“Whatever you say, Faith. Now I’ve got to go. Jason will be here any minute.”
“Be safe, Becs. Please.”
“I will. Love ya.”
“Love ya too.”
They hung up, and Becca went out to her living room to make sure she had everything ready for her study session. She wasn’t like Lily with her clean piles of notepads, sticky notes, and color-coordinated highlighters, but she at least was pleasantly organized. This would, thankfully, be the last one with Jason, and Becca wasn’t upset at all about that.
When Jason knocked on the door ten minutes later, she was beyond ready to get it over with. The exam was in two days, and then she’d be free.
Thank the gods.
Jason, like usual, strolled through the living room as though he owned the place. With his dark auburn hair and darker green eyes, Becca supposed he was attractive, but she’d never really seen it. Sure, he had that chiseled-face thing girls loved, but there was only one man with dark looks and a swagger who could make her swoon.
Not that she’d ever swoon in Hunter’s presence.
No, not ever.
“Jamie, darling, you look as intoxicating as ever,” Jason said, his voice smarmy.
Well, he might not have actually sneered, but it sure has hell sounded that way to Becca at the moment.
How the hell was she supposed to make it another two hours with the man who made her want to shower off the sleaze?
“Hey, Jason. Ready for our final study session?”
The man pouted. Pouted. Would it be too late and rude to slam the door in his face and feign sickness? “I don’t want our time to end, baby doll.”
She was going to just ignore the not-so-vague meaning of his words and plow right through it. “Well, we’re almost done with school, so let’s just focus on that.”
Jason brightened at that. “Yes, school. Even though that’s ending, Becca, that doesn’t mean we have to end.”
Dear gods, she needed an aspirin. Or a frying pan to throw at the dude. Yes, a frying pan could work. If only she had Shade’s cast iron pan that he loved to use when he was cooking for his Lily.
“Jason, there is no we.”
He moved toward her, and she stayed where she was. She wasn’t about to back away and show that he freaked her out. She was stronger than that.
Maybe.
“Oh, Becca, darling, there could be a we. All you have to do is say the word, and I’ll take you in my arms and never let you go. You know we’re meant to be together.”
Could this man be any more delusional?
He placed his hand on her shoulder, and she flinched.
“Back away, Jason. I’ve told you over and over that we’re not a couple, that we won’t ever be a couple. Why don’t you get that?”
“Yes, why don’t you get that?”
Becca froze and turned toward Hunter, who filled her doorway. His eyes narrowed, and his lips lifted in a snarl.
Oh shit, Faith had been right. This could not end well.
“Hunter, it’s not what you think.” Becca grimaced. Well, that didn’t come out the right way at all.
When had her life turned into a horribly written soap opera?
Hunter’s gaze never left Jason’s, but he did clench his fists a bit more. Was it wrong that she found that alphaness sexy as hell? With his long brown hair brushing his shoulders and his wide shoulders and narrow hips, he looked perfect for her.
Maybe he’d taste as good as he looked.
All. Over.
She blinked, forcing her mind off his delectable body and back on the fact that Jason could possibly be staring his own death in the face.
There would be no way she could get the blood out of the carpet.
Apparently she’d been spending too much time with supernaturals if that was the first thought that occurred to her.
“Becca, can you please remove yourself from this male’s grip?” Hunter asked on a growl. “I don’t want you to get hurt.”
Jason scoffed at that and pulled her behind him.
Stupid idiot.
Hunter growled again, and Becca moved from behind Jason. “Stop it. Both of you.”
“I haven’t said a thing, darling,” Jason drawled.
Yep, she was gonna kill the dude. Slowly.
Becca risked a glance at Hunter’s face, only to see a snarl.
Okay, maybe she’d kill Jason quickly so Hunter wouldn’t have to.
“I’m not your fucking darling. You need to go, Jason. I don’t need your help studying this time. In fact, I should have turned you away before.”
He turned to face her, a mix of anger and disbelief on his face. “You can’t be serious. You’re turning me away for this overgrown ape?”
Hunter didn’t react to that comment. In fact it looked as if he were using all his strength not to come closer and take over the situation—tearing Jason limb from limb in the process.
“Go, Jason. I’m not picking him over you.” Hunter growled again, and she put her hand up to silence him. “You were never in the running. You’ve been hitting on me for months, and I’ve tried to be nice because I thought we could be friends. Well, screw that. You need to go. I’m done dealing with your creepy shit.”
“You’ll be sorry, Becca. This isn’t over. Not by a long shot. I will be back.”
“Did you just threaten me?” Now it was Becca’s turn to gape in disbelief.
“You have two seconds to leave, Jason, before I take care of this for her,” Hunter warned.
Well, at least he’d tried to hold back for bit. That had to count for something, right?
“You’re a bitch, you know that?” Jason didn’t wait for her response. Hunter moved out of the way as if he didn’t want to touch the bastard, and Becca didn’t blame him, as Jason stormed out of the apartment with his bag in tow.
The man who could be her mate stalked toward her, his pace more like an animal than the man she saw, but she didn’t care.
