He grinned. "A little nuisance of being a shifter who prefers to travel on foot. We can shift with our clothes on but it's not very comfortable."
Cassie's mind went back to last night and the way he'd kissed her so thoroughly…and then left her. Why did she feel like such a whore for wanting something so badly and not being able to have it?
"About last night," she started. "I'm sorry for causing you to almost break your promise to my brother."
"You don't have to apologize," he said. "I overreacted. In fact, I should have stayed."
"I guess you think I'm some loose woman addicted to sex or something." She sighed.
He shook his head. "No, that's not what I think. I just think you're perfect and have your whole life ahead of you and I don't want to ruin any chances that you might have a normal life."
She blew outward, shaking her head. "But that's my decision to make, but I see you've already made yours."
"Cassie…"
She rose from her seat. "I need to take a shower. You said the Alpha will meet with me, right?"
Luke nodded. "He'll arrive in a couple hours."
Before Cassie could slip past him, he rose too and caught her by the arm. He touched the mark on his neck.
"What's this?"
"You kissed me there, remember?"
His eyes narrowed and his brows furrowed.
"Oh, now you have amnesia," she exclaimed, trying to pull away.
"It's not that, Cassie." He swiped his thumb across the mark again. "I didn't put this there. It was there before I kissed you."
She looked at him perplexed, and then she felt her eyes widen when she realized what he might be inferring.
"No. Just no." She shook her head. "I haven't slept with anyone in almost a year." She pulled her arm away. "I'm glad you stopped by to give me a heads up about your Alpha. Now, I'm really going to go take a shower. Should I call you before I come over?"
Luke took her cue and rose from the chair. "No need. Just come right over. I'll be on the back patio, so if I don't answer the doorbell just come right on it."
"Will do."
Cassie turned around and took her hair down from the high ponytail on her head, letting her tresses cascade down over her shoulders. She didn't have to look behind her to know that he stared at her retreating backside, but she did anyway. Even from across the room, she could sense the hunger emanating from him. Too bad he wouldn't act on it the way she wanted him to, but she was having fun teasing him anyway. She grinned at him and slipped inside the bathroom, leaving him standing aloof in the center of the cabin.
Chapter 18
"Did he change his mind?" Cassie asked, folding her legs under her as she sat on Luke's couch.
"He's probably just caught up in other things at the moment, but when Dane says he'll be somewhere, he'll be there." Luke picked up the remote from the center console and turned off the TV. "While we're waiting on him, I picked up something for you while I was at the market."
Cassie smiled. "I like presents."
He got up, walked over to the fireplace, and removed something from the mantle. He returned to the seat beside her and handed her something wrapped in a brown wrapper and tied with a thick white ribbon.
"Thank you." She opened the package and pulled out two leather handmade journals with linen threads and a white button seal. "Very nice. I love to collect these. I put the prettiest ones on display on my bookcase which is where these will go." She traced the outline of the journal. "You didn't have to get me these, after all, I owe you so much with you allowing me to stay in your cabin."
"You don't owe me anything at all. I'm glad you came. I was getting lonely in these mountains. While you've been here you've reminded me that life isn't always about working endlessly but pursuing what matters the most."
"Then we're helping each other," she replied.
"Cassie, I don't want any more secrets between us. I know I wasn't open about what I was in the beginning. I'm not the kind of guy that just walks right up to folks and reveals that I'm a shifter. If a person knows, they just know. Plus, I really didn't know how you'd react. You came here for safety and I didn't want to run you off."
"I'm in the safest place right now. With you. I'd never run away from you."
"I didn't mean to hurt you last night. We both know that I'm very attracted to you. But eight years ago you were…" He chuckled under his breath and ran his hands through his hair.
"You don't even have to say anything. I know what you're thinking. I'm too young. I was just a tween when you first saw me." She shrugged. "Well, guess what? I'm now a grown ass woman. A woman who does what she pleases and knows what she wants."
"I've learned that about you."
"I'm not bothered by any age difference. Actually, I'm quite pleased that you're not the average run of the mill playboy. I don't like playing games."
"I'm flattered that you're pleased with me," he commented.
"Tell me about what happens if we had ended up in bed with each other last night," she requested.
"I would have fucked you thoroughly."
She blushed and her sex clenched just thinking about it. "I bet. What I meant was…if we do have sex, where would that leave us?"
"I can't predict the future, but I know I want you. And not just for one night. You're wearing my mark for a reason."
"Your mark?"
He reached out and caressed the "love mark" near her collarbone. "Do you remember seeing my birthmark?"
She nodded. "Yeah, the one I thought was a tattoo at first. I couldn't make out what it was."
"All shifters have birthmarks somewhere on their body. Mine happens to be shaped like a pineapple with stems and all. I have no idea what it means, that's just what it looks like to everyone who's seen it." His gaze dropped again to her neck. "My birthmark looks just like that."
"But that's impossible."
"Shifters have certain abilities. We know when we've found our true mate when she wears our mark. Sometimes the mark isn't visible on a human mate unless she comes into close contact with her mate."
