by Crissy Smith
She waved him off. “Fine. If you all can’t take eight humans and two wolves, I don’t know that I want you as my mate anyway.”
RJ wrinkled his nose at her. “What are you going to be doing?”
Mike loved the easy banter between the two. He peeked down at Becca, who still held his hand. She didn’t seem to want to let go. He approved.
Nikki scoffed. “Isn’t it obvious? While you guys are acting all macho and distracting everyone, me and Becca are going to rescue Todd.”
Clint nodded. “I think I like you all.”
Everyone laughed at that.
“I guess now all we can do is wait then,” Kenny said softly and looked over his shoulder at the building in worry.
“Then we’ll kick their asses,” Kurt promised his brother.
Kenny sighed and patted his arm. He moved over so he could watch the building while sitting back against a tree.
Kurt and Clint settled several yards away keeping an eye out too.
RJ tilted his head behind them and Mike nodded. He squeezed Becca quickly and followed his friend farther into the brush.
Once they were far enough away from the others, RJ stopped. From this distance, if they whispered, they wouldn’t be overheard.
“So…you and Becca, huh?”
Mike nodded. “It was unexpected, but she’s what I’ve always dreamt about,” he admitted.
“That serious?” RJ asked and crossed his arms over his chest.
Mike was confused. He’d thought RJ would be happy for him. “Maybe. Why?”
RJ sighed. “Sorry, man. I’m happy for you, it’s just…”
“What?” Mike snapped, pissed his friend would have a problem with Becca when he had always supported him and Nikki.
“Kurt’s in love with her,” RJ told him. “I don’t think anything is going on between them but it’s obvious he has feelings for her. I don’t want to see you hurt.”
Mike blew out a breath. “I know.”
RJ lifted an eyebrow. “You do?”
Mike nodded and glanced at the man in question. Kurt was speaking with Clint and not paying attention to them.
“They dated a few years ago, were even going to mate,” he explained.
RJ gasped. “Shit.”
Mike shrugged. “It didn’t work out. He left and she hasn’t seen him since.”
“So how does Becca feel?”
“She doesn’t love him anymore. I don’t know if she would have even gone through with the mating. But I know how she feels about me. I’m not worried.”
RJ slapped his back. “Well then, damn, man, I’m thrilled for you. Becca is a great girl.”
Mike knew he was grinning from ear to ear. “I know.”
RJ motioned over to where Nikki and Becca were sitting close together with their heads bent so they could talk. “How much you want to bet they’re talking about you?”
Mike punched RJ’s arm. “Not taking that bet.”
They walked back over to the girls. Mike sat behind Becca and pulled her close. She shivered.
“Are you cold?” he asked rubbing his hands up and down her arms. “Maybe you should shift back.”
He didn’t mind his nakedness but Becca might not be as comfortable.
She peered over her shoulder at him. “Not cold,” she said with a wink.
Mike chuckled. “Well, we don’t have time for that,” he told her catching her meaning.
She leant back against him. “It’s okay. As long as you hold me.”
They all settled in for the wait, Kenny keeping an eye on the building. Kurt and Clint huddled together. Becca was in Mike’s arms, and Nikki and RJ were embracing.
Slowly the sun disappeared and the moon began to rise. As the temperature lowered Nikki and Becca decided to shift back to their wolf form. Mike sat on the ground, stroking Becca’s fur.
As the night came alive around them, the excitement start to fill the air. They continued to bide their time until they heard a shout from inside the building.
Kenny jumped up and the only reason he didn’t charge inside was because Kurt was able to grab him and hold him back.
“Let me go,” Kenny growled.
“Just hold on,” Kurt responded.
Kenny shook, but he nodded.
“Mike, Clint and I will shift. Then Mike and I will circle around and take the back and east side. Clint will cover the west side, and Kenny and Kurt go right through the front door,” RJ ordered.
Clint cracked his knuckles. “Do we get to kill them?” he asked with a little too much glee.
Kurt smacked the back of his head. “No, not unless we have to.”
Clint frowned. “Fine.”
“Once the coast is clear, the women move in and get Todd out.”
Nikki and Becca were back in human form and they nodded.
“Let’s go then,” RJ stated and started to shift.
“Be careful,” Mike said to Becca before giving her one last kiss.
“You too,” she said with a small smile.
He drew back and got ready to shift. Kurt stood with his back to them. Mike knew it had to be hard for him to see his ex with another man. But he couldn’t worry about it just then. He changed to wolf while everyone else waited.
He followed behind RJ. Once they were in position, they heard a low whistle.
His muscled bunched as he prepared himself.
There was a shout and bang as the front door was kicked open. It happened fast. Right after Kenny and Kurt went inside, the back door flew open and three humans ran out. RJ launched himself at them and Mike ran to help. A curse from the side of the house drew his attention as another man ran out the back.
Mike snapped his jaw at the new man still on top of the one he’d stopped from escaping.
The young, barely legal man held his hands up and froze. “Please, please don’t hurt me.”
He trembled and Mike could smell his fear.
