by Quinn Loftis
“No thanks is needed, Adam,” Fane assured him.
“I don’t know about you guys, but this whole waiting til Thursday thing just got tossed out the window. No offense to your mate, Decebel,” Costin said, “but I think Adam needs to go get his mate and make things right between them. I need to make things right between me and Sally, too.”
Fane frowned. “There’s something wrong with you and Sally?”
“Yes.” Costin snarled. “I haven’t bedded my mate in over a day, and I’ve been told I cannot for another four days. Our child is being looked after, so I’m about to have some Daddy-Momma time, and if she complains, I’ll just kiss her until she sees things my way.” He frowned and then glanced at the rest of them. “Sally hasn’t spoken to me in a while. Anyone else’s mate, with the exception of Adam, no offense, been radio silent?”
“That usually means they’re up to something.” Fane frowned, wondering why Jacquelyn hadn’t spoken to him through their bond in quite a long time. He’d been so focused on Adam that he’d not considered how long it had been since he’d heard from his Luna.
“A few hours ago,” Lucian said. “Peri told me she was with Jen and Elle shopping for, and I quote, ‘too damn many cakes’.”
“Jen checked in a couple of times.” Decebel pulled out his phone and looked at the time, then retrieved a bundle of folded papers. The dreaded schedule, Fane noted.
“We missed lunch time, and some bathroom breaks, but dinner is about to start,” Fane’s beta said.
“Dinner isn’t supposed to be until…” Costin glanced at his phone, “...midnight?”
Decebel shrugged. “You know how she gets when she’s on a mission. But the point is that everyone will be in the kitchen, and by everyone I mean our mates. I think we’ve worked hard enough for today. Alpha?”
Fane grinned, and he knew his wolf was making his eyes glow. “We’ve been busting our haunches on the holiday celebration stuff. But I think we’ve got some other kind of work to do. Let’s call it relationship enhancement time. It’s crucial for us to be able to perform our Christmas duties effectively and efficiently.”
Lucian nodded. “I’m sure Jen would like us to be as effective and efficient as possible. Nothing motivates a male like the promise of his female warming his bed.”
“Amen.” Costin stood up.
Fane followed suit and pulled Adam to his feet. “You need to throw Crina over your shoulder and take her to your suite and sort this out.”
“And by sorting it out, he means seducing her, biting her, and letting her claw you to death. Once she’s good and tired, then you can talk,” Costin said without the hint of a joke in his voice.
“You meant all of that literally, didn’t you?” Adam asked.
Costin nodded. “In that order.”
“She needs your touch, Adam,” Fane said. “Crina is being stubborn. She’s hurt. Make it right.”
Adam nodded.
“Let’s go get our females.” Costin turned to Adam. “Do you mind making the trip a little faster?”
Adam held out his arms, and the four males placed their hands on him. He flashed them to the kitchen. It buzzed with activity.
“Can I have your attention?” Fane said, ensuring his voice was loud and deep. Immediately everyone stopped and turned to look at him. He noted that Gavril and Rachel weren’t present, nor were any of the children, which meant they must have been keeping watch over the sleeping pups. Perfect.
“We’re taking a break,” Fane said as he looked at everyone. Jen started to speak, but he met her eyes and growled. She immediately dropped her eyes, her mouth snapping shut. He could feel that he was radiating power. Fane hadn’t realized how worked up he’d been getting while talking to Adam. He wanted Crina and Adam to have some time to fix things. They needed it. And Fane missed his mate. She’d come to bed late the night before, exhausted, and had kissed him, then rolled over and fell asleep a minute later. His eyes met hers, and the minute she picked up on his thoughts, her face flushed. He forced himself not to smile. “During this break, we will all be engaging in some relationship enhancement time.”
“RET,” Lucian rumbled. “For those who might need a translation.” He glanced at Jen.
Decebel was already making a beeline for his mate. He scooped her up in his arms and headed out of the room without another word.
Fane turned to Adam, who was staring at Crina as if she held the secrets of the world. Crina was looking at the floor. Fane nudged Adam. “Go. Take her.”
