by B. J. McCall
A stream of pure fire flowed to her pussy, making her achy and wet. Fawn lifted her hips. She wanted him, now. Instead of responding to her blatant message, he suckled deep and strong. The stream turned into a river of hot lava.
She moaned and gripped him by the hair.
He moved lower, kissing a path down to her belly and beyond. His warm breath skated over her pussy.
“I love the taste of you.”
Her heart skipped a beat and her pussy clenched in anticipation.
He slipped his tongue inside her, licking and teasing. He caught her clit between his lips and the river became a torrent.
She cried out his name as the torrent raged, crested and broke. The air in her lungs stilled, leaving her breathless.
He moved, easing his hips between her thighs.
Her still-quivering pussy welcomed his size and length. Her blood pounded and pooled as he began to move inside her.
Instead of driving into her, Nash took his time, going deep, then retreating with slow precision.
Burning with need, Fawn palmed his ass and bucked her hips.
“Look at me.”
Fawn opened her eyes.
His expression was intense and the facets of his eyes reminded her of burning embers. “Make love to me.”
He levered his weight on one arm. His muscles were tensed and his strokes were slow and measured.
The slow slide and drag made Fawn intimately aware of his length and breadth, each stroke drawing her closer to him and toward ecstasy.
She’d always had a thing for Nash, but she’d never allowed her heart to rule her actions. Her pack responsibilities were too important to give into emotion. But in her heart, she’d yearned. In her dreams, she’d loved.
Resisting a dream was possible, but now he was with her, all hard muscle, flesh and bone, intense and irresistible. Falling in love would complicate everything and she was drowning in Nash’s whiskey-colored eyes.
Nash gently cupped her face. “I want you to touch the moon.”
She wasn’t falling. She had fallen. If Talon had felt for Moonflower half of what Fawn was feeling right now, it was no surprise he’d hammered out a peace treaty to have her.
Fawn’s heart squeezed and her pussy quivered. She whispered Nash’s name.
Nash groaned when she held him tighter. A shudder slid down his back and rippled through his muscles.
Fawn gripped his hips and ran her fingers along his spine. His belly tensed and perspiration slicked his skin.
Fur sprang out along his spine and for a moment his face blurred. She saw the change in his eyes. His skin was hot, the heat releasing his lycan pheromones.
He took her hand, his shaking grip revealing the slender hold he had on his climax.
He was waiting for her, waiting for the quake of passion to overtake her before seizing his own pleasure.
She held him tight, her muscles contracting around him, tugging on his hot length. She inhaled the pheromones, drawing his scent deep into her lungs. Her receptors fired and her pussy flooded with heat and moisture as she touched the moon.
With one final trust, an anguished groan tore from his lips and a shudder ran along his spine. His hips stilled. For a moment, neither of them moved, they simply breathed, drawing air into heaving lungs.
He released her hand and rolled onto his back. His hair was damp with perspiration and his breath still came in heavy puffs.
Her climax ebbed, leaving a gentle ache that brought an easy smile to her lips.
“You’re good,” she whispered.
He reached over and placed his hand on her belly. “I’ve wanted you since the first day I met you.”
“The situation was impossible.”
His fingertips grazed her damp curls. “It still is, but I want more than two nights.”
She rolled onto her side and faced him. “So do I, but we can’t sneak around like cheating spouses.”
“What am I suppose to do? Be your Moonflower?”
“Talon loved her.”
“She was his sex slave. He fucked her, marked her and sent her home in shame.”
Fawn sat up and stared at Nash. “Talon wanted her as his mate. That was his peace plan, but the pack refused to accept an Arasani she-wolf.”
Nash rose and scooped up his wineglass. “Peace plan? Talon wanted Moonflower because she was promised to Path Runner. Talon couldn’t defeat him on the battlefield, so he took the one thing Path Runner loved.”
“This is the first time I’ve heard that Moonflower was promised to Path Runner.”
“I’m sure in the Chanta version, Talon is the big hero.”
