Holden's Mate

by Meg Ripley

  3

  Sera helped Seth excavate the dirt, but when it came time to desecrate her sister’s grave, she had to excuse herself. Seth nodded and helped boost her to the surface. She shined the flashlight down into the hole, turning her head as Seth broke the coffin open. He coughed with surprise as the smell of death and rot exploded from the broken latch. Sera kept her eyes averted until he shouted her name.

  “What? What is it?”

  “Lower the rope.”

  She dropped the end of the thick rope down and helped pull him out of the hole. “Well? What happened? Is she…?”

  “Her skin definitely reacted. I think it’s safe to say she’d been turned into a werewolf.”

  “And the Brotherhood killed her because of it?”

  “Maybe. They’ve been known to kill for less. Look, why don’t you head on home and I’ll finish up here?”

  “No, I can’t leave you to deal with this by yourself.”

  “The sun will be up soon.”

  “All the more reason I should help.”

  “Really, I think it would be best if you went home,” Seth said.

  “Well, I think it’ll be best for me to stay.” She passed him the shovel. She needed time to process her emotions and she needed time to think. Since she couldn’t go to her gym, she’d stay right there at the gravesite. “Let’s get to work before somebody calls the cops.”

  They worked in silence only punctuated by the dull thud of dirt being returned to the grave. How long had her sister been living her life as a wolf? Had she told anybody about her secret? Had she lived, would she have confided in anybody? Sera felt strangely hurt that even this sort of metamorphosis hadn’t prompted Aiza to pick up the phone.

  They finished just as the approaching sun colored the sky flannel gray and pink. She let Seth drive them home, half asleep for the ride. She didn’t remember getting home or how she made it from the car to the bedroom, but once she was under the covers, she fell into a deep, dreamless slumber. Her body was eager to catch up on all the sleep she’d lost since that first call from her parents, and nothing disturbed her for a solid twelve hours. When she finally woke again, it was to the smell of bacon and pancakes and the sounds of Seth knocking around in the kitchen.

  He’s still here? How is he still here?

  Right on the heels of that surprise was another stunning revelation: she was actually very glad he hadn’t left while she was zonked out. If they’d met under any other circumstances, she would have already made a move and asked him out on a date. Maybe under other circumstances, he would have accepted the invitation. He certainly seemed to like her.

  Or maybe he saw her the same way she claimed to view him—as a means to an end. Nothing more or less than that.

  Sera didn’t realize how stiff she was from their grave-digging adventure until she stood and tried to stretch. Her shoulders pulled tight and her arms ached so much she could barely lift them over her head. She hadn’t felt that exhausted and sore after a workout in years, and she had to admit, a part of her welcomed the pain. It meant she’d done hard work. It meant she was alive.

  But it also meant she would kill for a good massage.

  She shuffled into the kitchen, her pain forgotten when Seth smiled at her. “Good morning. Well, actually, good evening.” He gestured at the stove. “I hoped your nose would wake you.”

  “Where did you get all this food?” Bacon, sausage, ham, eggs, pancakes, toast, oatmeal, cinnamon rolls, coffee, and orange juice waited for her.

  “I had plenty of time to go shopping.”

  “Why is there so much?”

  “After all that work and sleep, I thought you might be as hungry as I am,” Seth explained as he poured the coffee.

  “You thought right.” Her stomach felt hollow, though she didn’t really have an appetite. The food looked great but didn’t appeal to her at all. Still, she accepted the heaping plate and the coffee, determined to finish off both. She needed the calories and the nutrients if she was going to see this through to the end.

  Once she was done, Seth took the plate and refilled her mug of coffee. “Stephanie called me earlier. She doesn’t have any new information about our friend Dwight, but she found somebody who knew your sister.”

  Sera’s eyes widened. “Who? What did they say?”

  “Stephanie didn’t go into the details, but if we want to talk to her, she said she’s at the park every day, around noon.”

  “Weird. Why not just give you her number?”

