by Celia Kyle
He wore a seductive smile which sent a flush of heat from her hairline and straight to her core. Human embarrassment forced her to finally turn away, but that couldn’t stop her body’s reaction—the deep ache—to the large male.
Fumbling with the buttons on her own shirt, Ally managed to shrug it off her shoulders. She peeked over her shoulder to see if he watched her—hoping he was—and got more than she bargained for. So much more!
Just as her eyes landed on Kade, his pants and boxers fell from his hips, giving her a full, unobstructed view of everything he had to offer. Her breath caught, and mouth went dry for a split-second. Then it flooded with saliva as her wolf begged her to drop to her knees and take him in her mouth. To feel his hardness stretch her eager lips. To suck and lick and moan until he weaved his fingers in her hair and groaned in bliss. To see if he tasted like he smelled—smoky cherry wood.
When his eyes dropped to her diamond-hard nipples, Ally fought not to let her mind wander further. She definitely wasn’t going to think about his lips wrapping around one of those firm nubs and flicking it with his tongue. Nope.
Her fingers froze on the button of her shorts and her knees felt as if they might buckle at any moment. She couldn’t figure out if she was literally weak in the knees, or if her body was overruling her mind and was trying to follow through on her fantasy of tasting Kade.
Horrified and exhilarated at the same time, Ally tore her attention away from the most gorgeous man in the known universe and stripped with a speed she didn’t know she possessed. The moment the last piece of clothing hit the ground, she embraced her beast. She released her wolf and let the shift flow through her. Hurrying to complete her transformation before Kade got a chance to ogle the goodies for too long.
Her body twitched and everything about her seemed to tug. Fine arm hair sprouted into dense fur. Her face pulled into a long snout. Her bones compressed and adjusted until two legs became four. Her body turned into something lean and confident. Glancing down at her thick paws in the dirt, she panted with happiness. Her fur rippled along her spine with the immensely satisfying sense of release. Almost—but not quite—like a good orgasm.
Is there such a thing as a bad orgasm? she wondered as she scratched at the ground with glee. Her nails sank into the dirt, cool grass tickling her toes.
Movement caught her eye. Kade had shifted too, his dark fur almost glowing in the moonlight. His musky, woodsy scent was stronger now, or maybe it was simply the heightened senses of her wolf. Regardless of the reason, she snuffled the air in his direction, pulling in more of his scent.
He stepped closer, confident in his movements but cautious in his approach. Considering how her human half behaved, she couldn’t blame him, but now that she was in her wolf form, she was eager to explore their bond.
He nuzzled her neck, and his aroma turned into a taste and asserted the truth. The magnetic pull she’d felt, her absolute need for him, was not a fleeting infatuation. He’d hadn’t been lying or trying to trick her. She felt it all the way to her bones. It suffused her, taking over every cell and nerve ending. Kade was her mate and would be for as long as they both lived.
The realization slammed into her like a train. She’d spent her adult life in abject misery—some days far worse than others. The last few years had been the happiest she could recall, but compared to the joy welling up inside her at that moment… they’d been total garbage.
If she were on two legs instead of four, she might have been overwhelmed by the fierce emotions and break down into tears. As a wolf, she couldn’t contain her excitement. She yipped and barked, jumping away from Kade before darting forward once more. Her animal wanted to play, wanted to run into the dark woods.
Chirping insects and hooting owls fell silent as they tore through the forest, the nearest apex predators. Having denied herself the pleasure of running in wolf form for so long, Ally drank in every last luminous detail. The sharp ridges of tree bark, cool dirt embedded between her toes, the smell of dozens of nearby animals she never would have scented as a human.
And, of course, the scent of Kade as he loped and dashed in the trees next to her. They playfully raced for the lead spot, back and forth, only occasionally catching sight or scent of their pack mates as they raced. Ally suspected the others instinctively knew to keep their distance from the new mates, including the omnipresent sentries. They were with the pack, and yet they might as well have been a million miles away.
