Xander

by Dana Archer

  He cut the engine, then turned his attention to the woods, scanning the space for any signs of danger. His wolves rose in unison and did the same. No fighting. No bickering. They worked together. Thanks to Gwen.

  Once assured they were alone, he climbed off the ATV and lifted Gwen—blankets and all. She linked her hands around his neck, and he carried her to a natural grove framed by tree trunks and upturned roots. The wind didn’t cut through this area. It was almost peaceful.

  He willed his body temperature higher and turned so his body blocked the opening formed between the tree roots and trunks.

  With his booted foot, he cleared the top layer of snow-covered leaves and set Gwen on her feet. He glanced into her face and kept his voice as calm as possible with the riot of emotions choking him. “You will no longer allow other males to hold you. Ever.”

  Brows pinched in confusion, she studied him. “Why?”

  “Because not all males are as honorable as this shifter who protected you, and if one decides to take something forcefully from you, even if it’s only a kiss, they’ll die at my hands.”

  She smiled. “You’d kill for me, then?”

  Intrigued by her reaction to his promise of violence, he nodded slowly. “Yes, I’d do anything for you.”

  Her eyes widened with shock. She studied him, searching his face with her gaze. “You’re serious, aren’t you?”

  He nodded. “Very serious.”

  “Why?” She covered his cheek with her small hand, and the blankets that had been draped over her shoulders slipped to the ground. “You’ve only met me today.”

  Her fingers on his roughened face whipped energy through him to settle in his groin. The immediate response to her tender touch reflected his need for her. Not only did his soul remember her, so did his body.

  “Because of this.” He moved her hand to the front of his kilt and the growing length of his arousal there. Her eyes widened, and her mouth opened slightly. She looked from his face to the outline of his erection. “You’ve awakened my primal side.”

  She yanked her hand away. “I’m sorry. This is my fault. I made you chase after me. I did it on purpose so you’d go after the other shifters. I was hoping it’d give me a chance to escape.”

  “You awakened it long before that.”

  She dragged the tip of her tongue along her lower lip. “At the waterfront in Delaware.”

  “Yes. I caught your scent on the breeze. It hooked me. I had no choice but to follow you.”

  She smiled, then quickly looked away. “I was drawn to you too.”

  He stepped closer and lifted her chin, needing to see her expression. “Were you?”

  “Yes.” The single word held a husky edge that matched the warmth slipping into her eyes.

  He brushed his thumb over her chapped lips, then bent close and licked them, healing the damage the cold had done to the tender flesh. On any other part of her body such an act would seal his scent into her, exactly as Vader had done when he’d licked her hand years ago, but her cracked lips weren’t a deep enough wound to retain his scent for more than a couple of days.

  The bite he’d soon deliver to her shoulder was a different story. Once he licked her mate mark, she’d smell of him forever. Anticipation hummed within him.

  He slid his hand to the back of her neck. “But you ran from me.”

  “Molly told me to.”

  “What about now? Do you still want to run from me?”

  “Not run from you. I want to go back and—”

  He kissed her, stopping her words. It seemed smarter—safer for his future involvement in her life—to avoid forbidding Gwen. To risk her life in order to save another person spoke of courage and determination. He didn’t want to break either of hers. They made this version of his true mate irresistible.

  She arched into him and slipped her cold fingers through the strands of his hair to cradle the back of his head. The slight caress cranked up his needs. He couldn’t give in to them. Not here. He couldn’t make himself pull away, though. He craved her kiss. Had since that day on the waterfront.

  He supported her with a hand between her shoulder blades and another at the base of her spine. She leaned back, forcing him to bend over her. The move put him in a place of dominance. It appealed to his primitive nature. It wouldn’t take much to lower her to the ground and take her. She’d let him. He didn’t doubt that. He knew how to seduce a woman.

  Too bad he couldn’t. Not yet. Practical matters had to be addressed before pleasure.

