by Unknown
She nodded. “Yes.”
It was all he needed. Ward began to pound into her. He held her in place, closing his eyes. Her hot, tight sheath clamped around him. So wet that a low growl escaped through his clenched teeth. He changed his angle until she cried out. Once he found her sweet spot, he ensured that he hit it each and every time. Her cries growing louder with every thrust. Her pussy clenched him hard and Stephany screamed.
His balls pulled up and his skin tightened. He had to fight to keep from increasing his hold on her. From fucking her harder.
“You. Are. Mine.” He felt his canines extend, even his claws erupted. Ward snarled as his seed filled her, his dick swelled making it hard to move. As he continued to mark her with his semen, the pressure inside him eased somewhat. Although she already carried his scent, he felt better now that he had marked her as well. His gums ached with the need to bite down on her shoulders. He snarled. It wasn’t going to happen.
Already the need to take her again rose up in him, but he couldn’t allow himself to give into that baser part of him. His beast had never had this much control over him before. Ward fought the desire to snarl as he pulled from her warm, welcoming body. “Did I hurt you?” He asked while he moved off of her, allowing her to move into a sitting position.
She shook her head, refusing to meet his eyes.
“I’m sorry. I’m feeling a little possessive right now.”
She clutched a sheet to her chest before looking at him. “It’s fine. Not what I was expecting though. I thought you were angry with me.”
He felt his jaw lock for a few beats. “I am,” he growled. “But you are still mine. My anger doesn’t change that.”
“I thought you wouldn’t want me anymore. I am mated to another.”
He hated the way she flinched as a rage infused snarled exploded forth. It caused his chest to rumble and his lip to curl. Taking in a deep breath, he calmed himself enough to speak. “I don’t want you to ever say that again.” He shook his head. “Never. You do not belong to that male. Let’s get something straight, you are mine now.”
He could tell by the way she looked at him that she didn’t believe him. The beast urged him to take her again. This time harder. This time with both canine and cock.
Stephany wasn’t a wolf, she wouldn’t understand. Ward needed to clear his head. “How long have I been out?”
“Since yesterday morning. It is late afternoon now, so a day and a half.” Stephany clutched the sheet to her chest. “Let me get dressed and I will fix you something to eat.”
“I need to speak with my pack.” He stood, turning his back on his female. Why hadn’t she told him about the other male? Did she refuse him when he’d asked her to stay because she wanted to go back to the other male? Is that why she was so hell bent on losing his scent? Is that the real reason she wanted to terminate this pregnancy?
The questions and doubt tore at him and Ward ripped his jeans as he pulled them up. He cursed under his breath, tossing the ruined garment to the side, needing to get a grip. What he really needed was answers, but first he had to restore some of his waning control. Taking a few deep breaths, he reached for another pair of pants which he donned without incident. Next, he threw on a shirt and then turned for the door. He purposely avoided his female’s gaze, which burned into his back.
“You need to eat. Please. You can go once you’ve had something,” Stephany pleaded.
Without turning, he said, “I need to get out of here. I have things to do.”
“We need to talk. I need a chance to explain.” He could hear the pain and anguish in her voice.
“Later.” He growled, keeping his eyes fixed on the door ahead. If he so much as half looked her way, he would take her again. He was so filled with rage that he was worried that he might hurt her this time. She started to argue, but he didn’t wait to listen. Ward used every ounce of control he had not to slam the door behind him.
Chapter 4
Stephany sagged back onto the bed. A whole night had passed and Ward hadn’t returned. Their first encounter couldn’t have gone worse. She knew that he was angry with her, yet at the same time he felt possessive of her because he could scent her pregnancy. It was something that happened to vampire males from time to time. Once they scented that their mate was with child and their protective instincts kicked in, they became extra possessive. One thing was for sure though, he hadn’t forgiven her. This was far from over.
