by Alisha Basso
Elise gave a half smile and ducked her head, somewhat embarrassed at how the two women were chattering away about her mate. She was sure they didn’t mean anything by it. Letting their banter wash over her, she pondered the whole Kane-Marla-Ryne triangle.
Marla had been paired with Ryne, but when Ryne left she’d switched allegiance to Kane. How had Kane felt about that? Had he been interested in Marla even knowing that she’d been with his brother? From what Julia had said earlier, it sounded like others had believed Kane and Marla were a couple. Or did it only seem that way because Marla forced herself into Kane’s company? The woman was certainly pushy but Kane could discourage her, if he wanted to. The question was did he want to? He had spent quite a bit of time talking to her yesterday.
A strange feeling quivered through Elise’s stomach. While she wasn’t in love with Kane, it still made her uneasy to think that another woman had her sights set on him. Somehow, she just knew that Marla hadn’t given up on the pack’s Alpha.
Chapter 10
Elise and the other ladies arrived at the house to discover that the men were planning a barbeque. The weather was unseasonably warm for this late in October and a final outdoor meal had been deemed just the thing. Potatoes were already on the grill baking and the steaks marinating. Helen immediately switched into her super-hostess mode and began pulling the salad fixings out of the fridge. Phoebe headed home to get some pies for dessert, while Zoe and Rose began gathering plates, cutlery, and napkins.
Having been sent to count how many were actually there, Elise stood in the doorway and began to number off the people who would be partaking of the meal. There was Kane and herself, Helen, Zoe, Phoebe, their two spouses and four children, Rose, Daniel, John and Carrie, and two other couples whose names she couldn’t recall. In total that made nineteen people; she hoped there were lots of lawn chairs!
It turned out that there was no need to worry. The Alpha house was well-stocked with chairs, and Helen was more than capable of dealing with an impromptu meal for nearly twenty. Elise doubted she could ever be as organized as the older woman, and sincerely hoped that Helen would stay around for years to come.
The meal was a success and Kane had inquired politely how her day was. Elise skimmed over the meeting with Marla, instead commenting on how much she’d enjoyed their tea at the Grey Goose. Phoebe had chimed in, telling about the boots and handbag she’d purchased and Zoe described the new coats she and Rose had purchased. “But Elise didn’t buy anything, Kane; you won’t have to worry about her overspending.” Zoe had nudged Elise playfully to show the comment was a joke.
“You didn’t see anything that you liked?” Kane queried while serving himself some more salad.
“Not really.” Elise took the bowl from him and passed it over to Zoe.
“Oh, come on, Elise. You were almost drooling over that green sweater at Carter’s Casuals.” Phoebe chided.
“I didn’t really need it.” Elise murmured, glancing at Kane out of the corner of her eye. She’d really have to talk to him about getting a job.
Kane looked as if he was about to comment, but then Zoe’s youngest knocked over her glass of milk and in the confusion, the topic was dropped.
After dinner, a small bonfire was lit for roasting marshmallows. Everyone gathered round, couples naturally drifting together, while Helen benevolently watched her grandchildren running about the yard chasing the bubbles she was blowing for them. In the flickering fire light, Elise scanned the assembled group. Carrie was sitting between John’s legs with her back resting against his chest. John’s arms were wrapped around her swollen body, gently caressing her belly. Zoe was snuggled up to her husband and giggling at whatever he was whispering in her ear, while Phoebe sat beside her mate, contentedly holding his hand.
Elise had learned that the other two couples were Michael and his mate Susan, and Franz with his fiancée, Giselle. The two men had helped look for Thomas the night before. They were sitting nearby, quietly talking about a movie they had seen recently. Near the edge of the circle of light cast by the fire, Elise could just make out Rose and Daniel holding hands, the sight bringing a smile to her face. From what she had seen, they were well suited for each other, and she hoped things turned out well for them.
