With a small part of her brain she realized that she cried out his name, begging him to bite her, to mark her. She didn’t hear him deny her request, didn’t hear him order her to stop asking. Nothing mattered, though, at the moment of her release.
She could feel him hardening even further just before slamming deep into her body and holding still. Hot jets of semen bathed her tissues. She shivered with his release as small tremors rocked her body. Forgetting his order to keep her arms still, she reached forward and wrapped them around him, pulling his chest to hers. Their hearts raced at the same beat, forging an amazing connection between them. The hairs on her neck rose and a shiver raced down her back with the weird sensation of two being one.
Emily looked up into Seth’s concerned gaze and tried to cover her own discomfort. He obviously felt the connection as well, and was as worried about it as she was. They hadn’t done anything but have wonderful, mind-blowing sex. Why their bodies were starting to synchronize was a mystery to her. She wasn’t going to make him uncomfortable about it when she didn’t have any answers to his questions. She reached up and dragged him to her lips. He came easily to her mouth and the baffled look was replaced with rekindled passion.
If all else fails, distract him.
Chapter Twelve
Emily rolled on her side so she could study the male lying next to her. His eyes were still closed but from his breathing pattern she knew he was awake. She reached out and lightly stroked a hand across his chest. She loved the feel of the springy curls tickling her palm. His muscles twitched and she swallowed a giggle.
She was still savoring the glow from their night of lovemaking. Experiencing sex like that had been an eye opener and had cemented a few ideas in her mind. Seth was a giving and adventurous lover. He’d woken her a few times throughout the night to make love. Each time, after multiple orgasms, they’d ended up in each other’s arms, hearts beating together. An absolute truth had become evident after the day they’d spent together—he was worthy of any female he chose. Her heart clenched when she thought of seeing him with another female. She felt horrible when she hoped that he didn’t find anyone at the pack run. She almost wanted to tell him not to go just so she didn’t have to see him find and claim a mate.
“I know you’re awake,” she whispered, bending forward to lick the shell of his ear. She blew lightly across the wetness and grinned as goose bumps erupted down his neck.
“Shhh. I’m absorbing the perfection of the morning.” He continued to lie there with his eyes closed, breathing deeply.
She was surprised by his admission and pulled back from him. Who was this guy, anyway? She covered up her initial tensing with a quick kiss to his lips. She rolled out of bed and reached down to grab her shirt. She really needed to separate herself from this situation. Catching herself grinning while snuggled in his arms this morning had been a revelation. She couldn’t get attached to him. He needed to live in the shifter world for a while, expand his strength and meet some females. All those things that a shifter male usually would’ve done when he was first an adult should take precedence over her quickly softening heart. She’d never forgive herself if he became angry with her for forcing him into something before he was ready.
“Hey, where are you going?” Seth’s voice held a hint of concern. She turned to find him watching her.
“I’m going down to start breakfast. I’m starving and need a caffeine fix.” She smiled and finished dressing. “I’ll call you when the food is done.”
“What if I want you for breakfast, hmm? I’m not all that hungry for food but could definitely nibble on you again.” He waggled his eyebrows at her.
Emily couldn’t help snorting as she headed for the door. “That, sir, was a horrible line. Right up there with the whole ‘seeing a dentist because you’re so sweet’ thing. I’ll see you in a few minutes.”
Seth lay in bed for a few moments, reliving the last twenty-four hours. He’d arrived at the cabin basically a human man who had happened to be born to shifter parents. Now he was a shifter male, complete with abilities and thought processes. He felt like a whole new man. His eyesight was completely perfect, his sense of smell was off the charts, his body was stronger and more powerful somehow. He could hear Emily downstairs moving around and humming quietly. Gone was his fear of his wolf. His other half remained active and pleasantly connected to him. They were both sated and encouraged by the night they’d spent making love to her.
