by Riley Cross
“I’m with them. Plus, a pack party won’t seem odd to anyone, it’s not like we don’t have them regularly any way. No one will question the sudden invites.” Kye adds sounding unusually reasonable. Ass.
“Since when are you on their side.” I grumble sullenly. My stupid brother only chuckles at my immature response.
“Since it included beer.” He rolls his eyes like the answer was obvious to everyone else.
Are you going to put in your two cents or what? I question the animal. Surprised she hasn’t made her displeasure known.
I agree with them.
WHAT! You cannot be serious! Thrown by my wolf’s agreement, I feel my mouth actually pop open.
Cam smirks at me knowingly. “She agrees with us, doesn’t she?” Even his voice sounds smug.
“Fuck you.” I growl angrily.
Our mate stays by our side. If the killer does come, we will be ready. The animal’s blood thirsty promise eases my reservations somewhat.
Sighing, my head drops. “Fine. Tomorrow night.” I agree begrudgingly.
Cam pumps his fist in victory. Kye shakes his head at our brother’s reaction. “How are we even related?”
I can already see the coming argument and I have no desire to be a part of this one.
Pushing away from the table, I leave the idiots to fight amongst themselves.
I feel Dominic at my back as I make my way up the stairs. Why can’t the man just let it go? I didn’t relish reliving the conversation. The idea of him in any kind of danger was enough to enrage my wolf all over again.
Entering my bedroom, I turn to close the door without inviting him inside. “We shouldn’t go to bed pissed at each other.” Dominic’s words have me pausing. The door half open, half closed between us.
Let him in. We need him. My wolf pushes, knowing the turmoil I can feel at the thought of being separated from our mate when his life has been threatened.
“Let me hold you tonight, Kitten.” Though it was an order, his voice was soft and pleading.
Without saying a word, I release the door, letting it hang open. Moving further into the room. Leaving Dominic to either join me or leave.
I pull at my shirt more aggressively than necessary as I wrestle it from my body, my pants soon follow.
I hear Dominic’s breath catch behind me, his arousal perfuming the air of my bedroom, but I’m too wound up to let it pull me in.
Making a point of ignoring his presence, I shove on my jammies. While I am hardly embarrassed to be naked around people, I’ve done it often enough when shifting around pack mates. I know the longer I was nude in front of Dominic, the more dangerous the situation would become.
My wolf was practically wild for him, and I didn’t blame her. Everything about him felt like it was designed to draw us in. His dominant presence, the scent of warm brandy and spice. The roughness of his voice when he fights with me. There wasn’t a part of him that wasn’t perfect.
My need of him burned me in a way I never thought would be possible. I could feel my animal, my soul and sanity fighting me. Pushing us closer together until there was no space between us. I wanted desperately to feel him, like Jenni had described her bond with Ben.
But we are simply not meant to be. So, I continue to act as though he’s not there. At some point he will get with the programme and stop making the situation so bloody hard on us both.
Pulling back the covers over the bed, I crawl in. A new depression dampening my already dark mood.
Pulling the cord on the bedside lamp, plunges the room and us in darkness.
The bed dips as Dominic joins me. Keeping my back to him, I bury myself deeper into the covers.
“You are such a stubborn female.” He whispers harshly into the darkness, right before his arms capture me around the waist. Not giving me the time to fight his hold or untangle myself, Dominic pulls me flush against him. My back to his front and holds me there. While my wolf purrs at the contact, I put as much annoyance as I can into my words.
“Yes, I am, so why don’t you quit while your ahead.” I lean as far away from him as I can with his arms holding me captive and feign sleep.
“What are you so afraid of?” His question is met with a tense silence as I refuse to acknowledge him.
After a few minutes, he shifts at my back until his breath tickles my ear.
“Kitten. Do you know the consequences of pretending to be asleep?” The way he delivers his threat in a sensual whisper has me growling.
Knowing full well he will deliver on the promise if I continue to ignore him, I break my silence, keeping my words clipped.
“You don’t scare me.”
He pulls away from me, allowing me to roll onto my back. Even in the darkness, I can see the honey warmth in his eyes that causes my gut to clench.
“On the contrary, Kitten. I think I scare you quite a lot. There is a big difference between fearing someone and being scared of them. You and your wolf know I would never intentionally harm you, so you have no reason to fear me. But if something was to happen to me, that would mean I was no longer around. That thought scares you more than you are willing to admit.”
“I saw the look on your face this afternoon in the parking lot. And I can make a bloody good guess on what he said to you, even if you’re unwilling to tell me. But make no mistake, I am not as easily dealt with as you seem to think. And I’m more than able to defend myself.”
Unwanted tears prick my eyes as the image of him laying cold and motionless in front of me fills my mind. He’s right, and I hate how right he is. I can bear any weight that’s put on my shoulders I could even handle him leaving again without a word. But the thought of never hearing his voice, or seeing his smile, has pain tightening my chest. I know deep in my bones that I couldn’t handle a world without him in it, alive. My wolf would turn rogue as soon as his heart stopped beating, forcing my brothers to put her down.
Soft fingers run across my cheeks, wiping away the tears I hadn’t realised were falling.
