by Anya Nowlan
“Did I lose?” she asked breathlessly and her heart soared as Jonah shook his head. He chuckled, waving his hand at her slightly.
“No. But you didn’t win either. Or, well, you did. You and Daren got the exact same time, you’re on point to the hair of a second. So, little sister, seems you have made history. No one’s ever shared the victory of a final spring race, as far as I know.” Rose groaned in reply, hanging her head. Exactly what she needed - another failure. Even if it was veiled in the skin of a victory.
“And speak of the devil,” Jonah said lowly, keeping his eyes over Rose’s shoulder. It had become a custom that Daren would come to her after a race and Rose was fairly sure that he did it just as much to annoy her brother as to spend a moment with her. She twisted around and found herself facing the handsome form of the imposing young alpha. Daren smiled at her, the corners of his mouth turned up in a predatory way.
“So, my opponent. Seems we are equally matched. Who would have guessed,” he said, arching one brow at her. Rose glowered at him slightly, ignoring the way her core tightened at the sight of him. He was only covered in a long, thick cloak like hers, but she knew each curve of muscle underneath it and the thought of touching him still made her light up with a second’s notice.
“Who would have guessed indeed. I guess you will have to share the crown for once, Daren,” Rose said, twisting the shared knife in their hearts. Daren just smiled good-naturedly and nodded in agreement.
“It would appear so. Oh well, no one better to share the throne with than you, I imagine. Plenty of room on my lap.”
Before Rose could come up with another clever retort, Daren leant in close. His breath burned her skin when he hovered just inches from her lips, whispering into her ear. She could feel the disapproving look of her brother on her back, but she had learned to ignore him at times like those. It was hard enough dealing with her own mixed feelings on Daren, she didn’t need to add anyone else’s doubts into the pot as well. Her cheeks had lit up with a blush from his remark and they were only going to get redder.
“I want to see you, Rose. Tonight. The usual spot,” Daren whispered, lingering a second too long. A shiver ran through her spine and her breath caught in her chest.
God damnit, why must he have this power over me, Rose thought, wanting nothing more than to sink into his arms right then and there. She didn’t reply, but he must have known that she wouldn’t have said no. When she called, he came, and vice versa. It was just how it was between them now.
Daren straightened up and gave Jonah a quick nod before disappearing into the crowd again. When the black back of his cape disappeared from their view, Jonah put one hand on Rose’s shoulder.
“I still don’t like that guy,” he murmured, pursing his lips slightly.
“Why? Does he remind you too much of yourself?” Rose quipped, glancing over her shoulder at her towering brother. His eyes narrowed, but his lips broke into a smile.
“That could be it. Melia certainly thinks so.”
Rose was swept off by congratulators before she could say anything more. She found herself hard-pressed to think about anything other than why Daren wanted to see her that night though. It seemed that even the attention and honor of finally getting recognized as a force to be reckoned with in the community blanched next to the possibility of seeing Daren again. Then again, who better to celebrate with than the only wolf who could be her equal?
CHAPTER TWO
Her steps were slower and more measured now as she trotted through the pre-dawn forest towards the meadow she usually met Daren on. She had spent the last few hours dealing with people wishing to shake her hand for putting up a good fight against Daren, which just made her blaze and prickle.
Isn’t it that he put up a good fight against me? she thought sourly, jogging towards the clearing. She knew the path by heart and it took no time from her now to figure out where exactly she had to step and which tree to wind around to hide her tracks from any curious followers. The most difficult part had been convincing her family that she had to go out for the evening instead of tucking in for the night. The bed sang a tempting siren’s song to her, but it was nothing compared to the wild call of Daren. She yearned for him, even though they were bitter rivals. It was at the same time unbearably hot and completely confusing.
