by J. L. Wilder
“I know that’s what you did. Tell me why.”
“Because...I know I could! They were totally weak. And I know I’m not really a man until I get my first kill.”
He wasn’t wrong about that. Killing another shifter was a rite of passage in most packs. That, and the first successful hunt.
“When you make your first kill, you don’t go rushing into it like that. You put yourself at risk, you understand?”
Sean glanced down at his feet.
“Sorry,” he said weakly.
“It’s...fine. But you’ve got a mom back there who you need to think about. How do you think she’d take it if something were to happen to you?”
Saying the words brought more of Stone’s feelings back to the surface. But he made sure to keep them in check.
“She’d be sad.”
“She’d be more than sad. Now, I want you to tell me you’re not going to do anything stupid like that again. Got it?”
“Got it.”
Stone reached forward and mussed Sean’s dark hair.
“Good. Now, let’s shift and race back to the ranch.”
Sean smiled, happy with this plan. The two of them shifted into their animal forms, rushing through the woods. As they ran, Stone noted how fast Sean was, how much untapped power he had. He knew it was fortunate that they’d found him when they did. He needed guidance, and the brothers were happy to give it to him.
And more than that, Sean and April gave them a purpose. Stone knew that for too long, the brothers had been living for themselves. Looking out for April and Sean instilled in Stone a sense of fulfillment he hadn’t known since his own family.
They reached the ranch, and the two of them shifted back.
“Damn, kid,” said Stone. “You can really move!”
“I know.” Sean beamed with pride. “But when do I get to go on my first hunt?”
“We’ll have to talk it over with your mother. But if you behave yourself, learn your lessons, it might be sooner than you think.”
“Yes!” said Sean, throwing his fist into the air.
The two entered the house and went into the kitchen. April was there, several bags of groceries on the table that she was in the process of putting away.
“How was it?” asked April.
“Awesome!” said Sean.
“It was good. Sean’s going to grow up to be a powerful shifter. Needs to learn a little discipline, but I think he’ll get there.”
April smiled, clearly pleased at the news.
“Well, I stopped in town to get some things for dinner. And while I was in town, I happened across some shifters at the store—smelled them out.”
“That right?” asked Stone.
“It’s right. You know the Sidewinder pack?”
“The wolf pack based out of Shaw? Yeah, I know them. Good people, respect our territory.”
“I got to talking with a few of their members over coffee, and they let me know they’ve got plenty of boys around Sean’s age. Thought it might be a good idea for him to spend the night with them, be around people who aren’t boring grownups.”
Stone didn’t like the idea of letting Sean out of his sight. But he knew the Sidewinders well—one of the few wolf packs in the area he could trust. He and his brothers had worked with them on more than a few occasions. They were as committed to peace in the region as he was.
“Yeah!” said Sean, clearly excited. “I want to show them how fast I can run!”
“How about this,” said April. “Stone, you can take him into town and drop him off. And while you’re gone...I was thinking a little dinner might be nice. You know, since we’re supposed to be going on a...”
She trailed off, not saying the word “date.” But she smiled as she spoke.
“Sounds good. You ready, kid?”
“Ready!”
Stone helped pack Sean an overnight bag, and soon the two of them were off. They piled into Stone’s truck and drove into town, Sean spending the trip playing some of his favorite music on the stereo, mostly angry-sounding punk stuff that Stone used to listen to when he was Sean’s age.
They reached town, and Stone met the Sidewinders at the meeting point. After telling him to stay out of trouble and leaving him with Stone’s phone, he headed back to the camp.
When he arrived, it was almost nighttime, the air filled with delicious smells from whatever April was cooking.
“Damn,” he said as he entered the kitchen. “What we got going on in here?”
“Some good cuts of steak, along with potatoes and buttermilk biscuits. Thanks again for lending me the money to get them.”
“Don’t even worry about it,” he said. “If you’re making the food, I’m happy to pay for it.”
“It’s almost done. Thought we could eat outside—weather’s nice enough.”
“Sounds good to me.”
“Pour us a couple glasses of wine, and I’ll meet you out there.”
She flashed him a smile before turning back to the stove. Stone couldn’t help but look her up and down, hunger in his eyes. April was in her usual tight-fitting jeans and blouse, her ass perfect as they came.
Stone wanted to protect her and Sean, of course, but he’d have been lying if he’d said he didn’t want more with April than just watching out for her. And he remembered what Jack had said about their mating—if she connected with him as well as she did with Jack, he knew there was a good chance she might be the mate they were waiting for.
He grinned, taking one last look at April before heading out, glasses of wine in hand.
Was she the one? He didn’t know. But he was eager to find out.
CHAPTER 12
APRIL
April had to admit she was pretty damn proud of her meal. It’d been a long time since she’d had the chance to cook for a man—or as of that day, men—and she found herself loving it.
“What’s on the menu?” asked Stone.
“Steak, like I said,” she said with a smile. “Simple, but delicious.”
