by Piper Fox
Her head spun, trying to make sense of what she just saw. There was no way the russet-colored wolf was the golden boy sheriff. Maybe she hit her head. Maybe she was hallucinating. Maybe… Maybe the stories she heard growing up were real.
Sierra’s mouth went dry as she stared at his tanned chest, the tattoos running all down his left arm, from pectoral to wrist, and then back down to the V formed by his pelvis, pointing straight to his… package.
Sierra wanted to capture that image well in her mind. And if it was that big now… how much bigger did he get hard?
“Will you get in the damned car now?” Merrick’s growl sent shivers across her body, all meeting right at her core.
Her eyes snapped up to his face again, to the warm brown eyes that she’d seen a million times before. Only now, they were ringed with red. His hair hung in wild waves around his face giving him an almost barbaric look.
Sierra never had trouble finding Merrick attractive, but now it was primal, from the feeling growing low in her belly all the way to the deep red blush she could feel on her cheeks and chest.
She wanted to pounce on him, to find out if she could get a rise out of him, and she wanted to smack him.
There were more pressing needs than whether she could take the sheriff out for a test drive. “What the fuck just happened?”
“Dammit, Sierra, get your ass to my car, now, or I’m going to throw you over my shoulder.” Merrick ran his hands through his hair, slicking it back from his face. And giving Sierra a nice view of his arms. “Now. Before the Bellemares send more of their pups to play with you.”
“Bellemares? As in…people from Bellemare? You were a fucking wolf, Merrick.”
Merrick snarled, “Can I explain this in the car? When we’re out of their territory and my cock’s not hanging out?”
Sierra scowled, tempted to just stomp off, to leave Merrick with his secrets. But he had kept her safe. And she really didn’t want another run-in with those wolves. “Fine. But you’d better fucking talk.” She gestured for him to lead the way. Not so she could watch him walk away.
Definitely not because she was curious if the back was as muscular and sexy as the front.
Nope. Not that at all.
Merrick smirked as he reached for Sierra, nudging her in front of him. “I can keep you safer if you’re in front.”
“Couldn’t you keep me safer as a wolf?” Sierra glanced around. “How many of you are there?”
“We should be able to get back to the car before the Bellemares have the chance to regroup. Or at least to where I stashed my gun. If you move.” Merrick’s voice was low, growly, and oh, so sexy. Commanding.
It was almost enough to make Sierra want to obey.
Almost.
“You boss everyone around, or am I just lucky?” Sierra let Merrick steer her toward the waiting patrol car even though part of her was wary of trusting that Merrick had her best interests, any more than the other wolves did. How could she believe that he didn’t want to rip her to pieces? Just because her pulse raced just like it had when she was in high school anytime he was around didn’t make him trustworthy. If anything, it meant he was less trustworthy, if her past romantic relationships were anything to go by.
“I am the sheriff. Most people respect that.” He snarled, looking left and right into the woods. “Look, Sierra, if you don’t want to move, I can’t make you, but I’d really like to get out of another pack’s territory before they decide to send more experienced wolves after us.” He moved faster. His nose twitched and the red tinge around his eyes returned.
Sierra jogged along next to him, her mind racing with questions Merrick seemed opposed to answering.
When they finally reached the car, Merrick went to the trunk and pulled out clean clothes.
Sierra didn’t even try to hide the fact that she was watching as he covered his muscular body in the boring beige and brown uniform. It didn’t do him justice, and even as he buttoned up the shirt that pulled too tight across his arms and chest, she couldn’t help but think criminals would probably be more intimidated without it.
“Are you going to start talking now?”
“Do you need anything from your car?” He held open the front door of the cop car for her, gesturing for her to sit.
Did he do anything that wasn’t demanding? It was getting on her last nerve.
Only, when Merrick ordered her to do something, it didn’t just make her irritated. It made her want to rip those ugly brown pants off him and let him do whatever he wanted with her.
As she brushed past him getting into the car, her nipples tightened and her pussy clenched, as if responding just to him being that close.