“I’ll tell you the story my grandmother told to me,” Fawn said. “Would you like to hear it?”
Nash picked up her wineglass and handed it to her. “Actually, I would.”
“She told me that one day, while Talon was hunting, he saw the she-wolf of his dreams. He wanted to take her as his mate, but she was the daughter of an Arasani elder. Our pack refused to accept one of our enemies as our female alpha.”
As Fawn relayed the story she’d heard since childhood, Nash rose, walked back to the table and picked up the bottle of wine.
“Talon loved Moonflower so much, he devised a peace plan and arranged a meeting between the elders of the packs. During the full moon phase of the months of December and June, the Chanta would allow the Arasani access to the Mountain of the Moon God, not to exceed two nights. In exchange for this privilege, Talon had demanded Moonflower be his during the time Arasani trekked on Chanta land. The Arasani elders agreed and the war ended. As long as the terms of the treaty were fulfilled by both packs, peace was assured.”
Nash returned to the rug, sat down on the floor next to her and refilled their glasses. He settled his back against the sofa and stretched out his long legs. “Is that all she told you?”
“She said that for more than a decade, Talon and Moonflower met twice a year. The elders wanted to preserve the bloodline and forced Talon to take a Chanta mate. He and Moonflower never met again.”
“Maybe it’s a great romance for the Chanta, but we don’t see it that way.”
“How do you see it?”
“Our pack leader had fallen in battle. He died while in wolf form, his wounds so profound he was unable to shift and to heal. Path Runner was selected to be the next leader, but it required an official, unanimous vote of the elders. It was common knowledge that Path Runner would take Moonflower as his alpha mate once the vote was taken. But the vote was delayed because one of our elders was very old and had fallen ill.”
“You’re saying that Talon knew this?”
Nash took a drink of wine. “He did. The war had cost so many lives, our numbers were dwindling. Our elders were willing to give up their land claims. All we wanted was access to the sacred mountain to worship the Moon God. A secret summit between the elders of both our packs was held on neutral ground. Moonflower’s father was an elder and she accompanied him on the journey. That’s when Talon saw her. I’m sure the hunting story was conceived to cover the secret meeting.”
“Why hadn’t Path Runner take Moonflower as his mate?”
“The daughter of our fallen leader had been chosen for Path Runner, but he wanted Moonflower. Once he was the pack leader, the elders wouldn’t deny him the mate of his choice.”
Fawn sipped her wine and stared into the flames. “She must have been very beautiful to attract both men, but your version of events doesn’t prove that Talon didn’t love her.”
“He tattooed her with his personal claw sign,” Nash said, dragging his fingers across his belly. “Path Runner couldn’t bear to look upon that mark. The pack knew her shame.”
“Maybe Talon loved her so much, he couldn’t bear having another touch her.” After being in Nash’s arms, Fawn didn’t want to think about the possibility of him taking a mate.
“He ruined her life.”
“What happened to her?”
“Path Runner took t
he elders’ choice as his mate. For years, she lived as a marked female. Then the winter came when Talon stopped requesting her. She jumped into the upper falls and was found two days later floating in the river.”
The upper river falls were high and very dangerous. “I didn’t know.”
“Do you have any idea how much the Arasani resent this ritual?”
“You think I like it?”
When Fawn became pack leader, she’d work tirelessly to dissolve the treaty and give the Arasani unfettered access to the mountain.
“Do you know what the Arasani call the exchange ritual?” Nash asked.
Fawn shook her head. She had to understand the Arasani grievances if she wanted to petition the elders.
“We call it the sacrifice moon,” Nash said.
“In the treaty, it’s called the exchange, but the Chanta call it the pleasure pact.”
“It might be an exchange on paper and it’s been a pleasure for the Chanta leader, but the Arasani have to sacrifice one of our own for the privilege to walk peacefully across Chanta land to worship on a sacred mountain which shouldn’t belong to any pack.
