Sten threw up the door hangings, his face set in a deep scowl. His features smoothed when he saw Indigo, and for a moment he forgot that the other two females were there. She was sitting on the floor, her back against the side of the couch. The grey fur that was wrapped around her seemed to swallow up her small form, as she stared off into nothingness.
Before he had a chance to worry about her, Indigo’s head popped up. Her dull eyes brightened as she looked at him, and a second later she had cast aside the fur and sprang up, running to wrap her arms around him. Sten pulled her in for a hug, grunting as her pelvis rubbed against his erection. He took her by the hips, trying to maneuver her away, but she only pressed closer, all the while rubbing her cheek against his chest.
Sten swallowed hard. “How are you feeling?”
Indigo made a noncommittal sound and pushed her breasts against him. He realized that she was wearing one of his shirts, and he could feel her hard nipples through the fabric.
“Is this true?” Coral demanded.
It took Sten a second to realize she was talking to him, and when he looked up, her face was more expressive than he’d ever seen it. She looked angry, alarmed, and perplexed, all at once.
“You’ll have to take this up with Sylvestre,” he said tightly.
Even if he hadn’t been dealing with his aroused mate rubbing against him, he wouldn’t have interfered. This was Sylvestre’s mess, and he was not going to set the precedent of being the other male’s—the other alpha’s—fixer.
“Did you pack a bag for her?” he asked, looking at Lake.
Lake had been watching Indigo, curiosity and a splotchy blush staining her face. She jumped when Sten addressed her.
“R-Right here,” she stammered, bringing him a lumpy sack from the table.
When it was clear that Indigo wasn’t going to let him take another step, he instructed Lake to get his own bag from his room. He had started packing it that morning, and there were still things he would have liked to bring, but he did not have the patience for a scavenger hunt.
“Has she been like this since she woke up?” Sten asked as he secured his bag over his shoulder.
Lake nibbled on a thin lip. “She was more…lucid, at first. Then she got all dazed, and now…”
Sten hoisted Indigo up into one arm. She let out a delighted sound, and flung her arms around him.
Doing his best to look stern, he said, “Do not go spreading what you heard around. It is not your place to do so, and if one more person hears about this before Sylvestre and the other alphas make the announcement, I will make sure that none of the packs will take you in.”
Indigo took that moment to start nibbling his neck, and a bolt of arousal shot through him, strong enough to make him sway on his feet. Fortunately, Lake appeared sufficiently terrified.
Stalking from his room, it was all he could do not to throw his sultry little mate up against the wall. He had no idea how he was going to wait almost a full day before he finally had her, or how he was going to get her all the way to their new den.
Chapter 29
A strong wind pushed along a dusting of snow, but the night sky was free of clouds. Bright moonlight washed over the mountain valley, its intensity magnified by the sleek surface of the frozen lake. Sten stopped on the bluff, dropping the bags he carried in his jaw. He allowed himself a few seconds of indulgence.
This was his territory now. His den was down there, hidden within the foothills of the eastern side of the mountain. It was where he and his pack would reside, and where Halley would grow up. Where all of his pups would grow up, he reminded himself as Indigo skidded to a halt beside him.
With her fur caked in snow, Indigo looked almost as white as Sten. Some of the snow shook free as she hopped around him, barking excitedly. Snatching up the bags in his jaw, Sten surged forward, jumping down from the bluff to land on the cliff below. After a quick glance over his shoulder, he took off in a run down a narrow mountain pass.
Getting Indigo to the new den had been far easier than he’d thought it would be. As soon as they were above the Amarok den, Sten had shifted and began running. Indigo had wavered for a moment, appearing confused and dejected. Then, she had shifted and spent the rest of the day and evening chasing after him.
He was running from her just as much as she was chasing him. As easy as it had been to get her to follow, resisting her was a constant struggle. He had to keep reminding himself and his wolf that mating with her out in the open was dangerous.