What the hell was wrong with her? She had never been hard up for sex. And upstanding law enforcement types weren’t exactly what got her motor running. Not even ones who used to be secret crushes.
“I should get my bag. And my knives.” She focused on the windshield, trying not to stare as his thick, tattooed forearm as he closed her into the car.
Merrick moved around the car with long, sure strides. He slid into the driver’s seat, he looked over at her. The softness was back in his dark eyes. “Are you okay?”
“I was just surrounded by a pack of wolves. Should I be okay?” She sighed. “I’m not hurt. Just frazzled.”
“Good.” He threw the car into gear. “I never should’ve let you get that far. I don’t know why I didn’t realize we’d crossed the border.” He reached over and took her hand, squeezing it gently, and then he just held it on her thigh. “I didn’t mean to put you in danger.”
Sierra looked down at where his hand covered hers, at the simple touch that was sending shockwaves of desire and need through her. Not to mention teenager Sierra’s heart raced with anticipation of what his touch meant. “I don’t understand what’s going on.” It didn’t begin to sum up all the questions in her head, but it felt like the only place to start.
“You heard the stories, right? You grew up in this town, you must have.” He pulled over by her car. “Wasn’t there ever a part of you that believed? Maybe you saw something that didn’t make sense.”
Sierra pulled her hand from his and crossed her arms over her chest. Almost immediately, she wanted to take his hand again. “They were stories, Mer. You can’t actually expect me to believe that werewolves exist.”
“Not werewolves, no. Shifters. And not just wolves, either, even though that’s primarily what’s around here.” He smirked. “You just saw me change from wolf to man. And you still don’t believe?”
Sierra sighed and shoved open the door. “I don’t know what I believe right now.”
He accompanied her to her car and insisted on carrying her bags over to the trunk of the patrol vehicle. All the while, he kept looking around, alert, as if he expected someone else to attack.
Sierra couldn’t help but notice how he seemed to almost be crowding her into the car, as if he were trying to protect her.
“Okay, you’re a wolf shifter.” Words she couldn’t believe she was saying out loud. “And the people of Bellemare are too?”
“Not all of them. But enough.” He drove her into town, but rather than head for her mother’s house, he cut straight through. “The Bellemare pack doesn’t exactly get along with the Ironhaven wolves.” He pulled up to a large cabin and shut off the car. “I think you should stay with me. At least until I know whether they were attacking you intentionally or if they were just wolves out looking for trouble.”
Sierra stared at him. “You really think they were targeting me? How would they even know I was there? My car broke down.”
She couldn’t miss the way he licked his lips as he said, “Well, you do smell fucking incredible.”
A shiver ran down her spine as she followed the motion of his tongue with her eyes. “What?” Her heartbeat felt erratic, as if she’d been running for hours.
Or like that simple motion had sent her libido into orbit.
Merrick didn’t rep
eat himself. Instead, he just got out and collected her bag and her knife kit from the trunk. “I’m sure you have more questions.”
The only one she seemed to be able to focus on was, “What the hell did you mean, I smell fucking incredible?”
Sierra hardly noticed the entryway to his house, just following along behind him, demanding an answer.
Before he spoke again, he opened a bottle of red wine and poured two glasses. “Your scent. It’s indescribable. Like a good lasagna, with garlic bread, and the smell of the Mediterranean Sea. And something else. Something earthy, musky even.” He moved closer, his nose twitching again, as if he was trying to drink in her scent.
Sierra took the offered glass of wine and downed a big gulp. But her eyes never left his. “Stop smelling me.”
His smirk cut through his attempt at looking sheepish. “It’s not like I can just stop my nose.”
“It’s creepy. How would you like it if I sniffed you?” Sierra stepped forward and took a whiff. She meant for it to be playful. Teasing.
Boy was that the wrong choice. It wasn’t fair for a man to be that built, that tattooed, that sexy…and also smell that good.
