by Marie Mason
He continued to stare at the ceiling as doubts crept in on him. Could he do this? Could he take a mate? Satisfy a mate? He’d let his need overtake him again last night and they still hadn’t discussed what it would mean if they did mate. Marry. Not just from the shifter perspective, but because of his obligation to the military.
He eased out from under her and sat on the edge of the bed, his head in his hands. “Fuck.” The curse was low and succulent. His wolf was pushing at him, snapping and snarling that the man would even think about not claiming his mate. Especially now. Now that they had both had a taste of her.
His phone vibrated on the nightstand and he grabbed it like a lifeline. Maybe his mission had been moved up. He hadn’t exactly told Julie the truth last night. He could have gotten them out of here yesterday if he’d wanted to. The roads had been cleared enough for him to make it out in the Hummer. But he’d decided to stay. Needed to stay as close to his mate as he could.
Since neither of his brothers had ever gone through the mating process, he had no firsthand knowledge of what to expect. Just the stories he’d heard from the mated men on his team. And he always took their exploits with a grain of salt. Even shifter sex couldn’t be as good as they sometimes claimed.
The display told him it wasn’t his sergeant with a mission update. It was Logan.
Grabbing the phone, he walked across the room and opened the curtains to check the weather. It had stopped snowing. The last little band of bad weather had dropped another three inches on the area. According to the forecast that should be the last of it. He expected the snowplows to come by again sometime today. Tomorrow at the latest.
And then he could take Julie home.
Or ask her to stay.
“Hello.”
“Are you okay, bro?” Leave it to Logan not to beat around the bush.
“Yeah. You and Jarod?” He knew if his parents or sister had been having trouble, someone would have already contacted him. He and his brothers liked to take care of things themselves, rarely asking for help, Hunter more so that the other two. Logan was the intermediary, checking on Jarod and Hunter more frequently than they asked how he was doing.
“I haven’t spoken to Jarod since Friday, but I’m thinking he’s doing just fine since he finally got off his ass and claimed Sara.”
Hunter stopped breathing for a moment. His brother had claimed his mate?
“Hey, you’re not upset are you?” Logan asked. “You like Sara, right?”
It wouldn’t matter if Hunter, or anyone else in the family, didn’t like Jarod’s chosen mate. Jarod would still claim her.
Just like Hunter should claim Julie
Damn, damn, damn.
“Sara’s a sweet woman. She’s got a little sass in her that will keep Jarod on his toes. Is that why you called?”
Of the three brothers, Logan was the more family oriented man, and ironically the one with the worse reputation as a playboy. “No, that’s not why I called. I expected you to call when you found a safe place to stay.”
“You’re not Mom and you aren’t my sergeant at arms. I don’t need to keep you apprised of my every move.” He didn’t know where the anger was coming from. Perhaps the noose slowly closing around his neck? If he took a mate, he would be answering directly to her, curtailing his actions to suit her needs.
“No, but the snow storm is still causing some major problems. You could have been stranded on the side of the road for all I knew.”
Hunter looked toward Julie, still asleep on the bed. “Not quite what happened, but close.”
Something in his voice must have revealed some of his inner turmoil. Or else his brother was just a damn good guesser.
“Oh, shit. You found a mate too, didn’t you?” Logan’s deep laughter rang in Hunter’s ear.
“Yes.” There was no use denying Julie was his mate. That wasn’t the problem. The problem was him.
“You don’t sound very excited.”
“Why the hell would I be excited? Once this snow melts, what the hell am I going to do with a mate?” Hunter had never discussed his missions with his family before. They just knew he disappeared sometimes for weeks at a time.
“Maybe it’s time you said goodbye to Uncle Sam.”
Hunter ran his fingers through his hair in frustration. Hadn’t he been thinking the same thing? But hearing it from someone else made his back bristle. He’d never been one to be forced into doing something.
“The military has been my life for close to twenty years.”
“And your mate will be your life for the next seventy-five years. It’s a no brainer, bro, and you know it. You couldn’t be away from her for that long of a time, even if you wanted to. Besides, would it be fair for her to sit at home worrying about you every time you stepped onto a plane? Mom and Dad, not to mention Jarod and me worry enough about you.”
Hunter snorted. “Maybe Mom. Dad doesn’t give a shit and you and Jarod are horn dogs who don’t care about anything but how to find more pussy.”
Silence greeted his statement and he wondered if he’d gone too far. “Hey, Logan, I didn’t mean—”
His brother cut him off. “I know that’s how it seems, but I’m just searching. Jarod was too, until he found Sara. So you damn well better believe that when my mate comes along, I’m not going to pull some bonehead maneuver that you seem to be talking about and what Jarod has done for the last six months.” He paused for a moment. “And Dad does give a shit. More than you probably know.”
Hunter pulled the curtain close. He needed to go for a run and Julie still needed her sleep. He’d ridden her hard and rough last night. Literally.
“But I don’t want a mate.”
Logan. “Sometimes, fate gives us what we need, not what we want. Call if you need anything. Remember, Jarod and I have your back.”
