No, these wolves were as territorial as any she’d ever grown up with, but somehow they’d learned to temper that instinct with one another. They were more openly caring, and there wasn’t the same jockeying for position in the pack. Other than Jacque, the rest of them acted as equals. Unheard of in her former pack or any pack she knew of.
She finished eating, set her utensils down and simply sat back and watched the group talking and interacting. It was an education. The longer she watched, the more she ached to be a part of it.
Chapter Nine
Cole couldn’t wait for everyone to leave so he and Cherise could talk. He could practically see the wheels turning in her brain and knew she hadn’t quite settled herself to the idea of staying with the Salvation Pack, with him.
She might be stubborn, but she’d met her match in him. His mama used to say he could out stubborn a mule and that he took after his daddy. Cole couldn’t argue the fact with her.
He relaxed slightly now that Cherise had eaten. It had amazed him when Gator had taken her up on her offer of help. The only other people he let into his kitchen with any kind of regularity were Anny and Cole. This was Gator’s way of letting everyone know he supported Cole’s claim on her and to welcome her to the pack.
He glanced at his friend, but Gator was in conversation with Anny over kitchen rights. A smile played upon Cole’s lips. The two of them loved to argue about whose kitchen it was, but when no one was looking, the two of them worked easily side-by-side.
Jacque stood and that was the sign that breakfast was over. “Louis, you and Armand take the early patrols. The rest of us need to get some rest.”
Louis nodded. “Will do.” Louis brushed a hand over Gwen’s head and bumped shoulders with his brother before heading out the door.
Armand kissed Anny goodbye, but it wasn’t a peck on the cheek. It was a kiss filled with passion and promise. Anny’s cheeks were a bright red by the time he let her go. “Stay out of trouble while I’m gone.”
“You wish,” Anny taunted back. She touched her fingers to his cheek and Armand closed his eyes, absorbing her care.
Armand nodded to Jacque and then followed Louis.
Gator jumped up and began gathering dishes. Cherise started ferrying empty platters into the kitchen. “I can take care of those,” Gator told her.
“I don’t mind helping,” Cherise told him.
That summed her up as far as Cole was concerned. Cherise always seemed surprised when anyone wanted to do anything for her. She was obviously used to working hard for everything she had. She expected to have to do everything on her own.
That was going to change. She was pack now.
Jacque slung his arm around his mate’s shoulders. “I’m taking Gwen home. Howl if you need anything.”
“Thanks.” Cole leaned down until his forehead touched Jacque’s. The bonds between the men, between all of them ran deep.
Gwen patted his arm before turning her attention to Cherise. “If you want to talk later, about anything, please just come on over to the house.”
“Thank you.” Cherise’s answer was polite enough, but Cole wondered if she’d actually take Gwen up on her offer. Only time would tell. It would be good for her to make friends with the other women.
It suddenly struck Cole that that was exactly what she was afraid of—making friends, getting close to them. She’d already lost everyone dear to her. The last thing she’d want to do was open herself up to the possibility of more heartache.
Well, she’d just have to get over it.
There was no way he was letting her go. Not without a fight. And if she left, she’d find him right on her sweet tail.
Cole paused and took a deep breath. Yes, for Cherise, he’d leave the pack if he had to.
He watched as Gwen and Jacque waved goodbye to the rest of them, but it was Cherise who kept his attention. She worked quietly and competently, filling the dishwasher and cleaning down the countertops.
Anny stood and stretched. “I think I’m going to head over with Gwen and Jacque. I’m in the mood to bake pies.” She shot Gator a saucy look. “In peace.”
“You know you love me, Anny,” Gator shot back.
Anny snorted and waved as she and Gwen walked out the door with Jacque right behind them. Cole appreciated what Anny was doing, knew she was leaving to give him and Cherise space in which to talk.
Being a werewolf meant living in close quarters. It was essential they respected one another’s privacy. For the first time ever, Cole contemplated the idea of building his own place. Nothing large, just a place he could be alone with Cherise.
