by Anya Nowlan
“You are the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen,” he murmured, breaking their kiss. “And I’m not taking that back.”
She laughed, a throaty, raspy sound that made his wolf claw at him.
“I’ll allow it,” she grinned, nuzzling her nose against his before gently nipping at his lower lip.
“Is this allowed?” he asked, trailing down her neck.
There were still bruises there, but instead of shying away, he covered them with feather-light kisses, until Dakota’s smooth, tan flesh was covered in goosebumps.
“Yes,” she sighed, writhing beneath him.
“How about this?” he asked again, putting more pressure on her hips and grinding his cock against her wet slit.
“Oh god, yes,” she whimpered, her hands clasping onto his shoulders.
He continued teasing her, grinding on her with his cock while his hands roamed her body and his mouth kissed every inch of her he could reach, until he couldn’t take it anymore. Pulling back, he grabbed onto her thighs, kneeling between them as he slowly spread them apart.
Pressing the head of his cock against her pussy, he watch her arch her back to meet him, her hair wild around her head and a healthy flush on her cheeks. Slowly, he started to work his way inside her, inch by delicious inch.
Dakota was now gripping onto the bed sheets, her head thrown back as her tight, wet pussy stretched around Wes’ cock. Gritting his teeth and digging his fingers into her hips, Wes started to move his hips, rocking back and forth slowly, and listening to Dakota’s body.
There was no better feeling in the world than being inside her, and no sight more beautiful than her in all unbridled, reckless beauty, naked in more ways than one. She was finally letting go, and there was no hesitation in Wes’ mind – this felt right, almost as if their bodies had been made for each other.
Loosening his grip on her voluptuous hips, Wes’ fingers trailed downward, to massage her clit.
“Fuck,” Dakota swore softly, sweat breaking out on her forehead.
Wes just grinned to himself, letting his instincts take over. For once, he and his wolf were in perfect agreement – Dakota belonged to him, and he was going to make sure she remembered this night forever.
Picking up the pace, he sank even deeper inside her, feeling her tremble around him. Each stroke felt like heaven, and he wasn’t sure if he would ever get enough of Dakota. There was something about her that made him hunger for her, an insatiable craving like nothing he had ever felt before.
When Dakota dug her heels into the mattress and lifted her hips, meeting his thrusts, he couldn’t help but growl out loud. They were both out of control, bodies slapping together in a wild rhythm, he getting lost in her and she lost in him.
Grunting, Wes stopped rubbing her clit and held on to her hips, bouncing her off his cock. She clamped both hands over her mouth, choked moans slipping out from between her fingers.
Feeling her pussy tighten around his cock, Wes let go of the control he still had left, sinking into her over and over, until each thrust was met with a muffled cry of pleasure. Everything inside him throbbed and hummed, their shared pleasure washing over him until the sensation of it became almost painful. Dakota twitched on the bed, her muscles stiffening, then relaxing, her lips parted and her eyes rolling back.
Watching her topple over that edge of ecstasy was nearly enough for him to follow, so he pulled out, stroking his cock instead. Still covered in Dakota’s juices, his palm easily slid along his shaft, as he closed his eyes and imagined himself still inside her.
A soft rustle broke his concentration, and when he opened his eyes, Dakota was kneeling in front of him, her eyes still glazed over and a wicked grin on her face.
“Here, let me,” was all she said, gently nudging him to stand up.
Wes got on his feet, and she scooted closer to the edge of the bed, a bead of sweat running down her perfect, full breasts. Her hands sliding up his thighs, she swirled her tongue around the head of his cock before taking him into her mouth.
Sighing, Wes buried his hands in her hair, watching her head bob up and down. His cock already throbbing, his whole body waiting for release, he gave himself over to her, her soft lips around his cock and her hot mouth taking him deeper, until he could feel himself hit the back of her throat.
Throwing his head back, he knew he couldn’t contain himself any longer. His wolf howled inside him as all the tension inside his body snapped, leaving him staggering on his feet. Satisfaction poured over every cell of his body, soothing the fire beneath his skin.
His hot seed pumped into Dakota’s mouth, and she swallowed it all, while staring up at him with his cock in her mouth. Now that was an image he would carefully file away.
As if I would ever be able to forget it.
Something Dakota had said earlier popped into his mind, nudging aside the total bliss he was feeling.
We could regret this in the morning, she had said.
Wes knew he certainly wouldn’t regret a thing. Now all that was left was to see if she would.
Twenty-Five
Dakota
Quietly creeping out of bed, Dakota pulled on as many clothes as she could find, tiptoeing around the loft. Wes was softly snoring in the bed, splayed out in all his naked glory, and looking as peaceful as a sleeping puppy.
Smiling to herself, Dakota took one last glance at him before climbing down the ladder, quietly opening the barn door, and strolling over to the main house. She knocked on the front door, listening to some rattling, and then footsteps coming from inside.
Mack opened the door, wearing a fresh pair of overalls, a clean but paint-splattered shirt, and a tired smile.
“Good morning,” he said, gesturing her inside. “The barn wasn’t too uncomfortable, I hope.”
