by Elle Boon
“He’s clearly taken with Harlow, just as he was with my girls.”
Lyric laughed. “I love it. Now, I can tell my mate that dogs do in fact do well around wolves.” Lyric gave Gizmo some more scratches.
Chapter Eight
Arynn moved through the hall toward the apartment where he’d left his girls, his body feeling heavier since taking on so much of Shane’s pain. Usually after he’d used his abilities, he’d go for a run or find another outlet to release the pain of the others, but his wolf was demanding he return to the woman. Yes, even though they hadn’t claimed Sheila yet, she was theirs. Damn, he couldn’t wait to make her his in every way. The vibration in his pocket had him coming to a stop as he pulled his cell out, worry replacing pain. “What’s wrong, Sheila?” he asked.
Her slight laugh eased him. Her words had him sagging against the wall. “Nothing’s wrong with us, but you sound tired. Are you okay? Do you need me to come to you?”
He scrubbed a hand down his face, feeling as if his world was righting itself in just a few little sentences. “No, I’m almost to the apartment. I was coming to see you when you called.”
Silence stretched, making him wonder if she didn’t want to see him. “If you’d rather I not come by—”
“Oh, no, it’s just that Lyric is taking Rebel and Romie up to the courtyard to help her get ready for the barbeque. I was going to go with them, but I...I can stay here and wait for you if you’d like?”
The hesitation in her voice had him straightening. If he’d been within view, or hearing, he was sure he’d have been able to pick out every nuance of her meaning. Going on instinct alone, he began moving toward her. “If you’re worried about them going with Lyric, don’t be. Trust me when I say they’re in the very best of hands with her, because they are. Rowan is her mate, and will be within shouting distance, if not closer. Not to mention, where Lyric and Harlow are, Syn is bound to be close as well. That means her mate Bodhi will be there too. Basically, our girls can’t be safer, unless we were there.”
“If you’re sure, then I’ll wait here for you. Lyric is nodding, so she’s clearly on board and can hear us, right?”
Arynn laughed as he pictured the petite female that was Lyric Shade. He turned the last corner to the suites; the one that held his family and inhaled, their scents calling him. Even if he’d not known Lyric was there, he’d have recognized her and Harlow’s scents, too. “Is she standing there with a cute little tyke on her hip, smiling an innocent grin that makes you want to give her anything she asks?” he asked Sheila.
“How did you know?” Sheila laughed.
“She and Syn have perfected those angelic looks.” He raised his hand to knock on the door but pulled his fist back as it was opened by none other than Lyric.
“Are you talking smack about me, Arynn Dunn?”
Deciding to err on the side of caution, he bent and kissed Harlow’s chubby cheek. “How’s the cutest little wolfie doing?” He tickled Harlow’s side, making her giggle and squirm in her mother’s arms before she leapt toward him. “Harlow Shade, you keep getting prettier every time I see you. Why, I bet your daddy has already built them belts we’d discussed.” He winked at Lyric.
Lyric snorted. “Oh, don’t even get me started on the crazy that is my mate. Give me my baby before you ruin her.”
Arynn tossed Harlow in the air bringing her down to blow a raspberry on her belly, loving her sweet laughter. She gripped his hair when he tried to pull away. “Dang, what’re you feeding her?”
“She’s strong for a baby,” Lyric agreed.
Without hurting the little girl, he pulled her fingers free, then cradled her in his arms. “Whatever you’re doing, you’re doing it right, that’s for sure. Isn’t she?” he cooed.
Lyric held her arms out, grunting as Harlow launched herself toward her. “Are you okay?” she asked Arynn.
He nodded but didn’t say any more since he was unsure how Sheila and the girls would take the truth of his abilities.
“What does she mean, are you okay? What’s wrong?” Sheila moved closer to him, placing her hand on his forehead.
Arynn liked the feel of her hand on his body even if it was only in a clinical manner. “I’ll be fine,” he assured her.
“You smell—funny,” Rebel blurted, before she covered her mouth with both hands.
