by Riley Storm
One hour was all they had to heal up. “Everyone get some rest,” he called out, and the others nodded, moving to their own tents, scattered around the warehouse.
Then he ducked in through the entrance at a gentle push from Alison, who followed behind, doing up the zipper behind her.
“You really go all out for indoor camping,” she said, looking around the interior.
“Sarcasm doesn’t really suit you,” he grumbled. “We don’t really need much more than sleeping bags. This isn’t the glamor life, we’re rebels. Sorry it’s not the Ritz.”
She giggled and pushed him down onto the admittedly thick sleeping bag. “Shut up. I think I’ll survive. At least it came with my own personal servant. That’s something.”
Lucien worked his jaw, searching for a suitable reply, when one was brought to him in the form of Alison swinging a leg over him and pushing his back down to the ground.
“I thought servants were supposed to do the work?” he asked playfully as she ground her hips slowly against him.
“You need to relax and heal up,” she growled, eyes twinkling. “That means you shouldn’t be doing much of any work.”
Lucien’s jaw dropped as Alison pulled her top off.
“Let me do it,” she whispered, leaning in to give him an eyeful while she ran her tongue along the curve of his ear, sending shivers down his spine.
“Okay,” he said meekly.
There was a time to fight, and a time to surrender.
This time, he knew which was which.
35
Whether it was excitement at the idea of belonging to something, terror at the unknown of the upcoming raid, or shock at what Lucien had said to her, Alison didn’t know.
What she did know, was that it was making her really, really aroused. Their little fight had gotten the blood flowing, and Lucien’s surprise confession of his feelings had spurred it further. Adrenaline was already pumping, and this time it was waking her up, not about to leave.
She needed an outlet, and Lucien was it.
“You just sit there and conserve your energy,” she whispered, leaning over him with one hand fumbling behind her back to undo her bra.
The thick-shouldered shifter chuckled, the sound vibrating up through her sternum. “I don’t think you understand how this works.”
Hands came up her sides, fingers closing over hers, stopping her suddenly uncoordinated attempts to undress.
“I can do this without being vigorous,” he informed her, casually stripping her bra in one movement.
“Showoff,” she muttered, sticking her tongue out at him.
Lucien grinned and slid his free hand farther up her back until he could pull her down to him with a gentle firmness that brooked no resistance. She leaned in, accepting the kiss without any hesitation.
His beard tickled slightly, having gone several days without a trim, but after several seconds, Alison found she liked it. The extra scrape was just that much more masculine, and it felt right at a time like this.
“You know the others can hear us, right?” he asked.
Alison shrugged. “Maybe a little, but we’re being quiet.”
Lucien smiled. “Okay, just checking. I wouldn’t want you to get embarrassed after.”
It was kind of him, and the idea wasn’t all that crazy. Until recently, she would have been absolutely appalled at herself for even contemplating having sex with Lucien in a tent on a warehouse floor. But things had changed. She had changed.
This was her pack now, and Lucien was hers. She wasn’t ready to say she loved him. That would…take some doing. There were a lot of things the two of them would have to work through from her past that kept the concept of love a foreign thing to her, but she was willing to try. For him.
And because of that, she wasn’t embarrassed that the other members of her pack would know they were lying with one another, sharing their bodies. That just seemed…natural. Normal. It was hard to explain the changes even to herself, but Alison had long gone with her gut instinct, and she wasn’t about to stop now. Being with Lucien now felt right.
She tugged at his shirt, removing it over his head and tossing it to the side. The tent was more than spacious for the two of them, and they lay right in the center, the orange canvas certainly not her favorite, but oddly appropriate for the setting.
“That looks like it had to hurt,” she said softly, tracing the outline of a large bruise on the left side of his ribcage.
“Got that one while telling a certain someone to get in the bedroom,” he grumbled.
Alison smiled. “Should have told me to get in the tent,” she said with a wink. “Don’t you know us women get tired of doing it in bedrooms as well? We like to spice it up from time to time.”
“I wasn’t…” Lucien’s protest became muffled as she kissed him quiet.
“Sorry, what was that?” she asked a few minutes later, his hands quite firmly down her pants, grasping her ass and squeezing it, much to Alison’s delight. She loved it when he touched her. The warmth of his grip was welcome anywhere on her body.
“I was just asking if you could undo the drawstring,” Lucien said, trying to tug the pants over her waist with little success.
“You’re sure?” she asked, sitting up straight and pulling the knot undone.
“Positive,” he growled while she rolled off him and pulling her clothing off. Having him undress her would have been fun, but it just wasn’t practical in that position.
“Don’t just lie there,” she said, pulling at his belt. “You can do something.”
Lucien smiled at her innocently. “But you told me to lie back and enjoy.”
Alison tilted her head ever so slightly.
A second later, the pants were gone.
“That’s what I thought,” she said, carefully straddling him and leaning forward to kiss him some more, careful not to rest her hands on any of the bruises that spotted his upper body.
