Choices

by Viola Rivard

  While Alder silently considered the best course of action, Olive raised a hand, signaling something to her pack mates. Alder tensed, his body preparing for an attack. None came.

  Two females emerged from the forest, one pulling the other. The female being pulled was bound at the wrists, he noticed, with some sort of rope. He could smell her blood.

  “You can take this garbage back to your brother,” Olive said, pointing at the bound female. “And let me be clear that Whiteriver doesn’t want war, but if you attack us, we will be prepared.”

  Staring into Olive’s cold eyes, Alder saw no hint of the sweet girl she once was. Briefly, he regretted not advocating for her. He had stood by, remaining aloof while she warred with the decision of whether to follow her brother. Looking back with a more adult perspective, he realized that she had wanted to stay in Halcyon, but she was young and no one had ever told her that following Silas was a choice. In the end, she had done the only thing she’d known how to do.

  Alder watched as Olivia and her pack mate gathered up the body of their fallen comrade. They vanished into the forest, leaving behind a displaced scent of decay and the bound female, who sat on the ground, trembling.

  He could tell from her scent that she was a wolf, but he knew for certain that he’d never seen her before.

  Crouching beside her, Alder took in the extent of her injuries. There was nothing life-threatening, but the multitude of bruises and partially healed lacerations spoke of torture.

  There was a piece of cloth wrapped around her head. A gag. He reached out to untie it, but she flinched back.

  “It’s all right,” he said, managing to keep the anger from his voice. He reached out again, loosening the matted knot.

  He could hear his pack mates emerging from the forest. The female looked up, her eyes moving around fearfully as the curious beta wolves converged around them.

  Her wide gaze then centered on Alder. “I promise, I didn’t tell them anything. Please tell Hale that.”

  Alder did his best not to look confused. “Who are you?”

  “Tulip.”

  CHAPTER SIX

  Hale didn’t take her in through the main entrance, for which Taylor was grateful. Her dress was still full of onions and she knew Lark’s eyes would bulge if she saw Taylor returning with Hale in only her underclothes.

  A short way past the main entrance was a small waterfall cascading down the mountainside. Hale headed for it, not slowing his pace. Her hands tightened in his fur, fear taking hold of her as he dashed through the water.

  Taylor was so relieved that there was a tunnel on the other side, she didn’t even care that she was soaked. Laughing, she shook the water from her hair.

  As she was still coming down from the fear of careening into a wall, Hale shifted without warning. Her onions toppled to the floor and she gasped as the wolf beneath her began to contort and braced herself for the fall. It never came.

  Defying physics, Hale grabbed her mid-shift. His arms were humanoid, but still covered in fur when he gripped her thighs. As he held her on his back, she felt his fur recede into his body. It had to be one of the coolest experiences of her life.

  She intended on telling him as much, but Hale promptly dropped her. She staggered, gaining her footing just in time for him to push her against the wall.

  His arms caged her in. It was too dark for her to see his face, but she could feel the heat emanating from his body and she could smell his masculine scent all around her.

  “This is a back entrance to the den,” he told her. “The tunnel forks up ahead. One way leads to the main room and the other leads to my room. It’s up to you where you want to go.”

  Taylor began wringing her hands. “I’m surprised you’re giving me the choice.”

  More like disappointed. She had expected him to haul her off to his room and have his way with her. By asking her which she preferred, he was making her accountable for her decision. Maybe that was his intention.

  “What if I decide I want to go back to the main room?” she questioned.

  “Then I’ll take you there.”

  She could feel his warm breath on the nape of her neck. Within the cotton confines of her bra, her nipples hardened.

  “Really?” she asked, stalling.

  His breath was on her ear now. Why did that feel good?

  “On my honor.”

  His nose brushed against hers and she knew that their lips were only inches apart. If she wanted to, she could close the distance between them. In less than a second, they could be kissing and she knew that he wouldn’t stop there. Maybe Hale wouldn’t even take her back to his room.

  Maybe he’d take her right there in the tunnel.

  Maybe he’d take her against the wall.

  “You don’t strike me as being very honorable.”

  He gave a husky chuckle. “I’m not.”

  His hands moved to her hips and in one, quick movement, he pulled her panties down past her knees. His strong hands jerked her legs apart. She wasn’t sure what she’d been expecting, but it definitely wasn’t what he did next.

  Hale’s head went between her legs and without preamble, he was devouring her.

  The breath left her and something that sounded not unlike a sob burgeoned up from her chest. Hale had her clitoris in his mouth and he was sucking at it fiercely. She placed her hands on his head, bracing herself as her trembling legs threatened to give out.

  There was a pattern to his assault, she quickly realized. He sucked hard, drawing her stiff bud into his mouth. Then he would tease her with his teeth, raking their blunt edges across her clit, biting down just hard enough to scare her—just hard enough to hurt—and then he’d stop and lightly lavish her with his tongue, as if to soothe her.

  Then, he began all over again.

  During the third time his teeth gripped her, she came, hard. The darkness gave way to starbursts of color as ecstasy washed over her.

