“Once,” I muttered, and caved under his stare. “Okay, so it was only like one meeting but it still counts.”
He hummed noncommittally and I attempted to change the subject. “So, we didn’t learn anything,” I said, checking the area to make sure no one saw us leave Wren’s room.
“Oh, I learned a few things,” Dom replied and I glanced at him inquiringly. “Nothing about Wren but more than a few things about you,” he teased, winking at me. My cheeks heated and I prayed they weren’t as red as they felt.
“I suggest you forget anything you think you learned,” I retorted, striving for calm as we went around the building. A second later, he’d pressed me against the rough brick, his hand cupping the back of my head as he kissed me thoroughly.
“Nope,” he murmured, lifting his head only far enough to speak. “Not a chance.” He pressed another hard kiss against my lips, pulling back slightly before groaning and kissing me again. Ragged breaths escaped me as he pressed hot kisses along my neck, and I arched, desperate for his mouth to find the throbbing mark.
He hovered, panting, as I clung to him.
“Dom,” I whispered and he tore himself away. I stared at him stupefied, “Why?”
“We need to be more careful,” he muttered, not looking at me as he fought for control.
“Careful?” My brain felt like mush, incapable of processing thoughts, as my body demanded more, more of Dom’s mouth against my skin.
“The mark…it gets stronger every time,” he rasped, his fingers curled into fists. “Every touch, kiss, it strengths the connection.”
“That’s good?” I offered, not seeing the problem.
“It’s risky,” he confided, his eyes dark as he stood there, tension radiating from him. “Every time the need gets stronger, and my control slips a little more.” He braced his arms on the wall, caging me in with his body. “I want you. You know that. But you can’t understand how strong the call is to make you mine. Completely mine,” he gritted out, almost growling the last part, and liquid heat flowed through me. He panted and I understood just how close he was to losing all control when he leaned down and inhaled. “I can smell you. Almost taste you on my tongue. It’s intoxicating. It calls to me.” His fingers dug into the bricks above my head and I heard pieces hit the ground as it crumpled under the force.
“What can I do?” I whispered, finally comprehending how precarious my position was as he fought for control. My chest ached at seeing him this way, knowing my presence caused it, but also not ready to take the next step.
“Be still,” he ground out, jaw hard as he stared at me unblinking. “I don’t want to do anything I’ll regret.” I nodded slowly, keeping my eyes on his nose and not staring directly at him. He’d take it as a challenge right now and that wasn’t what I wanted.
“Dom! Glad I found you. We need some help setting up the tables and I have to say the ladies aren’t cutting it.” Trent’s booming voice washed over us and some of the tension drained from Dom’s body. I chanced a quick glance at Trent, seeing he’d stopped a good distance away, the damn sucker poking out one corner of his mouth as he purposely stared off to one side. “Think you can give me a hand?”
“Yes,” Dom gritted out. “Back up a little more.”
Trent took two large strides backwards, arms loose at his sides, his nose flared slightly and he shot me a startled glance, and took another step back. “Tell me what you want me to do, Dom.”
“Stay there,” he called, uncurling his fingers and releasing more dust as he straightened. He took a few shallow breaths through his mouth and managed to give me a rueful grin. “You’re in heat,” he explained and I nodded.
“Good to know,” I squeaked, wiping my sweaty palms on my jeans.
“I think I’ll be okay now,” he added and I dared to look up at him. “Just don’t talk to any shifters tonight,” he ground, easing back a step. “I’m not sure I have that much control.”
“Does it get easier….being around me?” I asked, wondering how it worked, with me being in heat. He shook his head sharply, clearing his throat before he spoke.
“No, the opposite.” He brushed his thumb along my cheek, sending tingles through me. “The need only gets stronger the more we’re together, but it should be over soon.”
“Good,” I said faintly. I’d learned everything I could about ovulation after he’d told me just how strongly his wolf reacted to the signs of my fertility and I knew it lasted roughly twenty-four hours. This was new though. I’d never felt him react so strongly or myself. “It’s the mating bond, isn’t it?”