Clint came around the corner dragging two men with him. The young man saw that and started to yell, “Please! We didn’t want to do this!”
RJ crouched over the two men he had caught and growled.
Mike nosed one closer to RJ then shifted back to human form.
The kid gasped. “Oh God!”
“We won’t hurt you as long as you don’t run,” Mike warned.
The guy nodded. “I won’t.”
Mike motioned for him to join his friends on the ground and told all of them to get on their stomachs and lay with their hands behind their heads.
He made sure RJ and Clint had control of them before walking through the front door.
Kurt was holding Owen and Barry down while Kenny stood over two humans with his hands on his hips.
Todd, Becca and Nikki stood by the front door with smiles on their faces.
Mike glanced over at Todd, who didn’t look bad.
Todd chuckled. “My heroes,” he drawled.
The rest of the room laughed with him.
Chapter Eleven
Becca rolled over in bed reaching for Mike. After the excitement of the night before, she was looking forward to waking next to him.
When her hand only found and empty bed, she sat up and searched the room.
Mike stood at the window, watching the sun on the horizon.
She wrapped the sheet around her and climbed out of bed.
He didn’t move when she wrapped her arms around him and kissed between his shoulder blades.
“It really is beautiful here,” he said quietly.
She hummed, pressing against his warmth. Even naked his heat seemed to surround her. “It’s even better with you here.”
He turned and gripped her shoulders. “Do you mean that?”
Becca stepped back so she could search his face. “That it’s better with you here? Of course I do. Mike”—she cupped his face between her hands—“I love having you here with me.”
He closed his eyes. When he looked backed at her she could see the hope i
n his gaze. “What about Kurt? If he wanted you back?”
“Mike…”
He shook his head. “I know he still has feelings for you. RJ saw it too. I’ve been standing here looking out the window trying to decide if I could let you go if that’s what you really want.”
She gasped.
He stepped away from her and started to pace. “I understand having to make hard decisions and the regrets that come with them.”
“Mike!” She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. She didn’t want Kurt any longer.
“No.” He waved his hand. “Sleeping next to you, holding you all night, and when I climbed out of bed you reached for me,” he told her and faced her. “I’m not letting you go without a fight. I want you, Becca, and I’m going to do everything in my power to make sure you pick me.”
Becca sobbed. “I already did!” She grabbed his hand and pulled him closer. “I already picked you and you know what? It wasn’t hard. I knew what my heart wanted.”
Mike smiled. “Yeah?”
She nodded, relieved and so happy. “Last night, when you and RJ were talking to the sheriff about Owen and Barry?”
He had left her alone when he and RJ had had to speak with the police about sending the two wolves to the Alpha council. Kurt and Clint would be transporting them early that morning.
In fact, they might already be gone.
“Kurt found me in the waiting room and we talked. I told him he was always welcome to come back to the Pack. That he needed to see Kenny more. I didn’t want him to continue to stay away any longer.” She watched Mike’s shoulders hunch so she hurried on. “He asked what my plans were with you. If you would be staying or if I would be leaving.”
Mike lifted his head with that. “What did you say?”
“I told him that wherever you were I would be right there by your side,” she confessed. “You see, Mike Jackson, I’d already picked you. You’re the one for me. And you are not getting away from me.”
“Oh thank God!” he whispered in relief. “But I know how much you want to stay here. I have some thoughts on that, but one thing for sure is I would never ask you to leave your home.”
They embraced and she held his head to her as he took her mouth. She would prove to him that she wasn’t going to let him go.
He pulled at the sheet tucked around her and she let it fall to the floor.
“So gorgeous,” he praised, running his hands over her.
She arched when he cupped her breasts. “And all yours,” she vowed.
He bent his head and captured one nipple into his mouth. She gasped as he tongued her. Oh, he most surely was a breast man.
“I love your body,” he said with admiration.
She hummed.
He led her back to the bed and gently laid her back. He started at her ankles and kissed his way up her legs to her thighs. She spread for him, liking where he was headed.
He peeked up at her and winked. “I’m going to show you how much I adore everything about you.”
“Yes, please,” she murmured.
She was already wet when he slid two fingers around her clit and teased her folds.
She arched up. “Please.”
“We have time, baby.” He teased with his fingers again.
She didn’t care if they had the rest of their lives. She wanted to be filled. “Mike…”
He chuckled. “So impatient.” He lowered his head and used his tongue to enter her.
“Oh God!” she cried.
“Taste so good,” Mike told her.
“Feels good,” she responded.
He added two fingers while she pressed closer. But it wasn’t enough. “Mike, please.”
He lifted his head. “More?”
She dropped her head back. “Ugh!”
He chuckled but moved up her body. Thankfully, he continued to thrust his fingers inside. His mouth covered her and she opened for him while riding his hand.
He pulled away panting. “Mine,” he declared.
“Yes, yes.”
Removing his fingers, he climbed over her, his cock pushing at her entrance. “Mine!”
The possessiveness was enough to almost send her over the edge.
“Yes! Mike.”
He slammed inside as she called out his name over and over. He rode her fast and hard.