They crashed through undergrowth, Ally still in the lead, when Kade nipped her left haunch. He made a series of yips that her wolf easily interpreted. She swerved to the right and delved through even denser brush, bushes and trees tugging on her fur. They burst out of the thickest shrubbery and into a large clearing.
A small lake glittered in the moonlight, surrounded by big flat rocks, perfect for lazy afternoon basking. The peaceful water beckoned her forward, and she padded to the shore, slaking her thirst with the cool water. She sought Kade in the darkness and found him standing a few feet behind her. He was no longer a fierce and powerful dark-furred wolf, but a fully formed man ready to claim his mate.
His muscles bulged, the moonlight accentuating the deep shadows of his body. His cock stood out thick and hard from his body, the head a rich purple from arousal. But what stole her concentration was his expression—as naked and vulnerable as the rest of him. He was a werewolf aching for his mate, a male in love asking his fated female to accept him.
This time it was Ally’s heart that tugged, and without a moment’s hesitation, her wolf pulled back. Her fur tickled as it retracted into her body and her muscles quivered as they shrank into a weaker form. Before she could take a full breath, she stood before her mate on two legs, completely exposed in a way she’d never dreamed possible.
Wordlessly, he held out a hand to her and she stepped forward, her hesitation in the past. She knew the truth now. Whatever had happened in the past, Kade was honorable, strong and caring. He was everything she might have hoped for in a mate. She’d be a fool to deny it any longer.
Chapter Sixteen
Kade had expected Ally to back away from his outstretched hand, to remain hesitant and uneasy despite the look of desire in her expression. Though deep inside he’d hoped that the moment she shifted, any doubt about their bond would evaporate. As her cool, silken palm ghosted over his thick calluses, he still was unsure of her intention. She twined her fingers with his and he couldn’t suppress the joy building within. They were both nude, wearing only moonlight, and his mate had come to him.
He held her at arm’s length for a moment, drinking in her beauty. Long waves of mussed hair the color of chocolate cascaded over her shoulders, curling just before they reached the dusky peaks perched on ample breasts. Her waist curved in, then her hips flared, showcasing her perfect, trimmed patch of hair at the juncture of her thighs. His mouth watered at the thought of spreading those legs wide and lapping at her sweet pussy.
Kade finished his perusal and then pulled her into him, not stopping until her full breasts brushed his chest while his hard length nestled against the soft curve of her lower stomach. Wrapping his arms around her, he buried his nose in her hair and breathed her in—a heady mix of wolf and aroused woman.
Despite the way his fingers itched to cup her breasts, to clutch the rounded curve of her ass, to savor every inch of her body until he knew it by heart, he held himself in check. There would be time enough for all of that, and only when Ally was ready.
“Thank you for trusting me, Ally,” he murmured into her hair, delighting in the goosebumps that crawled along her flesh in response. “And trusting the pack enough to run with us. Someday, I’ll have your complete trust, and that’s when you’ll share what’s troubling you.”
Ally tipped her head back to look up at him, her expression earnest. “I—”
“Shhh.” He pressed a finger lightly to her lips, entranced as it skimmed the supple surface. What would it feel like to press his mouth to hers? To feel thos
e plump lips move in time with his own? Shaking himself, he continued. “Not tonight. Tonight’s meant for fun, running, and maybe getting to know each other a little better. How does that sound?”
Ally’s arms snaked around his waist and she smiled up at him. That glorious smile, her closeness, nearly made his heart burst.
“It sounds perfect.”
Leading her to a smooth platform of rocks at water’s edge, he helped her climb until they reached a level slab. Kade pulled Ally across his lap as he sat, the need to hold her overwhelming all thoughts. Even though he had no intention of pressing her into anything physical, he ached to have her close. The moment she felt his hard cock nudge her thigh, the sweet blush he’d come to know and love swept across her cheeks.
