by J. L. Wilder
Two alphas—Zoe couldn’t tell who—dove to intercept. A moment later, they were joined by a third. The bear didn’t stand a chance. It was on the ground in moments, badly wounded.
Several more alphas broke ranks and disappeared into the woods. For a moment, Zoe was frightened, thinking that they had abandoned the girls, but then she heard the sounds of fighting and realized that she was mistaken. They had merely located another bear—maybe two—and taken the fight to them.
“There’s nothing to worry about,” Zoe said quietly, unsure of whether she was talking to herself or the omegas huddled around her. “Everything’s under control. Everything’s fine. The alphas have this handled.”
And sure enough, a few minutes later, it was over.
The bears had been herded into a group. One of them was too badly hurt to stand. The others looked utterly defeated, overwhelmed by the sheer number of wolves standing against them.
Zoe looked for Xavier, but she couldn’t pick him out among the wolf bodies. It was too dark. If the sun had been up, she thought she would have been able to recognize his markings, but not now.
Professor Browning had resumed his human form and gotten his clothes back on, and now he approached the bears. He was dirty, and his hair was rumpled, but he looked otherwise unhurt. “You have a choice,” he told them. “Shift back to your human forms. We will give you medical supplies for your friend and allow you to treat him and leave in peace.”
One of the alphas growled, showing what he thought of that idea.
“If you refuse,” Professor Browning said, “I’ll give these alphas my blessing to do whatever they want to you. Of course, they are alphas, and I’m a beta. I don’t command them. Which means that once their blood is up, I won’t be able to call them off.”
There was a long, tense moment during which Zoe wasn’t sure what the bears were going to do.
Then, with a scowl on his face, one of them resumed his human form.
Professor Browning turned to the wolves. “Get the first aid kit,” he said to one of them. “And bring some basketball shorts or something for them to wear.”
The wolf trotted away towards his tent.
Zoe could stand it no longer. She broke from the crowd of omegas and crossed the open space to where the alphas stood. “Xavier?”
He was there. He had shifted, and now he caught her in his arms. “This way,” he murmured, steering her away from the bears. “I don’t want you anywhere near them.”
“You came back,” she said again.
“I had to,” he said. “I couldn’t let them hurt you.”
She buried her face in his chest and inhaled his warm scent, the smell of earth and wolf that still hadn’t faded from the clothes she had come home in. “I shouldn’t have left,” she said. “I should have fought you.”
His hands came to rest on her back. He said nothing.
“I’m not going to leave you again,” she said. “You’ll have to run away from me. I’ll follow you until I can’t take another step.”
“I won’t run away from you,” he said. “I was wrong. Fuck, I was so wrong.”
“This isn’t the life I want,” she said. “I’ve been miserable ever since I got back here. To hell with the money. I just want you. That’s the only thing that matters.”
“You’ll have me,” he promised her. “We’ll go back to the cave tonight.”
The feeling of relief that swept through her was so powerful that it weakened her knees. “You promise?” she asked.
“I swear it,” he said.
She wouldn’t have to go back to Omega University. She wouldn’t have to spend the rest of her life thinking about the possibilities she had missed out on. “Can we go right now?” she asked him.
He smiled. “Not yet. I want to make sure these bears are well in hand before we leave. And you might as well take the time to pack up anything you want to bring with you this time, too.”
“I don’t want to bring anything,” she said. “I don’t want anything from this life.”
“You don’t have to do that,” he said. “It’s okay to have a few things. Louis and I have a few things. Clothes, for starters. You shouldn’t have to run around in my old rags. Bring something that actually fits you.”
“But I like your old rags,” she protested.
Xavier laughed lightly. “Bring a change, then, so you’ll have something to wear on laundry days.”
“If you insist,” she said.
“Oh, trust me, I’m not ever going to insist on you wearing clothes,” he said, his voice dropping to a low growl.
A happy shiver ran up her spine. Her breath stuttered.
Xavier chuckled. “When I get you back to the cave, you’re gonna be in trouble,” he warned.
“Is that a promise?”
“Count on it.”
She hesitated. “There’s something else you need to know,” she said. “Something I would have told you before, if I had known.”
He looked down at her. “It’s not another trust fund, is it?”
“No,” she said. “Believe me, I’m finished with the whole idea of trust funds. My family was trying to use that money to control how I live my life. I don’t need it.”
He kissed her forehead gently. “What were you going to tell me, then?”
Zoe looked up into his eyes and took his hand. “I’m pregnant, Xavier.”
Chapter Nineteen
ZOE
Eight months had passed since the battle against the bears, and Zoe’s nightmares had finally abated.
For months, she had woken up short of breath, certain she was about to see a bear sink its claws into Xavier. He had pulled her from the dreams and into his arms, kissing her all over, assuring her that they were safe. “We’ve scoured the area,” he reminded her every time. “There are no more bears here. It’s just us now.”
Louis had been comforting too. Every time Zoe had had a nightmare, he had been willing to go out of the cave and double-check to make sure that there were no bears anywhere nearby. “No sign of any trouble,” he would report each time on his return. “I can’t believe I missed the whole fight.”
