by Lola Gabriel
“What about Jason?” Chessa asked. “He obviously knows you pretty well.”
“Jason is a pack member. He’s in charge of all of the tests for the pack and any other immortals. Obviously, this wing is kept separate from the mortal testing facilities.”
“He doesn’t seem nervous around you,” Chessa said.
“He shouldn’t be. He’s one of my best friends. He likes to exaggerate, though. Don’t believe I’m as terrible at sports as he’d have you believe.”
Chessa giggled. “Noah, I went to high school with you. I believe him.”
“You would think the bear genes would make me graceful or fast or something useful, wouldn’t you?” Noah laughed.
Jason came into the room carrying a syringe and a small vial. “Okay, Chessa. If you just want to take your clothes off, we can get started.”
“Take my…” Chessa started, horrified. Why hadn’t Noah warned her she’d have to do a striptease?
“I’m kidding,” Jason teased. Chessa laughed with relief as he took a seat opposite her. “I just need to run through a few things, and then I’ll take some blood. That’s all there is to it. Firstly, do you understand the implications of having Sanmere in your blood?”
“Yes,” Chessa replied. Jason looked at her questioningly, and she realized he wanted more. “It means I can become an immortal and carry Noah’s children.”
“Yes,” Jason said. “And it also means you can be a target for Matchmakers.”
“Matchmakers?” Chessa repeated. “As in, someone’s going to hook me up with a Tinder profile for bears?”
“Not exactly,” Jason smiled. His happy expression faded as he looked at Noah. “You seriously haven’t told her the risks this carries?”
“It won’t matter, Jase. She’ll be with me, and we’ll be mated as soon as possible after she turns.”
“Still, though. She needs to know the risks. You know the deal.”
Chessa felt nervous energy fill her.
“What do you mean, risks?” she asked. “And what are Matchmakers?”
“I take it you know that immortals can no longer bear female children?” Jason asked. At Chessa’s nod, he continued. “So you’ll understand then that mortals who can become immortals and bear female children are quite the commodity.”
“I’m not sure I’d describe them quite that way,” Chessa said.
“My apologies, it’s kind of a crude term. Most immortals have fairly decent morals, but there are those who want a mate who can become immortal and bear their children. That’s where Matchmakers come in. They actively seek out humans who carry the Sanmere protein, abduct them, and auction them off to the highest bidder.”
Chessa felt a shudder run through her.
“Like human trafficking,” she said.
“Exactly,” Jason said. “It’s not all bad, though. Most immortals who purchase a mate this way do treat them appropriately once they have them. But that’s not the point. The point is that, although the lab is secure, and we do everything in our power to ensure test results are confidential, there is always the possibility of a leak, and that means you could be at risk. Having said that, once you’re mated, the risk goes away. Matchmakers want no part of abducting anyone who is mated and risking the wrath of an entire pack. And in your case, you’re going to mated to the future alpha of the district, so you’ll be as safe as it’s possible to be. Do you still want to go ahead?”
“Yes,” Chessa said.
“Right. I must warn you that the chances of you carrying the protein are slim. Are you prepared for what that means?”
“I am.”
“We do offer a counselling service here,” Jason added, “which you can attend before and after the test results come back.”
“No, thank you. I understand the consequences of the results, and I’m willing to take my chances,” Chessa assured him.
“Okay,” Jason said. “Do you have any questions for me?”
“Will it hurt? The test?”
“Have you ever given blood before? Either a donor or for a medical procedure?”
“I gave blood a few times back in college when they were doing drives on the campus,” Chessa answered.
“This is exactly the same as that, only we don’t take as much. The testing procedure is obviously different, but drawing the blood is just the same as any standard blood test.”
Chessa nodded, and then she paused for a moment, looking down into her lap, where she watched her fingers twiddling with her belt. There was one question she really wanted to ask, but she was afraid of looking stupid.
“There are no stupid questions, Chessa. If you need to ask something, ask it,” Jason said gently.
Chessa’s head came up sharply.
