Wolfe's Mate

by Caryn Moya Block

  He lay down beside her, running his fingers lightly over her skin. She shivered under his caress as her skin pebbled. Needing to drive him as wild as he made her, she reached for his chest, caressing each muscle, lightly marking his skin with her nails. She leaned over and kissed him, nipping his lips, stroking him with her tongue. She kissed his jaw, then his neck, trailing lower as he kneaded her breasts. She bit his shoulder and licked his chest.

  Jared growled low in his throat and held her to him. She continued to lick and nip around to the other side of his chest, caressing each muscle and hollow, letting her hair tantalize his skin as she moved from side to side. Her fingers wandered lower, caressing his stomach and his hips. Her lips followed, pressing hot kisses to his skin.

  Jared grabbed her suddenly, and they rolled. He landed on top, taking her mouth in a desperate kiss. Esme opened her mind to Jared’s, letting him feel her need for him, her desire. Hot lust flooded her mind, followed by sweet feelings of love. Esme couldn’t tell who felt each emotion as their minds became one thought, one need.

  Jared tested her readiness, then drove home with a forceful thrust. Esme lifted her body to meet his, needing to be filled. He pounded into her, driving them both higher and higher. She knew that heaven awaited them with just one little push. She leaned up and licked his chest. Her canines lengthened, and her wolf came rushing toward the surface. She bit down hard on his pectoral muscle, breaking the skin. Small drops of blood dripped into her mouth, and she licked the wound. “Mine” was the only thought that screamed in their combined mind.

  Jared growled low. As hot jets filled her, Esme flew into the ether, taking her mate with her. Pure bliss flooded their minds, a connection that even death couldn’t break.

  “Je t'aime, mon Esme.”

  “Je t’aime, Jared.”

  §

  “Jared, Esme, you better get up. People are arriving downstairs. They all want to meet you.” Susan’s voice called through the bedroom door.

  Jared opened one eye to brilliant sunlight flooding the room. What time was it, anyway? He glanced around. Esme lay sprawled on top of him, her hair tickling his skin, her hot breaths whispering over his chest. His body reacted immediately as he took in the combined scent of their lovemaking.

  “Jared, Esme, did you hear me? Come on guys. Brenda and Granger didn’t want to be the ones to wake you. I lost the rock-paper-scissors contest. Jared?” The tone of Susan’s voice rose.

  “All right, Susan. I’m awake. We’ll be down in a little while.”

  “Okay. Tell Esme I found some of her clothes in a closet downstairs. I hope she doesn’t mind that I borrowed some.”

  “It’s fine, Susan. Now go away.” Jared rubbed his hand over his face. He wasn’t sure if he should thank or curse Norris for the gift of Esme’s littermates.

  “Oh, right,” Susan said.

  Jared heard Susan’s footsteps going down the hall. He reached and removed the hair from Esme’s face to find her brilliant blue eyes staring up at him. She smiled. Warmth hit his chest like a blow.

  “Hi. What did Susan want?”

  “For us to wake up, mon coeur. We have company downstairs.” Jared could gaze into her eyes all morning. Why did everyone have to come knocking at inopportune moments?

  “Company? It must be Josephine and the Paris pack members.” Esme jumped from the bed. “Come on, Jared. Get up. As Grigori said, pack is family.”

  “Family that comes knocking too early in the morning.” Jared growled. He couldn’t wait to get back to Quebec.

  “It’s after ten. Come on, grumpy.”

  “Grumpy? I’m never grumpy. Stern perhaps, but never grumpy.” Jared rolled from the bed and stretched toward the ceiling. It did his ego good to see how Esme drank him in. “We could make them wait. You could come back over here and take care of your mate.”

  Esme shook her head and backed toward the bathroom. “If we went back to bed, you would keep me there all morning.”

  “True, but we are in Paris, city of love.”

  “Actually, we live outside the city limits. So you’ll have to get up.”

  “I’m up and wanting you, ma petit louve.” Jared started stalking her from across the room.

  Esme’s gaze lit up with fun as she reached the bathroom door. “I’ll let you take a shower with me, if you promise to wash my back.”

