by Sam Crescent
“Slow down, buddy. Heel!”
If Caleb could have rolled his eyes, he would have. But he slowed to a quick walk so his human could keep up, and followed Erica’s trail along the city streets. It took them a while, but at last they came to the Greyhound bus terminal and Caleb’s heart sank. She could have boarded a bus to anywhere. He sat on his haunches and looked up at Jake.
Crouching down beside him, Jake leaned in close. “What now?”
Caleb didn’t know what to do and didn’t know how to communicate with Jake. And he couldn’t very well turn back into a human right in the middle of the day on the sidewalk. He searched around and spotted an alley down the street. He took off and dragged Jake behind him. The alley had a dumpster and Caleb ducked behind it before shifting back to human and yelling at Jake to toss him some clothes from the backpack he’d brought.
Once dressed, he headed back to the bus station and ducked inside.
Chapter Seven
Erica sat on the bench, legs crossed, one foot swaying lightly to the beat of the music. It wouldn’t be too much longer before her bus left and then she’d be free of Caleb and whatever he planned to do with her. She’d paced back and forth in front of the departures board for a long time before deciding Ottawa would be a better place for her to go. Farther from Michigan, in case Tank was trying to find her, and closer to the wilderness so it would be easy to change. She hadn’t been able to shift in a couple of weeks and her wolf was itching to be set free. And with the money she’d taken from Caleb, she’d have enough to put down first and last month’s rent on a small place while she looked for a job.
She felt a little guilty for robbing Caleb. He’d been kind to her and cared about her in a way nobody had for a long time. And he’d ignited a spark in her that had been dormant for so long. In truth, she didn’t think she’d ever had a man make her feel the way Caleb did last night, like she was the most precious thing in the world. And that made him dangerous. She couldn’t afford to make another mistake.
A scent wafted past her and she closed her eyes. It reminded her of Caleb, all woodsy and sweet pine. When she opened her eyes again, the man stood right in front of her, arms crossed and glaring. Of course. She should have known better than to walk here. She darted a quick glance around and realized she had nowhere to run. There were too many people and no easy way to get to the exit.
Caleb squatted down in front of her. “Where are you going?” His eyes flashed with emotion. Was he angry? After stealing from him, she really couldn’t blame him. At least they were in a public place. He wouldn’t risk making a scene. Would he? But there was something besides anger in his gaze. Worry? Fear? Why would she frighten him?
“I needed to get away.” Erica took a deep breath and tried to look anywhere but at Caleb. “I really appreciate everything you did, but…”
He placed a hand on her knee. “I want to talk to you. Please come back to the hotel with me.”
Erica crossed her arms over her chest and resisted the urge to pout. “You can talk here.”
“Erica, come on.”
“No. We talk here, or we don’t talk, but I’m not leaving.”
She got a bit of satisfaction from the growl he let out along with a curse. He took the seat beside her on the bench. “I don’t know how you ended up here, but I know you can’t be happy living on the streets in the middle of a huge city. We need to be out in the open where we can run, where the air is clean, and where there’s a pack who cares about us.”
Her wolf salivated at his words, longing for the picture he painted, but she shook her head. “I don’t need any of that. I’ll be fine.”
“Please. Come with me to my home and let me show you how good it can be.” He’d started running his fingers along her leg, the touch leaving no doubt what would be good. Everything about him drew her in, his masculine scent, the heat of his body, the light touch of his hands. Even his wolf called to hers. Never had the wolf been so eager to be around a man.
“Bus number eighty-seven for Ottawa now boarding on platform three.” The tinny voice of the announcement cut into her thoughts. Her bus. If she wanted freedom, she had to go now.
She looked into Caleb’s warm eyes. He held the power of an Alpha, there was no doubt about it, but right now instead of commanding her, he was a man asking for a chance. And for the first time, she realized she held power over him, too. Maybe this could work out after all.
****
Caleb nearly leaped for joy when Erica stood up and agreed to go back to the hotel with him. He took her hand, and though she hesitated at first, she wrapped her fingers around his. He didn’t know what he would have done if she’d refused. Sure, as an Alpha he could command her to go with him, but that would only make her resent him. She’d obviously been burned in the past and he’d have to work to prove to her he could be the kind of partner she deserved.
At the door to the hotel, Jake said good-bye and headed for his place while Caleb and Erica went back to their suite.
“Did you want to leave now or stay here for another night?” he asked her.
She’d ditched her coat and shoes and sat on the couch with her legs tucked up under her. “Where do you want to take me?”
“I guess I didn’t explain that part, did I?” Caleb ran his hands through his hair. “Okay, well, I live in the Muskokas, northwest of the city. There are lots of trees and wilderness. My family owns a big property and we rent cottages, but it’s still got plenty of privacy.”
“Is your pack big?”
“I guess. Our territory is large, most of the southern part of the province up to North Bay, but we mostly keep to the main pack lands. We have about a hundred wolves, though some are just passing through.”
Her eyes widened. “A hundred? Wow.”
“How big was your pack?” And where was your pack? Why did you run away from them? Though he longed to ask the questions, he didn’t want to press her.
