by C. D. Gorri
Before reason could set in, he walked to the bedroom door and turned the handle. He’d always been an impulsive bastard. Selfish too. Fuck, what was he doing? He should just go back to his seat and close his eyes, try to sleep through the worst of the mating fever.
But he was in its grip now. His body vibrated with it. He could hardly breathe his chest felt so tight. His pulse was racing, stomach clenched, and cock hard as nails.
Go sit the fuck down, he told himself. But his hand stayed on the handle and when he turned it, he found it was unlocked. Conall’s Wolf growled appreciatively and his chest rumbled with it. Conall pushed the small metal barrier open and stepped inside. He was more Wolf than man at the moment. The beast was the aggressor, pushing him to find and claim his fated mate.
The sound of a soft gasp reached his ears and his head shot up. Eyes like lasers found hers. She was completely naked and glorious, standing stock still like a deer in headlights. Her luscious curves were bathed in droplets of water like some mythical sea nymph rising out of the ocean. She was gorgeous, and if he followed through with this, she’d be his.
Yes. Mine.
Elia Spark, that was her name and a good one too. She sure as shit lit fires inside of him. A spark indeed. One sign that she wanted this was all he needed. As if sensing his reticence, she swallowed and he followed the small movement of her throat like the predator he was. Her Wolf understood, even if her human half didn’t. That small gesture showed her trust in him, her need to be mated.
This was no shy normal. Conall’s mate was a Werewolf every bit as fierce and proud as he. Her eyes glowed gold and she dropped the towel in her hands, straightening her shoulders to meet his stare head on. The rumble coming from his chest grew louder, and Conall was almost too far gone to move.
He did though. Walking further into the small room, he closed the door behind him and took a step towards her deliberately invading her space. His Wolf was pleased when she did not flinch or move to turn away from him.
Every breath brought more and more of her fresh morning scent into his lungs. He hardly realized he was still walking until suddenly he was right in front of her. Just a fraction of an inch away. The soft sounds of her breathing reached him over the pounding of both their hearts.
“Mate,” she exhaled the word, and he closed his eyes as pure unsolicited joy shot through his veins.
Then he was on her. Conall’s hands shot out and gripped her waist, sliding down to the flare of her wide hips. He tugged her closer until she was flush against him. Then he was kissing her. His hard mouth crashed over her petal-soft lips, opening her mouth with the force of his tongue and tasting the divine nectar that was all her.
His sweet mate met him move for move, taking his breath away, exceeding any and all expectations. He tasted the toothpaste she’d just used, and better, beneath it the unique flavor that was all her.
Elia moaned as he backed her into the wall, his hands cupping her ripe, heavy breasts, tugging on the nipples as he bent to suckled them in his mouth.
“Oh jeez,” she whimpered and clung to his shoulders, but he wasn’t done with her yet. Before he was finished, she’d be screaming his name. He could guarantee that.
“No, we can’t,” she moaned and pressed her breast further into his face and he latched on, tugging the small berries that tipped each one with his tongue and teeth.
“Yes, we can,” he insisted as his hands ran down her body to cup her mound, “you‘re my mate.”
“Maybe, but I,” she moaned as his finger circled her dripping wet entrance, fuck, she was ready for him, “oh blimey, that feels so good.”
“I can make it feel even better,” he growled against her stomach.
Conall’s mouth salivated as he neared her most secret treasure. He wanted to taste her. To drown in that sweet succulent pleasure that kissing her there would bring them both.
“That might be so, but I’m asking you to stop.”
“What?”
He froze. Conall’s Wolf howled ferociously in his mind’s eye, but he was not an animal despite being a Werewolf. The female said stop.
The drumming beat of both their hearts was so loud he could hardly hear anything else. But that one word. That softly stated stop, had him doing just that. Conall rose to his feet, but he did not back up. Not yet.
Looking into her gold-flecked brown eyes, he saw the way she was trying to control her Wolf and admired her for it. Even if it was breaking his heart.
“You really want me to stop?”
“Yes?” she said and picked up the towel she had dropped, wrapping it around herself, and covering her gorgeous body from his greedy eyes.
Grrr. Conall had never hated a towel so much. Even so, her words sounded more like a question than statement to his sharp ears. Trying to control his breathing took about all the brain power he had, the rest he used trying to listen to her as she spoke.
“You sure about that?”
“Look, I fled my village because I wouldn’t be owned by a man there, and I won’t be owned by one here either,” the truth in her statement did two things.
It made him want to hunt down the bastard from her hometown who’d made her feel that way. And it also made him want to prove himself. Since when had Conall ever been turned down by a female? This was new and unwelcomed. Especially coming from his mate.
“Who said I wanted to own you?” he asked, allowing his confusion to be heard.
“You know how this works, Conall, a male Wolf is a possessive brute when it comes to his mate, fated or not, and I will not have it,” her eyes closed in misery on that last word and his Wolf howled in mourning.
“You are my fated mate, Elia, I will stop for now-”
“Just stop period. I am not for you.”
