by D J Nickels
I gasped as I remembered Jonathan. Jonathan said he and Bradley, decided that I would stay with Jonathan and that he would care for me. Then Jonathan had carried me to his house and took care of me and this was his room. I looked over at the couch in the sitting area in front of his bed. It was empty. I looked around and saw the curtains from the window flutter against the breeze.
I felt something tight around my neck. I felt my neck, and there was a wrap around it. Then I saw the oil sitting on the nightstand. Jonathan must have put the oil on my neck and wrapped it as not to get it on the pillow. My mind was very fuzzy.
What was going on, and where was Jonathan? I looked around and then walked to the bathroom and got a drink. I went to take off the wrap when I noticed two leather cuffs around my wrists. I gasped and tried to take them off, but they weren’t coming off. My heart raced even more.
What was going on? Why did he put these things on me? I couldn’t get them off. I took a deep breath. Then I began to take off the wrap and looked at the bruising around my neck, which seemed almost nonexistent now.
“Wow, whatever that oil is, it really works.” I saw some washcloths and towels on a shelf in the bathroom. So, I wetted one down, and wiped my face and the sweat off me. Then I noticed I was completely naked. I went into his room, found one of his T-shirts, and put it on.
I looked around the room and found my phone on the nightstand. I looked at the time it was 2:30 a.m., but that was not what stunned me. What stunned me was that it was 2:30 a.m., Monday morning.
I had been in and out of it for days. How could this be, and where was Jonathan? I decided to quietly walk back over to my house, taking my dogs with me, and hopefully, wherever Jonathan was, I would not run into him, because I just wanted my own stuff around me. Jonathan’s house was eerily silent.
Safely, I made it back to my house. I noticed everything had been fixed—the sliding back door, the kitchen table, and the bay window in the front room. I went to the counter and I cut the leather cuffs from my wrist. I headed straight to my bedroom and I changed out of Jonathan’s T-shirt. I went into my bathroom and turned on the light.
Taking off the wrap around my ribs, I looked and pressed on them. The bruising was lighter there also. I took a quick shower, then went to my dresser and found my tight waist trimmer and put it on. It felt better and tighter than the wrap did. The girls were standing at the door and looked back at me.
“Okay, okay, I get it. You need to go out,” I whispered. I finished putting clothes on and took them out. I walked through my quiet house and let the dogs out. I got a glass of ice water and followed them outside. It was a beautiful night; the stars were so bright. I sat on the back deck for a few minutes. I felt my heart racing still, and I was a bit jittery. There was no way I would get back to sleep, without getting my heart rate down.
I walked over to my gym. I opened the big door and turned on the lights. I knew I needed to work out all the stiffness I was feeling. Standing there for a moment, I took in the stars again. They were just so brilliant and beautiful. I took in a deep breath and it calmed me a bit. I was ready to be in control of my life again.
I walked over and turned on the sound system and put my phone on the dock and pushed play. Then I pushed a couple of buttons on the wall and put on the harness that came out of the ceiling and put it on. I pushed a button on the belt of the harness and the bands tightened and lifted me into the air. I felt a little twinge, of pain in my ribs, but pushed it from my mind, because I needed this. I grabbed the bar above my head and stepped onto the rafter. I pushed a button on the rafter, and the bands on my harness got ready. Closing my eyes, I centered myself and calmed my heart rate. Then I let myself fall back as I flipped and turned and jumped to the calming music that played. It felt absolutely freeing, and I loved it.
When the music changed, to bring myself to life, I jumped and grabbed a fighting stick from the wall. Dummies started sliding out of the wall. I jumped and attacked them. I flipped as if I were a graceful lioness in a dance with her prey. I grabbed the hilt of the sword out of the back of my harness. I stabbed and took off one of the dummies’ heads. I jumped, and flipped, and just as I landed, I took off another head. I sheathed the sword and pushed a button and released the harness. I turned and struck the dummies with the fighting stick.
I began taking out my anger that I had built up inside. I let loose everything I had, screaming out my anger and frustration and all my pain inside me. Even though there wasn’t much sound that came out, it made me feel better. I was taking control of my life again. I fell to the floor, breathing heavily. That’s when the music shut off and I heard someone clear their throat.
