“You were not here first,” Susan said protecting Amy.
“Go get your own,” growled Ashley, as she snatched another cookie from the tray.
Steve and Artur walked into the kitchen at that moment, and they looked on in amazement at their friends.
Grace’s laughter drew Artur’s attention and Steve saw his eyes soften as they landed on the woman standing behind the counter watching the antics of the others.
Steve smiled inwardly, as his wolf said smugly, Lana did not destroy him.
“What is going on here?” he demanded using his Alpha tone that they all stopped.
Susan, Amy, and Ashley used this moment to snatch the last remaining cookies from the plate.
“Here you go,” Amy said handing the plate to Kale who looked at it frowning, and he even tilted it upside down to see if anything would fall off.
“Not even a crumb,” he moaned that they all laughed.
Grace’s phone rung while she was still laughing, she answered it, “Hello.”
“Hey baby,” the voice murmured, and Grace turned pale and her laughter died away as he continued, “You sound like you are enjoying yourself. What are all those cars out front for? Are you having a party? You did not invite me. I am a little upset, but that’s okay, our time will come.” He hung up as she caught her breath and clenched her hand around the phone.
“Grace, are you okay?” Amy asked seeing the pale face of her friend, and Artur swung around at her question as he stepped forward to grab the plate.
He rushed over to her and took her into his arms as she hung up the phone, “Damn, we really need to find out who is doing this.” Grace nodded her head as she clung to him. She was not scared but she was getting pissed and Artur could feel the anger vibrating through her as he hugged her. He smiled to himself for the calls were starting to have an opposite affect then what the caller wanted. Grace was starting to get upset, and he had a feeling that she would start looking for the caller soon if he did not give up.
“If you are scared, Grace, why don’t you live at the pack house?” Steve suggested.
Artur laughed as he said, “She is not scared; she is getting frustrated.”
“Then why are you holding her?” Kale asked him in a confused voice.
“It makes me feel better,” Grace remarked shifting so the others could see her face, but she was still leaning against his chest.
“And it calms me down,” Artur confided to them as he squeezed her to him.
“You two are weird,” Ace said as he sat down in Susan’s seat. “Although you have not mated or marked each other as mates, you two act like it more and more each day.”
True, they slept together every night but they have not mated yet and Artur will not mark her until they do.
The phone rang again and after a slight hesitation, Grace pulled slightly back from Artur and answered it. Artur was growling low in his throat until he saw the look of joy cross her face then he relaxed.
“So you have another granddaughter, Uncle Ted,” she exclaimed, and the others started throwing him congratulations. Ted left a little after the men did to hunt for the rogues for his youngest daughter was about to have her first child, and like the other six, he wanted to be there.
“You have a birthday in a month, Grace,” he reminded, and Grace gasped because he was right.
She laughed shakily, “I forgot all about it.” She thought for a moment about her plan to leave when she turned 21, and she turned to Artur who was watching her with narrowed eyes. He gave her a confused look as he saw the thoughtful look that came across her face before it softened as if she answered one of her own questions.
Ted chuckled, “Good, then that means I will see you when I get back. Take care of yourself, and tell the rest of them to behave.”
She laughed as she repeated his message, then she said goodbye hanging up.
“What was that thoughtful look for?” Artur asked as she went back to the counter to finish the cookies.
She shrugged her shoulders, “After I turned 16, and learned everything, I made a plan. On my 21st birthday, I would leave this place.”
“And now,” Artur asked his heart in his throat as he waited for her answer.
“I guess if I leave then I probably be leaving with you,” was her response, and Artur snatched her up by the waist and kissed her soundly.
They broke apart at the catcalls and whistles, and Artur grinned down into her face as Grace smiled at him.
She laughed as she told him, “If you want more cookies, you need to let me go and bring me the plate.”
Artur laughed and tightened his hold for a second before he released her to get the plate so Grace could reload it with warm cookies out of the oven.
As she watched him take it back over to the table, she remarked, “I guess I should make some more.”
The others laughed and nodded their heads as Artur winked at her before he grabbed at least three himself eliciting disgruntled responses from the others.
Grace only shook her head as she started on a few more batches of cookies, and she smiled at the laughter and noise that rung throughout her kitchen.
Artur stretched out on the couch after everyone left. He yawned as he thought over his day, and he wondered what Grace was doing so long in the kitchen.
“Grace,” he called and when she did not answer back, he walked into the kitchen looking for her frowning as he noticed the empty room.
He went upstairs checking the guest rooms that she had not changed back yet, and then up to their room.
He was about to call out her name as he entered the room only to stop when he saw her. His body froze as he saw her standing in the middle of the room with nothing but a shirt on, his shirt.
“Grace,” he croaked as his eyes went over her starting with her beautiful eyes, drifting over the shirt that clung to her body, down past her hips and her long legs to her feet.
“Artur,” she said throatily although there was a shy note in her voice as she stepped forward her feet silent as she approached him.
“Are you sure?” he asked as he read the invitation in her eyes.