“I told you, there was no time to go back for you,” Xavier always said.
“I know,” Louis would say. “I just wish I could have been there for my pack.”
Zoe didn’t hold it against him at all that he hadn’t been. She was just happy to hear him refer to her as a part of her pack.
It was wonderful to belong to someone.
Leaving Omega University behind had been far easier than she would have anticipated. The only struggle had been saying goodbye to Daphne. “You’re going to regret this,” Daphne had told her quietly, watching her pack up her tent. “He’s a savage, Zoe.”
“No, he isn’t,” Zoe had said. “He lives wild. He’s in touch with his animal side. But he’s certainly not a savage. He's one of the gentlest men I’ve ever known.”
“This isn’t you,” Daphne protested. “This has never been what you wanted. You can’t sacrifice everything you’ve ever imagined for your own life because you think this feral alpha has imprinted on you.”
“He did imprint,” Zoe said. “Stop trying to get me to question that because it isn’t working. I know what I felt, Daphne. It’s real.”
“Zoe, I’m asking you as your friend to reconsider.”
Zoe shook her head. “I can’t do that,” she said. “I don’t want to. We’re going to be a family.” She drew a breath. “I’m pregnant.”
She would never forget the way Daphne had looked at her then—as if Zoe had revealed that she was dying. Zoe had known at that moment that their friendship was over. It was tragic. But this pregnancy was one of the most miraculous things that had ever happened to her, and Daphne was incapable of seeing it that way. Her friend would never be happy for her.
It was time to leave Daphne behind and start over.
Eight months of life in the cave with Xavier and Louis had truly made it fe
el like home. In the end, Zoe had brought all of her things with her, at Xavier’s urging, and now she was glad she had. The camping supplies did make sleep more comfortable on cold nights.
Zoe and Xavier had added a second blanket to the one Louis had stolen for her all those months ago. They now had a very comfortable nest to sleep in. As for Louis, Zoe had given him her sleeping bag, and he’d been delighted with it.
Now, when nights were cold, they weren’t required to shift to wolf form to get through. They still chose their animal forms sometimes. But they could handle the cold in human form as well. It was good to have options.
It had become especially valuable as Zoe’s pregnancy had progressed. Now that she was heavily pregnant, she felt most comfortable in her human form. She wasn’t sure exactly why that was, but she thought it might have to do with the fact that she was capable of talking in this form. The idea of not being able to express her needs or feelings to Xavier while she was pregnant seemed horrible.
For the most part, he had stayed human with her, only shifting when he’d gone out to hunt. She knew what a big deal that was for him, what a sacrifice. It meant the world to her.
Today, though, it was Louis’ turn to hunt, which meant that Zoe and Xavier had the cave to themselves all day.
He built up the fire. He had figured out the perfect placement for it so that the cave stayed warm but didn’t lose oxygen. He and Louis had set up the tent Zoe had brought as a sort of windbreak to protect the flame, so the fire burned more steadily than it had in the past. When he was finished, he came over and sat beside her on the cool stone floor of the cave.
“Are you comfortable?” he asked.
“Yes,” she said.
“Do you want anything? Clothes?”
“None of my clothes fit anymore,” she said. “You know that.” She ran her hands over her massive stomach. She had stopped trying to struggle her way into her shirts three months ago, and it had been even longer since she’d worn a pair of pants.
“You could wear something of mine,” he suggested.
“Why are you trying to get me into clothes?” Zoe asked him. “I thought you liked me better naked.”
“I like you any way you happen to be,” he said. But then a mischievous smile crossed his face. “But yes, naked is a particular favorite of mine.”
“You should make the most of the situation,” she told him. “Louis isn’t here. We have the whole day.”
“I don’t know,” he said. “We don’t have to have sex just because Louis isn’t here, you know.”
Frustration welled up inside of Zoe. “I know what you’re doing,” she said.
“We could play cards,” he said. “That game you taught Louis last week looked fun. I’d like to learn it.”
“This isn’t funny, Xavier.”
“Or maybe I should go out and collect some berries,” Xavier mused. “You could use some time alone, I’ll bet. You never get a break from Louis and me.”
“I don’t want a break,” she growled. “Why are you being like this? You know what I want.”
“Mostly because you’re so cute when you’re all riled up,” he said.
Two could play at this game. “I can’t believe you, Xavier,” she said, deliberately injecting a note of betrayal into her tone. “I can’t believe you would mess with me like this. You told me that you would always take care of me. Don’t you remember that?”
He frowned. “Of course I remember,” he said quietly. “You know I’ll always take care of you, Zoe. You’re the most important thing in the world to me.”
“But you’re not taking care of me now,” she said. “I need you, Xavier.” She knew that he was aware of what this pregnancy was doing to her, how it made every nerve in her body feel as if it was awake at all times. Just the slightest breeze across her skin could turn her on nowadays. The thought of a day alone with Xavier was enough to make her feel as if her body was on fire.
“I’m sorry,” Xavier said quickly. “It was only a game, Zoe. You know that.”