When everyone had first sat down, Kane had pulled Elise to his side, wrapping his arm around her waist. Now he was moving his hand across her thigh, tracing lazy patterns on the sensitive skin. She felt little frissons of awareness shooting through her body. It was decidedly unsettling how just his touch could affect her, and she wasn’t sure she liked him having such power over her. Surreptitiously, Elise observed him, noting that he seemed to be mesmerized by the dancing flames and totally unaware of what his hand was doing.
She traced his features with her eyes, taking in his straight nose and strong jaw. A strand of dark hair fell across his forehead; she had to clench her fists to keep from reaching up and brushing it back into place. Forcing herself to look away, she stared at the fire. Flames danced in the darkness, causing shadows to flicker across the ground and waves of heat to shimmer in the air. Occasionally a log would shift, sending sparks into the night sky.
The other couples could barely be seen as darkness descended. Encased in their own little pool of light, it was as if she and Kane were alone in the night. His scent drifted around her, invading her senses and clouding her mind. She felt herself leaning towards him. With a start, she pulled herself back and sought a means of distraction.
Reaching for a marshmallow and stabbing it onto a stick, she nonchalantly worked herself away from him. The slight distance made her feel better, more in control, and she breathed a sigh of relief. Concentrating on toasting her marshmallow to perfection, she withdrew it at just the right moment—the skin a warm toasted brown with the promise of a sweet, melted interior. She felt her mouth watering in anticipation and sat back, blowing gently to cool the treat in preparation for consuming it. Just when it was ready, a large hand reached around and pulled the stick from her grasp.
Indignantly, she turned around in time to see her marshmallow disappearing into Kane’s mouth.
“Hey! I toasted that!”
Kane grinned at her. “I know, and I thank you for preparing it just the way I like it.”
Elise opened her mouth to protest, but Kane swooped forward and covered her mouth with his. She could taste traces of the sweet confection on his lips and hummed in appreciation. Slowly, they withdrew and Elise found herself staring into Kane’s face, his amber eyes seeming to search hers for the answer to some unspoken question. Something tugged within her, as if she was being pulled into him and she struggled to read his enigmatic expression, wondering if he too felt that sense of connectedness.
Whatever Kane was looking for he must have found it, for he smiled and lifted her up so she was cradled between his knees, her rear end firmly in contact with him. He pulled her back so that she was leaning against his chest, similar to Carrie and John. Reaching around her, he put another marshmallow on a stick and prepared it, while his chin rested on her head. At first, Elise felt a bit self-conscious, but soon realized that no one was paying them any attention. Slowly, she relaxed within the warm circle of his arms and Kane, obviously sensing the change in her, growled his approval.
Over the next half hour, they fed each other marshmallows, each one accompanied by a kiss to clean the sticky sweet off their lips. Elise felt her breathing growing increasingly ragged. Kane wrapped an arm around her waist and gently rocked his hips against her. A heavy, aching warmth was growing within her and she pushed back against Kane in response. He muttered something indecipherable as he threw the marshmallow sticks into the fire.
In one swift motion, he scooped her up into his arms and stood. “We’re turning in now.” He announced to the others as he began striding towards the house.
Elise hid her face in his shoulder, embarrassed. “Kane! What will they think?” She whispered against his neck.
“That we’re newly
bonded and I can’t keep my hands off of my lovely mate.” And sure enough, the good natured calls that accompanied them across the yard left her in no doubt that the others were thinking exactly that.
*****
Upstairs, Kane placed her gently on the bed and stood over her, slowly removing his shirt. He hadn’t turned on the lights, but the illumination from the moon was streaming in, playing over the skin that he was revealing to her. If she hadn’t already been aroused from their kisses by the fire, the image of her mate’s body would certainly have done the trick. Elise drank in the sight of his powerful arms and chest, his taut stomach, the scar running down his side... She couldn’t imagine how much such a wound would have hurt and was filled with the need to comfort him, even though the pain was long gone.