“Okay. Easy. I will stop whenever you say, but this isn’t over-”
“I know you think that, but I am telling you it is. I want to experience life before I am forced to be tied down. You can’t understand what I mean because you’ve been free to make decisions your whole life. I mean just look at that hair! I have yet to taste that kind of freedom.”
“What’s wrong with my hair?” he frowned. Chicks usually liked his blonde spikes.
“Please? Are you a Werewolf or Sid Vicious reincarnated?”
“What?”
“Forget it. You don’t even know who that is,” she scoffed.
“Look, I know who the Sex Pistols are, but all references to English punk bands aside, I think maybe your idea of what it means to be mates is not the same as mine,” he tried, but knew in her eyes that she was done talking.
“Says you.”
“Yeah says me. You might try to get to know me?”
“I know everything about you I need to know, Conall Truman. And I might not be able to win this fight against my fate, but I can try,” she narrowed her eyes.
“You know, that hurts,” he said and was surprised that he spoke the truth, but what could he say in the face of her blatant distrust.
“Elia, I am not a monster and it doesn’t have to be a fight. I will do what you want. I’ll back off completely for now,” he said.
“Is that so? So, you will walk out of this little room and not try anything with me again?”
“If that is what you want,” he said even though it pained him to do so.
“No kissing or touching?”
“Not unless you want me to kiss you and touch you,” he nodded his head, making the promise even though it just might kill him.
“You promise?” she asked and she sounded so sweet and trusting, he closed his eyes on a pang of desire.
“Every word I say to you is a promise. Now, why don’t you get some sleep for the rest of the flight? I will knock on the door when we land,” he vowed and backed slowly out of the room.
“Just like that?” she asked.
“Elia, you are my fated mate. If you say stop, I stop. If you say go, I go. But just so you know, I am not giving you up,” he looked at her l
ongingly.
“But you promise not to do anything unless I ask?”
“Yes.”
“Well, you’ll be waiting a long time for that, boyo,” she smirked.
He couldn’t help himself. He walked as close as he could get to her without touching her.
“Wanna bet?”
“You think you’re so irresistible, don’t you?” she sneered and he could tell she was irritated by the fact she wanted him. Score another point for Conall.
“I think you want me as much as I want you,” he countered, okay with admitting how much he wanted her.
It was the truth, after all. He did want her. More than anything else. She was his mate and that was as it should be, he rationalized.
“I can last longer than you,” she sniffed.
“Is that a bet then?” he asked.
“A bet?” she asked and cocked her head to the side even as her pulse began to race at his nearness, “You want to make a game of it? Fine. Whoever begs for it first is the loser, then,” she squirmed a bit and released more of her delicious pheromone laced scent into the air.
Damn. He wanted her so bad. Conall leaned forward and sniffed. He was going to burst in his jeans if he kept up this verbal foreplay any longer. But what was a Wolf to do?
“Don’t worry. I’ll make sure you like losing to me,” he winked and stepped back.
“Oi, what makes you think I’m gonna lose?” she said, and just to push him a little bit more, the naughty minx dropped the towel.
Sad growl. His Wolf whined, but he just smiled and whistled appreciatively.
Fuck, it was going to be an uncomfortable flight for him and his stupid tight jeans. But he would survive it. After all, he had to come up with a plan to woo his mate.
Chapter 4
She’d slept almost an entire day away. Elia yawned and looked around her new bedroom with wide eyes. It was unbelievable.
The entire Macconwood Manor was luxurious in ways her poor little excuse for a Pack house could never be. The place of her birth held only bad memories ever since Seamus had taken over, and she was glad to be out of there for good.
This was all temporary of course. She’d told the Alpha fem, a feisty normal by the name of Charley that she wanted to earn her keep and would not be leeching off them for long. Of course, the woman had been running after one of her little tykes and simply waved her off.
Apparently, Pack was family in Macconwood, New Jersey. A concept that was foreign and yet welcome to her tired soul. She could hardly believe the Pack owned so much property that they even got to name it. And though it had been almost a full day, she missed him.
Conall seemed to have vanished into thin air upon their arrival to the Wolf Pack’s Manor House. Of course, he’d been silent the ride over as well. Elia had thrilled in taking in the sights.
The city closest to them was a coastal town called Maccon City. The Atlantic Ocean had looked all glittery and green-hued when they’d arrived. It was warmer than she’d expected for September but had been told it was typical weather.
She was going back to the town tonight to explore with some of the women from the Pack. The first one she met was Aleeza Marlowe. The female had just passed her Bar exam, whatever the heck that was. It meant she was a real lawyer now.
Anyway, the sweet she-Wolf had invited Elia to go paint the town with her and her mates and she had said yes. She had been looking for her rescuer and had finally found him standing at the bottom of a long flight of stairs playing with the Alpha’s three babes.
He looked at her once, just long enough to make her squirm but had focused on the three feisty pups. He hadn’t even reacted when Aleeza asked her to join her that evening, though she knew he’d heard. In fact, the man had said very little to her in spite of the whole near-mating incident on the airplane.
He’d been courteous but had pretty much ignored her to the point of being rude. She frowned as she sat down on the fluffy mattress. For some reason, she was still quite exhausted. Well, the reason was obvious.
