Tribal Spirit: Forged Alliances

by Katherine McIntyre

  He slipped his hand under her tee until he cupped her breast, glazing his thumb over her rock-hard nipple. A spike of need drove through her at his touch, intensified when he leaned down to scrape his teeth over the tip through the fabric of her shirt. Another moan slipped past her lips as she tilted her hips forward, desperate to feel him inside her. Her fingertips traced the scars of his chest, careful to avoid the patch of gauze on his shoulder. The raised skin of his war wounds mirrored the ones splayed across her back and along her thighs. Shifters might heal better and faster than humans, but they still carried their past on their skin.

  Sierra traced down his pecs until her fingers trailed along the velvet skin of his cock, the length of him stiffening to the touch. She wet her lips at the response, needing him to fill her in every sense of the word.

  “Keep playing with that, and I’m liable to blow, babe,” Dax whispered, his hot breath tickling her ear. “I’ve been fantasizing about you from the day we met.”

  Longing surged inside her, a swell of want so fierce her heart threatened to burst. Because as much as they’d both tried to deny the way they felt, the connection had been there from the beginning, one that intensified with every interaction. He flicked open the button to her jean shorts and tore the zipper down. A second later they hit the floor. Right as his hands found the hem of her shirt, she slipped it off, tossing both her tee and the bra on the pile.

  The hungry way he stared at her made her shiver, feeling exposed all of a sudden. Not like he hadn’t seen every inch of her before, but that was pure animalistic lust. This—this depth she kept to herself for a long time, an attachment she hadn’t allowed to form with anyone else because time after time, they left. They all left.

  She sucked in a harsh breath as she met his eyes. Her wolf gave her a nudge, her pinnacle of strength even now.

  Dax broke the silence, understanding in his gaze. “I’m not going anywhere,” he murmured, as if reading her mind. “You’re the one I want, Sierra Kanoska.”

  She swallowed hard, unable to express the way her heart swelled to bursting, how she longed for him with a desperation which refused to be tamed. How she’d never believed she’d find someone who could slice her wide open the way he did, the sort of connection that filled her with incandescent joy.

  Sierra wrapped her hands around his neck, brushing her lips against his as she tried to pour the maelstrom of emotions rushing through her into the kiss. Dax thrust her against the couch, his erection pressing against the thin fabric of her soaked panties. The feel of the heat emanating from his length made her writhe, her need sharpening to agony when she bucked against him. He groaned as he slipped two fingers past the elastic of her panties to glide along the seam of her and circle around her clit.

  “You’re so fucking wet for me,” he murmured as he planted kisses along her neck, causing her back to arch in response. Her knee crooked as her heel dug into the leather sofa. Dax’s nail grew into a claw, and then he sliced through the underwear, sending the pieces fluttering to the ground.

  “Are you going to destroy every pair I own?” she muttered, glancing at him.

  His eyes danced with amusement. “I’m liking the sound of that. Next step is to get you to ditch the clothes entirely. Join me on the uncivilized side.” His smile widened, creasing the nick in his cheek. Warmth flushed through at the memory of the way they’d sniped at each other the day they met.

  A grin played on her lips, coming forth unbidden. “Are you going to talk me to death or fuck me?”

  He slid against her again, his cock brushing across her slick pussy in a way that made her muscles tighten, that sharpened the ache inside her, desperate to be filled. Sierra tilted her hips, gliding up the length of him and causing a curse to erupt from his lips. The muscles of his neck grew taut as his eyes glowed, the lion in him emerging.

  He nudged at her entrance with the head of his cock, and Sierra spread wider as her claws dug into his neck, skating the edge of animal and human. Even the slight push made her shudder, her sensitized skin reacting to the smallest motion. His obnoxious feline patience emerged as he inched in, taking his time as he stretched out her agony as much as possible. Sierra bucked her hips to take him farther, but the second she achieved her goal, he pulled back and begin torturing her all over again.

  “I’m not sure which is stronger,” she muttered, “the urge to fuck or murder you.”

