He held her to him with one hand and used the other to open her folds, brushing tight blonde curls out of the way. He licked her from her anus to her clit, one long stroke to take her in. Sweet heaven. He pushed his tongue into her pussy, letting her cream coat him, her flavor exploding in his mouth like fine spun sugar.
He flicked her clit and loved the way it swelled under his tongue, but he couldn't resist going back to her pussy, fucking her with his tongue while she squirmed and whimpered and finally begged him to fuck her. Her pleas fell on deaf ears. She came, and he kept her on that high, refusing to let her body settle down, determined that come morning she wouldn't associate mating with anything other than unbearable joy.
Finally a throat cleared behind him, and with one last lingering lick he turned to meet Jonas's gaze. Jonas smiled.
“Much as I'm enjoying the show”—and he was, his hand was pumping his cock—“dinner is ready.”
Grunting, he rose, kissing his way up her body. “It can wait.”
She looked at him with glazed eyes when his cock nudged her entrance.
Pushing against him, she pleaded, “Now, Mick. Now.” He didn't hesitate and knew there was no way he was going to last when she came immediately, her inner muscles clamping around him in fierce undulating rhythm. He fucked her through it. Jaw clenched, hands gripping her hips too hard.
When he couldn't fight the orgasm pulsing at the base of his spine anymore, he lifted her to him, tilted her head to the side Jonas hadn't marked. Her pale, creamy skin was all the invitation he needed. His incisors lengthened. Her skin broke under the pressure as jets of his cum spurted into her. Marking her in the most primitive way of both man and beast.
Reluctantly, he released her, swiped his tongue over the drop of blood, cock still thrusting shallowly inside her. When there was no more fluid to ejaculate, he slid from her, picked her up, and turned to sit on the bed. It took a long time to catch his breath, to slow his heart.
Jonas watched from the doorway with the slight sexy smile that always made Mick inhale sharply. The look that said the evening was just getting started. When she began to stir, Jonas went into the bathroom and came back with a short red robe, and placed it in her outstretched hand.
“Nothing under that robe, darlin'.”
His voice was hard and stern, and for a second Mick thought Jonas might be pushing her too hard. But she nodded and lowered her eyes, a slight tremble rocking her body as she stood clutching the garment in front of her. Mick's cum trickled down her leg, and he grabbed the robe, placing it on the bed.
“Wait a minute, sugar. Come with me.”
Mick led her to the bathroom and wet a washcloth with warm water. He started at the end of the trail and moved up, cupping her pussy and pushing one cloth-covered finger a mere inch inside her.
“Mick, there is no way—not so soon,” she protested with a drawn-out groan, but her body welcomed him.
He tossed the cloth in the hamper and followed her to the bedroom, where she put the robe on, belting it tight over her waist. He grinned. Did she think that would be any kind of deterrent? If anything she was sexier wearing the short, satiny thing.
Chapter Six
Jonas waited in the kitchen. He'd made steak and scrambled eggs and handed her a plate when she entered. She sat at the table and stared at it a moment before a laugh bubbled up. Jonas gave her a stern look.
“Eat.”
“This is way too much,” she complained, rolling her eyes, but picked up her fork.
She didn't do much more than nibble and push it around her plate, though. His voice lowered to a sexy growl. “Do I need to feed you, darlin'?” Her glance at him was startled, and to his disappointment she took a real bite of the steak. The idea of feeding her by hand was strangely appealing. She ate, not enough to appease him, but by the third time she tried to hide a yawn, he gave in.
He pushed back from the table, picked her up, and headed into the living room, where he settled on the long sofa.
Mick moved around the kitchen, probably cleaning up, and Jonas picked up the remote from the side table. He flipped through channels, looking for anything interesting. He was wired. Mick probably was too. Their mate, on the other hand, was exhausted. Hell, she'd had a busy day. Looking down, he brushed strands of hair off her face, and his heart stuttered. She was so beautiful in sleep. Calm and peaceful with none of the fear and worry that seemed to haunt her eyes while she was awake. He wanted to see her like this in the morning. For the rest of his mornings.
