Shattered Strength: Shadowcrest Pack Series Book Two

by B. Livingstone

  His hands slide over the center of my back, unhooking my bra. His fingers skim over the bruises lining my spine, up over my shoulders as he works the straps down my arms. His lips nip at the juncture of my neck and shoulder causing my breath to still in my lungs. “Cree,” I call on a whine. “What are you doing here?”

  Cree’s hands slide around my stomach locking my back against his bare chest. Fuck. His soothing heat penetrates my sore muscles and fuck if that doesn’t feel amazing. He runs his teeth up my neck to my ear where he whispers, “Wild told me you asked to be dropped off here rather than the penthouse. I don’t like the idea of you being alone while Alastair is still out there. You didn’t answer your door when I knocked, however, your door was unlocked. That is extremely dangerous, Riley.” He finishes his statement with a bite to my ear.

  “Fuck, Cree. What are you doing?”

  “Punishing you for being irresponsible.”

  Blinking, confusion breaks through the haze of lust. “What?” My questions are cut short as his hands descend on the front of my jeans where he makes quick work of the button and zipper. He pushes my jeans down to find I’m not wearing any panties and another growl escapes him. I have to admit I love that sound. I love even more that I cause it.

  Glancing over my shoulder I catch Cree’s eyes which are dark and dilated with lust and desire. His mouth is pinched shut so tight the muscles in his jaw flex with the effort to not say a word. His nostrils flare with every breath. His grip on my hips is surely leaving bruises with the amount of pressure he’s applying. What does it reveal about me, that it fucking turns me on that he’s marking me?

  I swallow hard when his eyes land on my lips. My heart skips a beat then shifts into overdrive as his head dips down, stopping with his lips a meager inch from mine. We’re frozen in place for what feels like a lifetime before I lean in to close the distance between us. Pressing my lips to his, I turn in his arms so I am front to front with him but remain in the circle of his arms. His kiss is so different from Enzo’s. Where Enzo is demanding and hard, Cree is yielding and soft. Though I can feel Cree holding himself back.

  Tangling my fingers in Cree’s hair I pull him to me, forcing him to yield further to me. My tongue runs along his lips probing for entrance to deepen the kiss. He doesn’t deny me my treasure as he opens to my tongue. Exploring, Cree’s tongue meets mine and I find a cool round object attached to it.

  Pulling back, I know the look on my face must be full of shock because he starts to laugh. “Cree, you have a fucking piercing in there.” Cocking a brow at him I whisper, “Where else are you pierced?”

  Laughing at my playful antics he whispers back, “You’ll have to wait until another time to find out.” Stepping back, he directs with full command, “In the tub. Now. Your water is getting cold.”

  I begin to protest when he cuts in. “I told you already, Riley. Not today. That still stands. And believe me when I tell you, it hurts me more to say that. Because fuck woman, you are fucking unbelievably sexy and I want nothing more than to complete the bond with you, right now.”

  I stand there, flabbergasted when my eyes drift south. He chuckles as he turns me around to face the tub and gives me a little push. “Yes, Riley. You are remarkably sexy. You are passionate, fierce, resilient, bright, and irresistible. Believe it, little wolf. It’s all true.” Giving me a playful slap on the ass, he nudges me a final time to get in the tub. “In. Now.”

  I climb in the tub and scoot forward, gesturing behind me. “Well, you coming?”

  Climbing in he mutters, “Not yet.”

  Sliding back, I rest against his front, my head on his shoulder, and he wraps his arms securely around me. “You only have yourself to blame, you know.”

  A grumbled, “I know,” meets my ears as my eyes drift shut.

  Cree

  Within seconds of relaxing in the tub, Riley falls asleep. Another reason I didn’t want her here alone. She’s been through so much lately; the mental and physical stress has to be exhausting. I make no move to get out or to disentangle with her. Leaning back, I rest against the wall and edge of the tub. Soaking in her sweet essence and everything that makes Riley, well Riley.