He ran his fingers over her face then down her shoulders where Jason had touched her. “You smell of him,” he murmured.
“He’s never touched me before, but I’ll go spray myself down with something if his scent bothers you.”
“No, don’t. Sprays and perfumes are usually too much for my senses. I’ll take care of it though.”
Confused, she looked at him then froze as he ran his hands along her side then lowered his head to nuzzle her neck and shoulder with his face.
“What…what are you doing?” Not that she disliked it or anything, but it was…weird. Okay, not weird, but…different.
“Scent marking you,” he answered, his deep voice vibrating along her skin.
“Oh, okay. Do I need to move or anything?” Apparently she was okay with scent marking. Who knew?
He gave a raspy chuckle as if he weren’t used to laughing. Damn whoever had sent him to hell; she’d make him laugh more. “You’re fine where you are. I love the way you feel.”
“Oh, well, you feel nice too.”
Wow. Really, Becca? That’s the best you can do?
He ran his hands up and down her sides then framed her face. “Hello.”
“Hi. You’re early.”
He grinned. “Sorry. I couldn’t stay away.”
“I’m glad you’re here though.”
“Yes, to deal with that fool.”
“No, I mean, yes. I could have taken care of him on my own.”
“I don’t like him.”
“Hunter, you don’t have to worry about him. I’m not seeing anyone.”
“Including Dante?” He turned his head like a wolf rather than a man, and she started.
“Dante? Uh, no. Hell no. He’s…he’s Dante. He’s not mine.”
“Good, because you’re mine.”
She pulled back from his grip. “Wait. You need to hold off on those dominating and possessive words.”
“Why? I want you. You want me. I can scent it.”
She blushed and cl
osed her eyes. Damn wolf. “Uh, try not to do that. Please.”
“I can’t help it, Becca. You smell sweet.”
Oh holy hell.
“Stop it.” It wasn’t fair that she couldn’t scent him like that. She forced herself not to look down to see the physical evidence of his arousal. That was the last thing she needed.
“It’s not something to be embarrassed about. I like that you find me desirable. I feel the same way about you. After all, we’re mates.”
“About that… can we take this slow? I’m not going to run away and lie about what I’m feeling, but first, I want to understand it.”
He gazed at her then nodded. “Whatever you need.”
“Then we can date first.”
“Date?”
Becca snorted. “I mean you and I can hang out, go to dinner, and do things together. Just hold off on the whole fate-thing for a bit while we get to know each other. Or, at least, let me finish school, and then we can take the whole supernatural thing into consideration.”
Hunter blinked. “Does this mean we can’t make love?”
Images of his very tanned and sweaty body riding hers filled her mind, and she groaned.
“I think I like where your mind just went,” he said with a smile in his voice.
“Hunter, stop saying things like that. Let’s just get to know one another. We can talk about…sex later.”
“It wouldn’t just be sex between us, Becca.”
Oh, she was sure what he said was right. Damn, this was going to be harder than she thought.
“We can kiss, Hunter, but that’s it. Let’s just take this on its natural progression.”
“The natural progression would be to mate and have me sink into your heat over and over again.”
Was it possible to have an orgasm from just words spoken in a growl?
“Now you’re just saying these things to tease me.”
He looked serious for a moment then framed her face again. “I would never tease you beyond wanting to see your pleasure. I will take it slow because you ask this of me. Now, can I kiss you?”
Becca nodded, her tongue too heavy to speak. Hunter grinned then lowered his lips to hers. Gods, they were so soft, yet so unyielding. She couldn’t wait to feel them against other parts of her body.
She moaned into his mouth and rocked against him. His jean-clad erection brushed her belly, and he moaned right back.
She pulled away, breathless. “Well, we seem to have that part down.”
Hunter smiled, his teeth a stark white against the tan of his skin. He leaned closer and bit down on her lower lip then licked the sting. “Oh, I would think we’d have few things down. I’m not letting you go, Becca Quinn. You are mine.”
For some reason, no matter what she’d told herself before, those words made her want to think about the future and what it would mean to have him by her side.
Holding back and not jumping headfirst into the unknown would be harder than she thought.
She stared into his brown eyes. They had a rim of yellow around his contacts.
Yes, much, much harder.
****
Nadie Morgan gripped the edge of her pedestal sink and groaned. Another wave of pain ebbed through her, and she forced back the bile that threatened to rise in her throat.
Her once lustrous blonde hair was lank and clung to her face as her body broke out in a sweat. Her violet eyes stared back at her from her reflection but didn’t have the same spark they’d once had.
She was dying.
That had to be it.
Damn him.
Damn that stupid dragon.
She’d had a crush on the man since she was barely eighteen, and now the crush had transformed into something that wasn’t normal. She might have fallen in love with the man he was and the dragon she knew he hid from her, but that didn’t mean he loved her back.
Since the lightning had struck, she’d been forced to stand back and watch as her friends found the loves of their lives. Shade hadn’t waited long to declare himself for Lily. Ambrose had been gone for a year because of his council and had fought back to be by Jamie’s side. Balin had risked his life without even knowing who Jamie was before he made her his. Nadie knew Hunter would claim Becca any day now—once he knew it was safe.