  He eased back and met her unfocused gaze. “This male you want to return for… Do you love him?”

  “As a friend. He protected me.” Her lips curved into an amused grin. “Killed for me.”

  The reason behind her earlier smile when he promised to do the same for her made sense. He tucked a lock of her brown hair behind her ear. “I’ll do my best to see he’s rescued then, but you’re too important to me to allow you to risk your life.”

  “Because you want to have sex with me?”

  He stepped closer and tugged the zipper on her jacket. The heavy material of her coat parted, revealing the long-sleeved shirt she’d put on after her shower. The outline of her breasts made his mouth water. In both lifetimes before, she’d been thin, with curves in proportion to that body type. In this incarnation? Gwen had been born into a soft, curvy body he couldn’t wait to explore.

  “No. Not because I want to sleep with you.” He raised his gaze to hers. “Because you’re mine. Have been since the day you were born.”

  She inhaled sharply. “You’re talking about true mates, aren’t you?”

  Gwen had learned much about shifters since she’d been kidnapped. He doubted it had been from her captors. Even the most depraved of the shifter world kept their species’ secrets. The inborn drive to protect their kind from the humans was too strong.

  “Yes, Gwen. You are my true mate.”

  Her breathing deepened. She clutched his shirt. “Are you sure? You’re an alpha, and I’m…” Her words trailed off.

  “My gift from the goddess of the Winchester pack. I won’t lose you.”

  “I…I don’t know what to say.”

  “Don’t say anything now. We’ll take this slowly.”

  She lowered her gaze to his mouth. “I’m not free, Xander. I promised Killer I’d take care of him like he took care of me. I can’t break my promise.” She closed her eyes. “But how am I supposed to do that now? If I don’t return to him, his handlers will end up killing him. They can’t control him.”

  “But you can?”

  “No.” She laughed and laid her hand against his chest. “But I think I triggered his protective instincts the day they tossed me, bleeding and running a fever, into his cell. They told him he’d get to keep me if he saved my life. So he did.”

  “By feeding you his blood. He’s a Royal, isn’t he?”

  “Yes. A wolf Royal.”

  “And his name is Killer?”

  She gave a wan smile. “That’s what everyone called him. He’s undefeated in the cage fights, but they rarely use him since he kills anyone they put in with him. Every now and then, they’ll book a death match, though. Those draw huge crowds.”

  “I imagine they do. The bloodier, the better.” And Killer’s participation in the rare death matches would make it easier to find him. Theoretically, anyway.

  She wiggled her nose, a move he suspected was supposed to express her disgust but instead made her look adorable. “It’s sick. The crowd taunts his opponents, calling them dead men walking or worse. Most of the time they end up begging for their lives too. Killer has no empathy, though. Of course, he can’t. He makes the killing blow or he dies, and he doesn’t want to die. If he does, so do his wolves.”

  The urge to protect the animal souls living within their body was a primal drive few shifters could ignore. As much as he’d butted heads with his wolves, he couldn’t imagine existing without them. They were his. “I’ll do everything possible to g
et him out of there. I promise you.”

  She shook her head. “We’ll do everything possible. If you try to approach him, he’ll attack you.”

  No way would he allow her to walk into danger if he could prevent it. “Let’s not worry about semantics now. We can’t make a good choice when we don’t know the facts.”

  She stiffened and raised her chin as if preparing for a battle of wills. The sight spiked his curiosity. What had he said to set her off? He’d used the word “we.” Did she not recognize the significance of that? He was referring to her as a partner, not simply a female.

  “Of course.” Haughtiness gave her response a sharp bite. “That would be dumb. We need to have a well-thought-out plan.”

  Yet hers hadn’t been, he’d bet. She’d wanted to return with her kidnappers and… He couldn’t even guess. Had she expected to break Killer out on her own? He shook his head. Doing so would be foolish, but he wouldn’t hold it against her. At twenty-three, Gwen was young for a human. Had she been a shifter, she wouldn’t have even hit maturity yet.