  It isn’t until the water becomes so chilled that I feel a shiver work its way through Riley that I get up. Doing my best one arm hold and one arm towel wrap, I get Riley wrapped up and out to her bed. Placing her under the covers, not bothering with dressing her, I tuck her in and go check all the locks, making a quick stop in the bathroom to wrap myself in a towel as well.

  Wandering through the apartment I go down a mental checklist. All three locks engaged on the front door. Two locks on each window flipped to the right, closed. Making it through the living room, kitchen, bathroom, and spare room. I head to Riley’s room, checking her windows before joining her in bed.

  Sliding under the covers I roll to my side and wrap an arm firmly around Riley’s naked waist. Pulling her back closer to me, I curve my body protectively around hers. I glide my other hand under her pillow only to tap something solid and cool. Grabbing hold, I slide it from under her pillow. “What the fuck?” I whisper. Laying it aside I slide my hand back under and pull out a few more things. Well, that’s interesting. I think to myself.

  With a giddy grin, I gently shake Riley, rousing her from her sleep. “Little wolf. Wake up, babe. I really need to ask you about something.”

  “What the fuck, Cree?” she grumbles as she shimmies onto her back only to land on top of her gun, switchblade, dagger, handcuffs, and vibrator. “Oh,” she drawls with a smirk as I raise a single eyebrow in return.

  “Now the handcuffs and vibrator I get. But the weapons…” I leave the question hanging in the air, waiting for her to react.

  “Well, Alastair is out there and it’s better to be safe than sorry. And what do you mean, you get the handcuffs and vibrator?” she challenges with an arched brow.

  Sitting up, I get to my knees and straddle Riley’s hips. Her naked form is testing my resolve. Fuck, I said slow, I can’t do this. My bear gripes his protest to my restraint.

  I know Riley can see the debate playing out in my head because she inserts, “Cree, shut up the internal voice.” Along with a roll of her hips against my cock that’s pointed straight at her entrance.

  I place my hands on her stomach and slowly slide them up her ribs, over her breasts pinching her nipples before trailing my fingers over her collarbone and heading down both arms. Reaching her wrists, I grab both and slowly lift her arms over her head. Keeping my face expressionless I place her open hands on the headboard's iron rails before commanding, “Grab the rails.”

  Closing her fingers around the rails she squeezes them tight, along with her thighs. Her hips shift ever so subtly, creating a little friction. “No, no, little wolf.” Grabbing Riley’s hips, I slide my hand along with my body down her legs. Lifting her right leg by the knee, I slide it to the side so I can kneel between her legs. I wrap her legs around my waist as I crawl back up, kneeling so her ass is resting against my knees. “Do not move, Riley. Unless I tell you to. Is that understood?”

  “Yes,” she pants out on a breathy moan as my fingers skim between her folds at the apex of her thighs.

  Gripping one loop of the handcuffs in one hand, I lean forward and slide the other loop of cool metal up Riley’s body starting at her pelvis, up the center of her well-defined abs, thanks to all those workouts with Enzo, along her sternum and over her right breast, hooking her diamond hard nipple, along her collarbone, to the front of her neck. When it hits the comforter next to her ear I lean in closer till her nipples are pressed against my chest and whisper, “This is what I meant when I said I get it.” I snap the end of the cuff around her wrist, and guide the other end around the rail, then close it over her other wrist.

  Waiting, I watch Riley’s face as she registers the cuffs around her wrist, making sure she’s okay before moving on.

  Not seeing any signs of distress, I lean in until my nose touches hers and whis
per, “Riley, I need you to look at me and tell me you're okay before I can go on.”

  “Fuck, Cree. What do I have to do? Beg?” Locking her eyes with mine she states with no hesitations, “I want this with you. I want to be yours. I want you to be mine. I trust you, Cree. When I’m with you, I feel safe from the things that hurt me inside.”

  “Gods, Riley. This is all I’ve wanted since the day you stepped into my bar.” Leaning in, I take her lips with mine. Devouring every sweet moan that escapes her as my fingers skim her body to find her clit, swollen and begging for attention. She whines against my lips as I circle around the edge of her clit not putting any pressure directly on it. Her hips rising and falling slightly, trying for more friction. Spreading my legs slightly, I push hers further apart, making it so she can’t shift her hips against me.