“You can read my mind?” she demanded, narrowing her eyes at Jason.
“No,” he laughed, shaking his head. “I’ve just been in this position often enough to recognize that look.”
“Oh.” Chessa smiled sheepishly. “Don’t be so sure there are no stupid questions until you’ve heard this one. I understand in theory what immortal means, but I guess I don’t really know what it means for me. Will I literally never die?”
“Once you turn into a shifter, you won’t catch any human diseases. You can be in car wrecks, disasters, and your wounds will heal, your bones will knit back together. It’ll hurt, but you’ll recover within minutes. However, nature has to have a balance. There is no creature I know of who is truly immortal. You can be killed two ways: silver poisoning, from being shot by a silver bullet, or being decapitated by an Ure sword.”
This raised more questions for Chessa than it answered. “Okay. So I’m pretty much good unless I’m targeted by a hunter that knows the rules of shifters?”
“That’s right.” Jason nodded.
“And what the hell is an Ure sword?”
“Ure is a very rare and precious metal. Most mortals have never even heard of it. There is very little of it in existence, and what little there is available is more expensive than any metal or jewel you can think of. Some hunters have swords made from it, as well as some immortals. The immortals who have them are generally ones who’ve survived a hunter attack and disarmed them. You can’t destroy Ure, so they keep the swords to ensure they don’t fall into the wrong hands. It’s illegal in all but three districts, including this one, for an immortal to use Ure on another immortal. You’ll know it if you see it—it’s like very dull gold, kind of yellow crossed with bronze. It’s hard to describe, but it’s like no other metal you will ever have seen.”
“Okay,” Chessa said, “that all makes sense. Last question. What happens if I get decapitated by something other than an Ure sword?”
“You won’t,” Jason told her. “Once you become a shifter, your biology changes. Your neck will be stronger than the blade of any other sword, and it might penetrate your skin, but it won’t cut through the bone.”
“Okay. Let’s do this.”
“If you just want to hop onto the bed there, we’ll get started,” Jason instructed. Chessa moved to the bed and sat down. Jason came across after her. He wiped her arm with a wet, sterile wipe. “You’re going to feel a small scratch,” he said.
Chessa watched him push the needle into the vein in the crook of her elbow. He pulled back the syringe, filling it with her blood. He pulled the needle out of her arm and pressed a small dressing against it.
“Hold this for me,” he said. “Keep pressure on it.”
Chessa pressed her fingers against the dressing. Jason put the needle into the vial and pushed on the syringe, squirting her blood into the vial. He put the syringe in a sharps bin and clicked the vial closed. He wrote quickly on the label and dropped the vial into his pocket. He took the dressing back from Chessa and gently peeled it away. He peered at her arm and nodded his head, removing the dressing and putting it in the bin.
“All good. The results will be back tomorrow or the day after,” he said.
“Do you need my c
ontact number, or do I just come back in a couple of days?” Chessa asked.
Jason looked suddenly uncomfortable, and Chessa felt her nerves kicking in again.
“What is it, Jason?” Noah asked.
“I’m under strict instructions not to give out the results of this test to anyone except the alpha.”
“You mean my father?” Noah asked pointlessly. Jason nodded. “Fuck that, Jase! We’ve been friends forever. Bypass him and give me the results.”
“I can’t,” Jason said, shaking his head. “Not unless I want to lose my job and my standing in the pack. I’m sorry, Noah. My hands are tied.”
Chessa could see the anger on Noah’s face, and she knew she had to diffuse the situation. It didn’t matter to her one way or the other who her results came from. She hopped down from the bed and touched Noah’s arm.
“It’s fine, Noah, just let him tell your dad the results. He’ll pass them on. We’ve waited nine years for this moment. What’s the extra half an hour or so it’ll take to get to your parents’ place and get the results from your dad?”
“Fine,” Noah sighed. Chessa saw Jason visibly relax.
“I’m sorry, man. You know I would help you out if I could,” he said.
