A Mate's Sacrifice: (Hot Paranormal Romance) (Ozark Mountain Shifters Book 2)

by P. Jameson

  “But can you do the same? Can you give me everything?

  His mouth fished open and closed before he finally answered, “I would try.”

  Braeh’s heart crashed, landing in a heap at the bottom of a mountain called Hope. She shook her head. “I’m sorry, Vesh. That’s not good enough.”

  His face was stricken. “I would try harder than I’ve ever tried at anything. How can you say that’s not good enough?”

  His arms tightened around her, and she futilely beat against his chest with her closed fist. She didn’t want out of his arms, she just wanted to get through to him.

  “You have to break through, Vesh. You can’t keep on like this. I know your wolf is paying the price. You fight it because of what has happened to you. You don’t want this, us, but you do. And until both parts of you want me, we can’t do this.”

  “No, Brae. You’re wrong. I want you. I want us. Why else would I come for you? God, baby. Please. Listen to me. Me and the wolf, we are the same. He’s always needed you, but I… I’ve wanted you. Since the very first day, when my shitty memories and circumstances wouldn’t let me. Still, I wanted you. There will never be a time when I won’t want you.”

  “Then why can’t you promise me everything, Vesh? What is it about us that you can’t commit?”

  He was silent for so long, staring into her eyes with that gaze she’d come to know as being unique to him. Almost blank, but enough going on behind the eyes to know his emotions were sky high.

  “I don’t want you to know what happened to me as a wolfling. I don’t want to share those things with you. It’s part of me, but it doesn’t have to be part of you. You’re… too good to hear the horror stories that formed me. Too pure. Too happy. I can’t promise you everything because of that.”

  Braeh sighed heavily. He was going to be so angry, but she had to tell him. She rested her forehead against his so she wouldn’t have to meet his eyes.

  “I already know,” she whispered. “I know what was done to you.”

  He went utterly still. No movement, not even to breathe. She counted off the seconds before he finally said something.

  “What do you mean?”

  She pulled back to look into his eyes, and immediately wished she hadn’t. They were a rainbow of emotions, with red burning brightest. His anger was barely in check.

  “Cael told me. When we were back at camp. He told me what your mother did to you and Besh.”

  Vesh’s body turned to stone, his grip no longer gentle. His jaw set and harsh. “He had no right.”

  “You’re angry, I know. But don’t you see what this means? I already know about your past. That means there’s nothing standing between us except you.”

  He stared at her, but his mind was already elsewhere. Probably mentally bashing Cael’s head in.

  Releasing her, he stepped back. “I have to go.”

  “Where?”

  He shook his head. “I don’t know. Away.”

  “Vesh, no.”

  “I… This was a mistake. I’m sorry. I’ve got to go.”

  He turned, and she felt another dip in their love rollercoaster. This one might be the last one. He’d come here to find her, and now he was leaving. Giving up. The end, sayonara, goodbye.

  Like hell. Not again.

  Without thinking it through, she took a running leap and jumped on his back, wrapping her legs around his waist.

  It didn’t bring him to the ground like she’d hoped, but he did grunt and stumble a little at the surprise.

  “What are you doing?” he ground out.

  “Stopping you.”

  He sighed, and it felt like air deflating from a balloon. “Get off me, Brae.”

  “No.”

  “Get down, right now.”

  “No, damn it.” She laid her cheek against the back of his neck. This had to work. If he walked out again, they wouldn’t survive it. “You said I was yours. Well guess what. You’re mine, and you don’t get to walk away every time you feel a little uncomfortable. You don’t get to make that choice. You either give me my mate or give me freedom.”

  He stood still for so long, she began to feel like a hopeless spider monkey.

  “Is that from Braveheart?” he asked, his voice incredulous. “Are you really quoting Braveheart right now?”

  “It’s not Braveheart. It’s just me fighting for us, you asshole.”

  He let out a long sigh. “Baby, get down.”

  “Are you going to walk away?”

  He was silent, and she tightened her legs around his waist.

  “No,” he said quietly. “But… I am going to mark you.” There was a hesitation. “If you’ll have me.”

  Braeh slid down his back. “Mark me? Like Kerrigan?” Kerri had explained the bite-mark on her neck that meant she belonged to Trager forever. Braeh’s belly flopped at the idea that Vesh would want that with her. She’d heard what he’d said, but marking… that was the real deal.

  The commitment.

  He turned to face her. His eyes were thunderous, but this time, she saw it for what it really was. He wasn’t mad or annoyed or frustrated with her. He was… emotional. He was feeling too much and it manifested as a raging storm on his face.

  He took her face in both hands. “I’m going to make you mine,” he purred. Then he lifted her into his arms and carried her into the house.

  “Where’s your bed?”

  “That way.” She pointed down the hall.

  Vesh kicked open the door and laid her out on the queen size bed. Bending, he kissed her mouth, softly demanding a reply. When her bones were limp from his efforts, he sat back, pulling his shirt over his head.

  He was so beautiful. Like the finest piece of art. A sculpture by a master’s hand. Each piece of him was etched and carved to perfection. Even the flaws.

  “Your eyes on me… look what it does.”

  He gestured to the significant bulge in his pants. Braeh went for the zipper and he let her pull it down, releasing his throbbing erection. His pants landed on the floor.

  “Touch it.”

  Her eyes went to his. “Are you sure?”

  He nodded.

  She wrapped her hands around his hardness. The heat from it felt scalding.

  He hissed in pleasure, gritting his teeth. “More.”

  Braeh tightened her grip, moving along his length.

  Vesh lifted her shirt over her head and had her bra off in the next second. She let go while he shimmied her jeans down her legs. Her panties came off last, and when they were both completely naked, he sat back, his eyes sweeping up and down the length of her body.