He grinned before popping back outside. April grabbed the food and made her way out. Stone was seated at a rectangular wooden table, glass of wine in hand and his eyes on the setting sun.
“Nice night out,” he said. “Peaceful.”
“Peaceful,” she said, setting the first plates down on the table. “It’s an underrated thing.”
“You’re right about that. Fight with enough other shifters, and it’s the only thing you find yourself wanting. Well, not the only thing.”
He smiled at April, who answered with a blush. She headed back inside, Stone on her mind.
God, he’s handsome. Tall and built—looks like a damn Viking.
But the moment the thought appeared in her head, she realized how strange it was. She’d already been with Jack the day before. And with him, she felt both physical and emotional attraction. There she was, having those same...urges toward Stone.
Is this normal? I mean, I’ve only ever been with Sam before. Maybe it’s because I’ve been alone for so long, not knowing what it’s like to be around men like these.
She tried to talk herself into believing the way she felt was normal. After all, she was just as attracted to Stone as she was to Jack. And to Ryder.
April picked up the tray of vegetables, and as soon as she did, a thought appeared in her mind, clear as a picture.
She imagined her and...all three of them—at once. April pictured the four of them in bed together, all of them pleasing her in their own ways. Jack kissing her, Ryder licking her nipples, Stone between her legs thrusting in and out.
It was wrong—that’s all she could think. Being with three men at once...that was the type of fantasy women like her weren’t supposed to have. But once it was in her head, it was all she could think about.
This is bad. I shouldn’t be thinking about this.
April took a deep breath and headed back outside. Stone was still there, of course, watching the sunset.
“Alr
ight,” he said. “I think that’s about as long as I can wait. You ready to eat?”
“So ready.”
April portioned out the food, and the two of them tapped their glasses before digging in. She’d been sampling the dinner as she made it, so she knew how good it was.
But what really made her happy wasn’t how the food tasted to her. No, more than that, she liked watching Stone. He ate happily, digging right in and enjoying every bite.
“Holy hell,” he said. “This is fucking amazing.” Then he raised his eyebrows. “Sorry about the language.”
She laughed. “Don’t worry—I’ve heard worse. My ex-husband...”
April stopped, catching herself revealing more than she’d intended.
“What about him?” asked Stone.
“It’s...I don’t know. It’s a rough subject.”
“You want to talk about it?”
“You want to hear about it?”
“Of course I do. April, I’m glad as hell to have you here. And part of getting to know someone is getting to know their past. If you don’t want to say anything, that’s your choice. But I’m here to listen.”
Something about his words, his tone, the way she could sense he really, truly cared...it moved something in her, made her feel like she could talk about it with someone.
After a sigh, she spoke. “The reason I left, the reason I’ve been living with my boy alone...it’s because my husband was a terrible, terrible man. Abusive, controlling, an addict. He made my life a living hell. But I would’ve suffered it if it meant that Sean would have a father around, and a safe place to be. The longer I stayed with him, the more I knew that wasn’t the case.”
She sipped her wine.
“When I ran, it seemed like the only thing to do. But now...I don’t know. I wonder if I’ve done the wrong thing, taken something from Sean that he’ll never get back.”
“You’re wrong,” said Stone. “Nothing’s more important than your child growing up, having a happy home, being safe. If we can provide that for Sean, if only for a little while, then I’m content as hell.”
He reached over and took April’s hand. Stone’s rough, warm grip put her mind at ease.
“And...” he said. “I know all about what it’s like to lose family.”
April regarded him with a concerned expression. “You...do?”
He nodded. “I...I don’t know. I never talk about this. My brothers know, of course, but I never in a million years imagined I’d share it.”
“You can talk to me,” said April. “I’m here for you.”
As soon as she spoke the words, she realized how true they were. The feelings she had for Stone—and Jack and Ryder—were irresistible. All she wanted was to listen, to comfort him.
“I had a wife once, a woman by the name of Amanda. We met when we were kids, back when both of us were too young to know what love really was. But we fell for each other, and fell hard. Got married as soon as we turned eighteen. As soon as that ring was on her finger, all we could talk about was the life we were going to spend together.”
April said nothing, listening intently.
“A few months into the marriage, we found out she was pregnant. And with shifters, as you know, pregnancy happens fast. Knowing we had only a couple of months before we had a baby of our own...it was scary and thrilling and amazing all at once.”
His features darkened, and she could tell he was about to bring up a subject difficult for him. As much as she wanted him to go on, April knew he had to reveal it at his own pace.
“We spent months planning for the baby, building our own cabin on the pack grounds, decorating the room just how we wanted it. But the day before the baby was set to come, we had an attack on the outskirts of our territory. Me and my brothers had to go and fight a rival clan. We won the battle, but right as the fighting stopped, one of my men from the camp arrived, told me that Annie had gone into labor early...and that it wasn’t looking good.”
Tears welled in April’s eyes. She could sense where this was going.
“I went back as fast as I could, but I’d been too late. Annie was lost, and so was the baby. The news gutted me, dropped me to my knees. She’d passed, and I hadn’t even been there for her. Maybe if I had...”