It really hurt how he’d turned his back on her the moment he spilled his seed. Couldn’t leave fast enough. It was fine that he was angry. He was justified in that emotion. Ward had brought her here against her will though. She was lonely and she was scared. Petrified. The least he could do was hear her out. Let her damn well explain. He also owed her an explanation or two. Like how he planned on saving their baby. How he hoped to bring them both through the birthing alive. She’d felt more thumps beneath her skin. They grew steadily stronger. Definite movements. Little kicks. She was becoming attached. If she was really honest with herself, Tanya was right, there was no way she could’ve gone through with the procedure.
Stephany rubbed her slight belly. “Don’t worry little one. I am sure that your father will have the answers.” She squeezed her eyes shut, trying hard not to cry. “He needs a little space. I guess I owe him that much.” She threw the covers off her and slid from the bed. “If he thinks I’m staying in this cabin until he sorts himself out though…then he is sorely mistaken.”
After a quick cold shower, she dressed and walked out into the mild morning sun. Stephany could feel that spring was definitely in the air, even up here in the mountains. There was a chilly breeze, but the sun was pleasant.
“Um, Stephany.” Rushe jumped to his feet. “I don’t think you should be out here. Ward would want you to stay—”
“According to the wolf alpha, I am mated to him. Pregnant with his pup.”
Rushe nodded. “Yes, but I—”
“Who’s going to hurt me? Who would dare?” She asked with more confidence than what she felt. Hayden hated her, Gage didn’t trust her. She was sure that there were plenty more shifters who would feel the same. Yet, Ward had openly claimed her. Surely that would mean that she was safe. At least she hoped it did. “Besides, I’ll have a strong handsome warrior at my side.” She smiled at Rushe.
His face turned from concerned to surprised and then settled on pride. She could actually see him puff out his broad chest. “When you put it that way. I suppose it will be okay as long as you stay close to me. I’ll give you a quick tour and then we have to come back.”
She smiled. “Thanks.”
Stephany made sure that she stayed at his side as they approached the first large building. Big smoke plumes spoke of a large fire. Looking through the window, she noticed many sets of tables and chairs. “This is where a lot of the cooking takes place,” Rushe said from behind her as they entered. There was a big fire in the corner with a large black steaming pot.
The female stirring the pot shrieked, grabbing her chest. She visibly relaxed as she saw Rushe walk in. “I don’t think she is supposed to be in here.” The female turned angry eyes on Rushe. “There are children about.”
Rushe shook his head. “It’s okay. She’s with me.” He turned to Stephany. “This is Patricia.” The female’s hair was tied in a cloth. She was small. The button up dress she wore hugged narrow hips and large mammary glands which strained the top buttons.
Stephany could smell the delicious honeyed oatmeal that she’d come to love so much. “It’s good to meet you, I am Stephany.”
“You’re a vampire.” The female wrinkled her nose as Stephany took a step closer.
Stephany felt her face draw in confusion. “And you’re”—she inhaled deeply through her nose to be sure—“a human.”
The female wiped a hand across her forehead with one hand while holding up the stirring spoon with the other. Not much of a weapon if that was her intention. “Are you planning on drinking my
blood?” Stephany could also smell a heavy musk that masked her human scent. This female was rutting a shifter.
Stephany couldn’t help laughing. “I’m sorry—” she held up a hand—“heavens no. I wouldn’t dream of it. Vampires do not drink from the same sex unless they are really desperate.”
The human paled.
“I’m not desperate. Besides,” Stephany quickly added, “since falling pregnant with a wolf pup, I find that I am hungry more for actual food these days than for blood. Your oatmeal is one of the best things I have ever tasted.”
The human, Patricia, glanced at Stephany’s stomach. “How far along are you?”
“Two months.”
Her eyes widened in excitement and she put the stirrer back in the pot and turned a lazy circle in the thick oatmeal. “Wow, already? You are very lucky. I can’t wait until I’m mated and pregnant. Eliot is so looking forward to becoming a father.”
“Eliot?”