Noah shook his head. “Don’t worry about it. I overreacted. I should have known my father would have to be in control of this.”
He shook hands with Jason.
“Thank you,” Chessa said.
“Anytime,” Jason replied. He walked them to the clinic door. “I hope you get the results you want,” he said as they left.
“Me too, Jase. Me too,” Noah said. He and Chessa walked towards his car. “You know what that’s all about, don’t you? My father wanting your results?”
Chessa shook her head. She’d been trying to puzzle out the reason behind it since Jason had announced it.
“If you don’t have the Sanmere protein, I can’t lie to him and tell you do so we can be together without me having to leave the pack.”
Chessa shook her head. “I can’t believe he has such a low opinion of you. As if you would lie about something so important.”
“He’s a control freak, Chess. I guess it’s a hazard of leading the pack for so long.” He grinned at her. “I won’t have that problem, because I know you won’t let me have it. My mom, on the other hand, she just goes along with whatever my dad says.”
“You definitely won’t have that problem,” Chessa laughed as they got into the car.
Noah drove back towards town.
“So,” he said when they were close to it. “Where am I taking you?”
“Where do you want to take me?” Chessa asked, biting her lip.
“My place,” Noah said without hesitation.
“Works for me,” Chessa said. “I just need to check in with my mom.” She called the house and spoke to Ally, who assured her once more she was fine and told Chessa to have a good time. Chessa told her she loved her and hung up. She turned to Noah with a grin.
“Looks like I’m all yours for the night,” she said.
“You’re all mine forever, Chess,” he replied, sending a shiver of desire through Chessa.
7
Noah smiled to himself as Chessa looked around his apartment, trying and failing to be subtle in her nosiness. He had nothing to hide, and he didn’t care what she looked at. He was just glad she was here. He had all of his hopes pinned on the blood test. Even if it came back negative, he had no intention of letting Chessa walk away from him again, but he knew that convincing her to stay with him would be next to impossible if she felt like she would end up being a burden to him. He didn’t know how to convince her that that would never be the case. Whatever he gave up to be with her could never be as important to him as she was.
“Do you regret asking me to come home with you?” Chessa asked, pulling Noah out of his head.
“What? No, of course not. Why?”
“I don’t know. You’re quiet, all of a sudden.”
Noah smiled at her. “Sorry. I was just thinking. But speaking of being quiet, we don’t have to be quiet here.”
Chessa raised an eyebrow.
“Is that so?” She grinned, clearly understanding exactly what Noah had meant.
“Yup. The whole place is soundproofed. It wouldn’t do for the neighbors to hear me roaring if I turn.”
“Well, now you’re talking.” Chessa stood up from the couch and headed out towards the hallway. “So which one’s your bedroom then?”
“Last door on the right,” Noah replied, already behind her. Chessa stepped into the room, and Noah followed her in, closing the door behind him.
“Let’s just forget about everything that’s going on and enjoy tonight,” Chessa said.
“Sounds good to me,” Noah agreed.
He reached out and pulled Chessa into his arms. He kissed her hard, feeling her body pressed against his. Her nipples rubbed over his chest, and he could feel they were hard even through her dress and his t-shirt. He moved his hands down her back, cupping her ass cheeks and pulling her more tightly against him. She moved her hips slightly, rubbing her body against his rock-hard cock, making him catch his breath.
Noah lifted Chessa’s dress, running his hands over the smooth skin of her lower back and then the lace of her panties. One of her hands roamed over his back, and the other one was wrapped in his hair. Her tongue moved with his, massaging it. He could taste the sweetness of her kiss, sugary and warm. He moved his hands to the front of her body, opening her belt, and once he lifted her dress higher, she stepped back for a second so he could pull it over her head. He tossed it to one side and then removed his t-shirt before pulling Chessa back into his arms.
