by Dawn Forrest
It never occurred to her to feel unsafe at The Den, as it was like a second home, but he was correct in that there were many more werewolves here for the Council Gathering whom she didn’t know.
“I would never go with another.” She was quite proud of the fact that she managed to say the words with only a slight quaver in her voice.
“As if you could stop a werewolf. I just demonstrated that.”
He was right.
“I’m sorry you were worried. I was only gone fifteen or twenty minutes at the most.”
“You could be killed or hurt in less than fifteen seconds. Now I’ll ask again, where were you?”
“Don’t talk to me as if…as if I’m your property. You’re not the boss of me.”
Okay, so it sounded petulant and childish and it probably wasn’t the smartest way to behave, but she wasn’t about to roll over and set that as a template for the rest of their relationship.
“That is exactly what I am. You are mine. I am your mate and will be soon your Alpha and Prime. You do belong to me. Answer the question.”
She seethed. Oh, he did not just say that! Her temper overrode her fear and maybe her good sense. She figured that if she was in it for a dime she might as well be in it for a dollar.
“I am a grown woman, and I had something I wanted to do. I don’t need your permission.” She pointed and wagged a defiant finger at him. “You go ahead, do your worst and rant and rave all you want to, but it’ll get you nowhere.”
His eyebrows shot up in surprise.
“Oh, I’m not going to rant and rave. There is a good reason why you shouldn’t challenge an Alpha male—we just can’t resist it.”
With that he pounced and moved so quickly that she didn’t know how she was suddenly laying over his lap as he sat on the bed.
“What are you doing?” she cried out in outrage.
“Isn’t it obvious, little one? I’m not doing my worst, but you need some discipline, and a good spanking should do the trick.”
Before she could process his words or have time for her indignation to build, she heard fabric rip as he shredded her jeans with his claws. It was clear that he wasn’t joking.
“Okay, okay I’ll tell you! I–I took food to–to Joanna and the Siberians.”
He stopped all movement for about ten full seconds and then even more zealously shoved down her panties, leaving her ass bare.
Hell, it was time to explain quickly before he did something she’d regret.
“She is all alone here, Mike, and I thought that she could use a friend. They ordered food from the main kitchen, but there were no mated, non-Alpha Pack members around to take it. I agreed to do it so that I could speak to Joanna.” She babbled out her explanation truly believing that it would get her out of…what? Punishment? Surely not, and anyway how bad could a little spanking be?
“Yet I expressly told you not to go to the cabin.” His tone was still dangerously low as his hand lightly caressed her buttocks.
She hated to admit it, but his light touch felt very pleasant, and, well, maybe she was up for a bit of “discipline.” She’d read enough erotic romance to be interested, and her fear began to lessen as her arousal grew. He would be aware of it for sure, and it might distract him from his original purpose.
She moderated her tone of voice to that of a contrite little woman, hoping to distract and calm him down. “I know but…but I thought that because they had started the mating process it would be okay.” She wiggled her bottom and hoped that by reminding him of sex he’d quickly get to the good stuff. “They asked for the food, so I wasn’t going uninvited and unexpected. I was doing Mark a favor.”
“Mark?” The caressing stopped abruptly.
“The chef you had pinned up against the wall. Oh God, is he okay?”
She heard a low, mean growl.
“He’ll live, but why do I smell him on you?” He snarled the question.
“Mike, I’ve known him all my life.” She rushed her words, knowing that he wasn’t happy. “When I left the hall I wasn’t looking where I was going, and I accidently ran into him.”
“I understand why you took the food. You are a kind and thoughtful woman.” She relaxed a little over his knee. “But you are my kind and thoughtful woman, and you should have spoken to me first. I cannot have you disobeying me and possibly putting yourself in danger. It’s your first time, so I’ll go easy.”
“Eh?”
Slap!
“Ow!” That darn well stung.
“One,” he counted out.
Slap!
