Nothing had ever felt this good. Nothing.
Not even when Nathan—
“Mum! Come have a look at this!”
Luna’s voice was a bucket of cold water on her raging libido. What was she doing? She couldn’t bring herself to regret it, but it couldn’t happen like that again.
At least, not where Luna could see.
“Mum, hurry up!” Luna called again. Patience wasn’t her strength.
“I’d better go in,” Tabitha said, suddenly shy. “She won’t be happy if she has to leave whatever it is to fetch me, and frankly, I don’t want to deal with eight-year-old attitude today.”
Jarrad stopped her with a ghost touch on her arm, eyebrows pinched in concern.
“Tabitha, don’t shut me out. Don’t—”
She put a finger to his lips to stop him, then replaced them with her lips in a short kiss full of promise.
“Not shutting you out. Just being a mum. We’ve got a lot to talk about, and quite frankly, she comes first. She always will.”
He understood. The man might not be a parent, but he knew responsibility. Even with the clouds hovering, this felt right. A promising ray of light in the eye of a storm.
With an extra swing in her step, she went inside.
And felt Jarrad’s eyes on her the entire way.
His mate was in his home. Their home. Jarrad’s wolf howled with joy, and the man wasn’t much better. Hell, after that kiss he was rock hard, and no way he could go into that house with a horn from hell. As Tabitha disappeared inside he hurriedly stripped, shifting seamlessly into his wolf form.
The pain that accompanied a shift was excruciating, as you would expect when a body readjusted size and shape, but worth it. They’d been given a gift, experiencing life in another skin. The pain had the added benefit of taking care of his earlier problem. Loping off the veranda, he stopped on the lawn for a vigorous shake and scratch.
Then it was time for a perimeter check. There were no magic wards, but the pack had never needed them. The Inquisition weren’t monitoring them—wolves were natural after all—but occasionally you got a stray hunter who ventured onto pack lands and saw what he shouldn’t. That’s why each pack member took turns at sentry duty and their surveillance system was second to none. Even Ryan’s government tech buddies would have a hard time negotiating Jarrad’s security.
Echo was too small and far off the Great Western Highway, the regular route through the Blue Mountains, for anyone to bother holidaying there. It was just the hunters looking for wild boar, but they were kept far away from pack lands. Only idiots made it out there. Or trophy hunters who’d heard strange stories of wolf sightings and thought they’d bag a massive dingo or killer dog. But Jarrad was usually good at stopping those leaks.
Pack members patrolled in pairs, one in human form, one in wolf. The human wore the uniform of a National Park Ranger, and when the wolf or security system picked up an interloper, they’d intercept them with a lecture about hunting in national parks. Most didn’t come back. The few who persisted… disappeared.
It didn’t happen often, but it did often enough that Jarrad’s heart hurt.
Padding silently around the property boundary, he smelled no intruders. Heard nothing amiss. The sentries confirmed the same. Not that he expected there to be at this time of day, but still, it never hurt to check. He couldn’t be too careful with his mate and their pup.
Shifting quickly beside his clothing, Jarrad hastily dressed. He’d have to think about constructing a wolf-friendly change room. Or screen. Or something. Tabitha would NOT be okay with Luna seeing werewolf arse at regular intervals. And no one in the pack was shy. Wolves didn’t have the luxury of being body conscious when they loved to run in groups.
It was practicality.
The music of his girls’ laughter welcomed him home. The bass rumble of Ryan joining them, not so welcome. Still, Jarrad would take it if that meant his mate was even a tiny bit safer. He strode down the corridor into the kitchen and his heart stuttered in his chest. His mate was cooking. In his kitchen. And their pup drew pictures at the dining table, laughing at something her uncle said.
It was all so domestic, so… warm.
He ached to be part of it.
“Hey, Jarrad, look at my picture of Uncle Ryan. I made sure I got him zactly right.”
His mouth twitched at the corners as he obediently looked at Luna’s drawing. The eyes in the drawing were so wide set, they almost looked like a horse’s, the nose dwarfed his face. And Uncle Ryan’s neck was non-existent. Drawing obviously wasn’t Luna’s talent.
