Forbidden Hunger (Lee County Wolves Book 1)

by Teresa Gabelman

  “Oh, yeah. I had to pour water over them to get them to stop.” Janna laughed at her expression as her eyes caught Dell leaving. “Go talk to him. I seriously doubt you’ll regret it.”

  “You think I should? I’ve never really talked to him before, I mean I have, but not…” Roxy frowned, looking nervous. “See I can’t even make sense and I’m not even talking to him yet.”

  Janna smiled, pushing Roxy toward the direction of Marcus. “Go,” she urged, then laughed when Roxy dug her heels in, but Janna was stronger. With one more push, she had Roxy heading down the little slope they stood on. Marcus reached out, stopping her as she stumbled past him. She snickered when Roxy glared up at her, but then her attention went back to Marcus who said something to her. With a proud smile, Janna turned, heading in the direction Dell had gone.

  “Hey, Dell,” Janna called out, spotting him walking down the road. She was surprised when he stopped suddenly, but didn’t turn around. It even looked like his shoulders tightened. “Wait up.”

  She jogged up to him and he finally turned, but instead of him looking at her, he looked over her head, a large frown on his handsome face. “You shouldn’t be here.”

  “Why not?” Janna stopped in front of him, wondering why he was scanning behind her and not looking at her.

  “Where’s Garrett?” Dell now looked down at her.

  “Ah, I don’t know.” Janna spun, glancing around, before resetting her focus back on Dell. “Why? Do you need him?”

  Dell actually laughed with a shake of his head. “You really don’t know our ways, do you?”

  “I just want to give you some money for fixing my car.” Janna tossed her hands up in frustration. “What does that have to do with understanding anything other than paying for a service?”

  “I don’t want your money and I sure don’t want to get into a fight tonight.” Dell once again looked over her head.

  Janna laughed, rolling her eyes at his ridiculous statement. “You think I’m crazy enough to fight someone as big as you.”

  Dell looked down at her confused for a second, then laughed. “Not you, beautiful.” Then his eyes rose. “With that big son of a bitch.”

  CHAPTER 11

  “I thought I told you to go on watch,” Garrett growled as he stormed up, nudging Janna out of the way.

  “And that’s exactly where I was going,” Dell responded, standing his ground.

  “I stop—” Janna started, but Garrett totally ignored her.

  “No, it looks like you’re standing here talking to her.” Garrett nodded down at Janna.

  “Listen, I—” Janna tried again, but this time Dell cut her off.

  “And you would be correct, but—” Dell broke himself off with a sneer. “You know what, you’re not going to believe anything I say anyway because you’re itching for a fight.”

  “No, he’s not.” Janna shook her head nervously. “This is all my—”

  “You were warned and you disobeyed.” Garrett’s breathing became harsh, his body growing with tension as he leaned toward Dell.

  “I didn’t disobey anything.” Dell took a step back, his body also radiating with a power that you could actually feel.

  “What did he disobey?” Janna asked, but felt like she was talking to two bricks for the attention she was getting, which was none. Then it dawned on her. “Garrett, I’m forcing money on him. He didn’t want to take it, but I’m not good with charity and I was going to make him take it.”

  “It has nothing to do with money.” Dell finally acknowledged she was alive and talking. “He marked you as his territory and fears I’m sniffing around. Isn’t that right, leader? She doesn’t know our ways, but I do and I was not sniff—”

  “Territory?” Janna’s eyes widened successfully interrupting them this time. When she saw Garrett cringe, her blood boiled. “Mark your territory? Me?”

  “It’s not like what you’re thinking.” Garrett glanced over his shoulder, but his annoyed tone of voice was totally the wrong tone of voice to use on her at that moment, because it pissed her off even more.

  “Like a dog pissing on a tree?” Janna’s voice rose with each word, until the last one was shouted. “Well, I’m no tree, you son of a bitch, but you are most definitely a dog! And if you ever think of pissing on me, I will rip your…your…thing off!” She pointed at his dick just to make sure he knew exactly what she was talking about.

  “Janna.” Garrett had turned, completely facing her now. “That’s not exactly what we do.”