  His smile whispered against her neck. “Stop trying to control the situation for once and enjoy the ride,” he murmured. Dax buried his teeth into the slope of her neck, the sharpness stinging her skin in a delicious way. She sank into the sensations threatening to consume her, at the scrape of his teeth, the heat of his smooth skin, and the way he teased her with his cock, bringing her close to completion only to steal the sensation away again. Her need to control was her final defense, which at last came tumbling down. He asked for her trust, so she’d give him her surrender.

  As if he sensed the way she melted against him, he pushed himself in farther, rocking deeper into her. She let out a moan at how he filled her, rubbing her thighs against his as the sensation of their skin-to-skin contact sent a shudder of pleasure through her. Sierra leaned up to brush her lips against his, hungrily chasing his kiss to taste him again and again. His grip tightened along her hip, fingers sinking into the groove as if they belonged there.

  Dax kissed her long and hard, the impact near stealing the breath from her. He plunged in the rest of the way. He drove into her, slamming straight into her G-spot. and hot waves of ecstasy rolled through her as she bucked forward to meet him. She blinked like a camera shutter, the flash sparking to life before her eyes as he thrust into her again to an undulating rhythm as natural as the tides.

  They surged back and forth against the couch, her fingers running through his damp hair and along his furnace-hot skin. She tasted the salt of his skin when she sucked at his neck, the mint of his toothpaste as their lips met again, all while he filled her to completion. The fullness of his length had her panting as sweat pricked on her brow, droplets rolling down her cheek, down the valley between her breasts. Each time they crashed together, the trail of curls around his cock brushed against her clit, sending a jolt through her that increased with the motion.

  Sierra felt weightless, her body lost in myriad sensations, bliss overtaking any rational thought. She memorized the way his blue eyes darkened with need, the possessive way his palms wrapped around her waist, and the tender way he kissed her, a gentle scrape against her lips that she never would’ve placed with the smooth talker. Like this, he was so raw and real, bravado checked at the door in these moments together.

  She twined her arms around his neck as she rode along with him, each collision bringing her closer to the edge. He increased the rhythm, moving faster and faster against her, the delicious friction sending a shudder down her spine.

  He reached down, his fingertips rolling over her clit with a slick smoothness. Fire sparked through her veins as she sailed over the edge. Dax thrust deep, hitting her core as her muscles squeezed around him, and ecstasy radiated through her in waves. Heat spilled inside her as he came, his palms slamming on either side of her into the couch. Both of them cycled ragged breaths, their sweat-slicked limbs tangled with each other as he leaned in to press a kiss against her lips. He shuddered as he continued to come, her heels digging into his ass and the leather couch sticking to her back.

  Sierra sucked in a deep breath, dizzied from the sheer strength of the orgasm rocketing through her and her thighs quaking in the aftermath. She kissed him in return, reveling in the tenderness of his motions. He slumped against her, his weight pinning her to the couch. Sierra ran fingers through his hair while her heart surged with a wild churn of emotion.

  As they tangled together on the couch, resolution flooded her veins, as if a key clicked open a lock inside her. The epiphany flushed through her in a radiant sweep, as if stepping into the sunlight after a lifetime in the dark.

  Dax
looked up, meeting her eyes as his shone with wonder. “Did you feel that?” he asked.

  Sierra nodded. She couldn’t explain it without sounding crazy, but a bond stretched between them, an unbreakable steel weave. Her mind opened, and as she scanned Dax, his every movement grew accessible as if the intense emotion pouring off him was her own. He pulled out of her, leaning against the arm of the couch before tugging her on top of him.

  She rested her cheek on his chest, the heat radiating off their bodies enough to start an inferno. The closeness she felt with him was unparalleled, this rightness settling inside her. The distance she’d encountered with other lovers stretched out like a faraway memory when she lay here by his side. She could read Dax with ease, and she’d never been as comfortable in her own skin as she felt around him.

  Dax grabbed her hand, lifting her fingers to brush his lips over them. The tenderness of the action seared her chest, and her heart ached with a mixture of relief and joy, as if she’d been searching for this completion her entire life to finally find what she’d been looking for.