He looked up and grinned at a glaring Ryan, the other man silently daring him to comment. “Awesome, Luna! I really like the nose. And the shoulders. You drew him perfectly.”
A snort came from Tabitha at the stove, which she quickly muffled while fire flickered in Ryan’s eyes. Interesting. He’d have to check whether Tabitha’s eyes did something similar when she was riled.
Call him perverse, but he couldn’t wait to find out.
“Thanks, Jarrad. I’ll bring home the one I did of you at school when I come home tomorrow.”
She looked at him with such happiness that he ignored the smirking adult witches in his kitchen. “Can’t wait. I’ll pop it up on the fridge with all my prized possessions.”
It was true. His prized possessions, pictures drawn by all the pups in the pack at various stages of their schooling, covered the entire surface of his fridge. He had a file with others in his office. Couldn’t bear to throw them out, even when they got ratty.
“You should clear the middle for it.”
Demanding. Just like a little Alpha. She’d need that sass to handle Cole when she was older.
“I’ll get right on it—as soon as you bring me a picture to put there.”
While they talked, the sun sank fast below the mountains, bringing with it the chill. Jarrad lit a fire while Tabitha and Luna made dinner, Ryan tapping away at his computer with an intense frown on his face. The man was doing his thing to keep the girls safe, so Jarrad left him to it. Even when he had to ignore the mutters of ‘stupid werewolf’ and ‘couldn’t keep a sea monkey alive’ that came at various intervals.
Eventually Tabitha had them all seated and served dinner. The food wasn’t on plates long enough to cool. Somehow, she’d scrounged enough vegetables to eat with the steak that was a staple of his fridge. And she’d done something with them to make the vegies appetising.
When she’d seen his threadbare vegie crisper, she’d glared her disapproval. Tomorrow he’d make a trip to the supermarket. Tabitha better write a list though, because he’d no idea what they might like to eat. What was wrong with a good steak and the occasional potato?
“There’s WIFI in the granny flat, right?” Ryan asked abruptly.
“Yeah,” Jarrad replied.
“I’ve got some more leads to follow, and some calls to make. I’ll see you both all in the morning if nothing strikes me as an emergency.” Ryan turned to Tabitha. “Keep that bag packed. I want you ready to go at a moment’s notice if I find something I think we can’t deal with here.”
Jarrad’s wolf rumbled. He could protect his mate from anything.
A final glare passed between the two men as Ryan swept outside. He didn’t know if he’d ever grow to like Tabitha’s brother, but at least he could respect him. He obviously loved the girls.
“Mummy, I’m tired.”
“Come on then, pumpkin,” Tabitha said. “Take me to this room you’ve chosen and I’ll tuck you in.”
“Tomorrow, can Jarrad do it?”
How could five little words steal your heart? Tabitha arched an eyebrow at him in silent query. He cleared his suddenly tight throat. “Of course. I’d love to.” The sleepy smile he got in return warmed him.
“Night, Jarrad,” Luna mumbled as her mother ushered her upstairs.
“Night, Luna.”
Jarrad settled himself in the lounge room and made some calls to his new se
ntries, checking on things after the watch change. When Tabitha came downstairs, she didn’t hesitate, settling herself next to him on the sofa.
“So… how does this work? The whole mate thing?” Tabitha asked. “I mean, I’ve heard about it, and what I feel is certainly intense, particularly physically,” she blushed a deep pink, “but—”
“You want to know what to expect?”
“Yes,” she breathed a sigh of relief when she realised he understood. “I can’t walk into anything blind. This is moving more quickly than I’m comfortable with, but it feels right. So I’m trying to go with the flow and not be suspicious of everything.”
“But you’ve got to think of Luna,” Jarrad said.
She nodded and waited for him to continue.
“Okay, Matehood 101 then. Ask your questions and I’ll answer as best I can.”
She jumped straight in. “What does it mean to be mates? What are they to each other? Is it just like finding the optimal person to have babies with, or is there something… more… to it?”