  “I will wash more than your back, ma petit amour.”

  Esme laughed and rushed into the bathroom. Jared hurried after her. The company could wait until he finished washing Esme from head to toe. Of course, he planned to get her dirty first.

  §

  Esme moaned as Jared massaged her scalp, then pulled her hair back to rinse it. The man was lethal. She might go around slightly damp for the rest of her life. He had made her come twice.

  She took over the rinsing and made sure her body was soap-free before reaching for the knob that controlled the water. “Ready to get out, mon grand méchant loup?” Esme turned the knob all the way to the cold setting and stepped out of the shower.

  “Just one last rinse ... Esme!”

  Giggling, Esme grabbed a towel and fled into the bedroom. A slightly soapy lycan male rushed after her. Jared grabbed her around the waist and threw her onto the bed. He jumped, landing on top of her. Still laughing, she could barely catch her breath.

  “That was a dirty trick, ma petit louve. You should know better than to tease the big bad wolf.”

  “What will you do?” Esme asked, gasping out the phrase between giggles. “Eat me up?”

  “No, you would like that too much.” Jared grabbed her and flipped her over. Then his hand landed with a smack on her behind.

  “Hey, don’t do that.” Esme looked back over her shoulder at him.

  “Did it hurt, mon coeur?” Jared rubbed his hand over the offended skin.

  The sting turned to warmth, and her skin grew sensitive. Esme couldn’t help but wiggle as he caressed her behind. She felt moisture gather as her body responded to him.

  Jared sighed and rolled off the bed. “As much as I would love to keep you here all day, we still have people waiting for us downstairs. Get some clothes on.”

  Esme growled and rolled over. “That wasn’t very nice.” Leaving her wanting.

  “Come, ma petit, let me kiss it better.” Jared started back toward the bed.

  “No. One of us has to have some control.” Esme huffed and marched back into the bathroom.

  She grabbed a towel and started drying her hair with a vengeance. Warm hands stopped her as Jared took the towel from her hands. He finished the task, while occasionally placing kisses on her neck and shoulders. When he finished, he dried her back and arms. He even dried between her legs. Then, he reached for a comb and worked the tangles from her hair. When he finished, she only needed to slip on her clothes.

  He hadn’t spoken the whole time he cared for her. He only kissed her lightly and continued on. Afterward, he turned her around for one more kiss, this one on the lips.

  “I will be only a moment, mon coeur.”

  Unsure of how to respond, Esme nodded and left the bathroom. She pulled some clothes out of the closet and slipped them on. When Jared came out of the bathroom, the bed was already made. He wore nothing except a pair of jeans. Esme couldn’t help but admire his superb physique as she handed him a clean shirt. “It was my father’s.”

  “Thank you.” Jared slipped the shirt on and buttoned it. Esme smoothed her hands over his broad shoulders.

  “This was my parents’ room. My room moved to the basement and remained there while Norris worked on his cure and afterward while I learned to control my wolf. My old room is down the hall. I haven’t lived in it for years.”

  “Your brother kept you locked in the basement?” Jared’s voice showed amazement.

  “Not exactly. His lab was downstairs, and he worked down there often. It was easier if I was nearby. He could look after me that way and watch to see how I reacted to the medication.”

/>   Jared frowned and shook his head. “I’m unsure of what to think. You must show me where he kept you.”

  “I’ll give you a tour of the whole house. First, let’s go see who came to visit.”

  §

  Jared held Esme’s hand as they walked into the large salon. Several people sat on the couches spaced around the room. One whiff of the air assured him the company was indeed lycan.

  A young, blond woman, not much older than Esme, flew off the couch, ripped her away from Jared, and grabbed her for a hug. “I am glad you’re all right, Esme. I’m so sorry about your brother.”

  “Josephine, you look well. Is that a baby bump I see?” Esme asked smiling and running her hand over the bulge in Josephine’s shirt.

  “It is. Valerii and I will be parents in six months. I wish you could be here for the birth.”

  Jared drew closer and slid his hand around Esme’s waist. “I’m afraid that would be impossible. Esme will be in Quebec with my pack at that time.”

