by M. L. Briers
‘Easy sweetheart-‘
‘So tired-‘ She breathed, the exhaustion of her body echoed in her mind as he pulled her tighter against him, cradling her head against his chest.
‘I have you love- rest now.‘
Jake had spent the better part of the night in his wolf form, tracking the scent of his mate through the woods- she hadn’t made it easy- her trail had weaved and wound across the land- backtracking over her own trail as she used the very woods themselves to mask her scent as best she could- but Jake was an excellent tracker and was only thrown off her trail once, having to backtrack on his own path as she misguided him through the stream, leaving her scent in numerous places, but he had picked up her trail and now he stood naked in the silence of the woods, propping up a tree trunk with his shoulder, arms folded over his broad muscled chest as he watched her sleeping.
He wasn’t sure if she had chosen to sleep naked in human form or if she had transformed from her wolf at some point after she fell asleep- it was possible that she had held her wolf form for too long as she had tried to mask her trail from him and the beast had retreated as she slept. But the sight of her lying nestled against the soft ferns, a naked female, his female, beautifully rounded in all the right places had him hard from the moment he had shifted to human form.
He was more than tempted to join her- to spread her thighs and nestle his face into her scent- to bring her awake with his tongue stroking over her sex- sliding his fingers into her wet warmth- until she begged for release which he would give her, over and over- but that would be akin to taking her by force- although she wouldn’t reject him out of instinct- she would capitulate out of need and want and desire for her Lycan mate- and he was in no way opposed to making his mate submissive beneath him- he would first get her eager agreement to the mating between them.
Jake saw her stir, her wolf senses reaching out even as she rested to find him there- her chest rose as she breathed in his scent on the gentle breeze, her heart skipped a beat in her chest before settling into a solid faster waking beat- he could smell the anxiety come off her in waves as her muscles tensed even though she was trying her hardest to give the appearance of still being asleep.
He smiled to himself- his body already primed for her sudden rush to get away from him if she moved, right now she seemed caught up in uncertainty, undecided on her best course of action.
“Don’t run.” Jake felt his wolf stirring within him- the beast wanted her to run- run so he could hunt her down, but if she did that then Jake would stand little chance at keeping his beast in check and he wanted this to go smoothly, or as smoothly as it could go considering she was rogue and had already run from him once- if he was human he would still have the duck egg sized lump on his skull to prove it- lucky for her he didn’t bare grudges easily.
He watched her take a long breath into her lungs, her lashes flicking up as she stared him right in the eye defiantly.
“I’m leaving the witch alone what more do you want?”
Jake tipped his head to the side and regarded her with an amused look that made her want to hit him for the second time. “Three guess Shay- but I’ll be disappointed if you need more than one sweetheart.” The low rumble of a growl drifted below his words and left her in absolutely no doubt as to what he wanted. He looked at her and saw his mate- she on the other hand wasn’t so generous.
“I’m not mate material- move on Beta-“
“How do you know I’m a beta?”
“This isn’t my first picnic- I always check out the pack whose territory I’ll be crossing-“ Jake shifted his weight- the ache at his groin from seeing his mates beautiful body on display, an arm rested across her naked breasts and her hip twisted down towards the floor baring his view of her more intimate places, but they were already burned into his memory from their last encounter.
“Sure you weren’t just checking me out?” He grinned and her eyes narrowed on him, disbelief rife.
“Your ego is epic-“ She shot back and he grinned down at her.
“And you need to lighten up Shay-“
“And you need to leave me alone Jake- I’m really not what you’re looking for-“ She shifted in place, rising up onto her hand, her back half turned to him in a show- less of modesty and more of denial.
“You’re my mate- other than that I have no expectations-“
“You want to bond with me and tie me to the kitchen sink- spitting out a couple pups here and there-“ The venom in her voice wasn’t lost on him.
“You forgot the part where you’re my sex slave, there only for my bidding- my wants and needs.”He teased and watched her suck in a long breath and let it out on a sigh.
“You know that sounds like the only part that actually holds any damned interest to me-“ She bitched back and Jake grinned to himself.
“Why wait then?” He threw out at her, making no move towards her.
“And then what?- Domestic servitude- no thanks.” She shot back and he shifted in place again, her eyes shot towards him, but she didn’t turn her head to look- to see if he was coming for her, her muscles tensing down her back.
“We have little choice- we’re mates.” He gave a small shrug off his shoulders and watched her lashes float down to her cheeks as she considered his words.
“I could kill you- problem solved.” She flicked a long look at him, a challenge in her eyes and he considered it.
“Am I going to have to sleep with one eye open?”He was teasing her again and far from being amused she was getting irked- he may find their situation funny, she did not.
“As long as you sleep elsewhere you’re safe.” Shay offered cutting her eyes at him and regarding the ground in front of her. The look of defiance on her face was mixed with sadness, for what he wasn’t sure, but he’d damn well find out.
“Now see I have a problem with that- to pleasure my mate and then just up and leave would be rude- don’t you think?”