  Breaking the kiss, I rake my teeth along her jaw and down her neck. Her body trembles beneath me. Biting down, not to the point of breaking skin but enough to still all movement and noise from Riley. “I told you not to move.” Gently, I roll my finger over her clit and into her soaking pussy. “You are fucking drenched, little wolf.” Sliding my finger in and out finding the spot along her front wall, her muscles clamp down around my finger. Sliding a second finger in, I gently scissor them as I twist my wrist. Her moans become louder and her core heated. She’s ready to cum but I’ve got other plans. Pulling my hand away, her eyes become the size of saucers and her mouth hangs open.

  “Cree,” she whines.

  “What?” I speak softly with a knowing grin.

  “You’re a fucking bastard, you know that?” She scowls as I move down and settle my face between her legs.

  “Am I now?” I retort breathing hot air over her swollen soaked pussy. Running my tongue through her slit and over her clit, she cries out my name. Her back arches as she pulls on the cuffs holding her in place. Metal clangs against metal as the headboard groans from the tension. “Let’s get one thing straight here, Riley. You can keep the handcuffs but the vibrator goes unless I am here to use it on you. This here is mine.” Locking my mouth around her clit I suck deep. Her legs begin to shake as another climax builds.

  “Gods yes. It’s yours, Cree. But for fuck’s sake you better not stop this time,” she cries out. I slide two fingers inside her, deeper than before but release my hold on her clit. Resting my hand and my fingers, I hold her there on the edge. “Cree, please.”

  “This is your punishment, Riley. To be at my mercy. Next time you lock your door and do as you are told. Agreed?”

  She nods her head frantically as I begin to pump my fingers faster in and out driving her over the edge. “Gods, yes. Yes!” She moans as she comes over my hand.

  Sitting back up on my knees, I withdraw my fingers and slide them into my mouth. “Fucking divine.”

  “Cree, please.”

  “I know, little wolf. I’m not done with you yet. However, if we’re going to do this you will not be cuffed to the bed.” Sitting with my back against the headboard, I uncuff Riley and pull her on my lap. “This isn’t just sex for me, Riley, this is a mating. You show me what you want, what you need, and how fast you want to get there. You’re my alpha, Riley, and I’m your mate.”

  Riley

  Holy shit, balls on fire. Cree just literally blew my world apart. He called me his alpha, submitting to me. I am sitting naked on the lap of one of my mates, my body still humming with the aftershocks of the climax I’m still coming down from. Tears begin to build behind my eyes as what he said replays in my mind. “Cree, I… I…” I don’t get any further as he effectively shuts up anything I was about to stammer out with a searing kiss.

  “Better?” He softly asks with a small smile.

  “Yes,” I whisper back. “Feel free to use kisses as a method to shut me up anytime."

  “I’ll remember you said that.”

  Running my hand down his chest, I come to rest over the tattoo of the bear and wolf. “Cree, it means a lot that you would submit to me like that. But as my mate, I don’t want you to lower yourself. I want you to be my equal.”

  He places his hand over mine. “Do you remember the story I told you of the bear and wolf?” I nod silently. “Riley, that’s what I want for us. I do want to be your equal. I want to protect you, not because you need it but because you’re my mate. I want us to stand side by side with your other mates, protecting each other. Guiding and leading together. But your pack, Riley. They will see you as their true alpha and as such I will be your mate and you, my alpha. Just know there will come a time when I will dominate you, in bed.”

  Laughing, I lean in and whisper before searing our lips together, “You wish.” The kiss quickly deepens as our tongues tangle together. Cree’s hand explores my body as I grind my pelvis against his trying to release some of the pressure building inside me.

  “Cree, I can’t wait anymore.” His cock, hardening between us twitches at my declaration. Something cool hits against my stomach. Looking down I find another piercing, right there on the head of his cock. “Holy shit, Cree.” I can’t resist the urge to touch it, so I don’t, which extracts a groan from Cree.

  Rising up on my knees, I line him up with my entrance and begin to slowly sink down. Fuck he is huge. “Shit. Cree, I don’t think you’re gonna fit.”

