by Aria Chase
Uncertainly, her hand hovered on the knob on the door to his room. Should she knock? No, she didn’t want to give him time to prepare himself. Maybe she could catch him off-guard and seduce him. The news of the babies wanted to burst from her mouth, but she knew she would have to guard that secret for the time being, because he couldn’t afford any distractions tomorrow night.
Hopefully, a night of lovemaking wouldn’t be too much of a disruption to his concentration. She needed a physical connection to him, to reinforce the emotional one that had formed despite her best efforts. Learning of her pregnancy made her yearn for him, made her want to be in his arms and know they were together because they both wanted it, not because he was angry over what Elijah and Elise had done. In her mind, this was the act that she would associate with the conception of the children, not the first night, when they made love for all the wrong reasons.
She opened the door quietly, poking her head through to observe him for a moment without his awareness. He sat in a chair by the fireplace, reading from a leather-bound book that looked ancient. Reading glasses perched across his nose softened the furrows in his forehead, making him more approachable.
With her first step into the room, his head jerked up, his expression revealing surprise. “Alyra?”
She nodded, finding her feet not so bold at taking her forward now, and she had to force herself to keep moving toward him. When she reached his chair, he tilted his head back to look up at her, just as she knelt on the floor, laying her cheek on his leg. The submissiveness of the pose was deliberate. Had she been in wolf-form, she would have rolled onto her back, but that was over-the-top in her current state.
“What is it?”
“I need you tonight.” The request humbled her, even as his hand stroking her hair bolstered her.
There was a tinge of melancholy in his voice. “Just for tonight?”
“No.” She couldn’t be certain he heard her reply as he slid from the chair, joining her on the soft Persian rug, now her equal. Her hands trembled when she framed his face, and she leaned forward to kiss him before courage could desert her. His lips were pliant and eager against hers, meeting her with an intensity identical to her own. His tongue swept inside her mouth, probing her depths, while she attempted to catch it with her own. The passionate duel heightened her already charged nerve endings, and her pussy flooded with arousal, aching to once again experience his possession.
Tears burned in her eyes when he stroked her tongue gently, while cradling her against him. His embrace was a haven, and she felt cherished. Unlike the first time, his emotions seemed to come through with each touch. Was she imagining he was experiencing more than desire? If it was only in her mind, she didn’t want confirmation, preferring to exist in the fantasy, at least for the night.
Why had she spent so much time fighting this? It seemed stupid to have wasted the last two weeks because of her hurt feelings and sense of inadequacy. Yes, she was his second choice, but she should have been doing everything in her power to show him she was the right choice, rather than hiding from him and the emotions he inspired.
It shocked her that she had been planning to passively drift through marriage to the man she had loved for years. That wasn’t her. She worked for what she wanted, and she should have been trying to get him to acknowledge she was more than a means to an end. How could he ever change his thinking if she gave him no reason to do so?
Rational thought fled when Jared cupped her breasts in his hands, kneading the soft globes with firm pressure. Her face flushed hot when she realized she had come to him naked, her need to reach him so great that she hadn’t even thought about practicalities, like a robe.
Her lack of dress emphasized that he was wearing too many clothes. His jeans chafed her thighs, when he pulled her lower body closer to his, urging her legs around his waist. The soft cotton of his T-shirt did nothing to diffuse the heat of his skin when she pressed her palm to his chest, while grasping a handful of his hair with her other hand. Eagerly, she pulled his head closer to hers, anchoring him, wanting to melt into him.
He must have had other plans, because his mouth broke free from hers to wander down her chin and neck, where he nipped her. Alyra tossed back her head, squeezing her eyes shut as he sucked on the skin, while his fingers pulled gently on her nipples.
She was wet and ready for him. It seemed to be happening too quickly, but she had spent the last two weeks in a constant state of arousal, tense with anticipation each time she was near him, only to be let down when he never reached for her. “Jared, I want you. Now.”
“Soon, baby.”
