“He has returned to his body. He can’t move because I’ve prevented it.” He went to the bedside and placed a hand on Jay’s head. It took a few moments, but when he removed his hand, he nodded at her, his brows furrowed. “You did well. His spirit is confused, frightened even, but intact.”
“So wake him up. I’ll make him understand what happened.” Libbie sat next to Jay and took his hand. She wanted to be the first thing he saw when he opened those gorgeous amber eyes of his.
“It’s not that simple. You found him in his primitive form, which means when his body died, the wolf was in the forefront. It is the wolf, not the man, or even the werewolf that you brought back. You’re lucky it recognizes you as its mate. Had the soul bond been formed beforehand, things would have been simpler, but I think it can still be done.”
“Just tell me what I need to do. How do we do this?” Libbie clutched Jay’s hand tighter. Whatever it was, she’d do it in a heartbeat.
The silence between them stretched until she thought maybe Jordan hadn’t heard her or wasn’t going to respond at all.
He stood at the foot of the bed, deep in thought. “Please, just tell me,” she begged.
“I’m not completely certain that it will work, so be prepared for it if it doesn’t. I suspect the only way to bring him fully back is to form that bond. He needs you to anchor him back in this body.”
“How? How do I bind our souls?”
“That I don’t know. If my theory is right, once the wolf bonds with you, it will pull the rest of him back along with it. If it’s wrong…” He shook his head and cursed under his breath. “If it’s wrong, I may need to force him to ascend, Libbie.”
Her heart stuttered. “What? No. Why?” She’d only just found him. She couldn’t lose him again.
“We can’t leave a wolf trapped in a human body. It would be cruel, not to mention dangerous. If his humanity doesn’t come back, what we’ll have is a wild animal that acts on instinct. He would be too unpredictable to allow into society.”
Jordan looked down at his feet, and she would swear his eyes shone a little too bright, but then he turned on his heels. “I’ll leave you alone. Good luck. No one should have to live eternity without their mate.” There was no mistaking the sadness in his tone. Had he lost his mate at some point in his past? She opened her mouth to ask, but by then, he was at the door. He closed his eyes and whispered something she couldn’t hear. The air in the room heated by several degrees, then cooled just as fast, sending a shiver rushing down her spine. He gave her a small smile and nodded toward the bed. “Be happy.”
When Libbie turned again, she was met with Jay’s amber gaze. The gold flecks in his eyes sparkled, but then it wasn’t surprising considering it was the wolf looking back at her. Being careful not to make any sudden moves, she scooted closer to him. What she wanted to do was fling her arms around him and hold him close, but the wolf wouldn’t respond to that.
Disentangling her fingers from his, she brought her hand to his chest. He followed her movement with his gaze, his eyes growing wider as she set it down just above his heart. “I’m not going to give up on you,” she whispered softly, needing to connect with him in any way she could. Maybe if he heard her voice, even if he didn’t understand the words, it would help bring him back.
With the tips of her fingers, she stroked his chest, tracing the unblemished skin where she had scratched him when they had made love. “You were right. The scratches are gone.” She leaned closer, pressing her lips to his chest.
A soft sound rumbled from his chest, and Libbie froze. It wasn’t an angry growl, or even a growl at all, but a contented sound that encouraged her to continue. Stretching beside him, she snuggled into his warmth, laying her head on his shoulder, and took a deep breath. His unique scent blended with the fresh smells of the forest. Libbie turned her face into his neck to take more of it in. Had it only been twenty-four hours since she’d been with Jay?
The soft rumbling sound returned, followed by a whimper. Jay’s upper body tensed, then he turned his head toward her. His nostrils flared as he sniffed her hair. Their breaths mingled, and for a second she thought she saw recognition in his eyes, but then it was gone. “You’re in there, Jay, I know you are. I just have to figure out how to get you out.”