Adam flashed to his mate’s side. He picked her up over his shoulder, which made her growl. Fane grinned as he saw her claws sink into Adam’s back. Adam flashed them away.
“Being with our mates, spending time together, is important. I respect that Jen wants this Christmas to be special, and it will be. But the point is not the decorations, the gifts, or anything else. It is being together. Get some rest—”
“Or not,” Costin said, his eyes glowing brightly as he walked over to Sally. Her eyes were wide with surprise. Apparently he’d made sure she wasn’t aware of what he was planning. He grabbed her hand, tugging her to the nearest exit. “Don’t wait up for us,” he called back, causing some of the others to laugh.
“Spend time with your mates,” Fane said. “I don’t know about the rest of you males, but Thursday isn’t going to cut it for me.”
Growls of agreement followed. Apparently, that was all Fane needed to say as Lucian and Peri disappeared a second later. Wadim, taking a page from Adam’s book, had thrown Zara over his shoulder, and she was laughing hysterically. “I’ve got a history lesson I’ve been wanting to teach my female,” he said as they left.
Sorin wrapped his arm around Elle and leaned down to whisper in her ear. Elle nodded as she looked up at him, her eyes filled with adoration. Then she flashed them from the room.
Drake and Bethany were nowhere to be seen, which didn’t surprise Fane. Males were extremely protective when their mate was pregnant. He was probably growling at her to rest.
Now, only Fane and Jacquelyn remained.
Chapter 4
“On the fourth day of Christmas my werewolf gave to me four hours of hotness, three growling males, two cursing pups, and a furball in a fir tree.
Okay, so it was longer than four hours, but I didn’t want to rub it in your face or anything.” ~Jen
Jacque stared at her mate. He stood across the kitchen from her, his eyes glowing bright blue. Fane’s black hair was tousled, and he sported a feral smile. A sense of wildness emanated from him, and he was all hers. “I noticed you flashed in with Adam,” she said as he began to slowly stalk toward her. With every step he took, Jacque took a step away. “I thought you were supposed to be working with Costin.”
“Is Slate with Gavril and Rachel?” Fane asked, ignoring her comment. His eyes glowed brighter as he took a deep breath through his nose, no doubt taking in her scent, reveling in the subtle changes in her smell caused by his presence.
“He is.” She shifted on her feet, wanting to look away from the intensity of his gaze but also hoping to get lost in it.
“I’m going to give you a head start, my Luna.” Fane’s wolf rumbled in her mind.
Jacque’s eyes widened. Okay, so small talk was not on the menu for the evening. “Why would I need a head start?” she asked, poking at the hungry werewolf. Jacque was pretty sure she knew what the wolf had in mind for lunch, and it wasn’t a turkey sandwich.
His lips turned up in a wolfish grin, but it was Fane’s voice who spoke this time. “Run.”
She didn’t need to be told twice. Jacque sprinted down the hall to the stairwell where she bounded up two steps at a time. When she reached their suite, she heard Fane running up the stairs. She laughed so hard she could barely turn the doorknob. She finally did, shoving it open and quickly shutting it behind her, turning the deadbolt. Jacque looked at the lock and laughed. As if something as simple as that could keep her mate away from her.
“You’re
not even going to try to hide?” Fane’s voice purred in her mind.
“Maybe you’re the one who should be hiding,” she challenged. She heard the doorknob jiggle as he tried to get inside. Her heart pounded in her chest, and there was a stupid, huge grin on her face. Jacque loved that he could let all of his walls down with her and just be Fane.
“Luna, unlock the door.” His voice was gentle, but she’d known him long enough to know what he sounded like when he was growing impatient.
“Eager much,” she said, knowing his wolf senses would have no problem hearing her through the door.
“You have no idea,” he growled, which was followed by a thud. Jacque pictured him letting his forehead hit the door in his frustrated state. “I’ve been busting my butt building a sleigh that I really don’t want to build because I have a sneaky suspicion Jen has some nefarious plan to use it to get back at me and Costin because your bestie is certifiably insane. And I’ve got a male pack member who’s mate won’t let him touch her. He’s at a loss as to what to do. And, finally, I have a son who is way too selfish with my mate’s assets.”