Her hands sought out the hem of his T-shirt, and she pulled it up as far as she could with his hands still on her breast. She tugged insistently, and he relented long enough to let her rid him of the garment before his hands returned to her breasts.
Alyra allowed her hands to wander over his smooth, warm flesh, squeezing and stroking alternately. She arched her hips, bringing her pussy directly against the bulge in his jeans, and her hand traced a path from his stomach to his cock, which she stroked through the faded denim. “Now,” she said again, more demanding than ever. His teasing caresses and kisses weren’t inflaming her senses, because she was already hot to the point of boiling over. All he was doing was accentuating her frustrations.
In response, his mouth left her neck to slide down her body, pausing to draw in a plump nipple. He flicked the bud at a leisurely pace, while one of his hands settled on her hip. Her stomach clenched with anticipation when he trailed his fingers over her abdomen, moving lower with the same slow pace his mouth applied to her breast. She arched against his hand when he reached her pussy, and she couldn’t keep from crying out his name when he nipped her nipple at the precise moment his thumb and forefinger tweaked her clit.
Jared’s fingers moved through her pussy in slow, sensuous strokes, as his tongue swirled her nipple in ever-increasing circles, until he was circling the dusky-pink areola. One of his fingers slid into her opening, pushing in as far as he could. At the same time, his mouth moved to her other breast, and he suckled on that nipple, giving it fastidious attention.
She was tense with frustration and aching for release. As much as she enjoyed his touch, she needed completion. Perhaps he just wasn’t as ready as she was? With that thought in mind, she unsnapped his jeans and slid down the zipper, not missing the way he froze for just a second, until her hand found the hard heat hidden there. When she grasped his cock tight in her palm, he groaned against her nipple, expelling a tantalizing breath against the engorged peak.
With the same teasing movements he had used, she stroked the length of his cock, applying firm pressure. His breathing shifted, becoming ragged, and his mouth slackened on her breast, even as he brought a second finger inside her. She had to fight back a grin, knowing she had broken his concentration.
For both his satisfaction and her own need, she increased the pace of her hand, pleased to note he did the same. At some point, her steady pace faltered, as she got lost in the sensations his fingers between her thighs aroused. His cock was hard and heavy in her hand, and when she thumbed the V of his head, Jared arched his neck, his expression one of pleasurable agony. In retaliation, he circled her clit with his thumb while increasing the force of his fingers. What had started out as a way to bring him around to her point-of-view was quickly bringing her to the peak of orgasm.
Wanting to come with him, not with them separated as they were, she asked, “Now?”
Perspiration beaded his forehead, and he nodded, seeming not to be able to speak through his gritted teeth. At confirmation, she removed her hand slowly, experiencing a combination of withdrawal and anticipation when his hand left her pussy.
Jared guided her backward, resting his hand against the back of her head, as he lowered her to the carpet. The change in position necessitated a momentary separation, and she whimpered at the parting, even as her eyes devoured the econoElijah motions he used to dispose of his jeans and
briefs.
When he was kneeling between her thighs, she arched her hips, seeking out his cock. He held off, his eyes scanning the room. After a moment, he muttered a curse.
With a frown, she sat up slightly, bracing her weight on her elbows. “What’s wrong?”
“I don’t have any protection.”
It hovered on the tip of her tongue to tell him about the babies, but she held back, knowing he didn’t need the added pressure when facing any adversaries tomorrow night. “Live dangerously. We did before.”
Apparently, Jared had no problem with doing so. As he surged forward, Alyra allowed herself to fall back again. His cock probed her entrance, stretching her deliciously, before filling her. She gasped at the familiar sensation, marveling that she had resisted this need for two weeks. “Harder, Jared. More.”