Jonathan
Jonathan looked back at Kate before he went out on the roof, from his bedroom window. He felt the need to run, and his pack needed to run.
Ever since joining the special force teams where the military had injected us with animal DNA, my men and I needed to run almost every night. Even though we didn’t fully shift into wolves, we still had features and animal pack tendencies.
I jumped from my roof and ran with my pack. I felt so uneasy about leaving Kate alone. She had woken up with nightmares every time, but I had not run with my pack in the last few nights. I needed to appease my animal, or he would become unbearable. I ran for about an hour. Then I let the others know that I was heading back to the house to check on Kate.
Just as I came out of the forest into my yard, I saw something lifting Kate high into the air. “Fuck, she is awake. Shit, what the fuck is she doing?” I felt angry that she was putting herself in danger. I moved fast. I looked at her face as I just got up to the door. Her eyes were closed as she stood on the rafter, and she seemed peaceful in that moment.
Suddenly she fell backwards, and my stomach dropped. I rushed to her, but she bounced back up before her feet barely touched the ground. I backed up to the door and watched her. She seemed blissful as she flipped and turned and spun. Her movements were so graceful.
The music changed, and I stepped back out of view. I didn’t want to disturb her. I watched as she attacked the dummies that were sliding out of the wall. I was surprised when she took off one of their heads. She screamed and attacked one dummy with everything she had, it seemed, and then fell to the ground. My heart ached for her in that moment. I went and shut off the music and cleared my throat as a primal need to protect and claim her came over me. My alpha power set off in waves.
She jumped up and turn to attack; she looked so fierce. I could feel her little wolf inside her. I wanted to take her in that moment. But I raised my hands to show her I was not a threat. She dropped the fighting stick as her eyes came into focus. I saw her wince at the pain in her right ribs as her arm guarded her side.
“What the fuck do you think you are doing?” I demanded. I walked to her, and I lifted her chin from left to right, looking at the bruising on her neck. She cleared her throat.
“Jonathan,” she rasped. “What are you doing here?”
“I could ask the same of you,” I said, as something aggressive inside me, came over me. I looked her over and before I could stop myself, I had her caged to the wall and she winced.
Kate
Jonathan moved us so fast. He caged me against the wall with his body up against mine. “What are you doing out of my bed? You are supposed to be resting.”
“I woke from a nightmare and had a panic attack,” I explained breathlessly. My hand pushed against his chest. “And the dogs needed to go out. I felt stiff and my heart was racing, and I needed to work out the kinks.” I winced when he barely touched my right side. He growled.
“You’re still in too much pain to be working out these kinks, little one.” His eyes were fierce, and he narrowed them on me. “What did Amanda tell you to do?” I rolled my eyes at him and tried to turn my head away. He turned my head back to him. “What did she tell you?”
“She said no sparring, and light work. I can make decisions for myself; you know. I am not a helple
ss little child,” I stated.
“I know you can, but you are making some bad choices right now,” he growled at me. I saw so much raw power behind his eyes; I could have sworn his eyes flashed yellow at that moment. I felt his power hit me, and I had to look away. He pulled my chin up again.
“Look at me, Kate,” he said calmly. “What are you supposed to be doing?”
I sighed. “Resting,” I whispered. “Where were you? It felt as if your house was empty when I woke up. So, I went home,” I explained.
Jonathan turned me around so fast, caging me against the wall. “What--”
“Shush.” He slapped my ass, cut me off. “You are not supposed to be using your voice.” “There are other ways for you to release your anger and your frustration, little one. I’m going to help you understand this.” As he spoke in my ear, I felt the waves of this power rolling off him and it relaxed me as every wave pressed against me.
“Put your hands on the wall,” he commanded. I hesitated, and he slapped my ass again. I gasped. “Now, little one,” he growled. I tried to fight this power he had, but I couldn’t. My hands went to the wall.
“Good girl. I am going to claim every part of your body.” He fisted my hair and pulled my head back and to the side, nipping my neck. I felt a new power rising in me, and the lights flickered above us. I was breathing heavy.
