He gritted his teeth, his mind reeling with all the dark thoughts that spun around him. If she was gone from his life forever, even after he’d traveled all the way into the city and left his secluded home, there was no use anymore.
Bitterness rose in his mouth, and blackness consumed his brain. He’d opened himself, his heart, and this is what he was given in return. He would never love again. He would never let another woman close to him for as long as he lived.
Thoughts of plundering every woman in Mystic Harbor and leaving them high and dry afterward filled him with a twisted glee. By the time he reached Ashton’s house, he had a plan. He’d stopped at the liquor store and had bought a gallon of rum. He took a swig of the sharp liquid before he even had his car door open and then charged up the stairs to barge through the front door.
Ashton jumped from the couch, his shirt off, showing his many tattoos. A half-naked woman sat beside him. Ronan growled and slammed the door shut.
“What are you doing here?” Ashton demanded.
“This is my house too. I’ll do what I want here.” Ronan took another swig of rum and wiped the splattered drops off his chin with the back of his hand. The pretty woman on the couch pulled her shirt on and slipped her feet into her shoes.
“See you around, Ashton,” she said as she skirted around Ronan and hurried out the door.
“Wait,” Ashton said as she closed the door, but it was too late. “Now see what you’ve done. That girl’s only going to be here until tomorrow. Damn it. My only chance.”
“I’m sure you’ll find another,” Ronan growled as he stomped into the living room and plopped down on the couch where Ashton and his girl had just been. He took a deep swig of rum and let out a breath as the burning liquor ran down his throat.
“Ronan. You haven’t lived in town for fifteen years and suddenly you’re coming in here and busting up my date! What the hell?!”
“Shut up, Ashton,” Ronan grunted.
“Seriously, Ronan. This isn’t cool.” Ashton stood over his brother, crossing his arms and looking down at his older brother with darkly hooded yes.
“She turned me down, okay. Happy?”
“Shit, man. I’m sorry.” Ashton said, sitting down on the couch next to Ronan. He grabbed the bottle and took a swig before handing it back to Ronan. “That’s rough. Really.”
“Fuck all women,” he said, his words beginning to slur. “I’m going to fuck every woman in Mystic Harbor. Just watch me.”
Ashton took the bottle and took another swig. “I don’t think you want to do every single one. Like the grannies and married women.”
Ronan grabbed the bottle back and gave Ashton the stink eye. “Whatever. As many as I can. So help me. I’ll start with Nelly. I’ll get her and have her and leave her. That’s what I’ll do.”
“Nelly’s a single mom now, Ronan. She doesn’t deserve that.”
Ronan looked at him with evil in his eyes. “Whatever,” he said again and took a deep draw from the bottle.
“Obviously, you are too busy getting your drink on to listen to reason. Do whatever you need to do, Ronan. Just don’t puke on the leather couch. That’s all I ask.”
Ashton stood up and left the room while Ronan sucked down another shot of rum.
Chapter 20
“Do you know where Ashton Harding lives?” Makayla asked the girl at the gas station mini mart.
“The Harding’s old house is on First Street around the corner from the high school.” The girl went on to explain how to get to the big Victorian house from the filling station while Makayla stood fidgeting in the fluorescent lights.
She walked out into the cool darkness and got back into her BMW. She closed the door and put her hands on the wheel, taking a deep breath. She’d made the decision to come all the way here. It was well after midnight, and she had no idea if Ronan would still be here or if Ashton would know where he had gone.
All she knew was that she was going to find him. She’d made a mistake sending him away like she had. He was probably so hurt that he wouldn’t be willing to open up to her again. Makayla knew about Ronan’s past. She knew he had been hurt terribly when he was young, and her rebuke had probably brought up all his old feelings.
She started the car and drove in the direction the girl had told her to go, her heart pounding all the way. When she found the big Victorian, she parked across the street and stared at the house for a long time. She was terrified to go to the door. What if he was there? Would he be angry? Would he still want her?
