He stalked Jake. Circling him. Slow. Careful. Jake was a good fighter. He always had been, but Joe didn’t know how often his brother fought like this. With Joe, it happened more often than he liked. He’d had to bust a few heads when they had rowdy fans and he knew he could take down his brothers to get to his mate. He had to.
Mandy watched the three wolves on the snow-covered lawn. Julian sat off to the side. Thank God his brothers weren’t attacking Joe at the same time. But that still meant that he’d have to fight one and then the other to win her. A part of her enjoyed this, but most of her was horrified. Why were his brothers challenging him? She didn’t understand it. They knew she and Joe were True Mates.
“They’re both unattached and the scent of you is intoxicating. That’s why Leo is staying so far away from you. It’s even getting to him.”
She glanced at her father-in-law. He looked uncomfortable, then he looked away from her. Leo and Eddie stood on the ground in front of her while she viewed the fight from the porch. Her mother and Maria waited and watched while stationed between the older males and her—an additional barrier between the fighters and Mandy. Was this her fault? She didn’t want Jake or Julian. She only wanted Joe.
Joe leaped onto Jake and the two wolves rolled, teeth flashing. Digging into each other’s pelts. She wanted to cover her eyes but she had to watch. Jake caught Joe’s throat.
“Joe!” she screamed, but Joe fought away from his brother’s lethal teeth.
Joe twisted and rolled on top of Jake. Jake leaped away. The two wolves circled each other.
“What the fuck is going on here?”
“Oh, no,” Mandy groaned, catching sight of Zach crossing the back yard. He saw the fight and stopped, looking up at Mandy.
“Are you?” She nodded. “Fuck,” he grunted, slowly backing off as the three wolves on the lawn turned on him, growling.
Mandy didn’t get it. Both Julian and Jake had challenged Joe for her, but now with Zach here, they stood at Joe’s shoulders to back him up as he stalked Zach.
“I don’t want to fight you, Joe,” he told the lead wolf.
“Mi-i-ine,” Joe’s growl was almost human and the word he said was clear.
“Yeah, she’s yours. I get it.” Zach held up his hands.
Joe turned to his brothers. He growled and snarled at them. Using wolfspeak to tell them that Mandy belonged to him. Jake and Jules exchanged glances and shifted back to human and Joe followed.
“Okay, she’s yours,” Jake answered.
“Julian?”
“Yeah. Sorry man. She’s just really…potent.”
Joe walked toward the porch. She could see in his expression that the fire was still in him. Both sex and anger. He mounted the steps and grabbed her. She went to his arms willingly and he took her mouth. Kissing her ruthlessly. Dominating her. But she didn’t fight. She submitted.
“You’re my True Mate,” she whispered, holding him. Stroking him in an attempt to soothe him.
“And don’t ever forget it.” He bent and caught her. Then she found herself upside down as Joe threw her over his shoulder and carried her into the house.
Joe carried Mandy through the house to their bedroom. He kicked the door shut behind him and threw her on the bed. She sat up and looked at him, her eyes wide. He stayed by the door. He was nude and hard as stone. If he came near her he was going to rip off her clothes and be inside her whether she was ready or not. He gritted his teeth.
“Angel, I need you to strip and get yourself ready for me.”
“Don’t you want to—”
“No. I can’t.”
“I don’t understand.” She frowned.
“I’m ready for you right now. If I get close to you I’m going to fuck you and I don’t want to…rape you.”
She blinked. “You think you would?”
“I’m fighting it. I don’t want to hurt you, but the fight out there did something to me I’ve never experienced before and it won’t be pleasant for either of us.”
Mandy nodded and stripped quickly. She licked her lips and he growled. She froze. “Joe, you’re scaring me.”
“I’m scaring me too.” He looked up at the ceiling and he heard her shift on the bed. His gaze flashed back to her and he bared his teeth in a snarl. She froze again. “Shit.”
“This isn’t going well,” she said softly.