  “Just so you’re aware, I don’t share,” Sierra said lightly, even though steel edged her words. “If we’re mated, that means you’re mine alone.”

  “That goes both ways,” he murmured into her hair. “If any asshole tries encroaching on my territory, I’ve proved I know how to protect it.”

  Sierra snorted, glancing up to him. “You’re assuming I don’t slit the bastard from navel to throat first. I’m not a fainting idiot in need of protection.”

  Dax grinned, his eyes sparking with desire. “No way in hell a weakling would survive mated to me.”

  The thrill of the word pulsed through her with a finality that for once she didn’t want to run from. She leaned forward to press her lips to his, exulting in the bond formed between them. A grin stole her as she murmured against his mouth. “So true—you’re insufferable. I must be insane.”

  “Absolutely crazy,” he said, flashing her a bright grin that caused her heart to squeeze tightly. “Ready for round two?”

  Chapter Eighteen

  Dax stretched out on his couch, wrapping his arm around Sierra, who leaned against him. As far as prep for the fight tomorrow could go, this was perfect. A flush decorated her cheeks, and the satisfied glow in her eyes made him brim with pride. He breathed in the scent of sweat and spice, uniquely her. His lion purred at ease, even though he’d welcomed a wolf to his bed. The way they’d come together left both man and animal feeling more complete than he had in his life.

  Never in a thousand years had he believed he’d find someone like Sierra Kanoska. She shifted against him, her thick, silken hair pulled back into a bun, several strands glued to her forehead. He ran his fingertips along the raised skin of the scars on her thighs, the even slice of claws he recognized since he bore his fair share. She glanced at him, a glimpse of vulnerability in her eyes that made his heart squeeze tightly. He didn’t need to ask to know these had to do with the brother she’d left behind, but her resilience and strength despite her trials made Dax respect her even more.

  He’d spent his life being the discarded son, never measuring up by any standard, so he’d fucked around until for once in his life he’d truly wanted something—his position as alpha. And when even that chance had been stolen from him, he met Sierra, the woman and wolf who strengthened him during this, who took a chance when no other alpha would.

  He leaned down to plant a kiss on her hair, eliciting a nose wrinkle from her even though she couldn’t quite hide the hint of a smile clinging to her lips. His heart thundered with the realization this woman was his mate—that for once in his life he’d found a relationship he didn’t want to run from.

  In fact, ever since Drew stole the position Dax had fought for and splintered the pack, Dax found himself seeking out responsibility in a way he never had before. Tomorrow he’d face his brother and claim his rightful place, but the hint of fear at being tied down no longer surged through his veins. No, with his mate by his side, he wanted to lead the Silver Springs pack into a new future—he wanted to stay.

  His stomach rumbled, and he glanced to the door, willing the two pepperoni pizzas they’d ordered to arrive more quickly. With the way shifters ate, each of them could tackle a full pizza in a heartbeat and go back for more.

  A buzzing sound came from Sierra’s canvas bag, and she leaned down to swipe her phone out. Her brows furrowed as she stared at the screen and answered the call.

  “What’s up, Raven?” she asked as Dax trailed his fingers down her spine. She shot him a “not now” look, which made him want to antagonize her further. He pressed against her, growing hard at the feel of her velvet skin against his and the heat radiating off her lithe body.

  Sierra froze, white-knuckling her phone. “I’ll be over.” He didn’t miss the razor edge to her tone or the way her claws pricked out past her nails. The mating bond broadcasted her emotion loud and clear: stark horror that had him worried. The stony look in her eyes he’d seen before, the cold, calculating side of the alpha wolf that emerged in a true emergency.

  “What happened?” he asked, already off the couch and slipping clothes on from his laundry bin. Sierra snagged her shorts and tugged her tee over her head in record time. Even as he buttoned his jeans, she’d slung the canvas bag over her shoulder and made a beeline for the door. He stumbled into his sneakers as he followed her, his keys jangling in his hand.

