Mating Behavior

by Mandy M. Roth

  “But, Katie, there are things you need to know about me. Things that could put your life in danger. I love you too much to let—” He stopped short of saying anything else and attempted to pull away.

  Katie’s power broke free of her as her mind raced to catch up.

  He loves me?

  Her magik bounced around the room before slamming into Alan. He glanced around, his eyes wild as he sniffed the air. Katie tried and failed to rein her power back in. Sensing it was hopeless, she did the next best thing—she cupped the bulge in his jeans and stared up at him. “Make love to me, Alan. Fuck me.”

  Alan’s gaze snapped to her. His eyes widened. “Katie?”

  “Fuck me.”

  With that, he shed his jeans in record time before reaching down and yanking hers free of her body as well. Katie simply stared at Alan’s naked body. Desire coated her tongue as his long, thick cock stood at attention. He ran his fingers under the sides of her bikini cut panties and she heard shredding. The next thing Katie knew, she was in nothing more than her t-shirt with Alan between her legs. He pushed her legs open wider and stared up at her.

  It was the most erotic thing she’d ever witnessed. Alan spread the folds of her pussy and dipped his head. As his tongue flickered over her slit, Katie jerked and squirmed up the bed. Alan’s sensual assault continued. He varied licks and sucks, finding the perfect blend that drove her over the edge of culmination. She thrashed on the bed, yanking on the quilt as wave after wave of pleasure rushed over her. Alan didn’t slow until he’d made her come two more times and had her legs quivering.

  He moved up and over her with inhuman speed and Bersh’s words tugged at the back of her mind. Katie ignored the thoughts, focusing instead on Alan as he kissed his way up her body.

  “Mmm.” He licked his lips. “You taste so good, Katie. Like honey.”

  She felt her upper chest and neck heating at the comment. Alan simply laughed as he nudged her shirt upwards, kissing her stomach as he went. “I told you not to be embarrassed about us…about any of this. It’s natural, Katie. It’s what happens between …”

  “Men and women,” she said with a sigh. “Yeah, I know. I’m not a virgin.”

  Alan’s face hardened. “Not just between a man and a woman, Katie, but between mates. And never bring up being with another man again. From this day on, you’re mine and mine alone. Understand? I don’t share.”

  “Mates? Alan?”

  He took hold of her wrists and pinned her arms above her head as he nestled himself between her legs. The head of his cock lay against the entrance to her wet core and it was all Katie could do to keep her breathing regular. Alan’s hands were so big that he held her wrists easily using only one hand. As he brought his free one over her she caught a glimpse of what looked to be a knife in his hand.

  “Alan!”

  “Shh,” he whispered, pulling his hand down the front of her t-shirt, ripping it from her body without harming her. He did the same to her bra and then stared down at her with nothing short of rapture on his handsome face. “So beautiful.”

  He bent, taking a nipple into his mouth and circling his warm tongue around it, making Katie moan in delight. She writhed beneath him, wanting more than he was giving. Alan held back, refusing to enter her as she desperately wanted.

  “Alan, please.”

  He bit gently on her nipple, causing pleasure to center in Katie’s lower abdomen. He stared up at her, his eyes full of mischief. “Swear that you’re mine and only mine from here on out, Katie. Pledge yourself to me.”

  Her power picked then to circle back around them, encasing them in a shroud of magik. The sound of her own heart beating pounded in her head, mixing with Alan’s words. She stared at him, dazed from pleasure and power. For a split second she thought for sure she saw his eyes swirl to amber.

  “Swear to me, Katie,” he said, his voice deeper than normal.

  Alan pressed the head of his cock into her core just enough to make Katie cry out from the size of him. “Promise me, Katie. I won’t claim you until you swear to always be mine. I have to know that you want me for all eternity too.”

  “I do.” Her breathing was irregular at best as Alan tightened his grip on her wrists and thrust himself to the hilt in her. She screamed, suddenly fuller than she’d ever been. The pain quickly ebbed away, making room for pleasure as Alan worked himself in and out of her.