  Without a word, his finger finds my clit, rolling over it. My body immediately reacts to his touch, humming as moisture from me coats his cock. Though there is still some resistance due to his massive size, my walls begin to contract around him, sucking him in. Devouring every inch, the higher his finger takes me.

  Breathlessly I whisper, “Fuck, Cree.” Seated completely with him inside me, my body vibrates from the fullness I feel. His finger slows to a stop on my clit and slowly glides his hand to rest on my hip. I rest my forehead on his chest and take a moment to adjust to his size. The stretch, burning slightly. His chest vibrates with a low, deep growl as his cock twitches inside me and I moan when the cool metal taps against my overheated inner walls. “Fuck, Cree. Shit.”

  I begin to roll my hips, grinding my clit against his pelvis with every roll. It isn’t long before I can feel the climax building again. The feeling of molten lava floods my system when Cree locks his mouth onto my nipple, giving it soft bites and sucks. “Cree,” I cry out as I hit that edge and he thrusts his hips up as I roll back down, pushing me over. My legs shake and my whole body melts in pleasure. Cree’s hands grab hold of my hips as he continues to thrust up into me, faster and harder.

  Pulling my body against his, he flips us so he’s braced over me. My legs wrapped around his waist with him still buried deep inside me. He glides out and back in, slow and gentle.

  “Riley, look at me.” I was sunk so deep into the feeling of pleasure he pulled from my body that I hadn’t even realized I closed my eyes. “We’re about to reach the point of no return, Riley. If you want to hold off on completing the bond, now’s the time to speak up.”

  “Not a fucking chance, Cree. You’re stuck with me,” I reply as a tear slips free from my eye. Cree leans down and kisses it away.

  “Forever, little wolf,” Cree declares as he lifts me onto his legs, holding me close to him. His arms wrapped around my body, one hand holding my hair to the side exposing my neck to him.

  Rocking together, never breaking eye contact we both reach our climax as one. At the peak of our climax our animals rise to the surface and our teeth lengthen into fangs. I can feel my wolf’s excitement at claiming her mate. I lean in, sinking my fangs into Cree’s neck at the juncture of his shoulder, marking him as my mate. At the same time Cree does the same to me, his teeth breaking the skin. The flash of pain melts into pleasure producing a second climax immediately after the last. Coming down off the high, my hand reaches for the mating mark Cree left.

  Smiling, I lean in and place a soft kiss on Cree’s lips before resting my head on his shoulder. “I love you, Cree,” I whisper. The last thing I remember is a gentle kiss on my forehead and soft murmurs in my ear
.

  Chapter Twelve

  Riley

  Waking wrapped in a warm tight embrace is a feeling I could get used to. The only problem is when you have to pee and you can’t get out. I try to lift Cree’s arm that is wrapped around my waist only to have him tighten his hold.

  Tapping Cree’s arm, I whisper, “Cree. Cree, you’re squeezing my bladder.” His only response is a sleepy grumble.

  “Cree, I’ve got to pee. If you don’t let me up, I’m going to pee on you.” His arms quickly release and he gives me a shove off the bed. “Cree!” He rolls over, giving me his back, which causes the blankets to shift, exposing his bare ass. Getting off the floor I head to the bathroom but not before smacking him on the ass.

  Eliciting a growled warning from Cree. “Little wolf.”

  Laughing, I close the bathroom door.

  After taking care of business, I step out, wrapping myself in a black silk robe, and head towards the kitchen.

  “Fucking Christ, Axel. You scared the shit out of me. What are you doing here?”

  Smiling, Axel stands from my couch, coming to a stop before me. His hand lifts to slide the hair back that is covering my neck. My immediate reaction is to cover my mating mark from Cree, but Axel catches my hand. “Don’t hide it, Riley. That is fucking phenomenal. I’m unbelievably happy for you and the big guy. When you guys didn’t come back to the penthouse last night, I figured I’d stop in this morning on my way to work to see if you were alright.” Tracing the bite mark on my neck, a look of awe and something akin to sadness flashes through his eyes before he continues with a smile, “I can see why you would want some privacy.”