by Afton Locke
Never stop! She clenched the cabinet handles until her knuckles turned white. Everything she’d decided and planned flew out the window. Every encounter she’d had before was simply sex. This was divine. Her entire body below the waist evaporated into a cloud of ethereal pleasure. With every stroke, her heart cleaved to the man inside her. His cedar-musk scent ingrained itself in her nostrils. The rumbling growl vibrating his chest, and her back, seeped into her bones.
It felt so good to have his strength behind her and his strong, capable hands on her hips, guiding her toward pleasure. She didn’t have to plan, seduce, or even look at him. Surrendering into his arms would be so easy, but she couldn’t give in to the temptation.
She swore she would never, ever forget him. When she left—if she left—a piece of him would go with her and a piece of her would stay here.
Damn! She should have fought harder to resist. Why hadn’t she lit out at dawn? Tears leaked from her eyes because she was so happy, confused, and horny at the same time. His cock was the perfect size, the rigid length pulling her swollen flesh in exactly the right way.
Her legs trembled all the way to her boots as every muscle surrendered to his dominance. She’d never been so wet…so vulnerable. Fighting against the strength of his grip, she wriggled her hips to get him right where she needed to reach the peak.
His teeth clamped around her earlobe. “You want more?”
Before she could answer, he bored so deep, her body seemed to turn inside out, like an umbrella in the wind, before it shattered.
“Ogden!” she shouted.
His growl was so throaty, it vibrated her ribs. The file cabinets rattled louder than ever, threatening to topple over as they both climaxed. Her womb exploded into fireworks as soon as his hot seed bathed her core. After he pulled out of her, they both sank to their knees on the dusty floor.
What have I done? She touched his face with shaking hands, memorizing every strong, weathered plane. Her man…forever.
“Nothing will be the same now,” he murmured against her ear. “You’re mine.”
She swallowed. “I know. We shouldn’t have done it.”
He gripped her chin and looked into her eyes. “Well, we did and there’s no going back.”
But she still had to leave. It would be harder now because they’d been intimate. Tomorrow at dawn, she’d be gone. For today, she’d pretend she and her mate looked forward to a happily ever after here in the Black Hills.
***
That evening, Ogden and Lara lay naked in his big, log bed. The nightstand, a homemade table edged with tree bark, held a platter of beef brisket and two glasses of red wine. They’d spent the last hour feasting and making love.
Was this real or a dream? He’d always heard making love to one’s mate was an otherworldly experience. Now he believed the hype. After finally taking her in his office this morning, they’d worked hard, side-by-side, the rest of the day.
He didn’t realize part of him had been missing all this time until she’d filled it today. What he’d thought was happiness paled to nothing compared to this complete bliss.
“Want another?” he asked, sliding a piece of savory meat between her lips.
She swallowed and licked her mouth with a pink tongue he ached to feel on his cock sometime.
“No more,” she said. “I’m fully satisfied.”
“Good,” he replied, tweaking a pert nipple with his thumb. “That’s the way I intend to keep you.”
A shadow crossed her eyes, but he decided not to push her and ruin the moment. Her unpredictability was part of what made her exciting. Lying next to her stirred every blood cell in his body. The sensation was exciting but unnerving, too. Would he ever be able to sleep again?
He’d chain her to his log headboard if he had to. No way would he let this woman get away. The trimmed patch of dark hair above her cleft beckoned him to claim her with his mouth, too. He scooted downward, opening her legs and pressing his lips to her inner thigh.
When she stiffened, he grimaced and pulled away. He wished he’d had enough sexual experience to pleasure her properly. Aside from some experimentation in his teen years before…the tragedy, fear of finding his mate had led to a celibate life.
“I guess you can tell I’ve never done this before.”
“It’s not you.” She touched his hair. “I guess oral sex isn’t my cup of tea.”
“Then I won’t push it.” He could resist kissing her thatch, though.
“Mmm, nice.” The scent of her musk underscored her words.
His cock hardened. “Then you’d like me to continue?”
“Maybe. Yes. Lightly.”
He could oblige. Treating her body as if it were a delicate piece of wood, he kissed, licked, and nipped her tender folds. The honey dripping into his mouth encouraged his efforts. Before long, her limbs thrashed across the bed and she cried out, gripping his hair by the roots.
Rising on one elbow, he looked her in the eyes. “I take it I did all right?”
“More than all right,” she said with a contented sigh. “Thank you.”
He put his arm around her and held her close. As he savored her taste lingering on his tongue, he realized he grew more addicted to her by the minute. Losing her would hurt, but sprawled out and content, she didn’t look in any hurry to rush off.
“I might as well tell you my mother sent me here,” she said.
He didn’t admit Gee had already told him.
“Ah, you must mean the family business you mentioned earlier.” Little did she know how closely their families were linked. The secret, locked deep inside him so long, buzzed with the urge to break free. “Did she say why?”
“I believe she knew I’d find my mate in Los Lobos.”
Her grinned at her. “She was right.”
“It makes things complicated because….” Dark lashes lowered over her gray eyes. “Never mind.”
He stroked her arm. “You can tell me anything.”
“I’m now the last Dominant female of my pack.”