“Every time we send you a sacrifice, we are shamed. When you tattoo our sacrifice, marking her for life, she is shamed. Instead of a feeling of peace between our packs, the Arasani feel vanquished.”
Her father’s death had ended twenty-six years of peaceful treks and Damon’s decision to enforce the treaty had stirred up feelings in both packs.
“My mother and I tried to talk Damon into ending the pleasure pact, but he refused. He didn’t want to be the pack leader who broke with tradition. I agree that the mountain is sacred and should be accessible. I wasn’t aware that your feelings of resentment ran so deep.”
Fawn moved closer to Nash, resting her hip against his thigh. The discussion had pulled them apart, just as the exchange had polarized their packs. She wanted the physical connection, the skin-to-skin contact.
“I’m sorry. The old ones who know our history still harbor ill feelings. I’ve read the history and many bad things happened between our packs.” She placed her hand on his thigh. “I’ve never wanted the Arasani to suffer, and during these last few years, I’ve enjoyed working with you.”
He cupped her face in his hand and ran his thumb over her lips. “I accepted the decision of the elders because I was a sacrifice for you.”
Fawn’s heart did a somersault.
“I like you, Fawn. Right now I feel as driven as the teenager I caught last week sneaking across the river onto the Chanta side. He was meeting a she-wolf and his blood was running high.”
“He was breaking the rules.”
“I’ve caught him time and time again, but he’s says he’s in love. That cub is a lot braver than me. I’ve wanted you, but I’ve chosen to follow the damn rules.”
Fawn had wanted him, but wouldn’t allow herself the luxury of acting upon her personal desires. “We’re not teenagers. We’re adults. We have responsibilities.”
He slipped his arm around her waist, drawing her closer. “We’re not teenagers, but we’re not our elders. We’re participating in an archaic ritual. That cub is acting on his lycan instincts.”
Nash pulled Fawn onto his lap. She straddled his thighs.
“I’m turning thirty next month and that boy made me feel old,” Nash said.
She understood. After college, she’d come home and buried herself in administrative duties. She loved the work and the days, months and years seemed to fly. But tonight, she was just a female ruled by the moon.
Fawn reached down and ran her fingertips along the length of his cock. She grasped the root and tugged gently.
His cock jerked, stretching and responding to her caress. His skin was hot and silky soft. His shaft was as hard as steel.
“What are your lycan instincts telling you to do now?”
“Fuck you until I can’t get it up. Make love to you until I’m too tired to think about what happens to us when the sacrifice moon ends.”
She palmed his cock, lifted her hips and sank down on him. A delicious shiver slipped down her spine as he slowly filled her. Bless the Moon God, she wanted to howl.
“You’re amazing,” he said. “You drive me crazy.”
Fawn rocked her hips, leisurely riding him. “We’re just two wolves enjoying what comes naturally.”
He gripped her hips and looked into her eyes. “It’s more than that. I like you, Fawn. I like you a lot. I want to howl at the moon.”
Knowing it wasn’t just sex made Fawn’s heart pound and her blood sing. The song was new, but its rhythm touched every part of her.
Fawn placed her hand on his chest to feel the pounding of his heart. “I like you too.”
He kissed her, his lips hot and demanding.
He gripped her by the hair and pulled back her head. “Ride me. Fuck me. Make me howl.”
She didn’t feel the restraints that had colored her past relationships. Before, she’d been the pack leader’s daughter, ever careful to represent the alpha family. With Nash, she felt free to be herself, to get in touch with her wild side.
Fawn gripped his shoulders and rode him hard. She needed it raw and fast, deep and fierce.
Nash bucked his hips, slamming into her again and again.
He was big and thick and exactly what she craved. Fawn’s blood heated and the urge to shift burned through her.
Nash’s groan turned into a low growl. He lifted his hips, burying his cock to the hilt and delivering a light slap to her ass.
Her skin rippled with the beginning of the change. Bones bent and her fingers curled. Her pussy convulsed and the frantic rhythm of her hips slowed. Fur sprang from the small of her back as she howled her pleasure.