April squeezed his hand hard.
“There was nothing you could’ve done,” she said. “And she had to know that you were out protecting the pack.”
He nodded. “I had been. But all I could think about was how I’d had a family, and I’d failed them. Since then, I vowed never to let that happen again, never let anything happen to the ones I care about.”
Stone turned his eyes to April. “And I know you’ve only been in my life—our lives—for a short time, you and your boy. But I swear, I’ll never let anything happen to you. You’ve got my word.”
The food had long gone cold. Stone and April held one another’s hands. And as April did, all she could think about was how much she cared about him, how much his words meant to her.
“Come here,” she said.
Stone did, taking a seat next to April on the bench. He wrapped his arm around her body, and right away, just like with Jack, she felt safe and comforted and assured. The feel of Stone against her was beyond compare.
They met eyes, staring deep into one another’s gaze for long moments. And then at the same time, their lips moved closer together.
They kissed. And the kiss was like nothing else she’d ever known. Right away, it felt as if her lips were meant for his, like their bodies were meant to be joined. She wanted him badly, so badly, as though there were nothing else in the world she could imagine wanting more.
His tongue caressed hers, his hands on her sides, holding her where she sat. His mouth then moved from her lips to her cheek to her chin to her jaw and then down to her neck. April’s skin broke out in goosebumps as he kissed her, and as he did, her hands grazed over his chest through his shirt.
April was wet, wet from the moment his lips had touched hers. And as if sensing how turned on she was, Stone put his hand between her legs, rubbing April’s pussy through the denim.
He spoke low into her ear. “I think we oughta go to the bedroom.”
“I’d love to.”
Stone grinned, wrapping his arm around her lower back, the other around her legs. He lifted her effortlessly, April letting out an excited cry as he did.
She loved being carried by him. It made her feel safe and protected, the exact opposite of how she’d felt alone up in the cabin. Part of her felt that what she was about to do might be wrong, but April didn’t care. She wanted Stone, and he wanted her.
His bedroom was on the second floor, and he all but kicked the door down getting her in. Stone shut the door behind them and lightly tossed April onto the bed. As soon as her back was down, she began stripping off her clothes, pulling her shirt over her head and then her jeans down her legs.
When she was in nothing but her matching red bra and panties, Stone spoke.
“Stop.”
“What? Why?” Was he having second thoughts?
“Just want to look at you like that for a while.”
She grinned, relieved and turned-on all at once.
“How about you look at me while I do something else?”
“Oh yeah?”
“Yeah. Come here.”
April scooted off the bed, dropping down onto her knees on the floor. She positioned Stone’s body in front of hers, his cock thick and solid through his jeans. She glanced up at him with hungry eyes, her fingers moving over the outline of his prick.
When she decided she’d teased him enough, April opened up his belt and zipper, pulling down his pants just enough for his cock to spring out. Just like Jack’s, it was long and thick and already dripping. Her mouth watered at the sight of it—she wanted to please him, to make him feel as good as he was undoubtedly going to make her feel.
April stroked his length, moving her fingertips up and down slowly. Stone growled, wat
ching her from above.
“You want me to shoot my load right into that pretty little mouth of yours?” he asked.
“You do, and I might be a little disappointed. As much as I’d love to drink your cum, I’ve got other things in mind I want you to do with this.”
“Can’t wait to hear about them.”
April flashed him another smile before placing her lips on the end of his cock. A sweet and salty taste filled her mouth right away. He tasted so good, she almost considered taking him up on his offer of spraying down her throat. After covering his head with kisses, April opened her lips up just enough to fit the end of him inside.
He was big and thick, and she wondered how much of him she’d be able to fit. But she was more than willing to find out. April took inch after inch of Stone into her mouth, his cock sliding along her lips all the way to her throat. She was surprised, but pleased.
Stone put his hand on the back of her head, guiding her along. April went back and forth, moving her mouth up and down his prick again and again, his length glistening. She wanted to make him cum, to feel him unload in the back of her mouth, to swallow every last drop of his seed.
But more than that, she wanted him to fuck her hard. The need she had for him was almost too much to process. Stone slipped his hands under her arms and guided April to her feet, making it clear he had the same idea.
“Tell me what you want,” she said, still catching her breath from her oral service.
“I’d rather show you.”
“Please do.”
Stone put his hands on her hips, turning her around and sticking her ass into the air. Then he yanked down her panties, April kicking them off when they fell to her feet. He slipped a finger inside of her, pleasure shooting out from his touch. She squirmed, pushing her ass against him.
But she wanted more. Right at the peak of her yearning, Stone withdrew his fingers and placed his throbbing cock against her lips. Then, with a push, he entered her slowly and sensually.
April closed her eyes as she lay against the bed, a smile spreading across her face as her pussy gripped his length. Stone pulled back, driving into her and filling her full. Then he did it again, and again, penetrating her in exactly the way she wanted.