“Little one, keep your hands on the wall, and don’t move them,” he ordered. Jonathan stepped back and pulled my ass to his front, making me step back, and he kept his hand on the middle of my back, so that I had to lean toward the wall to keep my hands on the wall. I felt his huge bulge in his pants up against my ass. I gasped.
Holding me there in the position he wanted, he pushed my foot out in a wider stance. I sucked in a breath. “Are you in any pain, Kate?” I stiffened at him using my name. He used it just like Tom did when he was upset with me. The lights flickered in the room. “Don’t use my name,” I demanded.
“I can scent your pain, little one. I want you to trust me with your heart, your mind, and your body. You’re afraid,” he said.
I looked behind me, at him. “How do you know that?” I said, with a snarky attitude. He slapped my ass hard. I sucked in a harsh breath.
“Do not speak disrespectfully to your Alpha.” He wrapped his arms around my waist and leaned into me and whispered into my ear. “Because you’re mine. We are connected, you and me. From the first time I touched you, I felt your heart, your feelings, and your thoughts. I looked deep into your soul, and we connected.” He nibbled my ear. And you became MINE,” he said with such power rolling off him. “My instinct is to protect what is MINE.”
I looked back at him, and I whispered it a little breathlessly. “Yours?”
“Yes, MINE,” he said. “Tell me, little one. Did you feel us connecting?”
I thought about it. He slapped my ass when I hesitated.
“Ow!” I rasped. I heard him growl in his chest, and I gasped for air. “I felt pulled into your eyes and I couldn’t think straight,” I whispered. “I felt consumed by you.”
“I wanted to taste you right there,” he proclaimed. I felt my cami tank top fall away from my body, as if he cut it from me.
“How did--”
He cut me off with another slap, to both cheeks of my ass. I rose to my toes and gasped. I felt him take off his shirt. “What are you going to do?” I whispered breathlessly. I felt his bare chest, on my back and his breath on my neck. He kissed a trail down my back and licked all the way back up my spine. I gasped. “I’m going to taste what is MINE,” he said. When he said the word “MINE” it always had power in it, and it branded my soul.
“I’m going to claim you and make you MINE, little one,” he said in a growl. I gasped in air and my breathing got heavier, and one of the lights blew out above us.
He slapped my ass again and he then ran his hands up and under my breasts and I saw his fingernails had turned into very sharp claws. I gasped and froze in place. He groaned with pleasure as he felt my nipples. “I love these,” he said as he pulled on the gold hoops. I moaned in pleasure as I pushed my breast into his palms. He ran his hand down my stomach and I moaned. He chuckled and swiped the sides of my boy shorts with his claws, and they fell away. His hands came to my sides and he ran them up and down my skin.
“What are you?” I asked him.
“We are wolf shifters,” said Jonathan. He nibbled my neck as he ran his hands further down and he began circling my clit. He groaned with pleasure when he felt my clit ring. “Oh, you are full of surprises, aren’t you, my little minx?”
I moaned. “It was a bet on our girls’ night out,” I whispered. “We all had to get one.”
He chuckled. “I am going to have fun with these.” He squeezed a nipple and circled my clit slowly. I groaned with so much pleasure as he circled them again and again, squeezing them. Then he completely let go of me.
I whimpered at the loss of his touch in my soul. “Jonathan, please.” I felt the heat rolling off him, like he had grown two or three feet taller behind me.
“No, little one, not just yet,” he said. I ached with the need for him to touch me. Tears filled my eyes. “We are going to discuss why you ran back into your house after you found Tom doing what he was doing?” My heartbeat started to race, and my breathing got heavier. Again, I felt the hard smack of his hand on my ass. The sting, it hurt, and I breathed in a harsh breath. “Count them for me, little one,” he said.
I rasped out, “One.”
“So, tell me, little one, why did you run back into the house after you saw Tom with someone else?” I shook my head, as to get the images out of my head and I sniffled. “Putting yourself in danger is unacceptable.” Slap!
“Oww! Two!” I cried out.
“Especially when I was right there, and I asked you if there was anything I could do to help.” I heard him undo his belt and pull it from his pants. He rubbed my ass with his other hand.