  The sun had already set, since they’d spent the entire afternoon fucking across every surface in his house, yet even with the darkened skies, moisture still hung heavy in the air. He sucked in a mouthful as he headed straight for his truck. The urgency in the line between Sierra’s brows and the way her hands kept clenching and unclenching delivered a hefty dose of fear. His ignition sparked to life, and the whitish-blue hue of his headlights sliced through the shadows.

  The passenger door slammed shut as Sierra joined him. Her eyes gleamed with worry when their gazes met.

  “Drew’s attacking Beaver Tavern.”

  Dax didn’t hesitate, peeling out of his driveway at top speed. Rage streaked through his veins like wildfire. The memory of how Drew’s attack on his compound had injured the families of his pack and even severed some still bled raw for him. He should’ve known. He should’ve figured his brother would pull some cowardly trick rather than meeting him on the battlefield tomorrow. As if he’d go running after Drew, threatened the lives of his mate’s pack.

  He clutched his steering wheel with a death grip, trying with all his might not to rip the thing from the rig. “We’ll make him pay.” Dax’s voice came out in a low growl, the shared fear and rage in this car making the air grow thicker than the syrupy summer humidity. Sierra swallowed rather than responding, the woman collecting herself and trying to keep her impulses under control even though her eyes glowed amber.

  Once the truck hit the smooth asphalt of the highway, Dax jammed on the gas pedal, the engine revving to life. The woods he’d grown up in flashed by as he soared across the highway toward their destination. Dax couldn’t help the pang of regret piercing him.

  Back in the days when he used to run through those woods with his brother, he never would’ve believed they’d come to this. That the fight for leadership after their dad’s death would get this drawn out and dirty. Even if they only shared a mother, they had been brothers in every other sense of the word throughout the years. Now he dealt with an entirely different person.

  “I’m so sorry.” The words slipped out from him, the guilt rising in his throat like gorge. “If I hadn’t come to you for help, your pack wouldn’t have gotten mixed up in all of this.”

  Sierra blazed with calm fury despite her initial reaction, iron control an innate part of her when she assumed command. “Do you think us so weak we’d shrink from a challenge?” she asked, brimming with confidence. “We chose to help you, and my pack stands by their choices. You didn’t bring this hell on us, your brother did, so don’t waste your time on regre
t.”

  Dax nodded, humbled by the unerring focus of his mate. If he could be a fraction of the alpha she was, he’d consider himself a success. Even in the face of her home being threatened and one of her pack’s gathering places under siege, she managed to pull herself together to lead. His heart brimmed with pride. Out of anyone, she’d chosen him as a mate, and he’d do everything in his power to honor the decision.

  Farther down the highway, the homey lights of the Beaver Tavern stood out, a beacon in the distance. The sight had become a salve to his displacement since his brother took over their homelands, and already Dax had built memories with Sierra here he never wanted to erase. His lion paced in his chest, anxious to release, to tear into his brother and claim the vengeance his cells screamed for. The closer he got to Beaver Tavern, the more dread infiltrated.

  Orange and gold lit the area, and not from the lights.

  Flames licked at the surrounding trees, and trucks and cars were parked haphazardly in the gravel lot, the spotlight illuminating the clash of not only humans, but mountain lions against wolves. Beaver Tavern’s door lay open, and based on the way people raced in and out, the inside brimmed with a similar state of chaos.

  Anger roared through him, sparked by the sight of the destruction his brother wrought. He screeched to a halt at the turnoff into the lot.

  “Don’t go gunning for the center of the chaos,” Sierra barked out, her voice taking on the harsh growl of her wolf side. “Pull off to the side, and if you spot your brother’s car, that’s where you need to be.”

  Dax gripped tightly to the steering wheel and guided his truck into the narrow gap leading to the empty side of the parking lot. His brother had had the same Cadillac for years, one he’d taken as a personal challenge to keep running. Dax would recognize the black car with the myriad slapped-together parts anywhere. The second he skidded to a halt on the gravel, Sierra dove out of the passenger’s side.