Wild Instincts - Complete Edition (Werewolf Erotic Romance)

by King, Claudia

  "We'll find some way to help, we just need to figure out how." I closed the door behind me and crossed over to the mattress, sitting down beside Thorne.

  "But that's just the problem. I can't figure out anything when my wolf's like this, I can't think, Lyssa." He closed his eyes, fingers massaging his temples. "This would have been so much simpler if we hadn't fallen for one another."

  "It's a bit late to be having second thoughts." I gave him a nudge and a nervous smile.

  "I didn't mean it like that. All I mean is... my wolf wants to go out there and fight. I want to challenge Cyan, even if he's got the whole of the Mine Pack behind him. I'm not afraid of that." He looked at me, his expression pained. "What I am afraid of is getting myself killed and leaving you on your own."

  I put my arms around his waist, laying my head on his shoulder. I knew all too well what it was like to have an instinct working against what the human part of you wanted. I closed my eyes, probing my thoughts to find the wolf inside me, to listen to her. It had only been a day, but already it was becoming difficult to differentiate between which part of me was Lyssa and which was the wolf. Thorne had given me that internal harmony, and now he needed the same thing in return.

  "Remember when you taught me to block out my instinct that day you found me in the woods? That first night we were together?"

  He nodded.

  "I don't think I could've made it this far without that. I can keep my instinct quiet for days now, even when it's yelling at me to acknowledge it."

  "You'll get better at it," Thorne murmured. "I started practising years ago. After a while you'll be able to keep it quiet almost as long as you want."

  "I know, and that's good," I said. "But remember what Agatha told us. We shouldn't have to hide from our instincts." I lifted my chin, nuzzling against Thorne's neck, my nose and lips brushing his skin. "You helped me control mine, now I want to help you listen to yours."

  "I don't know if my instinct's what I should be listening to right now."

  "It will be, if you keep it under control. I know what it's like when you have to fight it every step of the way. You won't be able to think straight till your wolf's satisfied." I kissed his neck softly, letting the warmth of my lips linger for a moment until I felt the subtle tension in his muscles respond.

  "We shouldn't be doing this now," he said, clutching my hand in a tight grip as though to pull me away, but he paused, holding on.

  "You need to be the person you were by the fire last night, when you took me as your mate. You need to be my alpha."

  Thorne turned his head towards me, his free hand rising to cup my neck, thumb brushing up and down the underside of my chin as he gazed into my eyes with a distant, reflective look. "Do you think your alpha will be able to get us through this?"

  "Yes." I returned his gaze, letting him see the sincerity I felt deep down, the confidence my wolf had in her one true mate. I was afraid of what the next day might bring, but with my alpha by my side, I was ready to face it.

  A smile flickered on Thorne's lips, and he pulled me forward into a kiss. It was slow at first, warm and intimate, then his fingers tightened around the back of my neck and his tongue delved into my mouth, his masculine taste filling me up as my eyelids closed and a murmur of longing escaped my throat. Had we been two normal people, living back in the suburbs of whatever human city we called home, his forceful nature might have frightened me, even provoked me to resist, but the assertiveness was an animal language, a way for our wolves to communicate without words.

  How ever creatures like us had come to be, how ever many years ago evolution or the supernatural or the divine had brought together humans with wolves in this way, it had imprinted the subconscious desires of one species on to the other, creating something new and unique. I didn't know how to describe it, but every time I felt the force behind Thorne's actions it was as though I knew instinctively that there was no malice behind his strength. Even when he'd hurt me before, something had felt right about it. Had he been a normal man I might have worried, questioned what drove his aggression towards me, and feared that hidden part of him. But I understood Thorne the werewolf in a way that I doubted I would ever have been able to understand a human lover.

  Somewhere deep down, something within both of us was the same; simple, primal, instinctual. It didn't need to be worried over or questioned, it was simply there, guiding us as our lips pressed together, our tongues dancing as he held me in the kiss until my lungs tingled with the need for air.