  Katie gave into him, allowing Alan to orchestrate their love making. He pummeled her, striking his lower abdomen against her clit perfectly. Another orgasm built deep within her and Katie met Alan thrust for thrust. A tremor tore through her as she peaked. Her pussy clenched him, holding tight to his shaft, pulling him back into her silken depths.

  Alan shook and slammed into her with a force that made the bed move. She cried out as he held firm, filling her with his hot seed. “Ah, Katie.”

  He released his hold on her wrists and Katie wrapped her arms around his neck, holding his face to her neck. Alan’s body went rigid and for a brief moment Katie thought she felt his back ripple. Something sharp pinched her shoulder and before she knew it, Alan was pumping in and out of her again as if he had never come. The pain raced away being replaced by the steady build of yet another orgasm.

  Katie clung to Alan, too tired to give as good as she got, but needing the feel of him. Alan continued, sinking into her with his head buried in her neck. They peaked together, his seed jetting forth and filling her as she cried out. Alan pulled back and in a hoarse voice, shouted, “Mine!”

  Katie’s power slammed into them both and began weaving a link between them. Katie tried to push Alan off her, fearful of what was happening, but he didn’t budge. Instead, he pressed his mouth to hers and she tasted the faintest hint of blood.

  Odd.

  He kissed her tenderly then and drew in a deep breath. “Mmm, mine. Katie, I’ve waited so long to take you, to make you mine.”

  “Alan?” she asked, puzzled as to his odd phrasing.

  Bersh’s words filtered back to her. She stilled beneath him. “Alan, what did Bersh mean when he said something about us being true mates even though I’m only a human?”

  A long howl prevented Alan from answering. The noise came from outside and sounded as if hundreds of wolves were answering. Katie gasped as Alan withdrew quickly. Her pussy tried and failed to hold him to her. She sat up and felt very naked. Embarrassed by what had taken place between them, Katie glanced down to find her shirt and panties in shreds on the bed. Those weren’t the only things she found. Drops of blood were near where her head had been.

  “Alan?”

  He was at the window, looking out, not bothering to shield his nudity. He pounded a fist against the thick log walls and growled. The sound matched that of the wolves outside and Katie couldn’t help but stare at him. Her power tingled, alerting her to danger. She gulped, forcing the lump in her throat down.

  “Alan, baby?”

  He glanced towards her and then the hallway. “Katie, I need you to listen to me. You have to go to the loft and…”

  The moonlight trickled in the window, illuminating his face. This time Katie was almost positive Alan’s eyes were amber. She squinted, trying to see better, but the sound of something rapping on the cabin door caused her to jolt upright. She yanked the comforter around her naked body and watched as every muscle in Alan’s body rippled as he stalked towards the hallway.

  “Alan, what’s going on?”

  He didn’t answer.

  Katie stood and as she did, she caught her reflection in the mirror above the dresser. Red was smeared on her shoulder and neck. She touched it and came away with a sticky, almost tacky substance. Confused, she yanked the quilt around her tighter and went to follow Alan, but stopped when she sensed something nearing the window.

  “Who’s there?” she called out, suddenly uneasy. The only answer Katie received was a howl.

  * * *

  Chapter Six

  Alan thrust the front door open and st
epped back as Bersh stumbled in. Bersh went to his knees and the smell of fresh blood assailed Alan. He slammed the door shut quickly and bent to check on Bersh. “You’re hurt.”

  Bersh offered a half smile. “You’re naked.”

  Rolling his eyes, Alan growled and shoved Bersh before standing. “What happened to you?”

  Bersh ran a hand tentatively down his side and came to a stop where blood was pooling. “Noelle knew I’d go for Brone. She had an ambush waiting for me.”

  The harsh reality of inter-pack politics normally came down to survival of the fittest so Alan couldn’t say he was shocked, but still. It looked as if Noelle’s flunkies had tried to gut Bersh. Sure, the guy was a pain in the ass who Alan wanted to kill ninety percent of the time, but he’d been doing the right thing. As much as he wanted to let Bersh rot for having started it all, he couldn’t. He sighed. “Where can I find Brone?”

  A half laugh, half cough came from Bersh. “You, city boy, can’t find your ass with both hands out here so get the idea out of your …”

  “I’m Alan Becker.”