A strand of her hair had come loose from her ponytail and when she glanced down, it swung in front of her eyes. He brushed it back behind her ear, earning a small smile. “We have about thirty guys. I have no idea how many women because they come and go so frequently and I’m never sure who’s human and who’s not.”
Caleb frowned. “There are humans in your pack? I mean we have humans living in the town, and some of them know about us, but we don’t consider them part of the pack.”
The hair came loose again, but she tucked it back before he could. What would it feel like to thread his fingers through the silky lengths? Did she like having it pulled during sex? He shifted in his seat as his cock started to thicken. God, she was speaking to him and he was imagining her in bed. Way to show her you’re a good guy. “I’m sorry, what was that?”
She frowned and gave a light shake of her head. “Nothing. Well, my pack did a lot of mixing around. Not that they’re my pack anymore.” She stood and walked to the window. “Would your pack accept me?”
He went to stand behind her, resting a hand on her shoulder. Their faces reflected back at them in the dark glass while the lights of the city spread out below. “They have to accept their Alpha’s m—” He stopped short. He didn’t want to freak her out.
She stiffened. “Their Alpha’s what?”
Caleb didn’t know what to say. Erica turned around to face him, eyes dark, challenging him. Though he stared back, she wouldn’t look away. He couldn’t back down. So much for not upsetting her. Straightening up, he allowed a bit of his power to seep into his words. “The Alpha’s mate.”
She sucked in a breath and pressed her lips into a fine line, finally breaking eye contact. His wolf approved. Until she stepped around him and ran for the bedroom. Though she caught him off guard, he managed to get his hand through the door before she could close it.
“Move your hand!” She leaned against the door, squeezing his arm between the door and the frame.
“No. I told you we’d talk about it, so let’s talk. We need to work this out.”
“There’s nothing to work out. I’m not your mate. I’m not anyone’s fucking mate.”
Caleb’s wolf wanted to charge in, throw her on the bed, and show her once and for all who was the dominant one in this relationship. But the man refused to give in. If he had to resort to force, then he didn’t deserve to be Alpha. He braced one hand against the doorframe and pressed his forehead to the door. “Tell me you don’t feel it, too.”
He waited, but she said nothing. “I know it’s crazy,” he continued. “To think we could be mates without knowing each other is ridiculous, but if you can tell me you don’t feel it, too, I’ll leave you alone, and drive you wherever you want to go tomorrow. No more questions, no more pressure.” He took a deep breath. “Do you feel it?”
The silence stretched on. One heartbeat. Five. Twenty.
“I don’t.”
Chapter Eight
When Caleb finally took his hand out of the doorway, he eased the door shut, and Erica slid to the floor behind it. She drew her knees up to her chest and put her head down. Her wolf whimpered and urged her to go after him.
Mate.
No matter what she said to Caleb, deep down she knew what he was. She’d struggled to identify the strange connection she felt with him, but when he found her at the bus station today, her wolf had proclaimed it quite clearly. And though it scared the shit out of her, she found herself here at the hotel with him again. She’d been fine until he said it out loud and then she panicked. After everything she’d been through, why would the fates match her with another Alpha?
So what options did she have? She got up, locked the door, and curled up in the bed to think about it.
Option one: She could sneak out again now and hope their strange bond wasn’t strong enough for him to track her. She still had all his money in her backpack. But he’d backed off like he said he would, so maybe he was serious about driving her somewhere tomorrow. Of course, once he had her in the car, he could drive her wherever he wanted.
Option two: She could go back with him, but refuse to be his mate, and they’d go their separate ways. In the same territory. While their wolves did their best to bring the couple together. Or where she’d have to see him with whomever he ended up choosing, because the Alpha had to have a mate and heirs. That would be a different kind of torment she wasn’t prepared to deal with.
Option three: she could accept him as her mate and go back with him to obey his every command.
And invite all his buddies to have a go at her, too.
I guess I’m fucked no matter what.
On that note, she drifted off to sleep.
****
After waking up from a nightmare about Tank for the third time, Erica gave up on sleep. She wondered, not for the first time since she’d arrived in the city, if Tank was looking for her. She didn’t think it was possible. He might have tried to track her, but he would have had to leave the Demon Dogs for a while to do it, and illegal enterprises didn’t run themselves. Still, every so often she had the sensation someone was watching her.
Restless energy flowed through her, looking for an outlet. She needed to change and to go for a long run. Maybe not as long as the one from Michigan, but long enough to ease the tension in her muscles. She settled for getting up to get a glass of water. Or maybe a mug of hot cocoa would be better.
She cracked the door open and listened for Caleb. When she heard his soft, even breathing, she slipped out to the kitchen. She made herself a drink and sipped it as she looked out the window over the city. When she started to yawn again, she set the drink down and headed back to the bedroom. She’d just passed Caleb’s door when it opened.
“Are you okay?”
Erica glanced over her shoulder to answer and then did a double take. He stood in the door, hair tousled, in nothing but a form-fitting pair of boxer briefs. It did nothing to help her resolve. “I just needed a drink. I’m having trouble sleeping.”