  The pleasure was cut short as she became intensely uncomfortable. Gathering her wits, she realized Hale hadn’t stopped eating her. Hypersensitive from climax, his ministrations now erred on the side of pain.

  She panted his name out and tried to push his head back. Hale didn’t budge, and when she pushed him again, he growled. Her knees went completely boneless as his growl reverberated through her nether regions.

  As if she hadn’t just climaxed, she was incredibly aroused all over again. The hands that had been pushing him away were now clenched in his hair, pulling him closer. Never taking his mouth from her, Hale pulled her panties all the way down and then maneuvered her useless legs until they were over his shoulder.

  She could hardly believe what they were doing. Her back against the wall, she crossed her legs behind him, sitting on his shoulders as he ate her out.

  The build-up to her second orgasm was agonizing. The build-up seemed to last forever and even when she finally reached her peak, she could only teeter on the edge. As if he somehow knew she was close, Hale abruptly slowed down, his tongue licking at her ever so gently.

  She waited for him to begin sucking again, to start using his teeth again, but he wouldn’t. She bucked her hips against him to no avail.

  He spoke, murmuring the words against her flesh. “What do you want?”

  Taylor couldn’t get the words out fast enough. “I want to come.”

  She felt gentle vibrations against her. Quiet laughter.

  “You’re not coming again unless you’re in my bed.”

  Her eyes widened. She’d forgotten all about the choice he’d given her. She tried to think straight. There were so many reasons she should say no, but her train of thought was being repeatedly derailed by Hale’s tongue.

  “F-fine,” she capitulated. “Take me to your bed.”

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  Hale lit a candle, bathing his female in warm light. Seeing her body splayed out on his pallet of furs, her skin flushed with color and her breath coming out in pants, Hale felt a rush of masculine prid
e and a strong sense of possessiveness.

  She fidgeted under his gaze.

  “Do we need the light?” she asked, pulling one of the furs up to cover herself.

  Hale set the candle down beside the pallet. He moved to lean over her, pulling the fur back to expose her body once more.

  “I want to see you every time you come.”

  She smiled at that. Hale liked her smile.

  “Every time?”

  He grinned, but didn’t respond. He was through with talking. The potent aroma of her arousal had his cock uncomfortably hard. Climaxing was no longer a desire, but rather a necessity.

  Hale enjoyed kissing, something which few of his females knew. He liked how soft a female’s lips were, the interesting things they could do with their tongues, and how they would often moan into his mouth.

  Kissing this female was different, he thought, as his mouth captured hers. She didn’t do any of the things he was used to. She allowed him to take complete control and seemed to be trying to keep up with him.

  It should have bothered him that she wasn’t asserting herself, as passive females were always a turn-off to him. But she wasn’t being passive. It was as if she was learning what he liked and then giving it right back to him, moving in all the ways that best pleased him.

  Hale’s hand gripped his cock as he settled his body between her legs. He ran the crown along the seam of her sex, hoping to tease her, but in the end he was only torturing himself. A groan escaped him as he felt how slick and wet she was. Wet for him.

  He pressed the head of his cock against her entrance. Despite how wet she was, he couldn’t slip easily into her tight cleft. Pushing his hips forward, he sank into her slowly, savoring each and every inch.

  So fucking tight.

  When he was fully inside of her, Hale shuddered. It was better than he’d remembered. She was everything his brother had described to him. A little warmer and a little softer than the females of his own kind, but there was more to it than that. He wanted to remain that way, nestled deep inside her while he puzzled over this, but the urge to thrust quickly became unbearable.

  She whimpered as he began to move, and Hale lost whatever composure he’d had left. Growling, he thrust into her hard, again, and then again, drawing more sounds from her.

  Hale was aware that his growls had turned to words, but he wasn’t aware of what he was saying. He was consumed by the need to come, to release himself inside of her. So consumed that he hardly registered her own climax begin. He could feel her walls contracting around him, but it wasn’t until she screamed his name—his fucking name—that he completely lost it.

  He came all at once, hot seed surging up and spurting into her. His climax had been abrupt, with very little build-up. As he came down from the height of his pleasure, Hale was almost disappointed. This sentiment was short-lived, as his cocked suddenly spasmed again, a fresh wave of pleasure rolling over him as he poured more seed into his mate.

  It happened several times and all Hale could do was cling to her damp body, groaning, cursing, and telling her that she belonged to him.

  He held her for a long time after it was done, his hands moving restlessly over her body. The need to climax had been replaced with the need to touch her, to feel every part of her.

  Hale could still remember thinking, after the first time he’d had her, that their coupling would be significant, but this, this was even more than that. Would each time they were together be more intense than the last? And after this experience, how could he ever desire another female again?

  The last thought disturbed him. He rolled over onto his side, keeping their hips joined. His cock had begun to soften, but he didn’t want to leave her.

  To his annoyance, she tried to move away from him. His hands gripped her hips, perhaps too tightly, and he growled low in his chest.

  “I just want to get comfortable,” she said.