A low groan escaped his lips and Ally shot him a mocking glare. He just shrugged in response. He wouldn’t apologize for craving her. “You’re my mate. What do you expect?”
She couldn’t hold the glare for long and finally rested her head one his shoulder with a deep, satisfied sigh. Their fingers remained entwined, and when she stroked the palm of his hand with the tip of her thumb, he nearly lost what little control remained. It was such a chaste, tender touch, and yet his dick throbbed as if she' stroked him from root to tip over and over again. His balls ached and a desperate wanting thrummed beneath his skin.
“Tell me more about this whole fated mate thing.” She kept her voice low, but she wasn’t hesitant in her curiosity anymore. Still, the tightness in her voice concerned him.
Maybe talking about mates would draw him back from the edge of release. “The fated mate bond is something that is recognized instantly and can never be broken.”
“Like Samuel L?”
“Huh?”
She sighed and shook her head. “Samuel L. Jackson? In Unbreakable?”
“Speak English, woman,” he said with a laugh.
“I did! You’re clearly not a film buff.”
He rolled his eyes. “I have better things to do with my time.”
“Like what?”
“Like tickle you!”
He tickled her waist, drawing squeals of delight and extreme torture from her. A sentry appeared at the edge of the clearing, ready to pounce. After seeing they were simply playing, he backed into the foliage until he disappeared. Kade hated that they were there—he wanted to protect his mate all by himself—but was also grateful for their presence. Until Ally told him everything, he’d need all the help he could get.
“Seriously,” he finally said, after the giggles had subsided. “Mating for wolves isn’t a pact or a promise. It’s destiny. Werewolves can sense their mate before they even see them.”
“How?”
He cuddled her close again and looked over the sparkling water, the moon’s reflection dancing on the trembling surface. He recalled the first time he’d caught her scent back in Pepper. Had it been only days ago?
“In our case, I caught your scent the second I opened the car door. I’d just parked on Front Street because I wanted to grab a coffee before heading over to Tessa’s. The smell was faint, and the coffee shop nearly overpowered it, but somehow your natural scent made it through. I spent the better part of a week trying to track you down.”
“Stalker much?” she teased.
Kade grimaced. “Yeah, I guess that doesn’t sound good, but I knew. I knew you were my mate the instant I caught your scent.”
She lifted an arm and sniffed her armpit. “Maybe I should switch deodorants.”
“Wouldn’t make a difference,” he shook his head and chuckled at her antics. “You know as well as anyone that perfumes can’t mask a wolf’s natural scent.”
A shadow flitted across her features, disappearing as quickly as it’d come to life, and she smiled. “There’s just so much I don’t know about our kind. About me, if you really think about it hard.”
“Ask me anything.”
Ally snorted. “You’re gonna regret that after I get started. How do packs work? How does the Blackwood pack work?”
Her phrasing begged an obvious question—how could she not know how a pack was run? But, he’d promised to answer questions, not ask them.
“A wolf’s position in a pack is determined by a few factors. Mostly their strength, scent or ability to meet another wolf’s gaze without looking away. Heredity plays a part in all of those characteristics, so the title of Alpha often passes to the oldest son. In the Blackwood pack, the Alpha, Beta and Enforcer—Mason, me and Gavin, respectively—are the strongest, and we’re the sons of the previous Alpha.”
“Your father was Alpha? Did he quit or…”
Kade’s heart clenched inside his chest, the grief still fresh even after years. “He passed away a few years ago. Our mother died when we were all young.”
Sadness clouded Ally’s beautiful face, but not pity. The look she gave him was empathetic, as if she’d suffered much loss in her life as well.
“I’m sorry, Kade.”
He kissed the tip of her nose and held her closer still. “Thanks.”
“So, you guys must rule with iron fists, right? Sons of the alpha and all of you in control…” she finally said, her tone wary.
“What?” He furrowed his brow and shook his head. “No. We instill discipline in the pack, especially with our sentries. They’re the werewolf version of police, so they’re highly skilled in combat. That training can be tough and often violent, but the average pack member goes about their lives. They just occasionally turn into a wolf now and again.”