It was something they’d have to discuss. But not until they were formally mated. He’d rushed her enough as it was. If he talked about houses and settling down, she’d bolt for sure.
She and Gator worked together easily as they cleaned the kitchen. He freely admitted he liked seeing her in his home, in his kitchen. Call him a throwback, but he couldn’t help it. The only thing that would make the scene perfect was if she wore his mark and carried his child.
A huge lump formed in his throat. His child. Their child. He’d never seriously contemplated having one before. He didn’t care that Cherise couldn’t shift and that whatever offspring they had might inherit the problem. He’d love their child no matter what. And he honestly didn’t believe the problem was genetic in nature. Cherise had mentioned being very ill as a child, which was extremely rare among werewolves. Their basic genetic makeup meant they healed much faster than humans and simply weren’t as susceptible to any illnesses.
A werewolf was more likely to die in a fight than of any disease.
“Done.” Gator hung the dishcloth over the faucet. “I think I’m going to wander outside for a short walk before I turn in.” He slapped Cole on the arm as he passed by him. Then Cole and Cherise were alone in the house.
She fidgeted with a kitchen towel, drying her hands over and over. Cole stood and went to her, captured her hands with his. “We need to talk.”
She sighed and pulled her hands away and hung up the towel. “I don’t see that there’s much to talk about.” She brushed a lock of hair out of her eyes and faced him. “While I’m extremely grateful for everything you’ve done for me, there’s no reason for me to stay here.”
Cole didn’t know whether to kiss her or shake her. Damn, the woman was stubborn. “We slept together.” It came out more as an accusation than a statement of fact.
“Yes, we did.” She started to walk away, but he moved into her path. She wasn’t getting away from him this time. Cherise peered up at him, studying him intently. “Look, I get that you feel the need to protect me. You saved my life.” She swallowed hard. “Killed three men because of me.” Fatigue surrounded her and she seemed to slump a little before squaring her shoulders. “And yes, we had sex. And it was great sex. But that’s all it was. And it was only that one time.”
“Like hell.” Cole crowded her and she moved back until she hit the counter and had nowhere to go. He placed both hands on the cool stone countertops, blocking her in. “It will happen again and again and again.”
He leaned down until their noses were almost touching. “You belong with me, Cherise. The quicker you come to accept that, the better off we’ll both be.”
Cherise wanted to laugh and cry at the same time and knew she was verging on hysteria. But really, what else could she do when faced with a man as relentless, as stubborn as Cole. He seemed determined to keep her with him.
A part of her yearned to be with him, to let herself believe they could truly have many years together. She’d always wanted a family of her own and he was ready to hand one to her on a silver platter.
She still couldn’t quite fathom the fact that Jacque had offered her a place in the pack. He knew everything. They all did. They understood the risk they were taking and still they opened their pack to her.
It was everything she’d ever wanted.
And she couldn’t take it.
T
hese were the best people she’d ever known. Granted, she hadn’t known them long and didn’t know them very well, but they’d shown her such kindness and compassion. She couldn’t bring killers to their door.
If she stopped running, her former pack would find her. It was only a matter of time.
She wished she’d gotten away from here when she’d run, because now that she was back, she wasn’t sure she could find the courage to do it again. Wolves weren’t meant to be alone and she’d been truly alone since her mama’s death.
It would be hard, but she’d do it. She was quickly coming to realize she’d do anything to protect Cole, just as he’d done what it took to protect her.
It was what mates did.
Oh, God. Cole was truly her mate. She’d never expected that to happen to her, never expected to find that soul-deep connection that other wolves seemed to experience. Her wolf was either dead or dormant. The prolonged, high fever she’d had as a child had seemed to kill her wolf. Before that, she’d felt the creature from time to time, even though the wolf hadn’t fully revealed itself to her. That didn’t usually happen until a shifter was in their teens.