“Rebel Brianne, that’s not nice.” Sheila moved closer to Arynn.
He winked at his daughter and placed a hand on Sheila’s hip. “Your sense of smell is catching up with the rest of your shifter abilities. I’d bet money you’ll be feeling the need to shift in the next day or two.” Pride had him straightening from the somewhat slouch, making him realize why Sheila was a bit worried for him. At over six foot three, he towered over all the females in the room, but with his body needing to rest, or expel Shane’s injuries, he was a bit beat down. Shit! The last thing his females needed was a man too weak to defend them.
“Before you think to hurry off somewhere, I’m going to take these three little ladies up with me, while you and Sheila have a talk.” Lyric winked.
The communication from the shifter female was clear what she thought he and Sheila would be doing. His body hardened at the thought, making him wish they were alone already. “Thank you, Lyric. Rebel, Romie, I’m sure I don’t need to say this, but you two listen to Lyric and don’t leave her sight. Got it?”
Romie gave him a salute while Rebel rolled her eyes then followed suit. “Yes, sir,” Rebel said.
“Girls, be on your best behavior, and if anything upsets you, come—here.”
Her slight pause had Arynn pulling her back to his front, letting his strength seep into her. As a human, she wouldn’t recognize what he was trying to do, but his wolf was demanding they stake a claim. “When this is over, I’ll take all of you to my home. It’s close, but far enough we won’t feel like we’re on top, or below, a club. There’s land and trees and, well, you’ll see.” He couldn’t wait to take them to his home. Although, it wasn’t grand like the one they’d just escaped from. However, it was home, and it would be a place they could make their own. The cold stark feel of the other place was more like a place to show off.
“Can we take Gizmo with us to the barbeque?” Romie asked while the dog in question sat wagging his tail.
“Of course we can.” Lyric smiled down at them.
“Doggy,” Harlow exclaimed, wiggling to get down.
“No you don’t, little miss thing. If I let you down you’ll try to ride him. Come on and bring Hulk with you.” Lyric moved toward the door.
Rebel snorted. “That’s actually his father’s name, Hulk. We named him Gizmo because he was so cute and cuddly when we first got him, but they told us he’d be huge like his dad. Romie said it would be like on that movie where if they ate after midnight they turned into something else. So, he became Gizmo.”
Lyric raised her brows. “Why I do believe that’s Gremlins, and they turned into some really scary, ugly things, while he’s just a big ole teddy bear. Aren’t you, big guy.” Lyric scratched Gizmo’s head, making his tail wag faster.
“He’s really not much of a guard dog, is he?” Arynn asked as the door shut.
Sheila didn’t answer for a minute, and then she turned, biting her lip. “Okay, spill it. Why do you look as though you could fall over at any moment?”
Arynn let out a sigh. “Dang, I clearly don’t have my head on straight if you can tell something is off, and you being mostly human. I’m so fucked if I can’t keep my shit together.”
A pointy finger stabbed into his chest, making him wince. “Now listen here, mister macho. I’m used to recognizing signs of pain from others. Stop with the stalling and spill.”
Instead of answering, he lifted Sheila by the hips, making her squeal. “I think this convo is better had in a more comfortable place.” He wanted to bypass the living room and go straight to the master bedroom but figured that would be pushing the boundaries.
“Good lord,
warn a woman before you go picking her up like that.” Sheila’s voice was a husky whisper. Her arms and legs wrapped around him, causing his body to react in the most non-friend way.
“I figured it was more expedient to do rather than say. I’m a doer,” he laughed then grinned at her gleaming eyes as she caught on to the double entendre.
“Hmm, well, I think I can totally get on board with that, after you explain what’s wrong with you.”
He sighed. “You’re like a dog with a bone, aren’t you?” Arynn looked at the couch then the two chairs, trying to figure out where to sit. The huge sofa looked like the best option, plus it gave him room to maneuver. Not releasing his hold, he sat, pulling Sheila’s legs up beside his hips so she straddled his lap.
