by SL
wooded glade, reeling in the glory of being a male alpha wolf. But,
today, he only wanted to return home.
Home.
His heart ached as he thought of the modest dwelling. He'd bought
the house right after his first big construction job. It was far enough
from the town limits to give him privacy. Yet, it was also close
enough to hurry into town in case his pack needed him. He loved
living alone ... until now. The sight of Jac making herself comfortable
in his surroundings had touched something inside him. Something
more than lunar-induced lust.
Then, it dawned on him.
She belonged there.
Jac belonged with him.
Ray stopped along the snowy trail and shook his head in disbelief.
No! That's not possible! A low grumble of irritation escaped from the
back of his throat. However, his gut was telling him otherwise.
A familiar scent snapped his attention back to his surroundings.
The aroma of burning wood was coming from the direction of the
house. Ray picked up his pace, a wave of panic rippling through him.
He galloped up an embankment of white slush then stopped.
From the top of the small hill, he surveyed the property. Nothing
appeared wrong. The house was nestled among the snow-capped
trees in the afternoon sun, looking as warm and cheery as a Yuletide
greeting card. The scent of firewood drifted from the chimney and his
truck was still parked in front of the house, where he'd left it the night
before.
She's still here! Ray puffed a big breath of relief. He was happy
she'd stayed, but he was dreading having to face her and deal with the
repercussions of his transformation. Then, again, he had to see her.
He had to tell her the truth –even if it meant losing her. Pushing aside
his anxiety, Ray made his way down the slick slope. He was extra
careful to watch his footing. He had no desire to slide his way down
the hill ... tail first.
Reaching the bottom of the slope, he trotted to the backdoor.
Drawing a deep breath, he turned within himself and felt the rapid
metamorphosis take place. The sithech retracted while his human-
form rushed forth until the change was complete. Ray rose to his feet.
He cursed under his breath, quivering as an icy chill ran over his
naked body.
Motivated by the cold and without a second thought, he rapped on
the door. Taking a step back, he waited. He heard her quick footsteps
as she raced to the door and swung it open.
"Ray! Thank goodness you're okay!"
There was an expression of relief on her face. His heart skipped a
beat.
"Don't just stand there. Get inside." She gestured with a wave of
her hand. "You must be freezing."
"Uh, not quite," he replied with a smirk. "I had on my fur coat until
a few moments ago."
"Very funny." She shook her head, stepping back to let him enter.
"There's a warm blanket on the sofa. You go wrap up by the fire and
I'll bring you a cup of hot cocoa."
Grateful he was inside, Ray headed for the living room. Just like
she'd said, a blanket was on the sofa. The fire in the hearth filled the
room with warmth while Ray sat down, wrapping up in the soft,
snuggly material.
"You've been gone a couple of hours," Jac said, crossing the room
with a large mug in her hand. "I was getting worried about you."
"You were?" He raised an eyebrow, attempting to sense her mood.
But, being with her again only scrambled his senses. He had to regain
his focus.
"Here." She offered him the steaming mug before she sat down on
the floor, Indian-style, in front of him.
Ray nodded with gratitude then took a big sip of cocoa. The
chocolaty drink, tasting delicious and comforting, slid down his
throat, but Jac held his attention. He focused intently on her from
over the rim of the mug.
She appeared unfrazzled, but, it was as he'd thought. He could
sense faint traces of fear in her aura. After taking a few more sips, he
placed the mug on table and cleared his throat.
"Jac, I'm really sorry if I scared you. That was not my intention.
Please accept my apology for not telling you the whole truth." He
lowered his eyes, staring down at his hands then cast a worried glance
back to her. "I won't blame you if you want to go back to the hotel
tonight. I can call Bruce and get him to – "
"No." Her eyes widened. She seemed offended by his suggestion.
"I'm not leaving. Well, not tonight."
"What? Why not?" He was stunned by her reaction. "Don't lie to
me, Jac. I can also sense things most humans can't ... and I can sense
your fear. You afraid of me."
Jac's heart was hammering in her chest. Afraid or not, she didn't
want to leave him. Drawing a deep breath, she sat up on her knees
and eyed him wearily.
"Well, yeah. Wouldn't you if someone changed into a wolf before
your eyes?" She rubbed her sweaty palms over her lap. "I mean it
may be normal for your family but – "
"My family? How do you know about my family, Jac?" His voice
was low and husky, yet calm.
"Megan called after you ran out. She knew something was wrong."
Ray's serious expression changed. The corners of his mouth curled
up into an amused smile. "Yeah, my sister is intuitive. The women in
our family have that ability as an extra bonus, you might say."
Jac nodded, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "She told
me about your family, the ancient wolf blood and the way the moon
effects your ... your kind."