She’d never gotten to sleep aboard the jet despite hiding in that small cabin. Elia had been afraid to risk being near the man whose Wolf called to hers so fiercely. Her furry side wanted him desperately, was willing to do anything to get him, and that scared the bejesus out of her.
She lay down on top of the pink quilt and grabbed a soft pillow for under her head. The room was clean and pretty, and she was safe. For the first time in a long time, she didn’t have to worry about anyone listening to her movements. Privacy was something she had not had in a long while.
Seamus’ reign was at an end. A letter from Rolf assured her that the Greyback Pack was taking steps to ensure the members of the Spark Pack who’d remained would not be harmed by her cousin’s residual anger at her departure.
Thank goodness for that. The possibility had weighed heavily on her mind ever since she’d asked for help in fleeing. Uncle Rolf assured her it was the wisest thing she could’ve done. Had she stayed, then Seamus would already have the upper hand.
Her meeting with Rafe Maccon had gone better than expected. Of course, she hadn’t thought Conall would be in the room with her. Somehow it had made it easier for her to talk to the big dark-haired man with ice blue eyes just knowing the blonde Wolf was there with her.
None of that now. She scolded herself for finding comfort in his presence. Wasn’t she the one who wanted to deny what they were to each other? Well. Maybe not that exactly. She just wanted some freedom. How could she know what manner of man he was unless she took her time to get to know him?
Her Wolf might want him despite their being strangers, but the woman in her was more cautious than that. Conall Truman was a mystery. How did a man who looked like that walk around single? He was positively gorgeous, she admitted to herself. And the bastard knew it.
Well, if he thought he was that irresistible, he could just mate himself! As if she’d be begging for him anytime soon! She might be green as grass, but her sexy Werewolf mate was going to be waiting a long time if he thought she’d come knocking on his door.
Elia wanted to experience life before she settled down and had her mate decide everything for her. Too many times had she seen the females of her Pack shackled to the kitchen with pups after they’d gotten mated. That would not be her future regardless of the Fates.
Still, her secret female places ached and throbbed whenever he was near. Her body was ready to be claimed. She’d never done much more than kiss a boy and even then that had been over ten years ago. Once Archie had been killed, she’d steered clear of any and all male association.
Poor Archie. Her heart ached with thoughts of the boy she’d thought to marry. His life had ended too soon and Seamus would pay for that. But Archie had never made her feel the way Conall did.
“Forget him, you eejit,” she cursed herself and punched the pillow until it was dense and hard like she preferred.
Sex was not something Elia had ever thought much of. Until now. She was curious about it, that was true. Not many Wolves lived to be her age without ever having indulged. It was a physical need and Werewolves were very physical beings.
Absently, she ran her hands over her body from her lips to her breasts, belly, and her sex. Just a light teasing touch, just enough to make her remember what it felt like when his hands and mouth were on her. The brief interlude on the plane had awakened sexual fantasies she didn’t even know she had inside of her. She dipped her hand into the waistband of her borrowed sweats and teased her soft cropped curls, parting her slick lips and testing her readiness.
She throbbed and clenched on air. As if her sex was looking for something else beside her own finger, but it would do for now. She pictured his broad shoulders and spikey blonde hair as he’d knelt before her and swallowed her breast in his oh-so-clever mouth.
The memory of the warm, wet suction of his lips had her moaning into her pillow and picking up speed as she strummed her own clitoris with her fingers. Her body craved release, but h
er mind wasn’t ready for him to be the one to deliver it. Not yet. Faster and faster, Elia worked her sex, thrusting her hips in time as she relived the sweet foreplay that had been her one and only sexual experience with a man.
Her stomach tightened as she felt the beginnings of that pleasure she sought most tugging at her insides. Then it was hers. She bit her lip as her orgasm fell upon her, too fast and too hard, but it was something. Something to relieve the ache that denying her mate had brought her.
Eyelids now heavy, she rolled onto her side and tried to control her breathing. This was her time now. A time when she could build a future she really wanted and could be proud of without all the politics of her old Pack haunting her. Maybe she could stay, she thought. Maybe she could lay her ghosts to rest in this place an ocean away from her troubles.
The past ten years of her life she wanted one thing only, and that was to be safe. Would she find that here in Macconwood? Would she be safe with him? Her Wolf whined with longing, the animal inside her knew what she wanted and that was her mate. It was her human side that lacked confidence that this was indeed her path.
What was she going to do? They’d made a wager on who would cave first. The inevitability that fated mates would be together was simply accepted among Werewolves. Hell, she didn’t even question it. It was only a matter of who would cave first and when it would happen.
She pondered that as Conall’s parting words came back to her just before sleep finally took hold.
“Don’t worry. I’ll make sure you like losing to me.”
Hours later, washed and dressed in loose-fitting jeans and a cropped black top she’d found in her drawers, Elia exited the guest bedroom. Whoever had guessed her size had done a fabulous job.
“The clothes fit.”
She jumped and whirled around in time to see Conall walking out of the room next to hers. His blue-eyed stare raked her from head to toe and she was glad she’d taken time to dry her hair and apply some light gloss to her lips. Elia didn’t wear makeup. She hated the feel of fake things on her skin.