The final stretch to the den was the most arduous. Indigo had yet to catch up with him as he finally reached the entrance. The hole he’d made in the ice was still there, but the tracks they’d made had been worn away by wind and snow.
Sten shifted as he stepped inside, giving the air a cursory sniff. No others had passed through since the last time he’d been there. He crouched down to take a pelt from his bag, but he didn’t manage to get it over his shoulders before Indigo crashed into his back.
Twisting around, Sten scooped her up into one arm. Her skin was still warm from shifting, and he wrapped the pelt around her to keep in the heat. She immediately tried wiggling out of it.
“Welcome to your new den,” Sten said, pulling her up onto her feet.
Indigo smiled up at him, but there wasn’t a hint of understanding in her violet eyes. Sten might as well have been speaking another language for all she’d comprehended since he’d plucked her from their room in the Amarok den. She’d surrendered control to her wolf, and Sten knew that it was only a matter of time before he joined her.
With his arm still around her waist, Sten tried pulling Indigo down the passageway. She dug her feet in, and when he turned to frown at her, she sprang at him. Arms going around his neck for leverage, she jumped up to hook her legs on his hips. Sten staggered back, but quickly regained his footing. In the next instant, he had her on the ground, his tongue thrust into her mouth and his hands greedily squeezing at her curves.
She rocked her hips against him, making a needy sound into his mouth. Sten’s answering growl was an affectionate rumbling in his chest. Their animalistic sounds fell into the background, as his hands traced the contours of her soft body, committing each part of her to memory.
His wolf was through waiting, but he had the presence of mind to run a finger along her sex to ensure that she was ready for him. He inhaled sharply, finding her folds not only wet, but also unusually plump. He dipped a finger in, and her inner walls felt snug around him.
She jerked wildly against his touch, her hands grasping at his hair and scratching his back. His consciousness flickered. For an instant he was himself, relishing the feel of his mate. Then, he was the wolf, and his hand was gone. Whimpering, the female beneath him rolled onto her knees.
Sten came back to himself just long enough to recognize that he was already losing control. He took one look at her, with her back bowed and her hips in the air, presenting that warm, wet place to him, all but begging him to claim her.
Letting go felt like coming up for air. At first, all he was aware of was the sound of his own breath. Inhale. Exhale. Then, he could hear everything. The draft whistling through the tunnels. Water trickling in some lower chamber. A hare scratching at the snow outside. His vision had sharpened as well, and the breeze carried a thousand scents he had not noticed before.
Separate from everything was the female beneath him. His female. He knew that—had known it since he’d first seen her through his glass prison. She dominated his thoughts. A thousand times he had bitten her, fucked her, bred with her, and killed for her, all in his mind, and now she was here, waiting for him to claim her.
And he wanted to. Badly. So badly it pained him. His cock was a swollen rock between his thighs. He was not even sure he would enjoy mating now. Why had he waited so long?
He had to see her first. Really look at her.
Curious, he got down on his hands and knees beside her. She cocked her head towards him, her thick brown hair spilling to o
ne side. Her full, pink lips were parted as she took in small, panting breaths. Dark spots dotted her cheeks. Later, he would count every one of those little markings. Her face shimmered with sweat. He liked the smell of her sweat. He liked everything about her scent. Why hadn’t he taken her sooner?
Her eyes—that color. An unusual color for eyes, but he had seen that color before, just after the sun set over the mountains, before the sky surrendered to darkness. Those eyes looked at him with such desire, such need, that he thought he was merely seeing his own reflection.
His mate. Why hadn’t he claimed her sooner? So much time wasted. Why hadn’t he brought her here the first night he’d laid eyes on her? She would have come willingly, would have followed him anywhere. She had known that she belonged to him. Why had it taken him so long to accept that he belonged to her?
She squirmed in protest as he lifted her up into his arms. He kept her tightly banded to his chest as he carried her. She was a tall female, yet so much smaller than him. She was much younger as well. They would have many years for her to bear his pups.