Jacque’s mouth dropped open. She marched over to the door, unlocked it, and pulled it open. Fane grinned triumphantly.
“I knew that last one would make you open the door.” He snatched her up in his arms and kicked the door closed behind him.
“I cannot believe you just said that.” Jacque tried to sound outraged but failed because, honestly, it was hilarious.
Fane carried her to their bedroom and tossed her onto the bed. She let out a yelp as she landed on her butt. In an instant, she flipped over onto her hands and knees and growled at him. Her wolf wanted to play.
Fane gave a slow sexy smile. “Looks like I’m not the only one who’s eager.”
Jacque crawled across the bed to him. She rose up on her knees and ran her hands up his chest and around his neck. “Mate.” Jacque’s wolf purred.
“Mmm.” Fane groaned as she ran her tongue up his neck and around to where her wolf was planning on sinking her teeth.
“Luna,” her male said breathlessly, and it made her smile. She enjoyed knowing she was the only one who could bring this great alpha to his knees. A growl tore from his throat. He leaned forward, wrapping one arm around her back and the other around her thighs. Fane twisted her so fast that when she blinked, she was on her back with her mate staring down at her. His forearms rested on either side of her head, keeping him from crushing her. “I am yours,” he said. He ran his nose across her jawline and took a deep breath. “And you are correct. You are the only one who can bring me to my knees.” When he leaned back, a very naughty smile showed on his Adonis face. “But then, I am the only one who can get you on your back.”
Jacque’s eyes widened at his bold words. Then they narrowed as she and her wolf rose to the challenge he’d just laid down. She wasn’t helpless, and her mate knew it. She’d trained with him, Decebel, Costin, and Vasile. Remembering what she’d learned, she swiped one of his ankles out from under him and then used the momentum of his body, turning slightly from that one weakened limb. She rolled with him until she was on top, her legs straddling his hips. Jacque smiled down at him. “Looks like I can bring you to your knees and get you on your back.”
Fane ran his hands up her thighs until they rested on her hips. Jacque wore a green button-up shirt with round gold studs for buttons. She unbuttoned the top two buttons. Jacque was no fool. She would use any advantage she had, even if it meant distracting her mate with skin. That he was being so playful filled her with joy, and she was going to revel in it.
He reached up with one hand and touched the tip of her chin with his finger. Then he began to gently run his finger downward. His eyes traced every place he touched—her throat, across the dip between her collarbones, and down further still. When he reached the place where the shirt was still buttoned, his eyes snapped up to hers.
Fane put both hands on the bed and pushed so that his body came up off the mattress, while Jacque fell forward, resting her hands on his chest. He pulled them both back until he was sitting against the headboard. Jacque sat back up and was once again met with the glowing blue eyes. Then they flashed back to Fane’s normal blue, and it was the human with her, the wolf no longer in control.
“Take this off.” Fane’s voice was rough as he tugged on her shirt.
Jacque slowly began to unbutton the blouse. With every slip of a stud through the buttonhole, more of her fair skin showed. She wasn’t shy in front of Fane, not anymore, but there were times when she had to use her wolf’s confidence to be bold. So, when she reached the last button, she called on her wolf, but her inner beast was not paying attention. It was making googly eyes at Fane’s wolf. His wolf and Jacque’s had a bond that sometimes felt separate from the humans themselves. Since her wolf wasn’t being helpful, Jacque sat on top of her mate, her blouse completely unbuttoned. In this new position, Fane’s head was level with her own.
“Off,” Fane said again, a deeper growl.
Jacque pushed her hair back. She looked at him and raised an eyebrow. “Did you check your manners at the door?”
He ignored what she’d said, now focused on something other than her shirt. His hands slipped under her blouse just over her shoulders and pushed the material so that it fell back, sliding down her arms and pooling at her wrists. Fane’s eyes were fixated on the place between her ear and neck. The bite mark. It had been some time since he’d marked her. His eyes kept going back and forth from glowing to not, as if struggling to control himself.
