by Bianca Cole
His eyes are dark and dangerous as he takes another step toward me. “Or what, Anastasia?” he asks, lips curving into a smirk.
I narrow my eyes at him. “I’m a trained black belt in martial arts.” It’s the truth. Ever since my mom was killed, I decided to get lessons and excelled quickly since I used to do it as a kid.
He chuckles at that, shaking his head. “You’ve got fight. I like that.” His voice is rough and deep, beastly even.
My heart pounds against my rib cage, making me feel sick.
Am I about to be mauled to death by a wolf shifter?
He’s not even trying to hide anymore. His canines have lengthened fully, and his eyes are pure wolf, blazing with gold flecks that seem to glow in the dim alleyway.
“What do you want?” I ask, pressing myself against the wall as if it will save me. I know it won’t.
“I think you know what I want,” he says, stalking toward me faster.
I gasp as he grabs my hips. A pulse of electricity kicks through every vein in my body. His scent overwhelms me. He smells like pure male and forest, and it’s surprisingly arousing. I’ve been on edge and wound up by him ever since he stepped into the bar tonight. I mean, he is the most attractive man I’ve ever seen, shifter or human.
I shake my head. “No, I’ve got no idea.”
A low rumble rattles through his chest as he tightens his grip on my hips. His fingers digging in so hard, I’m sure he’ll leave marks. I can’t understand why the idea of being marked by this man makes me unbelievably aroused. My nipples are hard peaks rubbing against the fabric of my bra.
My heart pounds as he presses me harder against the wall. I’ve never felt so out of control in my entire life. It’s insane the way this man is making me feel—a man I don’t know. It’s unexplainable
He pulls me harder against him, and suddenly presses his lips to mine. I can’t understand why the urge to give in to his sudden advance overwhelms the urge to push him away.
I moan as his tongue slips past my lips, quickly searching every inch of my mouth. I tangle my tongue with his, desperate to deepen the bond between us.
Wait? Bond. I’ve got no idea what the fuck is happening to me right now.
I try to pull back, but he holds me tightly. His hard cock is pressing into my abdomen, making me needier than I can explain.
I have hardly any experience with men. So, why the fuck do I want this stranger to fuck me right here against the wall? It’s ridiculous and completely out of character, since I’m a virgin.
Anyone could see us down here, making out in the shadows. God, if Alex, my boss, catches me, he will fire my ass. Especially since this man, Rhys, is a customer at the bar.
I gasp as his fingers trail up my exposed thighs, under my skirt. I muster my last ounce of self-control and grab his hand. “What are you doing?”
He smirks that handsome and cocky smile he gave me when he first walked into the bar. “Giving you what you want,” he growls.
The deep, gravelly tone of his voice is as much of a turn on as the rest of him.
I let go of his hand. Our lips meld together again as he moves his fingers to my panties. He groans into my mouth as he slides a finger through the soaking wet fabric.
“You are dripping wet for me, baby.” He moves the fabric to one side and plunges his finger deep into my soaking wet pussy.
I gasp at the sudden intrusion, but my pussy clamps down around his finger. It’s so wrong that I’m letting this stranger finger me in the alleyway. I moan as he hooks his finger, chasing away any doubts I have. I need Rhys more than I’ve needed anyone.
“Fuck,” I gasp as he slips a second finger inside of me.
“You are so damn tight,” he groans, fingering me harder and faster. “I want to make this pretty little pussy come all over my fingers.”
My head feels too heavy for my shoulders as I rest it against the cold wall behind me. It’s the only thing stopping me from bursting into flames.
I feel my knees begin to shake as he pushes me toward orgasm, only to stop while I’m on edge.
I whimper as he pulls his fingers out of me, eyes shooting open. “What the—”
He kisses me to silence my complaint, and then pulls back, holding my gaze fiercely.
I watch as he slowly sinks his dripping wet fingers into his mouth, humming around them.