She was more than ready for him, her body practically begging for him inside her. She could feel it, the heat between her legs making her more than wet enough for Lucien to simply slide all the way in, but he didn’t.
Once her hips found the right area, he took hold of them, grasping firmly, using his strength to slowly lower her on top of him. The wait was excruciating. Lucien moved with painstaking slowness. Alison wanted it. Needed it.
She begged, pleaded, cajoled. Promised him he could do anything he wanted to her if he would just give her some more, fill her completely with his hard cock. She was a panting, pleading mess by the time he finally gave in.
The instant he slid deep, she buried her face in his neck as an orgasm tore through her body from the fulfillment of that sensation alone. Her brain was overwhelmed and simply shut down, leaving her slumped across his chest, unable to move.
That was when Lucien picked her up by her hips and slid her back down again. A brief moan filled the tent before she remembered where they were and clamped her hands over her mouth, her face twisted in a wordless scream as Lucien casually fucked her with nothing more than the power of his arms, lifting her up and down.
She did nothing. Absolutely nothing, except take his hard cock deep inside her body over and over again. Never before had she felt so at his command, so owned by someone, simply because of his strength. It was unbelievably sexy, and she could feel the results of that practically pouring from her as she coated his length in her juices.
This time, the climax built and built within her, one stroke at a time, until she was hovering over the edge, but not quite able to reach it.
“I’m so close,” she whispered, hoping the words made sense. Nothing was working right. All her muscles were limp, her brain little more than mush because of what Lucien was doing to her. It was simply too overwhelming.
She vaguely recalled him settling her down, so that every inch of him was inside her. The lack of movement gave her a second to start composing herself. That was all she got, because at that point, he lifte
d his hips slightly, and pushed a thumb between their bodies.
The shifting of the angle, plus the pressure against her clit was nearly too much on its own, but then he start moving against her with his hips. All together it was more than she could take.
Alison fell forward, biting down on his neck as she came again, feeling her fingernails sink deep into his skin as her body writhed uncontrollably. Thick arms clasped her tight, holding her firm against him.
“I thought I was supposed to be doing the work,” she said once she’d gotten herself under control.
Lucien grinned. “Guess I couldn’t resist you.”
Blushing at the compliment, Alison forced herself into a sitting position. “Well, I think it’s only fair that I return the favor now.”
Without waiting for permission, she moved her hips against his, grinding back and forth in long, slow movements, watching his face tighten. It was his eyes, however, that commanded her attention. They ran over her body, up and down, never stopping except when he watched her face.
“You’re so fucking hot,” he growled at one point as she bit her lip from the wondrous sensations starting to fill her body yet again. “I could watch you all day.”
“You like what you see?” she asked, running her hands up her body, shocked at her own confidence.
Lucien nodded, mouth slack.
The truth was, she found watching him just as hot. Knowing that she was in control, she was the one causing him to be hard, to be turned on. That was power in itself, and Alison basked in it.
“Are you close?” she asked, her mind shifting to what would happen next.
Lucien nodded. “Very,” he hissed, his voice tight. “So very close.”
“Good.” She reached between her legs. “I want you to come for me, Lucien,” she ordered, her left leg shaking with the first pass over her clit. It wouldn’t be long before she came too.
Without thinking, she nodded. “Yes. Do it. I want to come and—”
Lucien lost control. His groan was almost inaudible, but she felt him swell a moment before warmth exploded inside her.
Fingers moving frantically across her clit, the two things combined to push her over the edge as well. Her walls tightened around him frantically as she fell forward, unable to support herself as ecstasy swelled up within her, like a wave lifting her higher as endorphins rushed to fill her mind, leaving her numb and like she was floating.
Lucien exhaled, his chest deflating like a balloon under her, indicating he too felt the same.
She grinned, rolled off him and lay there, uncaring about the cleanup. That simply didn’t matter just then.
“Get some rest,” she ordered with a waggle of her finger. “Doctor’s orders.”
“Yes ma’am,” Lucien said, his head falling back.
A few moments later, his breathing changed and she realized with a start that he actually was asleep.
“Unreal,” she muttered to herself, unable to control her smile. “I always thought that was an urban myth. I’ll be damned.”
She lay there still short of breath, watching him sleep, trying not to giggle at the slight after-shocks that pulsed through his dick. This was a first for her.
But I think I could get used to it. He’s kinda cute when he sleeps…
36
Something shook her.
“Hrmm?”
“Time to wake up,” Lucien said. He shifted and lips pressed against her forehead. “Come on, sleepyhead.”
Alison frowned. Sleepyhead? What was he talking about? He was the one who was asleep!
Her eyes blinked open. She was lying on her back. In the tent. Naked. Lucien, on the other hand, was fully dressed and looked ready to go.
No, she thought. No that’s not fair. I was supposed to be the one making fun of him for falling asleep!
“What are you pouting about?” Lucien asked, passing her underwear over.
She took it quickly, almost snatching it. This was not something she was used to yet. A male handling her bra and thong? That was going to take some getting used to for sure.
