A Ravenous Pack: Wolf's Hunger 5 Books

by A. K. Michaels

  “Ray? What do I do?” She turned to her best friend, her Beta. The one she always turned to when faced with impossible decisions. The person who always helped her when her back was up against the wall and she had nowhere else to turn.

  His eyes met hers in the rear-view mirror, sad eyes that were full of sorrow and pain as was his voice. “Little one, this is one time I cannot help you. I wish I could. I truly wish I could. He is your mate and only you can decide what to do. All I’ll say is look inside your heart and listen to it, and your Wolf, and then you’ll know what to do.”

  Ari stifled a sob, grabbing a tissue from the glove compartment before completely breaking down. Ray reached over and pulled her to his side, comforting her as was his role as Beta. Ari clung to him, her face against his massive chest as he drove one handed, as Sheba turned to face Tilly.

  “I don’t know what to do,” she pleaded with the Healer.

  “I second what Ray said. Look inside yourself, Sheba.”

  Sheba placed a hand on her mate’s chest, then one on her own, feeling both of their hearts beating, then closed her eyes. Slowing her breathing, she closed out everything else, the noise of the engine, the heartbeats of everyone else in the vehicle, the sound of the tires on the gravel track . . . everything. She focused on the Lion, entirely, completely, and shut out everything else. Sheba saw the majestic beast in her mind, as she had on more than one occasion, but this time her white Wolf was there too, running by its side. The Lion turned, making a chuffing sound before nudging her Wolf then running its raspy tongue along her muzzle. The animals then loped off together, disappearing into a forest, a loud roar followed by her own Wolf’s howl sounding loudly as the scene disintegrated, leaving her breathless and knowing what she had to do.

  Opening her eyes, she gave Tilly a nod. “I’m claiming this Lion as mine. He’s my mate and I won’t go another moment without having him as mine. Just tell me how we do it and walk me through everything.”

  “I’ll certainly do that, Alpha. And once that’s done you can help to heal him, but I must caution you not to use too much of your own strength to aid him. I don’t want you to weaken yourself too much. Okay?”

  “I think you misunderstood, Healer,” Sheba said firmly. “I’ll do whatever it takes to heal him, so don’t stand in my way. You won’t like the consequences if you do. This decision is simple. We live together. Or we die together.”

  “Sheba!” Ray warned. “Don’t do anything stupid.”

  “I’m doing what any mate would do, Ray.”

  “Oh fuck!” Ari wailed again, grabbing a tighter hold of Ray.

  “My sentiments exactly,” Ray grumbled.

  “Let’s get started,” Sheba ordered and Tilly instructed her exactly on what to do.

  Turned out it was easier than she expected. Forced exchange of blood, claimed him as hers, and voila he was her mate. It wasn’t a full mating. That would come later when he could mark her as his and they would seal their mating with the usual long love-filled days locked away together. But she’d marked him, and they’d exchanged blood so she could now help him and that’s all that mattered.

  Sheba lay down next to him, her arm over his chest, and poured her power into his body as Tilly set up a drip to aid with his blood loss. It wasn’t long until she could see a slight change in the pallor of his face. It was no longer the color of a corpse, thank goodness. And it wasn’t long after that when Tilly told her to ease up . . . not a fucking chance. Sheba carried on, and on, until her muscles ached, her head felt as if it were about to burst, and her eyes drooped as she fell into darkness.

  Her last thought was . . . she hoped she’d done enough to save her mate. If not then she hoped she’d done enough to join him in the hunting grounds.

  Either way, they’d be together and that’s the one, and only, thing she wanted.

  “Please, please wake up.” A soft plea made it through the haze of Sheba’s mind, tearing her from the warmth of her sleep.

  “What? Leave me be, for goodness sakes. Can’t a girl sleep in around here?” she grumbled, slowing coming awake to find herself snuggled against a long, hard body.

  She jerked, sitting up quickly and regretting it immediately as a bout of dizziness struck. Her hand shot to her head and the voice rose in alarm. “Oh shoot, no, don’t do that. Lie back down or Tilly will kick my ass!”

  “Ari? What’s going on?”

  “Sheba, please lie down before Tilly comes in or she’ll kill me,” Ari pleaded.