It’s so damn hot watching him lick my juice from them. My thighs clench as I think about how good it would feel to have those lips and tongue on my pussy right now. It would be heaven.
“You taste like fucking honey,” he growls, as he plunges three fingers this time right inside of me. He doesn’t take his time. He seems as lost to this as I am.
I moan as he is quick to push me right back to the edge, making me pant. “Rhys,” I breathe his name as he hooks his fingers inside of me.
Stars explode behind my eyes. Every nerve in my body sets on fire. My nipples are so hard they hurt, and suddenly, I’m releasing all over his hand.
He groans as my orgasm peaks. His eyes darken with wanton lust. A lust that only seems to make me hornier. The release I’d so desperately needed isn’t enough. It feels like any release wouldn’t be enough until he is deep inside of me. What the fuck am I thinking?
“That’s hot,” he groans, licking his dripping wet fingers like a starving dog.
I’ve never come quite like that before when I’ve done it at home by myself, that was more intense and far messier. A few men have attempted to get me off with their fingers and failed miserably, hence why I never got to the next step. It’s odd that I just climaxed all over the fingers of a stranger, and I want to do it again. I want to come all over his cock, which is ridiculous since I’ve never had sex before.
What the hell is happening to me?
He sinks his sharp teeth into my neck, without piercing the skin. The stinging pain is enough to make my orgasm spike again, sending wave after wave of pleasure through me. Rhys licks my neck, trailing a path right up to my lips.
His tongue slips into my mouth, and I moan deeply, never before have I experienced need like this. It feels like it is consuming me from the inside out. All I can think about is having this man inside of me—right here and right now. Fuck the fact I’m a virgin.
“I need you, Rhys,” I breathe.
He growls, kissing me deeper. His fingers slide back inside of me, making me feel whole again. I’ve lost my mind to this need. Everything else has faded away, and all that matters is making this man mine. He is mine. It makes no sense why a man like him would like a curvy girl like me. He’s all hard muscle and pure god, but somehow, I know I will have him no matter what. Nothing can stand in the way of our desire.
At least, that’s what I thought.
“There he is,” a man shouts.
I turn my head to search for him, and my world seems to explode. The asshole that tried to hit on me is standing there, pointing right at us. He has council members trailing him.
The fucking bastard called the council on Rhys. A shifter, sure, but he’s not doing any harm. He’s doing the opposite of harm. He’s making me feel better than I’ve ever felt in my entire life. I could kill that guy right now for this.
Rhys’s fingers slip out of my pussy, and he licks them clean, making me whimper.
“I’ve got to go, princess.” he holds my gaze with so much intensity. “I’ll be back for you, though,” he growls, a promise I hope he keeps.
I watch after him as he sprints away. My heart sinks as he disappears down the dark alleyway. I was about to have the best night of my damn life, and that jackass ruins it. I was finally going to lose my virginity.
Alex steps out the back as the council members rush past me after the shifter. “What the fuck is going on out here?”
I’m so overwhelmed, I can hardly speak. Why did I let that stranger touch me like that? I shake my head, finally coming back to my senses as I get distance from him.
He stares at me. “You’ve been out
here far too long, and customers are complaining.”
The asshole who called the council approaches me. “She was attacked by a shifter. I saw the guy grabbing at her.”
Alex’s eyes widen. “Anastasia, is that true?”
Is it true? I’m not sure what was going on with that shifter, but I’m sure he wasn’t attacking me. At least, not in the way they are suggesting. My knees still feel like jelly beneath me as I keep my back pressed against the cold stone of the wall behind me.
“Anastasia?” Alex repeats my name.
“I honestly don’t know what happened,” I say, shaking my head.
The guy steps forward. “She’s in shock. We best get her inside.” He reaches for me, and the moment I feel him touch me, I recoil. His touch makes my skin crawl. The thought of ever being touched by anyone but Rhys makes me sick to the stomach. It makes zero sense, but it’s the truth.