Noah could feel the desire spreading through him, his human side and beast side merging and becoming one as lust overtook him. He lifted Chessa, and she wrapped her legs around his waist. He reached beneath her with one hand, opening his jeans and shoving them and his boxer shorts down. He kicked his shoes off and wriggled out of his jeans and underwear. He walked towards the nearest wall, slamming Chessa against it as their lips met once more. He tucked his fingers into the side of her panties and tore them away from her body. He shifted his hips and plunged into Chessa’s warm, tight pussy. He kissed down her neck as he moved inside of her.
“You are mine, Chessa,” he whispered into her ear.
He saw the goosebumps rising on her skin at his words, heard her moan low in the back of her throat. He kept moving, loving the way her pussy clenched around his cock, pulling him further inside of her.
Chessa writhed against him, her hips moving in desperate thrusts that matched his. He moved one hand from her ass and brought it around to the front of his body, pushing it between him and Chessa. He pushed his fingers into her warm folds, feeling for her clit. When his fingers brushed it, he moaned. It was swollen, throbbing, ready for him.
Chessa’s arms were around his neck, clinging to him, pulling him tightly against her. She leaned her head back against the wall, exposing her throat. He gripped the skin between his teeth, pinching it lightly and pulling it away from her. She gasped, and he ran his tongue over the pink patch he had left there.
Chessa moved a hand up into his hair, her fist balling in it, tugging on it. The fiery stinging feeling it brought to his scalp almost pushed Noah over the edge, but he wanted Chessa to come first, and he held himself back. He upped the pace of his probing fingers. Chessa went rigid in his arms, her center clenching so tightly he couldn’t move for a second.
She gasped in a breath and held it as pleasure consumed her. He watched her face contort with ecstasy. She was a goddess. Her muscles relaxed, and she let out the breath she been holding in a moan that ended in his name. He still worked her clit while pounding into her. Chessa moved her hands down his back, and he knew she felt the tufts of fur that had begun to spring up there as his beast fought to get out. He held it back, letting it out enough to make his pleasure animalistic in its nature, but not enough to risk hurt
ing Chessa.
She ran her fingers through the tufts of coarse hair, sending shivers through Noah’s body and making him moan. He pressed down on her clit, holding it tightly against her mound as she screamed his name. She wasn’t holding back this time, and when she came, she came hard.
The feeling pushed him closer to the edge, and he let go, tumbling through his own orgasm. His knees locked, and he reached out one arm, pressing his palm against the wall, holding himself up as pleasure tore through his body. His moans became growls, and he felt his eyes changing, his vision becoming more focused, the vision of a bear. He focused in on Chessa, soaking in her beauty as she clenched around him again, sending waves of ecstasy through every cell in his body.
His orgasm began to fade, leaving his limbs heavy and warm, his breath coming in a series of gasps. Chessa clung to him, her face pressed against his neck. Her warm breath tickled his skin. When he trusted his legs to hold up their combined weight, he backed away from the wall and went to the bed, carrying Chessa in his arms. He set her down and lay down beside her.
“Holy shit,” she breathed.
“Not bad for a warm-up, huh?” Noah said.
He sat up and unhooked Chessa’s bra, gently moving her onto her back and pulling her bra off. He knelt between her legs, grinning down at her. Her eyes were glassy with lust as she looked up at him. He bent forward and sucked one of her nipples into his mouth. He flicked his tongue over it, making it harder. He reached up with his hand and worked her other nipple, feeling the skin around it puckering at his touch.
Chessa moaned beneath him, which stirred his beast, and his cock jumped back to life, hard and ready for her, but this time, Noah wanted to take it slowly, to bring Chessa right to the edge of pleasure and show her what happened when she stepped over. He wanted her to know just how amazing her body could feel.
He slipped her breast out of his mouth, replacing his mouth with his other hand. He kissed down her stomach, still working her nipples in his fingers. He reached her mound and ran his tongue through her slit, tasting the sweet saltiness of their mixed orgasms running from her. He found her clit with his tongue, lapping at it, making her moan. He sucked it into his mouth, flicking his tongue over it. He nibbled on it gently, making Chessa cry out and arch her back.