Hayden’s Haven

by Cohen, Julie K.

  Mila jumped off the table and poked a finger into his chest. “I’m not yours yet, shifter.” She grabbed his cock in her hand. “Not until you prove you can keep up with me.”

  Mila sprinted to the other side of the worktable. Hayden’s breathing picked up, but he didn’t move an inch to chase her. Mila spread her legs and reached down to her clit. His eyes locked onto her hand. Her body was still sensitive after her first orgasm, so the second she touched herself, she moaned. A worktable crashed aside. Hayden was plowing right through everything to get to her.

  She yelped as his hands grabbed her by her ribs and he lifted her, tossing her onto the metal counter. The cold metal shocked her skin, but she didn’t have long to think about it as he pulled her to the edge, pushed her legs apart, and thrust inside of her in one quick motion. He filled her so fast, to such completion, that she dug her nails into his back to hold on as he began to move inside of her.

  Except it wasn’t rough and primal as she had expected. He pulled out and then slid back in slowly, taking his time, as rough hands moved over her back with a feather-light touch. Mila wrapped her legs around Hayden, enabling him to sink further into her until her breasts pressed up against his hard chest and nothing could come between them. This is what she wanted, for nothing to come between them. Not Vance, and not whatever demons Hayden had in his past.

  His hands continued exploring her flesh as he eased in and out of her. Her hips moved with his, even as the orgasm rising within her threatened to explode. She wasn’t ready to let go of him. She wiggled side to side, destroying the rhythm and the orgasm.

  “Let it happen,” he whispered, his warm breath pushing her hair aside.

  She followed his lead, not because she needed his permission or even wanted it, but because she trusted him like she had never trusted before. The orgasm crashed through her body, making her squeeze his cock, drawing out a roar along with his orgasm.

  His mouth slumped against hers, his tongue battling with hers, vying for dominance as he continued to pulse inside of her. When he finally slid out of her, she held back the whimper, the sense of loss.

  Her shifter had noticed her distress, and he immediately tipped her chin up, black eyes locking with hers. “You’re perfect, my Mila. Don’t ever think otherwise.

  Chapter Eleven

  HAYDEN

  There really were no words to describe what Mila meant to him. He had always heard others talk about their soul mates, and he had thought it nothing more than kind words, a way to describe a close bond.

  With Mila, Hayden finally understood what others had. She completed him. His soul had been empty, a mere shell before her. Now she had become a part of him, giving him a strength he never knew he could have. No problem was too great as long as he had Mila beside him. Despite all she had been through, she had done more than survive. His Mila was a fighter. She wasn’t one to give up, and that’s what he needed in his life; someone to help him fight, to have faith and never give up.

  Hayden lifted her off the counter. Her green eyes were sparkling, and her skin was flushed. He cupped her cheek. “One of these days, I’m going to show you that I can be tender too.” Never had he seen anyone so beautiful and giving not only challenge him like that but trust him.

  Her hands covered her mouth as she laughed. Sweet, sweet music, her laughter. He couldn’t help smiling. Apparently, all was forgiven. He picked up her clothes and started placing them right side out as he set them down on the counter for her.

  “Sorry about the worktable,” he said as he slid it back into the center of the room.

  She noticed the big dent in the middle of the table, and she started laughing all over again.

  “What’s so funny?” he asked.

  “I’m thinking about how I’m going to explain that to Anna. That was her workstation.”

  Hayden grinned. “Tell her all the details you want. I’m not shy.”

  “I can see that,” she said as he continued strutting around naked.

  He eased the sweater out of her hands and set it aside as he pulled her into his arms and pressed his length against her.

  Beautifully expressive green eyes widened. “You’re ready again?”

  “For you, always.”

  “Oh, how I’d like to take you up on that offer,” she said as she wiggled free, found his pants and tossed them to him. “But I have to get back to the lab. Anna and I are supposed to start packing now that this place is ready.”

  Hayden slipped his pants on but left them unzipped as he watched her turn on the water only to realize she didn’t have any towels. “I’ll have to come back with the cleaning supplies and well, tidy up.”