“My shifter.” She sighed. “In just a few more weeks we will be eligible to mate and I can’t wait.”
“Yes, but that’s…” Stephany began to say that interspecies matings were banned, but Rushe squeezed her hand while shaking his head once.
“Let’s sit. You look hungry.” His eyes were wide, they implored her to listen to him.
“I’ll bring you both a bowl,” Patricia beamed. All of her earlier fears seemed to have evaporated since she heard Stephany was with child. She set two steaming bowls in front of them. They had a swirl of white and a brown dusting. “The secret ingredients are fresh cream and cinnamon.”
Stephany took a spoonful, which she blew on and swallowed, unable to hold back the sound of utter rapture when she did. “You are a gifted cook,” she finally said to the smiling human.
Rushe sniffed the air. “You are going to go into heat soon, Patricia. Two days tops.” He held up two fingers.
Now that Rushe had mentioned it, Stephany picked up on the underlying sweet scent that lingered around the human. It was not unlike the honey in the pot she stirred.
Patricia frowned. “I wish you guys wouldn’t do that.”
“I’m sorry. We can’t help our sense of smell.” Rushe spooned in an extra-large mouthful, grinning around the food in his mouth. He swallowed. “It’s better that you know. We don’t want any more accidents caused by males’ brains turning to mush from the delicious scent.” Rushe turned to face Stephany. “Females in heat need to stay in their cabin until it passes. We have so few females that the scent of a female in heat has caused major problems in the past.”
“The male’s testosterone levels go through the roof.” Patricia shook her head.
“Since most of us can’t rut, we fight.”
“They all out brawl. Broken limbs, broken faces. Blood flows.” She lifted her eyebrows. “It’s ridiculous. Once, one of the unmated males almost cut another one’s arm off with an ax.”
“That was an accident. We can’t think straight with the delicious scent of honeyed nectar in our nostrils. They were cutting down a tree. Jackson couldn’t concentrate and Sam got in the way of the ax. Both males were distracted. Our dicks get so hard, it’s agony. That’s why you need to know when it’s about to happen, Patricia.”
The human rolled her eyes. “It’s rude. Eliot will inform me of my bodily functions, thank you very much.”
“I’m sure he will”—Rushe winked—“loudly, repeatedly. Using his…”
“Rushe…” The human’s face had turned red. “I’ve asked you not to talk so openly about my sex life. It’s really rude and I don’t like it. Anyway, you know that we are banned from having sex during that time of the month until we are mated.”
Rushe shook his head, his eyes on the empty bowl in front of him. “Sorry, Patricia.” He lifted his eyes to the human. “I sometimes forget that humans are more deceptive.”
The human scowled at Rushe, making an incredulous noise. “We’re not deceptive.” She put her hands on her hips. “We’re private. There’s a big difference. You have a lot to learn if you ever hope to win a female of your own.”
“I am sorry.” He threw her a grin. “Maybe you could teach me. I’m a quick learner, I promise.”
Patricia snorted. “Eliot will kill you if he hears you say that.”
“You’re not mated to him yet.” Rushe bobbed his eyebrows up and down.
Patricia’s eyes zig zagged across the room. “Stop. I love Eliot. Do you have a death wish or something?”
“I can take the bear any day.” Rushe growled, the muscles in his neck bulged as he fisted his hands before grinning wildly.
“Yeah right!” Patricia shot back. “He’s way bigger.”
“I’m way bigger.” Rushe leaned back in his chair, his legs wide and his meaning clear. “I can prove it.”
“Get the hell out of my kitchen wolf.” Her voice was low and gravelly. If she wasn’t a human, Stephany would swear that Patricia was growling softly. It was over so soon though that she was sure that she had imagined it. She shook her head feeling her brow crease.
“Okay, okay, we’ll go but this isn’t over.” Rushe held up his hands, a broad grin on his handsome face.