When she reached the edge of the clearing, she shifted easily. Her light-coated wolf grew longer and leaner, the coat disappearing and her maw shortening until all features were that of a strong, capable young woman. She stood naked in the fading moonlight, taking a moment to center herself and her wolf in her new form before continuing on. Rose could feel his eyes on her already and sure enough, he was waiting for her beneath the cover of some pines. She smiled slightly, feeling the familiar tightness forming in her body at the thought of getting to touch him, to taste him. Their little meetings were kept strictly secret as Rose had no desire to start explaining to the Master and his council why an outcast and a to-be alpha were running around together. The secretive nature of their rendezvous just made it better, though.
She stopped a few feet from him and Daren made a mock face of distraught incredulity, spreading his arms wide in front of her.
“What, Red, I don’t even deserve a kiss anymore?” he asked, that same playful tone in his voice that she both loved and despised with all her might. She sighed, shaking her head slightly as a smile dimpled her cheeks. Her red hair tumbled over her shoulders and fell in light wisps on her full breasts, drawing Daren’s eyes to them. He had told her time and time again how much he loved her body, as well as the rest of her, so she had lost any pretense of feeling shy around him. Yet, when his gaze rowed across her body like that, she still felt like blushing like a wolf much less jaded than she was.
“Well, you shouldn’t have ruined my victory then,” she replied, quirking a brow at him. Daren wetted his lips with his tongue and she could imagine it dipping into her mouth.
I can’t concentrate around him at all…
“I think you have it a bit wrong, Red,” he said, stepping closer to her. He came out of the shade of the trees and the light hit his strong body. He was like carved from marble, perfect marriage of pure strength and agility. Most of the royals paled next to him, their wiry frames looking like those of little boys next to a real man. He still made her knees quake every time she saw the full power of his body. Combining that with his sharp mind and determined heart, he was a man that was hard to disagree with or to resist. And he knew it.
Daren pulled her against him and Rose suppressed a gasp, her hands landing on his chest. She could feel the familiar tingle of closeness as he hovered above her, a protective force that she had never known she could need as much as she did. Their affection for one another had lit quickly and burned brightly, even if Rose kept trying to convince herself that it was just a fling, a dalliance to be enjoyed and forgotten. In her heart of hearts, she had started wondering if he was in fact the one. Her fated mate. Jonah had told her that love like that comes out of the blue and from a place she could expect it the least and Daren certainly fit that bill. If there was one man she couldn’t have imagined herself with a few months ago then it would have been the cocky and self-assured young Kadin alpha. And yet, there she was, tucked away in his arms, shivering like a leaf.
“See, I think you’re the one that did the ruining, if you insist on calling it that way. Actually, why can’t we just play nice, hmm?” he asked, his voice sleek as honey. Every word licked at her ears, no matter how insolent they sometimes were. “How about we call it what it is – a shared victory. And who better than to share the limelight with than you, my little Red,” Daren said, pulling a hand through her long hair. The gentle brush of a touch on her scalp made her prickle with excitement, her body yearning for him the way she had grown to expect. Her slit became wet with anticipation and her resolve started to fade, as it always did around him. When he pushed up her chin and kissed her deeply on the lips, she gave in without hesitation.
Their to
ngues mashed together in blinding lust, tasting each other’s mouths with urgency. Her hands squeezed his arms and her short nails dug into his skin, the man answering with pulling her closer against him. His cock was getting hard against her, driven by the closeness of her lithe body. He never tried to hide the effect she had on him and she had to admit that she appreciated the candor. Her life had been a series of closed doors, secrecy and carefulness shadowing her every step. It was nice being with a man who wore his heart on his sleeve, especially when he came to hand the rights to that heart over to her.
Daren pulled back from the kiss, a satisfied smile on his lips. He wouldn’t let her go though, seeming to ponder his next move.
“So, why did you need to see me tonight? What was so urgent that it couldn’t wait?” she asked, her voice a bit breathier than she would have preferred. Then again, she had long ago given up trying to keep a façade around Daren. He could bite right through it, one way or another.