  He pressed his lips to her forehead. At nearly seven hundred years old, he’d experienced almost everything life had to offer—physically, sexually, mentally. He was too old for her, too wicked, too jaded. No way would he let any of that stop him from making her his. He’d simply have to be patient with her, guiding Gwen into their relationship.

  “Together, we’ll make the best plan possible to get your friend home.”

  Gwen wrapped her arms around him and squeezed him tight. Happiness radiated from her. “Thank you, Xander.”

  “You’re welcome.” He picked up the blankets, draping them over her shoulders, then knelt in front of her before meeting her gaze. “I’m going to check out this scar. Are you ready?”

  Gwen caught her bottom lip, biting it firmly, and ran a hand through her hair. The signs of her anxiety confused Xander. Only minutes ago, they’d been kissing. She’d welcomed his touch then. What had changed?

  He stood and captured her hand, covering her trembling fingers with his. “I won’t hurt you. You’re safe with me.”

  “I know. It’s just that…”

  “Just what?”

  “I…I don’t have any underwear on.” Her words rushed out.

  “You’re my true mate.” Xander brushed his open mouth along the edge of her jaw. “Do you understand what that means?”

  “Yes.”

  The single word didn’t fill him with confidence, and the topic of being his mate was too important to allow for miscommunication.

  “I will know every inch of your body, Gwen, as you will know mine. Nothing between us will be off-limits. Not your body. Not your heart. Not your thoughts. That is what being my mate means.”

  Her pulse kicked up. Her breathing quickened. “And will I have access to yours?”

  “Yes. I will give you a piece of my soul and take a piece of yours to fill the hole left behind. Once we complete that connection, you will be immortal and have full access to my thoughts and my memories.” Which meant he had to be sure she’d forgiven him for being a selfish bastard toward her previous incarnations. If he didn’t…

  “What if you see something you don’t like?”

  He raised a brow. “Are you secretly a serial killer?”

  The smile he was growing fond of flitted across her lips. “No, but—”

  Regretfully, he pressed a finger to her lips, stopping her words. “As much as I’m enjoying talking with you, we need to get moving. We can’t do that until we remove your tracking device.”

  “You’re right.” She straightened her spine, visibly steeling herself. “Let’s get this over with. Make the cut quick, please. It’ll hurt less.”

  He took her mouth in a slow kiss, despite what he’d said about them needing to leave. Her courage drew him. Her inner strength impressed him. He should tell her. Showing her was easier. And sweeter. Gwen tasted of a fine wine. He wanted to get drunk on her.

  She relaxed in his arms, submitting to his lead, matching his passion, arousing his primal drives, testing his control.

  This woman had no idea what she did to him. How she tempted him. How much he craved her. He pulled her closer and deepened the kiss until their teeth banged and she clutched at his shirt.

  The demand to join their bodies built. They both needed the intimacy and the relief. She ached as much as he did. The way her fingers flexed on his shirt and the low sounds of pleasure she made told him that. He hated knowing he couldn’t give in, but he hated the thought of losing her more.

  He turned his head, breaking their kiss. “You tempt me more than you know, Gwendolyn Annabelle Burnett.”

  “And you scare me, Xander, alpha of the Winchester pack.”

  He faced her. Her heavy-lidded eyes didn’t remind him of a woman in fear. “Do I? How?”

  “I want to do things with you I never even fantasized about, but I know those things will please you. I want that, Xander. To satisfy you.” Gwen stood on her tiptoes and brushed her fingers over his stubble-covered jaw. “It’s because we’re true mates, isn’t it? My soul recognizes yours, like yours recognized mine.”

  He stared into her eyes and debated telling her about their past. They didn’t have time to discuss all the details—all his sins—but he couldn’t pass up this opportunity to broach the subject. “Yes. Our souls have always belonged to each other, and each time we have crossed paths, our connection has strengthened.” Or at least that was his best guess.

