by Terra Wolf
Blaze
Blaze woke with a shit-eating grin on his face, and felt more rested than he had in months.
His brother was happily married with three perfect babies, he’d finally come clean and talked to Reagan about what was going on between them, and he had a date with his mate that evening.
Things were looking great!
He got up, showered, then started making breakfast. He was flipping pancakes and listening to his favorite playlist, when Hunter came strolling in, his face soft from sleep, and his hand scratching his ass.
“What’s all this?” Hunter asked as he took in not only the pancakes, but the scrambled eggs, bacon, and hash browns that lined their counter.
“I thought I’d make breakfast,” Blaze replied as he plated the pancakes. “We had a late night, and breakfast is a great way to start the day.”
Hunter’s eyes narrowed at Blaze’s chipper reply.
“What the hell are you talking about?” his brother asked. “Things must have gone well with Reagan, eh?”
Blaze grinned at his brother and answered, “Yeah, they went pretty perfectly. We have a date tonight.”
“A date, huh?” Hunter asked as he snatched a piece of bacon and popped it in his mouth.
“Yup, my mate and I are going to take things slow.”
“Good luck with that,” was his reply, then he piled his plate high with food and disappeared into his room.
Blaze stood there staring after his brother for a minute, wondering what he’d meant by his comment, then shrugged a shoulder and made his own plate.
Once he was finished eating, Blaze looked at the clock and decided Reagan should be up by now, and decided to call her before getting ready to go to the airport for a while.
“Hello,” Reagan answered, her tone husky.
Blaze felt his dick hardening in response, and his own voice was gruff when he said, “Hey, beautiful, sleep all right?”
“Yeah.” He could hear her shift and what sounded like sheets rustling. “But I sure wish you were here.”
There was a roaring in his head, and before he even realized what was what, Blaze had thrown down the phone, wrenched the front door open, and taken off at a dead sprint. Within minutes, he was at Reagan’s door, his fist raised to knock.
The door flung open, and when he saw Reagan standing before him in a form-fitting tank top and pajama pants with bears on them, he realized what he’d done.
Blaze started to take a step back off the porch, while he said, “I’m sorry, I didn’t even realize I was coming here until I was here… Instinct kicked in when you said you wished I was here with you… sorry.”
His hand was in his hair and he was about to turn and run back home, straight into a cold shower, when Reagan stepped out and grabbed his head.
“Come inside,” she said, and need in her voice propelled him forward.
He shut the door and lifted her, spinning them around until her back was against the door and his mouth was on hers.
Reagan moaned against his lips, the sound causing his body to tense with a raging need. Blaze accepted her invitation and delved between her parted lips, his hands gripping the delicious flesh of her ass. Not wanting to take her frantically again, instead, needing to take the time to claim her as his own, Blaze turned with her in his arms and made his way to her bedroom.
He eased her gently onto the bed, then moved the collar of her tank top down to expose her milky breast. Blaze growled softly when he saw the faint red freckles running across her chest, then lowered his head and sucked her puckered nipple in between his lips. Her answering sounds were like fuel on his flame, and his hips bucked between hers in response, which only cause them both to moan deep in their throats.
Her hands were everywhere. His back, his chest, pulling at his hair. Blaze managed to pull her top off with one hand, while he grasped the back of his t-shirt and tugged it off with the other. The first touch of their bare chests together was enough to have his bear scratching at the door, howling to get in and stake his claim, but Blaze held his beast at bay, needing to taste all of her.
He kissed his way down her stomach, then over her pajama pants until his mouth covered her pussy and kissed her over the fabric. Reagan bucked beneath him and reached down to start pushing the pants down over her hips.
He could smell her desire, and feel her blood pumping frantically beneath her skin. She was as eager to be claimed as he was to claim her, but first… he needed to feel her fall apart beneath his tongue.