“Well, Red. I’ve been thinking about it for a while. And I’ve made up my mind.”
“About what?” Rose’s bemused curiosity was turning into a frown on her expression, a dark cloud that had the habit of falling on her much faster than it lifted. Daren chuckled as he saw the scowl form on her face, the man laying a kiss right between her eyebrows to make it unravel.
“Now now, no scowling at me. We’re both far too tired to be dealing with bad blood.” His hands wrapped around her tighter and Rose leant against his wide chest, enjoying the warmth of his body in the cold night air. She let the frown clear from her face as she rested her head against his chest, allowing the lingering exhaustion to take hold for a moment. Being safe in his presence helped a lot with daring to unwind – something she otherwise never did unless completely alone.
“I’ve been thinking. I don’t know about you, but I’ve come to need you. Badly. I love you, Red.” Rose looked up abruptly, her heart skipping a beat.
Did he say what I thought he said? she asked herself, big blue eyes wide with surprise. He grinned at her shocked face, putting a finger to her lips before she could say anything.
“Now, in the light of this understanding, I’ve decided that I need a mate. A yin to my yang, as it were. Someone who is my equal – as strong, smart and capable as I am, but someone that also has what I lack. I know you to be that woman, Rose,” he said, looking down at her. The lightness drifted from his green eyes, replaced by a stern look of self-assuredness. He had obviously been thinking about it for a while and he was taking his time with his words. “I’m an alpha, Red. Soon to be the head of my pack. I want you by my side, the whole way. Only you.”
CHAPTER THREE
Rose stared at him in wide-eyed wonder, trying to place herself in the suddenly entirely changed universe.
He wants me…to be his mate? It sounded preposterous when she thought about it, but the longer the notion made circles in her head, the more it felt right. She knew that she felt for him in a way she couldn’t see herself feeling for any other man. He was a true leader and a man of worth, something that was hard to come across. Daren also allowed her to be the woman that she was – self-sufficient, someone who makes up her own mind and stands on her own two feet. He would respect her and treat her as someone who has all the right to stand beside him. And then there was the most important part – she had known for a while now that it was not a simple infatuation. When he said the word ‘love’, it resonated through her in a way she had not dared admit to herself, but known for a long time now.
“What do you think, Rose?” he asked, his tone calm and collected. Yet, Rose could see the tightness of his jawline and felt the heavy pounding of his heart. He might have tried to look nonchalant about it, but she knew he was as on edge about the question as she was.
“I…Okay.” She said, licking her lips. Rose was trembling all over, enough to feel the vibration clearly against Daren.
“Okay?” he asked, smirking with amusement. “Is that how you accept a proposal of that magnitude, Red?” She nodded quickly, breaking into a wide smile.
“Yes. Okay. Let’s do it.” He didn’t waste any time after that. His lips mashed against hers and Rose gave into the kiss gladly, her hands wrapping around his neck. Daren picked her up, hooking her legs around his hips. She felt impossibly tiny next to him, cradled in his hands.
The world seemed to drift away as they kissed in the clearing, dawn lapping at the edges of the sky. Her heart constricted with worry, but she drove it back and enjoyed the moment. Rose knew that what he wanted to do wouldn’t be easy to achieve. Even while every wolf had a right to choose their own mate then the children of alphas were expected to follow a path that led to the strongest alliances with other packs. Rose was sure that Daren’s father would not take the news of his only son going off and choosing an outcast runt as his second well. No, it would be a difficult path to travel. Her brother was not the biggest fan of Daren either, quietly tolerating him at best. But, she knew she had made the right decision. It made her life both more difficult and easier at the same time, but with the impossibly difficult man at her side, she knew she could conquer anything. He obviously felt much the same.