“Yes,” he answered, his lips twitching as he attempted a smile. “I may have to go camping next month.” He forced himself back another step and I felt myself sway toward him, and he froze in place.
“Those tables aren’t going to set themselves up,” Trent called out, rocking on his heels as he stared off into the woods. Dom and I both blinked at the reminder he was still there and I clenched my hands together as Dom eased a little further away.
“This is harder than I thought,” I murmured, watching Dom fight for control with each backwards step. “I want to –”
“Don’t finish that thought,” Dom gritted out, lifting one finger. “Please.”
I nodded, clamping my lips shut as he finally made it to Trent’s side.
“Thanks, man,” Dom said appreciatively, clapping Trent on the back. Trent nodded, still making it a point not to glance at me as he shifted the sucker in his mouth. “I’ll see you later,” Dom called to me and I raised my hand. They disappeared and my knees gave out. I collapsed on the ground, letting the cold earth cool me down as my heart slowed it’s frantic pulse.
My breathing evened out as I accepted how close I’d come to being mated against the wall of the motel. The idea wasn’t as repulsive as it should have been. In fact, I would have welcomed it if my body had anything to say about it.
And that was what scared me the most.
I wouldn’t have told him no.
I wouldn’t have even attempted to stop him.
My body had been fully in control and it hadn’t cared about consequences at all. As ridiculous as the term was, I understood what it meant when he said I was in heat. We weren’t so far removed from animals, and my body wanted what he offered. Wanted to feel him against me and inside of me, wanted to be claimed and declared his. I pressed my thighs together with a whimper, my thoughts not helping as my body realized it wasn’t getting what it wanted today. My head thumped against the wall as I wondered how much longer I could hold out against the mating call.
Chapter Eleven
Dusk was falling as we finished the preparations for the party. Someone had rounded up a huge grill and the scent of smoke drifted around the clearing as members of the Pack slipped from the woods. Platters began to fill the long tables as low conversation filled the air and I saw Anna’s mom greet some of the braver women. A few hung back nervously, but the kids had no inhibitions. There were a few shrieks and it wasn’t long before a game of tag formed.
“Looks like a success to me,” Trent said and I searched for him in the growing darkness. My passable night vision finally found him propped up against the building, chewing on a sucker stick, as he offered me a smile.
I made to move closer and he shifted away from me. “What? Do I have cooties?”
“As good as,” he chuckled, taking the stick from his mouth and pointing it at me. “You stay over there. I don’t need to get on Dom’s bad side tonight.”
I rolled my eyes at the reminder of Dom’s little command but my feet stayed where they were. “He’s in control now,” I told Trent, who laughed.
“No. He’s not,” he replied, shaking his head. “Not that I can blame him. You two are doing something most of us have never seen before.”
I glanced at him sharply. “Most of us?”
“I think he means me, my dear.”
I jumped at the sudden arrival of a newcomer, but was unsurprised when
I saw who had spoken. “Gregory.”
“Jess,” he replied, inclining his head slightly.
“You haven’t died yet?” I asked the oldest member of the Navarre Pack, his face wreathed in wrinkled folds of skin.
“I’m afraid not. We’re a long lived bunch,” he answered lightly. “At least when we’re not cut down prematurely.” I sobered at his reminder of the Alpha’s death. “You are doing a good thing here,” he mentioned, waving his hand at the slowly mingling guests. “A lot has happened and our focus may not have been where it should have been.”
I shrugged. “We all play our part. Everyone here is trying. That’s what’s important.”
“Spoken like a true Alpha’s mate,” Gregory replied and I glanced at him uneasily. “Don’t worry. I’m not one to push an agenda at a get-together,” he informed me quickly and I narrowed my eyes.
“And if you were?” I asked pointedly. “What agenda would you be pushing?”
“Sometimes we don’t know what we want until we’re presented with it,” Gregory answered cryptically, disappearing into the shadows before I could question him further. I growled in frustration as I glanced over to see if Trent had heard, but he had disappeared as well.