The most amazing part of the entire day had been holding her in his arms as their hearts beat in synch. He didn’t understand it but the connection was soul-deep during those moments. He had found that his breathing even mirrored hers. That had to be something shifter related, but he wanted it to mean something more.
With a reluctance he found entertaining, he climbed out of her bed and shuffled through the bathroom to his room. His clothes were still spread all over the bed from the night before and he chuckled. He couldn’t help but be happy about the whole experience. He wasn’t one to gloat or kiss ‘n’ tell, but he still found great satisfaction in being given enough trust to make love to Emily. From things she’d said during the weekend he’d gathered that she wasn’t close to many people. Being the daughter of the Alpha was a stressful job, but it sounded very lonely.
His shirt went on fine, but when he tried to zip his jeans they wouldn’t close. He looked down to make sure they were really his. Leaving the button and zipper undone, he wandered into the bathroom to actually look at himself in the mirror. Yep, everything looked the same, so what the hell was going on with his clothes?
Distractedly, he flumped down the stairs and wandered into the kitchen. He noticed just as he entered the room that he was walking silently. Well, add another trait to the list. His worried thoughts stopped dead when he caught a glimpse of Emily standing at the sink. Her back was to him but he was still taken by the view. She was perfect.
“You’ve got the predator walk now, I hear.” She turned and winked. He blushed as she looked him up and down, blatantly perusing his body. She cocked an eyebrow before meeting his gaze. “I like the pants undone. It’ll make things easier for me after breakfast.”
“Yeah, about that. I can’t do them up, but I’m glad you have plans to remove them from me.”
Emily finally really looked at Seth, and gasped. He was broader this morning, through the shoulders and hips. He was exuding so much power that the hairs on her arms were standing. Holy hell. It was almost scary how fast he was changing. She had seen the changes occur over a much longer period of time with pubescent males, but this was amazing. Forty-eight hours had taken a weak, sniffling, glasses-wearing guy and turned him into a strong Alpha shifter.
“What? What are you looking at?” His voice held a small amount of fear and a whole lot of irritation.
“Well, you just look different. Your shoulders are really huge. Don’t you feel different?”
“Yeah, but I’ve been feeling different since you showed up at my house. Shit, Em. I’ve lost the need for my glasses, I can smell you from here and know that you find this whole thing entertaining, and I can hear animals scurrying around outside.” He pushed his hand across his hair. “Everything is different.”
She took pity on him and changed the subject. She didn’t want him to feel like a science project or something—she knew what that felt like and it sucked. She poured him a cup of coffee. “Here, drink this. After we eat we’re running one more time and then we need to head back home.”
Breakfast was quiet. Seth was buried in his own thoughts and she really didn’t want to disturb him. They needed to start separating themselves from each other and the situation. By the end of the day she would be alone again and he would be home doing whatever he usually did on Monday evenings. She couldn’t afford the emotional fallout if they kept playing. It was one thing to spend a night having awesome sex. It was a totally different thing to continue in the light of day. Emotional attachment and heartache were right around the corner for
her.
“So what’s this pack run thing going on this weekend?”
His question pulled her from her thoughts and shocked her enough that she almost choked on the eggs she was eating. After a quick coughing fit and a drink she tried to formulate her response. “Each full moon my dad and the council sponsor a pack run on a huge patch of land we own. Those aren’t as special as the one on Saturday. Three times a year we sponsor runs that are supposed to be for single wolves looking for mates. The mated adults act as referees of sorts, keeping males from overpowering females who aren’t interested, that kind of thing.”
“So, Saturday you and a bunch of other single females will be running through the woods being chased by males trying to catch you and force a mating?” His disgust was so thick she could almost taste it.
“No, not exactly.” She sighed. How to make him understand? “Shifters have a tough time finding true mates. These runs are set up for singles looking for their mate. Everyone there is interested in either a fun time or finding a permanent mate. It’s not mandatory to be there or to participate—well, unless you’re me. There’s a meet-and-greet beforehand so the participants can mingle. No one is ever forced to do anything.”