It took him a while to find a suitable room. He did not like waiting any longer in claiming his mate, but it was important that they had a safe place where he could keep her warm and comfortable during the long nights ahead.
The chamber he settled on was small, with a narrow entryway and a smooth floor. After laying his mate down, he pulled the pelt from around her. He recognized it. It had come from a pale caribou, and evoked memories of a winter hunt on a snowy night. As he spread it out on the ground, his mate rubbed against him. She tried reaching for his cock, but he stopped her with a firm growl.
Once the pelt was smoothed out, he pulled her onto it, putting her on her knees. Her breath quickened with her excitement, and he felt it, too. Mating would not be pleasant, not when he’d waited this long, but he was eager to put a pup in her. His breathing was ragged as he positioned himself behind her, and he shuddered as the tip of his cock touched liquid heat.
He had to bite her neck to hold her still, and even then she wiggled her hips until his crown was nestled between her folds. His chest rumbled as he slowly sank into her.
Sweet agony.
The words came from somewhere else in his mind. It was more pain than pleasure, and the discomfort only intensified as he pulled out and sank back in. But at the same time, he couldn’t stop. Moving inside of her, thrusting in and out, it was as necessary as breathing.
His mate experienced no such ambivalence. She writhed beneath him, to the point that he had to release her neck, or else risk her damaging herself in his hold. Beautiful sounds came from her—whimpers, cries, moans, and growls, all urging him towards completion.
He felt her tighten around him twice before his own release grew near. His testicles drew up, but his seed only swelled at the base of his cock, until he was thrusting with wild abandon, snarling with the need to come. Then, all at once, it exploded from him, the force of his climax making his back go rigid. He thrust twice more, until he was certain that he’d given her everything he had, and then he collapsed onto his side.
For a while, he listened to the sound of her breathing. When his hand stopped shaking, he ran it along her supple thigh and over the curve of her hip, settling onto her belly where his pup would soon be growing.
Within moments, he wanted her again, and this time, he knew he would thoroughly enjoy himself. But her eyes had fluttered shut, and her breathing had begun to slow. She was tired, and taking her again so soon would be indulgent. He would let her nap, and he would wake her when it was time to go again.
* * *
Indigo woke trembling. At first she thought she was cold, but drawing the pelt up over her shoulders did nothing to assuage her shaking. Her hands reached on either side, feeling for the familiar warmth of her mate, but he was not there.
She sat up, her limbs feeling as though they’d been battered. Her nether regions stung as she pulled her legs to her chest and stood.
Every part of her ached, but her stomach was the worse. Hunger clawed at the inside of her belly, and she clutched it, groaning.
I need to hunt.
The thought had her stumbling from the room before Indigo was fully aware of where she was. She could smell Sten’s scent, and that kept her calm as she sorted through what she could recall of the night before.
Had it been just one night? She felt like she hadn’t eaten in days, but her memories were a confusing patchwork of images and impressions. Once scene stood out, and it made her blush furiously. She remembered waking once, wet and wanting. She had felt around in the dark, and had taken Sten into her hand, stroking him until he was hard enough for her to mount. He had watched her ride him through heavy-lidded eyes, his hands lazily toying with her breasts as she’d taken her pleasure on his body.
The recollection brought back more memories, and she no longer felt cold, but flushed with embarrassment. Another rumbling from her stomach helped to clear her head, and she pressed on at a faster pace, her bare feet slapping against the cold stone.
She recognized where she was, though she couldn’t imagine how she’d gotten there. Along the way out, she passed by the chamber with the opening in its ceiling, where she and Sten had made love, and where he’d told her about his mate.
Former mate, she reminded herself. She wanted to believe what Sten had told her, that Elizabeth had not been a cruel person, and there were two sides to every story, but Indigo could not abide by a female that would reject her pup. She couldn’t understand how anyone, human or not, could take a male like Sten for granted.