“I can walk,” I say, walking toward the back exit into the bar.
Alex holds the door for me as I go through, stopping the asshole who called the council on Rhys. I don’t know the shifter, but I do know he wasn’t here to cause trouble.
He wanted to remain low key, but instead, the guy who called the council ruined everything. Not to mention, I haven’t been that excited by a guy ever. I wanted to take him home with me and let him take my v-card, which is ridiculous. I can’t understand why, since I hardly know him. Also, he’s a shifter, and it’s forbidden. Is that why it’s such a turn on?
Humans and shifters aren’t supposed to mix—not like that. And, yet, I longed for him to fuck me up against that wall.
Every bone in my body longed for him to take my virginity. I had lost all sense of awareness the moment his hands were on me. All I can think about is him, even now he’s gone.
I enter the kitchen and lean my back against the wall, shutting my eyes. The moment I shut my eyes his face appears. The scent of him still surrounds me as I stand in the kitchen, remembering the way he growled while I patched up his hand. The hand that had already healed.
Deep down, I know there is something not quite normal about our attraction. What exactly this is will have to wait until Rhys comes back for me. I hope he comes back sooner rather than later.
5
Rhys
“There he is,” a man shouts.
The guy is shouting at me, and it’s the guy I kicked out of the bar earlier when he hit on my mate. My heart sinks in my chest at the sight of council members following him.
Anastasia snaps out of the lust-filled state she’s fallen into as my fingers slip out of her perfect, tight, wet pussy. Her thick, plump lips part as my gaze returns to her. The temptation to fuck her right against the wall is strong, but the need to survive wins over.
“I’ve got to go, princess.” I hold her gaze. “I’ll be back for you, though,” I growl.
Her breath hitches as she bites her bottom lip. The desire in her eyes is blazing, but I have to move the other way. I run, despite every bone in my body telling me to stay with her—to stay with my mate.
Once I’ve taken a few steps, and I’m at a safe distance, I let part of my wolf side break free. My canines lengthen fully, and my eyes narrow in, but I won’t let him out entirely. I’m in a race against time. They will try and shut down the city, but I need to get out before that happens.
My muscles bunch as I sprint down the alleyway under the moonlight. It’s a full moon tonight, meaning I’m even more likely to turn. My canine’s sharpen fully, and I know I won’t be able to hold off my wolf form for much longer.
I growl as I try to fight it, knowing that shifting in the city would be a terrible idea. My wolf is straining—desperate to break free and run. He would outrun the people chasing me for sure, but I couldn’t be certain that he wouldn’t attack one of them—that’s the risk.
I turn right, pounding down another back alley. The scent of the men following me is strong as they keep up. They may be able to run as fast as me in my human form, but they won’t be able to keep going. My endurance is second to none.
Anastasia’s face floods my mind as we keep running. I know he wants to return to her. My wolf doesn’t like that we are running away from our mate—away from our destiny. He wants to claim the tasty little human I had pushed against the wall, no matter how much danger that puts us in.
I grind my canines into my lip, trying to push her from my mind. All I need to focus on right now is saving my damn skin. Once I get out of here, I will return for her. There’s no doubting the will of my wolf. He won’t be tamed.
“Over there,” One of the men shouts, gaining on me.
Fuck. He’s fast—for a human.
It looks like I have no other choice. As I gaze up at the light of the moon, I feel my bones shifting and pain splinters through my whole body. I let out a howl that the entire east side of the city will hear. My pure white fur breaks across every inch of my body as my clothes rip to pieces, left behind in a pile.
I hear the men’s steps getting closer as I shift, but the moment my wolf is out I’m gone. The wind ruffles through my white fur as I pound through the city, scenting my way out.
There’s nothing more exhilarating than running free in my wolf form. He’s not fighting me this time as he allows me to take the front seat. Our minds merge as one, enjoying the freedom of running through New York City, escaping the assholes chasing us. I feel more alive than I’ve felt in months right now.