They said their goodbyes and Hunter disconnected the call. Glancing back at Julie, he debated waking her up and telling her where he was going then thought better of it. She looked too peaceful. Besides, there weren’t too many places he could go, she’d figure it out. Pulling on his clothes, he grabbed his keys, deciding to start the Hummer to make sure the battery stayed charged. Come tomorrow, they would be on the road again.
And he’d have to make a decision about exactly where they’d be going.
Closing the door softly behind him, he left the hotel room.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Julie held her breath until Hunter stepped out of the room. Tears filled her eyes when she replayed the conversation she’d just overheard in her mind.
Hunter didn’t want a mate.
Hunter didn’t want her.
She hugged the pillow to her, remembering the euphoria she’d felt just yesterday morning. The tears slid down her face, wetting the cotton of the pillowcase. How, how could her heart get broken so quickly and so easily?
Last night, she’d started to trust him. Lord, knew she had already fallen in love with him. Probably had when he’d reached inside the car to rescue her, even after she’d struck him with her ice scraper.
Making love with him had pushed her over the edge.
He was kind, considerate and a provider and protector. Look what he had done for the strangers in the hotel to make sure they had food?
Pushing herself out of the bed, she took a quick shower and dressed in a pair of jeans and another thick sweater. She needed to go for a walk, clear her head. No doubt, they would be leaving shortly, maybe even tonight if the plows came through this afternoon. She bundled up the best she could and walked to the lobby on the snow trodden path. It was slippery and she missed the feel of Hunter’s hand on her arm, keeping her steady. Keeping her safe.
Ten minutes later, information in hand about a car rental agency up the road, she looked at the parking lot, realizing several cars had already left. So there would be no reason for them to stay tonight.
A couple with three children were digging out their older model SUV, smiling and laughing as they made a m
emory out of the moment. She took in the winter wonderland that the storm had left behind. The cold surrounded her like a physical thing. She felt like she was swallowing little cubes of ice with each breath. Tiny fingers of cold prickled her exposed skin, sharp and deep as if trying to draw blood.
She stood for a few more moments before heading across the parking lot to the small open space just beyond. As soon as she reached it, she saw one set of large, human footprints. She had no doubt that they belonged to Hunter.
It was easy to follow the tracks. As the cover grew denser, the tracks stopped, then several lines crisscrossed as though he had walked back and forth several times over the same area. There were no tracks beyond that point. Except for a set that had to be from a wolf.
Her wolf. No, not her wolf. He didn’t want her, remember? She forced the tears away. He hadn’t really lied to her, maybe mislead her a little. Or she could just blame her romantic heart with running away with her common sense when he’d started talking about mates.
They’d had two fantastic nights together, but she knew what happened in the heat of the moment was not the true reality in the light of day. He’d never shown her his wolf, maybe she could catch a glimpse of him, just once, before he realized she was near. That would be another beautiful memory to take with her when she left. Deciding she should just go find him, she followed his tracks.
She’d tell him she wanted to leave today. If he wouldn’t take her, maybe she could hitch a ride with another family. Maybe that’s what she should do anyway. She walked on, her focus still all in her head. The distraction of her thoughts prevented her from seeing the small drop off just ahead. The next step she took sent her tumbling down a small incline. When she finally stopped she was laying face up, staring at the snow covered trees above her. Her breath formed a white cloud as it escaped her body in gasping huffs.
Well, she thought, still a little dizzy from the fall. That was fun. Not. With a little more effort than she wanted to exert, she was able to sit up. Dusting the snow from the sleeves of her jacket with her bare hands, she regretted forgetting her gloves in her car once again. In minutes, her hands were cold blocks of ice. As soon as she tried to stand, she realized she’d suffered a little more damage than she thought. Her hip was hurting, no doubt where she’d bumped against buried rocks and protruding tree limbs as she’d fallen.
That wasn’t the worst of it. Her foot, the one that she’d stepped off with, was throbbing like a bitch all of a sudden. The pain, no doubt initially dulled by the adrenaline rush she’d experienced as she fell, returning at a furious pace.
“Crap on a cracker.” She was in a whole heap of trouble if Hunter didn’t come out of the woods the same way he’d entered them. If he didn’t, she was somehow going to have to walk back to the hotel under her own power. Cold, tired and limping.
To make matters worse, it had started to snow again. How much freaking snow was in the damn clouds, she thought as misery washed over her? She resisted the urge to just flop back down in the snow and have a good cry, letting the fates do with her what they would. Just then, she heard a howl in the distance and prayed it was Hunter and not some random wild wolf lost in the suburban area. Sounds of twigs snapping reached her ears long before the big black wolf appeared.
By the time the wolf reached her, Julie’s relief at being rescued had been overcome with her humiliation of needing to be rescued. Rescued by a man who had broken her heart in two.
The large wolf padded over to her, his nose to the ground as if he was sniffing for her scent. That gave Julie pause. It was Hunter, wasn’t it? Just before the animal reached her, it stopped and looked at her with the same intense dark gaze Hunter had when he was human.
“Okay, okay. I shouldn’t have come outside. That doesn’t mean you get to eat me.”