“Yes,” she responded, and Artur’s eyes went gold as he leaned forward to kiss her gently on her forehead before feathering his lips across her eyelids and cheekbones before reaching her mouth.
He had not touched her yet, and he feathered his lips across her lips as she swayed slightly in front of him. He deepened the kiss a little as he reached up to run his hands up and down her arms, and she rested her hands on the inside of his arms. He deepened the kiss another degree as he feathered his fingers across the buttons that held the shirt together before trailing his fingers down to her legs and lightly across her thighs. Grace gasped into his mouth, and he used it to his advantage to put his tongue in her mouth as he continued to trail his hands along her body. The kiss deepened again as his hands wondered around to her backside where his hands slid along the back of her thighs up her butt cheeks, and settled on her lower back. He stopped for one moment as he looked at his mate, and noticing her dewy eye look, he feathered kisses over her eyelids again before he slammed his mouth on hers hard that she lifted up against him.
He anchored her to him with his hands at her lower back, and she was so close to him that he felt her breathe, he felt her breasts as her nipples hardened against him, and the softness between her legs that beckoned to him. He wanted it all from her, and as he kissed her and she responded back just as passionately, he knew he would get it.
Not breaking the kiss, he danced her back towards the bed where he laid her down following her down laying halfway on her body. Grace was on fire, her body felt as if it was going to light up at anytime, and still he kept on kissing her. He finally pulled away to look into her eyes, and Grace saw that his eyes had turned into pure gold, and she watched as he lifted his hands slowly to unbutton the shirt she had put on. His eyes never left her as he unbuttoned it one button at a time until they were all unbuttoned. Instead
of parting it, he ran is hand along the seam where he revealed her skin, and Grace could not help the moan that escaped her lips. Artur grinned in wolfish fashion as he leaned down in drew his tongue down the same path that his hand just traveled, and he ran his tongue back up until he rested it against the valley of her breasts. Grace’s breathes were coming fast as she waited wondering what he would do next as she lifted her hands and ran them down his back.
“You have on too many clothes,” she mumbled.
“That can be remedied,” he whispered before he used his tongue to push away the shirt to expose one breast. He circled it with his tongue flicking the nipple lightly before closing his mouth over it to suckle on it causing Grace to arch off the bed. He did the same to her other breast as he slowly peeled off the shirt, and throwing it to the floor. He looked at her in awe as she blushed, and then he began to undress himself as Grace watched with her heart in her throat.
The more he revealed, the more she wanted him. He was gorgeous in every way imaginable as he settled back against her after pulling off her panties.
“Like what you see?” he teased as he leaned down and blew gently into her ear, and she shivered as she croaked, “Yes.”
“Good,” he whispered before trailing kisses down her body. He stopped at her breasts again to give each nipple a tug before he kissed her stomach lightly tickling her bellybutton before heading lower. He kissed along each leg first before lingering on that part of her that he find so enticing. He kissed her slowly as she gasped to feel his mouth down there, and when she lifted her hips at the sensation he was creating, he increased the pressure of his mouth. He slid his tongue in between her lips to find her secret spot, and as he found it, she cried out. He continued to play with it as her cries became louder then all of sudden she arched into his mouth hard, and screamed as she had her first orgasm. He caught her hips to hold her there as he rode with her through her first orgasm. As he felt her body start to relax, he kissed up her body again until he was resting over her holding his weight on his hands.
“Are you ready,” he asked huskily, and at her nod for she could barely speak, he eased his length that was resting against her most private area gently in. He felt how snug she was and he gently rocked against her as she opened her thighs to allow his body to more room to maneuver. He eased a little more inside of her, and he watched as her eyes widened as she felt his hardness and thickness. He gritted his teeth and held his wolf back as he howled to claim her now, but he continued to rock gently as he eased farther into her. Finally, he could feel the tissue that proclaimed him the first, and he leaned down to kiss the notch between her throat and neck.
“Artur,” she asked in a rough voice full of passion.
“It is going to hurt sweetheart, so I want you to hold on to me. Do I have your permission?” he asked, and she understood the double meaning behind the question. She licked her dry lips as she nodded her head, and he leaned down to kiss her quickly and passionately before he moved back to the notch of her neck. She felt his canines graze her skin then he pushed forward with his lower body as he bit her at the same time. She cried out at the pain, but Artur held her to him as he held himself steady, and when he lifted his head to look at her, he noticed her eyes were shining with a new light. He tilted his head to the side and with a glance at her; she lifted her head and letting her canines extend she claimed him as hers, and he surged into her again as she marked him. Then he lifted himself out of her, and with a questioning glance, Grace wrapped her arms around him, and he eased back increasing the tempo as he went into her repeatedly, faster and faster until it felt like they were flying. When Grace’s next orgasm hit, she screamed his name loudly as she curved into him digging her nails into his back, and Artur tightened his hands on her hips bringing her even closer as he slammed himself into her one final time before he released inside her. Finally, they gasped as they fell onto the bed their hearts galloping away, and Artur leaned forward to lick the mark he made and Grace arched up at the sensation that he smiled. He slowly disentangled himself from her as he gently kissed her lips before sliding out of bed.