“Great turnout! Is there a reason there are no lights?” Leah popped up next to my shoulder, startling me.
It took a second for her question to register and when it did, I jerked my head. “Follow me.”
I headed to the side of the building, stepping lightly over several cords. Leah tripped, muttering about how dark it was, but even with my less than stellar night vision, I could easily pick out the cords in our path. I shrugged it off as I went to the outlet Trent had shown me earlier where I needed to plug the main cord. “I was waiting till it was full dark,” I murmured, plugging in the cord. Tiny white lights winked into existence, crisscrossing the yard as a chorus of “ohhs and ahhs,” filled the air.
“Sam told me they shouldn’t hurt their eyes but it’ll give us enough light to see by,” I commented absently, my attention on the twinkling lights.
“Why would it hurt their eyes?” Leah asked, puzzled, and I cursed myself. It was too easy to slip up when I was used to being around people who knew exactly what being Pack meant.
“Um, some of them have compromised eyesight and bright light hurts them,” I stumbled through a half-assed explanation but Leah seemed to buy it.
“They’re pretty,” she offered and I nodded gratefully.
“Yeah, they are.”
“I wanted to tell you,” Leah paused, glancing around, and I wondered frantically if someone had said or done something that tipped her off. “I appreciate you inviting me. I know the Pack is super private and they don’t like outsiders, except for you, obviously, but I really appreciate you including me. Like we’re friends,” she finished in a rush, her voice low as she hunched her shoulders.
“We are friends, Leah.” I hugged her awkwardly, quickly releasing her as she tensed. “I’m glad you came. I know it can be overwhelming.” I gestured to the members of the Pack, the party almost exclusively comprised of shifters and those in the know. Even my Dad was one of them, I acknowledged.
Glancing around, it was easy to see there was something different about them. It was how they moved and the way they looked, I added reluctantly, as I saw a few eyes reflect in the darkness, a trait not possessed by normal humans.
I gripped Leah’s arm, suddenly concerned that I’d invited her here with them. “Don’t mention anything you see tonight,” I begged, not sure if I was more concerned for Leah or the Pack. “Just don’t.”
She gave me a startled glance, but nodded. “I won’t,” she promised, easing my mind slightly as I met her clear gaze.
“Okay,” I answered, my grip relaxing as I pulled her into the party. “Let’s see if any of the food is ready.”
We headed to the tables laden with food and grabbed plates as we inspected what was offered. Someone bumped into me from behind and I tensed as I saw it was Caleb. His nostrils flared as his eyes grew bright and I stilled instinctively.
“Hey, Caleb,” Leah said brightly, smiling, but it slowly faded as he ignored her. “Okaaay,” she drawled, turning back to the table. “Be that way.”
“You need to step back, Caleb,” I warned him. “Remember what I said.” He twitched, his fingers curling as we stood there in a wary standoff.
“I believe it involved popcorn while I tore you from limb to limb,” Dominic said conversationally as he came up behind Caleb.
Caleb jolted and my eyes closed in relief. Dom smiled tightly and I offered him a weak smile in return. “Let’s take a walk, shall we?” Dom’s voice brooked no argument and Caleb nodded, his head hanging as Dom escorted him away, a firm hand on his shoulder.
“That was weird,” Leah mentioned, looking up from the table. “That’s one of those things I’m not supposed to talk about, isn’t it?”
“Yeah,” I replied, my expression hard. “That’s exactly what I don’t want you to mention.”
“You should try that,” Leah suggested, completely changing topic as she pointed to a little sausage wrapped with something. “It’s amazing.” I stabbed a couple with a fork, putting them on my plate as I wondered if anything else was going to happen tonight.
“Is something wrong?” Leah whispered, watching me carefully and I forced myself to smile.
“No,” I told her, fighting my urge to search out Dom. I hoped he didn’t take his frustration on Caleb, even though a small part of me hoped he did knock some sense into Caleb. “It’s been a weird day,” I offered as an excuse to Leah and she glanced around.