Finally, she gathered her courage and opened the car door. Stepping out into the pavement, her heels echoed down the quiet street. She stepped up the stairs on the porch and peeked through the windows. She couldn’t see anything beyond the heavy curtains. She straightened her skirt and took a deep breath, her heart pounding in her ears. She knocked on the door.
No one came. It was really late. She should go, but she saw lights on and could hear music faintly beyond the carved oak door. Someone was awake. The door swung open. Ronan stood before her, obviously drunk, holding a half empty bottle of rum to his chest. Her eyes widened. She’d never seen him like this. His face was red and puffy, his eyes open in slits. He stared at her as if he didn’t quite see her. She covered her mouth, unable to speak.
“Ronan…”
“Makayla. You came.” His voice was slurred and low. She reached out and touched his chest, and he covered her hand with his. “Come in,” he said, almost as if he were expecting her.
She followed silently and took a seat in a leather arm chair in the living room. Ronan smelled strongly of alcohol and so did the entire room. He must have been sitting there getting drunk for some time. For a man who lived in the wild without any human conveniences, he probably hadn’t had a drink in quite a while.
“What brings you back to Mystic Harbor, Makayla?” he said, falling into the couch.
“I changed my mind. Or I had. What’s going on Ronan?”
“Nothing. I’m doing what regular folks do. Drinking away my problems.” His voice was so slurred it was almost incomprehensible.
“Is this because of me?”
“What else would I poison myself over, woman?” he said, his words biting as he shook the bottle at her. He only had on eye open and his mouth was red and swollen.
“Ronan, I’m sorry. I was wrong… I… Maybe I should go,” she said, standing.
“No.” He burst to his feet and dropped the bottle on the hardwood floor. He grabbed her by the shoulders and stared into her eyes. He blinked as if trying to focus. “Makayla. I love you. I’ve never loved anyone as much as I love you.”
He staggered backward and fell on the couch, his head in his hands. “Damn it. I’ve fallen into weakness. I wouldn’t blame you if you never wanted to see me again after this.”
“Ronan, no. I understand.” She sank to her knees beside him and stroked his hair. “We need to get you into bed. After venison and potatoes for fifteen years, all this alcohol isn’t good for you. Come on.”
She helped him to his feet, and they made their way upstairs until she found what looked like a guest room. Ronan fell face first into the bed and was out almost as soon as he hit the pillow.
Makayla pulled off his boots and drew a blanket over him before she turned off the light and left the room. Out in the hallway, Ashton stepped from a bedroom down the hall.
“He’s a mess,” he said. “I’ve never seen him like this. Well, no. I have, but it was a long time ago and I was a young kid.”
“I know about Nelly.”
“Then you know that Mr. Tough Guy is actually a love-sick boy. And now he’s love sick over you.”
“I made a mistake. I came to make it right.”
“You can sleep in the second guest room right here. He’ll be himself in the morning.”
Makayla got her bag from the car and made herself comfortable in the guest room. She fell asleep, worried about what would happen in the morning. Late in the night, she felt t
he blankets move and weight sink into the bed beside her. Her eyes flew open as she tried to make sense of what was happening.
“Ronan?” she asked into the darkness.
“Yes,” he said. He smelled fresh and clean like soap and man without a hint of alcohol. His voice sounded completely sober.
“Aren’t you hung over?”
“I’m a shifter. We recover quickly.”
“Oh,” she said as she felt his hand run over her body. She was instantly aroused and laid back in the bed, waiting for him to touch her more deeply.
Still half asleep, she felt as if she was in a dream. Ronan’s fingers flipped open the buttons on her pajamas and found her bare breasts underneath. His wet mouth fell on her skin, and his tongue flicked her stiff nipple.
She sucked in a deep breath as his hand cupped her breast and he pulled her nipple into his mouth, biting gently and then harder. His teeth grazed over her skin as he moved down her stomach.