  Understanding flashed across her face. “We’ve met in a past life.”

  He inclined his head, never breaking their gaze. “Two previous lives. Fate took you from me both times. I won’t allow it to happen a third time.”

  “Xander.” Awe and need gave his name a seductive edge.

  She slid her hand to the back of his neck and urged him closer. Then she was kissing him. Her tentative strokes grew more confident. Her grip on him tightened. He savored both, along with the knowledge that she’d reached for him on her own, without him arousing her to the point where lust directed her actions.

  On a groan she ended the kiss and rested her head against his chest. “I wish we were somewhere different. I want…”

  Sex.

  She didn’t need to say the word. He knew. He wanted the same.

  “Soon, Gwen. I need to warn you, though. I’ve been keeping my lust on a tight leash for you. I don’t want to push you away with my hungers.” He tipped her head back. “But in this lifetime, I won’t hide them from you.”

  She held his gaze for a long moment while the scent of her arousal grew, then nodded.

  He dropped to a crouch in front of her and tugged on her sweats, pulling them partially down and exposing the soft swell of her lower belly. The scent of her arousal filled his lungs and hardened his body. He ignored the ache in his shaft and focused on the thick, wide scar running from the side of her hip to the top of her thigh. Had the wound been a little lower, her femoral artery would’ve been nicked.

  He could’ve lost her before he got the chance to… He shut down the destructive train of thought before it could take hold. She was alive and in his arms. He’d make sure she stayed here.

  With gentle fingers, he pressed along the edges of the scar, sweeping from her outer hip, lower. A couple of inches from where the scar ended, she winced. He stilled his fingers and glanced into her face. “Does that hurt?”

  “Yes.”

  He inclined his head and turned his attention to the spot, pressing along the raised edges of the scar. Her breath hitched, but she held still. “I hate causing you pain, Gwen.”

  “It’s okay. Can you feel the disc?”

  He dropped his hands. “I think so. I’m going to have to cut you to know for sure. You’ve got a lot of scarring here.”

  “Do it.”

  Xander nodded and opened his mind to Vlad’s. Already at the lake, Vlad was in the process of scouting out the best cabin out of the three located there. Xander quickly shared what he a
nd Gwen were doing, then shut down the connection before Vlad could respond.

  He didn’t need his pack mate’s opinion or complaints over not being present. Vlad had no right to express either. Gwen’s safety came above everything.

  The pressure against his psyche increased, Vlad demanding Xander reopen their connection. He ignored his pack mate and cupped Gwen’s bottom in his hands. With her held steady, he licked the length of the scar, focusing his attentions on the spot he’d need to cut.

  His saliva would numb her skin or heal it, if she’d been injured, while his blood would rev up her metabolism and fight infection. The healing gifts only the Royals possessed had to be willingly given, not forced or coerced. For Gwen, he’d give everything.

  Confident she wouldn’t feel the pinch of his sharpened nail, he eased back. In one quick move, he sliced open her skin. She inhaled sharply, and he jerked his gaze to her face.

  “I’m fine. I’m fine. Just caught me off guard.” She rolled her hand. “Hurry before I bleed all over.”

  He licked away the blood dripping from her wound before it soaked her sweats, then turned his attention to the scar he’d reopened. The hard silver disc he’d read about but had never seen showed through the blood leaking from the cut.

  Scientific advancements would refine the technology, making the chip smaller and harder to find. Of that he had no doubt. At the moment, though, he was grateful for its size as it had allowed him to find the disc easily.

  Using a curved modified nail, he freed the tracking device and dropped it on the ground. Without another wasted second, he licked the wound he’d made, healing it and sealing his scent into her body, making Gwen his beloved human too. Soon, she’d be more. She’d be his eternal mate.

  Longing took hold. He couldn’t wait for the moment when he could explore her body. Worship her. He turned his head and brushed his open mouth over her belly.

  “Xander?” Gwen moved her small fingers to his shoulder. “Are we safe for the moment?”