“Your dad makes you go, doesn’t he?” Concern and something close to revulsion colored his words.
“Yeah, usually. I don’t have to this time, though. You’re my free pass.” She chuckled but it didn’t hold nearly as much amusement as it should have. “Usually I don’t mind doing pack things. I mean, that’s my job. I do what needs to be done for the council and my dad and I get a paycheck for it. Those runs, though, are just painful. I spend all night fighting. Sometimes I wish I was a normal female.”
“No you don’t. You like the power.” He snickered at her scowl.
“I guess.”
“Think about it. If you were normal you’d be mated now and wouldn’t be able to pull a power trip like at the diner. Right?”
“You want to know something? I hate having to do that. Sometimes, yes, it’s funny. Most of the time, though, I don’t want to do it. I would love to be friends with some of those guys and definitely would like to have unmated female friends.” She snorted at her own melancholy voice. She waved away the conversation. “Ugh. Listen to me boohooing about my life. Anyway, Saturday will be fun. You really should come out and meet some of the other members of our pack. You might find you enjoy being around us now that you and your furry self are friends.”
“Em?” She looked up from her plate to find him concentrating on her. “I don’t want a mate unless it’s you. Going to this thing on Saturday is not really going to make me change my mind. I will attend if you want me to, but don’t think I’m walking away with another female.”
She sucked in a breath and contemplated her response. Her wolf was doing happy spins in her head, and if she was honest with herself she was happy about his words as well. She couldn’t let him see that, though. It wasn’t right. He needed to test that theory and meet others. She couldn’t saddle him with her as a mate if they weren’t right together. “Seth, you don’t know that. You’re barely coming into your shifter traits. You may feel that way but I’m the only female you’ve been around since all of this started. Come on Saturday, but come to meet others. Please.”
He shook his head. “Whatever. If you don’t want to see it then I can’t make you. I know, though, that deep down you feel it too. You want me and I want you. Why fight it? Really—why? Yes, you’re stronger than me but I don’t care. Order me around all day. As long as I can hold you in my arms at night I’ll put up with anything you do to me.”
Emily stood from the table to put some space between them. She couldn’t think about mating him. Not now. He needed to meet others, mingle with more shifters, test his strength against the others. He needed to see and smell other females and see if any of them called to his wolf. She kept the denials up in her head, trying to stem her growing thoughts of taking him up on the mating offer. She knew that she wanted him as hers, knew that he was her equal even if he didn’t know it yet. She wouldn’t shackle him to her, though. He deserved to make the decision after he’d experienced more of the pack.
“Enough.” She pushed just a little mental power at him. She needed to stop this conversation before something bad happened. She almost snorted. Yeah, like she ended up mated to a really great man. She turned toward the door. “Let’s go run.”
“Fine. I’ll stop now, but don’t think I’m dropping this,” he muttered at her back.
Chapter Thirteen
The woods sensed the predators racing through the underbrush. All was eerily quiet on the ground. Emily pushed herself, sprinting as fast as she could until all her muscles were screaming. She needed to just forget the conversation they’d had. Forget the tempting idea of stopping and letting him catch her. Stop her wolf brain from yearning after the male chasing her. He was faster today and she was having a tough time keeping ahead of him. Between his new strength, speed and Alpha powers, her wolf was ready to submit. Stupid wolf instincts.
She had a moment to notice the change in the sounds of the pursuit behind her before a gray body came flying at her from the side. She tumbled across the ground, coming to rest under a bush. Before she could shake off the attack, she found herself pinned under a heavy body, her neck held gently between sharp teeth. Instinct told her to fight, but the scent that tickled her nose kept the struggle at bay. She lay, docile, under the jaws of the only male who had ever caught her—the only male she’d ever wanted to catch her. She was taken aback by her own behavior.
Do you yield, Em?