She loved the sweet aftermath of climax, the tiny shivers between her legs and the heat of her partner’s body.
Nash caressed her butt, his fingers brushing through a patch of fur at the base of her spine. The fur vanished and her fingers straightened as her awareness of what had happened hit Fawn’s brain. She’d almost shifted. Shifting during sex without including your partner wasn’t good etiquette, but the desire to shift was a sign of unique compatibility.
She opened her eyes and looked at Nash. His head was thrown back and his eyes were closed. Beads of perspiration dotted his forehead and his chest heaved with each breath he took.
“That’s never happened to me before,” Fawn said.
“It happened to me earlier. I thought it was because we were doing it wolf style.”
She hadn’t noticed, but that wasn’t surprising since she was bent over the back of the sofa, loving it wolf style. “I guess we’ll have to keep a close eye on one another.”
“I’m looking forward to keeping you close. Shall we sleep before the fire or in the bed?”
“The fire.” Fawn climbed off his lap and picked up a folded quilt she’d left on the corner of the sofa.
Nash added a couple of logs to the fire and stretched out on the fur rug.
Fawn turned off the light and joined him. She spread the quilt over them and laid her head on his shoulder. “Comfortable?”
Nash slid his arm around her shoulders. “Never better.”
Fawn heard him inhale deeply.
“I love your scent,” he said in a low, sleepy voice.
Warmed by his compliment and the heat of his body, Fawn drifted off to sleep.
Chapter Five
Carrying a mug of coffee, Nash stepped out onto the deck to enjoy the view. He inhaled deeply, loving the scent of the pines that surrounded the pristine high mountain lake. Usually, he rose at dawn and took a long run before starting his day, but the sun had already risen over the mountain peaks and its pale light flickered on the surface of the water. Nash raked his fingers through his hair, still damp from the shower, and sipped his coffee.
By now, the Arasani had gathered on the high plateau just over the next ridge. After their cold moonlight trek, the wolves would sleep all day and rise with t
he moon tonight.
Nash wanted to take a run and check on his wolves. Fawn was still asleep and he didn’t want to leave her, but the need to see to the welfare of the trekkers was strong.
Since childhood, he’d loved the long hike and the ceremony of the Moon God. The wolves would gather in a circle and watch the moon reach its zenith. Then they’d howl, singing the ancient rhythms of their Arasani ancestors until the moon fell behind the mountains.
As a boy, Nash had loved the night, running in the moonlight in pursuit of game. As a teen, he’d chased she-wolves, but those carefree days were long gone.
He’d grown up and taken on serious responsibilities and he’d believed his life was close to perfect until this morning. One night with Fawn had made him aware of what he’d been missing and all the feelings he’d suppressed. Wolves weren’t designed to live alone, but he’d let the job become his life and he’d been in complete denial of his true passion.
He loved Fawn. He had for some time, but had kept his emotions secreted away. Now that he’d unleashed his long-smoldering desire, the fire was too hot to put out.
Fawn had ignited his mating instincts and he was a wolf on the scent of his mate. Nash was loyal to his pack, but Fawn was his true mate. Neither pack would sanction their bonding. Nash was willing to engage in a battle that might cost him his position or banishment, but Fawn was well worth the sacrifice.
But would she give up her goals and leave her pack for him?
“Good morning.”
Nash turned around as Fawn stepped out onto the deck. Her hair was loose about her shoulders and she was dressed in gray sweats and furry house slippers. She looked so damn beautiful, his chest tightened.
“Morning.”
She walked up to him and slipped her arms around his waist. “I can’t recall the last time I slept this late. It was nice falling asleep with you.”
Nash wrapped his arm around her shoulders. “I can’t think of a better way to wake up than with you.”
She kissed his cheek. “What would you like for breakfast?”
“You.”
Fawn smiled. “I didn’t know what you liked, so I bought bacon, eggs, pancake batter, cereal and bagels.”