“I’ll handle this shit,” he barked.
“Shit. Gunner, no.” Rushing down the hall and stairs, I made it just in time to see Gunner fling open the door to confront Carter.
“What the hell do you want?” Gunner barked.
“You!” Carter roared, his eyes flashing gold. “You’ve tarnished her . . . ruined her with your filthy hybrid scent. I’ve waited a long time for her, and you’re not going to stop me. She’s mine! Now, get the fuck out of my way!” He pushed Gunner with enough force to make him stumble back a bit, giving him enough space to enter the house.
I trembled with rage as Carter’s red-hot gaze focused on mine.
“Celine, stand back.” Gunner stepped between us, shielding me with his huge, muscular body. “Carter, if you take another step toward her, I’ll fucking kill you.”
Carter bared his teeth, showing his elongating canines. “You can try, hybrid, but I’m stronger than I look,” he sneered. “A hybrid against a pure-blooded shifter? You don’t stand a damn chance.”
“Not another step.” Gunner planted his feet, clearly readying himself for an attack. “I’m warning you.”
“Why are you even here, hybrid? It’s not like Celine would ever be permitted to mate with the likes of you. So, what exactly do you want?”
“I want you to let her the hell go. Sell off your shares in her father’s company and leave her and her family the fuck alone.”
“Oh, you can’t be damn serious,” Carter snarled. “I won’t allow you to take what is rightfully mine. Move aside.”
“She’s not yours,” Gunner growled, refusing to budge. “She’ll never be yours, Carter.”
“Is that so?” Carter snarled. “And why is that? Because a hybrid like you is going to stop me from claiming her?”
“Yes, that’s right.” Gunner bared his own teeth, and I saw a ripple shiver across his body as his teeth lengthened, fur bursting from hidden hair follicles.
On Gunner’s skin, a thicker coat of fur continued to sprout from his forearms. He looked lethal as razor-sharp claws pushed through his flesh until fingers became monstrous paws as he let his animal out. His beast wasn’t in full form like a pure-blooded shifter, but he looked stronger than he did in his human form. As a hybrid, he would never be a full wolf, only half man, half beast, but he was far more powerful in this form.
“I’ve done my research on the governing laws of your pack, fucker!” Gunner shouted. “And according to shifter law, as Celine’s true mate, I have the right to challenge you. Unless you’d just prefer to surrender?”
“Surrender? Not a chance, hybrid!” Carter’s eyes were full gold now, his face bright red with anger. His eyes shifted toward me. “Is this true? Is he really your mate?”
I nodded. “He is.”
He stared at me for a long moment, frozen in disbelief. “Well, I don’t care,” he jeered, shaking his head while ripping off his jacket and tossing it aside. “I won’t let you take what’s mine. I accept your challenge.”
Without further warning, he lunged at Gunner. The two of them met in a clash of muscles, claws, and fangs. Gouging long scrapes and cuts into each other’s skin and pounding fists into each other’s faces and bodies, struggling for the upper hand. It was almost too fast to follow, but my enhanced vision allowed me to keep up. I winced as Carter slammed Gunner into the wall, causing a spider web of cracks to spread out across the spot on the wall and a potted plant to fall off a nearby table. With the amount of noise they were making, I was grateful I didn’t have neighbors, or the police would have been here already.
“Gunner!” I screamed, wanting to rush in and pull them apart even though I knew I couldn’t.
Once a challenge was issued, no one was allowed to interfere.
I had to let this play out, no matter what happened.
I shuddered, wrapping my arms around myself in an attempt to calm my wildly beating heart. I had given my word to Carter years ago, and as a shifter, that word was binding, broken only if another challenged the union and won. However, if Carter won, I would be forced to be his mate.
You have to win, Gunner. You just have to.
Gunner pushed Carter back to the middle of the room, and the two were exchanging blows again.
Suddenly, Gunner moved in, managing to hook a leg around Carter’s foot, pulling him into a takedown. The two men landed hard, Carter taking most of the impact. Gunner took advantage of the moment, pummeling him with nonstop blows to the face and body. Carter snarled and writhed beneath him, trying to find purchase so he could get the upper hand. Gunner was relentless though, beating him down until he finally got Carter into a choke hold. Elation filled me at the sight.
He was going to win.
“Surrender,” Gunner demanded, his own eyes glowing gold. “Surrender, or I’ll kill you.”
“You won’t kill me,” Carter hissed with what little breath he had. “You don’t have the guts, hybrid,” he practically spat the words.
Gunner cursed loudly, though he didn’t let go of Carter. He hesitated, as if he didn’t want to kill Carter. “Just give up, Carter.”
“Never,” Carter snarled. “I will never let her go. I paid for that bitch many times over, and she’s mine!”
Gunner let out a shattering growl, singing loudly of his rage. Without hesitation, he swiped at Carter, his claws gleaming in the moonlight. He made contact with Carter’s neck, and blood spurted into the open air, spraying the walls and floors.
