Caged Heat (Black Meadow Pack)

by Milly Taiden

  When he placed her on his bed, her brow furrowed, and she moaned in pain. Anger surged through him. It was clear someone was after his mate. What he didn’t know was why. Too many things had been going on at the same time. Not to mention, he needed to speak to her about their bond. The animal inside him recognized her as his. Nothing would change that, and he needed to figure out a way to make her understand. His gut clenched. For someone to get to Sam, they would have to go through him first.

  * * *

  “All right. I’ll let him know,” Troy shut off the phone just as Riel walked into his kitchen.

  “What’s going on?”

  “That was Chase. He said to let you know he can send others to help if you feel you need backup here. I told him to hold off for now. He also said Sophia has the blood sample and will get back to you as soon as she can figure out anything of importance. But it may take a few days because she’s exhausted and needs tons of sleep.”

  Riel sighed and sat down by his kitchen table. “I know. Did you question the teens in the area today?”

  Troy nodded, grabbed his soda can, and sat in a chair across from Riel. “Yeah. I got around to the families in the vicinity, but none of them was in the area at the time of the bombing.”

  Riel scratched his beard stubble. What was really bothering him was Sam’s reaction to smelling him. She’d acted just as a female of his kind when in heat earlier. Her sweet scent still invaded his senses. There was just something different about it. It was faint, but she still had the wild look when he’d been inside her, as if a small, untamed part of her wanted out of an invisible cage. “I need you to do me another favor.”

  Troy jerked his head in a nod. “Anything you need, bro.”

  “Can you check out her family history? I want to know if there are any shifters in her background.”

  Troy’s lifted his brows in surprise. “I did get the faint scent of something from her. Not strong enough to call animal, but there’s something there. Is that what’s got you wondering?”

  Riel massaged a hand over the back of his neck. “Yes, but also her actions. They are so similar to those of a female in heat. It’s weird. It could also be she was bitten by a werewolf while in the jungle and just wasn’t aware.”

  Troy shook his head and drank from his can. “I don’t think so. If she was bitten she’d have had her change by now.”

  “What if something in her makeup didn’t allow her to fully shift? Maybe a genetic anomaly?” He growled in frustration. “I don’t know. It just doesn’t feel right. She’s not what she thinks. I can tell because just her scent is driving me into needing to mate her whenever I’m near her. This is more… This is different. I have to figure it out before something else happens.”

  “Have you considered that maybe she’s just a human with some extra hormones that make her susceptible to our kind?”

  If that was true, then she might not want him personally but as a boy toy. Maybe her hormones were pushing her to have sex with him to sate her own need to breed. He didn’t want Sam to be with him because of some physical need to have sex in general; he wanted her to want him, to want to be with him, to love him. Fuck. He knew he’d lost his heart to her the first time he’d looked into her big brown eyes. She’d just returned home from boarding school and was about to head off to college.

  Happiness had filled his soul when she’d smiled at him for the very first time. It was at that moment he knew she was the only woman for him. Tryx, Chase’s cousin, had always made fun of him and said he was the reason she believed in love at first sight. He’d never wanted another woman after his eyes had landed on Sam. He never went past casual encounters, always knowing she’d come back to him one day. Could fate be so cruel to make the one woman he loved only want him for sex?

  He didn’t believe for a second she was hormonal or desperate to breed. Someone knocked on his door before he had a chance to say that. Seconds later footsteps headed toward the kitchen. Natalia and Kane walked in together. Troy growled, and Riel sighed.

  Nat pursed her lips. “Put a sock in it, Casanova. Where’s Sam? We came as soon as we heard.”

  “She’s sleeping.” Riel glanced back and forth between Kane and Troy. It was his deepest hope they wouldn’t wake up Sam, because then he’d have to kick both their asses.

  Nat folded her arms over her chest. “So what happened?”

  “Small homemade bomb. She mentioned she heard ringing coming from inside the box right before it detonated and a car taking off right after the explosion. It was enough to cause some serious damage, possibly death, if she’d been holding it.”