  “Apparently she’s willing to talk, but not over the phone, and she won’t give her name.”

  “How did Stephanie find her?”

  “Stephanie knows a lot of people and most of the wolves in the state.” Seth downed a glass of orange juice before adding, “I’m not surprised she was able to track down a lead.”

  “She seems pretty cool. How long have you known her?” Sera asked, hoping she didn’t sound too interested in the answer.

  “She seems pretty cool because she is pretty cool. We’ve been pack mates all our lives. We worked our way up to alpha together and the pack has never been stronger.”

  “So are there any little pups in the pack?”

  “Sure, but none of them are ours.” He met her eyes and added, “Stephanie and I are not together, if that’s what you’re asking.”

  “I...no...that’s not any of my business, is it?”

  “It could be your business.”

  Sera’s mouth felt dry. “How?”

  “You could make it your business to know. Like this. Do you have a boyfriend?”

  Sera shook her head.

  “A lover? A suitor? Anybody who would mind if I did this?”

  Seth took her hand and brought it up to his lips. She expected a courtly kiss, but instead he caressed her knuckles with his lips, his tongue darting out to trace her skin. It was brief but strangely obscene and undeniably sexy. Her throat tightened and all she could do was shake her head.

  “So?” Seth prompted. “Make it your business, if that’s what you want to do.”

  “Do you have a girlfriend? A lover?” She threaded her fingers through his and pulled his large hand to within kissing distance. She mimicked him, thrilled by the clean, salty taste of his skin. “Anybody who will mind if I do this?”

  “No, not at all.”

  Sera didn’t release his hand. She couldn’t stop kissing the smooth skin. Nothing had ever felt so good against her lips, and she wanted more. She wanted to feel the velvety texture against her entire body, wanted to lose hours exploring the rich, silky planes of his body. He didn’t seem to have a problem with that, as he did nothing to break contact with her questing mouth.

  It’d only been a few months since Sera had sex, but it seemed like a lifetime since she’d been sensual with a man. Her desire was a slow burn, glowing a little hotter each time she got a taste of him.

  She pulled his index finger between her teeth, gently biting the pad as she swirled her tongue over the tip. He watched her with hooded eyes and she couldn’t resist smiling back. His fingers curled beneath her chin and he pulled her closer, tilting his head towards her. His finger slid from between her lips, freeing her mouth to be claimed by his.

  But the kiss didn’t come.

  Instead, his ringing phone split the silence and drove them apart.

  “Sorry.” He snatched the phone up from the counter. “I’ve got to take this. It’s Stephanie.”

  Sera nodded and stifled the flare of disappointment. Of course he had to take it. His pack mates were missing. Her sister was dead. They didn’t have time to make out like teenagers in the kitchen.

  “I’ll be right there. Don’t move.” He put the phone in his pocket. “I’m sorry, I’ve got to go.”

  “What’s wrong?” Sera asked.

  “It’s Chen. He was found wandering in the woods. The police have him now. I need to go and get him.”

  “I’ll come with you,” Sera said.

  “No,” Seth
said sharply. He took a deep breath and softened his tone. “This is pack business.”

  Her first impulse was to argue her case, but she conceded with a small nod. He was right, of course. Just because she invited him into her personal matters didn’t mean she had a right to tag along to his.

  “You go take care of that. I’ve got some things to pack.” She fled the room, and a moment later, she heard the front door open and close behind him.

  4

  Sera’s car was back in the morning, but Seth was nowhere to be found. By noon, she felt a twinge of worry for him. What if the Brotherhood had tracked him down? It was hard to believe they’d attack him in broad daylight in the middle of Portland, but Sera had believed stranger things.

  But when the sun sank and he hadn’t returned, she was forced to admit that he probably wouldn’t be returning. He’d only been in Portland to track down his pack mates, and now that they’d been found, he likely took them home.