  “Oh, well, I bet all the ladies around here are happy about that.” She still pointed at his dick.

  Dell laughed, but stopped at her glare when her finger pointed toward his. “Don’t think I won’t, buddy.” She dropped her hand when she noticed they had an audience.

  “You can’t fight who or what you are, Janna.” Garrett’s voice broke through her second humiliation of the night.

  “Watch me.” Janna pulled the keys out of her pocket and quickly went toward her car. “Marking me like a dog marks his territory. I don’t freaking think so,” she murmured to herself. As her fingers fumbled, the keys dropped. Cursing she bent to pick them up, but not until she saw the look on Sam and Leda’s face who were watching her humiliation. Slowly picking up her keys, she straightened, looking around at all the eyes watching her every move, until her blurring gaze landed on her car. Slowly, she headed that way, but stopped. Her bag with everything she owned was still inside Garrett’s house. She couldn’t leave without it. With one more glance toward Sam and Leda, she walked toward the house.

  Once inside, she took the stairs two at a time, went into the room she used, and grabbed her bag. She heard a door slam downstairs and panicked. Closing the door, she tried to lock it and again her shaking fingers found the task difficult. Finally, the lock clicked. Turning, she leaned against it, holding her bag against her.

  The doorknob rattled. “Open the door.” Garrett’s voice broke through the barrier.

  Closing her eyes, she leaned her head against it. Her beast whimpered. “No,” she responded, wondering if she was talking to him or her beast.

  “Janna.” His voice held a tinge of warning.

  She heard the warning loud and clear. Her eyes shot to the window. It was only two stories, she could do it.

  “Don’t even think about it. Hunter is below the window.” His deep voice rattled around the room as if he was inside.

  Surprised, she angled her head to look at the door behind her with a puzzled frown. How in the hell did he know what she was thinking? Pushing off the door, she walked to the window and looked out. Sure enough Hunter was below the window leaning against a tree. Looking up, he gave her a one-finger wave with a grin and a shake of his head with a ‘don’t even try it’ grin.

  Frustrated and confused, she turned toward the door. “Why don’t you just let me leave?” She hoped her voice sounded strong, at least it didn’t crack with the emotion she was feeling. Her beast was clawing against her skin, driving her insane.

  Silence sounded outside her door. He responded with absolute silence. Suddenly, her beast howled inside her head to the point she wanted to slap her hands against her ears.

  “What do you want?” she screamed, again not knowing if she was demanding the answer from the man or her beast.

  The door burst open as Garrett stormed into the room. His eyes blazed a golden hue as they found her. “You.”

  She held the bag tighter against her as if it was a protection barrier, which if removed, she would lose herself. Watching wide-eyed as he made his way toward her, her body actually leaned forward, confusing her even more. She knew it was her beast; the bitch was a traitor. Garrett reached out, grabbing the bag from her Kung Fu grip, tossing it on the floor behind her. “No.” Well, she said the word, but it sounded indecisive even to her own ears.

  “One thing you will learn about me, beautiful.” Garrett tilted his head slightly as he stared down into her eyes. “I’m very possessive and will
tear a man apart if I feel they are trying to take something from me, especially if that something is you.” When she started to speak, he clutched her chin in his hand, placing his thumb over her lip to keep her quiet. “And hearing the word no coming from those gorgeous lips, doesn’t make me happy.”

  Trying to keep her wits about her, she simply shrugged, but all she really wanted to do was suck his thumb into her mouth. What in the hell was wrong with her? He just told her he didn’t want to hear the word no from her because it didn’t make him happy. That should piss her off because she was a strong woman who would say no, actually a fuck no without any remorse, yet she was wondering what he tasted like.

  Suddenly, trees and dogs pissing, marking their territory, fogged her brain. Her eyes, which had been looking up at him confused, narrowed dangerously. Sucking his thumb into her mouth, she watched his eyes change to lust in a second flat. Without a second thought, she bit down hard, tasting blood. As soon as she let his finger go, she took full advantage of his shock, climbing and clawing her way out the window. Strong arms grabbed her, pulling her back.

