by M H Soars
Dante takes me up the mountain through a narrow trek, thick vegetation on both sides making it almost impossible to see. Once or twice, I have to duck or move out of the way or risk getting my arm or face scratched by spindly branches. The path widens as we approach the top. Looming over the rise is a rustic house that could easily fit an entire family. It’s at least four times bigger than my grandmother’s chalet. The walls on the ground level are stone tiled, whereas the second floor is mostly glass panels. It makes sense for a studio to have as much natural light as possible.
Ignoring the door on the ground level, Dante takes the stairs that leads to the wraparound balcony on the second floor. He unlocks a simple wood door that I imagine is the main entrance to his studio. The smell of oil paint and solvents reaches my nose immediately. Without thinking, I cover my face, trying to prevent inhaling those fumes too much. It’s completely futile.
“I never realized how strong the smell of paint is,” I say.
“Welcome to enhanced wolf’s senses.” He smiles softly, but I don’t reciprocate. I don’t have it in me right now.
“I don’t know how you can stand it.” I look around, curious about Dante’s refuge. There are canvases of all different sizes lying around, but they’re all blank. Strange.
“I never knew any different, but you’ll get used to it,” he replies.
“How come you don’t have any finished paintings here?”
Dante heads to the middle of the room. Without looking in my direction, he replies, “They’re stored downstairs.”
He then grabs the back of his shirt, pulling it over his head and chunking it in a corner. A back corded with sinuous muscles greets me, and my mouth begins to water. What’s with these brothers getting naked in front of me?
“What are you doing?”
He turns, his hands already on the fly of his low-rise jeans. Oh my God, that V… I want to know where it leads. Dante is ripped just like Samuel is. Even though he’s on the leaner side, he still oozes a raw sexual power that’s wrapping around me in an invisible hold, pulling me toward him.
“We have to shift. How did you think you’d fight Rochelle tomorrow?”
Suddenly, I become very nervous. It’s easy for me to defy the others in my natural human form, even though I’m no longer the later. But when I’m a wolf, I lose all my confidence, all my willpower.
“I don’t know if I can shift just like that, especially with you staring at me.”
“I can always call Tristan if you need someone to make you angry.” Dante’s lips pull up in some semblance of a smile, but I don’t read humor in his eyes.
“That won’t be neces—”
Dante peels his jeans off, letting them fall where they may, and begins to shift. He does it fast, maybe because he doesn’t want to intimidate me with his nakedness—unlike Samuel who was more than happy to show off his hot body and everything else. A few seconds later, a white wolf is staring at me.
Knowing I don’t have a choice but to attempt a shift, I take my clothes off. It’s easier to get naked in front of wolf Dante than the man, never mind that I already flashed the guy on purpose. For some ridiculous reason, I wonder if I should forgo wearing underwear altogether. I’d die of mortification if I had to shift on laundry day—meaning on the day I’d be wearing granny panties.
Dante throws his head back and howls, a short signal I think means encouragement.
“Easy for you to do. You were born a wolf,” I grumble right before I close my eyes. Concentrate, I must concentrate.
I reach for that spark of wildness that now lives inside of me, the essence of the wolf, and will it to expand, to take over my human senses. To my surprise, I’m able to grab on to it much easier than the last times. Soon, I lose control of my body as it shifts. I drop to my knees, clenching my jaw hard as I ride the pain.
“It will get better with time,” Dante’s voice echoes in my head.
“What will?”
“The pain.”
“Gosh, I hope so, because this sucks.” I open my eyes, knowing immediately I’ve successfully completed the shift.
I don’t have time to take in my surroundings using my wolf senses before Dante begins to circle me, growling.
“What are you doing?” A spike of adrenaline shoots up my veins. On instinct, I back away from the bigger wolf.
“What does it look like? I’m teaching you,” he says in my head. At the same time, he advances with his jaw open and sharp teeth ready to take a bite of me. I jump back, bumping into something solid. A can of paint falls to my right, startling me even more.