  Sera couldn’t deny her disappointment. She never got his number and he was unlikely to have hers. When she wasn’t thinking of Seth, her mind went to the man who’d tried to kill her only two nights before. She hadn’t been afraid as long as Seth was there, but she hated being alone. Especially in a strange house, with a strange kitchen and a strange bed.

  Not to mention the strange reminders of her sister’s secret life.

  She’d found a large, rawhide bone tucked under the bed, half of it gnawed away. This would be a perfectly normal thing to have in a home with a dog the size of a German Shepherd, but Aiza didn’t have a dog.

  There was another, smaller shock collar in the guest bedroom—or what Sera had assumed was the guest bedroom. As she went through the drawers and closet, it became clear that a man had lived there—or at least slept there regularly—but none of the clothes bore the sign of the Brotherhood or any other clue.

  Looking for a distraction, she went to the kitchen and said a quick prayer of thanks for Seth’s earlier trip to the grocery store. Sera grabbed the eggs, cheese and bacon, her mouth watering for an omelet, and the lights flashed out. A split second later, thunder boomed, close enough to rattle the windows and send Sera’s heart to her throat, and the eggs fell forgotten from her fingers.

  “Woo, okay, calm down. It’s just thunder. No reason to be all jumpy.” She took a deep breath, grabbed her phone for its light and left the kitchen, seeking the comfort of Aiza’s plush couch and cozy afghan. She sank into the deep cushions and tried to tell herself that the rain was soothing and the lightning was just a free fireworks show, but her nerves were raw and a tension headache began to develop behind her eyes.

  Just then, a loud crash that had nothing to do with thunder jarred her to her feet.

  It came from the back of the house. It might have been the storm blowing over the garbage cans, but Sera wasn’t taking any chances. She detoured to the kitchen for a knife and made her way to the back of the house.

  “Who’s out there?” she shouted over the fury of the storm. “I have a gun, asshole!”

  “Don’t shoot! It’s just me.”

  “Seth? What are you doing here? Why are you slinking around the back?” She flung the door open. “Get in here, get in here.”

  “Sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.” He slammed the door behind him and removed his hood; she was struck again by how gorgeous he was. Somehow she’d forgotten just how unbelievable his cheekbones, strong nose, full lips and gray eyes were. “Do you really have a gun?”

  She shook her head, showing him the knife.

  “Well, maybe it wouldn’t hurt to get you one.”

  “What? Why? What’s going on? Was there somebody out there?”

  “I didn’t see anybody, but I think I caught the scent of two different wolves. Don’t worry, if they come around again, they’ll have to deal with me.”

  “What are you doing here?”

  He frowned down at her. “Do you want me to go?”

  “No, of course not. I thought...I didn’t think you’d be coming back.”

  Seth tilted his head, still considering her. “I didn’t think I’d be coming back, either. But once I got Chen home, all I could think about was getting back here to you.”

  “Do you...do you want to get out of those wet clothes?”

  “Yeah. Yeah, I do.”

  She took him by the hand and led him down the hallway to the bedroom. He kicked the door shut behind him and Sera hesitated for a moment—until he took her other hand and guided it to his belt. She reacted automatically, pulling the leather strap free and popping the top button of his jeans.

  After that, everything seemed so easy. She unzipped his pants and pushed them down while he toed off his boots. His shirt followed, and though it was almost completely dark in the room, she knew his body well enough to see every inch of him clearly.

  Once his clothes were gone, he began undressing her. As soon as she felt the brush of his fingers against her skin, shivers went down her back and goosebumps erupted across her chest. The pads of his fingers were a little rough, but his blunt nails were as smooth as polished stone. Standing toe to toe, she realized just how tall he was, and she had to tilt her head back to angle her mouth for his kiss.

  At first, his mouth was tentative. Almost shy. She parted her lips, inviting him to deepen the kiss, shuddering at the first brush of his tongue. She took a deep breath through her nose, inhaling the scent of his soap. Somehow, that seemed more intimate than the pressure of his mouth against hers and it drove home the fact that she was truly standing there, locked in his arms, yielding to his hard body.