He thrust his cock into her as deeply as he could go, as Alyra strained to take in more of him. With their bodies fused, their heartbeats thundering in time with each other, they were one. As she arched against him, close to coming, she met his eyes and swore she saw love reflected there. It loosened her tongue, and as she achieved satisfaction, a harsh cry escaped her, followed by a declaration she might not have given so soon if she hadn’t been over the edge of reason already. “I love you, Jared. Oh, how I love you.” Any reply he might have made was lost in the crescendo of her orgasm as she came with a force she had never known, almost losing consciousness with the pleasure.
He didn’t speak when she returned to herself, but his arms were warm and comforting around her, holding her close, with her ear pressed to his chest to hear his heartbeat gradually slow. The soothing sound lulled her to sleep, and she was only briefly aware of Jared lifting and carrying her to his bed. She might have imagined his words to her as she slipped back into a dreamless void, but chose to believe she hadn’t.
“Now you’re where you belong, my love.”
10
While Alyra slept, snoring softly, Jared lay beside her in the bed, holding her close. He needed his sleep in preparation for tomorrow, but his mind wouldn’t stop whirling. Thoughts he had shied away from, emotions he had denied, were coming to him faster than he could force them away.
He drank in the sight of her face, noting the small smile of satisfaction curling her lips even in slumber. When he reached out to brush hair from her face, his heart skipped a beat at touching her soft skin. She turned her face toward his hand, nuzzling his palm. Warmth spread through him. Not the heat sexual need inspired, but something softer, gentler, and more enduring.
How had it happened? How did Alyra work her way into his life so quickly? In just two weeks, she had become part of him. He couldn’t imagine living without her. His stomach churned with nausea when he contemplated the day she came to him for freedom. He wouldn’t be able to deny her request for a divorce. After all, she had made restitution for Elijah’s actions, and she was guaranteed an end to her term by that stupid prenuptial agreement. If only her brittle attitude hadn’t overruled his common sense the day of the wedding, he would have shredded it instead of signing it. But when he saw her so anxious to accept the contract, anger had won out, and he had agreed to the terms.
His stubbornness was going to cost him his mate. It was inevitable she would leave him. He held no illusion that tonight had been anything except sex for her. Jared wasn’t going to fool himself to think she loved him as much as he loved her, just because she came to his bed one night. During a full moon, the wolf side of their nature took charge, strengthening all their animalistic drives. Passion no doubt…
Love! Where had that word come from? He didn’t love her. Yes, he liked and respected Alyra. True, she could carry a conversation, when she didn’t run from the room as soon as he entered. When they made love, he hadn’t failed to notice how well she fit against him when he put his arms around her, but that didn’t prove she was made for him. He couldn’t fall in love with her. It would be bad enough to lose her when she left him, but he refused to let her rip out his heart and take it along. He had to resist these foreign emotions. It was as simple as that.
But not so simple, he acknowledged with a sigh, when she shifted in her sleep, cuddling closer to him. How was he ever going to let her go?
11
Alyra stood beside her mother-in-law, picking up on the other woman’s tension. She knew Charlotte’s nervousness didn’t come from the forthcoming ceremonial passing of Vasek’s duties to Jared, as the pack watched. No, like Alyra, she was worried about any challengers he would face first. She almost offered a bracing hand to Charlotte for comfort, but dismissed the notion before her arm could rise, knowing the other woman wouldn’t appreciate the gesture.
The members of the pack had formed a rough circle around the clearing where Jared stood in the nude, with his father off to his side. The moon lent his skin a silvery sheen that made Alyra’s fingers itch to touch it. With mental scolding, she forced her thoughts from his anatomy to the moment at hand. As Jared raised his hands for silence, her breath lodged in her throat.
“It’s time.” The words were simple, but no one needed clarification. “Are there any who challenge me for leadership?”
The words had barely left his mouth when a young man stepped forward. Alyra didn’t know his name, but recognized him from the lumberyard. He was tall and lean, with corded muscles, but appeared to be no match for Jared. “I challenge.”
With a nod of assent, Jared transformed into a wolf, as his opponent did the same. The breath she had been holding released raggedly when the young man jumped at Jared. With an apparently casual move, Jared brushed him aside. Undeterred, he rose again, attacking lower this time, trying to slice Jared’s belly. With a roll and flip, Jared pinned the other wolf to the ground, his teeth at his challenger’s throat.