  A pregnant pause followed before Bersh glanced around the cabin. “If you find Brone he’ll help you.”

  “I’m currently worried your crazy ex is going to go medieval on your ass, but I do want to get Katie off this mountain.” He bent to check on Bersh again, but Bersh waved him away. “What makes you so sure Brone will help me?”

  “Because your father saved our lives,” Bersh said, his breathing shallow. “Our father seized hold of the pack and ruled through fear. Brone and I tried to stop him, but he turned on us. Your father’s the one who intervened, saving our lives. Brone will help you. Just tell him who you are.”

  The sound of glass breaking jerked Alan away from thoughts of his father. “Katie!” He took off running in the direction of the master bedroom. He yanked the door open and stared, stunned at the scene before him. Katie, wrapped in a quilt, stood with one hand out, glaring at Noelle—who stood over what looked to be a dead shifter lying on the floor. Instantly, his heart leapt to his throat. “Katie?”

  She didn’t turn to face him. Instead, she remained focused on Noelle. “Go, Alan.”

  “Go?” he asked, unable to believe his ears. “I’m not leaving you with…” It was then he noticed that Noelle wasn’t moving to attack. No. She was standing so rigidly still that it looked as if invisible hands held her in place. Alan sniffed the air. “I smell magik.”

  Noelle’s gaze flickered to him and then to Katie. Fright was evident, but that was absurd. Why would Noelle be scared of Katie? Something brushed past Alan’s side, reminding him he was naked.

  Bersh grabbed Alan’s shoulder for support. “Noelle, no!”

  Noelle didn’t move or say a word. Katie, on the other hand, did. “Alan, leave here now!”

  Alan was about to comment when Bersh collapsed, drawing Katie’s attention. In that split second, Noelle burst free and lunged at Katie. Alan’s breath caught as he charged forward, allowing his claws to emerge from his fingertips and fur to sprout on his body. A moment before he would have slammed into Noelle an unseen force beat him to it, lifting her up and off her feet.

  “I told you not to move, bitch!” Katie shouted, the air around her buzzing.

  Alan’s hackles rose as he looked around the room for the source of the power. Katie glanced over her shoulder at him and her eyes widened. “A-Alan?”

  He stopped and stared down the length of his body. He was in partial shifted form. This wasn’t how he wanted Katie to find out about him. From the look upon her face, he’d more than shocked her. She dragged her gaze back up him, her mouth agape.

  “Katie, it’s okay, honey. I can explain. Don’t be—”

  Laughter erupted from her, shocking him. Had his secret caused her to go mad? Alan double checked that Noelle posed no threat to Katie before snatching his discarded jeans off the floor and willing his body to return to human form. Katie’s laughter increased, reaching an almost cackling proportion.

  She snorted as she clutched the quilt to her with one hand and covered her mouth with the other. “A wolf? All this time and you’re a wolf?”

  “Katie.” Alan put his hand out to touch her, but she stepped back, laughing as she went.

  “You really could have shown me how wolves mate in the privacy of my home,” Katie said, shaking her head. Tears formed in her eyes and Alan wasn’t sure if they were due to laughter or if she was truly scared of him. His supernatural senses were askew due to the overwhelming amount of magik riding the air.

  “A wolf,” she repeated, seeming to favor the phrase.

  Bersh groaned, drawing Alan’s attention. Katie looked in his direction as well and shook her head. “He’s hurt.”

  “I know.” Alan tipped his head slightly.

  “Is he a wolf too?”

  He nodded.

  Katie tugged on her bottom lip, seeming to think about something, before nodding as well. She lifted her free hand in the air and whispered something, sounding remarkably like Latin. Power coated the area and Bersh’s body lifted off the ground about a foot before white light surrounded it. He jerked, then was eased to the floor. Bersh blinked and gasped before touching his stomach.

  “I’m healed,” he said, sounding as stunned as Alan felt.

  “Katie?” The power had come from her? No. That couldn’t be. He would have sensed if she was a supernatural as well. He would have known.

  You can’t know everything, baby.

  As her voice pushed through his erratic thoughts, Alan froze.