Makayla’s body inflamed with desire as she held him in her arms. She stroked his hair and ran her hands over his bare broad shoulders. Ronan was totally naked and damp from a shower. She could feel his erection hard against her body as he moved over her.
He sank to her waist and pulled her pajama bottoms down her legs and off her feet. His mouth dipped between her legs and lapped at her slit. His tongue pressed through her folds and flicked over her swollen clit.
Makayla moaned, her legs shaking with excitement. Her pussy gushed moisture as she ran her fingers through Ronan’s shaggy blond hair. His raspy tongue pressed hard against her arousal, moving in tight little circles that brought her to the brink of ecstasy.
“I love you Ronan,” she breathed. With that, he moved up to her mouth, kissing her deeply. She could taste her fluid on his tongue, the taste turning her on even more.
His wet fingers replaced his tongue as he kissed her. They slipped inside her pussy as his thumb moved over her clit. He drew his fingers in and out of her in a tantalizing rhythm that made Makayla groan against Ronan’s mouth.
She could feel herself coming closer to the brink of orgasm. His fingers grazed her desire, and she suddenly shuddered, the flood of pleasure flowing over her body and mind. Her entire body clenched as the pleasure ran through her.
Ronan rolled his body between her legs, his tongue still deep inside her mouth. Makayla clung to him, her body vibrating with desire. She could feel the tip of his cock press against her slick pussy. She took a deep breath as he pushed inside her.
She let out a long moan as his massive manhood filled her, sinking to the base, all the way inside. She panted as her body stretched to accommodate him. Ronan moved his mouth down to her neck, licking and kissing her as if he were starving.
He held her hip with one hand and held himself up with the other as he began to move inside her. Makayla panted his name as his thick cock pushed her into another intense orgasm.
Ronan’s piercing teeth pressed against Makayla’s neck. Before she knew what was happening, he punctured her flesh. His tongue lapped up the blood that ran from her open vein.
Makayla’s orgasm rolled on as he bit down into her and licked up her blood. She couldn’t stop coming, the pleasure just moved over her like waves crashing against the shore.
She could feel something happening inside her, something bigger and greater than the increasingly intense orgasms. She felt a cord like energy form between hers and Ronan’s hearts, their stomachs, their minds, and their sex. They were becoming bonded.
Ronan pulled away from her neck and moaned. His manhood grew harder and wider inside her channel. Makayla trembled with the final throws of orgasm she shared with Ronan as he shot hot jets of seed deep inside her womb.
Chapter 21
They laid together in bed, their bodies drying from a sheen of hot sweat, until the first rays of morning light broke over the mountains and through the windows. Makayla rose from bed and pulled on her pajamas. Ronan watched her body as she dressed and brushed her hair. His shaft stiffened at the sight of her and he wanted to demand she get back in bed so that he could sink between her legs a second time, but he knew she would be going through the change soon. The full moon was that night. She needed to prepare.
“You should relax today, then we’ll go to the forest tonight. You can shift there.”
“It’s… going to happen already?”
“Yes. The change is imminent. The full moon is tonight.”
“Crap. I’m not ready for this.” Her face fell and tightened into a look of panic as she clutched at her chest.
“I’ll be with you the whole time, my love. There is nothing to fear.” He walked over to her and kissed the top of her head, petting her hair as it cascaded down her back. “Makayla,” he whispered. “I’m so sorry about last night. I don’t know what came over me.”
“There’s no need to explain, Ronan. I understand.” She tilted her face up to him, her eyes bright with moisture, her lips tight with unspoken fear. She truly was beautiful. She faced the coming change with the same determination of will that had made him fall in love with her. He kissed her soft lips, and she melted into his chest.
He held her there, soft and warm against him. He smelled the scent of her hair, the perfumes not so overpowering now. He left the room and went downstairs to make her eggs and bacon in Ashton’s filthy kitchen. Something had to be done about his family’s house. He sure as hell wasn’t going to let Ashton destroy everything his parents had built.