"So when we kissed…?"
"When we kissed, your birthmark revealed itself."
"That's fascinating but very surreal," she said. "Has this happened before with other couples?"
"Oh yeah. Hundreds and thousands of times before."
"So what are you saying…?"
"You and I are what they call true mates. If we come together and have sex, the process will complete itself and there's nothing that you or I can do about it. We'll be mated naturally."
"Wow, really? No dating? No marriage?"
Luke chuckled. "If you'd like to do all that stuff before we have sex and the mating occurs naturally, I'm more than willing to do that for you. We have all the time in the world."
"You're so honorable. And I like it, but I could barely contain myself when we kissed last night. I'm not exactly a saint and you knew I wanted you and you left anyway. Did you know this before last night?"
"Not entirely. I had a feeling but it was confirmed when I saw the mark on your body for the first time today. I guess I was in denial that someone so pure and beautiful could be mine."
"So, what if you're wrong? What if I'm not your mate and we ended up having sex?"
"I know I'm right, but let's just say you and I weren't mates," he said. "When a shifter has sex with someone, doesn't matter if he or she is a shifter or human, they imprint on that person. It's when a wolf's essence is transferred to his or her lower. Kind of like a chemical imbalance in the body. An adult shifter will have developed enough willpower to counteract the effects, but, in a human, it'll cause the person to have increased sexual drives that only his or her shifter lover can satisfy. If they continue to have sex, the chemical imbalance will remain. If they never have sex again, the imprint will eventually fade. There is an exception to that."
"What's that?"
"If the lovers are true mates, the imprinting will never fade. In that case
, you'll find that the couple wears each other's marks. We don't even have to have sex. If you keep kissing me, eventually we will be mated naturally."
"Do you mean like this?" She leaned in closer and kissed him deeply.
Luke never got the chance to answer her because she covered his reply with her mouth. His mouth tasted just the way she remembered it and she slipped her tongue between his lips where they came together in heated bliss.
Cassie propped herself up on her knees and swung a leg over his thigh and positioned herself so that she was straddling him on the couch. Her sundress inched all the way up her thighs and she pressed her hot sex right against his thick erection. She moaned into his mouth when he grabbed her waist and pulled her closer.
Their lips parted.
"You're so beautiful," he said.
He kissed along her face and across her skin. She lifted her chin, giving him easy access to her most sensitive parts.
"You will be mine, Cassie," he whispered against her throat.
A hard knock at the door jolted them violently from their make out session. They'd gotten so heated in the moment that they had forgotten about the guest scheduled to arrive.
"Ah damn," Luke mumbled. He stood with her legs still wrapped around him and held her steady until her feet hit the floor.
"Well…" she exclaimed, using her fingers to comb her hair and her palms to straighten her dress.
Luke glanced at her to make sure she was decent and then said, "Ready to me meet my Alpha."
"Been ready. I just hope I make a good first impression."
"You have nothing to worry about," he reassured her.
When Luke opened the door, a dark, tall figure filled the frame. The Alpha's back was turned as it looked like he was buttoning up his shirt. When he turned around, Cassie was met with smoky gray eyes and a welcoming grin. He looked so young considering that he was the Alpha.
"Good evening," the Alpha said. "I'm Dane Magnus, Alpha of the Aspen Valley Wolf Pack. It's nice to meet you, Cassie Grey."
He already knew her name?
He held out his hand to her. Cassie looked to Luke, who gave a nod of approval. She shook the Alpha's hand.
"Lovely," the Alpha said. His nose flared when his gaze landed on the mark on Cassie's neck.
Her hand went up automatically to cover it.
"I hope I wasn't interrupting anything," the Alpha said, giving Luke a sly wink.
Luke cleared his throat. "Come on in."
The Alpha was bare feet when he stepped into the home. Cassie then realized that he must have been putting on some clothes before he knocked on the door.
"Dane, can I grab you a beer or anything like that?" Luke asked.
"No thanks, I'm good. I just left Roger's Inn to sort out an issue and I had a few there," the Alpha said.
They sat on the chair. Luke and Cassie on one end and the Alpha on the other.
"You're a journalist with the Aspen Valley Times, right?" the Alpha asked.
"Yes…Alpha."
"Call me Dane. I anticipate I'll be seeing a lot of you in the future," Dane said, his gaze sweeping between her and Luke. "So, I think it's best that you and I are on a first-name basis."
"I finished my intern not too long ago and I'm only about half a year into my new job."
"Must be exciting working on the some of the juiciest stories of the town," he replied.
"I love it. Most of all, I just love writing."
Dane fished his wallet out of his pocket, flipped it open, and passed it to her. "That's my wife in the picture. We've been married for less than a year."
"She's beautiful. Her skin is so flawless."
Dane grinned. "Yes. She's human like you."
"Oh…" Cassie exclaimed. "This is all so new to me."
"I figured this much. I just want you to know that you're in good hands with Luke…and with our Pack. What's happening between you and Luke is pretty normal in a sense."