But what if he didn’t want that? Her heart raced at the thought. If he had wanted a permanent bond, he could have forged one. Maybe he hadn’t wanted to solidify their relationship yet. They barely knew each other after all. Shame flooded her. Selfish as it may be, if she had to choose between going against his wishes and bringing him fully back into his body—into her world—she would do it a hundred times over, and beg his forgiveness later.
Libbie tried to remember what she knew about wolves, which, admittedly, wasn’t as much as she’d like under the circumstances. She stroked her fingers down his chest, all the way to his navel, before bringing them back up again. His muscles rippled beneath her gentle touch. She looked up at him, then repeated the motion, smiling when his muscles contracted under her fingers. “It’s all about the touch, isn’t it?” she asked. “Wolves don’t talk. They communicate with touch and body language, don’t they?”
Of course, they did. Documentaries on animal behavior weren’t her number one choice of programming, but who hadn’t seen a video clip of wolf mates rubbing their bodies against each other? The loving little licks and nips, the playful teasing?
Before she could think twice about it, Libbie rubbed herself against his side, brushing against him in a sensual caress. She nuzzled his neck, taking a long sniff before licking his skin. He lay still for a moment, then just as she was about to pull back, he rubbed his cheek into her hair. The graze of his teeth on her jaw sent a small thrill rushing through her. Even when they had been making love, Jay had used his teeth to tease and torment her. He had spent so much time kissing, here, there. Tasting, and nipping at her neck, all the while, making the sexiest sounds as though he enjoyed doing it as much as she did receiving it.
The memory of Jay holding the gray wolf in the submissive pose flashed through her mind, but she dismissed it. It didn’t matter that Jay wasn’t in the forefront now. The wolf would no sooner hurt her than Jay would. Craning her neck, she exposed it to him, leaving herself open and vulnerable.
In an instant, Jay flipped and had her pinned to the mattress. He rolled onto his hands and knees and had his teeth at her neck. Her heart pounded, not in fear, but excitement as he licked and gently bit down. A light growl vibrated in his chest as he nipped a little harder, making her jump. He licked the spot again, then waited, unmoving.
“Do it, Jay, please, I want you to,” she whispered, raking her nails down his chest. A small moan escaped his lips as he closed his teeth around her neck again. Libbie held her breath, and her heart galloped full speed. There was nothing animalistic about that sound. She scraped his skin again, turning her head as much as she could, giving him what he wanted.
With a rough moan, he pressed his entire body into hers, then finally sank his teeth into her neck.
Chapter Sixteen
Libbie gasped. For a moment, the pain of Jay’s bite was horrendous, but it lasted only a moment. It was the heat rushing through her that took her breath. Every part of her pulsed and throbbed. Even with his weight pinning her down, she writhed against him, grasping at his back with one hand, while pulling his head closer with the other fisted in his hair. He wrapped his arms around her, holding her so tight even breathing was difficult, but she couldn’t bear the thought of separation, so she clung to him.
Only when his body relaxed against hers, and he took his teeth from her body did she loosen her hold, but even then it wasn’t enough that he could move away from her.
“Libbie,” he whispered, his voice husky—wild.
“Jay?” She whipped her head to face him so fast their cheeks collided. His eyes still shone bright amber, but the recognition was there, too.
He didn’t reply but took her mouth in a hard,
hungry kiss. Wasting no time with buttons, he pulled her blouse up and off, tossing it to the side. In their haste, limbs tangled and bumped, but somehow her bra came off and landed on the floor next to the bed. By the time they had her jeans down and off, her whole body trembled.
***
Jay woke from the dense fog he’d been trapped in with Libbie squirming beneath him. His body throbbed with a need so deep, he couldn’t think past joining their two bodies. Without seeing her neck, he knew he had bonded her to him, soul to soul. The connection between them pulsed with life, amplifying their need. Deep in his soul, the wolf howled once before settling, filling him with peace.
He didn’t know where they were, or how he came to be naked, but none of it mattered. All he could think of was Libbie. Holding her cheeks, he ravaged her mouth, his tongue slipping past her lips to taste her intoxicating flavor. He ground up against her, moaning when she wrapped her legs around his waist and met his thrust with her own.