Rising to her knees, she reached out and traced the faint pink line with her fingertips. At her touch, Kane’s hands stilled on the waistband of his pants and she looked up at him. His eyes were hooded and burning with desire. Daringly, she brushed his hands away and undid his button and zipper so that his pants hung loosely on his hips. Then she leaned forward and ran her lips along the length of the scar from his ribs to where it disappeared underneath his clothing. Nudging the material aside, she worked her way down to the end of the scar, which was just below his hipbone, then slid around to his stomach, teasing his navel with her tongue. Kane shuddered and grabbed her shoulders, pulling her up and kissing her hot and hard. With one hand on the back of her head, he slid the other one up her shirt, caressing her skin and unclasping her bra.
Elise pulled away, gasping for breath and Kane took the opportunity to shuck his pants and briefs before reaching for the edge of her T-shirt and tugging it over her head. Pushing her back on the bed, he made quick work of removing her pants and underwear, then crawled on top of her and resumed their kiss. His tongue battled with hers, while he used his hands to tweak her nipples and stroke her belly. Gently raking her nails over his scalp, Elise moaned in approval when he moved lower and suckled at her breast. Each tug of his mouth was met with a corresponding one inside her and she guided his head from one breast to the other, closing her eyes to concentrate on sensation alone.
A whimper escaped her when he left off his ministrations to move lower, but was soon replaced by sighs of delight as he invaded her core with his tongue and fingers. Knowing the exquisite feelings he could create, she didn’t protest when Kane nuzzled the juncture of her thigh, inhaling her scent. A rumble of approval rose from deep in his chest as he sensed her growing arousal. She knew she was being unbelievably wanton, but despite that fact, she watched him pleasure her and found that it was one of the most erotic things she had ever seen. In no time at all, her body reached its peak and she shuddered as the orgasm washed over her, leaving her breathless.
“That,” she panted, “was great.”
“Worth leaving the marshmallows and the bonfire for?” He teased as he slid up to lay beside her. Gently, he brushed her hair from her forehead, and then ran calming hands over her body.
“Oh, yeah.” Her heart was still pounding and she was having difficulty getting her words out between her rapid breaths. “But you didn’t...?”
“Not yet.” He moved his hips slightly and Elise felt his hot erection pressing against her hip. “But that was only round one.”
She rolled her head to the side and stared at him in surprise. “You mean I get to do that again?”
“Uh-huh, that’s my plan.” He nuzzled her ear and sucked her lobe into his mouth. A shiver ran through her. “Unless, of course, you didn’t enjoy yourself...” Kane’s voice trailed off and he looked at her quizzically.
“Oh, I think I can force myself to suffer through it one more time, just for you. It wouldn’t be fair to leave you in such an uncomfortable state.” She teased him back and he smiled at her in delighted surprise. Leaning over her, he began the task of arousing her once again.
*****
At some time during the night, Elise awoke to the sound of faint ringing. Beside her, Kane grumbled and kissed her cheek apologetically before rolling out of bed. Fumbling around on the floor, he searched for his pants and the cell phone that he’d left in his pocket. Through her bleary eyes, she watched him check the number, then pad into the sitting room and partially close the door.
Who would be calling in the middle of the night? Hopefully it wasn’t another pack emergency like last night. Straining her ears, she listened to Kane’s deep voice as he answered the phone.
“Marla? … No, no, of course you’re not interrupting anything ... Shh ... Don’t cry. What’s wrong? ... No, don’t hang up! ... You could never be a bother. You know you can call me anytime.” The door to the sitting room clicked shut, effectively blocking out the rest of the conversation.
Searching her mind, Elise tried to think of what could be so important, that Marla had to call in the middle of the night. And Kane hadn’t sounded at all put out. Hmm... What exactly was Kane’s relationship with the woman? Zoe and Phoebe had said that Marla had been chasing after Kane. Was she still trying to catch him, even though he was now bonded to another? And did Kane have any interest in her? He certainly didn’t sound upset by the fact that she was bothering him right in the middle of— Well, no. That wasn’t true. They weren’t in the middle of anything right now. Just sleeping. But it had been a companionable sleep with Kane’s arms holding her tight, her head cushioned on his chest.