It was a stunning realization.
How had he gone so quickly from wanting an entirely different kind of woman to suspecting it would rip out his heart if he couldn't live with this soft, delicate creature? Mick sat down next to them, close enough to widen his legs and brush his knee against Jonas's. Mick laid his head against the back and looked over to meet his gaze, deep and soulful and as always knowing exactly what Jonas was thinking.
“She soothes the wolf.”
“Yeah.” He stared at her, ran his fingers through her hair. “I didn't expect that,” he admitted.
“Because you're so much a protector. A defender. You expect everything in life to be a battle.”
“And the two of you don't,” he murmured confirmation, knowing it was the truth.
Mick shrugged. “I'll fight to protect the ones I love. But I am a healer.” Jonas didn't envy him. To be a healer in a wolf pack was to have dual natures.
His wolf was just as predatory as Jonas's, but his human soul made him pay for causing pain or death. It was something Mick was born to do, the same kind of calling to help and cure human physicians felt. Jonas had always admired him for the way he walked the line between his two natures with honor. He loved him for so much more. His dedication. His loyalty. Mick was the kind of man who'd always have your back.
Now they'd brought this woman into the mix, and Jonas wasn't quite sure what to make of her. He'd thought he knew her. Thought he knew what he wanted.
He was beginning to accept he was wrong.
His hand rested above her knee, and he itched to slide it up. He wanted to know every pale inch of her. Wanted to find all the hidden spots that turned her on, that tickled. Wanted to discover all the old hurts and make them better. The lighting in the room was dim, but he didn't need more to make out the scars crisscrossing her thighs. He hadn't missed them when she'd turned her back and walked into the bathroom with Mick earlier.
He kept a tight stranglehold on his rage. It wouldn't help her to see it, but he couldn't fight the desire to find the monster who'd left them on her and rip him apart piece by piece. If he'd claimed her before her father had shown up at their gates demanding her return, he would have known, and the man wouldn't still be breathing.
The need for vengeance grew to a pulsing fury. His hold on her tightened until she voiced a sleepy complaint, and he released her so fast she almost fell off his lap.
This was his worst nightmare, inadvertently hurting his mate because she was human. Because sometimes he forgot his own strength. It was only her hand twisted in his shirt and Mick's quick leap that saved her from a nasty bump on the head. He didn't release her to Mick's hold, though. He pulled her close, careful this time not to do it too tightly, and met Mick's gaze over her head.
“The moon is still up,” Mick said softly. “Let's go run.” His first instinct was to refuse. How could they leave their mate unprotected?
“She's safe here,” Mick reminded him. “She's on our land, and no wolf would dare touch her. She carries our scents now.”
Still, Jonas hesitated until Mick rolled his eyes and huffed. “You can't stand guard all the time, and neither can I. She has a long way to go to heal, and overprotectiveness will stunt that healing,” he said bluntly. “Is that what you want?”
“Of course not.”
“Then take charge of the wolf. You're letting the animal have control.” Jonas responded to the insult with a low growl, but he didn't try to defend himself. After s
tanding, he passed her over to Mick, who carried her down the hall and put her in bed. Jonas had to force himself to step outside and strip.
He didn't want to leave her alone, but he could see the wild joy in Mick as he joined him and shifted. It was the only night a month they could run together.
Jonas owed it to him. He had no control over the twist of fate that left Mick only able to change on a full moon. It had taken a couple of years to get over feeling a bit guilty about it.
Even during the times when Mick was angry and disgusted with him, the times he either kicked Jonas out of his house or moved out of Jonas's house, Jonas made sure they were together this night. It was the only night they really let themselves go. The only night when their relationship was nothing but raw emotion. It seemed fitting somehow they'd joined Harper to them on a full moon. No logic or forethought or illusions of being civilized had gone into the decision.