  Katie?

  Yes.

  You can hear what I’m thinking?

  She gave him a questioning look. “No, not a word.”

  Alan stumbled over his own two feet and fought to regain his balance. The knowledge that Katie was not only a supernatural, but could hear his thoughts nearly did him in. All in all, it meant their mating wasn’t just successful. No. It was a perfect pairing. That only happens between true mates.

  The audience they’d drawn watched with curious looks as Katie lifted her hand towards Alan. Several of the weres gasped, as if they expected her head to turn all the way around and green soup to spew forth from her lips. Alan didn’t care if it did. Katie was his and no one could take her from him.

  He covered the distance between them, yanking her against his chest and crushing her lips with his own. She tasted divine. Alan ran his fingers through her hair, forcing her head back more, allowing him deeper access to her mouth. He took full advantage of it, caressing her tongue with his, making her whimper. His cock hardened at the sound of his wife giving into him.

  My wife.

  “Mmmhmm,” Katie mumbled between kisses. “Your wife.”

  “What? You got me out of bed for this?” a deep, somewhat familiar voice came from behind them. “Christ, I thought I’d find Noelle and her gang of followers slaughtering humans. And from the way you all went on, I thought Bersh would be on death’s doorstep.”

  “Me too, brother,” Bersh said. “Me too.”

  Brother?

  Alan drew back slightly from Katie, still holding her close. He glanced behind him to find an exact replica of Bersh standing in the doorway to the master bedroom. He smiled. “You must be pack alpha—Brone.”

  Brone nodded as he raked his gaze over Alan and Katie. “And you two must be our newlyweds. Congratulations on the claiming and on the future lil’ one.”

  Future little what?

  Alan drew in a sharp breath and ran his hand down Katie’s smooth stomach. Was it true? Did they create life?

  The corners of Katie’s lips drew up just enough to show a weak smile. “Alan, you’re the one who has to break this news to my family. My father turned my sister’s boyfriend into a cat for a week once, because he didn’t ask for his blessing up front.”

  “A cat?” Bersh asked aghast. “Gee man, let me kill you now and put you out of your misery.”

  Alan didn’t care if Katie’s father truly did zap
him into the form of another animal for a week so long as in the end Katie remained his. He caught her chin lightly and lifted her head. He bent, pressing his lips to hers and savoring the sweet taste of her lips. “Mmm, I suggest everyone gets the hell out of here or risk seeing me take my wife because right now, I need to be in her.”

  Bersh began to make a rude comment and Brone slapped him in the back of the head. “We’re going. Welcome home, Alan Becker.”

  Alan stared at the man. “How do you know my name?”

  Brone smiled. “Your mother called to inform me you were bringing your mate here for the week to claim her. I’m the one who saw to it the cabin was stocked.” He glanced towards the top dresser drawer. “Do you even want me to tell you what your mother forced me to put in there?” He licked his lips. “It involves bondage.”

  The tops of Alan’s ears heated from embarrassment. “No! Out now!”

  Laughing, Brone shoved Bersh towards the body of the were on the floor. “Grab Henry, the little witch apparently hit him with a hefty dose of power. Thank the gods his wife is one too so he’s conditioned to survive. I’ll take Noelle with me. I think exile is in order here. Let’s see how long she and her followers last without the protection of the pack.”

  Noelle whimpered, but never said a word as if afraid of drawing Katie’s attention back to her.

  “Smart woman,” Katie whispered. She put her head against Alan’s chest and ran her fingers down his spine. “Even smarter man to finally make me his.”

  He chuckled. “What a subtle way to tell me I took long enough.”

  “Well you did.”

  He grinned sheepishly. “I hope you’re ready for a long week, honey, because I’m planning on making up for lost time.”

  She nipped at his chest. “Promises. Promises.”

  “Katie.” Alan titled her head back and stared down into her eyes. “I love you.”

  The air around him lit with an electric charge. Alan found himself being yanked off his feet and tossed onto the bed by nothing more than power. Katie climbed up and over him before letting the quilt fall away. The sight of her naked body bathed in moonlight nearly did him in as his cock fought to break free of his jeans.