“If you do that again, Sierra, I’m not going to be responsible for what happens.” His voice was strained, his jaw tight.
Sierra hadn’t realized just how close she was to him. Practically touching. “Why? What are you going to do?”
He practically growled, “Break all the damn rules.”
She smirked as she leaned even closer and smelled him again.
Merrick snatched the wine out of her hand, setting it on the counter before his hands slid down over her ass, lifting her easily off her feet to pull her in tight against him.
His mouth crushed against hers in a hard, hungry kiss that made her moan.
Sierra slid her fingers up into his hair, tangling in the long waves, and her legs wrapped around his waist as she flicked her tongue against his. The kiss radiated through her body like a bolt of lightning, making her tingle and heat pool low in her core.
When Merrick broke their kiss, both of them moaned in protest.
“Tell me ‘no’ right now if you want me to stop. Or I’m going to rip those skin-tight jeans off you and make you come so hard you howl at the moon.”
Sierra leaned back slightly, taking in all of Merrick’s face. He looked wild, almost animalistic, and she had no doubt he could do just what he promised. Just his lips on hers had left her panting, needy, and so wet. And she really wanted to see him naked again.
But that didn’t stop her from sassily asking, “You’re not going to turn into a wolf or bite me, are you?”
“I might eat you, but I won’t bite. Hard.” Merrick raised an eyebrow at her suggestively as he dragged his tongue over his lips again.
Sierra ran her hand back up into his hair and tugged roughly. “Then take me to bed, Merrick.”
He growled, sending more jolts of need straight to her core. “Fuck that.”
Sierra gasped as he spun around and set her on the edge of the counter. He moved quickly, ripping her jeans in his haste, practically shredding her clothes to get her bare against him.
Sierra wanted to reach for him, to get him naked along with her, but before she could touch him, he bent down and buried his face between her thighs.
Gripping the edge of the counter, she moaned as his tongue slipped between her folds and teased her clit.
Merrick let out a sound that was more animal than man, a mix between a growl and a groan, as he started eating her out hungrily, his tongue feasting on her with every taste. His hands held her thighs open wide, gripping the soft flesh as his mouth worked her up into a fever-pitch, licking and sucking with an intensity unlike any Sierra had ever experienced.
She could barely manage to hold on to the counter as each flick of his tongue seemed perfectly targeted, expertly aimed, to make her thighs shake and her pussy clench.
When she came, she pressed one hand to the back of his head, tugging on his hair as she screamed through her orgasm.
Broken Pack Law
Merrick groaned as he pulled away from Sierra, licking her taste off his lips.
Without a word, he scooped her up into his arms and carried her into the bedroom, not remotely finished with her.
Not remotely ready to consider what this high level of need meant or what he felt when he kissed her.
It was the kiss that held all the power and he’d made the mistake of tasting her lips and now he’d never be able to walk away.
As Sierra got comfortable on the mattress, Merrick quickly stripped out of his uniform, more careful than he wanted to be, only because he’d already ripped through one tonight.
She looked up at him, licking her lips as her gaze settled on his cock. “Condom?”
Merrick shrugged. “Wolves can’t contract human diseases. And the only time pregnancy is an option is with our mates.” He crawled onto the bed, pinning her under him. “If you want me to stop, tell me now.”
Sierra wrapped her legs around his hips, pulling him closer as she shook her head. “You better not be lying to me.”
He slid his cock against her slick entrance, taking his time, enjoying the feel of her. “Trust me, Sierra.”
Waiting for her answer, he bent and flicked his tongue over one pert nipple, then the other. He wanted to spend the rest of the night, the rest of the week feasting on her body.
“Merrick, please.” Her whimpering desire was all he needed to hear.
He reached down and positioned himself, easing into her wet heat slowly. Sierra was so tight, he didn’t want to fill her too fast, too rough. He didn’t want to hurt her. But damn, did he want to sink in deep.
Sierra moaned, her heels pressing against his ass, trying to push him into her, as her fingers tangled in his hair again and she kissed him hard.