“I think you think too much of yourself Beta.” She was challenging him again- this time his sexual prowess and he didn’t much care for it, although he would acquiesce his wolf’s desire to take her then and there.
“I can prove it to you-“ He dropped his arms to his sides and she tensed again, a slight turn to check out if he was coming for her.
“Back off.” She snapped out even though he hadn’t made a move towards her and he spread his hands before him, showing her he was no threat to her, at least not in that moment in time.
“Don’t you feel the pull Shay?- the need to have me buried deep within you?” He didn’t need an answer, he knew she felt it in the same way he did- it was an ache- like a hunger on an empty stomach but so much more.
“I don’t want you.” Shay denied her feelings, the longing within and he sensed how uneasy she sat with the lie- it was good to know she had remorse for deceiving her mate.
“Oh, you want me alright- you’re just scared-“
He saw her balk at the word- her eyes flashed anger as she turned them on him. “Scared?” The word rolled off her tongue as though so very distasteful to her.
“It’s understandable-“ Jake continued ignoring her anger- he took a step towards her and she flinched, her eyes held the trepidation that washed through her.
“Bite me-“ She spat out the challenge unthinking as she calculated her best chances to get away from him, the gentle rumble of his chuckle catching her off guard and stilling her in place as he closed the distance between them and settled down onto his haunches. His arms resting against the tree trunks of muscled thigh as his hands hung loose by his knees.
“I intend to sweetheart, but not until after I have tasted you- taken you so completely that you’re begging me to sink my fangs into your neck while you come over and over again.” He dropped down onto one knee, his eyes locked on hers as her tongue slid across her dry lips- the scent of her arousal spiking the air around them and he breathed her in, his eyes darkening.
“It’s not going to happen-“ Her voice
shook with trepidation and the lust for him that was pulling her resolve- muddling her brain.
“I can smell you want me Shay- let me taste you to know that your essence is as sweet as your scent.” He slowly reached out his hand and his pulse raced when she flinched- fear- his mate had fear for him- damn. His heart hurt.
“Why do you want this?” Shay’s voice was small but she still tried to hold onto her defiance, he might be cupping her chin but she still held it firmly in the air, proudly.
“Because you’re the other half of me-“ He smiled down at her- his eyes dark with desire but still kind and in awe of her. “- the half that will make me complete. Don’t you feel that Shay?” He phrased it as a question but the Lycan in her should have the answer firmly inside her.
“I don’t know-“ She turned her eyes down and away from him, the slightest of shivers running through her body- but it wasn’t a chill- her blood was practically boiling within her and had been from the moment he had touched her.
“Open yourself up to me sweetheart- reach out for me with all of your senses-“
“No.”She twisted her chin from his hand, her body angling away from him even further. Jake dropped his hand back to rest on his thigh, he regarded her side profile, she didn’t look as though she had the thought to run from him- but she still held the defiance within her.
“Want to tell me why?”
“Because I might not be able to shut you back out again.” The frown tugged her brows downwards- she seemed like a petulant child- but he knew that there was more, something behind her fears- her worries that needed to be resolved before she would submit to their mating.
“Would that be so bad love?”
“I don’t-“ She shook her head- her mind becoming clouded with his nearness pulling at her- the longer he was beside her the less she was able to think clearly.
“To have a mate- a pack-?” He offered and she turned on him, her head spinning around and her eyes fixed on his, the emotion within her raging.
“How would I know what it’s like to be part of a pack?” She almost bit off her own tongue in frustration- she hadn’t meant to say that- why had she told him that?
Jake tipped his head to the side and regarded her with curiosity, “ When you were a pup-?” He asked and she shook her head adamantly before turning away from him, her eyes searching the ground for something and nothing- her emotions flaring to the point where she wanted to bolt.
Jake sensed her unease- saw the tension roll through her as her muscles tightened and her fear resurfaced- she was struggling with so much- “Then you’ve never known peace?” His hand settled on her shoulder and she jumped in place, a wince distorted her face before she settled beneath his touch.
“Define peace-“
“Tranquillity- Serenity- Calmness- Contentment-“
“I do ok on my own-“ She almost snapped back at him, twisting her body to try to shake his touch from her- it was so much easier to think when he wasn’t there- now he was touching her she knew just one thing- she wanted him.
“You’re not on your own anymore sweetheart- you have a pack now- you have a mate now-“ He saw some of the tension leave her body- she flicked her eyes to his face over her shoulder in a fleeting glance before dropping them back to the ground.
“Why haven’t you just taken me- you could have last night when you hunted me down- you could have taken me while I was sleeping just now- I see your arousal- why do you wait?” Shay set her jaw as she drew long deep breaths into her chest through her nose- her lashes closed over her eyes for the briefest of moments as she waited for his reply.
Jake took a breath and blew it back out as he sat back on both knees and reached out for her- bringing her back against his chest he wrapped his arms around her protectively, her head fitting beneath his chin as he felt her melt into his embrace.
“I couldn’t do that to a woman- least of all to my mate- I would never hurt you Shay- I will protect you with my life because you are my life- from the moment I found you to the moment we are separated by death I will honour you-“
“If I submit to you-“
“I think you have some crazy mixed up notion of what a mate is-“ He brushed his hand down the bare skin of her arm, he couldn’t not touch her and she responded to his touch, her body seeking his.
