by Crissy Smith
“Emily, look at me,” he told her softly.
She opened her eyes. “Cain, if you tell me that was a mistake, I think I might kill you. No, I’m pretty sure I will.”
That wasn’t the reaction that he’d expected, but with the way he’d acted in the past he couldn’t blame her for doubting him. Instead of getting mad, he laughed softly and adjusted her where she could lie over his chest and still look at him. “No, I wasn’t going to… I want you to… I mean…” He sighed and rubbed his hand over his face.
“What?”
“I want to go on a run with you. Tonight,” he managed. Cain couldn’t believe he was getting tongue-tied. Hopefully she would understand what he was trying to say. He watched the surprise then pleasure and, at last, uncertainty flicker in her eyes. He held his breath as he waited for her answer.
“Run?” she repeated.
He nodded. It was a big step for him. Going for a run, just the two of them, was what mates, what bonded shifters, did. It was intimate. He wanted her to understand that she belonged to him now. To run in their other forms, their wolves, was a sign of commitment. He had to make up for the past and this was the only way he could think to show her how much he wanted to acknowledge what was happening between them.
“Just us?” Her voice was quiet.
Cain didn’t know what to think about the amount of time she was taking to answer. A male could not force a female. It was up to her if she wanted to take the next step. If she said no, he had to back off, no matter what. Please, please, please, he silently begged for her to agree. Instead of begging, he only nodded in answer to her question.
She leaned in and whispered her answer against his lips, “Yes.”
“Yes,” he repeated just to hear the word again. He kissed her gently, running his hand through her hair that had come loose from its holder, trying to make up for how rough he’d just been. He couldn’t stop touching her, didn’t ever want to. He had fought his attraction for so long. Now, having her in his arms, he knew he would never let her go.
Hopefully she wouldn’t fight him too hard. Oh, who was he kidding? Emily was probably going to put him through hell for the rest of their lives and he was going to enjoy every minute of it. He deepened the kiss and felt her shudder. “If we don’t get up now, we won’t make it to tonight,” he told her, pulling away. Cain stood before he bent down and lifted her to her feet. It was then that he noticed the bruises on her wrists where he had held her. He stroked them with his thumbs.
“Cain.”
“I hurt you.” The one time he hadn’t had complete control of himself and he’d hurt her. His stomach ached and he felt sick.
“No,” she said, placing a hand on his cheek. “You didn’t. And these will be gone in an hour. You know that,” she said. Her touch was soft. Would he ever be able to offer her the same gentleness? He hoped so and would try to work at it, but he wasn’t certain.
He stepped back to let her dress before he had her down on the mat again. He pulled his pants on and watched her slip into hers. She looked at the ripped sports bra, sent him an amused grin, then pulled her shirt on without it.
Her breasts stretched the material and her nipples were hard. He groaned and rubbed his chest. She was going to kill him. He picked up her ruined bra and stuffed it into his pocket before taking her hand and leading her up the steps into the main house.
He didn’t drop her hand when they went into the kitchen and saw Tony sitting at the counter with a bowl of cereal, but Cain stepped in front of her and blocked her from Tony’s view. It was instinct and really not needed. Tony would never hit on Emily and she would be safe with him.
Tony looked up and smiled. “Did you have a nice…workout?” he asked.
Cain felt Emily lean her forehead against his back, and he knew she was blushing. Every room in the house had extra soundproofing because shifters had such good ears, but you could hear enough. That, and Tony would be able to smell them on each other.
“Don’t you have anywhere to be?” Cain snapped.
“Nope,” Tony replied happily.
Cain cut him down with a look that said to be gone when he came back.
Tony just continued to smile at him. Then he sobered. “Adam called. I told him you were a little…busy and would call him back.”
Emily’s grip tightened on his hand, and Cain growled at his brother, who just blinked innocently at him.
“I’ll call him back,” Cain said then pulled Emily from the kitchen, but turned back just before the door closed and mouthed, “You’re dead,” to his brother.
Emily didn’t say anything as they walked through the house and out of the front door, and that worried him. He hoped she was just embarrassed and not regretting what had happened between them.
“You okay?” he asked when they reached the car she used when she was there.
Emily glanced up, appearing surprised. “Okay?” she repeated. “I’m so much better than okay.”
That was a damn good answer and deserved a reward. Cain trapped her between the car and his body and dropped his lips onto hers.
He had meant it as a soft, quick goodbye kiss, but it deepened as if on its own, and his arms caged her to him. She kissed him back with the same amount of passion and need. His cock hardened and he lifted her off her feet to lean her against the side of the car. It was as though he no longer had control over his body. Cain had no idea what was happening to him and he didn’t care. All that mattered was that Emily was in his arms after he’d longed for her.
The quiet, muffled sounds that Emily was making as they clawed at each other had him hard and wanting. Cain felt like if he didn’t get inside her again he would go insane.
He quickly scanned the area for any others who might have been walking by or the guards making their rounds, but the area was clear for the moment. Not that it would be a big surprise to anyone to see a couple making out or even having sex.