Daren sunk down to the ground, sitting down with Rose straddling him. His cock pressed against the softness of her stomach and a blush crept on her lips as she felt his fingers trailing along the curve of her ass and then up her back, lighting a fire wherever they went. The passion they shared had been tested several times, but it seemed even more special now, in the light of their agreement. Wolves rarely did things without pondering them over carefully, so finding a man as impulsive and willing to follow his heart as she was made her purr with delight.
“Okay. I like that,” Daren murmured between kisses, raising her up a bit to float just above his hard cock. She was wet and ready for him, so when he pressed her down by the hips, she took him in with a throaty moan.
Rose threw her head back, reveling in the feeling of his thick shaft filling her inch by inch with his immense size. Every nerve seemed to be coming to life as he touched and kissed her, made even sweeter by the knowledge that they were on the precipice of promising their lives to one another. It was scary and thrilling and she couldn’t get enough of it, or him. Her fingers coiled into his dark hair and she moaned softly as he rained kisses on her neck and chest. She worked herself down onto him with slow, careful motions, not wanting to rush the moment along too fast. There was something to be said for enjoying the treats of life, as few and far between as they may be.
Daren twirled his tongue around one of her nipples, her stomach clenching as he teased her. She sunk down into his lap just as he clasped the tight nub of her nipple between his sharp teeth, growling slightly. The wolf was never far from the surface with him, always just there, waiting to take over. But he was much more in control of his than she was of hers and it was a constant lesson in restraint to try and keep in her human form while in his arms. The beast wanted her piece, her half of the man that they had both come to love. She was still two halves that formed one whole, not yet completely intertwined with her wild self. Yet, she felt she had come a long way over the course of the races. The wolf and she were no longer at odds, now working in unison more often than not. And this was one of those times that the wolf gave her the lead. She would have her relief, her ecstasy.
Rose started moving herself up and down on Daren slowly, reveling in the tightness of his muscles as she was pulled against him and the way he filled her up just right. His hot mouth kept seeking out hers and she accepted gratefully, biting at his lower lip when the heat became too much to bare. He allowed her to control the course of their sensual exchange for now, his green eyes set squarely on her as she rode herself closer to her release with each stroke. Daren raised his thumb to her mouth and she suckled it, sucking it into her mouth. He groaned as her tongue swirled across it, leaving it slick and warm.
When he pulled his thumb from her mouth, she protested with a slight yelp. Daren hushed her with a chuck
le and she complied, watching with eager anticipation as he traced a line down her body and then let his thumb rub against her clit. An immediate shudder coursed through her, drawing a long growl from her. She closed her brilliant blue eyes and gave into the moment, letting her body dictate her need. His teasing strokes made her twist and rut against him, desperate to be closer to him, to feel more of him. Rose’s hips bucked against Daren’s, letting him flick at her clit until she was a ball of heated passion. She shattered into a million pieces his as his other hand grabbed her ass and her loud wails pierced the early morning air as he flipped her on her back and plunged into her with barely contained power.
Her back arched and her nails dug into his flesh, ripping and scratching at him as her orgasm shook her. Daren held her by one hip, thrusting into her with long, sharp movements that made her tremble from head to toe. The noises they made were raw and animalistic, the world driven away from their safe haven to their combined relief. Rose didn’t want to think about anything other than the man she was sharing the moment with – her future mate, her alpha. His presence was always palpable and she could feel him easily across the room and the more time they spent together, the stronger the bond grew. Now, it was no trouble tracking him through the forest, while just months prior it had seemed as an impossible feat. Their beasts were coming together just as their human souls and it made for a perfect marriage between two unstoppable forces.
Daren’s skin was dappled with sweat. Rose shuddered in his arms, her tight tunnel milking him with urgency as her orgasm ran its course. She’d never dared dream of a happiness like the one he offered her. Security, power, love. Everything a wolf could desire for was given to her by the man she adored more than anything and it made her heart sing. She knew that together they could run the Kadin pack better than either of them could alone. If anyone tried to stand in her way now, well, they’d have a fight on their hands the likes they didn’t know she was capable of.