by Michelle Fox
Bane got up without saying anything. He looked just as confused as he walked out of the office. “We can go over to the gym. I know nobody is using the room in the basement, and I have the keys to lock up the doors so nobody will see us.”
“Okay, let me tell Finley and Jade that I’ll be back in a few.” Quinn walked off. Even though Bane had explained how it worked, she was sick over knowing that Arden had lied to her. And apparently Bane, too, since he’d looked just as shocked at what she said.
Chapter 8
Bane walked into Arden’s office, frowning. “Are you still fucking Alice?”
Arden looked up. “What are you talking about? You know that Quinn is my mate. I’m just giving her some time to get used to being turned before I jump her bones. So, hell no, and why are you even asking?”
“Because Quinn told me earlier that you were still screwing the women in the pack and that you must tell all the women that they’re your mate so you can have sex with them.”
“What?” Arden yelled.
“Just saying that you need to get that under control, because if you don’t you might not have a mate soon,” Bane warned him.
“What the hell happened? After I left she was smiling, and I thought she enjoyed the kiss and…other things.” Arden put his head in his hands and let out a deep sigh. “I think I’m losing my touch.”
Bane chuckled. “No, I think you have a certain wolf who doesn’t want to let you go because she knows she won’t be the HBIC anymore.”
Arden picked his head up and frowned. “You’re so strange. What does HBIC mean?”
“You know, ‘Head Bitch in Charge.’” When Arden continued to stare at him, Bane rolled his eyes. “You know, Alice.”
“There are times when I have to ask myself why you’re my second in command.” Arden asked, still confused.
“Come on, dude. Alice came into the store today and she smelled like you and she rubbed it in Quinn’s face. Quinn is a new wolf; I’m sure the mating pull is something strange to her and she doesn’t realize what she’s feeling because she is feeling so much right now. Hell, her body is going haywire with scents, but I bet she smelled you on her.”
“Shit, I should’ve known she was up to something. Earlier today, I found Alice in my bedroom, naked, and before I knew what she was doing, she rubbed all over me. Shit, I bet she did it on purpose.” Arden got up.
“Where are you going?”
“To see my mate and explain this.” Arden answered, walking out the door. “Also, don’t forget about the patrols tonight. I want this pack found and dealt with.”
“Yeah, yeah old wise one,” Bane muttered.
Arden decided that it was time for his mate to understand that she was it for him. He shifted and ran to the store, hoping to explain everything. What he wasn’t expecting was to see his guard Pete Moss looking in the store window like a stalker. He turned around and frowned when Arden shifted and stepped up on the porch.
“What are you doing?” Arden asked.
“She’s crying,” Pete said, concerned. “I heard her and came to check on her. She was on the phone, and then she started crying.”
Arden looked in the window and watched as Quinn laid her head down on the table, boxes scattered around her. He could hear her pain as she sobbed. He knocked on the window, and Quinn looked around until she saw him. He pointed toward the door. For a minute he thought she wasn’t going to open it, but she got herself together and unlocked it.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
“Nothing. I’m just tired,” Quinn answered, but he could tell she’d been crying for a while.
Arden pushed himself inside and then closed the door behind him. “I’m not screwing around with Alice.”
“What?”
“I’m not screwing Alice. Not since I first saw you,” Arden repeated.
“Well, she sure smelled like you, but it’s none of my business who you have sex with.” Quinn waved him off then walked back to the table and started unpacking some candles. He could see her jaw tense up and her mouth was pursed angrily. She was trying to keep it together, but he could see it did matter to her.
“Of course it’s your business. I’m your mate.” Arden didn’t understand why that was so hard for her, but he could hear his mother telling him that just because he thought something, it didn’t always mean that others felt the same way. He needed to show her how he felt.
“Look, she already told me she’d just come from your bed, and she smelled of you, so you don’t have to make up lies.”
