“Then why?” She stayed as she was, not willing to back down.
“I don’t want to rush you. I want you to be absolutely sure. Because once we do this I won’t let you go. Ever. You’ll be mine for the rest of our lives.” He tried to smile but it didn’t quite work. “I told you I was possessive.”
And so it seemed was she. She didn’t want to risk some other female werewolf finding him and claiming him. “You’re mine,” she told him. “I don’t want to lose you. Ever.”
“You won’t lose me, baby.” He ran his hand over her spine and she arched into his touch. She licked her lips and watched his eyes glaze over and his cock twitch. Oh yeah, he wasn’t unaffected by this at all. He wanted her.
“Mate with me, Hank. Love me forever.”
He caught her face in his hands and kissed her. It was tender and passionate at the same time and made her head spin. “You do me great honor. I’ve seen war and death and destruction. I know how valuable love and family is. I promise to love and cherish you for our entire lives and beyond.”
“Oh, Hank.” She began to cry in spite of her best intentions. His words moved her deeply. “That was so beautiful.”
He lapped one of her tears away and went to kneel behind her. This was really going to happen. She was excited and scared all at once. Her first experience with mating hadn’t been a good one.
But this was Hank, a man who understood her to the core, who knew she’d be having dark thoughts and rushed to reassure her. “I’ll take it slow,” he promised and suited his actions to his words. He fitted his cock to her slick opening and slowly pushed inside. She was wet from her earlier orgasm and he went in easily.
She took a deep breath. Then another.
Hank gripped her hips in his hands but didn’t move. His fingertips dug in slightly and he was breathing heavily but he wasn’t falling on her like a crazed maniac. Chrissten relaxed and his cock slid another inch deeper.
“That’s it,” he crooned. “Relax for me. Take me inside. This is the way it’s meant to be when a couple mates. Safe and happy and filled with pleasure.”
Her worries bled away and were replaced by the wonderful sensations flooding her senses. Hank slid his hands over her sides, around her ribcage and up to cup her breasts. She moaned when he rubbed her distended nipples. Her body remembered his touch and longed for more.
“Just like that,” he murmured. He didn’t thrust but began a slight rocking motion. That, combined with his hands on her breasts, pushed everything else away until there was only her and Hank and the passion that existed between them.
Her body began to move in accord with his. Her hips circled and his cock seemed to expand, stretching her channel, brushing against sensitive nerve endings. He let one hand fall away from her breasts and slide down her belly to where they were joined. His thumb found her clit and stroked.
Chrissten arched her back as every cell in her body strained toward finishing the mating ritual. She wanted this. In her heart and soul and body. This was right. This was meant to be.
She took control and started flexing her hips back and forth, pushing his cock out and taking it back in again. Hank growled and nipped at her nape, sending ripples of pleasure racing down her spine. Goose bumps covered her skin. She felt hot and cold at the same time. Her skin was sensitive to the touch.
“Hank.” She loved the sound of his name on her lips. Once again he seemed to understand what it was she wanted and began to move.
His thrusts got deeper, harder, faster until he was pounding into her. And she was meeting him stroke for stroke. They were both panting, working toward their common goal. The sheets were soft and warm beneath her hands and knees while Hank was hot and hard behind her. His body draped over hers as he plunged into her slick channel.
Her orgasm struck like a bolt of lightning, singeing her with erotic pleasure. She gasped and cried out as the head of his cock expanded, locking him inside her. There was no way she’d be able to buck him off her now even if she wanted to.
She didn’t want to.
Chrissten rode out her orgasm, allowing herself to truly feel every sensation. Her skin was so sensitive that the lightest brush of his thumb against her clit set off another round of explosions inside her. His fingers caressing her breasts made her moan in ecstasy.
She felt the change in Hank as tension filled him. His hands dropped away from her and gripped her hips. He bucked against her, calling her name as he came. His cock stretched her channel to the point of pain but not past it.