“No, it isn’t.” He closed his eyes and practiced some slow breathing. Trying to calm himself. It helped…a little. But the drive to mount her was riding him hard. “Angel, I love you and I don’t want to hurt you. But I need you to get yourself ready for me. Please.”
She reached between her thighs and started to play with her clit. Even with direct stimulation he could see that not a damn thing was happening for her. Though she was still in heat, it wasn’t working because he’d frightened her too much.
“Angel, I’m going to come over there.”
“Maybe you better not,” she said in a small voice, her pupils dilated with fear.
“I’m going to try.”
“Remember what Yoda said.”
He laughed. And somehow that laughter discharged his rage. The hunger for her was still there, but the violence was gone. The compulsion to possess was gone. Instead, he only felt the need to mark her as his mate, not overpower and use her. His entire body relaxed.
“Thank you,” he whispered.
“For what?”
“For making me laugh. For lightening the situation.” He smiled at her. “For loving me.”
“That’s my pleasure. Always.”
“I’m better now. Okay?” She nodded. “So I’m going to join you on the bed.”
She bit her lip as he crossed the space between them. He climbed up beside her. Slowly. As if he was dealing with a skittish animal. He reached out to stroke her cheek and she flinched. He froze. He could see her swallow hard, then she reached up to take his hand in hers.
“You’re really okay now?”
“Yes, angel. I’m really okay now.”
She sat up and threw her arms around his neck, holding him tight. He embraced her. Thank God he hadn’t fucked this up. If he had taken her in anger, he never would have forgiven himself and he would have destroyed something precious. Joe knew it wasn’t her fault. None of it had been her fault. It was just biology.
“You still love me, Joe?”
“Always, Mandy. Always.” He kissed her cheek. “You still love me?”
She smiled. “Yes, Joe. Always.”
His arms slid around her and his hands skimmed along her back. He was her gentle True Mate lover again. She laid her head on his shoulder, reveling in the caress of his hand on her bare skin. Her skin warmed. Arousal returned and she shivered under his touch.
Joe eased her back on the bed, rising over her. He raised his head and held her gaze. He stroked her cheek, traced a path across her lips, down along her neck, stopping at her breasts. His thumb brushed her tight nipples. She arched into his touch and reached up to capture his body in an embrace of welcome.
Their mouths came together and this time, he wasn’t rough. He was tender. Teasing touches of his tongue along the seam of her lips made her sigh. She twined her tongue with his, running her hands over his heated skin.
His fingers slipped between her legs and she opened for his touch. Moaning when he stroked her clit. Circling it. Rubbing the nub until she was gasping, her hips rising and falling like the tide responding to the moon.
“Please, Joe. More.”
“Ah, yeah, angel.”
He pressed her down into the bed and she gloried in the weight of his body against hers, writhing against him. His fingers slipped inside her, getting her wet with each stroke. She lifted her hips to take more of his touch.
She raised her head, baring her neck to his mouth. Wanting his lips and tongue on the vulnerable skin. His hot breath teased her before he brushed his mouth against her. Gentle bites had her gasping. Ascending to him. Seeking more.
&n
bsp; “Fuck me, Joe. Please?”
He kept up the loving caress of her core. Fingers brushing the tight button of nerve endings to increase her pleasure. She spread wide and pushed against his hand.
“Are you ready for me?”
“Oh, God yes. Can’t you feel how wet I am?”
“I know. But I almost messed this up before. I don’t want to do that again.”
“I’m ready, Joe. I really am.”
He parted her and slowly slid home. She groaned, clasping his cock as he hit bottom. Filling her completely. She clutched his shoulders and enfolded his hips with her thighs. Joe began the long, slow build. Thrusting and retreating. Moaning sweet kisses against her lips. His hands trailed over her skin. Light caresses designed to drive her mad.
She propelled her hips upward, enveloping him inside her heat, letting him drive her to release. Taking her hard and deep. She matched him perfectly. It only took a few strokes before she cried out, shuddering in climax. Still he didn’t stop. Priming her to move through her heat cycle. She sobbed, open to him. Accepting every plunge of his cock inside her. Clamping down on him as she tensed and came again.