Merrick let out a rough groan as he thrust in deep, filling her completely. As his lips moved down her neck, Merrick’s teeth ached, his fangs extending, demanding that he bite her. To mate her. Every kiss sealed what his wolf was trying to say. She was his.
Drawing back, he looked down at the blonde in his bed. Sierra had made his wolf crazy even in high school, but she was human. And the spunky rebel made most men at Ironhaven High crazy, even if she didn’t notice. And every time she purred “Merrick” in her tempting, lilting voice, it made him want to rub all over her and mark her with every bite he could manage.
Even if he weren’t Alpha, he couldn’t very well mate a human. Pack law was absolute, and Sierra didn’t fit. No matter what her kiss said. No matter how perfect she felt, or how much his wolf was howling for more.
“God, Merrick, you’re huge.” She moaned as her fingernails gripped his shoulders, digging in roughly. She arched against him, baring her neck, as if she wanted his bite as much as he was tempted to give it to her.
As they rocked together, Merrick touched as much of Sierra as he could get his hands on, kissing and tasting, nuzzling her, marking her with his scent, even if he didn’t go so far as to mark her with his bite.
Sierra’s body tensed beneath him as her cunt tightened, close to climax.
The scent of her about to come was intoxicating, and Merrick’s wolf was howling, clawing to get to the surface. The need to bite, to claim, was almost overwhelming.
As Sierra came, clinging to him, she bit into his shoulder, screaming through her climax.
The feel of her teeth on his skin just made Merrick’s wolf snarl Mine, Mine, MINE louder and louder in his head.
Merrick’s growl was more animal than man as he thrust deep and let go. His teeth elongated, sharpened, ready to bite. With his wolf so close to the surface, so hungry for a taste, Merrick had to rip into his pillow to keep from marking Sierra. At least the artificial fibers were bitter enough to help him keep his wits.
“That was…incredible.” Sierra brushed his tangled hair back from his face as she leaned up and kissed him. “If I had known sex with a wolf was goi
ng to be that hot, I would’ve believed in shifters a lot sooner.”
Snarling, he pulled from her and tugged her into his arms. His wolf was restless, pacing, just under the surface, desperate at the thought of someone else touching her.
“Are you okay?” She looked up at him, nervousness in her eyes.
He smiled softly, careful not to reveal his still elongated teeth. “My wolf doesn’t like it when you talk about other men.”
Sierra adjusted her body so that they were more eye to eye. “Are you going to tell me more about this whole being a wolf thing? Or was it just a ploy to rip me out of my jeans?”
Merrick chuckled and ran his fingers through her short blonde hair. “Believe me, I didn’t plan on this.” He tugged her closer again, his wolf uncomfortable with her even inches away without his bite marking her skin. “What do you want to know about being a wolf?”
Sierra just barely opened her mouth before the sharp tone of a phone ringing distracted them both. “Shit. That’s my mom’s ring tone. I didn’t call her to let her know I made it to town. She probably thinks I’m dead in a ditch.” She hopped out of bed and ran across Merrick’s house, completely naked.
Merrick’s wolf was drooling.
“Oh, God. Yes, I can be there in ten.” Sierra’s voice was nervous, fearful even, and her scent, even from the bedroom, changed from musky, post-sex to panic.
Merrick got up and dressed quickly in jeans and a black t-shirt. He didn’t know what was going on, but whatever it was, Sierra needed to be somewhere else. Quick.
When he made it to her side, she was mostly dressed, her suitcase was tossed all over his living room, and she was frantically looking around for her boots.
“What’s going on?” Merrick picked up her shoes and handed them to her. “Sierra, talk to me.”
She ran her hand through her hair, making it stick up in blonde tufts. “I’m Mom’s emergency contact. That was the hospital.” She shook her head, wiping at her eyes as if she insisted on keeping tears at bay. “Can you drive me?”
Merrick pulled her in close and pressed a soft kiss to her lips. “I’ll turn on the sirens, run all the lights.”