There was only Hank, in her and around her. Hot jets of semen filled her. Her wolf howled and she could have sworn she heard an answering howl, a male howl. Hank’s wolf.
Everything inside her stilled and then she felt it—the twining of their lives, their essence. And it was beautiful. She started to laugh and cry at the same time. She’d never known it could be this way.
When she collapsed on the bed, Hank followed her down, still locked inside her body. He levered most of his weight off her and stroked her hair, her back and her butt. It was a long while before her heart stopped racing and her breathing returned to normal.
She inhaled and the smell of sex filled her nostrils. But beyond that was a very special scent, Hank’s essence mixed with hers. It filled her, permeated every cell of her body. Every other wolf would know she was Hank’s mate and he was hers.
The thought didn’t frighten her in the least. She felt like she’d finally found a place to call home.
Hank’s cock had gone down enough so he could pull out of her but it still wasn’t easy. She gasped and moaned, her body quivering with aftershocks. He grunted and landed next to her, pulling her into his arms. The man did like to have her right next to him at all times.
She thought about it and decided she liked it.
Her hair clung to her sweaty body and he helped her pull it away and drape it over the pillows. The way he looked at her made her body heat all over again.
Hank stroked his palm over her hair and down to her chin. “You’re my mate now. I can smell me on you.” He grinned and it made him look younger, happy. “I like it.”
She shook her head and gave him a mock frown. “There’ll be no living with you now.”
He laughed and tugged her on top of him. “You have yourself to blame for that.”
“Oh, I can see how it’s going to be now. It’s all going to be my fault,” she teased.
He shook his head and gave her a quick kiss. “Thank you. Thank you for loving me, for mating with me and for wanting to build a life with me.”
“I want a wedding too,” she warned him. She was a werewolf but she was human too. Plus, she wanted to plan a nice party and wear a fabulous dress.
“Anything you want,” he promised her.
She grinned. “You say that now.”
He rubbed her butt, squeezing and molding the mounds with her hands. “I was raised human, Chrissten. I think I’d like a wedding to mark the occasion. But it has to be soon. You’re mine and I want the entire world to know it.”
She chewed on her bottom lip, thinking fast. They could have the reception in the bar. She’d need a dress and flowers. “You have to wear a tux.”
Hank groaned and closed his eyes. “If I have to.”
Chrissten laughed. “You’ll fight crazy pureblood werewolves but you whine at the thought of wearing formalwear.”
“Fighting is easy,” he informed her with wounded air.
She caught his face in her hands. “I love you so very much.”
All humor drained from his expression replaced by seriousness. “I know. I love you too.” He continued to rub her butt and back. He was still very aroused. His cock was hard and hot against her belly. She squirmed a bit to find a more comfortable spot. He grabbed her behind and stilled her movements. “Much more of that and talking time will be over.”
She should have been amazed but she wasn’t. The man was insatiable. Come to think of it, so was she, at least when it came to H
ank.
“Where do you want to live?”
She could hear the concern in his voice, knew he would move anywhere for her even if it pained him to leave his family. “I don’t know. Craig wants to stay here and I like the club and your family.”
“Then stay. We can buy our own place. I don’t have a lot of money, but I’m planning to talk to Craig about investing. The guy’s a genius so I might as well take advantage of that.”
“I’ll talk to Quinn,” she promised. “But for now…” She let her words trail off and leaned down to kiss him.
Hank broke the kiss, rolled her until she was under him and smiled at her. “For now we have more pressing things to do.”
Chapter Twenty-One
Hank walked into the bar with Chrissten’s hand held in his. They hadn’t made it back downstairs last night. They’d made love several more times before getting a shower, changing the sheets and falling into a deep sleep. They’d both been exhausted but happy. Hank couldn’t remember the last time he’d slept so well. Having Chrissten in his arms made all the difference.
They were mated.