Blaze shoved her pants down as far as he could, then, unable to take the sight, smell, and sound of her arousal any longer, he bent his head and lapped at her pussy with his eager tongue. Heaven… That was all he could think as he flattened his tongue and worshiped her clit. This was where he wanted to go when he died… for all eternity.
He ran his finger down her pussy, then shoved it inside and began to fuck her with first one, then two, fingers as he sucked her clit into his mouth.
Blaze could hear Reagan’s pants, and knew by the quaking of her body that she was about to come.
Reagan let out a protest when she lost his fingers and tongue, then said, “Fuck, yes,” when Blaze flipped her onto her stomach and pulled her hips back to meet his.
Blaze ran a worshipful hand down the line of her back, then took his throbbing cock in hand and guided himself to her opening. “You’re mine, Reagan,” he growled, then thrust inside her.
Reagan’s hands grasped the headboard as he fucked her like the animal he was, and when his hand reached around to find her clit, she ground back against him as hard as she could.
“Who do you belong to?” he panted, needing to hear her say it.
“You, Blaze.”
And fuck if the sound of his name… finally, his name, on her lips didn’t push him over the edge.
“And who do I belong to?” he asked, pulling her back so that her back was against his front, all the while his hands on her waist, keeping her steady as he pumped in and out.
“Me,” Reagan said, her voice strong and adamant. “You belong to me.”
“Fuck yeah, I do,” he said, then his teeth came down on the back of her shoulder as he came inside of her. Her body pulsed around him as she found her own release, brought on by the claiming mark of his teeth on her.
They both came long and hard, their claim on each other causing an experience unlike any other.
When their breathing evened out, and Blaze pulled his cock from Reagan’s body and eased her gently onto the bed, his gorgeous mate looked up at him. With her red hair fanned out over the pillows, and her cheeks flush with pleasure, she said, “So much for taking it slow.”
Eleven
Reagan
Blaze had left to go home and get ready for work, but not before they set the date for six that night, when he would pick her up for dinner.
Reagan was still lying in bed where he’d left her, a stupid, happy smile on her face.
Yes, she’d said she wanted to take it slow, but she didn’t regret what had happened for one second. The fact that her saying she wished he was there had spurred him into action… that he’d run all the way to her house, driven by the need to claim her, left her feeling warm and fuzzy inside.
Instinct was a serious business when dealing with shifters, and it was that passion, that all-consuming need to tame, claim, and adore, that had always made Reagan wish to be someone’s mate.
And now she was, Reagan thought as she gingerly touched the mark on the back of her shoulder. It didn’t hurt. Not now, or when Blaze had put his mark on her. In fact, it had been incredibly erotic.
Just thinking about it had her body tingling in memory.
Reagan sat up slowly, realizing that she couldn’t spend the entire day lying in bed reminiscing about the fantastic sex she’d had that morning. She decided to grab a shower, then stop at the coffee shop in town to get coffee and pastries to take to her sister and brother in law. She figured they had a lot on their plate now,
what with three new bundles of joy in the house, so maybe she could make one thing easier by providing breakfast.
Thirty minutes later, she was on Diesel and Sadie’s front porch trying to figure out how to knock with a tray of coffee in one hand and a bag full of croissants, donuts, and scones in the other.
Reagan lifted her foot and kicked the door three times. A few seconds later, the door swung open and Diesel filled the entryway.
“Good morning, brother of mine, care for some breakfast?” she asked with a smile as she lifted her hands to show her offerings.
Diesel narrowed his eyes and asked, “What’s up with you?”
“Just thought I’d bring you guys breakfast, since you have your hands full now,” Reagan answered, moving forward in hopes that Diesel would get the hint and let her inside.
“Is this going to be an everyday occurrence?” Diesel asked, not moving an inch.
“Let her inside,” Sadie called with a laugh. “I need coffee.”
Reagan raised an eyebrow at her brother-in-law, who finally shuffled to the side to let her in.
“Here you go,” she said, handing him the bag of goodies, then walked toward the sound of her sister’s voice to deliver the coffee.