Shifters didn’t have the same hang-ups about nudity or expressing their needs for one another as humans did. The closer the full moon was, the more intense the sexual hunger grew. However, Cain could control his needs and had been doing so for a very long time. He wasn’t into being watched or watching fellow Pack members get it on. He also did not want to put on a show. This was the first time that he could ever remember wanting to claim anyone in front of others, though. It was a weird feeling.
But Cain wasn’t about to let anyone other than him see Emily. She was his and no one—especially another male—had the right to gaze upon her body. That was only for him. With a growl, he trailed his mouth down her neck, nipping and sucking. He was marking his territory so that the other wolves could see and smell what was his.
Not that he thought Emily minded at all. She dug her nails into the back of his neck, holding on tight as she dropped her head back, giving him better access. Cain loved the way that Emily was responding to him. It was like her body was made for him. She moaned and rubbed herself against him, her pussy dragging along his hard cock. He lifted his head as he panted and his vision narrowed down to only her.
“Cain,” she whispered sounding desperate.
“I know, baby. I know.” He tried to release her but the pulse between his legs only increased when she moaned again.
He cursed and hitched her higher around his waist. Kissing her, he walked over to the trees on the north end of the property. It would keep them hidden from the house or anyone who drove up. He would hear or sense anyone else. And it wasn’t like either of them really needed much time. Cain’s balls were already heavy and aching. He needed to come in the worst way, and given how Emily was humping him, she might not make it until he could get her naked.
He barely had her on the ground before she was tearing his pants down. He did the same to her and plunged into her as his mouth covered her scream. Her pussy clamped around his cock, holding him tight, and he had to breathe in and out several times to keep himself from coming. As soon as he felt her start to relax, he slowl
y withdrew before he plunged back inside.
Heat surrounded him, and if Cain had ever felt anything that was as good then he couldn’t remember. Without any thought to what could be going on around them, he thrust over and over until he was coming for the second time that day.
Cain grunted as he filled her with his seed. Emily was still clutching him when he managed to collapse at her side. He was never moving again.
“What is wrong with us?” Emily asked several minutes after they’d been fighting to get their breaths back.
Cain could only chuckle in response. He knew what his problem was—now that he’d tasted Emily there was no way that he’d ever get enough. “You’re just so sexy that I couldn’t resist,” he told her.
She blushed, pulling her pants back on even though her hands were shaking. He reached over and grabbed them. Her confusion was obvious when her gaze met his.
“Emily?
“We just did it in the middle of the yard. Anyone could have walked by.” She sounded nervous, and he smiled to reassure her.
“It’s not unusual.” He pulled her up to her feet with him.
She frowned at him. “No, Cain. I mean, I’ve been…uh…” She looked around, as if what she wanted to say would be written somewhere. “With others, you know, and it’s never been like that. Well, like either time really.”
She pulled her hand away and wrapped her arms around her middle. He embraced her, hoping to give her comfort.
“Baby, you haven’t been with a were before, only human men. That’s bound to be different. Plus, I am very good, if I say so myself. I’ve ruined you for all others, human or were.” He was proud of that fact and might be repeating it over and over until she knew deep in her heart that no one would ever love her the way he did.
“Don’t be cocky.” She pushed him away, laughing. She started walking back to her car but stopped so abruptly he almost ran her over. “How do you know I’ve only been with humans?”
He froze. He couldn’t very well tell her he knew about every one of the men she had been with. Checked them out when she’d started dating them and kept an eye out for any problems. So he told her the other truth.
“Because I put the word out if any wolf touched you I’d kill them,” he told her as he put his hand on her back to push her forward.
But she dug her heels in. “You did what?” Her tone was the first warning. The narrowing of her eyes the second. And her fist smashed into his face.
His head snapped back and he saw stars for a moment. When he recovered, he looked at her and saw her eyes wide with surprise.
“Ow,” he complained but was also proud. Guess the lessons had paid off. Not only had she caught him off guard but she had one hell of a swing.
“You deserved that,” she told him but was biting her lip.
“I did,” he agreed. “Probably won’t be the last either.” Cain knew that he would not be easy to live with. He and Tony constantly got into fights, with them both being so dominant, but luckily for Cain, Tony was also the most level-headed shifter he knew. Tony put up with a lot from him. Even his Alpha, his dad, had given him more than one warning that Cain had better watch his mouth. Cain did not want to be Alpha, ever, but he could accidently challenge his Alpha and that would be really really bad.
“Probably.” Emily smiled as she started back for her car.
He smiled and ran to catch up with her. “That was a good hit.”
She sent him a sideways look.
“Good follow-through.” He walked around her then backward in front of her. He felt young again. Happier than he had been in years. If this was what he’d been missing then Cain knew he’d been an idiot for denying her before. Well, he still thought it had been the right decision. If they had gotten together before, then Emily would have never left for school and found herself. She’d not only proved to everyone else she could take care of herself but showed herself also.
He eyed her as she strolled closer. Damn, she was beautiful. If he didn’t have to return Adam’s call, he would follow her back to the cabin and claim her again, and again, and again.
“Stop, Cain.”