He held the pose for a long moment, until the other wolf went limp. As soon as he submitted, Jared released his hold and backed away, not changing back to human-form until his challenger had done so first. With a slight bow to Jared, the other man walked out of the circle, clearly not wounded, except for his pride.
“Is there another?”
“I challenge.” Susan Blockmoor was more of a threat to Jared than the boy had been. She kept her sturdy body at maximum performance with vigorous exercise and stringent nutrition. No one seemed surprised that she had offered a challenge, because Susan had never been subtle about her desire to lead a pack of her own. If she lost, Alyra knew the other woman would probably leave the Sundown pack to start her own group.
They greeted each other with respectful bows of their heads before changing. Once again, Jared allowed his challenger to make the first move. Susan came at him hard and fast, tackling him and sending both of them rolling around the clearing. Alyra tightened her hands into fists as they growled and snapped at each other. She winced when Jared swiped Susan across the muzzle with his paw and couldn’t contain a gasp of horror when she tore into Jared’s haunch, leaving a bloody gash when he managed to throw her off.
They circled each other warily, as everyone in the pack watched in silence. Alyra had to restrain the impulse to rush forward and assist Jared when Susan went after him again. Once more, her teeth ripped into his flesh, this time his chest. Jared endured the pain without as much as a whimper, continuing to struggle all the while.
When Susan leaned in closer, clearly attempting to fasten her teeth on Jared’s neck from underneath, he spun, kicking her in the muzzle with his uninjured hind paw, while forcing her onto her side. While she was temporarily unable to move, he grasped her throat with a sudden lunge.
When Susan relaxed, Jared released her. Together, they returned to human form, with Susan bowing to Jared. Genuine respect reflected in both their gazes, and when she returned to the circle of pack members, Susan kept her chin high, clearly unashamed. She had given Jared a true challenge, and he had withstood it, increasing both his status and hers in the eyes of the rest of the pack. Should she choose to break away, Alyra knew the woman would have litt
le trouble finding followers to go with her, to form the core of her new pack.
Sweat gleamed on Jared’s body, betraying the toll of his exertions, and there was a hint of breathlessness in his tone when he spoke again. “Anyone else?”
“Me.” A big man, four inches taller than Jared, with rippling muscles and a tight physique, stepped forward, wearing only a pair of jeans.
Alyra clapped a hand to her mouth in disbelief. Orion was Jared’s best friend. They had grown up together as neighbors in similar large homes on Syringa Ridge. Despite Jared’s duties as future Alpha, and Orion’s busy schedule as a day trader in Seattle, which limited the time he spent on the island, they still got together as often as possible. She was shocked his friend would betray him.
Apparently, Jared was just as stunned, because it took him a moment to respond. “I see.” His tone was emotionless, but Alyra swore his eyes darkened with hurt. “Shall we then?”
Orion held up a hand. “Wait. I must speak first, my friend.”
Jared’s brow arched. “You still call me friend, while plotting to steal my birthright?”
“You have it wrong. It wasn’t me who plotted anything. You know when I heard of the plans of some to challenge you in an unfair fight, with the three of them setting themselves up as co-leaders after your defeat, I put a stop to it.”
Alyra’s eyes sought out a crowd of shifty young men and women, those who often grumbled about the structure of their society, while reaping full benefit of being a member of the Sundown pack, even as they gave little in return. From the uncomfortable expressions on their faces, it was clear they were the ones who had planned a coup by using such underhanded tactics. Fools though they were, even they should have known the pack wouldn’t have allowed three to challenge Jared at one time.
“Then why are you challenging me?”
“Because I can’t trust your judgment now, Jared. I was content to be your beta, as I had agreed when you asked me years ago. I don’t want to lead, but I can’t allow the pack to fall into the hands of one who isn’t thinking straight.”