Reagan paused in the doorway to take it all in. The basinet held two sleeping babies, while the third was in her sister’s arms. Sadie still looked tired, but happy as could be as she fed her son.
“Decaf for the new Momma,” Reagan said as she crossed to hand the cup to Sadie.
Sadie’s lower lip stuck out.
“I can’t wait to be caffeinated again.”
Reagan chuckled. “You’ll survive.”
“I know,” Sadie said, her gaze soft on her son’s head. “Isn’t he the sweetest.”
“Yes,” Reagan whispered, reaching out to touch the soft tuft of hair on her nephew’s head. “He really is.”
“Mmmmm,” Sadie said as she took a sip, then asked, “Did I hear you say scones?”
Reagan laughed and replied, “Yeah, I gave the treats to Diesel.”
“I’m sure he’ll bring them in,” Sadie started, then she got a good look at Reagan’s face and asked, “What’s up with you?”
“What do you mean?” Reagan asked, feigning innocence.
“Why do you look like that?”
“Like what?”
“All glowy and happy,” Sadie said. “Did something happen?”
Reagan couldn’t contain herself any more—she had to tell someone—and Sadie was the person she wanted to confide in the most.
“While you were gone,” she began, leaning down and lowering her voice so that Diesel wouldn’t hear, “I hooked up with someone. It’s kind of crazy actually, the way it all happened, but as it turns out, I’m his mate.”
“What?” Sadie cried, kind of a whisper scream. “I can’t believe it, who is he?”
“Well, that’s the crazy part… the night of your wedding, I thought I hooked up with Hunter…”
“Hunter is your mate?” Sadie asked, interrupting.
Reagan giggled and shook her head.
“I thought I hooked up with Hunter, but it was actually Blaze…”
“Blaze is your mate?” Sadie’s mouth dropped.
This time, Reagan nodded.
“Yes, it was all a misunderstanding in the beginning, and what with me being gone, and then you getting married, then coming back and going into labor, the mix-up never got corrected, until last night.”
“What happened last night?”
“I still thought I’d been with Hunter, but when I touched him, there was nothing. Just the same friend slash brother vibe that I always get from him, so I was confused. Then, I touched Blaze…”
“And you felt it,” Sadie supplied, and Reagan felt tremendous relief that she understood.
“Yeah, I felt it. So, you feel that too? That crazy jolt of awareness? That chemistry?”
Sadie nodded, “Yes, I felt it the first time Diesel touched me when we were in his kitchen after he rescued me. And, there was no denying our chemistry was off the charts.”
Reagan snorted.
“Yeah, I recall you hanging from the rafters at some point.”
Sadie frowned and made a look at the baby in her arms, as if he’d understand what they were talking about.
“Everything okay?” Diesel asked as he walked in with the tray of pastries.
“Yeah,” Sadie said with a smile for her husband. “Everything’s perfect.”
Twelve
Blaze
Blaze had never felt better in his life.
The morning had started out great, then, when he got to work, he had four new appointments for the week. Once he contacted the clients, got everything scheduled, and caught up with his emails, he decided to stop off and see the babies before heading home to get ready for his date.
Thoughts of Reagan had kept him going all day. The way she’d looked that morning, her gorgeous hair all wild, her perfect lips swollen from his touch, and those freckles… Let’s just say he’d been fighting a hard on all day.
What he hadn’t been fighting all day was the new place in his heart where Reagan seemed to reside. It was overflowing with love and possibility, and Blaze was so filled excitement.
Gazing at Diesel, Sadie, and their new family only caused that place in his heart to throb painfully.
He’d never really thought about it before, but he wanted this for himself. A mate, children, a family of his very own.
“Are you okay?” Sadie asked, a knowing smile on her lips.
Blaze tore his eyes from the sleeping baby in his arms and met Sadie’s. Her blue eyes were so much like Reagan’s that he momentarily lost his thoughts, then he shook it off and caught her gaze, and knew Reagan had already spoken with her.
