by Tonya Brooks
Dane lifted her up and Shana wrapped herself around him. He carried her into the bathroom, backed her against the shower wall and turned the water on. "Look at me," he commanded and his mate responded to the guttural tone. Eyes glazed with passion met his. "You are mine. And I am yours."
"Yes," she breathed and speared her fingers through his hair, her nails biting into his scalp as she gripped his head and pulled his mouth down to hers.
His cock thrust deep into her heated depths, claiming her body as fiercely and completely as she had claimed his soul. Hearts pounded in unison, lungs labored for breath, their need for each other was as wild and untamed as the wind. When her body strung as tight as a bow and she cried his name, Dane followed his mate into orgasmic bliss.
They remained locked in an embrace, each loathe to end the moment. Puffy whorls of steam cascaded through the room when he finally stood her on her feet and bathed every inch of her body with meticulous care. Shana watched him through slumberous eyes, a sated smile on her swollen lips. The look of a woman well loved by her mate.
Both man and wolf were pleased.
***
Shana could not recall ever being this content. Well, at least not since the last time she had been with her wolf shifter. He was going to spoil her rotten if he kept doing things like this. "I took a shower before the opening," she informed him in a lazy tone. "But this one is infinitely better."
"You reeked of him," he said in a low growl, the hurt evident in his voice.
That would not do. After the pain she'd felt at seeing him with another woman, she had no desire for him to suffer one pang of jealousy. She gently cupped his face in her hands and said seriously, "He's still my friend, Dane. A friend that I would very much like you to meet."
Those intense golden eyes held a hint of a glow as they stared into hers as if he were trying to see into her soul. "We should hold off on that until after we're mated," he admitted. "My wolf would be better behaved."
"Is that a polite way of saying he wouldn't try to rip Lawrence to shreds?" She teased.
"Pretty much," he agreed and she realized he wasn't kidding.
Shana slid her hands up arms corded with muscle and across his broad shoulders before she rose on tiptoe to lock her hands behind his neck. "The big bad wolf doesn't scare me," she imparted with a devilish smile.
"You will never have a reason to fear my wolf," he assured her as he turned the water off and reached for a towel. "And if you did it would destroy him."
"Why?" She asked in confusion.
Those golden eyes glowed with emotion when he replied, "Because you're our everything."
The breath caught in her throat and her heart overflowed with love for this wonderful man. "I'm sorry I doubted you," Shana admitted regretfully as he dried her body. "I was convinced that you weren't the kind of man who'd do something like that, but when I saw you with her… I believed the worst."
"So did I," he admitted and gently worked the water out of her hair with the towel. "The problem is that we don't really know each other yet and spending time apart is not going to change that."
"I know and I'm sorry for that, too," she confessed. "I was miserable without you."
Dane smiled as if that had pleased him before he placed a tender kiss on her lips. "So was I," he confirmed. "Which is why I'm taking you to pack lands in the morning. I want you to know everything about me and that’s the best place to start."
"I can hardly wait," she agreed happily.
CHAPTER SIX
Friday one week later
It had been the most amazing week of her life. Shana was so happy that she practically walked on air. She'd always known that special someone had been missing but she'd had no idea how wonderful her life could be when she found him. Now that she did, she couldn't imagine her life without Dane in it.
They had spent the weekend on pack lands and she'd discovered what it meant to be a beta. Members of the pack had come to him with issues and he'd settled them with calm, practical solutions without having to involve the alpha. It was obvious that he was loved and respected among his pack mates.
The envious looks she received from a few of the female shifters made her wish she hadn't asked him not to introduce her as his mate yet. Although his possessive manner, narrow-eyed glare, and warning growl whenever an unmated male got too close to her might have said more than a public announcement anyway.
Both in human and wolf form, Dane had romped and played with the pack children who all seemed to adore him. She'd teased him afterward and he'd told her that he'd like to have a half dozen cubs of his own to spoil. Shana had laughingly informed him that they would have to have some serious negotiations about that.
Monday night she introduced him to Cindy. The pair had hit it off and her irrepressible friend had warned him that she'd skin him alive if he hurt Shana. That protective comment had instantly endeared her to the shifter. Dane assured her that both he and his wolf appreciated the sentiment even if it wasn't needed.
Tuesday he'd introduced her to his brother, the freaking Supreme Alpha wolf shifter of the US, and his wife. Reece Lassiter looked as fierce and intimidating as his title implied until his intense turquoise eyes were directed at his wife. Then the look of absolute adoration that shown on his handsome face revealed just how deeply he loved his mate.
Jolie and Shana had laughed over the mistaken identity at the art show, but her husband had not found it amusing that anyone had thought his mate belonged to another man. He'd even given his younger brother the evil eye and threatened to kick his ass if it happened again. His wife had lightly smacked his head and told him to behave.
Oddly enough, he did.
Jolie mentioned that she loved Cindy's paintings and was disappointed that she hadn't had time to view them. Shana was happy to arrange a private viewing with her friend which thrilled both Jolie and Cindy. All in all, it was a lovely evening and she had enjoyed meeting his family and discovered that his brother really wasn't that intimidating after all.
Aside from work, she and Dane spent every possible moment together, talking about anything and everything. She told him about her father's penchant for infidelity that had led to her mother drinking herself to death. In turn, he shared details about his tragic childhood and happier times after the alpha had adopted him.