“Really? It looks like you’re ready to make a meal out of me.”
Dante doesn’t speak before he jumps, knocking me down effortlessly. I let out a yelp of surprise, but that’s all the sound I can make before Dante’s powerful jaw is locked tight around my neck.
“This isn’t funny, Dante. Get off me.”
Instead of doing so, he bites harder. My wolf whimpers.
“Cut it out,” I say again, but it has no substance. It’s almost vapor.
He finally jumps off, going back to his side of the room. Slowly, I stand, still shaking. Man, who knew wolves could do that?
“If that’s how you intend to fight, you might as well forfeit and accept your destiny as the female omega.”
“That’s not fair! You didn’t give me time to prepare.”
“Prepare?” Dante’s wolf makes a noise that almost sounds like a human scoff. “As a wolf, your normal state should be high-alert mode.”
I growl right before I try to inflict some kind of pain, but I’m too slow, too predictable for Dante. He moves out of the way, then slams into my side head-first, sending me careening across the floor. I hit a shelf, causing painting supplies to fall. One heavy metal object hits my head, and I see stars. If I thought that would give Dante pause, I was mistaken. He clamps his jaw around one of my hind legs and pulls me from the crap I was buried under, but he doesn’t do it to help. Once again, he gets on top me of me, keeping me in place by locking his jaw tight around my neck.
Freezing, I wait for him to let go. He doesn’t; instead, he bites harder. “Fight me.”
“I can’t.”
He waits—one, two, three seconds—before he lets go, shaking his head as he trots away. Shame takes over me. He seems to be disappointed. How the heck I know that is a mystery.
“Yes, I am very disappointed, Amelia.”
“What the fuck? You can read my thoughts?”
“I’m in your head, aren’t I?” He stares at me with his intense yellow eyes, and the hairs on my back stand on end.
“I’m in yours, too. How come I can’t hear your thoughts?”
“Because I know how to shield them from you.”
“I don’t want you to hear what I’m thinking. You’re supposed to be teaching me stuff.”
“Try picturing your brain as a house. Your communication channel would be the living room, so once you open the door, guests can talk to you. But maybe you don’t want them to see that your bedroom is a mess, so you don’t invite them for a tour of the rest of the house.”
That makes sense. Concentrating, I bring my parents’ apartment in Chicago to the forefront of my mind. I can’t bear to think of Grandma’s house as home anymore. Her betrayal still hurts. I imagine Dante in my parents’ living room, checking out their modern art collection. He would fit perfectly there. He begins to explore, heading for the hallway that leads to the bedrooms. I jump in front of him, blocking his passage. That’s where I locked away my inner thoughts. I’m not sure if that’s what Dante had in mind, but I hone in on that image of me denying him access, hoping it will keep him from reading my mind.
When I finally bring my attention back to the present, I notice that Dante has already begun circling me again, the muscles on his back tense. He’s preparing to attack.
The wolf in me wants to retreat, but that didn’t serve me well before. I have to override the animal’s natura
l instincts. Yes, Dante is a much bigger and stronger wolf than me, but cowering is what made me an easy target to the rest of the pack. Even if I’m weaker, I have to stand my ground or I’ll always get run over.
Since Dante is not giving me any pointers—his teaching methods are horrible—I copy his stance. His muzzle is lowered a bit as he stalks me, and I realize his head is angled in a way that allows him to see through his peripheral if an attack comes from his vulnerable side.
If I turn to run away, he’s going to chase me. But what if I only pretend to do so, then change course in the last second? Would he be surprised? Well, if he’s still reading my mind, the answer is no. There’s only one way to find out.