“I won’t leave you again, Rachael. No matter what happens, you are so very stuck with me. Stop fighting what is happening between us. It is time wasted apart when we should be in the moment together.”
“Accept me as your mate. We don’t have to bond tonight, or even tomorrow. Just be here with me and trust that we can figure everything else out.” His fingers bury themselves into my hair, as he angles my head towards him. Lowering himself slowly towards me, giving me time to pull away. But I don’t. I no longer have the strength to deny us what we need. I meet him halfway, bringing our mouths together in a heated kiss that sets me on fire.
Sweeping his tongue across my lips, I open, letting him plunder. Lost in the sensations, I lift my leg, wrapping it around him, holding his body in place, hard against mine. Dominic lets out a growl, exciting both me and my animal. Grabbing a handful of my ass, he uses it as leverage to ground himself into me, causing us both to groan.
Pushing through the cloud of lust, I pull my mouth from his. “I hav-ve a condition t-to us mating.” I pant as he moves to suck and lick at my neck.
“Tell me,” he orders, shoving my pyjama bottoms down to my knees, exposing my rapidly soaking panties to his eyes.
“You give me time to speak with the pack. If they can truly accept you as Alpha alongside me-” His fingers pulling my panties aside steals my thoughts. Anticipation burning up my spine. Making his way down my body, Dominic pulls my pyjama’s the rest of the way off. “You’ll accept me as your mate with the acceptance of your pack?” He says, baring me to his hungry gaze.
I lay frozen, fixated on his every move. His mouth hovers over my slick entrance. He’s waiting for my answer, I realise after a beat.
“Gladly.” The word’s barely a whisper, my hunger for him stripping me of my power of speech.
Dominic rewards me by taking a long lick, paying extra attention to my sensitive clit.
“At the party.” His breath tickles me, making me squirm beneath him.
Huh?
“We will tell the pack tomorrow night.”
That soon? Dominic doesn’t give me a chance to dissuade him. Stopping his teasing, he attacks me like a man starved. My world centre pinpoints on his every movement. His tongue. His fingers. His scent. The heady concoction has me mewling and shivering under him as he uses my body against me.
*
The next morning my head is bent over my first cup of coffee before anyone else is even awake.
Last night was almost perfect. I severely underestimated Dominic and his need for me. And mine for him. I didn’t let the disappointment that wedged in my chest make itself known, when I had realised, he had no intention of being with me fully. I have to remind myself that we couldn’t mate then and there. He had agreed to my only condition, after all. I knew I wouldn’t have been able to hold myself back from biting him and bonding us together forever. The Venus pack had to come first. I couldn’t afford any mistakes.
“You’re up early. I never thought I’d see the day.” I flip Liam the bird over my shoulder. Not bothering to turn around.
“Touché.”
“Fuck you.”
Chuckling, Liam makes himself a coffee before planting himself down at the table.
“Still pissed about the party tonight?”
Yes. “No.”
“You know you are a piss poor liar, Rae.”
“I know.” I sulk, banging my head on the table.
More laughter.
“Asshole.”
“Oh, come on, Rae. It won’t be that bad. The pack loves Dominic.”
“Yeah, I know. Its just-” Sneaky bloody wolf. “How did you know?”
“I’ve seen how you look at him, Sis. He’s your mate.”
So, this is what it means to be rendered speechless.
Were we really being that obvious?
“The pack will accept him, Rae. You just have to trust them.”
Easier said than done.
“What is your guy’s problem?” Cam whines. Not bothering with a coffee, he just slumps in a chair.
“You look like shit, dude.” I chuckle. And people said I wasn’t a morning person.
“Have you let the pack know about tonight?” Liam prods.
“Hmph.”
Raising a brow, Liam and I stare at each other.
“Cam? Are you inventing new languages again?” I ask, amused.
“Fuck you. That was one time. And I was eight!”
Liam and I just burst out laughing.
“So?”
“Yes, I sent out a group text last night.” He admits, laying his head on the cool table surface.
Great, there goes my scape goat. This is happening.
*
As I wrestle with the dark blue woollen turtleneck dress, I picked out for this evening. Strong arms circle me, making me jump out of my skin.
Dominic’s laughter has me wishing my arms were free so I could smack him.
“A strip tease? You shouldn’t have, Kitten.” His fingers dance along the exposed skin of my stomach.
Strip tease? Oh yeah, bet this looks real sexy. Hopping around my bedroom with a knitted death trap tangled over my head and arms.
“Help me!” I growl, stopping my struggles as I’m sure I’m only making it worse. Like a Venus flytrap.
Chuckling, Dominic’s hands start pulling at the soft fabric, showing me where the arms are.
Tugging the dress down, my head pops out the top, my hair static.
“Very sexy.” His purr has me rolling my eyes. “Lair.” Giving him a light shove, I move over to where I put my leggings and boots.
Arms circle me from behind, pulling me back against his chest.
“Perfect. Everything about you.”
His warmth sinks into my body, relaxing me.
Leaning against him, I tilt my head up to give him a kiss. It starts slow, sweet. When Dominic nibbles on my bottom lip, I moan.