  “Metal counters are quite convenient.”

  “Don’t get used to it.”

  His heart squeezed and he must have been showing it on the outside for she came over and slid her hand into his. In a soft voice, she said. “I only meant that once we get set up in here, this place is off-limits to anything your wicked mind can think up. Some of these experiments take weeks, even months, so we can’t afford any tables being upended or even bumped.”

  Hayden relaxed.

  “What’s bothering you? I mean, you’re not usually this insecure.”

  No, he wasn’t, but after this business with Drake, his conversation with Damien, and now hearing what Mila had suffered, he wasn’t feeling too grounded about anything in his life. His entire world could come crashing down on him if he wasn’t careful. First and foremost though, he had to protect Mila. He’d tell Damien the truth about her, so she wouldn’t have to fear her place here. Then he’d figure out what to do about Drake.

  “Please talk to me, Hayden.” Two fingers slipped into his hand. Warm, secure. He glanced up at the smile on her face. Happy. His Mila looked happy.

  “I challenged Damien,” he said, not realizing how good it felt to share that with her, knowing she wouldn’t judge him.

  “You what? Tell me I just misheard you.”

  “You heard me.”

  “But why?” She shoved the shirt aside that he was trying to slip over his head as she made him turn around. “The only scars on you are old ones. Nothing new. You’re not injured.”

  “You mean I’m not dead.”

  She wasn’t laughing at his joke. Okay, not entirely a joke. He’d never gone up against Damien, but a fight with him could leave either or both of them dead.

  “What happened?”

  “I’m not sure. We were talking about the government’s demand that we hand Drake over. Damien wants to invade, risking a shifter war. I said it won’t work. Damien wouldn’t listen. Other things were said, and well, before I realized it, I was growling at him.”

  “You or your wolf?”

  “Me, both. I’m not really sure.” He caught that look. “No, I’m not going feral. At least I don’t think I am. I’m just unsettled right now.”

  “Because of me?”

  He didn’t want to answer that, but if he didn’t, she’d assume the worst. “Partly. I thought I’d hurt you, Mila. But now. . . we’re good, aren’t we?”

  “Yes.” She rose on her toes to kiss him. “Better than good.”

  “Really?”

  “For a strong shifter, Hayden, you’re low on self-confidence right now. There’s something else you’re not telling me, isn’t there?”

  Nothing. Everything. My brother’s a horrible shifter, wanted by my alpha, my pack, the U.S. Government, and I can’t hand him over because I’m weak. And I can’t tell you about him either, my Mila, because then you’ll fear me, just as this entire pack fears me. Hayden could hear the taunts in his sleep, he had heard them so many times in all the years he had been a part of this pack. Tainted blood. Crazy like his brother. Bad genes. He’ll turn on us in time, too, just like he turned on his alpha.

  “Please don’t keep me in the dark, Hayden.”

  “I’m heading to Liam’s pack in the morning to speak with him. I’ll probably be back the day after.”

&nb
sp; “And? Is it dangerous?”

  “No. I go back and forth a lot, as a middle-man between the two alphas. Though this time I don’t think Liam will like anything I have to say or propose on Damien’s behalf.”

  She let out a deep breath. His Mila was worried about him. Hayden didn’t try to hide his smile. “You care, my Mila.”

  “I’m not your Mila, not yet.”

  “But soon. Soon we can blood-bond.”

  She sucked in air, then tried to hide it by coughing. “Excuse me,” she said as she headed to the sink, turned it on, and leaned over for a drink. “It’s a little early to talk blood-bonding, Hayden.” She was looking a bit pale.

  “You’re right. Too much going on right now. But after I return, will you move in with me? I mean, you can move in now, stay at my place even though I won’t be there, but I thought you might prefer to stay at Aloe’s while I’m gone, considering how central it is. Whatever you’d like, Mila. I just want to make sure you’re happy.”

