What’s happened to Sebastian? she mumbled shocked.
There’s only one way to find out, the mysterious voice inserted, sidling up to her thoughts. Wake this man up and make him tell you.
If he’s done something to Sebastian…
I’ll deal with him, don’t worry about that, the voice purred.
Gathering her courage, Erica shook the man’s shoulder expecting him to wake at the forceful movement but he continued to sleep on oblivious to her needs. She shook him harder but the result was the same, he slept on. Anger filling her, Erica raised her hand and slapped him hard against the cheek, that seemed to do the trick as the man woke, growling low in his throat at the unconventional alarm clock.
“Don’t growl at me,” she snapped.
“Erica, sweetheart, what’s going on?”
Her eyes narrowed at the endearment. No one but Sebastian had the right to refer to her in such a way. “Don’t sweetheart me either. Where’s Sebastian?”
“What are you talking about? I’m right here,” Ryan protested.
“Cut the crap! I know that you’re not Sebastian, so just tell me what you’ve done to him. If you don’t it will be the last mistake you ever make. Where is he? What have you done to him?” she snarled leaning forward menacingly.
“I haven’t done anything to him. I swear.” Ryan threw his hands up in surrender. If she chose to act on the threat there was nothing he could do to defend himself. He couldn’t willingly hurt his brother’s mate. She had been through so much already. He would never forget the look of pure anguish that had been etched on Sebastian's face when she was bleeding out on the rocks, he would take that image with him to the grave.
“Who are you? And what the hell are you doing in our house pretending to be Sebastian?”
“I’m Ryan, his twin, hence the similarities. Sebastian asked me to come here. He asked me to watch over you.”
“Where has he gone?”
Now that I can’t tell you, even if you threaten me. He turned his head from her and began to stare out of the open window, choosing to answer her question with silence.
“Answer me,” she demanded but he continued to say nothing and her eyes turned to look at what he was staring at with such intensity. The moon hung full and heavy in the sky and a thought began to develop within Erica's mind. She had seen a wolf turn into Sebastian but had dismissed the possibility of him being a werewolf because he didn’t seem to match up with the criteria though she had accepted that there was definitely something different about him. What if the video had been right? Vincent and the Internet might have gotten most of the characteristics wrong, but what if he was indeed affected by the full moon? Was that why he had run away? Was he ashamed to tell her his secret?
“Is it the moon?” she muttered under her breath.
Ryan’s superior hearing immediately picked up on her quiet question and he turned to stare at her. “You know? Has your memory come back? Thank God. Sebastian's worries are over.”
So I did know before I lost my memories. He already told me his secret once, why couldn’t he tell me this time? she wondered before the answer came to her. Of course he wouldn’t tell me this time. He probably spent months with me before he told me; months building love and trust. He probably thought that if he told me I wouldn’t believe him. He might even have thought that I would try to leave him. “Silly Sebastian,” she chuckled. “No, my memories haven’t returned.”
“Then how?” Ryan spluttered.
“That isn’t important. Where is he Ryan?”
“I don’t know exactly where he is, but I know that he’s on his way back here.”
“Why? Why would he leave and then come back?”
“He’s coming back for you Erica,” he answered simply. “Everything he does, he does for you.”
“Well then I think I should go and meet him,” she laughed running from the room. “Look after the kids for me.”
Erica ran from the house uncaring of the fact that she was wearing only thin pieces of cloth ill equipped for the cold and no shoes, she ran without any hesitation straight through the woods. She didn’t know how she knew, but she knew that Sebastian would be coming from this direction. The ground beneath her feet was cold but the snow had disappeared during the day and she was immensely grateful for that fact now. The air wasn’t as frigid as she had thought it would be and she began to believe that everything was working in her favour, she was meant to do this. The ground passed easily beneath her feet, her vision narrowed so that she was unaware of the fantastic pace at which she was moving. She stopped abruptly, her head turning wildly in all directions. She no longer knew where she was or where to run. But she didn’t have to run any longer, he was here. She knew with amazing certainty that the light brown wolf that was approaching her was Sebastian. She moved towards him, a smile on her face, taking in the markings that would identify him amidst others of his kind. His body was covered in a light brown fur, but his tail was so dark that it appeared to melt into the dark background and his paws were just as dark.
“Sebastian?” she called, unsure of if he could communicate in this form.
The wolf stopped for a moment, cocked its head at her before it began the transformation from animal to man. She watched the transition calmly, waiting for him to finish. “What are you doing here Erica?” he demanded, moving forwards until they were mere centimetres apart.
“I came here for you.”
“You’ve regained your memories?”
She shook her head and he groaned in disappointment. His eyes closed for a moment and he breathed deeply trying to rein in his passions. “You shouldn’t have come Erica, I can’t control myself tonight.”
“Are you going to hurt me?”
“Never.”
“Then what do you mean, you can’t control yourself?”
“I’m going to claim you.” His eyes opened, amber filling the irises.
“And what does that mean?”