  “You need help, bro?” Hunter laughed hysterically from his position against the tree.

  “You little hellcat.” Garrett carefully dislodged her grip from the window, pulling her in. Slamming the window shut, he glared at his laughing brother, while holding a squirming woman in his arms. Walking to the bed, he tossed her down, but when she tried to get right back up, he placed his large hand on her chest between her breasts, pinning her to the bed. “Calm down before you hurt yourself.”

  She stopped suddenly, glaring up at him. “Noooo.” She let the word draw out, as if taunting him with his displeasure of hearing her say the word.

  A slow smiled spread across his face as he put one knee on the bed, his hand still firmly in place. “I like your fight.” He bent down, his face inches from hers. “And soon yes is all I will be hearing from those sweet lips.”

  “No man will mark me, ever,” she spat up at him, trying to stay strong. But God, he smelled so good and his strength, which wasn’t hurting her at all, was actually turning her on. Her lower body was lifting toward him as if it had a mind of its own.

  “We do not mark women in that way, Janna.” He shook his head, a small grin played across his face. “But know this. The minute you stepped foot in my town, you were mine.” When she shook her head, he smiled and nodded. “Tell me you don’t want me.”

  Okay, that was easy enough. “I don’t want you.” As soon as the words left her lips, her beast growled as her nipples hardened even more, pointing embarrassingly toward him through her stretched-out shirt. She watched as his eyes moved toward her breast, his smile spreading.

  The hand between her breasts was huge, his small finger close enough to brush across one of her nipples. “Really?” He cocked his eyebrow as he looked from her tightened nipple to her.

  She sucked her lips between her teeth as a moan escaped her throat and only nodded. Watching as he lifted his injured thumb to his mouth, licking the blood away, she suddenly wished she was his thumb feeling his warm tongue. Her eyes shot to his at her thoughts. When he looked down to check the damage of his thumb, she actually felt bad. Damn her niceness. She always had a hard time being a bitch. “Sorry.” She sighed, still looking longingly at his thumb going back to his mouth.

  For a second, he looked surprised, but then a predatory gleam glazed his eyes. “It’s okay.” He leaned closer to her. “I like fire in my woman.”

  She frowned, and then started to struggle. “I was really trying to apologize for biting you and you have to say that.” She struggled in earnest, but couldn’t budge him. “You’re rude.”

  “No, I’m honest,” he replied, this time his full hand moved closer to her breast and he growled when her body responded by twisting toward his fingers. “And so is your body, even if you’re not.”

  “What is that supposed to mean?” Janna glared up at him.

  “It means you are so busy fighting what your body wants that you’re not paying attention.” He nodded to his hand and her body twisting to fit her full breast into his waiting hand.

  Janna looked down and was shocked. He was right and she knew it, except not only did her body want him, so did her heart. It was her mind that was afraid. She couldn’t take another heartbreak; she wouldn’t live through it. Everyone she ever cared about was gone. She was alone and scared, but she wanted nothing more than to give in to him, let him care for her, take away her problems by making love to her. But that wouldn’t solve anything, other than the ache between her legs.

  “I’m going to let you up.” He moved his hand away from her breast, and she could have sworn her beast cried out ‘Noooo.’ “Do not head toward the window, but if what you really want is to leave, then use the door. I won’t stop you.”

  Surprised at his change in mood, she felt the pressure of his hand ease. When he completely removed his hand, she just lay there staring at him.

  “You have about sixty seconds to get your bag and get out of here. I have never forced a woman and I’m not about to start now. If you want to leave, then grab your bag and go.” Garrett stood, but his eyes stayed firm on her. “But if you are still in this room after sixty seconds, you are making a conscious decision of staying and will bend to my will.”

  She could mentally hear the time ticking away in her head and wondered why in the hell she wasn’t moving. Bending to anyone’s will was not something she was comfortable with, or maybe she was since she wasn’t busting ass to the door yet. Slowly she sat up, glanced at her bag and then at Garrett, who watched her every move. As if moving in a daze, she stood, grabbing her bag. Turning, she headed toward the door and stopped.