“Lies! I’m not lying.” Arden pulled her hands to him. “Listen.” He lowered his voice. “Earlier, after I left here and went home, I found Alice in my bedroom naked, and she jumped on me. I should’ve known she was up to something when she kept rubbing all over me even after I told her to leave. I threw her off me and told her that you were my mate.”
“You did?” Quinn asked, surprised.
“Of course. I couldn’t have sex with her. Hell woman, I can never have sex with anyone but you. Nobody will ever make me feel like you do,” Arden explained as he walked over to her and gently wiped away her tears. “Nobody will ever be as beautiful as you. I only see you, and I only want you.” Tears fell down her face as she listened. “Why are you so sad?”
Quinn swallowed hard and closed her eyes. “Because my father hates me.”
He shook his head. “Nobody could hate you, Quinn.” Arden pushed her hair away from her face and tucked it behind her ears.
“My father does. He’d rather see me married to a man I don’t want than see me happy, and I’m not going to marry someone I don’t love,” Quinn said.
“You’re my mate, and I won’t let you marry another man,” Arden answered, but he could feel his wolf pushing to get to her. The mere mention of another man with his mate made him defensive and almost crazed. But he had to remember that Quinn was a young wolf and wouldn’t understand how he was feeling. It would scare her, and he couldn’t let that happen. Calm yourself, old boy, Arden said to his wolf.
“You won’t. Don’t you see that you’re acting just like him when you say things like that to me? You don’t own me, Arden. Why do you do that?” Quinn blew out her breath.
She was getting upset, so he needed to diffuse this. “Quinn, I’m not trying to take control. It’s just who I am, and most wolves are like this. You will be too once you get older. You’re still a young wolf. Look, I don’t want to argue, but you need to get some of that frustration out before you explode on someone. Let’s go run. The stars are out, and it’s a great night. Come on.” Arden pulled on her hand, leading her to the door. “Come on, you know you want to.”
The corners of Quinn’s eyes crinkled as a small smile spread across her face. “Take off your clothes, and we can leave from here. I want to show you a place.”
Arden opened the door. “Pete, we’re going running. Lock up the store and we’ll be back later.” When he turned back around, Quinn had already shifted and was waiting on him.
“You’re getting fast, little wolf.” Arden touched the end of her nose, then took off his clothes as she watched him get undressed. He smiled, then shifted and took off out the door. He didn’t have to turn around to know she was following him.
Chapter 9
Quinn loved the feel of the wind brushing against her fur. This was exactly what she needed. What surprised her every time she shifted was how well she could communicate with her wolf. The wolf was inside her, and it felt like she was a separate person and yet like they were one at the same time.
Arden said that Alice was lying and that he hadn’t had sex with her, but then why would she say that they had? She was such a bitch. But what goes around comes around, and she was going to be there when Alice got what was coming to her.
She knew they were on Dixon land because of the “No Trespassing” signs everywhere. They’d been running for a long time when Arden started slowing down. She was hot and sweaty, and she hoped wherever they were
going she could get some water. That was a long run, and she was thirsty.
As they slowed down she could hear water flowing, and she could even smell the moisture in the air. Some kind of water was close by.
Arden came to a stop by a beautiful waterfall and pond. This place was wonderful and exotic, and all the wildflowers growing around it made it more alluring to explore, but right now all she wanted was some water. She followed Arden as he waded out in the pond and drank. She mirrored his actions, and then water splashed all over her, soaking her fur.
Shaking the water off, Quinn watched as Arden emerged from the water. Wow. She blinked several times, because the man was magnificent. Not only was he tall, he was the finest specimen she’d ever met, and his body was to die for. His black hair glowed in the moonlight. He hadn’t shaved and she loved that about him. She wanted to reach out and touch the stubble on his face. She ached as he emerged further from the water, and a ‘v’ of hair appeared, going down below the water. Any time he was around, her hormones went crazy.
“Shift and get in. I’ll even turn around if you need me to.” Arden smiled, and then actually turned around.