She hadn’t felt her wolf in years. Didn’t feel her now. But she knew deep in her heart Cole was her mate. Maybe there was a piece of her wolf left somewhere inside her. After all, she’d had a dream that had brought her here, and there was no way to explain that. It was as though some instinct had led her here to him.
He loomed over her, his big body large and powerful. She really should be afraid of him, but she wasn’t. She knew he’d use every inch of his strength to protect her and cherish her.
It was everything she’d ever wanted, and she couldn’t stay.
But she was here right now, and so was he. Cherise ran her hands up his broad forearms, over his massive biceps to his impossibly wide shoulders.
He narrowed his gaze. “What are you up to, Cherise? We’re not done talking.”
He might not be done, but she was. There was nothing to talk about, not while there was a death hunt on for her. If only there was some way she could get the death sentence lifted. Maybe then she could return here to the pack and to Cole.
And if wishes were horses, beggars would ride. Werewolves weren’t known for easily changing their minds. And killing the weak and the different was as deeply ingrained in them as protecting the pack and keeping all knowledge of their existence from humans. It was how their species had survived since the dawn of time. Life was not as brutal now as it had been in days gone by, but many packs still thought of a werewolf who couldn’t shift as an abomination, more human than pack.
A part of her understood their reasons and their fear. But wasn’t banishment enough? She was no threat to them. She was a woman alone in the world. Why couldn’t they just let her be?
“Cherise.” Cole caught her chin with his thumb and forefinger and raised it until she was looking at him. “What are you thinking?”
She didn’t want to worry about tomorrow or the next day. She didn’t want to imagine what her life would be like when she left here. Living on the run wasn’t easy. Doing it completely on her own would be pure torture.
But she was here now with Cole. Who knew how much time she’d get with him. She had to be smart. She’d tried to run this time before she was one hundred percent. She’d take a day or two, eat and rest and regain her strength. When she was ready, she’d leave.
Until then, she had to cram a lifetime of loving into the hours she had with Cole. Once she left, she’d probably never see him again. She might as well rip out her own heart. But it was what she needed to do in order to protect him and his pack.
His green eyes darkened with worry. She didn’t want his concern. Not now. She knew that when she finally crashed, she’d probably sleep for an entire day. Her body had worked hard to heal the scratches on her face and arms, and she didn’t have the natural resilience that all werewolves had. Fatigue was making her thought process slower and her body heavy. But it was pushed back by something even more primal, more powerful—the need to make love to Cole.
She wanted to feel his big body covering hers once more, to have his thick cock powering in and out of her body, claiming her, owning her. If she had to leave him, she wanted as many memories of him as she could get, ones she could take out when she was alone and replay over and over.
It wasn’t much, but it was all she could have.
Fury welled up inside her, at all she’d been denied in her lifetime, but she shoved it aside. Plenty of time to be angry when she was alone. Her anger would help sustain her in the long, cold days ahead. Right now, Cole was with her and he was so very warm. She wanted to touch and taste him everywhere, commit him totally to memory.
She feathered her fingers over his taut pectoral muscles. They flexed beneath her touch.
“We really should talk.”
Cherise shook her head. “You really should kiss me,” she countered.
“Putting off our discussion won’t change things.”
“I know.” That was the problem. She did know nothing would change, knew his perspective differed from hers. He’d have her stay and face whatever danger came their way. But Cherise knew she couldn’t live with herself if she was the cause of any more deaths. The two people who’d loved her best—her mama and daddy—had both died protecting her. She couldn’t bear it if the same happened to Cole. She’d rather be alone than to risk him.
She went up on her tiptoes and kissed his chin and his cheeks. She stroked her hands down his rock-hard stomach, and he sucked in a breath. The waistband of his jeans pulled slightly away from his body. Cherise took advantage of it and shoved one hand inside. She encountered his hard, hot shaft.