“Weirder than normal?” She asked with a grin and my mouth twisted. “Cause I have to say this is weird for me.” She bumped my shoulder. “Hanging out with you and the Pack on a Friday night? Never in a million years would have seen that coming.” I smiled involuntarily at her reference to the fact that I’d turned down pretty much every invite she’d ever issued and yet here we were at my invitation.
“Are you having fun?”
“Hell yeah,” Leah answered, beaming. “I might not be able to tell anyone, but this is awesome.” Her enthusiasm made me laugh and some of my worry eased.
We joined a table with a few other women and I caught Monster stuffing his pockets with cookies from one of the tables. I shot him a warning glare and he backed away from the table of goodies. I scanned the area for Anna, figuring Leah would appreciate a familiar face, but didn’t see her anywhere.
“Hey, Leah,” I waited until she glanced at me before continuing. “Will you be okay for a few minutes? I want to find Anna.”
“Sure,” Leah declared, smiling broadly, not put off at all by the fact that she was surrounded by people who regularly isolated themselves from those who weren’t Pack. “Go on,” she continued, making a shooing motion. “Don’t hurry on my account.”
I eyed her for a second before slipping from my seat, the need to find Anna overwhelming. I wandered through the guests, polite nods greeting me as the men gave me a wide berth. My usual amusement at the sight was absent as I searched the faces for Anna. After a half hour, I gave up, knowing she wasn’t lost in the crowd.
“Something wrong?”
“Anna,” I answered shortly, my eyes still scanning the area restlessly and missing the way Trent straightened.
“She’s not here?”
“No, I’ve looked everywhere. I can’t find Dom either,” I growled in frustration.
“Dom is over there,” Trent answered, pointing. “Shouldn’t your super mate bond tell you that?”
I glared at him narrowly before admitting, “I’m not very good at initiating the mental link. I have to focus.”
“Which you can’t do when distracted by the fact that Anna is missing,” he concluded with a nod. “Well, how about I go search for her and you go talk to lover boy?”
“I’ve looked everywhere,” I reminded him and he tapped the side of his nose.
“I’m
not looking,” he replied with a sharp smile. “Now, go ease your mate’s mind. You may not be able to initiate the bond but he can still feel your worry.” Trent twisted away, disappearing into the darkness within seconds, and it didn’t matter how hard I peered into the shadows I couldn’t spot him.
“No wonder I couldn’t find Anna,” I grumbled under my breath, stomping to where Trent had pointed Dom out, and drawing up short when I saw he wasn’t there. “Where?”
“Is there a reason you’re talking to yourself?”
“Because everyone I’m talking to keeps disappearing?” I answered as I spun around. Dom smiled but it didn’t quite reach his eyes, which remained watchful, reminding me of a predator stalking his prey.
I stepped closer to him and watched as his chest expanded as he sucked in a lungful of air. “You’re trying to kill me,” he rumbled, taking a backwards step to match my forward one. I stopped, tilting my head, as he grimaced. “I don’t have a lot of control right now, Jess. It’s best if we keep a little distance.”
“Is that why I haven’t seen you all night?” I asked, trying to keep the hurt out of my voice. I didn’t succeed if his groan was anything to go by.
“I’m not avoiding you.”
“You sure? Cause that’s what it looks like from here.”
“Okay, maybe I am avoiding you but its only because you tempt me beyond reason.” He held up his fingers, barely spread apart. “This is how much control I have around you right now.”
I squinted, trying to see his fingers in the dim light. “Dom, there’s no space between your fingers.”
“Exactly, because I have no control,” he replied and I smiled, suddenly feeling better. “I think you enjoy my pain, temptress.”
“I have to admit, I don’t hate it,” I agreed, tucking my hands in my pocket and rocking on my heels. “Did you kill Caleb?” I asked conversationally and he frowned.
“No. I have no desire to be Alpha,” he retorted, jerking his head toward the party. “We took a walk and then he went back to the party.”
The Challenge (The Pack Book 2) Page 10