Not exactly the word I’d use, she thought, fighting the blush creeping onto her cheeks.
“It was just fine, thanks,” she replied, walking past him and getting a glimpse of the house.
There were different tools and parts scattered around here and there, mirroring the situation outside, but other than that, the place looked clean and cozy, with a large fireplace in the living room.
“I was wondering if I could use your shower?” she asked, giving the man a smile.
“Don’t you want to ask about your car first?” Mack arched a brow at her.
Dakota blinked at him for a second.
“Of course,” she blurted out, in disbelief she had to have been prompted at all.
Yesterday, all she could think about was getting the car fixed, getting back on the road, getting to New York… Now, her brain was filled with images of last night, and memories of Wes’ hands on her body.
But that didn’t mean her mission was any less important to her.
“Did you manage to fix it?” she asked, trying to read the suddenly passive expression on Mack’s face.
He looked at her for a second, rubbing his chin, before breaking out into a big grin.
“I am the best around,” he spread his hands, clearly pleased with himself.
He was also the only one around, but Dakota didn’t think it prudent to mention that.
Relief flooded Dakota, to the point she could have leapt up and hugged Mack. But, she thought better of it, awkwardly clapping him on the shoulder, instead.
“You sure are,” she said, and she could have sworn the man’s cheeks turned a little pink.
“I have it out back, all ready to go. And you’re free to use the shower. It’s upstairs, to the right. There should be fresh towels hanging near the door,” he replied. “I’ll put a pot of coffee on. Your brother still asleep?” he asked, and Dakota couldn’t help but cringe at that.
“Yeah, I let him sleep in,” she replied, before quickly scurrying up the stairs to avoid having to go into any more detail.
Last night with Wes had been amazing. More than amazing even. Earth-shattering would be the correct term, as exaggerated as that sounded even to her. But her giving into her desir
es didn’t really change anything.
She was still a demon-hunter, and Wes was still part of a pack, waiting for him back in Pinedale.
How did everything get so complicated? she sighed to herself, stepping into Mack’s bathroom. And it’s only going to get more complicated once Wes wakes up.
Done with her shower, Dakota clutched a towel tightly around herself and dashed down the stairs and to the back of the house, where she found her car in Mack’s own personal little garage.
Wearing nothing but the towel and her boots, with a set of keys clutched in her hand, she made her way to the trunk, and opened the double set of locks. It was a precaution she had taken a long time ago, since she always had a stash of weapons in the car, and she didn’t need anyone accidentally getting an eyeful of her machetes and potions.
Rummaging around in the trunk, she grabbed a backpack full of spare clothes and pulled out some underwear and a sundress she hadn’t worn in a long time. Eyes darting all around her, she ducked behind the car and dropped the towel, getting dressed as fast as she could.
Her damp hair tangled in the straps of her bra as she fussed around, hoping Mack wasn’t about to come looking for her. So needless to say, she jumped when she heard footsteps behind her.
Pulling her dress down in record speed, she whirled around, only to come face to face with Wes.
“Hey,” he tilted his head at her, giving her a quick once-over. “How’s the car?”
“It’s uh… all ready to go,” she stuttered, pulling her hair out from under her clothes and twisting it up into a messy bun. “Mack’s inside, making coffee,” she added, when Wes didn’t say anything. “I… showered,” she offered next, rambling on to fill the silence. “The bathroom is on the second floor, to the right.”
Wes gave her a look that said he really didn’t care which floor the bathroom was on.
“So,” he started, taking a step closer. “Did you not want to wake me because you wanted to let me sleep, or because you’re avoiding me?” he asked, getting straight to the point.
“I’m not avoiding you,” Dakota immediately replied.
She wasn’t, not really. To her surprise, waking up next to Wes had felt… good. She still didn’t think this thing between them could lead to anything long-term, but she didn’t regret anything either. Their night together had been magical, and she wouldn’t want to undo it for the world.
“I just didn’t know what to say,” she sighed, when Wes’ hazel eyes kept boring into her. “I don’t want things to be awkward because of what happened.”
“Why should it be awkward?” Wes raised a brow at her. “We both enjoyed ourselves. We’re still the same people we were before. We’re still on the same mission,” he said. “I think it’s even less awkward,” he shrugged, stepping even closer, until they were face to face. “Because now, I don’t have to hold myself back from kissing you anymore.”
Before Dakota could even say anything, his lips were on hers, soft yet demanding, as he pulled her into a kiss she could get lost in. She reluctantly pulled back when things started to get too heated, glancing back toward the house.
“Mack,” she whispered, and Wes nodded.
“Come on, then,” he said, throwing an arm around her shoulders. “Let’s get some coffee and hit the road.”
Dakota leaned into him, grinning to herself. Could everything really be this easy with Wes? At that moment, she almost believed it. Of course, life had other plans.
Twenty-Six
Wes
Caffeinated, well-rested, and with the taste of Dakota’s lips fresh in his mind, Wes took the wheel as they hit the road again. Dakota had compensated Mack generously for both the repairs and the accommodation, and they had left the man behind with the promise to visit him whenever they happened to be in the area again.