“Oh God. Joe.”
He kissed her, whispering, “Again, angel. Come for me again.”
And she obeyed. Shuddering as every muscle tightened and she cried out. His pecs hung above her as he drove into her. She wanted to sink her teeth into him but that seemed wrong somehow. She shouldn’t want to bite him, should she?
Do it, angel. Mark me.
Mark you?
Yes, sink those fangs of yours into me and bite deep while I fuck you.
The intimacy of hearing him in her mind as he took her made her moan. She clutched his arms. Her nails digging into his biceps.
That’s it, Mandy. Please, angel. I need it.
But I’ll hurt you.
No, you won’t. Bite me. Please.
He twisted his hips, grinding his pelvis into hers. She shrieked and came again, throwing her head back. This time when her eyes opened and she saw his chest, she lunged. Thought gone. Civilization gone. She was wolf and he was her mate.
The metallic taste of his blood set her on fire and she came again, shaking with the force of it. Finally, she released him, licking the wound to close it. She stared at the angry bite. She should be ashamed, but instead she felt a sense of rightness. Completeness. Joe pulled out of her and she howled in outrage.
She clawed at him to pull him back. He grabbed her hips and flipped her onto her stomach and reached between her legs to play with her pussy. Stroking her clit and finger-fucking her. She lifted her ass and drove back onto him.
“Harder, Joe. Oh God, yes.”
He grunted behind her and caught her hips in his hands. She expected him to plunge into her pussy, but instead she felt his mouth. He licked her. Buried his face against her and breathed deep with a growl of pure lust.
“Fuck you smell good, angel.”
She angled her hips, tilting her pussy toward him. Closing her eyes as he tongued her from clit to ass and back again. He drank her juices, tongued her clit, and she panted. His fingers entered inside her again, driving her hard. She pushed back, shoving onto his hand while he pinched her clit. She screamed and came, and then he was inside her.
He took her with shallow thrusts, driving her to the top of the mountain one more time. Short stabs that she accepted with gasping sobs. Begging wordlessly for more with animal sounds. She was beyond being able to speak. She was nothing but sex. Need. Heat. He stroked her clit again. Pressing down. Rubbing it. Circling. Using the long nails of his hand to scrape over the sensitive nerves.
“Yes. More.” He stroked again. She shoved back, trying to get him to bottom out.
“You ready, angel?”
“Yes. Now, Joe.”
He paused and she shrieked, reaching behind her to claw at him.
“You sure?”
“Yes!”
“Pregnant?” A part of her brain was still working and recognized that he wasn’t wearing a condom. She nodded and he groaned, plunging deep. She felt the way they hooked up. The perfection of their connection. And she came again, with a cry.
Joe leaned over her and his teeth sank into her shoulder. Marking her as his True Mate. He covered her body as he went rigid. Then she felt the spurt of his cum inside her. And again. He held her tight, his bite holding her in place while his cock twitched, spilling his cream. Finally they both collapsed on the bed and he licked the wound. Healing it. She groaned as Joe’s cock continued to spasm. Small twitches, and each time she trembled in reaction. Like small little aftershocks rolling through her. He cradled her tenderly in his arms, kissing her.
“This was the other part of my birthday wish,” he whispered.
“What? Me going into heat?” She turned her head and looked back at him.
“No. A pup on the way.”
She grinned. “Well, we aren’t getting any younger. And Carly will be thrilled.”
He laughed. “That’s not why I did it.”
“Me either. It’s just a happy side effect.”
Joe pulled her close and pressed a loving kiss on her mouth. “Love you, angel.”
“Love you more.”
Chapter Seventeen
“You’re pregnant? I knew it,” Carly shrieked, bouncing out of the kitchen chair the following morning. She grabbed Mandy’s hands and danced around the room with her daughter. “I knew it. I knew it. I knew it. This is the best anniversary present EVER!”
Carly hugged her then sprang across the room to hug Joe and give him a wet kiss on the cheek. She looked back at Eddie.
“I told you. Didn’t I tell you?”