Jacque reached up and took all of her hair and pulled it around to the other side of her neck, completely baring her skin to him. He took his eyes off the mark and looked at her. “Mine,” he growled.
“Always,” she agreed. Jacque leaned forward and tilted her head. Fane was gentle as he held her chin, turning her a little further. His other hand gripped her hip, squeezing tightly, then releasing, only to repeat the action.
Jacque gasped at the first touch of his soft lips against the bite mark. He licked her and then nipped the same spot gently. She could feel through their bond that he was playing with her. He wanted, needed to bite her. He needed to reestablish the mark, but he wanted her to submit to him. Jacque saw images in her mate’s mind of her biting him, only he was the one beneath her. This alpha of alphas would bare his most vulnerable parts to only one—his mate.
“Fane.” Jacque didn’t even recognize the sultry voice that came out of her.
“Yes, my love,” he said as he continued to assault her neck with kisses, licks, and bites.
“I need you.” She squeezed her thighs on either side of him and grabbed both of his shoulders, pulling him with her as she rolled them so that he was once again on top of her. Jacque turned her head, baring her neck to him.
She didn’t have to tell her male twice. He was a quick learner. A second later, his face was buried in her neck as his teeth sank into her flesh. The initial sting was quickly replaced with pleasure. Jacque tried to retain some of her dignity and not let her eyes roll back in her head, but it was difficult. She felt Fane rumble and shake against her and realized he was laughing. She reached up and grabbed a fistful of his hair and pulled. His tongue swiped across the bite mark once, twice, and a third time before he finally relented.
When he pulled back, he was frowning. “I wasn’t done.” He sounded like a child who’d just been told to throw away their ice cream cone.
“You were laughing,” Jacque accused.
He smiled. Gah, why does he have to have such a sexy smile?
“You’re adorable. And it helps my male ego when you don’t retain dignity while I make love to you.” He pressed kisses across her jaw, down her neck, collarbone, and farther.
Jacque moaned. “By all means, alpha, prove you’re male enough to make your mate lose some dignity.”
“As you wish.” He pressed a kiss to her belly button.
Let it never be said that Fane Lupei shied away from a ch
allenge.
*****
Adam carried Crina into their suite and set her back on her feet, but he didn’t let her go. She tried to pull away, but her mate wasn’t having it. He locked his arms around her waist like a steel band. She kept her eyes down for fear of what she might see there. Disgust, anger, confusion? It was all because of her. She kept the bond closed enough that he wouldn’t be able to feel the shame running through her.
“Crina.” Her name rolling off his tongue was a caress. “Look at me.”
She shook her head. Crina knew they needed to talk, like Jacque had said. But saying something and doing something were two very different things.
“We can stand here all night.” Adam’s voice was gentle but resolute. “But I’m not letting go of you. Not until we’ve talked about what’s wrong.”
Slowly, the fingertips of his right hand traced up her spine. Then his left hand slid across her waist from one side to the other. He pulled the back of her shirt up until his hand could meet her flesh and ran it again from one side of her waist all the way to the other. He was caressing her markings, the ones that matched his own.
Crina’s eyes closed as she felt her wolf practically purring. It had been too long since she’d let him touch her like this, too long since the beast had felt flesh on flesh, and it was her fault.
“No,” Adam said firmly. “It takes two people to make a relationship work, just as it takes two people to let it fall apart.”
He heard that thought. Crina had been so relaxed by his touch she hadn’t even realized she’d loosened her end of the bond. “Is that what’s happening?” She opened her eyes and finally looked up at him. Her voice trembled as she spoke. “Are we falling apart?”
His eyes narrowed, and she felt his fae powers pulse around him. He released her and stepped away. Crina felt the rejection hit her, nearly knocking the breath from her body. She forced herself to stay on her feet, and she bit her lip to keep the tears from falling. To her surprise, he didn’t turn and march out of the room, or say, “Yes, we’re falling apart.” Instead, he pulled his shirt over his head and stood before her in all his chiseled glory. Mine, her wolf whispered inside of her head.