  * * *

  MILA

  What does a woman say to that? He wanted to make sure she was happy, but at the same time he was assuming they’d blood-bond eventually. He hadn’t even asked her. Not that that was really a problem, or wouldn’t be normally. . . if she were normal that is.

  “I can’t blood-bond you, Hayden. My bridge is gone, from the virus.”

  “I told you Anna has a treatment for that. I’m surprised you haven’t asked her about it. Is this some doctor pride thing? I mean, is there a rivalry going on here between you two that I haven’t picked up on? It’s been hard to get a read, because quite frankly anytime I go near Anna lately, she heads the other way.”

  “We get along great, actually. And she’s going to help me with an idea I have for the vaccine. She agrees it looks promising. We make a great team, and I’m lucky to be working with her.”

  Hayden visibly relaxed. Her shifter was very tense, even after what they’d done on the counter.

  “That’s good. For a while there I wasn’t sure if she’d snub you because of me.” His eyes shot up. “Not that I think Anna’s the type to snub, far from it. She’s a wonderful woman. I totally admire her. Poor word choice on my part, nothing more. I just meant—”

  Mila put her hand over his lips. Hayden was worried how his pack was treating her, because he had never been treated well, except by a few. From what he had been telling her and what she’s seen of late, he was having trouble with them too. First Blade and now Damien.

  The one thing she had admired most about Damien and his pack was how he had made Hayden his second, how the two shifters held one another in such high esteem and were so loyal to one another, despite their differences, despite Hayden’s history, a history that caused most of the pack to hate him. Hayden clearly had enough stress right now.

  “The virus doesn’t always simply damage the bridge, Hayden. Sometimes it destroys it.” Mila’s stomach turned over at the blatant lie. Better this lie than the truth. He’d change his mind about the blood-bond now.

  “Destroys. . .” His face fell, as if she had ripped out his heart.

  “I’ll understand if you.. if you don’t want to have anything to do with me. You deserve to be able to blood-bond someone, to let your wolf run with your mate.”

  There wasn’t any hesitation in Hayden as he stepped forward. “I’ve seen the mistakes my friends have made in the past few months, pushing the ones they love away for one reason or another when it comes to the damn blood-bond, Mila. And I’ve seen how they’ve suffered, trying to save the one they love instead of working together. That’s not what I want for us. I don’t care if you’ve lost your shifter abilities, that we can’t blood-bond. I don’t need the blood-bond to tell me what is right. I mean to have you in my life, my bed, and for more than a few nights. Years, my Mila, decades, until there’s no life left in my body. Do you understand me?”

  Mila couldn’t help the shaking that surged through her body. Hayden pulled her in close, as she cried. He wanted honesty, trust, commitment from her, all of which he was entitled to, yet none of which she could give.

  * * *

  HAYDEN

  Mila had shut down again. Something was bothering her, and it wasn’t sex this time, he was sure of it. Based on their discussion, the best he could figure it was the blood-bond itself. He had to admit, the fact that they wouldn’t be able to blood-bond, that she no longer had a bridge that could be repaired, that was a shock. . . a blow that he hadn’t reacted well to at all. At that moment he had sworn he’d smelled wolf in her too, but it was nothing more than his imagination. There’d be no meeting her wolf, let alone blood-bonding, and that was simply a fact he’d have to accept.

  Despite how sincere he had been when he said he wanted her no matter what, she thought she was a disappointment to him, or that she would be. He had meant what he said, every word of it, but how the hell was he going to prove that to her?

  “You’re awfully quiet today,” Frank said the moment they shifted to human form and removed their clothes from packs they’d slung over their wolves’ backs. They had a half mile until they reached the heart of Liam’s territory. A patrol should have met them by now. It was as good a place as any to dress so he wouldn’t have to walk into camp naked. Liam tried to keep the nudity to a minimum.

  “Why are you even here, Frank?” Hayden shoved his jeans on and pulled his sweater over his head. Damn, it smelled like Mila. He had stopped by Aloe’s to say goodbye. He had woken her. From the look of her, she had been up late, long after he had sat with her by the fireplace. They hadn’t talked much the night before, but she had let him hold her. That’s how he wanted to spend his evening from now on, with her in his arms. Or in his bed. He wouldn’t turn that down. He just wanted to be with her.