  I gasped faintly as he pulled away, my soft mouth brushing against the stubble on his chin as my lips drifted back and forth gently, my eyes still closed in a daze from the intensity of his kiss.

  "I love you," I whispered, barely aware of the words as I mouthed soft kisses down my mate's neck.

  He didn't need to respond. His hand caressing my cheek and the squeeze of his fingers intertwined with mine returned the sentiment with more clarity and intimacy than words ever could.

  I was used to my instinct willing me to give up control and let my partner take the lead, but right then I wasn't inclined to passively submit to Thorne. I wanted to please my mate, satisfy him, let him know that he was my alpha.

  I eased my hand free of Thorne's grasp and slid my fingers beneath the front of his shirt, caressing his toned stomach as he lifted the garment up over his shoulders, leaving his chest bare for my hands and lips to explore. He returned his grip to the back of my neck as I kissed his shoulder, his fingers twining through my hair. A reassuring reminder of the powerful male I was ready to worship.

  My lips moved down across his chest, the faint salt of his perspiration lingering on my tastebuds like a delicious gift as I gently bit and suckled, my tongue painting a glistening trail across his chest as I made my way from one side to the other.

  Thorne leaned back on the mattress, resting against the wall as I pleasured him, his assertive urges restrained by the unconscious understanding between our inner wolves. I could feel it somehow in the tension of his body, the signature of his breath and the motions of his hand. It was a matured dominance, not the wild and furious kind that had branded Thorne an outcast in the past. He knew that I was his mate, and he was my alpha, and no show of force was necessary to illustrate that.

  My palms massaged their way up and down his stomach, my fingers settling into the natural dips and valleys between his defined muscles as my nails dug and probed passionately, scratching gentle marks that drew growls of pleasure from my mate. My breath grew short as my excitement built, my slow and sensual kisses becoming desperate and hungry as I bit and licked at his chest and down to his stomach, my hands moving lower to impatiently tug at the buckle of his belt and the button of his jeans.

  I slid off the mattress to kneel on the floor, unzipping him and guiding a hand down the front of his underwear to cup the firm fullness of his shaft as it strained against the fabric, hard and ready for me. I squeezed, feeling him twitch in response, and dragged his underwear down the rest of the way until he sprang free, my lips immediately moving to kiss the base of his cock as my fingers stroked his length and cupped his testes. I relished the taste of him, dragging my tongue from the base of his length to the tip until I tasted the slick and salty flavour of his arousal mixing with my warm saliva, licking across his smooth head and feeling him tense in pleasure as my mouth stimulated his most sensitive point.

  Perhaps it was a silly idea, getting lost in our passions at a time like this, but I didn't know of any other way to bring back the alpha who'd made love to me last night. Perhaps I would learn, in time. After all of this was over we'd be free to start our new lives together, our own pack. I'd learn to understand Thorne better than anyone, and he would do the same for me. I clung to him tight suddenly as a pang of longing shot through me, distraught at the thought of losing him. My fingers trembled on his thighs, my heat ebbing, and then his hand was stroking the back of my neck softly, easing me to look up at him. I raised my chin, meeting the gaze of his sh
ining green eyes as he looked down at me. Despite the seriousness of his expression, the excited perspiration on his brow, the sharp rise and fall of his chest, a faint smile lingered on his lips.

  It'll be fine, Lyssa, it said. I promise.

  The reassurance might have sounded hollow had he said it out loud, but in that moment I believed him. My wolf believed him. She had to trust in her mate; that he would protect her, care for her, meet any challenge placed before us and come out victorious. It was that trust that would make us strong. There wasn't any room for doubts. I'd spent too much of my life as a werewolf doubting and worrying.

  I returned his smile, my eyes shining with affection, and lowered my lips to take him fully into my mouth. I savoured every little twitch and strain from his warm manhood, imagining his pleasure and making it my own as I curled my tongue around his glans and slid my lips down his shaft until he pressed against the back of my throat. My fingers massaged the base of him, rubbing and squeezing at what I couldn't fit into my mouth, savouring the smoothness of his skin and the soft give as I applied pressure between my thumb and forefinger, feeling his hardness as he swelled in response.