She pulled her lips from his. “Please, Jay. Now.” She kissed his jaw, giving him a little bite that sent a jolt of pleasure streaking straight to his cock, before taking his lips again.
He couldn’t deny her, not when everything in him wanted the same thing. Positioning himself at her entrance, and with a long, hard stroke, he plunged deep inside her, moaning as her velvet heat wrapped around him. Libbie gasped, then brought her hands down to his ass, gripping him tight as he pulled his cock out, then plunged in deep again. Her nails dug into his flesh, driving his need higher. He needed the wild coupling, and so did his wolf. It needed to know that she was finally his and would not slip away from him. It needed its mate. He pounded into her over and over. The sounds of each of her moans sent pleasure shooting through him until it was all he could do to keep from shattering, but he wanted her to come first. He bent his head to her neck and licked where he’d placed her mark, grunting as her pussy tightened around him, nearly throwing him over the edge.
But before he could close his mouth around the spot, Libbie turned her head and bit him—hard. Fire raced through him as pleasure shot from his neck, filling his entire body. His cock throbbed and pulsed as wave after wave of heat poured into him. He couldn’t stop. Thrusting fast and hard, he lost himself in her body, crying out in ecstasy when she dug her nails into his back. Unable to hold back, he brought his lips to her neck, licked once, then bit down.
In an instant, the muscles inside her contracted, tightening and releasing over and over as she came around his cock. With a final thrust, he exploded, shooting his seed deep inside her.
Chapter Seventeen
Libbie kept her eyes closed, afraid that if she opened them, Jay would be gone and that having him back had only been a dream. It didn’t matter that she was pressed against his hard body, secure in his arms, or that his fingers drew lazy circles on her back, the fear clawing at her wouldn’t subside. She struggled to keep her breath steady, and her tears from streaking down her cheeks. Had it not been for Jordan, she would have lost him forever. The invisible band around her chest keeping her from taking a deep breath tightened a little more.
“I didn’t survive the battle, did I?” Jay asked, his voice soft and soothing.
Unable to bring the words to her mouth, she shook her head. She wanted to push those memories aside, but they were too fresh—too real.
“We both perished?” he asked.
“No. My boss sensed the trouble and arrived just after…” she swallowed around the massive lump in her throat, “after you were hurt. Once he sent the demon to justice, he brought us both here to the heavenly realm. He kept your body alive—kind of—until I was able to get you back from the shadow world. Without him, neither of us would have survived.”
She took a deep, steadying breath, opening her eyes when he stroked a finger over the tender spot on her neck. “I would have liked to have made our mating more memorable and special for you. I’m sorry I wasn’t able to do that, Libbie,” he said.
She tried to smile when a giggle bubbled up out of nowhere. “More memorable than bringing you back from the dead?” Before she knew it, she was clinging to him, laughing until the tears she’d been holding broke free. Then, to her horror, the tears turned into sobs, and she cried. Her whole body shook as the pain and grief she’d bottled down exploded from her soul. He was there with her. He was all right. She shouldn’t be crying, but the steady stream kept coming.
Jay shifted onto his side, taking her with him. He stroked up and down her back, all the while whispering soft words into her ear. “It’s okay. I’m fine. We both are.”
“I’m sorry,” she sniffled and burrowed as close to him as she could get. “You’re back. That’s all that matters now.”
“We’re both alive,” he wiped the dampness from her cheeks, then grinned at her, showing off his dimples, “and mated, bonded even.”
“So you’re not upset? I didn’t give you a lot of choice in the matter.” Heat rushed up her neck and into her cheeks. “If you want to reverse it, I’ll understand.” She wouldn’t, not really. She held her breath, waiting for his answer.
Jay chuckled and kissed her nose. “Reverse it? No way in hell. For one thing, it cannot be undone. A bonded mate is for all eternity. The only reason I didn’t bite you the first time we kissed, never mind when we made love was so you could be sure of what you wanted. You’re my mate, Libbie. We’re meant for one another. It was never a matter of whether or not I wanted to. It was a matter of when you’d allow me to do it. Refraining from claiming you was the hardest damned thing I’ve ever had to do. So no, I don’t want to reverse it. Not today. Not ever.”