Out in the yard, Mick danced and yipped at him. He was anxious to run. Jonas smiled. Probably to fuck too. He shifted into his wolf form and let the euphoria of the moment take him as he chased after Mick under the glow of the moon.
Chapter Seven
“Okay. Concentrate on the wick and try it again,” Harper told Liza.
Her cousin scowled at the candle, and a tiny flame sputtered for a second before going out. They'd claimed a back corner of Liza's veranda and dragged a tall table and candles out to practice. It was a nice morning, and well, safer to play with fire outside.
“Why haven't you learned this before?” she asked curiously. It was simple magic Liza should have learned as a kid.
“I couldn't access my magic until a few months ago.” She shrugged as if it was no big deal, and Harper didn't push for more information. It was rare, but she'd heard of cases where a witch had powers but couldn't use them. If the barrier in the mind ever broke, it was usually because of something deeply personal or traumatic. She would bet in Liza's case it had been joining with her mates.
She ignored her curiosity and watched as Liza tried it again with much more success. Harper laughed as Liza yelped and jumped back from the flame she'd brought up. “I don't think you really need lessons from me.” She pointed to the flickering candle, and her cousin grinned at her.
“That's a pretty nifty talent to have, isn't it?”
“Well, you'll never be cold on a snowy night.”
“Oh, honey,” Liza joked. “I don't need a fire to stay warm.” Harper blushed. She'd seen the way Liza's mates looked at her, so there was no doubt in her mind she spoke the unabashed truth. Liza gave her a wicked grin.
“Neither do you.”
If it was possible, her blush got hotter. She turned and tugged at the top of her turtleneck. She knew those marks were hidden, so why did she feel like everyone she'd come into contact with this morning had seen them? She considered bluffing, but what would be the point? Besides, maybe Liza would explain a few things.
She walked to the porch swing, sat, and faced her cousin, who leaned against a railing. “Why the lessons? You obviously don't need them.” Liza arched an eyebrow. “Really? That's where you want to start?” It got very annoying dealing with people who always seemed to read her mind.
Although in Liza's case, that might be reality. She didn't know her cousin well, didn't know what secret talents she might be hiding.
“It's a place to begin,” she pointed out, proud of herself for not backing down.
Liza's lips turned up in a half smile of approval, and she nodded. “I think you'll do.” She sat in a rocking chair a couple of feet away, and Harper pushed her foot against the floor, set the swing into a gentle motion. “For the pack, of course. Your being around me and Caleb and Zach so much shows that we've accepted you.”
“And that's important?” She felt a little light-headed and was glad she was already sitting down. It was so much more important today than yesterday.
“Isn't it?” Liza asked, her voice kind and gentle. “Aren't Mick and Jonas important to you?”
“How do you know about them?”
“I can't shift, but I do have all the normal abilities of a werewolf in human form.”
Her confusion must have shown.
“Your scent. It's covered in theirs.”
She couldn't have hid her horrified embarrassment if she'd tried. Liza moved much faster than a woman that pregnant should have been able to and sat next to Harper on the swing.
Liza took her hand. “Hey, it's okay. This is normal for us.” Her laugh sounded a little manic. “Normal? Everyone knows?” Liza nodded.
“What happens when they get tired of me? When they decide they've made a mistake?”
When Jonas decided that, she wanted to say. When her heart lay broken and bleeding at her feet. Liza's look was one of confusion that morphed into exasperation.
“Didn't explain anything, did he?”
“Who?”
“Jonas.”
She opened her mouth to defend him, then snapped it shut. What the hell? He turned her on, and okay, he definitely delivered, but she didn't even like the man.
Right?
Liza took pity on her. “They won't decide that. We wouldn't scent them on you if you weren't their mate. And your scent is on them. There's no breaking a mate bond, Harper. You've been here long enough to pick that up.” She knew the werewolves took their mate thing seriously, she just hadn't realized how seriously. Or maybe, if she were honest with herself, she'd simply chosen not to see it was a bit more permanent than marriage.