  Nat covered her mouth with her hand wide-eyed. He knew what she was thinking. What if Sam had been holding the box? He needed to figure this out now. He wouldn’t rest until he knew she wasn’t under any kind of threat. Nat knew Sam better than anyone else. They could question her and cross things off from their need-to-know list.

  He motioned toward the chairs. “Tell me about her family. I know they’re a bunch of lowlifes, but we need more detail than that.”

  Nat sat down across from him and made a point to ignore Troy’s glare. Riel wanted to remind his friend that this wasn’t the time for a lover’s quarrel. He had a feeling Kane wasn’t sleeping with Nat. If he had a guess, she was using Kane to piss off Troy, but the green-eyed monster of jealousy didn’t let the normally levelheaded Troy see it.

  She placed her elbow on the table and cupped her cheek with a hand. “Well there’s Ginny, who we all knew. She was the matriarch and the sweetest woman in the world. She was also very concerned for Sam. She always said she needed to keep her away from the rest of the vultures so she’d never end up hurt. But I think she underestimated their greed when she left the money in Sam’s name.”

  “What do you mean hurt?” Kane asked.

  “I think it was more of an emotional thing. Sam’s mom was kind of a spirit. She loved hanging with shifters and never cared what her family thought. It was frowned upon for the youngest daughter to be hanging with the ‘animals,’ as they liked to say.”

  Riel clenched his jaw. Figured, there were always those that knew of his kind and thought of them as just a bunch of animals.

  Nat’s voice continued to fill the kitchen space. “Then we have the aunts Margarita or Maggie, Cecilia, and Luisa. I’m not sure what Margarita or Cecilia have been up to, but those two are the worst evil bitches you’d ever heard of. The wicked witch has nothing on them. Sam kind of felt bad for Luisa. According to Sam, Luisa let her sisters and brother pressure her into agreeing with them. Then there’s Juan, the brother. He’s never around since he’s always chasing a skirt halfway around the world. I think he’s living in the Philippines right now. He’s got his own inheritance from his father’s side, so he never cared about this side of his family. Apparently his father was real old school and left all his money to his only son. Juan Junior? His father isn’t sharing his inheritance with Junior, so he’s dependent on whatever Ginny left him. He’s one to watch out for.”

  Kane got up and grabbed two sodas from the fridge. He brought a glass with ice for Natalia and sat back down.

  His two friends stared each other down. Troy snarled at Kane, but then focused on Nat. “Why is Juan Junior someone to watch?”

  Natalia popped the can, filled the sweaty glass, and took a sip. “He’s an avid shooter and likes to intimidate people with his guns. In fact, Sam mentioned how he acted as if he wanted to drag her out back and put a couple of slugs in her for being the sole inheritor.”

  Riel’s gut clenched. He didn’t like the sound of that. Any person that carried a weapon around and had an attitude problem was already a risk. When you added that he felt cheated over a multi-billion dollar inheritance, there was more than a good possibility he might have something to do with wanting to get Sam out of the way.

  Troy jumped in again. “Are there any other relatives we need to know about?”

  Natalia furrowed her brow. “Hmm. Cecilia has no kids a
nd neither does Maggie, although Maggie’s husband has been said to have ties to the mob. He’s a dangerous one too. Luisa’s kids, from what I’ve heard, travel and have successful careers, so I don’t think they’re interested in anything. The only other person is Marcia, Juan Junior’s wife.” She shook her head and sighed. “She isn’t a threat, more like a victim. Sam thinks he beats on her, but she refuses to leave him. It’s one of those situations where she’ll put up with anything just to have a nice house and expensive things.”

  Disgust rolled through Riel. What a piece-of-shit excuse for a man. He curled his hands into fists, and a low growl worked up his throat. It bothered him that a man would hurt a woman, especially his mate. His father had always told him that mates were a rare treasure and should be cared for and protected at all costs. How could any man in good conscience hurt the woman they claimed to love?