  “Damien thought you could use the company.”

  “Company my ass. He doesn’t trust me.”

  Frank put a large hand on his chest, halting him. “Strong words coming from you, Hayden. Especially about Damien. What’s going on with you?”

  “I make this trip between our packs all the time and suddenly Damien’s saddling me with a babysitter.”

  “Care to rephrase that?” Frank said.

  There was no mistaking the bones moving beneath Frank’s skin. He had pissed the guard off, which was rather ironic because it took a lot to piss off Frank.

  “I wasn’t ordered here,” Frank added as he crossed his arms over his massive chest.

  “Nice to see you had a choice. I was ordered to let you accompany me.”

  “I’m starting to see why Damien asked me to. You’re looking for a fight.”

  Was he? Probably. Going up against Frank wouldn’t solve anything, though admittedly he could get away with pounding Frank—or getting pounded by Frank. A fight could go either way and fighting Frank was still preferable to going up against Damien. As distracted as Hayden was at the moment, he would be sure to lose against Damien. Frank probably, too.

  “I don’t know what I want,” Hayden admitted. “And if you think it would help me get my head on straight, swing away.”

  Frank held up his fist, signaling ‘freeze’. Hayden caught the scent a second later. By the time they shifted and ran it was too late. They’d been surrounded by two dozen, heavily armed U.S. soldiers.

  * * *

  Hayden spotted the red hair of the DSA’s Maximus Sloan before he, Frank, and Sloan’s two dozen guards reached the center of Liam’s camp.

  “This isn’t what we agreed to, Sloan,” Hayden said, working extra hard to contain his wolf which was even now clawing to get out and do some damage.

  “You knew about this?” Liam said as he barreled out of his house, six soldiers in formation around him. With a glance to the hill behind the camp, Hayden counted another dozen soldiers, and that didn’t include the ones he smelled to the west and north. Sloan wasn’t taking any chances.

  “Sloan is from the DSA.”

  Liam folded his arms over his chest. A vein was pulsin
g fast at the side of his neck and his coal-black eyes didn’t begin to describe the anger Hayden smelled coming off the alpha. “I’ve already received the introductions, Novak. Explain what Damien’s done now.”

  “Not Damien. Drake.”

  “Your better half then. I should have figured.”

  “Easy,” Frank whispered. Hayden hadn’t realized he was growling beneath his breath. He should have had that fight with Frank when he had had the chance. At least he would have gotten some of the aggression out of his system and wouldn’t have to fight his wolf to keep him calm while trying to handle both Liam and Sloan.

  “I met with Sloan last week. It’s the reason I was coming to see you. To update you.”

  “Damien’s going after Drake,” Liam said, arms still folded. It wasn’t a question. Liam had anticipated this eventuality. He didn’t even look at Sloan, but the DSA man was watching both of them closely, no doubt memorizing every detail.

  “Unless I can talk him out of it,” Hayden said.

  “Looks like I’m not the only one who changed the plans,” Sloan cut in.

  “I didn’t change them. I still plan on handing Drake to you. My alpha and I disagree on how to capture him. Nothing more. That’s why I’m here, to get Liam’s help. Why are you here, Sloan?”

  “Simple really,” Sloan said, his hand resting on the Glock in his side-holster. “This camp and everyone in it is leverage.”

  “Leverage for what? I’ve already agreed to hand Drake over to you, and that’s what we’re doing. Except you and your soldiers here are impeding that.”

  “Do it without them.”

  “We’re not doing anything until you remove your soldiers.”

  “As I said, Mr. Novak. They’re leverage. You now have one week to bring me the shifter Drake. What is his last name by the way?” The man was grinning, ear to ear. He knew. This was the entire reason he was holding Liam’s pack hostage. Sloan didn’t trust Hayden to do as he promised. As if the threat of dousing every U.S. forest with the shifter virus wasn’t enough of a threat. . .