  And it felt right.

  More than right.

  It felt like coming home.

  The thought wasn’t exactly soothing. What if he left the next morning and didn’t come back again? What if this was just a fling for him? Some sort of fun diversion?

  But he touched her like he didn’t want to stop, and so she decided to put her doubts aside and turn herself over to the overwhelming sensations of pleasure and desire rolling through her.

  When he broke the kiss to catch his breath, she pulled him toward the bed. He followed her to the mattress, their mouths fusing together as they fell. He gripped her hips and rolled onto his back, settling her on top of him with a satisfied grunt.

  She swiveled her hips, grinding against his stiff member. Heat flooded her, and her slick juices coated his length, preparing him for her tight entrance.

  Their passionate kisses continued while they learned each other’s bodies with yearning hands. He cupped her breasts against his palms, squeezing them with just enough pressure to make her moan, while her fingers sought out the lines of his chiseled muscles, looking for any tender point or spot of vulnerability.

  She only moved away from his mouth because she needed to taste his jaw and his throat; needed to lick the sweat from his Adam’s apple.

  “Are you ready?” he rasped.

  Sera moaned, feeling as though she’d been born ready for this moment. She reached between their bodies, taking his shaft in her fist. His flesh pulsed against her palm, and his head was slick with his pre-cum. She stroked him slowly, her pussy clenching with anticipation with each slide of her hand. He moaned, his hips rising, seeking out more of her heat.

  “God, Sera. I need to be inside of you.”

  She barely heard him beneath the buzzing in her eyes. Her mouth suddenly felt parched, and her fingers trembled where she touched him. With a deep breath, she shifted her hips and slid his head down to her entrance.

  She braced herself against his chest and pushed back. His head breached her entrance, enough to make both of them gasp, but he slipped out. She reached for him again, gripping him tightly as she took in the head of his cock. With him securely positioned, she moved back, inch by slow inch, until he was fully sheathed.

  In that moment, lightning flashed, illuminating them and burning that moment into Sera’s memory forever.

  She didn’t realize how much she truly wanted—tru
ly needed—to feel him until he was buried inside of her. She arched her back, mouth open in silent amazement as their bodies found a natural tempo. The steady, unrelenting rhythm brought out something primitive inside of her. She clawed at him, bouncing faster and harder, surrendering completely to the primal, basic rhythm.

  The storm picked up intensity, the wind howling like a mighty wolf, the rain beating relentlessly against the roof. The crashing thunder obscured her shouts of pleasure, each one tearing through her. She couldn’t hear him over the chaos outside, but she felt his groans and grunts vibrating through his solid chest.

  She leaned forward, pressing her chest to his, hungrily seeking out his mouth, burying her fingers in his hair, twining through the strands as their tongues dueled.

  Seth’s hands moved from her hips, sliding up her back and over her shoulders, then down her arms. His strong fingers locked around her wrists. Without breaking their tempo, he flipped them over, pinning her to the mattress. She arched beneath him, rising up to meet his downward stroke, keening with pleasure as he impaled her.

  Sera felt herself ascending to another level, where there were only bliss and desire and needs answered. For a moment, she was beyond the pain and confusion of losing Aiza, the fear of being hunted by a wolf pack, and even the loneliness she thought she’d made peace with. Caught up in the torrent of their shared passion, Sera forgot everything but the raw, electric heat of their bodies joining.

  Her scream at the moment of climax was muffled by his mouth, and she unleashed the full force of her orgasm against his rock-hard body. He shuddered, pumping into her until they were both completely spent.

  It was a long time until either one of them could speak.

  “What happened?”

  Seth sighed, revealing the depth of his exhaustion. “Can we talk about it in the morning?”

  A part of Sera didn’t want to talk about it at all. She wished they could remain exactly like that, blissed out and peaceful. “If you’re going to be here in the morning.”

  “I’m going to be here in the morning,” Seth promised.