  The sound of gunshots exploded outside. Troy pulled Natalia down to the ground and threw himself over her.

  Instinct took over, and Riel shifted into his wolf. His clothes tore at the seams, and he ran for the door. When he reached the front, he realized the gunshots hadn’t been toward his home. He ran in the direction of the scent of gunpowder and ended up in front of Sam’s house. Broken glass littered the ground, and the smell of whiskey and tobacco lingered.

  A black wolf ran up to him. Kane.

  Kane sniffed the ground around the front of the house. “Did you see anyone?”

  “No. I think they must’ve been shooting as they drove. When I got out here there wasn’t a car in sight, but I still smell whiskey and tobacco.” Riel continued to smell the same spot he figured was where the car slowed down to shoot.

  Kane snarled. “I do as well. I also smell sweat and something else.”

  A low growl came out of Riel. “Sweet.” Whoever was after Sam had a woman with them.

  Kane growled. “Yes.”

  Riel glanced back at the broken windows. At this rate, she’d end up homeless in a week the way her house kept getting attacked. He’d call in some others to help fix the backdoor and her windows in the morning. “It’s the same scent we got from the bomb in the yard.”

  Kane sniffed and turned toward Riel’s home. “Someone really wants to get at Sam.”

  Riel followed behind slowly. He wouldn’t let anyone get to her. She was his, and he’d be damned if now that he finally had a chance to be with her some asshole would hurt her. Not in his fucking lifetime.

  Riel and Kane went back to the house. Being a shifter and never knowing when he’d need to change, he kept a closet full of clothes everywhere, including his car. He and Kane dressed and went into the kitchen. Troy was the only person in there.

  Kane frowned at Troy. “Where’s Nat?”

  “She went up to check on Sam. She didn’t want her to wake up scared if the noise got through her drug-induced sleep.” Troy stood and faced Riel. “I’ll look into Juan Junior.”

  Riel wanted a piece of the man himself, but he didn’t want to leave Sam alone.

  Kane nodded. “And I’ll find out more about the others.”

  As they all headed to the front, Natalia came down the stairs. “She’s still fast asleep. I am pretty sure she’s going to go all night like this.” She fixed her gaze on Riel. “Take care of her. She’s been through hell the past few weeks, and I’d hate to see her hurt any further.”

  If it were up to Riel, Sam would never even get a headache for the rest of her life. He nodded and the three left his house.

  When he got back upstairs, he showered and lay down next to Sam on the bed. She turned to face him, snuggled into his side, and sighed his name. Satisfaction filled his heart.

  Riel woke up to the sound of his phone buzzing on the bedside table. He was about to reach for it when another hand curled over his hand and placed it right over a naked breast. He snapped his eyes open. What he saw took his breath away.

  Sam straddled his hips. Her long curls hung in a dark, silky curtain down to her elbows. The brown of her eyes was bright and clear from the long sleep. She had a sexy smirk on her face and was, much to his delight, completely naked. He mentally devoured the curve of her shoulders, her perfectly full breasts with berry-tipped nipples, the sexy indent of her waist, and down to her gleaming hot sex resting over his stiff cock.

  “How are you feeling?” Maybe they should hold off on sex until she felt better. Not that his dick gave a crap about his concern. He was harder than a piece of steel and desperately wanted inside her wet heat.

  She grinned, lowered her head, and licked one of his nipples. “Like I want you to fuck me until my brain turns to mush, my toes curl, and you make me come.” His blood rushed down to his cock.

  He groaned. “If I’m dreaming don’t wake me up, unless I’m humping the pillow. I’d hate for you to see me doing that.”

  She laughed and wiggled over him. He didn’t think it possible, but his cock grew some more and jerked. He lay there, enthralled with her movements. She twirled her tongue over one flat disc and then wrapped her lips around the tiny bud and sucked. His hips rocked under her, and his cock slid between her pussy lips, covering his erection with her dripping honey.