Quinn thought about it for a second, then figured ‘what the hell.’ She shifted and went underwater. Lord have mercy, the water felt wonderful. It was cool to her heated skin as she poked her head above the water. She looked up to find Arden watching her like she was going to disappear. Then she realized he could actually see her ample breasts as they remained just above the surface.
Damn, she never realized just how much they floated. She put her arms over her chest and eased back a little. It was dark outside, but she knew they both could see in the dark.
“So, you ever been dunked underwater?” Arden asked, playfully easing closer to her.
“You stop right there,” Quinn commanded, but Arden continued to swim a little closer until he was right up against her, and whispered, “I’m sorry Quinn, but I have to kiss you.”
Arden pressed his lips briefly against hers. She could tell he was gauging whether or not she was going to allow him to continue, and the answer was yes she was. She licked the top of his lips, letting him know he had his answer. Pulling her closer to him in the water, he massaged a spot on her shoulder where he would eventually bite her and make her his. But he already knew she wasn’t ready for that, not yet. He needed to stop when he felt his canines lengthen. Once her legs wrapped around his waist, Arden took control as he carried her over to the waterfall then went under it.
Quinn opened her eyes and found they’d entered a small cave with beautiful rocks inside. As he carried her she could feel his erection rubbing against her, making her body ache more for him. It had been so long, and everywhere he touched ignited her body. Lifting her higher, Arden placed her on top of the cool rocks. Her legs fell open, and he jumped up and pushed between them. His tongue ran from one breast to another as his lips captured her nipple.
“Please, don’t stop.” Quinn shuddered as his hand kneaded her other breast. She couldn’t control her body as she wiggled underneath him. She was ready.
“I need you now, Arden.” Quinn arched her back as his lips left her breast. He pulled her legs closer to him and slid one finger inside, and that was all it took to make Quinn scream out her orgasm, the sound echoing around them in the small space. His eyes glowed as he watched her reaction.
“I love watching you,” Arden said before he slowly pushed himself inside and waited. Quinn gasped as she suddenly realized that Arden was huge. “Sorry, I’m having a hard time keeping myself under control. I want you so bad, Quinn. I want to fuck you so hard, but I’m afraid I’m going to hurt you.”
Slowly, he pulled out, then pushed back in, setting an agonizingly slow pace. “Arden, please....”
“You ready for me, baby?” Arden tortured her with his voice.
“Yes, now.”
“Your wish is granted.” Arden pushed as far inside as he could. As he continued to thrust, he seemed to go further each time, hitting that spot that made her crazy. So crazy, Quinn’s claws came out, digging into his back. If she kept that up he would surely mark her.
Arden grabbed her hands and held them over her head, then pounded into her. “Baby you feel so good and tight.” He leaned down and sucked a nipple inside his mouth, and she lost it all over again. Her whole body came apart as he continued to hit her g-spot over and over again until she came again. These sensation took her breath away as he reached his climax and exploded inside of her.
They lay silently together until they could get up. The water was cool as it splashed across the smooth rocks, and the anxiety and tension she’d been feeling earlier was now gone. He was right again. Damn, he would use that against her.
“You okay?” Arden’s voice sounded as satisfied as she felt.
“Better. Thank you.”
Arden chuckled. “We need to do this more often.”
Laughing, she said, “I guess we should. Beats going to the gym and working out.”
“Honey, as a wolf you’ll never have to go to a gym again as long as you let her run when she wants to.” He reached over and ran his fingers down between her breasts. “But it’s not like you need to worry about working on your body. It’s perfect.”
“You really mean that?” Quinn asked.
“Are you...you don’t see how beautiful you are, do you?” Arden asked.
“I don’t think I’m ugly, but I never really focused on my appearance. I’m not a conceited person. I mean, don’t get me wrong, I want to look pretty, but I just don’t stress over it.” Quinn leaned up and looked around. “It’s beautiful under here.”
“It is.”