He still had a hard time believing it had actually happened. He leaned down and nuzzled the top of her head just to reassure himself their scents were still mingled on her skin.
Her body had clasped his so tightly last night. He’d made love to her over and over, never quite sated. If he made love to her three times a day for the rest of their lives he didn’t think that would be enough. She completed him in a way he still didn’t quite understand, but he didn’t care.
She belonged to him and he to her. He liked the sound of that. A lot.
The rest of the pack was already seated around a couple of tables near the kitchen door eating breakfast. All talk ceased when they walked into the room. Quinn slowly rose from his chair, a frown on his face. Bethany stood beside him and put a restraining hand on his arm.
Quinn hadn’t interrupted them last night and Hank knew he had Bethany to thank for that. Luckily, it seemed as though she was on Chrissten’s side in this matter, on his side.
Chrissten hesitated for the briefest of seconds, squared her shoulders and strode toward her family. Pride swelled in his chest. She was so courageous, but she was no longer alone. He squeezed her hand to remind her. She glanced up at him and gave him a quick smile.
“How are you feeling this morning?” Hank could hear the underlying edge in Quinn’s voice.
“I’m good,” she replied and then seemed to search for words.
Hank had one eye on Quinn and the other on Isaiah. The pureblood werewolf had already noticed what the others hadn’t. The alpha slowly inclined his head and Hank felt some of the tension within him slowly drain away. He had his alpha’s blessing. No matter what happened with Quinn, he and Chrissten would always have a home here.
But Quinn wasn’t exactly slow on the uptake and he stiffened when he leaned in to hug Chrissten. His hands gripped her shoulders and he leaned down to sniff her neck. Hank barely managed to restrain the urge to yank Chrissten away from her twin.
Craig, smart and sensitive for a human, realized immediately something wasn’t right. He set his coffee mug down on the table and came to stand beside his siblings. “What’s going on?”
Quinn leaned back. “That’s what I want to know. What did you do?”
Chrissten bristled. “I did what I wanted to do.”
Hank decided it was time for him to step in. “Chrissten and I are mated.”
Quinn glared at him, teeth bared. “You didn’t waste any time, did you? You bastard.”
Hank gently moved Chrissten off to his side to stand beside Craig just in case things got violent. But she didn’t stay there.
She poked her finger into Quinn’s chest. “It was my decision, not his. He wanted to wait.” Her cheeks turned an enchanting shade of pink but she didn’t back down.
Quinn heaved out a breath and clenched his hands by his sides. “You need time to recover. Time to decide what you want.”
A tiny kernel of guilt started to take root in Hank’s gut, but he ruthlessly squashed it. He and Chrissten belonged together. No other male would love her as much as he did. Hank knew he’d dedicate the rest of his life to making her happy.
But he also knew her family was important to her. He wanted to make things right between her and Quinn but knew it was something she had to do for herself.
Chrissten loved her brother so much. He was stubborn and opinionated and had a huge heart. She needed him to understand that she’d done what was right for her. She wanted his blessing. Didn’t want to fracture her family.
“This is right for me.” She put her hand on her twin’s chest and glanced behind him at Bethany, giving the other woman a beseeching glance. Bethany didn’t disappoint her.
“Congratulations to you and Hank.” Bethany pushed her mate aside and gave Chrissten a hug.
Quinn growled but not quite as loudly this time. Taking his cue from Bethany, Craig stepped up and gave Chrissten a hug. “Be happy.”
Chrissten sniffed and swiped at the corners of her eyes. “Thanks. I am happy.”
Quinn still stood as still as a statue. She reached out to him. “I need you to be happy for me.”
He raked his fingers through his hair and shook his head. “I guess I don’t have any choice.”
Not exactly the ringing endorsement she was hoping for but for now it was enough. “Thank you.”
Her twin turned his laser gaze on Hank. “Make her unhappy and I’ll kill you.”