"That's good to know. Luke has been great about not rushing things. Me, on the other hand…" She blushed.
Dane laughed. "That's normal too. The only way to get through it is to let it happen. You did tell her why she's wearing your mark, right?"
"I just did."
"Good." Dane rubbed his hands together. "Now that we've established that you're essentially part of our Pack through Luke, let's move on to the reason why I'm here. I regret that the conversation has to go this route."
"So do I, but the murders have to stop," she stated.
"Then you've anticipated what will happen when you reveal to me what you know?"
"I don't know what kind of man you are," she said.
"I'm the type of man that serves justice to those that would threaten his Pack. There are certain clues that have been held back from us all this time and now I know there is a reason for that. Luke tells me that you've connected the murders to a company here in Aspen Valley."
"Yes. They're out of business now, but yes, I did."
"When you tell me what you know, I can't promise that I'll uphold the law. The human laws, that is."
"Trust me when I say this…I'm concerned about the safety of the citizens of Aspen Valley. I don't care if they're humans or shifters. Whatever your Pack has to do to get these killers off the streets and to stop the man who threatened my life, do it."
Dane settled back in his chair. "Well then…let's begin."
Chapter 19
When the Alpha left with the information Cassie had given him, the heaviest brunt of the burden rose from her shoulders. She no longer had to live with the fact that the truth wasn't getting into the hands of those who really wanted to make a difference. She had faith in her small town, but now she was seeing things from a different angle. It was disheartening. She had never gotten involved in politics for this very reason. And if she had gone to college and pursued a career in criminal justice, her world would've been exposed to cases like this on a daily basis. This case had taught her that she was content with furthering her career as a journalist, instead of hunting down criminals and bringing down corrupted corporations.
"What are you thinking about?"
Luke came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist as she looked out into his backyard. They had been resting outside on the patio around the grill waiting for the steak and potatoes to finish. He had just returned from taking the food inside, but she had remained behind.
She turned around and pressed her body to his, embracing his warmth.
"About how glad I am that I decided to come here," she replied. "I met you again, I'm not constantly looking over my shoulder, and I can finally say that the key to capturing these killers is within reach."
"I'm glad you're here too. I want to say I wish we had met sooner, but I think we discovered our mate bond at just the right time."
Thunder rumbled in the distance and a streak of light flashed across the skyline.
"The storm is getting closer. Doesn't look good either. I say we have another hour or so before it hits. Luckily I got all the backup generators working last week so I shouldn't get too many calls about power outages."
"I keep forgetting that you have a business to run. Here I was thinking that I could have all your attention." She slid her palm against the back of his neck and slipped her fingers up through his hair.
"You have more than my attention. You do understand that I'm not letting you leave no that I have you, right?"
She smiled. "I was hoping you'd say that."
Their lips met and they shared a lengthy kiss under the stormy skies.
Luke's cell phone buzzed at his hips demonstrating just how busy he was. He groaned and pulled her against him securely, pressing his lips to her temple.
His phone buzzed again.
"You should get that," she told him. "We've got all night. We've got all the time in the world."
He smiled, fished his phone out of his pocket, but didn't let go of her waist.
"This is Luke….yeah. That
was fast…he was just here. I already know. Tomorrow, it is. I'll keep my phone on me, but with this thunderstorm rolling in tonight, I'll likely be making rounds first thing in the morning. Yeah…good…got it."
After disconnecting the call, he powered down the phone and then kissed her again. "That was our scout lead letting me know that Dane has reached out to the mayor about the case. According to the outcome of that meeting, we won't know what our next steps are until tomorrow. No more calls tonight, though. Just you, me, and this thunderstorm."
"I like the sound of that."
He swooped her up off her feet with minimal effort and took her insist the cozy cabin. A cold front had drifted ahead of the storm causing the temperature to drop.
She traced along the hard ridges of his arm and chest muscles as he walked her over to the kitchen.
"If you keep teasing me like that, I don't think I'll make it through dinner," he commented.
"Who says we have to eat dinner first?"
Luke sat her on the table top and planted a deep kiss on her mouth. She gasped which caused her lips to part. His tongue pushed her lips open further and he began to explore her mouth, licking softly and meeting her tongue with every caress. Her breathing came hard and fast. She was hungry for him and she felt no shame at all. They'd teased each other long enough. He sucked on her lips and flames of desire shot through her core. His hand was clamped gently at the back of her head, positioning her and letting his lips mesh with hers at just the right angle over and over again.
Cassie wrapped her legs around his waist and drove him closer. He responded by grabbing her ass checks and fitting her heated pussy against his cock. They moaned on contact. His touch felt like heaven, but she wanted nothing between them. To prove this point, she reached down and loosened his belt and then unzipped his pants. She shoved the pants downward. While she worked to completely disrobe him, his mouth left heated wet trails along her throat and shoulders.
He stood back for a second and then helped her lift her dress up over her head. Except for her barely-there red lace bra and matching panties, she sat on his table, on display, and ready to be taken.
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