He grinned at the onslaught of questions. Like mother, like daughter.
“In a sense you’re right, your mate is your best possible chance at procreating, but that’s not all it’s about.” He took a deep breath, hoping she wouldn’t find what he had to say next too scary. “Your mate is the one person in existence created for you, the other half to your soul. They make you stronger, faster and infinitely more rational when the bond is sealed. I don’t know how it works with an inter-species mate, but unmated wolves are a little on the wild side. It’s not necessarily a bad thing but being mated settles them. Makes them more rational, rather than impulsive.”
“You seem pretty rational to me,” Tabitha observed.
“Perks of being Alpha. I have a bond with each person in the pack. That includes mated pairs. I’m lucky enough that they share some of their calm. To a lesser extent, it’s the same for my Beta, Kyle.”
“So, mates complete each other?” A little frown creased her forehead.
“That about sums it up.”
“And Luna? What about her? How does the mate bond affect her?”
He didn’t think she was referring to the fledgling bond Luna had with Cole. That could be discussed later. No, this was about whether he’d accept another man’s child.
“Tabitha, almost from the first moment I met that little girl, both my wolf and I saw her as ours. She’s our pup, and it doesn’t matter whether you accept my claim, we’ll always see her as ours.”
Her eyes filled with tears.
Jarrad froze. What have I done wrong? Should I get some tissues? Hold her?
Before he could get up off the sofa to fetch… something… she slid across, wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him soundly.
He blurted, “What did I do to deserve that?”
He’d do it again if it meant her lips were back on his.
“You answered the only question that really mattered in the best possible way.”
She leaned into him again, and this time he didn’t wait, just fused his mouth to hers. He ran his tongue lightly over the seam between her lips and she moaned. Opened fully to him. Their tongues met, danced, teased, until he found himself desperate for her.
Only the sofa was not a comfortable option for his first night with his mate. He pulled back.
“Let me take you to bed,” he growled. His wolf was riding him, begging him to take, seal her to him with his bite.
She laughed huskily. “I have to ward this place first. And because you live out in the middle of nowhere, I can do it sky-clad, with nothing between me and nature to interfere. It’ll be much stronger than the wards on the hippie house.”
“Sky-clad?” he asked, though he had a feeling he already knew what she meant.
“Nude.”
Tabitha drew him back into a kiss, sucked his bottom lip into her mouth, then bit gently. His aching cock throbbed with an intensity that left him speechless.
“You can watch, if you like.”
Tabitha didn’t wait for an answer, just swayed towards the door. With each step it seemed an item of clothing disappeared from her body. He sat, frozen, until she removed the final scrap of lace that covered her lush arse. His fangs dropped and his eyes burned with feral heat.
She loosed a wild laugh as he leaped from the sofa and lunged towards her. His fingers met only air—she was already outside.
He watched as his mate wove her way around the house, sensuous and powerful. The threads of her magic danced before his eyes, merging to form a solid tapestry of protection around their home. With every pass, Jarrad’s cock got harder. The depth of his need so intense it was all he could do to stop himself rushing his mate and ruining all her hard work.
She knew it too. The tease.
When she was done, she’d see just how far she’d baited the wolf.
And he’d make sure they both loved every second of it.
Chapter 8
She could sense him, the very fabric of him, all that passion and animalistic strength, making its way into her wards. It would only become stronger when she gave in to him, let him seal the bond.
She wouldn’t make him wait.
Tabitha danced sky-clad in the moonlight, fusing her joy, love and will to survive with her wards. And her certainty. Just as he knew she was his mate on a soul-deep level, Tabitha trusted her Goddess and her magic. And both were telling her that Jarrad was hers, just as she was his.
She’d loved Nathan, but it had never been like this with him. Her magic hadn’t caressed him when her hands couldn’t. Her heart had beat harder in her chest for her husband, but now it felt as if the organ beat only for Jarrad. That it depended on his survival to continue ticking away in her chest. It might not be love yet, it was too soon to call it anything but raw need. But it would be. Tabitha had no doubt.