  Sheba did so, gently, and felt better immediately, opening her eyes slowly to find herself in the master bedroom of the Alpha cabin. “What’s going on? Why am I not in my own room?”

  Then she felt the body again and turned to find . . . her mate. And everything rushed back in like a tsunami and she knew why she’d been moved into the master bedroom. The one she’d never taken residence of since her father’s death. “Oh hell! I’ve got a mate! And he’s here with me so I guess he’s made it. Ari, tell me is he going to be okay?”

  Ari leaned forward from the chair she was sitting on at the side of the bed, grinning like an idiot. “Yes, you’ve got a mate and yes, it looks like he’s going to be okay. Tilly says you gave him almost all of your power and it saved him. But, and I’ve gotta tell you, your mom, Ray, and Tilly are kinda mad at you . . . and so am I. What were you thinking? We almost lost you, Sheba. I was so scared!”

  Sheba turned back to her friend, shrugging. “It’s hard to describe, Ari, but it was a case of, if he went then I was going with him.”

  “What? But you’d only just met him! That’s insane!”

  “I know but a soul-mate is different to just an ordinary guy. It’s impossible to explain. Just wait until you meet yours and then you’ll know.” Sheba looked around, licking her lips. “My throat is as dry as the desert. Can I get some water?”

  “Sure.” Ari jumped up, going to the dresser and pouring a glass from the pitcher. She stuck a straw in and came back. “Tilly says you’ve just to take small sips, and I’m to call her soon as you wake up so she can check you out.”

  “Pfft.” Sheba waved that away. “I’ll be fine.”

  “Whatever,” Ari replied. “But I’m not getting on the wrong side of her and your mom is downstairs waiting too. She’s hardly slept or eaten and she’s been so worried.”

  “Hardly slept or eaten? Ari, just how long have I been here?” Sheba asked.

  “It’s been four days.” Ari rose, opening the door and shouting for Sheba’s mother.

  “How’s the Pack? Have the rogues been dealt with? Is there anything I need to know? Where’s Ray? I need to speak with him.”

  “Pack is fine and the renegades have been run off, or rather, most are dead and the rest are gone. Ray’s been dealing with everything else and the only thing you need to know is Hoyt is dead.”

  Sheba sat back up, her head spinning again. “What? Hoyt’s dead? What the fuck, Ari? What happened?”

  “Well, it looks like he was in league with the renegades, telling them where to go and how to evade our patrols. He was also the one laying bear traps so when this all came out, well, let’s just say that Ray and he had a little difference of opinion, and Hoyt’s no longer with us.”

  “Hell, I knew that one was a bad apple, but if I had an inkling what he was up to I would’ve ripped his throat out.” Sheba couldn’t believe how low the rat had sunk.

  “I know. Apparently, he was using some kind of brew he’d gotten from the rogues which masked his deceit from us, but when they were taken out, he couldn’t get more of the stuff and his deceit was revealed.” Ari shrugged. “Serves him right for turning on the Pack.”

  “Yes, it does. I’m just annoyed it wasn’t me that dealt with him.”

  Her mom arrived then, her face white and pinched as she stuck her head in the door. “Sheba! Are you all right? I’ve called Tilly but she’s in town picking up some supplies. She said she’ll call in when she gets back.”

  “I’m fine bu
t I’m hungry. May I have something to eat?”

  “Yes, of course. Tilly said you’d be ravenous so I’m prepared, honey. I’ll be right back.”

  “Prepared is putting it mildly.” Ari giggled. “She’s had a ton of food ready every day and night. When you didn’t wake she gave it away and started over.”

  “Heck, I feel bad now.” Sheba plumped up her pillows, sneaking glances at the still sleeping body next to her. “What’s Tilly saying about him?”

  “His wounds have healed and she says he’ll wake when he’s good and ready, just like she said about you. Not the wounds part, the waking part.”

  “I see,” Sheba said quietly, her hand reaching over to hold one of his.

  “Girl, he is one hot potato!”

  “You should see his Lion, Ari. It’s so regal and majestic. I’ve never seen anything like it. It’s freaking huge! It makes Ray’s Wolf look like a puppy dog.”