He moved so quickly her eyes had trouble keeping up with him and before she realised what was going on, he was against her and had moved them so that her back was against a tree. He ground his hips against hers, the evidence of his arousal pressing heavily against her stomach. “Oh, I see.”
“I’m sorry Erica, I tried to spare you from this but you came to me and now there’s nothing I can do to stop this from happening.”
She smiled, the sultry movement of her lips perplexing Sebastian before her hands rose to his neck and her body arched against his. Heat instantly filled her and she could feel her body reacting to his without any effort on his part. Ah yes, that’s better, she mused. “Who said that I was against this? If memory serves me right, I’ve been in favour of this for a while now. Is this why you didn’t want us to make love Sebastian?”
“Enough talking,” he groaned pulling her close and slanting his lips against hers. Forgive me Erica. I can’t take this any more. Forgive me this one thing beloved.
Chapter Forty-Three
Pleasure speared through her as his lips moved against hers, the contact inspiring all the sensations that had been absent when she had unknowingly kissed his brother. The feeling mounted as his tongue slipped past her parted lips and swept through her mouth, demanding a response. And she gave it, there was no alternative. The arms around his neck tightened, pulling him closer to her and she could feel his lips lift upwards in a smile. His hands were everywhere, touching her, caressing her while his hips continued to move relentlessly against her own. If his plan was to make her hyper aware of him, he was succeeding. There wasn’t an inch of her that wasn’t acutely conscious of him and she loved the feeling. She could feel her nipples tightening almost painfully as his hands cupped the curve of her bottom and lifted her. Her legs instinctively wrapped themselves around his waist and he groaned against her lips. The cotton material of her shorts was so flimsy that he could feel her heat through them and was now aware of the growing wetness between her thighs. The hard bark of the tree
was uncomfortable so she pressed closer to him, the heat of their bodies rising as her nipples rasped deliciously against his chest while he was drawn ever closer to the prize he had long been seeking.
He pulled his lips away from hers and looked her directly in the eyes. “Erica, I have to have you.”
“The feeling is definitely mutual.” She smirked and then his lips were on hers once more and she could do nothing more than give in to the demands her body was making. She rocked her hips against his savouring the feel of his hardened member pressed intimately against her. So absorbed was she in the feel of Sebastian all around her, she failed to notice that he was moving. Each stride jarred him against her and the material of his trousers pushed hard against the small bundle of nerves assured to bring her pleasure. By the time he stopped moving she was moaning loudly, writhing within his arms as she sought release.
He hadn’t thought it possible, but he willingly separated himself from her body, even if it was only long enough to lay her against the damp ground. Her shirt was pushed up and her breasts were exposed to the cold winds that floated around them. He watched as her peaked nipples tightened further and his eyelids lowered to half-mast as he took in the beauty of his mate’s body. Her creamy skin looked so smooth under the moonlight that he couldn’t resist touching her, laying his hand against the skin of her stomach, he rumbled his approval. “So soft Erica, so soft.” His large hand continued to gently caress her skin with light touches and she sighed in appreciation moving slightly to force his hand to touch her exactly where she wanted. Her subtle movements drew his attention to the gentle sway of her breasts and he found his attention riveted by the twin dusky peaks that were silently demanding his attention.
He fell on her, ravenous. Lifting her body slightly so that he had better access, he licked and sucked her nipples until she was in a frenzy, thrashing beneath him. He couldn’t seem to get enough of her, the soft pants his mate was emitting urging him to increase the contact between them in whatever way was possible. His hand crept over the gentle curve of her stomach to cup her intimately and she jolted at the contact, moaning softly. His fingers slithered over the thin fabric and he groaned anew to find her so wet. Shoving the material aside, he allowed their flesh to meet. Erica shuddered at the contact, revelling in Sebastian's ministrations. His fingers were teasing her, entering her body just enough to tantalise before retreating. Frustration was building alongside pleasure as desire continued to fog her thoughts.
“Spread your legs wider,” Sebastian ordered, his fingers leaving the juncture of her thighs to tug wildly at her knees determined to have greater access. The scent of her arousal was wreaking havoc on his body and he could feel his control slipping. She was his mate, he deserved to know her taste and he was determined to know it regardless of the methods he had to use to achieve that outcome. Her legs fell open and his head descended. His warm breaths feathered over her and Erica trembled in anticipation. He rewarded her for her obedience with a long slow lick and her body jumped from the ground. The taste of her exploded on his tongue and Sebastian growled with pleasure. “More,” he demanded, placing his hands on her hips and holding her still for his attentions. Her breaths came short and fast as pleasure continued to mount within her.
“Sebastian,” her voice was throaty, seductive as she called to him, asking without words for the pleasure only he could provide. His strong tongue lashed over her small clitoris and her body began to tremble as she screamed her fulfilment.
“Perfect,” he praised, finally releasing her hips. He sat back, running the heel of his palm against his hardened shaft. The need for release was pressing in on him, but he took a moment to savour his work. Erica's pale skin was flushed, a light sheen of sweat coated her skin but there was a definite smile on her face.