“Um, I can sit over there.” Sheila motioned to the other side with a tilt of her head.
One of his hands trailed down her back, pausing at the top of her pants. “I like you right where you are, especially if I have to spill.” He emphasized the word spill with a pat on her ass.
“Why is it I think you have the ability to turn everything I say into something sexual?” Sheila asked, wiggling on his lap, making him groan.
“You keep doing that and I’ll be doing more than saying something sexual.” He raised his hips in a suggestive manner.
Her dark eyes widened. “God, that shouldn’t turn me on, but it does. Why does everything about you turn me on?”
The confusion in her eyes and voice had him pulling the need rising within him back. “I know you don’t know much about me or my kind, but now that the veil has been lifted from you, look inside yourself. Tell me how you feel.”
Sheila shook her head. “First, explain what’s wrong with you. I can’t think past my worry for you.”
He felt like pumping his fist in the air at her words. It was another indication she felt more for him than gratitude, although she didn’t recognize what it was. A mate’s bond was visceral, soul deep, and something one didn’t deny. “I’m the Omega of the Iron Wolves. What that means is that I’m connected to the pack in a way that others aren’t. Well, except for the alpha. When a bond is formed with a pack member, I can feel it here.” He tapped above his heart. “If a packmate is hurt, or lost, or in need, I can usually help by reaching for them. Sometimes they reach for me, knowing I can help them.”
Sheila nodded. “Ok, so you’re like a helper. Why do you look as if you’ve gone a round with a professional boxer and came out the loser?”
Arynn laughed. “Ah, stellina, I could kick the shit out of a professional boxer, unless he was a shifter or another paranormal being, then I might have a fight on my hands.”
She slapped his arm. “You know what I mean, and now you’re ticking me off.” She made to get up off him.
“I’m sorry. I—I’ve never explained my abilities before. When a pack member is injured, and they ask me to help, I can take their pain into myself, helping them recover quicker. Most don’t want or need me to do this for them as it’s seen as a weakness. However, many need me for some healings that would otherwise take weeks or even possibly never heal. Tonight, two of our members were brought in. One was in really bad shape, and well, I used my abilities to heal him enough until the doc could do her job.”
“So, you take their pain into your body.” She nodded. “What does it do to you? I mean, I don’t see any blood or injury on the outside, but clearly you’re hurting.”
Sheila had to blink several times to stem tears she could feel building. This man. This big huge, sweet man, took on the pain of others. God, she didn’t know if she could handle watching him hurt for others.
“I can usually expel the pain pretty quickly.” Arynn stopped speaking and looked away.
She wouldn’t allow him to stop, not when she was finally learning more. “Okay, then why haven’t you done that?”
His chest rose and fell with his deep breath. “I wanted to come and see you.”
A growl rose in her throat. “Of all the stupid things. How do we get this out of you?”
Arynn chuckled. “Stellina, calm down. I can shift and go for a run after a bit. Already the pain is lessening just being in your presence. That’s what happens with a mate. They can do many things. I’d assumed that was something that would happen when I found mine but worried you could get hurt by me.”
Sheila gripped Arynn’s face between both her hands. “Explain and don’t monkey about. Lay it all out and just say it. Whatever it is you’re trying to get to, just say it. You keep saying mate. Is that what I am to you?”
His throat moved up and down as he swallowed. “Yeah, you’re my mate. You want to know it all, Sheila? Everything, without the kid gloves?”
“I’m far from a kid, Arynn.”
“If I can’t shift and run, I usually find a female to expel the energy. My wolf and I want no female other than you. We didn’t want to go run because we wanted only to be near you. You soothe us like no other. Yes, I hurt like a sonofabitch, but I’d rather hurt with you in my arms, than go run in the woods on four legs.”
She licked her lips. “When you’d find a female to expel the energy, what did you do?”
“Sheila,” he growled.
“Do you want to know what I want to do right now, Arynn?” She bent and licked his lips.
“What?” he asked, licking over where she’d just been with his tongue.