  Esme frowned at him. “Perhaps we can come for a visit,” she suggested.

  “That would be wonderful,” Josephine quickly responded. “You must be Esme’s mate, the mysterious telepath who connected when she was shot.”

  “Yes. Jared Wolfe. You must be the new Alpha female of the Paris pack. I’m surprised to see you here without your mate.”

  “Valerii had some business at the Café de Luna Bleu, our pack-run restaurant in Paris. I am Josephine Chevalier Belikov. It’s nice to meet you. Let me introduce you to my pack members.”

  Josephine led Jared and Esme to the nearest couch where two older lycans sat watching. “This is Louise and Amaury Bontecou, my grandparents. The man standing behind them is Darcel Landry, the pack Beta. As you can see, I’m well-guarded, Monsieur Wolfe.”

  “Call me Jared, please. I didn’t mean to offend, Madame Belikov.”

  “Please call me Josephine. It’s all right. I know you Alpha males can’t help yourselves. In the Paris pack, it is actually the Alpha female who rules the pack with her husband becoming Alpha male. The tradition is handed down from our founder, Claire Lecuyer.”

  “The pack in Quebec is ruled through right-of-arms, though the heir of the previous Alpha is often the winner. My father won the position from his mate’s father, who was Alpha. My mother was an only child. I took over when my parents died suddenly. Though I rule as the heir, anyone can challenge me for the position.”

  “An old-fashioned idea and very uncivilized, if you ask me.” Josephine’s grandmother commented.

  “Mamere, you know that is how most packs are organized. You must excuse her,” Josephine apologized.

  “Tell me, Monsieur Wolfe, will you guard Esme well?” Josephine’s grandmother asked. “She holds a dear place in our hearts, and we would like to know she is taken care of.

  “You have my word, Madame Bontecou, that I will do my best to keep Esme safe and make her happy.” Jared smiled, hoping to charm the older woman. He hadn’t meant to antagonize her.

  “If I may interrupt,” Granger said, walking over to stand beside Jared. “Brenda made some refreshments. Perhaps, we should move into the dining room.”

  “That would be lovely,” Esme answered. “I know I’m starving. Grandmere Bontecou. will you sit by me? I would love to hear how Aimee is doing with her twins.”

  Jared sighed in relief as Esme led the older lycan couple into the dining room. The Paris Alpha female and Beta followed, leaving Jared and Granger standing in the salon.

  “You didn’t handle that well,” Granger pointed out telepathically. They both knew even a whispered conversation would be heard by the other lycans. “You need to be more politically correct. The Paris pack is old and well-established. It wouldn’t hurt to number them among our friends.”

  “I didn’t mean to anger the old battle-axe. I guess I’m just tired and hungry.”

  “I thought you would be. Come eat. You’ll feel better.” Granger led the way into the room.

  Brenda pushed in a cart with platters heaped with eggs and pastries. Jared could smell the aroma of coffee coming from one of the carafes. Bottles of orange juice and water were quickly passed around.

  “Where did all this food come from?” Jared telepathically asked Granger. Jared sat down in the chair next to Esme.

  “Brenda and I went to the market this morning while you were sleeping. Her wolf came to the surface, I gave her something to do that would distract her. She likes to cook.” Granger carried the platter of eggs around the table, letting everyone take a serving.

  “What set her wolf off?” Jared asked.

  Strong emotions could bring a lycan’s wolf form to the surface. It was a protective instinct. Newly changed lycans might not be able to control a strong impulse.

  “I did. We argued. Brenda isn’t sure she wants to live in Quebec. I didn’t handle it well.”

  “Do you think her control is strong enough to prevent her from shifting in public? I must accompany Esme to the lawyer’s office today.”

  “Brenda and Susan have done well so far. Perhaps some lessons in shifting would shore up their control.”

  Suddenly, a wolf began to howl. The sound reverberated through the house. Jared looked around the room. “Where is Susan?”

  “Oh, dear. She’s in the basement,” Esme said.

  “Please, excuse us,” Jared said as another mournful howl filled the air.

  “I’m coming, too,” Esme said, rising from her chair.