She studied his face, admiring the way his dark hair accented his
features. The quiver of fear inside her dissipated as another feeling
emerged. Desire. True desire for the man seated before her. Her
body hummed to life. The handsome man on the sofa, wrapped in
nothing but a blanket, was having a strange effect on her.
The living room suddenly grew very warm. Like before, the sexual
tension crackled between them. Jac wondered if it was just her, but it
wasn't. Ray held her gaze. There were inklings of lust mirrored in his
eyes. Slowly drawing up on her hands and knees, Jac crawled over to
him and stopped.
"Well, I may not be affected by the moon nor am I a wolf, Ray."
She smiled up into his face. "But you're certainly having an effect on
me."
A serious expression returned to his face. "Jac, you've had two
close encounters in the past twenty-four hours with our kind and – "
"I know. I know." She shrugged, "But with you, it's different."
Ray exhaled a slow, steady breath, but remained silent.
"Okay. Sure, I was frightened when you changed," she confessed,
"But, after your sister explained the sithech to me, I understood better.
I still have lots of questions, but that doesn't change how I feel about
you, Ray McShaw."
He quietly studied her face, but Jac could tell he was deep in
thought. Some of the things she'd said had even surprised her, but it'd
been so long since she wanted someone like she wanted Ray. She
only praye
d he still felt the same way ... at least for one night.
Her nipples hardened beneath her sweater, responding to the
invisible attraction between them. It was more than chemistry. It was
magical.
"I'm still attracted to you." She smiled up into his face.
Ray shifted on the sofa, letting the blanket fall away from his
shoulders. Jac's heart skipped a beat, admiring his fine-muscled torso.
He leaned forward, offering her a hand.
"Well, why don't you climb up here?" The sexy rumble in his voice
sent goose bumps over her arms.
Jac nodded, placing her hand in his. She reeled in the warmth of
his familiar touch while he effortlessly drew her into his lap. He
smelled like fresh soil, dark and earthy, mingled with the sensual
scent of musk. An untamed aroma which spiked her lust.
"Mmm! You smell good," she giggled. "I just wanna rip off this
blanket and do wild things to you!" To accent her point, she wiggled
her bottom against his taunt thighs.
"Hold on, woman," Ray groaned. "You do realize you're
propositioning a sithech?"
Jac raised an eyebrow. "Oh really?" She smirked.
"It's not nice to tease a horny wolf," he added with a playful grin.
"Wolves are known for their vivacious sexual appetites. Especially
during a full moon."
His jovial mood made her laugh out loud. "Yep," she nodded. "It's
called full moon fever."
A lusty expression crossed his face then softened. "But, this time,
Jac, I will control myself better. I don't want to scare you again ...
ever."
Ever.
It sounded so permanent. Emotion caught in Ray's throat. His own
promise took him off-guard. To his relief, Jac only nodded. With a
seductive gesture, she drew her hands over his bare chest. The heat
radiating from her palms wiped his mind clear of anything but her
close presence.
He'd been reining in his senses, trying to calmly apologize to her
and remain in control, but now he was possessed. Encircling his arms
around her waist, his mouth slanted over hers. His tongue swiped into
her mouth for a deeper, longer kiss. She tasted like chocolate and sex
while her tongue dueled with his. She felt so good his arms. And,
despite her clothing, he could smell her hormonal attraction to him.
The hot, musky scent washed over him, tugging at his heart and his
groin. Ray detected no trace of fear in her anymore. She was just a
vibrant woman who was a perfect match to his passionate nature.
He pulled away, gazing into her dark, dilated eyes. Her cheeks
were flush with desire and her lips swollen from their heated kisses.
"You're amazing," he growled.
Her nipples brushed against his chest, teasing him from beneath her
sweater. Ray snatched the bottom hem of her sweater, swiping it over
her head. To his delight, she was wearing no bra. He lowered his
head, flicking his tongue over the puckered tips. Jac moaned,
writhing wildly against his mouth.
"Oh God!" She panted. "That feels good!"
A wave of smug satisfaction washed over him, knowing he was
pleasing her. He suckled her breasts until her body went limp in his
arms. The sound of her raspy breathing filled the living room.
Still embracing Jac in his arms, he rose, effortlessly lifting her. He
laid her out upon the carpet in front of the roaring fire. The snaps and
pops of the blaze echoed the excitement coursing through his veins.
His body was white-hot with desire and his cock was hard as a rock
between his thighs.
As if reading his mind, Jac slid a hand to his erection, encircling her
fingers around his girth. He gasped, channeling the primal, raw
emotions which now pumped through his veins. Ray's senses were
thick with a cloud of pure lust.
Jac loved the feeling of the velvety firmness in her hands while she
stroked his length. She knew he would be long and round enough to
fulfill her. Moisture trickled from her pussylips. Her sex clutched
with longing. She wanted him – all of him – inside her.