“Artur,” she asked confused.
“I will be right back,” he said softly as she heard him go downstairs to the bathroom, and as he came back, she noticed that he had a washcloth in his hands. He gently washed were he marked her then washed her were they mated before putting the washcloth in her hamper. He climbed back into bed next to her as she snuggled up against him, and he clamped an arm around her waist as the other settled on the hand she had nestled in his chest hair.
“Artur,” she mumbled sleepily.
“Yes,” he said with his eyes closed.
“I love you,” she said clearly then she fell asleep.
Artur opened his eyes and he looked at her. Her lips were still a little red from his kisses, and her cheeks still had a blush to them. He leaned forward to press a light kiss to her sweet lips. “I love you too,” he said softly in the silence of the room.
He settled back down on the bed, and pulled her closer into his side as he gave a deep satisfied sigh. Before he fell asleep, he could feel the contentment of his wolf as he howled with pleasure and happiness
Chapter 15
“You are coming with me to the pack house,” Artur stated with a heavy scowl hands clenched into fists as he glared at her.
Grace’s violet eyes narrowed as she glared at him, and she realized that they were having their first fight.
“Why do I have to stay at the pack house if the meeting is tomorrow?” Grace challenged putting her hands on her hips only to swallow as Artur let out a low growl and ran a hand through his dark hair. She shook herself mentally to stop her perverted thoughts as she reminded herself why they were arguing in the first place. Artur came in about ten minutes ago telling her that Alpha Tomas called a pack meeting for tomorrow and wanted Steve, and his Beta and few others, to attend the meeting. Then he proceeded to tell her that he was staying at the pack house tonight, and he wanted her to come with him.
“Grace, I do not understand this irrational fear you have about the pack house,” Artur sighed out in frustration. He continued, “Steve wants to sit down with us today to discuss what he thinks Alpha Tomas has on his mind so that we will not be ambushed tomorrow.”
Grace had to admit that it made sense to be prepared for anything especially with the rogue sightings and attacks that have been occurring lately, but her eyes narrowed into slits at Artur’s term ‘irrational’ even if she agreed with him.
“Irrational?’ She said softly only to watch Artur flinch slightly as his hands dropped to his side fists unclenching.
“You won’t tell me why you dislike the pack house,” he said gruffly, and Grace sighed closing her eyes briefly.
“It makes me think of the time when my father was called to the pack house, and I always have this fear of it happening to me,” Grace admitted in a low voice.
Artur stilled for a moment before he sighed, “Oh, sweetheart.” He shook his head before going on, “Grace, honey, this pack house is not the same the one that condemned your father because it does not have the same people living there. Besides, you already have half the pack members won over by what you did when you allowed them to stay here,” he indicated the house with a slight smile. He walked over to her slowly, and raised a hand to snag back a loose strand of hair before he told her softly, “The others need a chance to get to know you.”
Grace looked up at him with shadowed violet eyes before she sighed heavily leaning her forehead onto his chest, and she mumbled, “I know it is irrational, but…”
“It will get better,” Artur commented wrapping his arms around her and hugging her tightly to him.
“Okay,” Grace finally said after a long few minutes of just hugging each other. “I will go to the pack house with you, but do not expect me to give in every time we argue.”
Artur laughed as he leaned in to give her a sweet kiss and pulled back slightly to breath against her lips,
“Don’t worry, I won’t because I like you just the way you are.”
Grace rolled her eyes before she leaned forward and kissed him back, then she pulled away to go upstairs. She slowed down before she reached the top stair and said indifferently, “You know, Artur, you could have just said that you were worried about me with the increasing calls.”
She continued up the stairs after her statement, and Artur’s eyes narrowed as his mouth thinned because she was right, he was worried about the calls. Ever since they came back from their hunt, the phone calls had increased in their harassing tone, and the frequency of the calls. Artur did not want to leave Grace alone at such a time even though he knew that Grace could handle herself, they still had no idea who was making the calls. Artur had a suspicion, but he was not sure so until he was, he was going to keep Grace as safe as he could.
“I am ready,” Grace called out, and Artur looked up as she came back down with a duffle bag and her jean jacket on.
“It is early yet,” Artur said with a glance at his watch not going to admit that he had wanted to go early so that they could have her settled in before he had to leave her alone with the others as he, Steve, Ace, and Kale retreated to the office.
“Artur,” Grace said with a small laugh, “I may not like pack houses but even I know that I need to get at least a little comfortable if I am going to be there for the night and tomorrow without you with me.”
Artur laughed lightly shaking his head at his Grace and walked over to her, and he tugged lightly at her ponytail earning him a glare, but her eyes were laughing.
“I wonder what they are making for dinner,” Artur suggested lightly watching Grace look over at him with slightly suspicious eyes as they headed to his car.
Grace only said after they were strapped in, “We can stop off at the store and by some things. What would you like tonight?”
“Pizza,” Artur said without hesitation as he started the car and headed out making the turn for the local grocery store. A few minutes later, they were pulling into the parking lot.
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