There was still no sign of Sten when she reached the entrance of the cave. She teetered on the line where stone met snow. She could feel her wolf, but not the barrier that usually existed between them. She didn’t feel as though she’d have to drag it out by the scruff of the neck. In fact, the animal seemed ready to come at her command, but she still hesitated. Placing a hand over her belly, she drummed her fingers absently.
Was it safe to shift when you were carrying a pup? She would be carrying a pup now, wouldn’t she? After everything they’d done, she found it hard to believe that she wasn’t. Shifting seemed like such a natural thing, but she was unsure how it might affect what was happening inside of her body.
But she did need to eat. If she didn’t hunt now, she might not have the strength to do it later. Would she be able to catch prey in human form?
Sten saved her from having to make up her mind. She caught sight of the silver wolf coming from the direction of lake, and excitement bubbled inside of her—less for Sten, and more for the fat fish he carried in his mouth.
When he reached the entrance, he paused to shake the snow from his fur and then dropped the fish in front of her. Indigo felt to her knees to inspect it, hardly noticing as Sten shifted beside her. She was accustomed to eating the char that was fished up from the salt waters of the inlet, but she recognized the lake trout. In Indigo’s opinion, there was no such thing as good fish, and that went double for trout, but she salivated as she dug her nails in and ripped open the side of the fish.
Sten crouched beside her as she tore off a piece of meat and shoved it into her mouth. She was vaguely aware of how disgusting it was, but it didn’t stop her from tearing off another piece.
“Be careful,” Sten said, reaching to take her hand. “You should let me debone it and—”
He drew his hand back as she growled at him, appearing amused and a little concerned.
“I’m sorry,” she said around a mouthful of fish. “I don’t know why I did that.”
Sten sat down and crossed his legs. He reached out again, this time to stroke the top of her head. “It’s fine. Eat as much as you want. I’ll even catch another for you if you’re still hungry.”
Indigo cast him a look of gratitude and tried not to be self-conscious as she devoured the trout. While she ate, she listened to him talk about his morning, and how he’d tracked the muskoxen herd to a valley farther north. He had hoped
to pick off one of the cows or at least a calf, but there had been a small pack of actual wolves in the area, and they had put the muskoxen on edge.
“So I went ice fishing for you,” Sten finished.
Indigo smiled at him, and hoped she didn’t have any fish stuck between her teeth. “Thanks. I might have eaten my own foot if you hadn’t come back when you did. How many days has it been since we’ve eaten?”
He rubbed his jaw thoughtfully. “I’ve hunted several times, but every time I tried feeding you, you were only interested in mating.”
The tips of her ears burned. “You remember everything?”
“In a sense.”
“Was I dreaming, or is this really going to be our den?”
She had gleamed that from a splintered memory from back at Amarok. Other things had come with it, things she wished she could have forgotten.
“It is our den,” he said, and he looked pleased. “We’ll be going back to Amarok to get the rest of our things and to pick up Halley and the others.”
“Who else is coming?”
“We’ll discuss it later,” he told her. “Eat now.”
Indigo nodded, though she’d been eating all along. Her silence lasted less than a minute.
“Was it my fault? Did I get you kicked out of Amarok?”
Blood on her hands. Under her nails.
Erik’s blood.
“No,” he said patiently. “I was not kicked out of Amarok, and neither were you, for that matter. This was my decision, one that I hope you find agreeable.”
“I do,” she said, scooting closer to Sten.
As far as she could tell, no pack had ever lived in this cave, and that’s what it was—a cave. But with time and effort, she would make a proper den out of it. What mattered was that it would be her home with Sten, and their pups.
“Am I…” Indigo licked her lips. “Do I smell any different?”
Sten was still for a moment, and coupled with his perfectly blank face, it was enough to make her anxious. Before she could force any more words out, he brushed her hair aside. She shivered as his nails grazed her neck. He leaned in, and she heard him sniff at the crook of her neck.
Chasing the Alpha: Shifters of Nunavut, Book #3 Page 26