  My fingers found a smooth rhythm with my lips and tongue, alternating the stimulation between one and the other as I coaxed my mate's orgasm onward, my eyelids fluttering closed as I tasted the salty reward of his excitement in my mouth. I gasped for air around him, my warm breath tickling his stomach along with the attention of my free hand, pressing the pads of my fingers against his abs, massaging firmly, pinching the skin beneath my fingernails for a delicious moment before sliding my palm back down, letting my index linger in the dip of his navel for an indulgent moment before focusing my attention back on the strokes of my tongue.

  The wind rustled through the trees outside, penetrating the warm quiet of the room to mingle with the sounds of our heavy breathing and the murmurs in the back of my throat, the soft vibrations caressing their way from Thorne's tip to his base as I lost myself in the moment of satisfying him.

  Was my instinct even in control any more, or was this all Lyssa? I couldn't feel the usual needy tug that I was used to every time I fought with my wolf. Arousal glowed between my legs, but there was nothing desperate or impatient about it. If my mate chose to satisfy me, I would be glad, but if he didn't, I would still be content. I just knew that he needed to be reminded of who he was; an alpha with strength, control, and a mate who adored him for those qualities. It was a service I was glad to perform for him, as naturally as feeding a fire or preparing a meal. It was part of who we were now.

  Thorne's grip on the back of my neck hardened. He took hold of the hand I was tracing up and down his stomach and pressed it tight to his body, a growl grating in the back of his throat as he approached the edge. I craved his assertiveness in these moments. He never lost control or writhed in helpless pleasure when he came to his climax, rather he seemed to become so intensely focused on the act that his body tensed like iron, his pleasure becoming furious and uncompromising, directed by such intent and purpose that he became impossible to resist.

  A submissive whimper escaped my throat, my eyelids fluttering as my tongue moved faster, curling and caressing and stroking amongst the hot and sticky warmth within my mouth. I tilted my chin up, letting his smooth head press firmly against the roof of my mouth, kissing the soft palate at the back of my throat as I worked my lips up and down faster and faster. My fingers curled, digging into his chest as he squeezed my hand painfully tight, his growl of pleasure spurring me on to drag my nails up and down across his toned muscles as his chest heaved and swelled beneath my palm.

  He gripped my neck hard, a rumbling sigh of satisfaction leaving his lips as I tasted his climax spilling out over my tongue, his body tensing and straining in the grip of orgasm as his cock swelled and twitched between my lips. I took him as deep as I could, ceasing my stroking to hold him tight between my lips, my hand squeezing his base gently and rhythmically as I coaxed wave after wave of pleasure up the length of his shaft and into my mouth. My tongue moved slowly, licking his salty male taste from the back of my mouth and relishing the flavour of it, rubbing his stomach with my fingertips almost unconsciously until the tremors of his muscles started to ebb, and the pressure against the back of my neck eased.

  I licked him clean, swallowing what was left in my mouth before finally allowing my lips to slide off the end of his shaft. I took a deep breath and rested my cheek against his thigh, looking up at my mate with a smile. His eyes still glinted with excitement, and for a long minute we sat there in silence, enjoying the simple pleasure of watching one another as we savoured the afterglow.

  Thorne nudged his head towards the mattress. "Come on, I can't leave my mate unsatisfied after she's been so good to me."

  I grinned and clambered up beside him, my excitement rekindling as I lay down on on the straw and lifted up my gown. Thorne's warm body settled atop mine, his weight pinning me in place as my alpha parted my legs with his knees, took hold of my wrists, and kissed me.

  I sighed in pleasure, letting the worries of the day drift away as we lost ourselves in the carnal desires of our wolves.

  I lay against Thorne's chest in the wake of our lovemaking, my body tingling and satisfied and pleasantly sore. I rested my chin on his shoulder, rubbing my knees together as I savoured the warm ache between my legs and the lingering wetness of his orgasm inside me. I thought back to Agatha and her children, and wondered whether Thorne and I would ever be lucky enough to have a family of our own. A smile perked my lips as I imagined myself as an old matriarch, dispensing sage wisdom to her werewolf children and grandchildren years from now. I could definitely think of worse futures.