The wolf growled and Julie blushed thinking of what the man had done to her just this morning in the big king-sized bed.
In the blink of an eye, the wolf was gone and Hunter stood before her, proud and naked in the winter snow falling around him in huge featherlike flakes. They landed on his dark hair, an instant contrast. Clinging to his eyelashes, they drew her attention to the deep dark pools of his eyes. Something almost haunted resided there.
His biceps bulged, pumped up from the shift no doubt. His chest rose and fell directing her gaze to the flat plane of his stomach…and further down. His cock was hanging heavy between his thighs. Thighs that were as thick and round as some of the trees that surrounded him. Man, oh, man why wasn’t the snow beneath his feet melting? The man was hot.
“You’re never going to do exactly what I tell you to do, are you?” he said silkily.
“What makes you think you have the right to tell me to do anything?” She waited to see what he would do next all the while trying not to stare at the cock hanging between his legs. A body part clearly not affected by the snow.
One eyebrow rose in response to her question, but she ignored it, taking a tentative step forward. She bit her lip to keep from whimpering in pain.
“What are you doing out here?”
She closed her eyes, willing the tears away. “I wanted to talk to you. I think it’s clear enough for us to leave.”
She opened her eyes to see him staring at her, that unblinking stare she found so intimidating.
“Do you now?”
She crossed her arms in front of her chest. “Yes, I do.”
“Well, it’s a good thing you’re not the one making the decisions.”
“Now, wait just a damn minute.”
He knelt down in front of her, his naked body giving off a wave of heat that she had come to crave. Instinctively, she moved closer, knowing on her primal feminine level that this male meant protection. Life. Survival.
“You are damn lucky I’m not going to strip you and take you right here, right now.” With those erotic words, he reached out and scooped her up in those powerful arms. Striding back the way they had come, he carried her to where he’d stashed his clothes. Propping her against a bent oak, he quickly dressed and picked her up again.
It didn’t take Hunter very long to have them back in their hotel room, warm and safe once again. He carried her to the bed, and walked past her to turn on the heat full blast.
Julie was glad because she’d never admit just how cold she was from rolling around in the snow.
With deliberate movements, he took off her outerwear and hung the coat and scarf on the back of the chair. He, naturally, hadn’t worn a coat out in the cold. The man was a freaking furnace and didn’t need the protection against the cold. He toed off his boots and then bent to take off her snow-filled sneakers. She whimpered when he touched her right foot and he growled. He ran his hands gently over the joint and she realized it had started to swell just a little.
Then he picked her up again and carried her to the bathroom, sitting her on the toilet seat.
All without saying a word.
“I can bathe myself,” Julie was telling him, trying to maintain an appropriate distant and hating the little swirl of excitement that sparked through her as she contemplated the luxury of being bathed by this big powerful man.
The look in his eyes made her stop talking. He motioned for her to lift her arms and she did. The thick sweater was pulled over her head leaving her in the bra she’d been planning to wear under her bridesmaid’s dress. His eyes lingered on the flesh pushing over the top but he didn’t touch her. He crouched before her, his fingers making quick work of the fastener of her jeans. A slow steady pull of the zipper and her jeans were undone. Another grunted order and she lifted her hips so he could slip them off.
She felt goose bumps form on her arms at his touch. Hunter dwarfed the tiny bathroom and suddenly she felt very vulnerable. “Thank you,” she said through teeth that were close to chattering from a combination of nerves and cold.
“Up.”
Julie looked at him with wide, wondering eyes. Yeah, they had shared more intimate moments than this last night a
nd earlier today, but somehow this was different. He was different. He was almost as cold as the snow outside. She started to bristle, realizing she should be the one upset. She’d figured out he’d been talking to one of his brothers on the phone. He’d told his brother he didn’t want her as a mate.
“Up. I won’t ask again.” A muscled ticked in his jaw and his face was a cool mask. On trembling legs she stood, her arms covering her breasts over her bra. She whimpered when she forgot her foot and placed a little too much pressure on the sore limb.
His fingers encircled her wrists and pressed until her arms were hanging by her sides. With a practiced flick of his fingers, the clasp of her bra released. He wasted no time, tugging the material aside and revealing her breasts. She was somewhat reassured when his eyes met hers and they were the delicious color of amber that they’d stayed almost the entire night as they’d made love again and again.
Or was he just angry with her now?
He gently tugged and the garment fell to the floor. He stepped closer until his body was mere inches away. At her hips, his hands skimmed beneath her panties and he slid the garment down, moving down her body as he did. From his bent position at her feet, he lifted her with one strong arm around her calves to remove her panties without making her put too much weight on her foot.
He stepped back and pulled the long sleeved sweatshirt he’d worn for his run over his head before he unsnapped his jeans and kicked them to the side along with her clothes. All the while, his eyes were roaming over her, almost eating her with the intensity of his stare. He pulled the shower curtain aside and tested the water before lifting her in his arms and setting her inside the tub. If she thought the bathroom had been dwarfed by his size before, the shower stall shrank to miniature proportions when he eased in front of her.
“Turn around.”
“Hunter—”