  “What? No . . . really?” Ari gasped, sitting forward again with eyes wide as saucers.

  “Yeah, his claws are like kitchen knives and even with a bear trap on his leg, he’d fought off a load of Wolves. I think I counted eight dead when I got there and he was still ready to fight more, even with all his wounds. It was surreal, Ari, fucking amazing.”

  “No! How could he do that? He must be superhuman . . . oh wait. Shit, you know what I mean. And he’s not too shabby to look at either!” Ari laughed again, her cheeks blushing.

  “Yeah, I know, and yes, he is something else. I can’t wait to get to know him properly.”

  “Me too,” he said, his eyes opening with a sparkle and a smile on his face.

  Sheba flushed, her hand hitting his chest playfully. “How long have you been listening in?”

  “Long enough,” he replied, pushing himself up into a sitting position. “Hi.”

  “Hi yourself.”

  Ari gave him a wave. “Hi!”

  He looked over briefly. “Hi,” he said before his eyes found Sheba’s again. “My mate.”

  “Yes.” Sheba’s mouth dried up, nerves and excitement taking over.

  “And my savior. The white Wolf who swooped in and saved my ass, along with that huge black beast.”

  “Ray, my Beta. He was with me when we came looking for you.”

  He frowned, cocking his head to the side, his black hair falling over his forehead. “Looking for me? How did you know where to find me, or to even look for me for that matter?”

  Sheba’s face blushed completely scarlet this time, her eyes dropping, but his hand reached over, lifting her face so their eyes locked. “Tell me.”

  “I’d been a little . . . off color, so Ray made me see our Healer and she told me I had something called the Hunger . . .”

  “Holy shit,” he interrupted. “You had the Hunger? Damn.”

  “I assume you’ve heard of it?”

  “Yes, indeed I have. It’s rare, but it’s been talked of by our Elders. So your Healer explained you had to go find your mate?”

  “Yes, and I’d already had glimpses of a Lion and then when I allowed my Wolf free rein she just took off like a rocket and well, she led me right to you. I’m sorry we were a little late, if I’d listened earlier, we would’ve gotten there sooner, and . . .”

  His eyes sparkled brighter, leaning in closer until their foreheads touched. “You got there right when you were meant to. You saved my life.”

  And then his lips covered hers in a kiss that was one filled with desire, love, passion, and completely full of a mate staking their claim.

  Sheba faintly heard Ari usher her mother from the room. “Hmm, maybe now’s not the time. I think they’re a little busy. Just leave the tray by the door.”

  Sheba’s body was aflame with passion, desire, and pure unadulterated lust. His hands were playing her body like a master playing a violin and she was loving every damn second. Her breath caught in her throat as he dipped a finger inside her, coating it with her juices then sliding it up and around her oh so sensitive nub.

  Damn, that felt so good, she was going to come right then and there if he didn’t stop. His tongue darted inside her mouth, tangling with hers before his teeth nibbled on her bottom lip. He moved his head back and she actually groaned aloud as he broke contact, a smile tugging his lips up as he gazed down at her. “I want to watch you while I make you come for the first time, baby.”

  His free hand reached up behind her head, tangling in her hair to hold her in place, his hand at her mound working sheer magic. My god! How many fingers did the man have? It seemed like far too many. One was on her clit, doing miraculous things, while others were inside stroking her in ways she’d never been caressed before. All in all, she knew she was going to fall apart into a thousand pieces before she could take another breath.

  “Come for me.” He smiled down at her, a smile that told her he knew exactly what he was doing to her, and that was all it took to send her spiraling into a chasm of pleasure so intense her body shook from head to toe as her heart almost exploded in her chest.

  His tongue ran across her throat, down her chest to take a nipple into his mouth. “Holy hell!” she gasped. Wasn’t he going to allow her to recover? Apparently not.

  “I sense I am somehow bound to you?” he whispered softly around her breast.

  “Yes,” she gasped. “It was the only way to save you.”

  “Thank you,” he replied. “But now we must do things properly. We must do this as we should have.”

  “Yes,” she gasped again, thrusting her hips up toward him.

  “Eager, aren’t you?”

  “Yes!” she said with much more force this time.

  Lifting his head, he quirked an eyebrow. “I don’t know your name?”