“Stop what?” he asked innocently. His cock had hardened already and he palmed himself.
Emily reached her car, but he was still in front of her. So he leaned back against the cool metal and raised an eyebrow at her while stroking through his sweats.
When he leaned in to kiss her, she pushed him back. He wasn’t surprised.
“No way, or I’ll never get home. You can wait until tonight.”
He sent her a mournful look before tucking his hands into his pockets. And, of course, that was where her bra was. Which meant that she was completely bare under her shirt, such easy access.
“Get in the car while you can then,” he warned her. Cain was really considering another round.
She laughed and went around the door he had left open. Before she could close it, he grabbed her chin and kissed her long and hard. Her eyes were unfocused when they separated.
“Drive safely,” he told her as he shut the door. And he could swear he heard her growl.
Chuckling, he headed upstairs to shower. He’d never felt so light-hearted in his entire life. He was already in his room with his pants off before he remembered he needed to kill his brother and call Adam back. So he made a mental note—shower, call Adam, then kill brother. That ought to do it, he laughed to himself.
* * * *
After a short but hot shower where he barely managed not to jack off, he wrapped the towel around his waist before he picked up his cell. He dialed Adam as he sat on the mattress. “Hey, man,” he greeted when Adam answered.
“Cain…” Adam sounded worn out and upset.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
“Another girl was attacked.”
“When, where, who?” He jumped up and rushed to his dresser to snatch a pair of jeans. He yanked them on before grabbing a T-shirt from the drawer too. As Adam spoke, Cain dressed quickly.
“Riker’s territory in Colorado. He did the same as the other Alphas and called the Pack home. Girl was fourteen miles from territory when she was attacked. She almost made it to safety.”
“We need permission to go up and talk to Riker, and the girl.” Cain was already making plans in his head.
“Done. Christian’s already called. We leave at first light.”
Cain nodded then said, “Good. Good.”
“Just me and you. Riker doesn’t want anyone else around the girl.”
Cain frowned. “It was that bad?”
Adam sighed, and Cain could hear it clearly over the line. “Very. They don’t even know if the facial tears will ever heal. Her entire body was clawed and chewed on. It’s amazing she’s alive.”
“Fuck,” Cain grunted. He wanted to rip apart the asshole who was doing this.
“Yeah, my feelings exactly,” Adam agreed. “I’ll be there to get you at six.”
“I’ll be ready,” Cain promised, then hung up. He dropped his head down and took a deep breath. His stomach rolled and he felt nauseous. In his mind, he could just imagine something like that happening to Emily. She’d fight, but so had Mindy. After everything Emily had gone through as a child, she might not be able to ever recover emotionally from an attack like Mindy had suffered. Cain hadn’t seen Mindy, but the way Christian spoke of her injuries made it apparent that, had she not been a shifter, she would have died.
Cain’s stomach rolled and bile started to come up. He quickly calmed his breathing while gripping his knees hard. His claws peeked out, and the bite of pain was enough for Cain to be able to regain control.
As he stood, he glanced around the room. He would prefer for Emily to stay there, where she would be closer to the Alpha and guards. He knew the cabins were safe, but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t worry. Maybe he’d bring it up during their run later. He pocketed his cell then headed for the door. The house was quiet but he could still sense other shifters roaming around.
It wouldn’t be a bad idea to add more guards around there for his father either. As Alpha, if anyone attacked Lamont, the entire Pack would suffer. It would be a brilliant way to attempt to overpower a territory. He’d have to bring it up when he updated his Alpha.
Cain stomped down the stairs and spotted Tony coming from around the corner.
“Everything okay?” Tony asked when he saw Cain.
“Another attack,” Cain answered.
“Shit!” Tony’s face went from happy to angry in seconds.
“Where’s the Alpha?” he asked his brother.
“His office, I think,” Tony said.
Cain clamped his hand on Tony’s shoulder. “Let’s go tell him.”
“Okay,” Tony agreed. “When do you leave?”
“Six tomorrow,” Cain said. “I want to add more guards around here. I have a bad feeling things are going to get worse and I don’t know why yet. We need to close ranks and protect the Pack.”
“I always trust your gut,” Tony said.
“Lamont won’t like it,” Cain said.
Tony laughed. “You’re right about that, but he’s the Alpha and you’re the Enforcer. He’ll listen to you if you insist.”
“Oh, I’ll be insisting,” Cain said. “But can you call around to some of the other Packs? I think they should be doing the same.”
“I’ll do it right after we talk to the Alpha,” Tony assured him.
“Do you think it’s weird we call our dad Alpha?” Cain questioned. He’d never really thought about it before, but with his relationship with Emily, family had been on his mind all day.
“No,” Tony said while shrugging. “Our positions with the Pack allow us some distance from our dad and we need that. If we called him Alpha at the family dinner table or something that might be weird, but when talking about him as Alpha or the Pack, I think it’s smart.”
That was why Cain depended on Tony so much. He was not only clever, but he had the best reasoning of any shifter. Sometimes Cain felt bad that Tony was wasting all his talent with just their Pack and a small territory, but Tony appeared happy enough.