  Jared took Esme’s hand as she hurried him to a small stairway in the back of the kitchen. He had only a minute to see the interior of the kitchen before they hurried down the steps into the dark basement. His eyes adjusted quickly, and he walked into a room that looked like a mad scientist’s laboratory from the movies. The small windows near the top of the walls were fitted with metal bars. Tables littered with glass beakers and equipment filled most of the floor space. In one corner stood a hospital bed. The covers and mattress had been ripped to shreds. Lying in the middle of the mess was Susan in her wolf form, her head resting on her paws. She turned sad eyes in Esme’s direction and whined pitifully.

  “Poor, baby. It’s okay, Susan. What upset you so?” Esme hurried over to the wolf and began to pet her head.

  “Wow,” Granger said, coming into the room behind them.

  Brenda followed, gazing around the room, her eyes wide. “It looks like something out of a film. Is this where Norris did his experiments?”

  Esme looked around the room. “It does look a little frightening doesn’t it? Norris figured out how to cure my cancer here. He obtained samples from a place where he worked before deciding to do the stem-cell transplant.”

  “Samples from my father and mother …” Josephine said from the door. “I thought you might need some help. Norris took the samples from a lab near the Paris airport where my family was held and tortured. The group, Doctors for a Better Humanity, wanted to discover how lycans heal when they shift.”

  “This is a nightmare,” Brenda said. “I feel as though I’m living in a bad horror movie. Are sparkly vampires going to be next?”

  “As far as I know, there are no such things as vampires, sparkly or otherwise.” Esme tried to reassure her.

  “Esme, mon coeur, let’s help Susan shift back into her human form,” Jared said. “Brenda, could you find some more clothes for Susan? Granger, why don’t you assist, Brenda? Josephine, if you would lend your power to our effort, I would appreciate it. Esme and I are not at full strength. We haven’t eaten since early evening yesterday, and that was plane food.”

  “I would be happy to help.” Josephine drew closer to the hospital bed and the dejected lycan. She rubbed Susan’s head. “Hi, I’m Josephine, the Paris Alpha female. You are safe here. No one will hurt you.”

  “Think about how it feels to be human, how you enjoy walking around in clothes, how your skin feels under your hands …” Esme coached Susan.

  Through the mating bond, Jared reached for Esme’
s mind and was surprised to find that Josephine had already connected. Since Norris used Josephine’s parent’s stem-cells, Esme must have a direct connection to the Paris Alpha. Josephine poured strength into the link. Esme reached for Susan’s mind and pulled her into the link as well.

  Soon, white lights began to swirl around the wolf’s form. Susan wavered and reappeared in her human form. Tears streamed down her face. “How could he have done this to me? I don’t want to be a dog. How could he have done this to you, his sister? I saw all this, and it all came back. The hospital and the lab, the pain, the fear, the anger.” Susan clung to Esme, sobs racking her frame.

  “Come now. It’s not that bad,” Josephine said, patting the young woman on the back. “Being a lycan is a wonderful thing. You can hear so much, see in the dark, smell the crêpes made in the village over five miles away. You are stronger, faster and more alive than any human. Your wolf form connects you to the Earth. You can discern her rhythms, feel the energy of the animals, plants and trees. You are connected to your pack, your family. You are never alone. Give it a chance, Susan. I know you will come to love it if you try.”

  “Here are the clothes you asked for,” Brenda said from the door.

  Jared hoped Brenda, too, heard Josephine’s impassioned plea. If Esme could embrace being a lycan, Brenda and Susan could as well. There was no going back. They must move forward.

  Susan wiped her eyes and nodded her head at Josephine. Esme helped Susan stand, and Brenda hurried over with the clothes.

  “I’ll wait for you ladies upstairs,” Jared suggested.

  “All right. We’ll be up in a few minutes,” Esme assured him.

  Jared nodded and turned to make his way upstairs. Maybe Josephine could help Brenda, as Esme helped Susan. Jared, too, felt off balance. He’d never expected to have the responsibility of two newly changed human women. It was hard enough to know that Esme had once been human. What would his pack members think?

  He met Granger at the top of the stairs. “Is Susan all right?” he asked.