“Jade, maybe—"
“Keep walking.” I never stopped, never looked behind me. I just kept moving.
***
The plane was quiet save for the sounds of the pilots and stewardess shuffling around and checking to make sure they were ready for takeoff. I checked my watch again and squirmed in the leather seat. “Fifteen more minutes.”
For the hundredth time, I wondered if what I did was the right thing. I had left my mate to kill another wolf. No matter what the other wolf had done, I had condoned his murder. In a way his blood was on my hands just as they were on Redthorn’s.
Sighing, I turned to look out the window at the landing stip. My phone started to ring, "Hello?" I answered it automatically.
I didn’t even recognize my voice; it sounded so sad, so forlorn.
There was a pause. “Jade? You okay?” Green asked, concern lacing his voice.
Turning away from the window I closed my eyes and pinched the bridge of my nose to keep from crying. “Fine, just tired”
Another pause; “Well… Did you get Redthorn to come back with you?”
“Not sure yet; he still has ten minutes left.”
“Hopefully he shows because things just escalated.” Green said urgently.
I snapped my eyes open and was on alert at once. “What’s happened?”
“Steel’s son has control. He’s going to start executing any wolf who sides with Redthorn.” Green’s voice was dark and angry.
“Any dead so far?” I asked, gritting my teeth.
I knew that as Redthorn’s mate, I was also the Vermont pack’s alpha. No matter what happened it was now up to me to protect the pack, with or without my mate.
“Not yet, but several wolves have been placed in the dungeon,” Green replied, and I could hear hushed voices in the background.
“Well, thank God for small—” the mating mark on my thigh burned and I whipped my head over to the open plane door and saw Redthorn standing in the doorway.
He was wet again, except this time he was fully dressed, and his expression was anything but playful or kind. My heart constricted at the look of loss and sadness reflected in his green eyes.
“I have to go, Green.” I said into the phone, already lowering the device.
“Wait! You need to know—"
I ended the call and got up from the chair throwing myself at Redthorn. There was no point fighting the instincts inside me, they’d been there from the start. The moment I’d seen Redthorn, my wolf had known he was our mate. The mission might have clouded my mind, but I was seeing clearly now.
“I didn’t think you’d come.” I whispered rubbing my body up against him.
I didn’t care that he was wet, or that the trace of another wolf’s blood mingled with his scent. It wasn’t like I hadn’t known what was going to happen when I’d left him in the warehouse.
“I hadn’t planned to.” Redthorn said, folding his arms around me and drawing my body closer to him. “But I couldn’t stay away.”
I knew the feeling, had been feeling it from the moment I’d left him. It was the mating call. We couldn’t be far away from each other for too long, couldn’t be without each other two long. He was the air I needed to breathe, and I was the water he needed to drink. We couldn’t survive without each other now.
Here was a crackle of noise before the pilot's voice came over the intercom; “Cabin door closing.”
I pulled away from Redthorn and began to tug him to the back of the plane where the bedroom was, but the stewardess—an Omega named Nicky—stepped in front of me. She was an omega, but had risen in the ranks to be one of the top notch European council knights. She was only on this little expedition to make sure everything went smoothly.
“I’m sorry, Jade, but I’m going to need you to sit in your seat and—"
“Move,” Redthorn growled behind me, and I watched the blood drain from Nicky’s face before she scrambled aside.
I nodded to the woman and continued walking to the back. I could hear the engine of the plane start, and I was happy there was going to be at least some noise to drown out our voices. I had no doubt that Redthorn was going to make me scream, but I also intended to make him shout.
“Let me just get you a change of clothes.” I mumbled as we entered the bedroom and I went for his luggage, placed conveniently in the corner.
I heard the snip of the door’s lock before strong arms closed around me. "Jade…” I could hear the sorrow, the anger, the shame, and so many other emotions in his voice.
Taking a life was never easy, but doing it in anger was even harder. I could not imagine what Redthorn was going through, but if it was anything like how I’d felt after I’d killed my father, it wasn’t good.
“I need you.” I whispered, sparing him the words.
Redthorn walked us to the bed, his lips hot on my neck. We stopped at the edge of the bedframe, and I felt his hands, cold and wet under my shirt. I lifted my arms as he tugged the garment up and off. He had quick work with the rest of my clothes, until I was naked in front of him.
Slowly I turned to face him, looking into green eyes that held so much sorrow it broke my heart. I gently stripped the clothes off his body, moving around him to gently stroke the lashes on his back. I wanted him to know that no matter what he’d done I still accepted him, still recognized him as my mate.
Moving back towards the bed, I laid down as the plane began to bounce lightly and tilt up. “Come here. I’ll warm you up.”
I spread my thighs wide as he crawled onto the bed and between my thighs. I fell back as gravity took over. “Redthorn…” I whispered brokenly.
I needed him, needed to feel him and make sure he was really here with me.
“Call me Kieran.” He whispered, and I felt him hot and hard at my entrance.