I spin around, heading in the direction of the front door. Dante seems to have taken the bait. Judging by how fast he is, it will only take him a few seconds to overtake me. I’m focusing so hard on the sound of his paws hitting the floor behind me that I yelp in surprise when my view suddenly changes. I’m no longer seeing the front door ahead, but myself running away from Dante. Oh my God, am I seeing what he’s seeing? How is that possible? I forget my diversion plan, my legs faltering. When Dante pounces on me, I see it all through his eyes and it’s terrifying.
I land hard on the concrete floor, Dante’s weight on top of me blocking my airway. His gaze zeroes in on my neck; he’s going to pin me down again. But instead of freezing up and becoming completely useless, a fire ignites in my core. I don’t know if it’s the pitiful glint I see in my eyes or if maybe I’m finally learning how to be a wolf, but I manage to free one of my front legs. Swinging my clawed paw hard across his face, I draw blood. The movement seems to stun Dante, and I’m back in my own head again. He slides off, shaking his head from side to side, then he stares at me.
He keeps staring and staring without saying a word telepathically. Unnerved, I ask, “What?” But I still have no answer.
Then Dante shifts back into human form, so I follow suit. The gashes on his face look much worse without the fur covering them. Three angry slashes mark his cheek, and blood drips from the wound.
“Dante, I’m so sorry.”
He touches his bloody face, smearing it with his fingertips before looking at them as if in a daze. That’s gotta hurt like crazy.
“I didn’t mean to hurt you like that. I swear.” I bite my lower lip, guilt making me forget that he asked for it.
When he glances up, I see fire churning in his eyes right before he breaches the gap between us, captures my face between his hands, and crushes his lips with mine.
Chapter 18
Red
Holy Mary, Mother of God. Dante is kissing me, and it’s the best damn kiss ever. My legs turn to mush, and I’m glad he’s holding my face or I’d be down on the floor already. The smell of earth after it rains, the feel of a soft cool breeze after a scorching day under the sun, the high from jumping off a cliff—those are the feelings kissing Dante evokes. Gripping his forearms, I step closer. My breasts rub against his warm skin, reminding me that we’re both naked, but I don’t care. I want to feel every inch of him without any barriers.
There’s no hesitation on his part as his tongue probes and teases, which surprises me since he’s a beta and I’m still a lowly omega. He doesn’t seem to care about pack rules, and neither do I. He tastes too delicious—a mix of honey, whiskey, and mint—a combination so intoxicating I’m running the risk of becoming irreversibly addicted to it, to him. I’ve been taken over by an ice-cold fever, a head rush, something I never experienced from a kiss before. It’s only when I taste the hint of copper on my tongue that I ease back.
“We should take care of your wound,” I say breathlessly as I stare at his lips.
“I’m fine.”
I touch his cheek, dabbing the tips of my fingers with blood. “You don’t look fine. Maybe you need stiches.”
A chuckle bubbles up Dante’s throat as amusement dances in his eyes. He grabs my hand, then kisses my palm. “I’m a wolf. We heal quicker than most.”
Narrowing my eyes, I examine the gashes more closely. They do seem a little smaller, as if the wound is already healing.
Dante brings his head down, kissing the curve of my neck, and goose bumps spread all over my body. Desire curls at the base of my spine, and the throbbing between my legs is incessant and impossible to ignore. I arch my back, bringing my body flush with his. His erection presses against my belly, hard and smooth at the same time.
Letting go of his arms, I run my nails down his back until I’m resting my hands over his butt. I give it a little squeeze, making Dante snicker against my skin. He runs his tongue down my collarbone, going lower and lower until he finds one of my nipples and runs lazy circles over it.
“Dante,” I breathe out, the only word I’m able to speak.
He squeezes my hips right before he lifts me. My legs wrap around his waist. In this new position, my core rubs against his shaft. Holy Batman, talk about an explosion of the most wonderful, earth-shattering sensation. Need spreads like wildfire through my entire body, an uncontrollable force that shifts my world to something raw and primal. The wolf’s energy swirls inside of me, and I yield a little bit of control to it, wanting the animal instinct to override my human emotions.