Makayla came down, dressed and clean, and slid into a chair at the kitchen table beside a bright window overlooking the street. She looked nervous and tense as she tapped her fingers on the table.
Ronan plated their breakfast and put it on the table. Makayla looked down at her food as if she had no idea what she was looking at.
“Don’t you like eggs and bacon?”
“Of course, I’m just nervous.”
Ronan eyed her cautiously as he put a bite of food in his mouth. Makayla finally started eating and choked down half her meal. Once they were done, he scraped off the plates.
They spent the rest of the day hanging out around Mystic Harbor. Makayla couldn’t stop gushing about how cute the town was. They walked along the docks and got fish and chips at the fish shack. He took her to Vivian McNealy’s apothecary shop and she bought some sweet smelling soap and lotion. As night drew closer, Ronan could sense Makayla’s fear increasing.
They want back to the house and go into Ashton’s car before they drove out to the nearest access point to the forest. As they got out of the car, he could see the change taking place in her eyes. They already glowed with a yellow sheen as the moon rose. He closed her door and she growled at him, her lips curling back over sharpening teeth.
“Quickly,” he said, leading her out into the deep wood. She followed behind him, keeping up with his pace. He came to a stop behind a wide, old myrtle and began to take off his clothes.
Makayla looked at him coolly, with a blank expression on her face. “Take off your clothes,” he commanded as he tore off his jeans.
Makayla shot him a dark look and began peeling off her clothes. Ronan watched her, enjoying the sight of her pale skin in the dim glow of the moon light through the forest canopy. She shivered in the cold ocean air. Ronan took her hand and led her deeper into the forest. After no more than twenty yards, Makayla screamed and threw her head back. Her body began to contort as the shift took her. The cry of pain gripped Ronan’s belly. He couldn’t stand to see her in pain.
He shifted, an easy transition for someone who had been doing it all his life, and waited for her to complete her first change. She saw him standing in lion form before her and suddenly her entire body snapped into place.
There she was, a beautiful female cougar, smelling just like Makayla. Ronan’s mouth watered as he approached her. He licked her ear gently, letting her know he was there for her.
She panted heavily as if she had just run a long way. Her eyes were still glazed over with confus
ion and pain. Finally, she looked up at him, a spark of recognition in her eyes.
A smile curved on her lips and she growled just before she shot off into the forest. Ronan followed close behind her. Makayla’s cougar form was lithe and agile in a way the human woman never could have imagined. He could sense her excitement as she stalked toward the scent of a deer.
He watched her pounce up a high rock and land gracefully on top. He followed her and they both crouched low, waiting for the deer to come into view. A low growl of excitement escaped her lips.
A moment later, a buck entered the clearing below them. Makayla’s cat wiggled her behind in anticipation of the pounce. Ronan waited, ready to back her up to take down the kill. The buck stepped closer, one foot at a time.
Makayla bolted, landing right on top of the buck’s back. Her teeth sank deep into the deer’s neck, taking him down in one quick stroke. Ronan pounced down behind her, ready to support his mate, but Makayla seemed more adept at hunting than many natural born shifters. Pride swelled in his chest as he watched her.
She tore open the buck’s skin and gorged on its flesh. Ronan came close and licked at the blood dripping down the buck’s leg. She growled at him but ultimately moved over to make room for him to eat.
They shared the kill, eating until they were full. There was little meat left when they were through as Makayla’s cat was famished from the change.
They walked back to their clothes, and licked each other clean before they shifted into human form. He took her in his arms after they’d shifted and kissed her deeply. Makayla melted into him and held him close, her warmth filling him with a sense of peace he had never known.
Chapter 22
Makayla sat with Ronan and Ashton at the kitchen table of the Harding’s family home drinking beer and laughing about the hunt.
“What are you going to do now, Makayla?” Ashton asked as he stood to get them all another round. “Do you plan to go and live with Ronan in his cabin?”
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