“I see.” He sighed and stared at the ceiling.
“Is something wrong?” she asked, leaning up on her elbow.
He ran a finger down the tempting streak of red hair draping toward his chest. “Lara, I don’t want any secrets between us.”
Did she hesitate before she shrugged? “Me either.”
The feeling she hadn’t opened completely to him persisted, but in order to receive, he had to give. It was time to tell her.
“I’m not as established in this pack as it might appear.”
“How so?” she asked.
“The blood of your pack also runs in my veins.”
Her face moved away from his a few inches. “I thought you were full-blooded Tao.”
“Everyone here thinks so.” He swallowed, wishing he hadn’t let the words out. “And what they must continue to think.”
“What would they care? Packs interbreed all the time. I’ve seen plenty of humans running around here, too.”
“It’s complicated.” Maybe he didn’t have to tell her everything.
She hit him with a pillow, the last thing he expected.
“You have Lamar blood in your veins, and you choose to sit here and play with your wood?”
He grabbed the pillow and tossed it aside. “The Tao pack has been good to me. I had to choose.”
“Do you know how many of our Wolves have died? My own mother, for one!”
So he would have to tell her everything after all.
“At least your mother died honorably.” He sat up and scrubbed the lower half of his face with his hand. “Mine cheated on the man who raised me, her Tao mate.”
Her gray eyes widened. At least he’d gotten her attention.
“Then your real father is Lamar?”
He nodded and swallowed the bile in his throat. “When her mate found out, he killed her and himself…off a rocky cliff.”
“Oh, my God.” She put a hand over her mouth an
d shuddered. “And your real father?”
“I never knew him, but I believe he was shot like most of the others in the Lamar pack.”
Her soft whimper of sympathy threatened to make him blubber like the lost teen he’d once been.
“Do you think I’d have a home in either pack if any of this got out?” He shook his head. “I shouldn’t even have told you.”
“I won’t tell anyone, I swear.” She blew out a breath. “Maybe you’re assuming it’s a bigger deal than it really is.”
Fear, strengthened by year after year of worry, clenched his gut. “You don’t know what it used to be like around here when Drew’s father ruled.”
“Is your heritage the reason you pretend you’re an Omega when you’re really a Dominant?”
“It’s difficult sometimes, but I’ve managed it so far.”
“It won’t be so easy now since you’ve mated with me.”
“You think I don’t know it?” He gripped her arms. “The Tao pack needs me. I need them.”
She ran a hand through her long, dark hair. “I understand your choice. Yellowstone is not in your backyard, so it would easily slip your mind.”
“Until you brought it to my doorstep,” he said quietly.
“Exactly.” She poked an index finger to his chest, an inch above his heart. “It’s not too late to help us.”
Couldn’t they go back to making love and sipping wine? He enjoyed it more than the topic of conversation. There was no peace with this woman.
“What could I possibly do?” he asked.
“Be there and show support. Serve as a lookout for hunters and ranchers.”
“I wish I could help, but if I don’t get these orders done, I’ll lose my home.”
“I should never have come here,” she muttered.
Hurt and disappointment flashed across her face, hitting him below the belt. There had to be a compromise somewhere. He wanted Lara in his bed for the rest of his days, and he wanted her to want it, too.
“Hey, I’ve got an idea,” he said. “Maybe the pack can relocate.”
“Not an option,” she replied with a growl. “Besides, Idaho and Montana don’t have federal protection for wolves anymore, either.”
“What about here? There’s plenty of land. We’d have to get pack approval, though.”
If Drew really was more compassionate than his father, the idea might have a better chance than a snowball in hell. The worst he could do was say no.
But she shook her head. “This isn’t our home. We’ve lived in Yellowstone for generations.”
He pulled her into his arms. “Maybe so, but this is your home now. I want you in my life.”
“Surely, you don’t expect me to turn my back on my pack?”
“Wishful thinking, I guess, but what can you really do for them at this point? You could get killed yourself, like your mother.”
She looked down at her hands. “I understand and accept the risks. Always have.”
“What if I forbid you to leave?”
“Are you?” she asked, arching a brow.
“I know better. You’d hate for me it and wouldn’t listen to me anyway.”
A grim smile flicked over her lips. “Well, I’m glad we understand each other. I plan to head out at dawn.”
To his surprise, a growl erupted from his chest. “We’re forgetting one little fact.”
“What?”
“As your mate, I’m bound to protect you, whether or not either of us wants it. If you go into battle, you’ll drag me with you. I’m a Dominant, remember?”
“Shit.” She slapped the covers. “I didn’t even think of that.”
“Neither of us was thinking too clearly this morning.”
She gripped both sides of his face. “Your bond to this land is strong. If you set your mind to it, you can fight your instincts and let me go.”
Her fresh, unique scent burrowed into his brain, binding every molecule of his body to her. Let her go? Never.
“I’ll try,” he said instead. “I want nothing but happiness for both of us.”
“Me, too. We’ll be happiest apart, living our lives. You’ll see.”
Happiness. He had a hard time imagining it without her here. Whenever he got into his bed, he’d smell her scent on the sheets. At the mill, he’d see her sanding wood by his side. Not for a week or two, but forever. As Gee had warned, he’d never be the same again.