“Yes, Carly. You told me,” he groaned, rolling his eyes.
“What did you tell him, Mom?” Mandy asked, exchanging a look with her mate.
“I told him that if the two of you met, there’d be chemistry.”
Mandy laughed. “I bet that went over well.” She raised her eyebrows at her father. He shrugged.
“He didn’t believe me, but I knew.” She ran around the table and grabbed Maria, dragging her out of her chair for a hug. “We’re going to be grannies! Isn’t it amazing?”
Maria patted Carly on the shoulder, smiling and glancing at Leo. “It’s spectacular.”
“It is, isn’t it?”
She ran back to Mandy and gave her another hug. “I’ve got to call Sharon.”
“We’ll see her later today.”
“But she needs to know now!” Carly found her cell phone and ran out of the kitchen, dialing as she went.
Mandy released a breath. “A happy side effect indeed.”
“Happy?” Joe walked over and took her in his arms. “Exultant. Ecstatic, more like.”
Eddie came over and gave them a joint hug. “Congratulations to you both. I’m happy for you too.”
“Just us?” Mandy teased.
Eddie’s lips quirked. “Naw, I’m happy for me too. I’m not quite as over the moon as Carly, but I was beginning to wonder if I’d ever become a grandpa.”
“Well, give us nine months.”
“I’ll let you have it.” Then he knelt in front of her and set his hand on her belly. “But you? You better be on time. We’ve waited a long time for you.” He stood and kissed her cheek again and went to find Carly.
Mandy watched Joe turn to his parents and brothers. She hugged him close, knowing he wasn’t expecting ecstasy from his own family. He looked as if he was just hoping they’d be pleased.
His mother approached with outstretched arms. She hugged Joe tight then she hugged Mandy.
“I’m as happy as your mother, my dear. I’m just not as demonstrative.”
“You’re both happy?” he asked his mother.
Leo joined them and nodded. Wordlessly, he gave Joe a hug and then pulled Mandy close too, kissing her cheek. He wiped away a tear and blinked, clearing his throat.
“We are very pleased. I, too, questioned whether grandfatherho
od was in my future.” Leo kissed Joe on both cheeks. “It’s a good day.”
“Thanks, Papa,” he whispered. Leo hugged him again and then took Maria’s hand and left the kitchen.
That left his brothers, and Mandy wasn’t sure how his brothers felt this morning. Jake and Jules started to grin.
“Better you than me, big brother,” Jules teased.
“Damn, I’m sorry about last night, Joe,” Jake said.
“Me too. She just smelled so damn good. It was like a siren call, you know?”
Joe nodded. His brothers looked uncertain. Worried.
Go over there and hug them. She pushed him and he moved, crossing the room to Jake and Jules. All three exchanged back-slapping hugs and started to laugh.
“I forgive you guys. I can understand how you might have been overwhelmed. That’s how I felt the moment I met her.”
“She’s sure potent. I’ll give you that.” Jules laughed.
“TNT,” Jake agreed.
“Well, nice to know I’m lethal but I’m going to go take a shower. Food doesn’t smell really good at the moment.”
“Way to go, bro.”
Mandy shook her head as she left the kitchen to her brothers-in-law lauding Joe’s virility. It took two for God’s sake.
* * * * *
In the early evening, Mandy stood back and watched as the guys unloaded the equipment at Zach’s bar. They’d spent most of the day in rehearsals to make sure she was ready. Joe had allowed everyone to take a couple hours off to rest their voices before the concert. It didn’t matter because Mandy felt ill. Faint. Her stomach was already starting to heave. She’d been a little off all day because she was newly pregnant, but it was worse now. She was having trouble thinking. Concentrating. She couldn’t remember a single lyric for even one of her songs. She leaned against the side of the building, longing to run for it.
She felt hot. Then cold. Her stomach clenched with nausea. She couldn’t do it. She could not get up on stage and sing. What if she forgot the words? What if they laughed at her. She’d embarrass herself. Her family. Her mate. She started to inch away and she almost got to the corner of the building when warm arms circled her.
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