  The silence was deafening. The only noise was the beating of her own heartbeat in her ears. Somehow she knew walking out of that door and out of this man’s life would be the biggest mistake she ever made, but she couldn’t understand why. Dropping her bag, she turned toward Garrett.

  “I’m not a very good bender.” Her eyes rose slowly toward him, silently pleading with him to make her understand.

  Walking up to her, Garrett stopped as he reached behind her, closing the broken door. “I promise you bending to my will is something that will be pleasurable, always.” His strong hands reached up to cup her face, bringing her closer to him. “I promise to always put your welfare above my own. Never fear, Janna, you are my reason to breathe. I know you don’t understand, but soon you will.”

  His words touched something deep inside her. She felt calmer, more at ease in her own skin. If only his words could ease her soul. What could he do if he held her tightly? Wanting to know, she broke his grip on her face and wrapped him up in her arms. She breathed in deeply, his scent making her body tingle. Her inhibitions disappeared as she eagerly crawled up his massive frame. Strong hands gripped her ass, helping her travel up his body. She placed her face in the curve of his neck and savored the feeling of her soft body against his strong hardness. Slowly, she placed a kiss against his neck, followed by a lick of her tongue. He tasted of man, pure male and she had to have more, especially when he moaned his pleasure. Something inside her clicked and she wanted to do everything in her power to please him. The thought and feelings frightened her, making her stiffen.

  “Let your feelings go, Janna.” He tilted her face to his. “The more you fight it, the more confusing it’s going to be. Trust me.”

  She searched his eyes, and at that moment, she realized she did trust him. Had trusted him immediately upon sight. Her eyes dropped to his mouth, and with no other thoughts, she went for what she was craving.

  ******

  Nothing in his life had ever been sweeter than Janna’s lips and acceptance of him. He knew by her taste, which was exotic in flavor, that she had finally given in to her feelings. It still wasn’t going to be easy with her being raised human, but soon, she would understand their ways, her way. She was a shifter and they loved differently, immediately and more intensely than
humans. Once one found their mate, nothing would stop or control their feelings. She was a brave woman and a woman he was proud to call his own.

  Her body was ready for him. He knew it as did his wolf, but he would continue slowly with her. He let her lead for now. It was her time to explore not only him, but also her own emotions. Even as her sweet body and mouth devoured him, he was alert to his surroundings. Someone was out to hurt her, but they would have to first get through his pack and then him to lay a finger on her. It wouldn’t happen. A deep growl rose from his throat, one of protectiveness mixed with passion. Never had he felt this way for a woman and he’d had more than his fair share, but he and his wolf knew that his mate was finally in his arms. She had come home.

  Slowly, his hands moved over her soft body. She was beautiful inside and out. She wasn’t a small woman, but just the right size in his arms. She was perfection and she was his. Her mouth and body became more frantic as she searched for some kind of release.

  “Are you a virgin?” He pulled his mouth away to ask. He knew they had already discussed it, but he had to make sure. It didn’t matter. Okay, that was a lie. It did matter because he wanted to kill the son of a bitch that took what belonged to him, but he had to know how gentle to be with her.

  “Didn’t we already have this embarrassing conversation and does it really matter?” she asked with a tinge of hesitation in her voice.

  “Yes, it does,” he replied, but then reassured her for the reason why. “If you were a virgin, I would make sure I was gentle.”

  “You know I’m not?” she whispered against his mouth.

  He gently grabbed her hair, pulling her away from his mouth. “I’m going to do what I wanted to do to you the first time I saw you.” He loved the look of anticipation coloring her face at his words. “I’m going to bury myself so deep inside you and make sure you never forget who you belong to.”

  His words spurred something inside her because she jerked her hair from his grip, leaned back away from him, even as her legs gripped him around the waist, and took off her shirt as well as her bra. His eyes landed on the most beautiful full breasts he had ever seen. Dipping his head low, he took one in his mouth as he blindly walked toward the bed. Laying her down as he continued to suck and bite her nipple, he undid the snap on her jeans. With her help, she lay bare beneath him, his hand finding the wetness between her legs. She was more than ready for him.