The human sighed and rolled her eyes before turning back to Stephany. “Drop by again sometime. I would love to hear all about the pregnancy. Have you felt the cub move yet?”
“Pup,” Rushe corrected her.
“Yeah, yeah…pup.” The human rolled her eyes.
Stephany nodded. She couldn’t help but to smile. “Yes, I have.”
“Oh, how exciting!” Patricia clasped her hand to her mouth. “Please come back soon, I want to hear all about it.”
“I will,” said Stephany. There was something endearing about human females.
Rushe said goodbye, he winked at Patricia who shook her head. “Don’t you come back unless you bring your manners with you.”
“I’ll bring a whole lot more than just my manners.” Although Stephany wasn’t looking at the male, she could hear that he was smiling broadly.
The human made a sound of frustration as the door closed. “The sooner that male gets a mate the better.” Stephany heard Patricia mutter as they walked away.
“Why has a shifter taken a human mate? I don’t recall the kings giving permission for interspecies relationships. In fact, their last take on it just a few days ago was very much against it.”
Rushe’s face turned hard. “We don’t give a flying fuck what the kings think. Our species will not last another generation if we don’t do something now. Besides”—he paused and they stopped walking for a second—“it’s unnatural for a male not to take a mate. Many shifters have been forced to share one female. Often two or three males to one female.” He shook his head. “As dominant, virile males, we are not meant to share. If I take a human, it means I don’t have to share and the competition for shifter mates is fierce. Alphas normally have first dibs,” he sighed. “A human female will be way less complicated.”
“Patricia isn’t the only one is she? There are more humans here aren’t there?”
Rushe nodded. “Several males have taken humans and have bred successfully. There are seven happily mated family units and four partners that are in the trial phase like Eliot and Patricia.” He smiled broadly. “Once the two courting males go into trial phase and two of the trial partners mate, I will be able to start looking for my own mate. I am next on the list.”
That list again.
“I still wouldn’t mind a vampire instead of a human. Humans seem weak and fragile. Would I have to share a vampire?”
“Although vampires do sometimes share, they normally only take one mate. We do not make good breeders though.” Stephany shook her head.
“I had heard many of your kind are infertile.” Rushe threw her a lopsided grin that would have most females parting their thighs with a sigh. “My seed is strong. I am sure I could impregnate most of your kind if given the chance.”
“I’m sure you could, Rushe.” It wou
ldn’t help to argue. “I would like to know more about—”
Before she could ask about the list, a female gasped up ahead.
“Go home right now.” She scolded her two children, both males. The younger boy looked intrigued and kept looking back at her as they moved away. The older child narrowed his eyes. It was the same female and children from the day that they had arrived. The female stomped towards them. Once she got closer, Stephany scented that the female was also human.
“What do you think you are doing?” she wagged a finger at Rushe. “Jake will have your hide for this. A vampire? Really?”
The female ignored her. She was very pretty with medium length dark hair and large brown eyes. Stephany noticed that she was tall and thin. This female had a very narrow waist and an almost flat chest.
“What the hell do you think you are looking at? You had better stay away from my children. Do you hear me? Jake will discuss this with Ward. I don’t want you to look at them again. Are we clear?” Her eyes were narrowed and she turned her wagging finger on Stephany.
“I would never hurt you or your young…I assure you. I don’t understand why humans automatically assume we plan on draining them dry. We are not even permitted to partake in human blood, so please”—she held up her hands as the human’s eyes widened in horror—“do not worry,” she added the last quickly to reassure her.
“As if I would believe a bloodsucker.” She huffed. “You’ll regret it.”
“Stephany is really nice, Angela. She wouldn’t hurt a fly.” Rushe stepped forward, putting himself in the line of fire. As if a human could hurt her…please. The sentiment was sweet though.
“I don’t trust her,” the human growled. There was no mistaking it this time, the human locked eyes with Stephany and actually growled. Low and deep. Not nearly as deep as a male, but too deep for a normal human. Her brown eyes also turned a lighter amber color.