“Enlighten me Beta-“ He heard the slight sarcasm in her voice and couldn’t not grin, his mate was certainly going to be a handful- just as he hoped when he had dreamed of this day- he had wished for a spirited mate and Fate had given him a rogue with attitude.
“Let me show you- come back to the pack with me.” He wanted her now- he wanted to take her right here on the ground, but she wasn’t ready to believe yet- in mates- in pack life- in him. If she had never been part of a pack before then her parents had been rogue and he wondered what her notion of pack life entailed.
“I –“ She bit down on her nervousness- she had stalked the Alpha’s mate- how warn a welcome would she receive? “The Alpha’s mate is-“
“Unharmed and will stay that way- it would be a different matter entirely if you had actually attacked her- Ryan knows you’re my mate- you won’t be harmed.” Jake’s words assured her.
“My clothes are-“
“We can shift- when we get to my cabin I’ll sort you something out.” He wouldn’t allow her to put obstacles in the way. She would come back with him either now or after he sat here with her for as long as it took to persuade her.
“Fine.” She knew he wouldn’t let up until he got his way and she didn’t feel like being dragged through the woods naked, better to save her energy for her escape.
Nicole stirred in the bed, the moment she was roused from her sleep she could feel him about her, the heat of his body pressed against her whole right side as she lay with her head resting against his chest- her palm flat on the ripped muscles of his abdomen, her leg over his and his arms about her- who else could it be but him, she could sense him- her body almost humming a vibe that called to her womanhood.
She pressed her palm to his chest and pushed up- there was hardly a muscle in her body that didn’t protest in some way- she was sore- but in a good way- but that didn’t stop the little whimper escaping her lips or the wince that crossed her face.
In an instant her world spun about her and she found herself flat on her back on the bed, her dazed and confused mind trying to figure out which way was up as her eyes focused on his concerned face.
“Are you hurt?” His tone was demanding and she felt her irk gene kick in- concern was fine with her- but she wasn’t about to put up with his Alpha mucho attitude, especially now. She was still formulating her answer when he palmed her cheek and stared down into her eyes, the hardness of his face softening- “Sweetheart- did I hurt you?” The gentler tone to his voice sent her irk gene packing.
“A little sore- but not hurt.” He looked relieved- actually physically relieved and she frowned up at him.
“Do you want to tell me what the hell happened- not that I’m complaining- it was intense- but I am concerned that you passed out.” There was a growl in his voice and that demanding tone was back again- damn it- couldn’t he just be less of an Alpha?
“I think my magic met your wolf and it kind of got away from me- I’ve never had anything like that happen before-“ He seemed to settle a little easier, his fingers brushed over her cheek and set a fire within her.
“But you feel alright now?”
“A little tired-“ She admitted and he frowned down at her again, his eyes narrowing as he mulled that over in his mind.
“Then you should sleep-“ He decided starting to roll away from her and she snorted.
“I don’t want to sleep-“ Nicole pushed herself up on her elbows- her muscles protesting the move as he sighed.
“But still- you need to rest-“ He couldn’t understand why his mate felt the need to challenge him, especially about something as stupid as resting.
“Not going to happen-“ She wen
t to move away from him and his arm came down around her effectively caging her in.
“Nicole-“ He growled- the sound reaching deep within her psyche- god she was putty in his hands, how had that happened?
“Ryan don’t be an arse- let me up.” She snapped back and saw the amusement mix with annoyance in his face. He liked that she had a backbone, but still she needed to learn to listen to someone other than her own counsel.
“Woman will you just do as you’re told-“ He growled, but in a half hearted way this time- but that still didn’t stop her balking at his words.
“Woman-? Really? You’re a real dick aren’t you?” If she were a she wolf her heckles would be standing on end. Ryan assessed her mood and decided that she wasn’t quite ready for the Alpha approach and over something like this, he could use another tact- persuasion.
“Speaking of which-“ He shifted his weight in the bed until he was leaning over her- his knee nudging her thighs apart as he advanced up her body giving her no other choice but to slid down off her elbows, her palms flat against his chest as he grinned down at her. “If you are recovered enough to want to leave this bed then-“ She felt the heat of his hard shaft rub over her thigh- a rush of heat shot through her body and pooled between her thighs- she was wet and wanting with just that simple act.
“Ryan-“ She licked her lips, the sudden thirst taking her- but that thirst was for him- she wanted him deep within her again- damn this mate thing.
“Shh- we can argue later-“ He mused before taking her mouth with a kiss that was both dominating and so very exciting- her fingers running down his abdomen until she found his erection- her fingers fisted tightly around his shaft and she stroked him- the deep growl that rumbled into her mouth making her wetter still for his entrance.
Ryan felt her melt beneath him, the fire that had flared in her eyes shuttered behind closed lids as she stroked him until he was rock hard and aching to be within her body- he liked this form of distraction tactic, it would work well for future rows.