I can’t understand whether it’s because I’m breaking the rules, which I love to do, or if it’s because of that intoxicating little human that I just fingered to climax against a wall. I grit my canines together as I dodge onto the main street. Men and women scream as I rush past them. There was no other choice but to take this route. Back alleys are too fucking slow. Wolf shifters have a bad rap for no reason in New York.
I rush past a hot dog stall, and my belly rumbles. Fuck. My wolf is starving, and that’s never a good sign. Hopefully, I can hold back the hunger long enough to get the hell out of such a densely populated area. My wolf’s hunger can quickly turn into a thirst for blood—human blood.
I’m near the entrance I used earlier to get into this city. Hopefully, it’s still as unguarded as it was when I slipped in here undetected. The gate comes into view and my heart sinks. They’ve locked down the city. I’ve got nowhere to go.
All of a sudden, something hits me.
A shock of electricity pulses through my body, making every muscle spasm. I howl in agony and fall to the floor, trying to hold onto the strands of consciousness. It’s impossible. Instead, everything turns black. The last thing I see is Anastasia’s beautiful face as everything else fades away.
“It’s Rhys fucking Verne,” I hear someone say, as I come to my senses.
Running a hand through my hair, I realize I’m no longer in my wolf form. My head fucking kills as I try to remember what happened.
I open my eyes. The cage I’m in is old and dirty, but the most striking thing is that it’s made of silver. I know instantly I’ve been caught by the council. I’m at The New York City Hall. There’s a prison for all shifters or paranormal beings that disobey their bullshit rules.
“Who’s there?” I ask, trying to see who spoke my name.
The council knows me well, but it won’t stop them from executing me for this. The council members probably relish it. If they make an example out of the king of the North American packs, it will stop anyone from breaking the rules again. At least, that’s their theory, but they underestimate the power of angry shifters.
There’s no talking sense to the council.
“Rhys, what were you thinking?” Alec comes into view.
I feel a slight relief to see one of the more sensible of the council members here. He is the one guy who you can have a reasonable conversation with.
I shake my head. “I wasn’t thinking.”
He grabs hold of the silver bars keeping me held. “Fuck, Landon is out for your head on this, man.”
<
br /> Landon is the head of the council and a royal pain in my ass. “Yeah, figures.” I run a hand over the back of my neck. “There’s no way I’m getting out of this, is there?”
Alec bites the inside of his cheek. “I’m trying to think of a way out for you. Did you have a valid reason to enter the city?”
My mate.
I’m not about to tell him that my mate is human. That’s more likely to hammer the final nail in my coffin. I rack my brain, trying to think of an excuse—any fucking excuse. What reason would the council find valid?
I nod. “One of my pack went rogue, and I followed him here. The intention was to draw him out and bring him home.”
Alec’s eyes widen. “There’s another shifter loose in New York City?”
“Yeah, he’s young, and his wolf got out of hand.” I shrug. “He might not even be in the city anymore. I couldn’t scent him when your men chased me.”
Alec lets out a deep sigh. “Reports say you attacked a young woman outside a bar.” His brow raises. “What’s your reason for that?”
I shake my head. “I wasn’t attacking her, just talking to her. She had seen the guy I was after, and I was questioning her, that’s all.”
He doesn’t look convinced. “I’m going to meet with the rest of the council now. I’ll put my best effort into pleading your case, but you know Landon—”
“Yeah, he’s an asshole who will love burning me at the stake for this.” I fold my arms over my chest. “I handed my ass to him on a plate.”
He laughs at that. “Unfortunately, yeah, you have.” He gives me a sympathetic look. “I’ll try. Maybe the rest of the council will see reason.”
I watch him as he walks away, knowing that leaving my fate to Alec would be a bad idea. There’s no chance in hell that Landon is letting this slide. He hates me. He wants me dead.