“I want to erase the memory of every other female before me from your mind,” she answered honestly.
He shook his head. “I can’t remember a single female before you, Sheila, and that’s the truth. Clearly, I’m no virgin, but from the moment I walked into your house, every other woman has ceased to exist for me.”
She liked hearing his words, but still the need to put action in place of them had her running her hands over his shoulders, feeling the defined muscles. A rumble came from him, but he let her explore. “Neither of us are virgins as you put it. Let’s leave our past behind and focus on the here and now.”
“I think it’s best we not talk about you and other men. It makes my wolf crazy,” he growled but didn’t stop her exploration of his body.
“Alright, how about if I tell you what I want to do to you, with you, and you tell me if that would help you with your little problem.” She allowed her nails to scrape down the front of his chest, lightly scraping over the small male nipples.
“I promise you, stellina, there’s nothing small about my problem,” he grunted then picked her up, his hands going under her ass. “Wrap your legs around me.”
The pure male dominance had her doing as he said as everything feminine in her went soft and liquid. Hell, she could feel her panties were already wet from just thinking about what they were going to do. Tingles of awareness were shooting through her with each step he took, his hard cock hitting her clit as he moved toward the master bedroom. “I don’t know if I’ll be able to stand it if you’re teasing me.” A second after the words were uttered, she wished she could call them back.
Hiding her face in the crook of his neck, she thought he hadn’t heard her.
“Baby, I don’t know what dumbass ever teased you, but I’m a lucky motherfucker he did since I’m the one holding you now.” His voice had gone deeper, sincerity ringing with each word.
Why she believed him, she had no clue. “Good.” The one word was all she could say before she was being pressed up against the wall inside the room she’d claimed. The dark furniture against white walls was a perfect compliment to each other. However, she wasn’t paying attention to her surroundings, not when Arynn’s body anchored her to the wall while he fisted one hand in her hair. The action could’ve been violent, but he made everything gentle. Her big gentle giant took great measure in insuring he gave only pleasure. The raw sexuality he exuded wasn’t forced. No, it was inherent to the man who took on the pain of others.
She dug her nails into his shoulders, feeling the muscles beneath her fingers bunch had her squeezing her thighs tighter.
> “I can feel you thinking. There’s things about me you need to understand. When I’m with you, I need to be in control. I’ll want to push your boundaries when it comes to sex. I won’t ask you to do anything you don’t want, but I need to be the one in control. My wolf is locked down so much that I can’t...I need this. Can you give me that?”
Her heart beat a furious tempo against her chest at what he was saying. Sure, she’d read about BDSM and enjoyed the thought of it. Now, this man, wolf shifter, was asking her to allow him to control her like in the stories she’d devoured page by page. Her voice shook as she tried to speak, having to clear her throat before trying again. “Do you want to spank me?”
He grinned. “No—well maybe. However, it’s more about me being in control and you doing as I tell you. If I tell you to put your hands above your head and don’t move them, like this.” He braced her body against the hard wall with his, pulling her arms over her head, locking her hands together. “Keep them there, stellina, no matter what. Can you do that?”
She nodded, then to her astonishment, he reached behind himself, tapping her legs. “Let go,” he ordered.
Sheila complied immediately, secure in the knowledge he’d catch her before she fell.
Arynn held her ass firmly, and then moving back he allowed her legs to fall to the floor. “I’m going to push your limits a little. Tell me if you want me to stop.”
Her eyes closed on a low moan as his hands moved to her breasts, tweaking her hard nipples through the bra. “That feels good.”
“Good.” Arynn smiled at her, the anticipation for more lighting his eyes. “You ready for more?”
He didn’t give her time to answer before pulling the top up, baring her toned stomach before he shoved it up further to expose the pink lace bra she wore. Her first instinct was to cover herself, but the memory of his order to keep her hands where he’d placed them kept her from following through. Excitement had her shivering.
“You nursed both girls here?” Arynn asked, running both thumbs back and forth over her nipples.