned you, Hakon said. He is not your problem.
I know, she answered solemnly.
When she pulled back her shoulders and leveled the boy with a stony glare, Hakon knew it was a ruse and his mate was dying on the inside.
She cleared her throat. “I can’t begin to explain how complicated my life is.”
“I don’t care,” Roy said. “You’re my cousin, and I love you.”
Damn, this is so hard. Her cry was a plea for help, ricocheting through Hakon’s brain.
“Look, she said she doesn’t want to relive her past.” Hakon pushed her behind him, widening his stance when Roy tried to look over his shoulder. “Take a hint and back off.”