  “Sheba.”

  “Sheba.” It rolled off his tongue like a caress. “My Queen.”

  The childhood taunt stung, and she pushed at his shoulders roughly. “Don’t call me that!”

  “What?”

  “I don’t like it. Queen of Sheba!” She used the sing song voice that had haunted her for so many years. “Anyone that calls me that faces my anger. No matter who it is.”

  “I didn’t call you that,” he replied calmly, his head dipping to take her nipple inside his mouth again briefly. “I called you, My Queen, and My Queen, you are. You forget I am a Lion and we do not have Alphas. We have a King and a Queen. You, Sheba are My Queen, and when we are alone you will always be My Queen.”

  Her anger left her. Not only left her but she now felt embarrassed. “I’m sorry. I wasn’t aware of that. I don’t . . .”

  “Shh.” He nibbled on her taut bud.

  “Wait,” she managed to say. “What’s your name?”

  He bit down briefly before mumbling something she couldn’t hear. “What?” she asked.

  Looking up, he frowned. “No jokes. Okay?”

  She raised an eyebrow. “Okay.”

  “My name is Fox.”

  She bit her lip. She had to! “Fox. Really? That’s your name?”

  “Yes. My mother said I was so dang cute when I was born that the name just fit. And like you, I’ve had my share of problems because of it. Luckily for me, I’m a big ass Lion and can take care of anyone who has a problem with it.”

  “Well, I love it.” Sheba grinned. “I really do. Fox. It’s cool and now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, could you possibly get back to doing what you were a moment ago? Because I have to say you have a gift for that!”

  “Anything to please you, My Queen.” Fox chuckled, dipping his head to take her nipple back into his mouth and lavish it once more.

  “Oh, wait, one more question.” Sheba sighed as he released her breast again. “We mark our mates by biting them here.” She placed a hand on his neck. “What do Lions do?”

  He placed his hand on her hip. “We use our claws and mark here, but it’s more than that. When we do it we share our pheromones with our mate. It means there’s no mistaking that we’re mated. Our scents will mingle
and everyone will know that you are mine.”

  “I see.” Sheba shrugged. “That sounds okay. Will it leave a permanent mark?”

  “Yes, it scars. It does fade in time but there is always a mark. Does that bother you?”

  “No. Our marks are permanent too so that’s not a problem for me.”

  “Good, now, can we get back to what we were doing because my balls are going to turn blue if we don’t.”

  Sheba gave him a smile, her eyes full of her desire. “Yes, I’d like that.”

  “Good, because I’ve never wanted anyone as much as I want you. You’re the most beautiful creature the Goddess has created, My Queen.”

  His hand reached down, his fingers dancing around her slick folds eliciting a soft moan from her lips. “I’m going to worship you as only a Queen should be worshipped, from this day for eternity.”

  “Hmm, that sounds like a plan,” Sheba gasped as he moved down, his lips caressing her where a moment before his hand had been. Lordy! She was in heaven.

  She gripped the sheets tightly as he went to work, his strong hands opening her thighs, spreading her wide as pleasure rippled through her. He worked her slowly, long licks from her ass to her clit, then dipping inside as he lapped at her juices. A rumble in his chest as he did so brought her head up to watch him and his eyes sought hers as another growl sounded from him. He leaned away, licking his lips. “You taste superb. I could eat you all day long but I need to be inside you, Sheba. My beast craves to claim you as ours. I cannot wait any longer.”

  Sheba reached down, snagging her fingers in his hair and tugging him up. “I want that too, Fox. My Wolf is howling so loudly I can barely think.”

  Fox’s body towered over her, his forearms at either side of her head and his hands cupping her face as his eyes locked with hers. “I take thee as My Queen, for now and forever, in this world and the next. We will run here and in the hunting grounds, side by side for eternity, Sheba. If you will have me?”

  Sheba’s body reacted to his pledge and plea. Her heart swelling and her throat closing with emotion, tears welling in her eyes with unadulterated happiness. “I will have you, Fox. I take you, for now and forever. I claim you as my mate. To stand by my side. To protect you and shelter you, in this world and the next. I will love you for eternity, my gift from the Goddess, my one, my only, my soul-mate.”