She loved every second of it.
Becca gripped his shoulders, nails digging in, and growled, “You’re mine too.”
Mike plunged in hard and stilled. “That’s right, baby.” He pulled out and flipped her over.
She climbed on her hands and knees and raised her ass back at him. He gripped her hips and this time entered her slowly. She tried to push back and get him inside faster but his hold was too strong.
“No, you take what I give you,” he ordered.
He slid out before pushing back in. It was such good torture.
She squeezed her inner muscles, clamping down on his cock.
“Oh, baby,” he groaned.
She threw her head back. “Harder.”
Obviously at the end of his control, he pumped into her quickly. She met every thrust and urged him on. He reached around, rubbing her clit as he pounded inside.
She exploded, tightening around him.
“Becca!” he moaned, slammed in and came.
They collapsed on the bed together, sweaty and exhausted.
“Well, glad we got that talk out of the way,” Becca said laughing.
He smacked her ass. “Be nice.”
* * * *
Mike was starving by the time he and Becca finally left the bedroom. They made it to the kitchen at the end of breakfast and saw Nikki and RJ had just entered also. Mike slapped RJ on the back as he passed then took a seat next to him. Becca grabbed the coffee pot and started to fill mugs and one of the women still cooking pointed at the dishes.
“Eat up now! You deserve a good treat,” she said.
“Yes ma’am,” RJ and Mike said at the same time.
Plates were filled and bowls passed around. Kenny and Todd came in the back door.
“See, I told you we didn’t miss breakfast,” Todd told Kenny, pushing him out of the way and grabbing his own plate.
Kenny rolled his eyes but continued to watch Todd with a fond expression in his eyes.
Todd and Kenny joined them and they all started to eat.
The women set the last of the food on the table and started to remove their aprons.
They were soon left alone in the kitchen—the small group that felt like family to Mike.
“How’re you doing?” he asked Todd.
Todd grinned. “I’m all right. They really didn’t hurt me. They were more scared of me than anything.”
“Did Kurt leave with Owen and Barry this morning?” RJ questioned.
Kenny nodded. “Left at sunrise. The council wants to talk to them about the connection with Dan Carter.”
Todd snorted. “That man is bat shit crazy. Going on about how I was the spawn of the devil. Had all the humans in there too scared to even touch me. As if I could turn them by just looking into their eyes.”
“Is he going to be arrested?” Nikki enquired.
Kenny sighed. “I spoke with the sheriff this morning. While the men he arrested last night are scared, they still claim that Dan Carter was never there and it was all their idea to kidnap Todd. The sheriff thinks they are more afraid of Carter than doing jail time.”
“That doesn’t even make sense,” Becca complained.
Kenny shrugged. “They’ll open an investigation, but without proof…” He trailed off.
“But Todd saw him,” Becca argued.
“It’s Todd’s word against eight humans and two other wolves,” Kenny maintained. “They’ll push for a better confession and try to tie him in.”
“That’s not his biggest problem anyway,” RJ stated.
Everyone turned to him.
“Words out to all the Packs. Plus the council is alr
eady investigating him on their own. He won’t get so close the next time. He lost the element of surprise,” RJ continued.
“Good,” Becca said. “No one else should have to go through all of this.”
“So what was this Barry’s connection? I can understand Owen, but Barry?” Mike asked.
Kenny and Todd shook their heads. “I’m just glad it’s over,” Todd said.
Kenny reached over and placed his hand over his partner’s.
“Oh?” Becca enquired and raised her eyebrow.
“We spoke to the Alpha last night—we’re done hiding our relationship. We have his support, the support of our friends and family, so I asked Todd to mate with me.”
The table exploded with congratulations and cheering.
Todd was grinning. “Finally getting a commitment from him,” he teased.
Becca was hugging her friend. “That is so great! But what about your position?”
Kenny shrugged. “If someone wants to challenge me for my position, I’ll have to deal with it then. Besides, I’m hoping maybe sometime soon I can pass it on and pick my replacement. Let me concentrate on my fire training.”
Kenny caught Mike’s gaze and held it. Mike understood what he meant. Todd had already put the thought in his head.
He smiled to let the man know he might just be interested.
RJ stretched his arm behind Nikki’s shoulder, drawing his attention. RJ smirked and Mike knew he had also caught what Kenny wasn’t saying.
“So, Mike, what’s next for you?” his friend asked pretending innocence.
Mike laughed. “Nice, man.” But he wasn’t upset. He twined his fingers with Becca’s. “Right now I will be staying with Becca. I have some free time now that the unit’s no longer together. And we’ll decide what we want to do…together.”
He picked up her hand and kissed her knuckles.
Nikki and RJ awwed and Kenny and Todd laughed. Becca just stared at him with genuine pleasure.
Mike had no doubt that there was a future with Becca. They had all but committed themselves to each other earlier.
As long as Becca was by his side, he had great expectations on where his life was headed.
Also available from Total-E-Bound Publishing:
Savage Love
Crissy Smith
Excerpt
Chapter One