Dante takes control of my mouth again, and I rock against him, trying to increase the friction. His response is a growl that’s most definitely not human.
“I’m about to cross all the lines, Red,” he whispers against my lips.
“I know.” I kiss his jaw, then lick up his chin until I reach his lips again, pressing a soft kiss there. “If you’re asking me tell you to stop, forget it.”
He leans back, gazing into my eyes as if he’s searching for the truth.
“You’re not trying to read my mind, are you?” I ask.
“No, I’d never invade your privacy like that. Before, it was part of your training. You had to learn to shield your thoughts.”
He touches my face with the softest caress. “You’re so beautiful. I could stare at you all day.”
“Please don’t.” I rotate my hips again, reminding him that we’re way past platonic gestures, and a hiss escapes his lips. His eyes flash ember for a split second before returning to their normal emerald green.
He strides across the room with purpose, stepping over boxes and anything else that’s in his way, before coming to a stop. I glance over my shoulder, finding a bed with crumpled satin sheets behind me. Everything is in a warm brown color, reminding me of melted chocolate, silky and decadent. Much like its owner.
Dante kisses my neck while lowering me to the bed, but the coolness of the soft fabric does nothing to soothe my burning skin. There’s no hope besides letting the fire consume me whole. He cages me in by placing his forearms on each side of my head, keeping his body hovering above mine. I don’t like this sudden gap between us, so I lock my hands behind his neck and pull him to me. He resists.
“What?” I ask.
He gets this strange, faraway expression in his eyes that makes me think I did something wrong… or worse, that I’m boring him. Insecurity rears its ugly head, even if his erection is still very much evident.
“I never imagined it would feel like this,” he finally replies.
“You’re not making any sense.”
“You’re new. It will with time.”
What kind of answer is that? I open my mouth to demand a proper explanation, but the words never make it out. Dante lowers his body to mine, fitting nicely between my legs. His erection is positioned in just the right spot to bring the final act home, and I forget what I was about to say. My curiosity veers into a completely different direction. I want to explore every inch of Dante’s body—feel every sensation our joined bodies will bring.
A lurch in my chest has me gasping, and then my entire body begins to tingle. Oh, no. I can’t possibly be shifting now.
“It’s okay, Red.”
“What’s happening? Am I changing?” Panic is laced throughout my tone.
“Only a little. Partial shifts are common during sex, even among wolves who generally can’t manage it any other time.”
He nudges my entrance with his cock, sliding in an inch, making me arch my back as a high-voltage current seems to be running through my veins. My gums begin to ache, then I feel the tips of sharp canines with my tongue. I touch my face, afraid it has morphed into a monster like it had before—half human, half wolf. Dante pulls my hand away, then kisses the line of my jaw at the same time he plunges a little deeper. Fuck, it feels so, so good.
“God, she feels amazing.” The thought pops into my head so suddenly that I first think Dante spoke the words out loud. But his mouth is busy suckling my neck, so I must have heard what he’s thinking.
“Dante?”
“Hmm?” He rotates his hips, sheathing himself completely in me this time, making my toes curl.
“Did you mean to let me hear your thoughts just now?”
He stops abruptly, leaning on his forearms to stare at my face. The furrowed eyebrows and eyes that are full of surprise clue me in that he didn’t.
“What did you hear?”
Heat rushes to my face as shyness takes over. I was never one to feel comfortable with talking dirty during sex.
“Uh, you said I felt amazing.”
Dante keeps looking at me without blinking for a few seconds before his lips crack into a smile. “You do feel amazing.” He runs a hand down the side of my leg, then lifts it and drapes it over his shoulder. “So fucking amazing.”
Pulling his cock almost all the way out, he then slams into me hard, making me scream out his name. My eyes roll back into their sockets, and my toes start to tingle. This new angle… holy shit, I’m going to come in the next second.