He entered me with a smooth thrust, gathering me in his arms and rubbing against me. I took a deep breath in and smelled his scent, sandalwood mixed with something else. It took me a minute to place the smell.
It was me, us, mixed together. It was intoxicating, addicted, cleansing.
“Kieran…” I whispered knowing that whatever came to pass, we were mated, together to the end.
Other Works by Joanna Wilson
Touch/Click covers below for more information!
Spring break before college graduation, Amelia goes to Switzerland for a week-long trip, expecting a life changing experience. What she didn't expect was to meet Gregor, a fellow traveler with whom she feels an instant connection. Before they have a chance to declare their love for one another, they find themselves going their separate ways, seemingly never to see each other again.
The few days they shared felt like years and when Amelia returns home, she can't help remember the charming man she met in Switzerland.
But what Amelia doesn't know is that Gregor is an ancient werewolf who has been searching for his mate for over a century. When a surprise message reaches her hands from half-way across the world, Amelia will discover that somethings are destined for one another.
*********
Living on the outskirt of Wolfe Creek, a small Minnesota lake town, Nicole is a witch whose coven keeps the werewolves from encroaching on human land. When an unexpected storm leaves her stranded on the lake, she finds herself rescued by a stranger named Brandon.
As she is nursed back to health by Brandon, Nicole discovers the secret that Brandon tries to hide from her, a secret that threatens to turn her world upside down. When an errant kiss blossoms into something much more, Nicole must come to terms what her heart desires and what her coven demands.
*********
A single night of passion and Nicole's life has changed forever. On one hand is Brandon, the werewolf who stole her heart so effortlessly that she might have dreamed it all. On the other hand is her Coven, tasked with keeping werewolves like Brandon at bay.
When Brandon contacts her again, Nicole finds that she must make her choice... and soon. But a frightening visi
on of the future and a terrible revelation of the past leaves her on the cusp, unsure of what her next move should be.
As one unexpected event follows another, Nicole and Brandon will soon find their lives--and their love--being tested in ways unimaginable. The two are toeing a dangerous line, where one wrong misstep could mean the end to a delicate peace treaty between Coven and Pack, where the consequences of failure are far more serious than anything they've faced in their lives.
*********
Maxine James hightails it out of Oregon to Barcelona in an attempt to get away from one of her creepier clients at the strip club. Upon arrival, she meets a sexy local named Vincent, who seems more than what meets the eye.
Vincent Gutierrez has a secret… He's the Alpha wolf of the local pack and a firm believer in the violent traditions of Lycans. More importantly, he thinks that he's found his Mate in Maxine.
When Maxine's stalker client comes across the ocean and attempt to take her back to the states, she'll find that he won't be the only thing she needs to worry about. Vincent is set in his wolfish ways and determines that there can only be one punishment fitting for someone who might harm his Mate. Will she be able to tame the Alpha? Or will the werewolf world and the violence that comes with it overwhelm her?
*********
Cara has never had control of her life. The daughter of a mob boss, her life has been one order after another. When her father announces to Cara that she must be married in six month's time, she accepts it like she has accepted all other orders in her life.
But when Cara is told that she must marry the groom her father has found for her--a man named Mark--three days before the wedding, she isn't sure what to think.
Mark is handsome and gentlemanly, but he is still a stranger to Cara. As the wedding looms nearer, Cara will find that there is more to the handsome stranger than what he initially appears and more to what that means for her future as well.
************
After a working two back to back shifts at the bar, Elissa is dead tired and just wants to go home. Her last customer, however, is none other than rock star and secret werewolf Vance Weiss. Though she wants to say no to him, his insistence and charming smile is too tempting to refuse.
Vance Weiss takes an interest in the curvy bartender when he ducks into the bar for a quick drink after a successful concert. When an unexpected flame of desire sparks between the two, Vance will discover that there's more to the curvy bartender than meets the eye and even more reasons to keep her safe.
**********
Marie is an art student caught up in the midst of Occupy Wall Street. One night while she's out picking up some supplies for the protesters at Zuccotti Park, she is attacked by a group of thugs. But a blur comes from the shadows and chase them off, leaving behind only howls and a mysterious gold pendant with the initials JB on them that she starts wearing as a good luck charm.
Justin Blankenship is one of the most hated men on Wall Street. A high power executive banker whose decisions have almost single-handedly caused the economic crisis at great personal benefit. With money and influence on his side, the only skeleton in Justin's closet is the fact that he's a werewolf. One look at Marie and her luscious curves is enough to drive Justin mad with lust.
When the two's paths cross at one day of protest, Marie feels an inexorable attraction towards Justin, not aware of the fact that the pendant is actually a chain that has bound her to him as his Mate. Will Marie be able to resist the billionaire wolf who has taken everything he's wanted or will she melt like butter under his touch and fall deeper for him than she ever thought she could?
The Wayward Alpha (Paranormal Werewolf Shifter Romance) Page 3