Fear caught in her throat. How would Hank react to the threat? Would they fight? She tensed, ready to jump between them if necessary. She should have known Hank better than that, should have trusted him.
He gave her a reassuring smile before turning his attention to her brother. “I’ve got no problem with that.”
The tension slowly eased out of the room and Meredith jumped to her feet. “Congratulations to you both.” She pulled Hank into her arms before doing the same to Chrissten. She hugged them both long and hard. “We should have a party. To celebrate everything.”
Her suggestion was met by a round of cheers from the others.
“Well,” Chrissten began. “I want a real wedding and Hank has only given me a couple of weeks to handle the details.”
“Men,” Meredith groused. “They have no idea what goes into planning an event of that kind.”
“I’ll help.” Bethany glanced at Quinn. “Maybe I’ll get some pointers for when we have a formal wedding ceremony.”
Chrissten glanced at her brother and held out an olive branch. “We could make it a two for one. Have a double ceremony.”
Quinn shook his head in mock despair. She could see the slight twinkle in his eyes and relaxed. Everything was going to be okay.
“I can see I’m going to be outnumbered and overruled by you women anyway. So what the heck.” Quinn grabbed Bethany, dipped her over his arm and kissed her in dramatic fashion.
Everyone laughed and Craig gave a whoop and started hugging all of them. The rest of the pack joined him and Chrissten found herself passed from one person to another. They were all genuinely happy for her and Hank. Chrissten laughed out loud, feeling lighthearted for the first time in a long time. Things were going to be okay.
She watched Hank having his back thumped by Isaiah, Michael and the rest of the males. It looked to her like they were trying to see who could hit him the hardest. He returned the gesture and soon the men were ribbing one another and smiling.
This was Hank’s family. Which turned her thoughts in another direction. “I suppose we should invite Donovan Brody.” Chrissten turned to her brother who’d come up to stand beside her. She hadn’t given her father much thought since the night of her rescue and she felt a twinge of guilt over it. She knew he was still in the city and had called several times to ask Quinn about her, but she hadn’t spoken with him.
“I suppose we should.” Quinn put his arm around her shoulder. Their lives had
changed so much in the past two years. But things were definitely on the upswing.
“Where do you want to live?” She wanted this matter settled.
Hank must have heard her question because he immediately left his pack mates and came back to her side. Quinn reluctantly let his arm drop away and Hank replaced it with his own, pulling her close to his chest.
Quinn reached out for Bethany and his mate wrapped her arms around his waist as if sensing he needed the contact.
Craig stuffed his hands in the back pockets of his jeans and rocked back on his heels. “I think we should stay.” He glanced around the club. “Not here, specifically. As much as I like everyone there’s simply not enough room for all of us.”
Meredith heard Craig and gave a cry of dismay. “You don’t have to go. You’re all welcome here.”
Chrissten sensed Hank’s tension, his dismay at hurting Meredith. The woman had been like a mother to him, had given him a home and an understanding of himself, of who and what he was. She didn’t want to take him away from that.
Craig smiled at the alpha female. “You’ve been more than kind and we’ll always be grateful for it. And I wasn’t suggesting we go far.”
He reached into his back pocket and pulled out a piece of paper. He unfolded it slowly and handed it to Quinn. “There’s a building not far from here with a small retail space on the ground floor and three apartments above. I’ve checked into it and it’s solid. It will need renovating, of course, but it would be a good investment, a good place to settle. We could try it for a while and see if it works. We could open a business or something or rent out the retail space to someone else.”
Chrissten was impressed with her younger brother. He’d been busy and had obviously put a lot of thought into this. She glanced up at Hank. “What do you think?”
“I’d like to see the building, but I like the idea. A lot.”
“You can still work here if you want,” Meredith told them. “We can always use waitresses,” she said to Chrissten and Bethany. “And Hank, you know your job is here for as long as you want it.” She turned to Craig and then Quinn. “That goes for you too. There’s always plenty to do in a place this size.”
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