“What about when someone breaks a rule? They get punished, right?”
Kade didn’t like that she seemed to think the worst of his pack, but it made him wonder once again what kind of life she’d lived as a wolf.
“Sometimes,” he admitted, “but it depends on what happened. If one of our pack goes rogue, it’s our duty to take him down. Our primary goal is the protection of the pack.”
“Rogue, as in killing or transforming humans against their will?”
“That’s oddly specific.” He eyed her, his heartbeat racing while unease knotted his stomach. Had she been changed… “But the answer is yes. We’ve had to put down more than one rogue wolf. In fact, Mason was on the verge of going feral when he and Lucy found each other. It would have been Gavin’s and my duty to put him down if that had happened.”
“Oh my God, that’s horrible!”
It would have felt horrible, but it was their way. “Thank goodness we didn’t have to, but we were prepared for that eventuality. The three of us talked about it at length, and Mason instructed us in no uncertain terms to do it as soon as he tipped over the edge of sanity. His focus is on the pack, not himself, which is how it is in every healthy pack. Even if we don’t always like each other, we all love and protect each other.”
Ally sighed and sank into him, bonelessly relaxing in his embrace. “It’s like a big family.”
“Exactly.” He wanted to remind her that she was all but a member of their family now but didn’t want to spook her. “What else do you want to know?”
“There’s something I’ve always wondered… No, never mind. It’s too embarrassing.”
He jostled her. “C’mon, lay it on me.”
“Okay, but no laughing. Promise?”
“Scout’s honor.”
“I know we’re not exactly like natural wolves or dogs, but we obviously are like them in some respects. I haven’t spent a lot of time around other wolves so…”
“Spit it out, woman!”
Ally laughed, the sound tinkling across the open expanse. “Okay, okay. Do werewolves sniff each other’s’ butts when they meet?”
Kade tried really hard not to laugh, but he couldn’t stop his body from shaking. Finally, it bubbled up out of him into a snort, followed by a bout of chuckles that left him breathless. He was vaguely aware of Ally twisting in his arms and glaring up at him, but it was just too funny.
“Hey, you promised!” She poked him in the chest.
&
nbsp; Kade got control of himself and pulled her back into a snuggling position. “Sorry, I couldn’t help it. You’re just so cute.” He cleared his throat. “On occasion, when meeting new wolves from a different pack in wolf form, we might have a sniff or two. But we don’t wander around in human form sticking our noses up other people’s asses. Not literally, anyway.”
It was her turn to laugh. “What about collars?”
“Ooh, kinky!” His cock, which had relaxed during their talk, sprang back to life against her leg.
“No, perv!” she said, lightly slapping his bicep. “I mean, you know, like dog collars. For control.”
“No, we don’t wear or force anyone to wear collars. Of course, what they do behind closed doors is no one’s business.”
Ally sighed and chuckled, then relaxed into him once more. He kissed her cheek, then pressed his against hers as they watched the starlight sparkling on the water like a million diamonds. Every so often, a Blackwood wolf would dart up to the far side of the lake and slake its thirst before bounding back into the forest. Some teenage wolves performed a playful mock battle, practicing their fighting skills, until one got nipped just a little too hard and yelped before trotting off toward the pack house. He saw no signs of the sentries, but he knew they were there, keeping everyone safe.
Contentment settled over him like a cozy wool blanket on a chilly night. He’d never imagined his heart could feel so full of love. He had his mate, snuggled in his arms, and his pack surrounded him. There was nothing in the world he wouldn’t do for a single one of them.
Chapter Seventeen
Ally and Kade sprinted through the forest, yips and snarls and howls echoing around them. Ally growled in mock anger when Kade bumped into her, knocking her off her stride and taking the lead in their little race. She wasn’t normally competitive, but this was just too much fun for her to resist.