It was another sunny day, and Dakota was lounging in the passenger seat, her hand dangling out of the open window next to her. Wearing a yellow sundress that complemented both her figure and complexion, she was more gorgeous than ever, and Wes had to tell himself to keep his eyes on the road.
His wolf was sated and playful beneath his skin, yet that made Wes somewhat restless. He’d had his doubts about what his immediate, undeniable attraction to Dakota meant, and after last night, he was all but sure – she had to be his mate.
Neither the man nor the wolf had ever reacted to a woman like they had to Dakota, and now that they’d given in to their desires, that feeling of homecoming only solidified in Wes’ gut.
The concept of fated mates wasn’t new to him, but now he could really appreciate knowing, with no hesitation, that he and Dakota were meant to cross paths. There was no one else for him but her, no one that could complete him and give him peace like her.
There was just one problem, though – did she feel the same way?
With everything that was going on, Wes didn’t exactly think it best to start giving her the third degree about her feelings for him, not when he himself wasn’t even sure how to move forward.
Perhaps all they needed was time, to think things through on their own before they started discussing such heavy topics. Dakota had a lot on her plate anyway, and while she didn’t shy away from charging headfirst into danger, Wes had a feeling she took a more cautious approach when it came to matters of the heart.
So, for the time being, he settled on letting things play out without overthinking things or putting Dakota on the spot.
“If all goes well, we should reach New York by nightfall,” Dakota said, her head falling back against the headrest.
“Given we don’t run into any more surprises,” Wes added.
“I’m running out of crossbow bolts, so let’s hope not,” she replied. “But Elias does seem to be real determined on getting rid of us.”
“He must be starting to sweat, seeing as he’s failed twice already,” he remarked.
“He underestimated us,” Dakota nodded. “I don’t think he’ll be making that mistake again.”
“We have to find a way to get to him,” Wes muttered, more to himself than anything.
“He won’t go anywhere without his guards, especially now that he knows we’re after him,” Dakota said. “And his high-rise is practically a fortress.”
“Do you think that’s where he keeps the books?” Wes asked.
“It’s possible…” Dakota trailed off. “But the kind of spellwork he’s doing is messy, and can backfire easily. I think he’ll want more privacy, in case something goes wrong. The top floor of Campbell Industries isn’t exactly isolated.”
“Elias probably has properties scattered all over town,” Wes said. “He could be using any of them as dark magic headquarters.”
“That’s why we need more information,” Dakota frowned, reaching down into the purse tucked between her feet.
Wes stole glances at her as she pulled out her phone, letting out a sigh as the screen came to life.
“Finally, some service,” she said, before her fingers flew across the screen at an almost inhumanly fast rate.
“Are you Googling ‘Elias Campbell’s secret lair’?” Wes asked, earning a sardonic look from Dakota.
“No,” she replied dryly, a hint of a smile on her lips. “But I haven’t really kept up with him these past couple of days, and he is a man of well-documented movements. Maybe something has happened recently that will clue us in on why he is doing all of this in the first place. Maybe knowing that could help us somehow.”
“It’s always good to know your enemy,” Wes nodded.
While Dakota had her nose in her screen, Wes was forced to think about his own phone, and the unread messages he must have on it. His reporting back to Tate had been clipped at best, more so letting his Alpha know that he was still alive than anything else. He couldn’t really blame Tate when the man had finally asked for more details than that.
But what was Wes really going to say? Clearly, he himself hadn’t had doubts about Dakota’s motives for a while now, and her put
ting a holy arrow in a demon definitely solidified her demon-huntress reputation.
Of course, it could be possible that she was playing the long con, using Wes’ help to get the books so she could use them herself. But Wes couldn’t make himself believe that for even a second.
I would know if she were lying to me. She is my mate, after all.
Still, he would have to give Tate something that didn’t paint Dakota in a bad light, yet still justified him tagging along with her. Because one thing was for sure – Wes was not ready to go back to Pinedale.
He was learning something new, seeing something new every day he was with Dakota. Her world was fascinating, despite being unforgiving and dangerous. And then there was the woman herself…
Wes needed more time to figure out what he wanted out of life, and what he wanted out of his budding relationship with Dakota. Or to be more specific, he wanted to give her time to figure out what she wanted. Because if he were being completely honest, Dakota already had him wrapped around her little finger.
“Here’s something interesting,” she said, looking up from her phone and pulling him out of his thoughts. “That deal Elias was in Denver to negotiate went through.”
“And?” Wes asked. “I didn’t think he was there to make sure it failed.”
“Yeah, but here’s the thing,” she said, angling herself toward him, her eyes lighting up with excitement. “No one thought that was going to happen. This merger Elias negotiated is a huge win for Campbell Industries, and the first one in some time. Things haven’t been that great since Campbell Senior passed away.”
“Is Elias on the verge of bankruptcy or something? Because I don’t remember reading or hearing anything like that,” Wes commented.
“No, it’s not anything like that,” she shook her head. “The business isn’t failing, it’s just not doing as great as in its heyday. And it seems some people lay the blame on Elias. Which he can’t be pleased with, especially since he’s always kind of been in his father’s shadow.”