  Desire shot through his body and deepened his voice to a low growl. “I want you so bad I can’t think straight.”

  She licked her way down his abs and dipped her tongue into his belly button. “Then don’t think, my big, sexy wolf, just feel.” Her whisper was so low that if he didn’t have enhanced hearing, he wouldn’t have picked up on her term of endearment. Possession roared to life inside him. She’d called him hers. She slid down his body until her breath kissed his jutting cock.

  Fisting the sheets under him, he panted. She wrapped a small hand around his dick. She licked a slow trail from root to tip. He groaned and tore at the sheets. The sound of ripping material was loud in the room, but he couldn’t look away from the sexiest sight in the world. One second Sam was flicking her tongue around the crown of his cock, and the next she had shoved half of it into her mouth. Holy fuck. Wet suction tightened around his shaft until all he knew was the hot slide of her lips over him.

  “Goddamn, Sam. You’re incredible.” He panted and fisted more of the sheets to keep from shoving himself down her throat.

  When her hair got in the way of his view, he released the sheets and roped the long mass in his grip. She was amazing. He wanted to thank god for her lips…and her tongue. He thrust into her mouth, and she continued to bob her head over his shiny cock. She jerked at the base of his shaft, driving the fire in his blood to a boiling point.

  Goddamn! She started humming around his dick, causing a new vibration, and he snapped. He curled his hands on her arms and pulled her up. Her sexy smirk told him she knew how close to the edge he was. He grunted when she gripped his cock and slid down until he was impaling her completely. His breath hissed out of his lungs. She moaned and threw her head back. The move shoved her breasts out in a silent offering, one he wasn’t going to ignore. He clutched her hips and helped her ride him.

  Rising off the bed, he lifted his head, sucking a bouncing nipple into his mouth. She whimpered and moaned loud. The sound drove the hunger inside him. It was a difficult task to rein the beast so he could treat her gently. She dug her nails into his shoulders until he smelled blood. That he made her lose control added to the arousal coursing through him.

  Her taste consumed him. He sucked her nipple deep into his mouth and bit down on the hard little bud. She jerked above him, and her pussy walls fluttered around his cock. He did it again to the other one. His little mate liked it when he bit. And by god he loved it too.

  “Oh, yes, yes, yes.” Her whimpers were loud, desperate.

  Riel let go of her nipple and leaned back into the pillows. He gripped her hips, and increased the pace of lifting and dropping her over his cock. The scent of sex, wild and untamed, filled the room. She panted his name in husky groans. Each call for him made him feel invincible.

  “Ry, Ry, Ry… Please,” s
he begged, digging her nails into his abs.

  Her face was flushed. Lust was riding her high. “What do you want, sweetheart?”

  She glanced at him with so much need he knew he’d do anything for her. Her eyes were glazed with desire. “Make me come. Please.”

  He moved a hand between her slick pussy lips and rubbed a thumb over her peeking clit. Her breath hitched, and she tensed above him. Her movements became jerky and uncoordinated. Tweaking the sensitive nerve bundle between two fingers, he watched her soar.

  “Oh…yes!” She choked out a scream.

  Her pussy gripped at his shaft and sucked him in. Panting, he clenched his jaw. With deep breaths, he continued to lift and impale her on his cock. Her pussy gripped him in a silken hold. He had to fight her tightened vaginal walls to get in and out of her sex.

  His orgasm hit him square in the chest, blindsiding him. He groaned. Electric pleasure traveled down his spine. A loud snarl tore from him. He ground his dick into her pussy and came into her channel for long moments. The sound of their loud breathing was the only noise heard.

  Sam ended up draped over his chest, her face in the crook of his neck. She licked at the beads of sweat that ran down his throat. He got up from the bed and set up the shower, then returned and lifted her into his arms.

  She immediately wrapped her legs around his waist. “What are you doing? I weigh a ton, and you keep lifting me like she weighs nothing.”

  He chucked through the kisses she rained over his face. “You forget I have more strength than a human man, and you’re not as heavy as you think.”