  Giving in, Hale released her, not at all liking the feeling of his cock slipping from its warm cocoon. He thought she was wanting to put some distance between them, but was surprised when she turned to nestle her body into the crook of his arm and rest her head on his chest. It was the same way she had cuddled up to Alder the day before. He liked that.

  Hale could tell that she was falling asleep. It annoyed him, and he found himself wanting to do something very strange. He wanted to talk to her.

  He nudged her. “Taylor.”

  “Hm?” was her sleepy reply.

  “Don’t sleep.”

  She opened one eye. “What?”

  “I’ll want you again in a few minutes.”

  Now, both of her eyes were open and she laughed. He liked it when she laughed.

  “Again, seriously?”

  Hale thought for a second, and then said, “At least twice more.” This seemed to surprise her, which prompted him to ask, “How many times does my brother take you when you couple?”

  Her body tensed. “I don’t want to talk about Alder when we’re in bed together.”

  He could tell she felt guilty, which annoyed him on multiple levels, but he changed the subject. Sort of.

  “Then what about the other males that you’ve been with?”

  Hale realized that it was important to him that he satisfied her more than past partners. She seemed to have enjoyed herself, but he had never been with a human before. Perhaps there were things he should be doing differently.

  “There hasn’t been anyone else,” she said quietly. “Only Alder, and now you.”

  He blinked at her. “You were a virgin?”

  She nodded, worrying her bottom lip.

  Still finding it hard to believe, he asked, “How old are you?”

  “Twenty-two.”

  “And you were never with a male before my brother?”

  Her eyes narrowed. “Can we not talk about this? I thought you said you wanted to have sex again.”

  Hale swiftly pulled her legs apart. Her folds were still drenched and he pushed into her with minimal resistance, enjoying the sound of her gasp.

  “No wonder you’re so fucking tight,” he growled.

  He was able to go for longer the second time, and if it was possible, his climax was even better than the last. By the third time her legs shook as he flipped her over onto her knees and taught her how to mate like a wolf.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  Taylor collapsed down on the sweat-drenched furs, her mouth taking in deep lungfuls of air, as if she had just come up from drowning. In a way, she had.

  Hale was a maelstrom. He would pull her under and each time she thought it was over, he’d pull her down again. She’d lost count of how many positions he’d put her in, how many times she screamed his name, and how many times he’d made her come.

  When she regained her equilibrium, Taylor dared to look down at him. She half-expected him to mount her again, but at long last, the alpha looked completely worn out. His head lay on her chest, his mouth half-heartedly licking at one of her tender nipples. Experimentally, she lifted a hand to stoke his hair.

  His eyes, which had been heavy-lidded, closed completely and his chest rumbled with something that bore an uncanny resemblance to a purr.

  Staring down at his contented face, Taylor felt something in her chest, something that hadn’t been there before, something inexplicable.

  Hale must have sensed the shift in her mood because his eyes cracked open. The candle had melted considerably but still burned brightly, its light reflecting off his multi-chromatic orbs. He pushed himself up, his weakened arms trembling slightly, and he moved so that his face hovered over hers.

  “I want you in my bed every night.”

  If she’d thought Hale couldn’t possibly make her bashful after everything they’d done, she’d have been wrong. She tried to make light of what he’d said.

  “You should probably pace yourself, otherwise you’re going to get bored pretty quickly.”

  That seemed to annoy him. “Who says I’m going to get bored?”r />
  There was that stupid feeling in her chest again. She tried to stomp it out with cold, hard logic. She was with Alder. She couldn’t possibly have feelings for two men at the same time. And if she had to choose one or the other, it most certainly couldn’t be Hale, the one who was eagerly awaiting her being pregnant so that he could start sleeping with other women. She seriously needed to figure out which part of her brain was being so moronic and lobotomize it.

  “Never mind,” she said, and then, feeling him against her leg, added, “You can’t possibly be hard again.”

  “I can’t help it.” He collapsed onto her again, nuzzling his head into her neck. “But I won’t be able to come again unless I have something to drink and maybe some meat.”

  At the mention of food, her stomach let out a loud growl that could rival any of Hale’s. He chuckled into her neck before sitting up.

  With a teasing look, he said, “I’ll have to see if there are any plants around the den for you.”

  “I think my onions are still on the floor out there,” she said, making herself sit up.

  Hale watched her stretch, his eyes on her breasts. Unexpectedly, his hand reached out to touch her. Much the same way his brother had, he ran his thumb down the length of her scar.

  “You were hurt?” he asked.

  She watched him trace her scar, surprised that it didn’t bother her to have him touch it. “My heart wasn’t working, so they had to take it out and replace it.”

  He raised a brow. “They can do that?”

  She nodded. “They can replace a lot of things where I come from.”

  “Will it happen again?”

  “I don’t think so,” she said with a shrug.

  “You don’t think so?” he repeated, his eyes narrowing.

  Taylor sighed. “I also don’t think that the wind will stop blowing or the world will stop spinning, but life’s too crazy for certainties. I sure as heck didn’t think I’d end up here with you.”