Elise tried to stay awake until Kane returned to bed, but the hands on the clock kept moving and moving without him reappearing. Soon the ticking of the clock and the indistinct murmur of his voice began to lull her to sleep. Pulling the bed sheets up around her neck, she curled into a ball and closed her eyes, wondering when her mate would return to her.
Chapter 11
The next morning, Elise woke to the feel of Kane sliding his hand up and down her stomach. For a few moments, she pretended to be sleeping. Memories of the previous night drifted through her mind, and she couldn’t keep a smile from appearing on her lips. Never had she imagined that her body was capable of such feelings. Mating with Kane was definitely a special experience. She stretched and sighed happily, then snuggled in closer to him, inhaling the male scent of him.
“I know you’re awake.” Kane’s voice was gravelly, revealing that he hadn’t been awake that long either.
“No, I’m not.” She kept her eyes closed, wanting to prolong this companionable moment.
“I beg to differ.”
“Well, you’re wrong. I’m sleeping and I’m in the middle of a very pleasant dream, so don’t bother me.”
“I could make reality even more pleasant.” He allowed his hand to drift upward and cup her breast, gently kneading the soft flesh.
“Mmm... Maybe I am awake.” Elise opened her eyes, her lashes brushing against Kane’s cheek as he nuzzled her neck.
“Good morning.” His breath feathered over her ear and she giggled in response.
“That tickles.”
“Really? How about this?” He ran his fingers lightly up and down her sides and she bubbled with laughter, squirming away from him.
“Hey! I’m just waking up. No fair!”
“Who said I play fair?” He reached out and pulled her closer, tickling her one more time.
“You’re the Alpha; you’re supposed to set a good example.” Elise pressed her hands to his chest, involuntarily caressing the muscled surface as she tried to move away, but he was too strong for her.
“True, but no one’s here to see except you.”
“And I don’t count?” She tried to look affronted.
“You...” he leaned in to kiss her forehead, “count very much.” He kissed the tip of her nose, then pulled her close and tucked her under his chin. “You’re my mate.”
Elise smiled at the possessive way he said that. It was strange, but even after such a short time together, she found herself inexplicably comfortable with the idea of belonging to him. Maybe it was some ancient, instinctual thi
ng that made her feel connected to the first male who mated her. She supposed in the olden days such a bond would have been nature’s way of ensuring that two wolves stayed together to raise their young... Oh well, analyzing it wouldn’t affect how she felt, and at this moment she was happy to be with Kane, in his bed, knowing that he was happy with her.
Somehow, when they were snuggled in bed, she felt more at ease with him than she did during the rest of the day. Possibly it was because at least here she knew what to expect. In the bedroom, they had a physical relationship and that was it. The rest of the time, however, she wasn’t so sure. She was his mate, but exactly what did that mean? What was she supposed to be doing? How should she be acting? Whether it was true or not, she had a feeling that the others were watching and judging how she interacted with Kane. Was she being too bold or too submissive? Too affectionate? Too distant? She really wasn’t sure of her role in Kane’s life, or within the pack for that matter.
Suddenly a recollection from last night popped into her head. “Kane, in the middle of the night the phone rang, didn’t it?”
His hand, which had been drawing lazy circles on her hip, stilled for a moment before continuing its movement. “Did that wake you? Sorry. I tried to be quiet.”
For some reason that she didn’t even understand herself, she didn’t want him to know that she’d overheard him talking. She wanted him to tell her himself. “Was it an emergency?”
He sighed. “Kind of. It was Marla.”
Elise inwardly smiled. He had told her the truth. That must mean he wasn’t harbouring any secret feelings for the woman. “Oh. I met her yesterday—twice in fact.”
Kane shifted beside her and his voice subtly changed from one of teasing indulgence to a quieter, sterner Alpha tone. “Well, that’s one of the things she called about. Apparently, you were rather rude to her yesterday morning.”