“Mike!” she yelled as he spanked her on the other fleshy buttock.
“Two.”
“Put me down right now!” she shouted.
Slap!
“That hurts!”
“Three,” he said with a strained voice.
Slap!
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” she cried out.
Her ass burned hot. This wasn’t the playful paddling she’d read about in kinky novels. What a load of crock that was. There was no dreamy pleasure involved. It just stung like the dickens.
“Four.”
Slap!
She whimpered. Tears were actually beginning to form in her eyes. It wasn’t that he was really hurting or injuring her, but the fact that he felt he needed to do it in the first place. For some absurd reason she felt that she had let him down.
“Five,” he croaked.
She sobbed and said nothing. The palm of his hand brushed lightly over her exposed skin. He leaned over and blew cool air onto her hot flesh before gently kissing it.
“I don’t ever want to spank you this way again.” He sounded as if the words were choking him. “But if you disobey me or go off alone without telling me where you are going, I will.”
He allowed her to slip to her knees, but she couldn’t bring herself to look at him and see the disapproval written across his face. She hung her head and fought hard against the sharp tears that welled in her eyes and threatened to overflow.
“Look at me,” he softly ordered.
She sniffed, took a deep breath, and raised her head, but she was unable to focus properly. She blinked rapidly to try to capture the tears forming and had to drag her sleeve across her eyes to clear her vision. Mike took a sharp intake of breath, and his face was stricken with dismay. His strong arms encircled her and pulled her up to his broad chest.
“Please don’t cry.” His voice cracked.
“I’m sorry,” she sniveled.
“So am I,” he said regretfully. “It’s new for me, this possessive, uncontrollable need to be near you and protect you. I have tried to keep it under control when I am close you. I was so worked up trying to find you that I almost lost it when I detected your scent on Mark. I’m not a bully, and I’d never hurt you or force you to do something that you didn’t want to do, but I am a Prime and an Alpha, and that means being the most dominant Were in several Packs. You must understand this, you are Were.”
She nodded, caught his gaze, and held it for a moment. Her heart thudded rapidly out of synchrony with her breathing and the rise and fall of her chest. Through the connection they shared, she was drenched in the wave of his need for her, his hope for the future, and his utter faith that she was his. She understood that he was worried for her safety because she meant everything to him. She gasped a breath. She hadn’t known the force of such emotion before. He was very dominant, but she just hadn’t seen how much so until now. He had obviously tightly tethered his beast when they made love, in order to be gentle and not scare her, but truth be told she liked a dominant man. Nature would not have given her such a mate if they were not compatible.
He deserved her respect. She settled back on her knees and placed her head sideways in his lap, exposing her throat while wrapping her arms around his knees.
He sighed. “I love you, Angela.”
He stroked her hair, and she could feel his cock through his jeans, lengthening against her cheek.
&
nbsp; “Mike, take me as my Alpha, love and fuck me as my mate. Don’t hold back, give me all of yourself.”
He was on her like white on rice.
Chapter 11
“That smells great. I’m so hungry I could eat a scabby horse.” Joanna breezed past Yuri and snagged the food basket on her way to the kitchen.
Both of her men were staring at her. Vlad had a bemused look on his face, but Yuri’s was expressionless.
“Oh stop fuming, Yuri. I can feel you from here.”
She froze midunpacking of the goodies because it was true, she could feel the mix of emotions rolling off him. He was a little angry, a lot anxious, aroused, and felt possessive and protective toward her. It must have something to do with her biting him.
“Let’s eat, raise our blood sugar levels, and then talk. Don’t be upset with me.” She spoke as soothingly as she could because she really didn’t like the way it made her feel all squirmy and uncomfortable. She moved over to him and stroked his back and shoulders as she snuggled close.
“Da. Eat, talk, and fuck. Then feel much more happy.” Vlad smirked.
Yuri snorted but seemed to relax. She had just discovered that he really liked to be touched and caressed, and that she liked doing it.