“I don’t kn-know,” I said. Then suddenly, Whack!
“Owww!” I bounced up and down on my toes. “Three,” I cried out. Then I replied as he rubbed my reddened ass. “I was angry, and it wasn’t your problem to deal with.” Whack!
“Oh, ouch the stinging. Four!” My eyes brimmed with tears. “I am a big girl, Jonathan, and I can take care of myself. Whack, whack!
“Ouch,” I cried. “Five. Six.” My breathing was heavy. Tears fell from my eyes. “It was only supposed to be Tom in there,” I cried softly.
“That is no excuse,” he snarled. Whack, whack!
I screamed out, “Ow!” I bounced up and down on my toes.
“Stay in place,” he commanded. My ass was stinging hot on fire. He took turns on each cheek and the back of my legs right on the sit spot.
“Seven,” I cried. Breathing heavier, I sniffled. “Eight.” He walked over beside me, so he could see my eyes. Tears streamed down my face, and more were ready to spill from my glassy eyes.
He pushed my hair back and grabbed the nape of my neck. He rubbed his thumb, and it sent chills running down my body. “Kate, look at me.” I brought my eyes to his, and the tears fell. “Understand me when I say that from the moment we touched, you touched my soul, little one.” He cupped my face with his other hand holding the belt, and I leaned into his hand. I felt strangely comforted with the belt in his hand. Tears fell from my eyes.
“From the moment I caught you, I felt you pulling me in, and your scent consumed me, and you became mine. Mine to love, mine to protect, little one.” Then he kissed me deeply, branding me making me his and being his, was all I could think of at that moment. He went and stood behind me again. I saw movement in the mirror behind me at the door. Jonathan nodded to his men. “They are only here to witness your claiming. It is how it is done in our pack,” he said. “Eyes on me, little one. Are you willing to be MINE and to submit to your Alpha?” he asked. There was that word again. “MINE,” he said. All I could think of was his, and I felt it in my soul to be right.
I whispered, “Yes, Jonathan, I’m yours,” and the waves rolling off him branded it into my heart and soul. I heard the whip of his belt and it landed across my ass. Tears filled my eyes and I cried out in a release of my soul to him.
“Little one, will you give every part of yourself over to your Alpha, to take care of you, to love you, to cherish you, and to honor you?”
“Yes, Jonathan, I’m yours.” I felt the blow of his belt again for each question he asked as he brought his other hand around to my clit and he circled it. I screamed out in need. “Jonathan, please,” I begged. My nipples were tight peaks and I throbbed for release.
“Little one, will you accept and obey and respect those decisions made by my men?”
“Yes, Jonathan, I’m yours.” I felt another blow from his belt and rose up on my toes, gasping for breath and trying not to scream out.
“Little one, will you accept a lash from each of my men as a show of your submission and loyalty to me?”
I kept my eyes only on Jonathan. “Yes, Jonathan, I am yours,” I cried.
Jonathan stood next to me, holding me. He placed his finger in my wet heat and circled my clit. He nodded to someone behind me and said, “Carson.”
Carson came up behind me and took the belt from Jonathan. “I promise to protect you and guard you with my life.” Whack! I cried out.
“Mike?”
“I promise to protect you and guard you with my life.” Whack! I cried out. I sucked in a harsh breath.
“Dominic?”
“I promise to protect you and guard you with my life.” Whack! I cried out. As the rest of Jonathan’s men stepped up one by one to strap my ass with one lash, they vowed to protect me with their lives.
“Little one, are you willing to hand over all your pleasure and let it belong only to me?”
“Yes, Jonathan, it’s yours.” He brought his belt down five more times in succession, and I cried out, “I’m yours,” with every strike. Each blow was harder than the last, and I surrendered to every one of them, and then he dropped his belt. He rubbed my ass with his hands, squeezing and kneading the burn, making the sting turn into a delicious burning in my belly as he circled my clit. Then I felt him behind me at my entrance. I couldn’t think; I felt as if I were putty in his hands. Every touch of my body was heightened by this connection I felt growing inside me to him.