"A condom," she panted. "In my bag." Jac gestured to her laptop
bag beside the sofa. A moment of clarity flickered in his eyes. Ray
reached over, unzipping the side pouch. Her heart drummed madly in
her chest. She shimmed out of her pants, tossing them aside then
waited. Her entire body was ablaze with anticipation.
With a quick rip, he'd opened the packet, deftly rolling the latex
into place before positioning his body over her. He leaned in, kissing
her. Jac's senses reeled, her breath stolen away by his heated kisses
while a gentle hand drifted down over her belly to the slick folds of
her sex.
Ray slid a finger into her pussy and began to stroke inside her. Jac
trembled, the world around her dissolving into a happy blur. She
moaned against his lips, her entire being reaching out to the man
making love to her.
I want more.
Ray peeled his lips from hers and gazed into her eyes. "More,
huh?" He flashed a feral grin. The fine hairs covering her body stood
on end, but the sensation was washed away by the wild desire
coursing through her veins.
"Yes, more," she pleaded softly.
Without hesitation, Ray pressed the tip of his cock to the heated
entrance of her sex and rocked his hips forward. A low moan escaped
from his lips as her slick tightness surrounded him. He was caught up
in the sheer joy that was echoing through his body.
Jac stirred beneath him. With an excited whimper, she curled her
legs over his shoulders and took him deeper inside her velvety canal.
"Oh God! Oh yesss," he hissed, acutely sensing every twinge of
pleasure which rippled within her. Lust racked his body, yet his mind
went silent. His hips rocked, thrusting into her with heated strokes.
The world spiraled like a pinwheel.
Ray gritted his teeth, desperately attempting to prolong the intimate
connection. But buried deep inside his lover's body, holding off was
next to impossible. Her pussy fluttered wildly then gripped him
tighter. Jac gave a loud moan of pleasure and release. The delicious
impact of her orgasm rippled through his cock. Ray also felt it in his
heart.
She was his everything.
She was his mate.
And, with that, he came.
* * * *
Jac stirred from deep sleep, feeling all warm and fuzzy. The harsh
glare of the morning sun momentarily stunned her. She squinted open
her eyes. For a moment, she couldn't recall where she was. She
glanced around and it all came back to her.
She was lying on the sofa's pullout bed. In the fireplace, ashes
smoldered from the remains of last night's fire. Jac snuggled beneath
the blanket with her head resting on one of the sofa's plush pillows.
Sunlight streamed in through the bay window, reflecting the
brightness of the white snow outside. Birds were chirping in the
distance and, from the direction of the kitchen, she heard someone
shuffling around.
Jac propped up on her elbows. The spot on the mattress beside her
bore a large indention. The scent of sex still lingered in the air. A
smile curled over her lips. There was a delicious feeling of
satisfaction between her legs, yet other muscles in her body ached,
reminding her of the repercussions of unbridled sex.
"Good morning." His warm, husky voice was like music to her ears.
"I thought I'd return the favor." He grinned, stepping close to the sofa-
bed, and planted a tender kiss on her forehead. In his hand was a
steaming mug. The aroma of coffee filled her senses as he gingerly
offered her the mug.
"Ah, that smells good. Thanks." She grinned up at him. Wearing
nothing except a pair of burgundy jogging pants, he was freshly
showered and still damp. The scent of soap and manly goodness
filled the room. Ray was too fine for words.
She fondly recalled their passionate encounter in front of the fire
the night before. Heat trickled down her spine. Jac did her best to
control the emotions swirling inside her and took a sip of hot coffee.
Ray crossed to the window and looked out. "It's a beautiful
morning. The weather's clearing up." He turned to her and smiled. "I
was thinking about heading into town and taking you with me."
"Sure. I'll grab a quick shower then we can go. Anyway, I'll need
to stop by the diner to check my email and contact my editor."
The smile on Ray's face faded to a concerned expression. "Are you
still going to write the wolf article for The Inside-View?" He angled
his head, placing his hands firmly on his hips. "I'd advise you against
it."
"What do you mean, 'advise me against it'?" She scowled, placing
the half-empty mug on the table beside the sofa-bed. "It's my job ...
my career. I'm up for a promotion and this story will be the clincher.
If I don't meet my deadline, it's back to shuffling papers and editing
other reporters' work."
"I'm sorry, Jac, but you're still not out of danger." Ray gave a heavy
sigh.
"I'm not?" Her stomach churned with renewed nervousness. "What
do you mean?"
"It's just a hunch, but we think someone found out about your story
and might be stalking you in wolf-form." Ray frowned. "And until we
catch the sithech who attacked you, you're not safe."
A shiver went down her spine. "We? We who?"
"Me, Bruce and Ernie," Ray replied with a soft sigh. "As long as
we're around, we promise to keep you safe – so don't worry."