“Good, because I lied. I wouldn’t let you go,” she admitted as she released the breath she’d held. “Let’s get dressed and find Jordan. I want to go home.”
It didn’t take long to find Jordan in his garden again. An angel with a ten-foot shimmering wingspan was hard to miss after all.
“That’s Jordan?” Jay asked in a loud whisper.
“Yes,” she smiled at the awe she heard in his voice. “Did I forget to mention he was an angel?”
“You might have, yeah.”
Jordan turned before they got anywhere near him, tucking his wings behind him “Good to see you both up and smiling,” he said, his silvery eyes sparkling.
Jay cleared his throat and took a step closer, holding his hand out. “I want to thank you for everything you’ve done. Libbie tells me that I wouldn’t have survived had it not been for your help.”
Jordan’s eyebrows rose just a touch before he took it. “You’re welcome. Libbie deserves to be happy, and it seems that you’re the one to make that happen. I just ask that you take good care of her.”
“I’m right here, and I can take care of myself, thank you very much.”
Jordan just shook his head and smiled at her. “Let’s just say that I’ll feel better knowing that you’ve got someone by your side when the next battle arrives on your doorstep.”
“Me too,” she admitted. “Saying thank you just doesn’t seem like enough for all you’ve done.”
Jordan dropped her gaze for a moment, then smiled up at her again. “Let’s get you home. I have been summoned to appear before the High Angels. Hopefully Sam isn’t too upset that I’m returning Jay to earth.”
Libbie reached for Jay’s hand, pulling him close as Jordan wrapped his wings around them. “Will you be in trouble?” she asked, hoping they wouldn’t be too hard on him.
Jordan shrugged. “Let me handle the angel of death. Just be happy,” he said.
Pure white light made everything but she and Jay disappear. Even Jordan was gone. When it dissipated, they were home. She smiled up at Jay, who smiled right back before pulling her into his arms.
“Welcome home, mate,” she said before she kissed him.
Go Back
Bootcamp of Misfit Wolves by Annie Nicholas
Vanguard Elite Book One
Chapter One
Humans died in their military boot c
amps. How many of her kind would perish in a wolf shifter camp run by a vampire? Clare curled her legs under her butt and settled deeper into the couch with a magazine, blocking out the background chatter from the others in the room. The bloodsucker housed all of them in an old, abandoned manor on the edge of nowhere, deep in the Adirondack Mountains.
He probably chose this place because no one would hear them scream.
The vampire strode through the crowded room and kicked a battered metal trunk.
Everyone went silent.
The lid popped open. A male shifter sat up with his iPad. “It’s ten twenty-one PM, sir.”
“Say it right, wolf.” His harsh accent hurt her ears.
The shifter counted on his fingers. “Twenty-one twenty-one, sir.”
“Wrong again.” He closed the lid on the wolf’s head. “See you in another hour.” He exited out of the front door.
The chatter slowly built again.
Clare stared at the trunk. Poor guy had been in there for three hours. Maybe he was giving the wrong military time on purpose so he could play on his tablet before the battery ran out. Without any way to charge the thing, it would eventually die. She smirked. Kind of smart, actually.
Headlights approaching the manor caught her attention. Another recruit arriving. She’d made it her priority to greet each one and remember their names. A good leader knew her wolves. So far, she had greeted thirty-nine shifters in the last three days. Seven shifters had already been here when she arrived, including Penny.
Pallas, the vampire, stepped out of the shadows and crossed in front of the moving vehicle.
Her stomach cramped. Even from this distance she could sense power ebbing from him like a web. It clung to her even through the walls. Would he turn this candidate away? She’d seen him do it. There wasn’t any rhyme or reason to his decision making.
Beyond The Veil: A Paranormal & Magical Romance Boxed Set Page 8