She smiled. He wanted her. There was no hiding the evidence. She ran her thumb over the tip, spreading the moisture she found there over the entire head.
He tilted his head back and groaned. “Fuck, that feels good.”
She removed her hand and popped the button before easing down the zipper. “This will feel even better.”
His cock fell into her waiting hand and she wrapped her fingers around his hard length. He was so hot against her palm, so alive. He smelled good too, a combination of sweat and musk and male tinged with the soap he’d showered with earlier today. She wanted to eat him up, to bring him pleasure for all that he’d given her.
Cherise wanted to forget all her troubles. They weren’t going away, but they had no place between her and Cole. Not here. Not now. This was their time.
She stroked from the base to the tip and back down again. Cole groaned and shoved his cock deeper into her hand. Cherise pushed and he moved back. She reversed their positions so he was the one leaning against the countertop.
She lowered herself to her knees in front of him. His nostrils flared and a muscle twitched beneath his left eye. “You don’t have to do this, ma belle.”
She smiled up at him. “I know.” She squeezed his shaft and slid her hand up and down. “I want to.” She licked her lips and knew he was lost when he threaded his fingers through her hair and pulled her toward him.
Chapter Ten
Cole had never wanted a woman as much as he wanted Cherise. It took all his self-discipline not to pluck her off the floor, strip her naked and lay her across the counter so he could lick and suck every inch of her lovely body before he fucked her.
He knew she was trying to distract him from their conversation, and she was doing a hell of a job. Talking was overrated anyway. Better to show her what things could be like between them. He didn’t fear she’d get away from him now, not with all of the male wolves on alert. Oh, she’d run if she got the chance. But he simply wasn’t going to give her the opportunity.
Kneeling at his feet, she was a fantasy come to life. She licked her lips and squeezed his cock before bringing her mouth closer. Her warm breath fanned over the head of his dick. He’d believed he was as hard as he could get. He was wrong.
“Fuck.” He sucked in a breath as s
he closed her sweet lips around the tip of his shaft. Her clever tongue traced the ridge at the base of the head. Cole thought his brain might explode with the sheer pleasure of it. He flexed his hips. “More.” His voice was guttural, more growl than words.
She peered up at him with her mysterious gray eyes, and the corners of her mouth tilted upward. Thick, black lashes fell, hiding her eyes from his gaze. She slid her mouth lower, taking him deep.
Inside him, his wolf howled. Cole wanted to do the same but managed not to. A howl would bring the rest of the wolves running. And wouldn’t that be fun. Not.
No way did he want anything to interrupt them.
He tightened his grip on her silky locks and urged her to look up at him. “Bedroom.” Talking in complete sentences was beyond him.
She shook her head and sucked his cock harder. Cole thought he saw stars when her tongue stroked his shaft, tracing the long, thick vein that ran the entire length. He leaned against the counter for support, spread his legs and braced himself.
Cherise shoved his pants down to his hips and cupped his heavy sac in her hands. He groaned when she massaged his balls, her touch firm and sure.
Every muscle in his body was taut with anticipation. “I’m coming,” he warned, wanting to give her enough time to pull back if this wasn’t what she wanted.
She sucked even harder. Cole wanted to make it last, wanted to enjoy every last second of the sensual attention she was gifting him with, but he couldn’t hold out. This wasn’t just any woman pleasuring him. This was the woman. His woman.
Women had gone down on him in the past, but no blowjob had ever felt quite like this one. His balls tightened and he felt a familiar tingling at the base of his cock.
He bucked his hips. Felt himself coming. He shouted her name when he found release. And he almost lost his mind when she continued to suck and swallow, drawing out his pleasure.
Cherise had never experienced anything quite like this before. She’d given blowjobs a time or two before for other men she’d dated. Human men. But Cole was werewolf. He was bigger and stronger than any other man she’d ever met.
Wolf on the Run: Salvation Pack, Book 3 Page 10