“Nothing,” she told him, feeling somewhat more confident the more clothes she pulled on. “I just didn’t plan on falling asleep.”
“Better that you did,” he said. “We all need rest. Just because you weren’t fighting doesn’t mean the stress of everything isn’t wearing on you.”
“Yeah, I know.” She shrugged into her shirt and then flopped around like a fish trying to put her pants on, since the tent wasn’t high enough to stand up. “I just intended on poking fun at you for passing out afterward.” She stuck a tongue out at him.
Chuckling, Lucien made his way to the tent door, glancing back. “Decent?”
“Yeah, go on. Nothing for them to see anymore.”
Lucien grinned. “All mine,” he teased with a wink, and then stepped out into the warehouse, leaving the door open for her to follow.
Alison looked at the orange flap hanging open, and the dim cavernous room beyond. Jitters banished the last of her drowsiness as she headed for it, exiting the tent and standing tall, stretching toward the ceiling.
All around her, the others were stirring.
Lucien was taking a slow lap around the interior of the building, likely to bleed off some of his own nervous energy, and to limber up. The shifters were all hurting, she reminded herself. Despite the hour of rest and their advanced systems, they would still be stiff and sore.
Looking over at him, she eyed the bruise on Chief’s side as he tugged on a black sweater. It had gone down, but was still a nasty purple color at the center. If his ribs had healed in the meantime, she doubted they were strong. One solid punch would break them.
Lorik and Lana emerged from their tent last, both moving over to where Chief had laid out black outfits for everyone. Then, without waiting, they started stripping off their grays. Alison looked away, but not before she noted that nobody else seemed to care.
Right. Lucien said nudity is a common thing among them, didn’t he? They’re used to it with shifting. That’s why the sweats and no tactical gear, or body armor.
They were going in with nothing but the weapons that each of them wore. Their strength, speed, everything made them better than humans at this sort of thing. Somehow Alison had decided that going with them made sense, but now she began to have doubts.
Seeing Lucien in his wolf form once was enough for her to get a mild grasp on just how much destruction he could deal out. People tended to forget just how big wolves were compared to dogs. They were massive, fleet of foot and quieter than any canines that humans would see in their daily lives.
Lucien was nearly twice the size of a wild gray wolf. His jaws could snap a man’s arm. Or neck, she was certain. They were killing machines, and each one of the shifters in the room with her was prepared and ready to unleash that upon those who stood between them and their mission.
And I’m going with them.
“Here.”
She blinked, then flinched violently as a dark shadow came hurtling her way courtesy of Chief. It was only when it landed in a puddle of material on the ground next to her, that Alison realized he’d thrown an outfit of black at her.
“Uh, thanks,” she said, scooping it up and looking around.
Lorik was pulling on sweatpants, while beside him Lana was down to her underwear while she fiddled with her shirt. Alison swallowed nervously, wondering if they would care if she used the tent to change. Would it offend them if she did? Would it bother them if she didn’t? What about Lucien? What were his thoughts?
“You don’t have to change out here,” Chief said with a knowing smile. “We don’t care.”
The others looked up and over, taking in the situation before nodding in agreement.
“Thank you,” she said and retreated into the nearby orange tent, hurriedly changing the clothes and returning to the warehouse.
It was then that it hit her, and she needed a moment to process everything.
The h
andful of days that had passed were like a blur, and yet her life had forever changed because of them. Win or lose. The risks she was running to help Lucien and his pack were huge, but Alison was aware of them. The expression family comes first filtered through her mind as the shifters all gathered near her. Each one dressed head to toe in black.
Just as she had.
This is my family now.
These men, and one woman. Wayward wolf shifters. They had adopted her into their pack. Made her one of their own. That was why she would put her life in danger for them, because they would do the same for her. At some point, she’d become more than just Lucien’s woman, she’d become a part of the pack.
And Alison liked it. The feeling of belonging was powerful. It made you want to reach out and help others without thinking. To volunteer to go on crazy rescue missions. That was what family did. They stuck together.
“Everyone ready?” Lucien asked, interrupting her thoughts. “I think we’ve given them enough time to get organized and launch a counter-raid.”
The others nodded.
“Let’s go then,” ordered the alpha of their little pack.
No more words were spoken as they all filed into the truck. Bergey whined softly at being left behind, but Alison knew it was for the best. She couldn’t guarantee the safety of those going on the raid, and she wasn’t willing to risk her dog getting hurt.
“You be a good boy now,” she said. “I’ll be back soon.”
Nobody bothered to tell her what would happen if she wasn’t. Alison already knew.
This time, she rode in the passenger seat, while the other three joined Lede in the back, where they’d left him manacled and lying on his side. The trip was made in near silence, everyone lost in their own thoughts beneath the star-lined sky.
Alison was busy pumping herself up, getting herself ready to do whatever might be necessary. She doubted Lede would cooperate with them, which meant she would be forced to go deep into this secret facility hidden beneath her wing of the hospital.
She still couldn’t quite believe that such a thing existed, that they’d managed to hide it—and access to it—from her all this time.