“Jonas won't like that,” she whispered. “He doesn't like me much.” Liza tilted her head to one side and studied her. Harper felt like a science specimen. “Likes you well enough to get naked and mark you.” The blush came back in a furious rush. “Gods.” She groaned. “Please tell me not everyone knows that.”
“Sorry.” Liza shrugged with a teasing grin.
Harper put her face in her hands and mumbled. “That is so embarrassing. I can't believe I had sex. With both of them. Everyone else has to know it too?”
“It's normal for us. A strong sexual appetite is part of a werewolf's nature.”
“I'm not a werewolf.”
Liza smiled. “But you belong to one. Well, two.” A door opened at the other end of the porch, interrupting them. Caleb poked his head out, grinned, and was in front of them in seconds, but he didn't even notice Harper. He pulled Liza up and kissed her. Harper jerked away from the naked passion, and her gaze clashed with Jonas's who was standing at the door Caleb had exited from.
He strolled forward, smiling a little the closer he got, probably at the appreciation she couldn't hide. She ordered her eyes to move away, close, something other than drink him in, but they didn't obey. By the time he stopped in front her, she'd completely forgotten they weren't alone.
He stopped close, not quite enough to touch, and reached out with one hand to grip the back of her head. He stared at her a second before hauling her forward and fusing his mouth over hers. His tongue dueled with hers; his teeth nipped. She was breathless and clinging to his shoulders for support when he pulled back.
“Glad to see you took care of that,” Caleb said drily.
She wanted to melt into the floor. Jonas pulled her under his arm, and she hid her face in his chest. His shielding her, protecting her seemed out of character, but she didn't hesitate to take advantage of it.
“You ready?” Caleb asked.
“Whenever you are,” Jonas replied. She hadn't been around long, but even she knew that cocky reply and tone were out of line. She turned her face enough to see, wondering if she needed to get the hell out of the way, but Caleb only laughed. He pulled Liza with him, and they disappeared into the house.
“Should you be talking to him like that?” She regretted it as soon as the words were out of her mouth. “Sorry. None of my business.” His hand slid from the back of her head between her turtleneck and skin to rub over the spot where he'd bitten her the previous night.
“This gives
you rights.”
His face remained calm, but his voice was moody, questioning. The skin-to-skin contact, despite the innocuous spot, was beginning to make her toes curl. She tilted her chin up and gave herself a pep talk. Damn it, she could have a conversation that did not devolve into sex or arguing. He'd done something, changed something between them, and she needed to know what. It took all her strength of will, but she managed to free herself from his embrace, ignoring a pang of disappointment when he let her go.
“What rights do I have?” She made her voice firm. She wanted to be clear on this.
His eyes glowed hot, but the moodiness, the edginess remained. “The same as any mate.”
She dug her fingernails dug into her palms while she fought the urge to punch him. She'd never struck another soul in her life, but right now it was damned tempting. “I'm not one of you. I didn't grow up here like Liza. I don't. Know. What.
That. Means. Jonas!”
Okay, so she lost it. Her fist connected to his chest, though it didn't faze him.
He grabbed her elbow and yanked her close, a feral smile on his face.
“I like this side of you,” he growled softly, bending to nuzzle her neck.
It stunned her. First, that a male of her acquaintance hadn't lashed out at her outburst. And second, that he had most definitely liked it. His erection ground against her stomach, and his teeth, nibbling her through her turtleneck, made her eyes roll to the back of her head. She was gasping when he gently set her away from him.
“The explanations will have to wait. I have a meeting with Liza and Caleb, and Mick is waiting for you at the clinic.”
“Why?”
“I think he misses you,” Jonas teased.
“No. Why the meeting?”
Who cared if she was being pushy? He said she had the same rights as any mate. Surely that included questions.
“Pack business. Boring stuff.”
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