She pouted. “Not a very fun game. You don’t need to be so mean.”
“I’m sorry—” He hesitated. “Wait a minute.”
She blinked up at him innocently.
“You’re playing me,” he said accusingly.
“You played me first,” she pointed out. “I thought you wanted to play. Wasn’t that what you were doing?”
“I can’t believe you,” he said. “Now you’re going to get it.”
Which was exactly what Zoe had hoped for all along.
Xavier tore away the blankets she had wrapped around herself, leaving her naked and exposed. He sat back and gazed at her body. “Fuck,” he murmured. “I could get off just looking at you.”
“You’d better not,” she warned him.
“What are you going to do about it?” he asked her, grinning wolfishly. “You can’t get up.”
It was true. The past few weeks of her pregnancy had seen her grow so large that it was impossible to move without help. She ached to jump up, get on top of Xavier, and pin him to the ground, mount him and ride him until the fire in her body was quenched. But she couldn’t. She was stuck, waiting for him to show mercy.
“Don’t worry,” he said, his hand moving to her hip. His thumb traced the line of her hipbone gently, back and forth. “I’ll make sure you get what you need, Zoe.”
She closed her eyes and nodded. She trusted him. Despite his games, she knew that he would take care of her. She was safe in his hands. Those hands had protected her from bears and healed her when she had been wounded, and those hands had given her the greatest pleasure her body had ever known.
He lay down beside her and carefully helped her to roll onto her side. “You have to tell me if anything is uncomfortable,” he said quietly. “We need to make sure you’re in the right position for this.”
“The only thing that’s uncomfortable is how much I want you.” She squeezed her thighs together, giving herself just enough pressure to take the edge off. Every time he spoke, it seemed, her desire mounted. She thought she might lose her mind.
He fitted his body up against hers, his knees behind hers, his hips cradling her ass, his broad chest against her back. He slipped one arm beneath her head, making a pillow of his bicep. His other hand trailed lightly beneath her jawline, his fingers gentle against her neck.
Zoe groaned.
He stroked her collarbone. “You’re so beautiful,” he murmured. “You’ve always been so beautiful, but fuck, I’m going to miss this when the babies come.”
“You’ll have to get me pregnant again,” she murmured, half lost in the pleasure of his touch and the way it fueled her desire.
He chuckled. “Don’t tempt me.”
“I’m trying to tempt you.”
“It’s working.” His hand moved to her breast. Her milk had come in, and her breasts felt as heavy as basketballs lately. He traced his fingers around her swollen nipple as if it were a fascinating museum exhibit, as if he were making a study of her body for scientific research.
“You’re driving me crazy,” she said. She hated that she couldn’t move. She imagined reaching over her head to pull his face into her neck, arching her hips back to feel his erection press up against her. But such contortions would have put too much pressure on her stomach. She could only lie there and wait for him to give her more.
“You’re driving me crazy,” he murmured.
“I’m not even doing anything.”
“Just by being yourself, you drive me crazy,” he said. “Just looking at you drives me crazy. I’ve never seen anyone so beautiful in all my life.”
“I need you,” she said. “I need you to fuck me, Xavier. No more games.”
She felt him nod against her shoulder, and that simple gesture gave her more comfort than he could possibly have imagined.
She moaned with relief as he slid inside her. His hand slid down her arm to catch her own hand, and their fingers entwined. Her breathing accel
erated, becoming erratic and uneven, and she knew that she wouldn’t last long.
“I’ve got you,” he said softly. “I’m going to give you everything you could possibly need. Just relax and enjoy it.”
He began to move within her, and the friction was unimaginably delicious. She wanted to fuck herself back against him, to increase the tempo and the force of his thrusts. But she couldn’t. All she could do was to tighten herself around him.
She did, and he growled, sounding exactly like his wolf form. “God, fuck,” he groaned. “You’re so good. You can’t even move, and you’re still driving me wild.”
She grinned and squeezed him harder.
He brought his free hand down to caress her breast, and it sent a jolt of pleasure through her like a bolt of lightning. With a cry, she came, shuddering and sobbing.
He wasn’t done. He fucked her through her orgasm, picking up the speed now, his hips smacking against her ass with each thrust. “We’re just getting started,” he said. “I hope you’re ready for more.”
She couldn’t find words. She squeezed his hand in response, hoping he would get the message. She was ready for whatever he had to give her.
I’ll never ever get enough of him. I could lie in this cave with him forever. I could ride his cock for hours and still want more.
It was amazing that something could be simultaneously so satisfying and yet leave her so insatiable.
Xavier fucked her hard, hands moving to grip her thighs and then to play between her legs. The next time she came, she took him with her, the contractions of her body milking his orgasm from him in powerful waves. He roared out his pleasure, jerked his hips against her twice more, and then went still.
She relaxed against him, enjoying the way he felt perfectly molded to her. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close against him.
“In one more month, we’re going to be parents,” he said.
“Are you ready for that?” she asked him.
“I thought I would be nervous,” he admitted. “But I’m not. I’m just excited.”