  I stroked my stomach with the palm of a hand, sighing. The pleasure of the moment was fading, and the worry of what we were about to face was coming back.

  "You're not just going to wait around like Rowan told us to, are you?" I said.

  "No." Thorne shook his head, gazing up at the ceiling with his arm around me. "I won't be able to do that. I'll fight to keep you every step of the way, and I won't let any of the others get hurt for our sake."

  "Have you got a plan now?"

  "The start of one. Rowan won't listen, so we'll have to find everyone else we can trust. As many friends as we've got here."

  "That won't be a whole lot," I said, my fingers stroking up and down Thorne's body absently as I listened.

  "A few's better than none. But Lyssa, when they come, Cyan and the others, you'll—"

  "I won't hide. I'm staying with you."

  Thorne paused for a moment, then his hand slid up my shoulder to stroke my hair. "I thought you would. That fiery wolfie of yours never was very good at listening to her alpha."

  "I'll listen to this alpha." I lifted my head and kissed him. "But I won't let you go out there by yourself. We'll do this plan of yours together, okay? A few's better than none, after all."

  Thorne smiled and nodded. "I'll keep you safe."

  "And I'll keep you safe."

  By the afternoon we had gathered our small group to meet out at the orchard, at the top of the small hilly peak overlooking the surrounding area where I'd found Thorne and Agatha the day before. There weren't many of us, as expected, but it was a start. Ethan and Niya had been glad to listen to our proposal when we returned to camp, but Sirrus was occupied at a meeting with Rowan as he laid out his plans, and Agatha was far too busy organising the domestic side of the preparations to be called away at such short notice.

  We had been lucky to get anyone else to so much as speak with us, let alone listen to what Thorne had to say, and after an hour of fruitless attempts it became clear that very few of the Wood Pack were interested in putting their faith in anyone besides their alpha. It was hard to blame them, really. Thorne and I were the source of all their problems, and the pack mentality of most werewolves wasn't easily swayed to question their loyalties for the sake of outsiders.

  It seemed as though the four of us were going to be
the only attendees at our meeting on the peak, but when Niya finally appeared to join Thorne, Ethan, and myself she didn't come alone. The dark-haired girl from the Mine Pack, Sabi, trailed up the steep path in her wake, sticking close to Niya as though afraid of leaving her side. It was a surprise, but a welcome one. I gave Sabi my warmest smile as she sat down next to Niya opposite from Thorne and I. Ethan perched on a rock off to the side, a heel tapping against the ground rhythmically as he chewed his lip.

  "There's not a whole lot of us," Niya observed.

  "And I can't promise I'll be much help once things get heated," Ethan said. "Rowan wants me leading a patrol on the outskirts, and he'll have Sirrus by his side in the thick of it all." His brow creased with concern. "I hope he'll be alright."

  "Hopefully we'll all be," Niya replied. "Agatha's worried about everyone else, the young and the old folks. Rowan says they'll be safe back at the camp with all the patrols he's sending out, but there won't be anyone left to protect them if the Mine Pack get through somehow."

  "Would they really attack them?" I said.

  Sabi made an almost inaudible noise of concern, then cleared her throat before speaking, her eyes downcast. "Everyone in the Mine Pack has to pull their own weight. They don't like children, but it's— it's even worse for the elderly. Once they start getting too weak to hunt or stand up for themselves, they're driven out or killed."

  I felt a lump pressing at the base of my throat, questioning once again whether all of this risk was worth it. Maybe it would be better if Thorne and I just gave ourselves up after all—

  "That's why I asked you to come," my mate said, setting his jaw firmly. "Rowan doesn't want Lyssa and I involved, and he won't spare any of his fighters to protect the ones staying back at the camp. We can be the ones to protect them, lead them to safety if we need to, but we'll need help."