Carter howled, his beast quickly taking over. Golden fur sprouted over his body, his face expanded until a snout appeared, his yellowing canines half descended.
Carter crouched, his hindquarters tensing, as he prepared to lunge. He jumped into the air, landing on Gunner and pinning him down. His jaw snapped, and he bit down into Gunner’s shoulder. Gunner howled in pain, blood instantly seeping through his fur, staining the thick coat of hair in a pool of dark red. Carter roared, as if reveling in the taste of his opponent’s blood.
Gunner fought for dominance, a blur of gnashes with low growls rippling from his throat. He leapt at Carter, and Carter fell to the floor with a hard thud. Gunner immediately dived for Carter’s soft underside, his teeth tearing at the thick fur.
Carter was a powerful opponent, and he fought hard against Gunner, refusing to surrender. He twisted, kicking at him with his back legs. Gunner momentarily lost his grip and sprang back as Carter leaped to his feet. Carter bellowed with a growl that shook the house, threatening to break the glass windows. A growl that screamed, this wouldn’t be over until only one of them was left breathing.
Gunner glanced over at me and lost all focus as he took me in. In my angst, I had shifted into my wolf. I stood with a coat of raven fur. I was terrified for Gunner, and then something happened that I’d never experienced before.
I heard his voice in my head.
He spoke to me telepathically, You’re my true mate. I will never let him hurt you again.
With a snarl, he stood with his feet spread wide, his posture strong. The stance of a champion. His teeth were bared, and he carefully watched Carter, who was unhurriedly circling in what had now become a fight to the death. Carter slowly advanced, but in a flash of fur and yellow teeth, he jumped into action, and Gunner watched as he bounded at him with full force.
Gunner crouched low, swiping Carter’s front legs with fingers tipped with razor-sharp claws. He caught Carter off guard, and the beast staggered, tumbling to the ground. Gunner seized the opportunity to gain the upper hand and tackled Carter, his claws digging into his flesh, resulting in gaping wounds. Gunner didn’t let up, his long, sharp claws easily cutting through Carter’s coat, leaving jagged lines behind.
He dug his claws into Carter’s neck, and fresh blood spurted from the torn jugular vein. The beast made a horrible gurgling noise, twisting feebly beneath him. Waves of blood ran over the floor, leaving everything it touched with a scarlet sheen.
It was over, more quickly than I’d thought possible. Gu
nner sat back, looking down at the ruined creature beneath him. Its matted fur was wet with blood. Its chest drew one last shallow breath and then stilled.
Shifting back into my human form, I flew into my mate’s arms, clutching him. “Gunner! Oh, thank God!”
“He’ll never hurt you again,” Gunner growled through bared teeth, his body slowly returning to full human form.
A blessed silence fell over the room for a few seconds, and Gunner sighed in relief, refusing to let me out of his arms.
“I’m so glad you’re okay,” I sobbed as I clung to him. “I was so afraid.”
“Shh. It’s all right, darling. It’s over now. You’re free.” He stroked my hair for a few moments, hugging me tighter. “I love you, Celine. I’ve loved you from the very first time I laid eyes on you, and I’ll never stop.”
“And I love you.” Tears flowed down my cheeks as I stared at my unexpected hero. My mate and the man with whom I wanted to spend the rest of my life.
CHAPTER 17
Gunner
I SIGHED IN RELIEF as the door closed behind me, and I sank onto the king-size bed in the hotel we had temporarily moved in to at the insistence of Celine’s dad, who finally knew the truth about Carter and all that I’d done to help his daughter.
Right after my brutal battle with Carter had finished, Celine had immediately called her dad, and he’d rushed over. It hadn’t taken long for us to explain what had happened, and her father had called in a couple of favors to remove Carter’s body. It wasn’t the way I’d ideally imagined meeting her dad for the first time, but despite the unusual circumstances and the fact that I was a hybrid, her father had accepted me as the man his daughter wanted as her mate.
“What a week it’s been,” I groaned. “I think I need a drink.”
“I think you need something, all right,” Celine teased, laughing huskily as she plopped herself onto my lap.
I groaned again, but it was a halfhearted sound. “Oh, I’ll always need this,” I drawled before capturing her mouth for a kiss.
“Yes, and I need you,” she replied, peeling off her shirt so I could caress her breasts. A moan escaped her lips as I took them into my palms, kneading them. “That is, if you think you can handle it,” she finished with a coy look.
“Always.”
Grinning, I kissed the tops of her breasts, my tongue sliding over her soft skin. Moaning, she allowed her head to fall back, her curls cascading wildly around her shoulders as she ground against me. She looked like a Valkyrie, and I was ready to ride with her straight into Valhalla.
I watched her just a moment longer. I pulled her toward me again, and my mouth descended on hers, devouring her in a kiss that took her breath away. My tongue skated along her plump lower lip, teasing and playing with her. She opened her mouth to me, her tongue dancing with mine.