  “My mate is gorgeous,” he whispered, lowering himself on top of her. “But not only your body. Your heart. It’s the most beautiful heart, Braeh.” His brow furrowed. “I don’t deserve your love, but I’m going to spend the rest of my life trying to deserve it. I can promise you that.”

  She cradled his cheek. Kissed his lips softly. “Love doesn’t happen because people deserve it. It happens because people need it. Every one of us needs it, Vesh. Now, make me yours.”

  “I need to tell you something.”

  She took a steadying breath. “Go ahead.”

  “I… I have flashbacks sometimes. When we’re in the middle of… I don’t know why it happens with you and nobody else. But I’ve thought about it a lot, and I think it has something to do with our bond. I think… I think it’s my wolf trying to heal. Mentally. You know?”

  She nodded, encouraging him to continue.

  “I think those memories surface when I’m intimate with you, because the wolf thinks you can help me. I don’t know. It’s just a theory.”

  “Okay. What can I do?”

  He shook his head. “I don’t know.”

  She kissed him, running her hands in his hair, and within seconds the conversation was forgotten.

  Vesh spread her legs and settle between them, his hard rod pressing against her entrance. He reached between them and slid his erec
tion up and down between her folds, eliciting a moan from her.

  “You’re so wet, mate. You’re ready for me.”

  “Yes. Please.”

  But then his hand moved to her clit, rubbing and pressing. “Not yet,” he said. “I need you right on the edge.

  Kissing her neck and working her mound, he brought her there quickly. Braeh broke out in a cold sweat just anticipating his hardness deep inside her.

  Suddenly he stopped his efforts. “Now, you’re ready.” His husky tone sent a shiver through her entire body.

  Slowly, leisurely, he pushed into her. The fit was tight. It had been too long since she’d done this.

  “You okay?” His restraint was causing him to sweat.

  She nodded.

  “You’re so tight, Brae. Tell me if you need to stop.”

  No. “No stopping,” she commanded.

  Finally, he pushed all the way in and held very still. He felt glorious. Hard and big and hot. She felt full. The connection was enough to make her cry tears of joy.

  “You feel fucking amazing,” he ground out. “I need to move.”

  “Yes,” she moaned. “Move.”

  He pulled back ever so slowly, and then rushed forward. She didn’t remember sex every feeling this good. Maybe because they weren’t just having sex. They were making love, and it was so, so sweet. Pure sugar.

  Vesh closed his eyes as he settled into a thrusting rhythm. Braeh got lost in his attention.

  But then he stopped. “No,” he whispered, miserably.

  Flashback.

  “Vesh, open your eyes. Open your eyes and look at me.”

  He did and the misery there was excruciating to witness.

  “Keep your eyes on me. Don’t close them.”

  He thrust again, seeming determined to jump this roadblock.

  “Yes,” she moaned, feeling him hit deep. “Make me yours. I want to be yours.”

  He spread her farther so he could take her deeper, his eyes on hers the whole time. “I’m never letting you go.” He grunted in between thrusts. “Never. Understand?”

  “Yes.”

  “I’m going to mark you when I come, sweet mate. It will hurt, and I can’t let go until we finish.” He bent to suck in an aching nipple. “Every shifter… man or woman… everyone will know you belong to me. Tell me you want that.”

  “I do, Vesh.” Her orgasm was close. She was shaking apart from the inside with each push of his body against hers.

  He plunged harder and faster, never breaking eye contact until he bent to her neck, licking a spot over and over. He sucked the skin, his tempo increasing until she was pushing her hips up to meet his.

  “Mine,” he growled. “Always, mine.”

  She cried out as she was thrown over the edge of bliss. But then came the pain of his bite. Sweet and hot and beautiful. Searing. Somehow it made her come harder than she’d ever thought possible.

  Vesh thrust into her, his hot fluid pumping and filling her. Burning through her in a way she could never have envisioned. It was building connections between her heart and his. It was healing and mending and growing the two of them together in a way that could only be separated by death.

  His teeth stayed attached to her skin while he slowed. Her mewling was strange to her ears but she couldn’t seem to stop. What he’d done to her just now… it could never be undone. And there were no words to describe how that made her feel. If there was one that came close, it would be… loved.

  It made her feel loved. Treasured. Necessary.

  Vesh stopped moving but remained inside her. “I never want to stop,” he murmured in amazement, gently fingering the sore spot on her neck.

  Braeh laughed, her giggle bursting forth unbidden. “The biting or the other?”

  “Dear god, woman, don’t laugh while I’m inside you. Do you know what that does to my cock?” His stern look was so serious, she couldn’t help the laughter that pealed out of her.

  His eyes did that twinkling thing. He didn’t need to smile. She knew he loved her. Then they narrowed. “I’ll fix that,” he said, plunging again for round two.

  Braeh sighed, finally feeling complete. Did they have a lot to work through? Hell, yes. And Besh was still in the hands of a brutal alpha. Their problems were far from solved. But in this one single moment, things were perfect.

  “I love you, mate,” Vesh said, softly against her swollen neck.

  No, now it was perfect.

  “I love you too.”

  About the Author

  P. Jameson likes to spend her time daydreaming, and then rearranging those dreams into heartstring-pulling stories of trial and triumph. Paranormal is her jam, so you’re sure to find said stories full of hot alpha males of the supernatural variety. She lives next door to the great Ozark mountains with her husband and kids, who provide her with plenty of writing fodder.

  For more information about P. Jameson and future stories, visit www.pjamesonbooks.blogspot.com. Or go here to sign up for P. Jameson’s newsletter and receive updates on future books.

  Other books by P. Jameson

  A Mate’s Denial (Ozark Mountain Shifters, Book 1)

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