“Me, too.”
Neither of them moved. Or they didn’t move apart, at any rate. Erica found herself leaning towards him, the heat and scent of him drawing her in. A tingling sensation started low in her belly, spreading outward as she got closer, until she had to take a step or lose her balance. He stepped forward at the same time and now they were within touching distance. Erica studied the line of his collarbone, trying hard not to look higher. Or lower. She smelled his arousal, the scent growing stronger by the second and mixing with hers to make a heady combination.
They each took another step closer. The pounding of her heart matched the throbbing between her legs, and she started to feel light-headed. Her wolf urged her on, and Erica knew there was only one way to satisfy the wolf and her body.
She tilted her head up and met his eyes. They’d started to glow a bit, a sure sign his wolf was near the surface. No doubt hers were the same. A few moments passed, stretching on between them until Erica lifted a hand and placed it on his chest.
Caleb didn’t need any more invitation. With a growl, he tugged her into his arms and brought his lips crashing down against hers. Their tongues struggled against one another, each trying to gain access to the other’s mouth, until Erica finally relented and allowed him to plunge inside. Waves of desire pounded through her with each stroke of his tongue, and she whimpered as he cupped her ass and pressed her against him.
Leaving her mouth, Caleb nipped his way along her jaw and down the side of her neck, each bite drawing a small cry from her. She couldn’t control herself. She couldn’t think straight. Couldn’t think of anything beyond him. This was how it was supposed to be.
She needed him. Needed to feel his skin against hers. Needed him to fill her.
“Caleb,” she gasped. “Please.”
He growled again and pulled away long enough to strip her shirt off before her breasts crushed against his chest, the delicious friction making her nipples hard as rock. He hoisted her into his arms and carried her to the bed. It only took a moment for him to toss her onto it, rip off her panties, and cover her body with his.
His lips captured one rock-hard nipple and bit down gently. The sensation zinged straight to her clit and she moaned, especially when his fingers found the sensitive nub a moment later and increased the stimulation. The tension wound tighter in her belly. How was it possible for her to be this close to orgasm already? But she was, and it only took another nip of his teeth on her breast to set her off. Erica shuddered and jerked under him, the spasms of pleasure rocking her entire body.
“God, you’re gorgeous when you come.” Caleb kissed her again, his fingers still working furiously between her legs.
She couldn’t stand it anymore. She had to have him inside her when she came again. “Fuck me. Please. I need you to fill me.”
With a groan, he got up off the bed and she cried out. She was so close and he left her hanging? A quick glance showed him stripping off his underwear and rummaging in the pocket of his jeans. A moment later he was back, tearing open a foil packet and rolling a condom down his shaft. Fuck. She’d been so eager she hadn’t even thought about protection. They couldn’t catch diseases, but getting pregnant was the last thing she needed.
He climbed on top of her and she spread her legs more willingly than she ever had. As he gathered her in his arms, he slid the entire length of his cock into her tight pussy.
“Oh, fuck, you feel so good.”
Erica had to agree as he pressed his lips to hers, the rhythm of his tongue matched to the rhythm of his cock. She’d been incomplete before, but he filled more than just her pussy. It was as though his soul had entered hers. Her pleasure built quickly. With each stroke, he managed to hit something deep inside, and their bodies were so close it created the perfect pressure on her clit.
He buried his head against her neck, teeth grazing the skin. Her wolf pushed her to bare her throat, allow him to mark her, and claim her as his.
Erica tensed and Caleb immediately lifted his head. “What’s wrong?”
“Don’t claim me. Please. I’m not ready for that.”
“You want me to stop?” His brow furrowed and his shoulders tensed as though he was in pain, and Erica had no doubt they both would be if they didn’t finish this.
“I need to come on your cock,” she whispered. “But don’t claim me.”
“Oh, thank God.” He resumed thrusting into her, the pace frantic now.
It didn’t take long and Erica exploded around him, her pussy clamping down on his cock, gripping him as he stilled. Caleb threw back his head and groaned as he reached his own orgasm. Time seemed to still as she lay cocooned in his arms, the aftershocks of her orgasm lulling her into a bit of a daze. Was sex always this good with a soul mate, or was Caleb just that good? Either way, she couldn’t help but feel cheated at not having met him sooner.
Chapter Nine
Not claiming Erica at the moment of his climax took every shred of willpower within him. He fought against the wolf, who desperately wanted him to sink his teeth into her neck, leaving the mark that would seal their bond and signal to everyone who saw her she was taken. Only soul mates could claim each other in that manner, and he needed to do it soon. But after she took the chance on him tonight, he wouldn’t push it. Yet.
Once they’d both recovered a bit, he kissed her, and stood up. “I’ll be back in a second. Don’t go anywhere.” He ran across the hall to the bathroom, disposed of the condom, and cleaned up. When he returned, Erica had crawled under the covers and closed her eyes. He climbed in behind her and pulled her against him. She sighed and wiggled her bottom a little as she adjusted.
“Keep that up and we won’t get any sleep.”
She murmured something unintelligible and he realized she’d already fallen asleep. He kissed the top of her head and drifted off as well.