What if she got shot like her mother? As her mate, he’d know the moment it happened. He’d feel the very bullet, piercing his flesh. But he would live on, half-dead himself.
A strange new force rippled through his muscles. At the moment, he felt about as Omega as a raging blizzard. His body, awakened by sinking into her tempting, sweet cunt, clamored for battle. Instead of building with wood, he wanted to tear it apart.
God, he even had the urge to chop down a tree. Or maybe even a whole forest full. What had the woman done to him?
“Well, if you’re leaving at dawn, I want you to spend the night here with me.”
She nodded and ran a finger down his shaft, making it log hard. “I’d like that.”
“Let’s go get your things from the shed.”
They dressed and stepped outside into the twilight. As they strolled through the woods, Ogden fought the urge to shift. Staying in human form might help him curb his Dominant instincts when it came to his mate.
“I never felt right about letting you stay in this dump,” he said when they entered the crude building.
She picked up her guitar and her backpack. “The house doesn’t matter as much as the homeland it’s on.”
“Are you going to let me carry anything?” Afraid he might damage the guitar in his current state, he grabbed her backpack instead.
“No, I’ve got it.”
Because they both pulled on the red bag at the same time, the zipper released, spewing its contents. Ogden couldn’t believe his eyes. Pushing aside the toothbrush and map, he grabbed the envelope spilling pictures onto the rough floor.
Pictures of Lara, practically naked, with strange men. Dropping to his knees, he flipped through them. Each tawdry image seared itself into his brain and filled his body with shock. The bottom of the envelope yielded a couple of SD cards, too.
“What the hell?” he bellowed in a choked voice.
“Damn!”
“What are you? Some kind of prostitute?”
With shaking fingers, he lifted the last picture. Unlike the others, it consisted of a man’s face smiling from a newspaper clipping. The caption read Tyler Brooks.
“Who’s this? Your boyfriend? How many fucking mates do you have, anyway?”
“I-I can explain everything.”
“Don’t bother.” He tossed the pictures on the floor. “I’m going to forget you ever came here.”
Chapter Four
After Ogden let the shed door slam behind him on the way out, Lara stowed the pictures back into the envelope. She dragged a hand through her hair. Carrying around prints when she also had the digital versions was stupid, but when the fight got tough, she needed to gaze at tangible proof of her victories.
Their sudden ending was for the best. They could never make it work, not while her enemies kept inflicting evil on her pack. Their pack, she corrected herself. They were bonded by mating and blood. Let him be angry. Let him think she was a whore. It would make their inevitable parting easier.
She’d never forget lying in his log bed, pretending they were perfect mates. The sensation of his bare, tanned flesh against hers—like sandpaper on wood—had buffed away her raw pain for a while. The urge to lie with him each night and greet dawn each morning with him by her side threatened to overcome everything else.
But their fling was over, she realized as she zipped her red bag. Although she didn’t relish driving these rough roads at night, she couldn’t waste another minute in a place she didn’t belong.
A cry of pain from outside made her drop the entire bag and run
out the door to investigate. She gasped and lowered to her knees beside Ogden who was mid-shift and seemed stuck there.
Long whiskers covered his red, perspiring face. One hand ended in furry paw pads while the other still had fingers. His entire body shook as his legs shortened, the knees bending in the opposite direction.
Damn the man’s emotions, making him shift against his will. If he turned into a Wolf in this state of mind, there was no telling what he’d do. If he ran amok through the countryside, hurting himself or someone else, she’d feel responsible.
He grunted and yipped, sounding half-lupine and half-human at the same time. One of his fangs nipped his bottom lip, and a rivulet of blood ran down his chin. Its coppery scent took her back to the awful day between the rocks. Her muscles vibrated, making her bones itch with the need to change shape.
The primitive sight, sound, and smell from his struggling body rattled the Wolf inside her as well. If she shifted, too, all hell might break loose. They might even rip each other’s throats out. Fortunately, she could suppress her transformation by erecting a mental wall. Her Wolf scratched and whined but huffed off to curl up in a corner.
Her self-control had saved her life in Yellowstone more than once.
“Fight it, Ogden!” she shouted into an ear with a pointed tip. “Concentrate on being human.”
He grunted and rolled on the uneven ground, slamming into the trunk of a pine, which shook with a sigh of twitching needles. As he clawed the bark, panting hard, his claws eventually retracted, and his human fingers slid to the ground.
Lara’s heart thundered against her ribs as she gazed at the man she’d made love to earlier. His face was so still and pale, and his eyes were closed. Was he dead? She didn’t know anything about his shifting malady or how mating could affect it.
“Are you okay?” She nudged his shoulder. “Talk to me.”
His eyelids fluttered open. “No, I feel like total crap.”
She helped him sit up and put her arm around him. Despite his earlier disapproval, she couldn’t resist touching him when he was close by. Besides, he was probably more hurt and shocked than judgmental.
He rubbed the lower half of his face as if to reassure himself the long whiskers were gone. Nearby, a woodpecker hammered a tall snag, unconcerned with Ogden’s struggle.