She couldn’t have been more surprised by his voice in her head if he’d grown horns and wings. She jerked in his jaws and stilled when he clamped down a little harder. She was so divided in what she wanted to do that she couldn’t even formulate a response. Was she ready to yield? Yes was the easy answer. Should she yield and let this play out the way she wanted? No. She couldn’t do it no matter how much she wanted to. Dread ran icily through her belly. She was going to have to force him off her. Fuck.
No. Seth. Get off me. I don’t want to hurt you. Please let me go.
No. I want you. I caught you. You’re under me, in my teeth, submissive. That means you are mine.
Great. He understood what he’d done and understood her reaction. Well, wasn’t this just wonderful. She sighed.
I am giving you one more warning. Let. Me. Go.
No. A beast of few words.
Emily gathered her powers around her and cringed as she pushed them against his mind, hard. She felt his flinch just before he let her go and howled in rage and pain, stumbling away from her. She hadn’t hit him as hard as she could, but she had used enough force to change his mind. She whimpered in understanding. She hadn’t wanted to do it, but for his own good he couldn’t claim her.
She rolled and ran. There would be no trying to explain herself with him like this—the mood she could feel through their connection was thick with anger and lust. She needed to get away from him. She shook with the realization that he hadn’t just caught her but had brought her to heel. He was her mate. She howled in defiance of that statement. He couldn’t know that without some sort of litmus test with other women. If she let him bite her, eventually he would hate her. She knew it—she had seen it before with other couples. There was no way she was putting them both through that. She couldn’t live her life with a male who hated her.
The line of trees around the cabin came into view and she almost howled with relief. She wanted to get into the house so she could lock herself in the bathroom for a few minutes. She knew that behind her was one pissed-off Alpha male. If she didn’t get herself calmed down and under control he would smell the turmoil on her. Now that her wolf had submitted, Emily was going to have to fight doubly hard to keep from giving in to his demands.
She made it to the second step before she started her shift back to her human skin. If she could’ve made it into the cabin without shifting she w
ould have. Precious seconds were wasted as she adjusted to walking upright again. She bolted through the door, up the stairs and into the bathroom. She released the breath she’d been holding in a whoosh once the doors were locked.
The sound of pounding feet brought a new wave of unease. Would he be angry? Threaten her? Make her hurt him again? She could smell his anger before he even made it to the top of the stairs and she braced herself for his attack. If he broke the door down she sure as shit wasn’t holding back. She’d dealt with enough enraged males and she wasn’t going to take that kind of behavior from him.
Even if he is my mate.
The whispered thought made her want to slam her head against the wall.
“Emily. Open the fucking door.” The growl was deep, masculine and barely human.
“No.” This was the kind of thing she expected from males. The rage was so thick that it oozed under the door. She wasn’t going to put up with him trying to bully her. He could walk his ass home if he thought she was going to take this and still drive him home.
She heard him sit in the hall, effectively blocking her escape. His heart rate slowed slightly as he took deep breaths. She was impressed. No broken doors, no fists through the walls, no additional angry words. Even under the influence of his wolf he was in control. She sat down on the floor and waited.
“Okay. I think I’m under control. Can you come out now?”
“Nope. I’m not coming out for a while. I can still smell your anger and lust. I’m not fully in control either at the moment, so the door stays locked.” She felt bad not going to him. This was all new and he was dealing with it so well, but she couldn’t take the chance.
“Fine. Then talk to me. Why did you do what you did?” His voice was low and a small amount of hurt bled into his words.
“What do you mean? Why did I make you get off me after you refused? Hmm, maybe because I don’t like being forced into things, Seth.” She tried to keep the anger down, but the idea that he was feeling hurt over all of this was absurd. “Why did I stop you from making the biggest mistake of your life? Or how about, why did I stop you from choosing something for me that you didn’t ask me if I wanted? Or better yet, why did I put you on the ground like a beaten puppy?”
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