Yet Dante had done nothing.
Oh, she knew that connection, that cord that could bring them together was there, but he ignored it. He stood back and watched as her once-vibrant self had faded to almost nothing.
She lashed out, and he’d taken it with nothing but a look of sorrow.
What did he have to feel sorrowful about?
He was killing her with his lack of action, and she was weak enough to take it.
Well, no more.
She slammed her hands on the sink and cursed.
She was done with waiting for a man who wouldn’t have her. He might be her true half, but that didn’t mean it was his decision.
She’d walk away or find another way.
Dante was hers, and she’d either have him or find another way to live.
She wouldn’t wallow anymore.
She had to be stronger.
Chapter Five
Hunter wasn’t sure he would be able to wait any longer for Becca to give in to their mating. It had already been two weeks since he’d come to her and told her it was time. In retrospect, telling a human—a human woman—that their mating had to occur right then might not have been the best thing to do.
No, she’d told him they’d have to take it slow, so that’s what he was doing.
Dating her slow and steady would have been okay if he’d been human. Eating meals, watching movies, and doing other things in public was nice, but his wolf was on edge. He spent every night with her.
Watching.
Waiting.
Enjoying.
He’d do anything for her, but hell, he needed a cold shower or a quick dip in the lake after each date.
Waiting, however, was killing him.
He was a wolf, not a man, so standing back and watching her take her time and do…human things made him feel as though he was betraying his animal half. He knew that wasn’t the case, but it didn’t help matters that all he wanted to do in her presence was strip her down and feast on her sweet taste.
Apparently that would be moving too fast.
On four paws rather than two feet, Hunter ran through the forest, letting his wolf take over. They were on their sanctioned full moon hunt. They ran as a Pack, rather than the disillusioned men and women they were quickly becoming.
Contrary to the popular lore, their wolves didn’t need to turn at the full moon and could turn when they needed as long as they had the energy. The more dominant the wolf, the faster they could change and the less recovery time they needed. Though each change hurt like a bitch due to the fact they were literally rearranging their bones and tissues, they pushed through it because it was in their nature.
Some of the more submissive wolves could change as quickly as a more dominant wolf because their power sat differently. They were the strongest of the submissives, something that not everyone understood.
Also unlike what was stated in the lore, they weren’t vicious beasts—half man, half wolf—who walked on two legs and looked like horror movie rejects. No, they looked like wolves and were only slightly bigger than their animal counterparts. Most people couldn’t even tell the difference. They ran in a wide array of natural colors and had the same colored eyes they had in human form—usually gold but for a few special members.
Those Pack members with blue eyes were usually treasured and cared for beyond measure because they were submissive, and the stronger wolves needed to care for them—not that all submissives had blue eyes either. Hunter held back a growl at the thought of one of the submissive wolves who hadn’t been treated like the treasure she was. Leslie Masterson was the younger sister of Dorian, a council member, and she’d been treated like a pet, rather than the strong woman that
hid beneath the downcast eyes.
He’d fix that.
Not only was it his job as Beta, but he also liked the girl like the little sister he never had.
Hunter leaped over a fallen tree, letting the scent of the forest wash over him. He’d missed this. Damn, he’d missed this. He could feel his Pack around him, their movements in sync as they hunted their prey—whether it be a rabbit or willing partner.
For wolves, the hunt led to violence or sex. Always. They’d either kill a rabbit, deer, or something non-human, or find another wolf to fuck hard into the ground. They killed in wolf form, mated in human form. He could sense some of the female wolves around him, their arousal filling his nostrils, but he ignored them. They wanted the freak from hell who’d been gone so long. They wanted a hard fuck from the Beta of the Pack and hope for a mating.
He had Becca and didn’t need another wolf to fill her place while she took her time deciding what she wanted—though they both knew what she wanted and were only giving it time because rushing head-first into a mating as a human didn’t seem like the best choice.
He wouldn’t fault her for that and would wait.
Alone.
He growled at a female who got too close but kept the growl soft so he wouldn’t anger her. He didn’t want to piss off someone who just wanted contact, but he wasn’t about to send mixed signals.
She tossed her head then ran off to find another male. When the wolf rode them hard, it didn’t matter to most who they found to satisfy the need.
Liam and Alec ran on either side of him, their dominant power seeping off of them as they pushed harder. His ear twitched as the sound of a rabbit’s frantic chase began. He inhaled, that tangy taste of prey hitting his wolf.
He ran harder, Liam and Alec following. He pounced on the rabbit and dug his teeth into its flesh. It died a quick death—Hunter wasn’t one to let it suffer—and Hunter began his meal, his wolf happy with the hunt.
Liam and Alec each found a rabbit of their own, and they feasted until their bellies were partially full and the moon trickled over their fur. He hadn’t been on a hunt in over four years. He could have gone when he got back, but he’d been more animal than man and had needed space.
An Unlucky Moon Page 5