They sat at the table, but Yuri insisted that she sit on his lap, and he fed her most of her food. It was delicious, and as they talked she polished off both steaks and all her fries.
“So what do you guys do for a living?”
“We have much land including large nature reserve. We have mineral extraction company. There are many plentiful natural resources that we use carefully for the good of the Pack. We are being responsible for our Pack security and well-being.”
“Are all your Pack Russian? Does anyone else speak English?”
“Nyet, not all Russian. There are Pack members to talk to, do not be having worry. Movement is being much more easy since fall of Soviet Union and our Pack is strong with new mates who have English.”
That didn’t sound too bad.
“What do you like to do for fun?”
They blinked at her, and a slight pinking of Vlad’s cheeks told her some of it. She groaned. “Apart from sex.”
“We like to hike, cross-country ski, and, like you, we enjoy to ride motorcycle.” Yuri paused for a moment and looked at her sternly. “Do not be thinking to slide on motorcycle again.” His hand subconsciously rubbed his chest over his heart.
Before she could protest, Vlad added, “We have big library in our castle and movie room. We like American action movies.”
“You live in a castle?” she asked.
“Da, very old but now very comfortable. It was not always so.”
“We train and fight to keep skills and fitness. We will teach you some defensive moves, it will be good for your safety,” Yuri declared.
“Oh, I can fight,” she said, feeling smug. Her mother had made sure of it.
Yuri’s eyes widened. “I am looking forward to seeing this.”
She was, too. Just the thought of sparring with her mates sent a shiver of lust up her spine. She wouldn’t have to hold back, which was a first for her.
Yuri’s nostrils flared. He could clearly smell her desire and gave her a knowing smirk. Since she had sunk her teeth into him, tasted his blood as she took his semen within her, she felt a stronger connection to him. He stroked her hip as he held her closer.
“What do you do for to work, my Joanna?” Vlad asked.
She explained her job and the fact that she now worked on her laptop, wherever she happened to be. Yuri seemed to perk up at this news.
“So you can be working from all locations, including Siberia, no? This is very good. We have office in castle and satellite connection. Communication is no problem, so you will be happy.” There again he displayed that arrogant confidence that both annoyed and turned her on.
“So you will allow me to work in between sex, birthing, and looking after offspring…great.”
Fortunately they recognized sarcasm.
“You do not want children?” Vlad sounded puzzled and upset.
“I…look, I only met you today. Yes, I want kids, but I’ve not given it a lot of thought. Would it be so bad to wait a few years?”
The twins looked at each other, and unspoken communication passed between them.
“We can wait,” Yuri said reluctantly.
“If you do not be happy, then we do not to be happy also. But I do not promise to stop tempting you,” Vlad explained.
Wow, shortie down, homie down, Angela was right.
“I went on the pill as soon as I ‘became.’ Oral contraception,” she added for clarity when they looked confused. “But I’m unsure how effective it is for my beast form or with my general physiology. In all probability, you may get your wish sooner rather than later. But thank you anyway.” She reached out and cupped Yuri’s face. He smiled, leaned in, and rubbed his cheek against her palm. Such little-yet-intimate gestures they made, and yet it meant a lot to them all.
“We intended to leave two days after the full-moon run, but I am thinking you will want to stay here a little longer?” Vlad asked.
“I would appreciate time to see my mom and make sure that she is okay.”
Jesus, in a short time she would be bound to two mates and on her way to Siberia. She would never in a million years have seen this coming so soon.
“I am feeling with energy again. The food was good, but I still have a hunger.”