“I need to get back, Arden. I have a lot to get done,” Quinn said reluctantly. She leaned over and kissed him on the lips, then jumped in the water.
*****
Arden walked into the conference room and shut the door. Bane and all of his command staff were waiting for him. He could still smell Quinn on himself, and he loved it. She smelled like cotton candy. She also had some candles in the shop that smelled just like her. He’d asked if he could buy one from her, and she smiled and gave it to him. He wanted it in his bedroom so he would smell her all the time.
“Looks like someone is happy.” Bane joked, then leaned over and inhaled. “Ah, now I see why.”
“Shut up,” Arden joked back, but he wanted all of his men to know that Quinn was his mate. He wanted them to be familiar with her scent, especially on him. “Let’s get this meeting started. We have a lot to discuss. First, yes, I have found my mate, and most of you already met her. Her name is Quinn Lamone, and here’s the big news—she’s a witch, too.” He figured he would hear groans and moans about that, but nobody said anything. “I figured at least one of you would say something about Quinn being my mate and also a witch.”
Pete Moss looked around the room at the others before he spoke. “Alpha, I met your mate, and I like her a lot. I think she’ll make a great fit, but since nobody is going to say anything, I will. It’s some of the pack that will be scared of her. You might need to talk with them and tell them before the rumor mill gets started. I already heard Alice and her bunch making up lies about Quinn to some of the older wolves. I think you might want to have a meeting with the pack and tell everyone about it all together.”
“Thanks for being honest, Pete. I was planning on doing that in a few. Quinn is having a grand opening today, and I want security tight in the city but also here on pack grounds. I don’t want these rogues to feel like we’re not on our game. I’ll need to go over some rules for tomorrow, too.”
“What worries me the most is the fact that we haven’t seen or heard anything from this pack since Quinn was bitten. Bane has a schedule worked out, and you’ll all be assigned posts. We need to be on the look-out for anything strange. I don’t want any humans being taken tomorrow. The chief of police is going to be out with his guys, too. Let’s make sure we’re all on our game, because a lot of people will be there
.” Arden stood up and smiled at his men. “Thank you all for all of your hard work. I have a feeling that it’s going to be a good week; let’s make it great for the pack.”
Arden’s command staff all stood up and agreed. They each hugged Arden and congratulated him on finding his mate, then left the room. He sat back down with Bane. “Do you think the pack is going to give Quinn a hard time?”
“I don’t know; only time will tell. We need to shut Alice up before she whips the whole pack into a frenzy, though,” Bane added. “I hope she isn’t going to turn out like that woman in Fatal Attraction. You know, where she kills the kid’s pet bunny, puts it in a pot on the stove, and when they come home the mom finds it in there and screams. You’re not a screamer, are you?”
Arden stared at Bane. The man could come up with some crazy shit. “I don’t have a pet bunny, Bane, so I think I’m okay.”
“Yeah, but what if she just puts one in there for like, shock value? What if Quinn comes home from a hard day at work and finds a dead bunny boiling on the stove? Do you think Alice is that crazy?”
“I don’t even know what to say to you right now,” Arden said, shaking his head as he stood up.
“You say that now, my friend, but when you find the dead bunny rabbit on the stove, you’ll remember this conversation!” Bane yelled out as Arden left the room.
Later that morning, Arden waited in the open field for the pack to gather. He watched as Alice and her group showed up smirking. He had to deal with her after the meeting or she was going to be a big problem.
“Good morning, pack.” It was still early and Arden needed to hurry this along, so that everything was in place before Quinn opened her doors at noon. “I know you have heard a lot of rumors lately, and I want to tell you the truth since some have been viciously spreading lies.” He looked over at Alice, who had the common sense to look down at the ground. “This week I met my mate.” Arden waited as some of the pack members who hadn’t heard anything started clapping. “Thank you. Her name is Quinn Lamone, and she recently moved to town and purchased Charlotte’s Closet. She’s re-opening it today, as Southern Treasures.”