“Yeah,” Blaze replied with a slow grin of his own. “I’m great.”
Sadie looked pleased at his response, which caused Diesel to look between the two of them with obvious confusion.
“What’s going on?” he asked, shifting his daughter so her cheek rested on his chest. “First Reagan, now you? Why do I feel like everyone’s in on the secret but me?”
Sadie didn’t reply, instead, she just looked at Blaze as if to say, It’s your secret to tell, not mine.
“Reagan’s my mate,” Blaze said simply, knowing his brother didn’t want a long drawn out explanation. He was a man of simple words, and appreciated straight talk.
Diesel’s reply was the gradual change of expression on his face, going from confused and slightly irritated, to utterly joyous.
“This is good news,” Diesel said, looking lovingly around the room. “Our clan is getting stronger every day.”
Blaze chuckled at his brother’s response, but nodded his agreement.
“Have you already claimed her?” Diesel asked, thinking nothing of asking such a personal question. To him, it was all a part of nature, their heritage, and maintaining their line.
“I have.”
“That explains her good mood today,” Diesel said thoughtfully, then frowned when Sadie threw a pillow at him.
“Diesel,” Sadie reprimanded. “You can’t talk about my sister that way.”
“I don’t see why not, it’s the truth,” his brother grumbled, the added, “And you could have hit Hazel.”
“Oh please,” Sadie replied with a roll of her eyes. “My target was your giant head, Hazel was never in danger.”
Blaze snorted, then covered his mouth and looked apologetically at his brother, who was still frowning.
“Yes, D, I’ve claimed Reagan, and our next steps will be to give her a wedding, if she wishes, and have a family; however, we’re trying to take things slow. So, even though we’re already mated, I’m taking her on a date tonight and beginning the wooing process.”
“Wooing?” Diesel asked, frowning so hard now that his forehead was creasing.
“Yes, Diesel, you know, when a man buys a woman flowers, opens doors for her, takes her out o
n dates,” Sadie schooled her husband. “Shows her that she’s worth the effort.”
“Flowers, opening doors,” Blaze repeated, realizing that just taking Reagan on a date wasn’t going to be enough. “I feel like I should be writing this down.”
Sadie laughed softly and said, “You’ll be fine. Just show her how much you appreciate her, that you value her mind, as well as her body, and that you’ll be partners in this. Reagan is an independent woman and she’s used to doing things on her own.”
“Got it,” Blaze said, then rose and laid the baby gently in the bassinet. “Well, I’d better take off, I’ve got some stuff to do before I pick Reagan up.”
He said his goodbyes, kissed Sadie and the babies, then headed into town to the flower shop. Blaze tried to remember every conversation he’d ever had with, or about, Reagan, and seemed to recall that she loved daisies.
As luck would have it, there was a bouquet with daisies premade and already in a vase. Although Blaze couldn’t believe flowers cost so much money, especially when they died in a few days, but thinking on Sadie’s words, he knew that Reagan was worth it, and he hoped she liked the small gesture.
He’d never bought flowers for a woman before, and found that he was oddly nervous about giving them to her.
Blaze took his time getting ready. Forgoing his usual uniform of t-shirt and flannel, he instead opted for a button up, blazer, and slacks. He even broke into Hunter’s stash of cologne and sprayed some on, and spent time in the mirror actually trying to style his hair.
He briefly hoped it didn’t look like he was trying too hard, then shrugged it off, deciding he didn’t mind if Reagan noticed that he’d put in some extra effort.
Thirteen
Reagan
Reagan felt her tummy tickle when she opened the door to see Blaze standing there, a vase of flowers in his hand.
“Hi,” she said softly, chuckling when he thrust the vase toward her.
“These are for you,” he replied, and as she reached for the flowers, Reagan noticed he had gel in his hair, and he smelled a lot like Hunter.