The smile remained on her face as she pushed herself up and crept towards him. The gentle sway of her body as she inched closer was seductive and he found himself gulping, his body tensing in preparation for whatever was to come. Now that she had the freedom to look at him, Erica realised why he had been so insistent on preventing her from seeing his face the last time they had been this intimate. The muscle that his body was made up of seemed to have increased, his teeth appeared sharper and his eyes were that eerie shade of amber that she had only briefly seen once before. Her hands were soon on him, creeping beneath his shirt to rub against the ridges of his stomach. She tugged and pulled until the shirt was removed and urged him to his feet before giving his trousers the same treatment. Her nails ran down his thighs and he shivered in anticipation when her warm breaths ran over the tip of his shaft. His breath came quick and fast as he awaited her next move.
He wasn’t disappointed as her moist tongue darted over the engorged head before she took him into the warm cavern of her mouth. “Erica,” he groaned as though in pain when nothing could have been further from the truth. He shuddered as she took him deeper into her mouth, her soft hand wrapping around the base. As her tongue swirled around him, her mouth sucking him as though he were her favourite treat in the world, he could feel his seed building, making its way up his shaft as pleasure built within him. Her hands and mouth worked in perfect harmony, bringing him closer and closer to the edge. He shook his head trying to break the spell she had cast over him. “Erica, stop.” She continued regardless of his warning, sucking harder and he was forced to place a restraining hand within her hair. She pulled away, her face a picture of confusion. “Not like this,” he explained, dropping to his knees and placing a brief but smouldering kiss against her lips.
“Turn over,” he commanded.
The seductive tones of his voice induced instant compliance and Erica turned, going to her hands as knees as requested. Her body seemed to know instinctively what he wanted and she pressed her chest against the ground, lifting her bottom skywards. His control was very nearly extinguished but he took a steadying breath, realising that he had to ensure that her body could accept him. Claws sprung from his nails and the flimsy bed clothes she had worn were quickly and easily dealt with. His hands ran over the smooth, now exposed skin of her back, one holding her in place while the other reached beneath her to cup her intimately. He inched a single finger within her, gritting his teeth at the sensation that his finger was subjected to. “Hot,” he spat through gritted teeth pushing his finger deeper within her. “Tight.” The single finger was now sunk deep and he moved it slowly within her. “Wet.” A second finger joined the first and he smiled as Erica moved her hips eager to receive them. “Perfect.” His tenuous control snapped and he quickly replaced his fingers with the head of his shaft.
The claiming vows were ripped from his throat as he pushed hard and fast within her. “I claim you for my own. I will stand by your side for all time because you’re my mate, the only one for me.” The words left his lips on a harsh groan as he became surrounded by her wet heat. “Erica, you’re mine. I’ll never let you go.”
Erica lifted her hips, eager to take more of him and he responded with enthusiasm pushing deep in a single searing thrust. There was a moment of pain but it was gone as quick as it came and then there was only Sebastian. He gave her a moment to adjust to him, the fit so tight she could feel him throbbing within her, she couldn’t help but moan at the sensation. “Sebastian.” She pushed against him, urging him to move. His hips bucked against her, hard and fast and she moaned loudly at the sensation he was causing, rocking her own to meet him. His pace was wild, frantic but she could do no other than to match him, crying out as ecstasy filled her. The air was filled with the sounds of growls, moans and the easily identifiable sound of skin meeting skin.
Erica could feel the crest approaching with each deep thrust Sebastian made against her but she was catapulted over the edge as his fangs sunk deep into the skin where neck met shoulder. Her skin was supple beneath his tongue as he began to mark her flesh, he could feel her sheath contracting rapidly around him, trying its hardest to milk him of his seed. Not just yet. He declared, his attention ret
urning to the mark he was determined to leave on her skin. His tongue moved decisively against her, carving his initial into her flesh. He withdrew his fangs, taking in the visible mark of their mating and he breathed a deep sigh of relief before he began to seek his release with vigour. He bucked against her hard and fast, single minded in his desire to achieve his goal. His release snuck up on him, surprising him with it its intensity. He growled, savouring the climax that he had been seeking for what seemed like months.
Finally, his wolf sighed and Sebastian found he was agreeing with him.
He fell forward, feeling the after effects of his earlier run catch up with him. Unwilling to have her carry his full weight, he withdrew from her body before turning them to lie side by side against the damp ground. The ability to reason that had seemingly deserted him while his mind had been gripped by animalistic lust, returned in full force and he frowned heavily at his mate. I might as well bring her to task while my body recovers.
And then a second round, the wolf demanded. And a third, fourth and fifth. We’ll take things one mating at a time after that.
It was hard to hold on to his anger when he could feel himself hardening as lust began to beset him once more but he forced desire to the back of his mind, intent on the task at hand. “What are you doing here Erica? You should be at home.”
She moved, straddling his chest and running her hands over the tight muscles of his body. “Why? I want to be wherever you are. Is that so unreasonable?”
It was hard to remember how to speak when her soft hands were all over him, bringing his already semi hardened shaft to stand hard and erect again. “What exactly do you remember about what I am?”
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