Vlad swept the plates aside, peeled off her bathrobe, and easily lifted her off his brother’s lap and deposited her onto the table. He stood between her wide-spread thighs and loomed over her as he gently pushed her to lie down. She felt herself relax and her body become compliant despite being laid flat on a hard surface. His hands trailed over her breasts, pausing to gently tug on her taut nipples before resuming the sensuous sweep of her torso. His long hair tickled her skin. She moaned with pleasure and approval of his touch. With a deep growl he sat down on the chair, still positioned between her wide-spread legs, and dipped his head lower. He kissed and nibbled the soft sensitive skin on her thighs, teasing her as he slowly worked his lips closer and closer to the apex of her legs.
He was taking his very sweet time about it so that when she eventually felt the glorious sensation of his hot tongue pressed against her clit she cried out. Already she was so close to coming that she panted hard, moaned, and squirmed in his hold. She heard and felt vibrations of his chuckle against her sex.
“I am loving the little sounds you make when you are being excited,” he murmured.
She growled in bliss as he resumed the circular teasing of his tongue, stimulating the receptive nerve endings that fired synapses of pleasure throughout her core. Her pelvic muscles clenched and spasmed as the climax bloomed, expanded, and tore its way up her spine, escaping in the scream that left her throat.
Vlad stood, ripped the towel away from his waist and plunged into her. Her last coherent thought, as he surged through the waves of her contracting cunt, was that he was well named. Vlad The Impaler.
“Oh my God, oh my God,” she chanted between snatched breaths.
Her orgasm didn’t stop but continued to blossom and grow. She wrapped her legs high around his hips to keep from being shunted up the table as he fucked into her with abandon. He hooked his arms beneath her shoulders and pulled her onto him as he shafted her hard, fast, and deep. The pleasure rolled on and on until it was too much to hold. She dragged him closer with her hands tangled in his long hair. All that broiling, seething sexual energy they’d built detonated with her bite to his shoulder. He stiffed and roared as he poured his seed into her. She howled loudly as the metallic taste of his blood in her mouth opened him to her. He was hers.
“Mine!” she growled savagely before she slumped back on the table and nearly passed out.
“Holy Fuck,” whispered Yuri.
* * * *
Katherine sat at the rustic wooden dining table and ate s
ome beef stew. She wasn’t a fancy cook but could rustle up a few tasty staple meals. Unfortunately her taste buds were subdued by her concern for Jo. She had to force herself to chew and swallow each mouthful, knowing that she would need to be in peak physical condition if she were to go up against the Pack. Silver-nitrate bullets, surprise, and, she hoped, a reluctance to kill a female were about the only things on her side. The odds were not in her favor, but then she’d never been one for betting.
It wasn’t pitch-black outside the cabin tonight because of the cloudless sky and the bright, nearly full waxing moon. The cabin wasn’t connected to the electricity grid, and there wasn’t a generator, but she preferred the cozy light cast from the flames of the fire in the hearth and a few kerosene lamps and candles. The stove, fridge, and heating all ran on gas, and there was a large LPG tank behind the building. Sitting by the fire, curled up on the comfortable, over-stuffed sofa, she selected some of her favorite stirring Maori battle verses on her electronic reader to get into a valiant frame of mind. After five minutes she gave up. What she really needed to do was relax, switch off, and lose herself in a bit of fantasy. She trawled through her collection of romances. No, she did not want to read anything to do with werewolves—she was living it. An historical western ought to do the trick.
Twenty minutes later, she had only managed to read a few pages because she just couldn’t concentrate. There was no way she would be able to settle and sleep tonight if she didn’t check her phone messages one more time. Giving thanks for the fact that she had enhanced night vision, she decided to run up the mountain again, taking her gun just in case she met something more dangerous than her. Fortunately she managed to avoid what would have been a very unpleasant run-in with a skunk and reached the top of the ridge in half an hour.
She nearly wept with relief when she heard Jo’s voice mail. She didn’t recognize the number that Jo had used to call her from. She knew that she shouldn’t call back, but her need to speak to her daughter was too strong. Biting her lip she hit the return-call button and anxiously listened to the dial tone while waiting for someone to answer. Whoever owned the phone was taking their sweet time about it.