Easing back, I tugged her to her feet with hands at the waist of her jeans, working the snap and zipper. I slid my fingers against her skin, cupping her voluptuous ass before caressing her curves.
“Take it off,” I demanded.
Celine slid the jeans down her body, kicking them away, and then she took off her top.
“My turn!” she exclaimed before tugging me to my feet.
Her hands worked the front of my jeans, the bulge of my erection making things a bit difficult for her to unzip me. Finally, she had enough room to slide her fingers beneath the fabric to find my cock hot, hard, and ready. She stroked me slowly. I couldn’t take the torture anymore and swooped down to kiss her, moaning against her mouth as I flexed my hips forward, forcing myself against her hand.
“God, I want you, Celine.” My voice was husky. I broke away from our kiss, and I looked down at her hand on my cock.
“Patience, mate,” she ordered softly as she pulled me free of my jeans.
Her fingers wrapped around my shaft, caressing me, and it was sweet agony. I abruptly pulled away from her, picking her up and placing her onto the bed. Tugging off my jeans and shirt, I turned her over onto her stomach. She rose up onto her hands and knees then spread her legs. I got onto the bed, my legs spread, holding her legs apart with my knees.
I quickly took her, the weight of my body giving me momentum. My thrusts were hard and fast. She cried out as I grabbed a handful of her hair, tugging her head back. Celine spread her arms, and her hands curled into fists, grabbing the sheets.
Each push brought me closer, drove me farther into her warmth and wetness. I gritted my teeth, holding myself back, waiting for some kind of sign from Celine that she was close. I didn’t want to deprive her, and I sensed she needed this, needed the force of my strokes to drive all conscious thoughts from her.
“You like this?” I asked, reaching around with one hand to stroke her clit.
“Yes,” she moaned, pushing against my hand. “More.”
Her muscles tightened around my cock, and I groaned, my pleasure intensifying.
It all seemed so easy, so effortless. She was held securely, lovingly, feeling every stroke I made, right to her core. There was nothing she needed to do but relax and let me take her on this ride.
It turned from a gentle, unhurried ride into something more, something wild and fierce and primal. I plowed into her, my breath rasping as I nuzzled her neck. Her fingers clutched the bedsheets, her nails digging into the silk material, holding on for dear life.
Then, everything was driven from my mind as my body took over, the heat building inside me, and I was consumed with satisfying my mate. I bit her shoulder, causing her to cry out, while she thrashed beneath me. I held her tight, containing the raging fire that threatened to destroy me.
When she came, it was hard and swift, her body convulsing and her hips jerking forward, pulling me down with her. I braced my knees on the bed, still moving, as she cried out beneath me. The contractions of her body around my cock grew stronger, and every cell in my body screamed for release. My breath tore from my throat. The fire in my lungs matched the heat in my balls and flooded up the shaft of my cock. It was inevitable, unrelenting and utterly beyond my control.
“You feel so good . . . too good,” I panted, gripping her hips as I pumped even quicker.
My climax was so close, I could almost taste it. There was no holding back for me. Everything spun out of my control, and I plowed into a gasping Celine with short, sharp jabs as my body took over, my hips finding an erratic rhythm of their own. Her cries faded as my growls increased, and I tipped my head back, shouting in ecstasy.
Celine cried out, another orgasm cresting over her as she arched beneath me, and I spilled my seed inside her on a long, low moan. When there was no more left in me, I collapsed on top of her. My sweat-slicked chest pressed against her back, my cock sliding out of her. I pressed myself against the soft, giving flesh of her ass. My hips still flexed forward, my body not yet ready to relax.
Gradually, I pulled away from her, relaxing slowly. As Celine’s legs were released, she stretched first one and then the other leg. She would have slid from the bed if I hadn’t had one arm still wrapped around her waist.
I felt an inner peace, something I had never experienced in all my years. When I was with Celine, nothing else mattered. The earth stopped spinning. The intensity between us was so incredibly powerful, it took my breath away.
We lay in the warm darkness for a long time, bodies recovering, breathing and heartbeats slowing. Finally, Celine rolled over, fitting her body next to mine. She rose up as I slid one arm beneath her, and she rested her head on my shoulder.
Celine ran her hand over my chest, idly drawing circles on my skin. “What’s next?”
My eyes searched hers for a moment. In one powerful movement, I rolled Celine onto her back, pinning her to the bed.
“You marry me.” It wasn’t a question. I smiled and leaned forward, kissing her. “We have a houseful of children who look just like you. And I spend my life making you happy.”
“Sounds like a wonderful plan to me,” she replied, “alpha mine.”
***
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Operation Wolf: Gunner
SEDONA VENEZ
Copyright © 2017 by Sedona Venez
All rights reserved.
www.sedonavenez.com
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
Editing:
Jovana Shirley, Lisa Hollett
Formatting by:
Operation Wolf: Gunner ~ Sedona Venez Page 10