Magic was the core of her being. It was her strength and her comfort when times were tough. Magic buoyed her through her loss, soothed her when she feared raising Luna alone. It whispered that it wouldn’t be forever. To hold on, and things would look brighter.
She had. And now there she was—with a wolf to chase the loneliness from her soul.
Fifteen times she circled, just as she’d done at the hippie house. When she closed the final circle, the tapestry snapped into place, thrumming with energy. Wind teased her hair. Fire danced in her eyes. Water fizzed in her blood, sending her energy soaring. Earth caressed her toes, lending her strength, reinforcing her connection to nature. And Spirit?
Spirit pulled her inexorably towards Jarrad.
The male stood, taut with need, battling his inner wolf on the veranda. She smiled wickedly at him, daring him to follow her, then with a toss of her hair she raced towards the woods.
Tabitha felt, more than heard, the man behind her. He was a shadow in the forest at night, and though he wasn’t in wolf form, his instincts were surely riding him. Jarrad knew her game, and was playing along, but she didn’t think his wolf would let him wait forever.
The Goddess pulled her, drawing her forward. She wondered if Jarrad felt it too, whether the moon spoke to him as magic did her. It didn’t matter either way. He’d follow wherever she led.
When they reached the clearing, the pull stopped. And so did Tabitha. The place was stunning. The blue gums glowed eerily, circling a natural rock formation that glistened as moonlight spilled on it. She ran fingers over it in a gentle caress. Others had worshipped here. Many others over many years.
But when she turned at the sound of a low rumble, all thoughts of the altar fled. Jarrad stepped nude from the forest and into the clearing. Her breath caught in her throat, eyes trailing hungrily over his body. He let her look her fill as he stalked slowly forwards.
The threads between them tightened. She couldn’t have escaped him now, even if she wanted to. Looking at the god-like perfection of him, why would she? Goddess bless her, the man never took his eyes from her. She felt his stare as though it were his
hands on her body instead. Tabitha’s nipples peaked, her core flooded, and need spiralled between them until it was no longer deniable.
With a savage growl, he leapt the last few feet between them, crushing her to his body and taking her mouth in a savage kiss. For a moment, she revelled in the fire of him, let him take what he so clearly wanted. But it was only a moment.
She needed more.
Tabitha whispered to the wind. It whirled around him, solidifying into bonds that would hold her wolf in place indefinitely. He snarled, but the heat in his eyes told her he was enjoying this. The wolf wasn’t relinquishing control, he’d fight her for dominance, but he’d also let her play her games. He was perfect.
“I want more from you this night than just your beast,” she murmured in his ear, running a tongue around the shell and lightly nipping the lobe. “Though that will have its place, too.” Tabitha trailed her fingers down his chest, her mouth teasing his pulse point with feather soft kisses.
“Please, Tabitha…” Jarrad begged.
Her mouth moved from neck to chest, teeth gently scraping the nipple.
His back bowed as he moaned out his pleasure, the only movement her bonds would allow him. “Please…”
Tabitha moved further south. She traced each muscle of his tight chest and abs, drew her tongue down either side of that V that pointed straight towards the most magnificent cock she’d ever seen. It stood, thick and proud, jutting from the tight, dark curls at its root. A bead of pre-cum glistened at the tip, tempting her to taste, but she had other places that demanded her attention first.
His breath hissed out on a prayer when she dropped to her knees and licked from his perineum to his balls, taking first one, then the other into her mouth.
“Tabitha!” he shouted, and this time her name was the prayer.
Craving his touch, she let one of his arms go. His hand immediately latched onto her hair, drawing her mouth away from him so he could look in her eyes.
“No more teasing, mate,” he growled, eyes glowing, yellow and frenzied.
“Just need one taste…” she murmured, cheek rubbing against his cock, before she took as much of him as she could inside her mouth. It was a stretch. The salty tang of him teased her tongue as she swirled it around the tip. Jarrad’s fingers caressed her face in reverence, wound into her hair again as she moved.
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