Pulling away.
“Everyone is waiting for us.”
Unhappy that I’ve taken my mouth from his, Dominic trails kisses and small bites down my neck.
“Let em wait.” His voice has taken on that husky tone that I’ve come to love.
*
An hour later and we finally make our way downstairs.
“Finally decided to show, huh.” Cam smirks. “Was starting to think you guys were never gonna leave the bedroom.” I hear Maddi choke on a laugh at my idiot brother’s words. Mouthing a subtle fuck you to Cam, I head over to my best friend.
“Rae!” Embracing me, Maddi smiles before releasing me.
“Dominic!” Lifting her arms, she mimics the hug she gave me.
“Remember, if you hurt my friend, I have a huge backyard and a pack who wouldn’t mind helping me bury a body.”
I don’t have to strain my hearing to hear the threat she whispers into Dominic’s ear. To be honest, I saw it coming. From the shock and amusement in his eyes, maybe I should have pre-warned him. Even for an Omega, Maddison was a feisty one.
“I wouldn’t dare.” Dominic replies, holding back his chuckle, but the laugher lines around his eyes give him away.
Looping his arm around my shoulders, Dominic tucks me back into his side. Eyeing us both, Maddi nods approvingly before heading over to the kitchen.
“That went well.” Dominic hums over me.
Hopeless. Shaking my head, I gesture towards the backyard. “Let’s go see the pack.”
“As you wish, Kitten.”
“Holy crap.”
Smiling at Dominic’s surprise, I try to see the normally empty backyard through his eyes.
The guys have set up the usual seating area at the bottom of the porch. Music is playing from the speakers sitting at Cam’s bedroom window. The only light coming from the fire pit and the fairy lights in the trees.
There are a few couples dancing in a small clearing on one side of the firepit while others are gathered on the other side, smiling and chatting amongst themselves.
Huh.
Come to think of it, Dominic wouldn’t have ever seen the place like this. Pack parties are for the pack only. Outsiders are not normally allowed, due to the fact that some of us like to shift and run in our wolf forms.
The fact that Dominic is present this evening should be enough to let people know I’m serious about him. Glancing around the pack, I notice a few curious looks aiming our way. Thankfully, no one seems hostile towards the male at my side.
A low whistle comes from our right. “And here I was hoping Jamie was mistaken.”
Spoke to soon.
Twisting in Dominic’s hold, my attention lands on Alec. Prowling towards us bare chested, wearing only a pair of grey jogging shorts and trainers. I feel Dominic tense slightly at my side. Keeping my gaze on the approaching male, I catch Cam hopping down the porch behind his friend.
“Alec, come on, man.” Cam tries to dissuade his friend from coming closer.
“Looking good, Row Row.” My wolf doesn’t take kindly to the male appraising us, his eyes lingering far too long on certain places.
“Where have you been hiding lately? I’ve missed you.” The male continues to act as though Dominic isn’t there. Bloody hell, make one little mistake two years ago and it just keeps coming back to bite you in the ass.
Lifting my hand up to his mouth, Dominic kisses my palm. Giving the soft flesh a little nip.
“Sorry to disappoint you, Alfred. But she hasn’t missed you.”
Forced to notice the male at my side, Alec glowers.
“It’s Alec. Who’s this Row Row? Doesn’t seem like your type.” The arrogant male even puffs his chest out. Really, really should have seen this coming.
“Enough, Alec.” I growl, noticing the attention our small group is getting from the others.
~*~
The wolf really doesn’t seem interested in taking any notice of Rae’s order. Doesn’t take me long to connect the dots. Asshole sniffing around Rachael, thinking he’s hot stuff. Jud
ging by the intimate look on his face when he first came over. I’m betting an ex-lover who didn’t like being dropped. Tuff luck, pal.
I spot a small gathering of shifters in my peripheral vision. By Rae’s sudden stillness at my side, I’m guessing she spotted them too.
This dumbass is really starting to piss me off. Bad enough Rachael is worried about if her pack would accept her relationship with me. Now this jerk is trying to stir up trouble.
“What’s the matter, Rach? Worried I’ll wipe the floor with him?” Alec taunts.
Holding her tighter to my side when I feel her try to advance. “Easy, love.” I whisper into the shell of her ear.
Straightening to my full height, I roll my shoulder.
“Am I to assume this is your attempt at a challenge, Adam?” Dorian saw fit to pre-warn me this might happen tonight. Now that it was common knowledge that their Alpha has found a potential mate. Others within the pack would want to try their luck. Apparently for wolfs it comes down to a show of strength. A duel. If I want to become Alpha of this pack, I need to show them I can protect them, and my chosen mate from any rivals.
“My name is Alec.” The male growls, eyes flashing gold. Too easy. “You think you can take me and my wolf on?” His muscles shift under his skin.
“I don’t see why not.” Shrugging, unimpressed.
Delicate fingers dancing up my chest.
“Try not to damage him too much. I’ll be waiting.” Rae’s husky voice sends sparks of desire through my body.
Dropping my lips to hers in a sensual kiss that has the onlookers whistling and whooping around us.