No subject was taboo and he now knew more about her than anyone alive.
Dane continued to spoil her. He had a basket of blueberries and a carafe of gourmet coffee delivered to her office every morning. They either met for lunch or he brought take out to her if she was too busy to leave. After work, they had dinner out or ordered something from room service if she was tired.
He was still staying in the hotel suite and had actually put his penthouse on the market. When she'd asked him why, his response had melted her heart all over again. Because the suite was permeated with her scent and that made it feel like home to him whereas the penthouse still held the scent of his ex-wife and had never felt like a home.
Friday morning Dane reluctantly flew to California on pack business in his brother's stead since Jolie was so near her due date and Reece refused to leave her. When Shana arrived at her office, the berries and coffee were waiting and lunch was delivered from her favorite restaurant. He was still taking care of her from the other side of the continent.
She knew that she couldn't have loved him more and when he got back she was going to tell him that she wanted to be his mate. Unfortunately, she received devastating news that afternoon that would shatter her dreams of happily ever after. Shana went home and cried out her heartbreak to her two best friends.
Nothing they did or said could give her any solace. In light of what she had learned, she had no choice but to walk away from Dane. It was the right thing to do. The only decent thing she could do. The problem was that she knew she'd never have the strength to do it. Which meant she had to force him to stay away from her.
And she knew exactly how to accomplish it.
/> ***
Dane was exhausted and as irritable as his wolf. He'd been separated from his mate for two days over absolute bullshit. Two packs were threatening to go to war because one alpha's son had mated with the other alpha's daughter without their permission. His brother would have smashed the stubborn alpha's heads together and told them to fight it out.
His approach was more tactful.
After speaking to all the parties involved separately, Dane gathered them together and informed them of their good fortune. As the heirs to their respective alpha's, the young couple's marriage would serve to combine both packs into one making it one of the largest and most powerful in the country.
The father's had liked the sound of that although they had both expressed doubts that their rebellious offspring should be given control of their packs. That had prompted Dane to congratulate both men on raising their heirs to be strong enough to stand up for what they believed in even if it meant going against their alphas to do it.
And he may have mentioned that the pair would surely produce cubs to be reckoned with. That had sealed the deal. The formerly furious alphas had insisted on having a mating ceremony the next night and requested that Dane honor them by officiating. Given that he'd backed himself into the corner, he had reluctantly agreed.
After the ceremony and the celebratory dinner came the traditional hunt which his wolf had enjoyed. Rabbits were exceedingly tasty, after all. It had been after midnight when he'd boarded his brother's private jet and headed for home. He'd been severely disappointed to discover that Shana had opted to spend the night in her condo.
Exhausted and disgruntled, he stripped off his clothes, climbed into his empty bed and buried his face in her pillow. A tired smile curved his lips as he drifted off to sleep, his mate's scent wrapping him in a blanket of peace.
Several hours later, he woke to the sound of his phone pinging that he had received a text. Fully expecting to see a message from Shana, he got the shock of his life. The image showed a picture of a wedding invitation for his mate and the asshat that had cheated on her. Why the hell would anyone send him that?
He didn't recognize the number it came from, but the message beneath it sounded a hell of a lot like something Cindy De Suza would say. Do something to stop this or I'll skin your furry ass and mount your hide on the wall! It had to be from Cindy but it made no sense. Shana wasn't marrying the other man.
She was his mate.
She'd never betray him like this.
A call to her phone went straight to voicemail, as did the second call. Frustrated, he called the mystery texter and got Cindy's voicemail. Opening the text again, he saw that the wedding had been planned for today and it was supposed to take place in fifteen minutes. If this was a joke he was going to wring her neck.
But if it wasn't…
A howl of fury ripped from his chest as he leaped from the bed, snatched on his clothes and raced out the door.
***
Lawrence had confessed on Friday that he hadn't canceled any of the wedding plans as he'd promised. He'd been afraid that his mate would find out and know that he'd been bluffing. He had planned to show up at the church, explain to the guests that the wedding had been called off and invite everyone to the reception to thank them for coming.
He'd also admitted that he was footing the bill for the entire thing as a peace offering.
Instead of chewing him out, Shana had suggested they go ahead and get married as planned. Cindy had a fit and Lawrence had tried to dissuade her, but her mind was made up. Her former fiancé had told her the only way he'd be able to stay away from his mate was if he married her and the same held true for Shana.
Marrying Lawrence was her only recourse.
And his as well.
So there they stood, in front of a congregation packed full of friends and family who'd come to celebrate their joyous union. Except the bride and groom were both miserable even though they did their best to hide it. Cindy wasn't even trying to hide her disgust as the scowl on her face attested.
"If anyone has any reason why the bride and groom should not be wed, speak now or forever hold your peace," the minister intoned solemnly.
Shana held her breath, some tiny part of her hoping against hope that the impossible would happen. That Dane would come storming in and demand the ceremony be stopped. That her wolf in shining armor would carry her off and they would live happily ever after. But even if he did, she still couldn't be the mate that he needed.
"Stop," a masculine voice rang out pleadingly through the tomb-like atmosphere. "Please stop." Every head turned and shocked gasps echoed through the sanctuary. A man seated near the back rose to his feet, big, blonde and broken-hearted. "Don't do this to me. To us. You're my mate and I love you."
A sob of pure happiness threatened to choke Shana. Tears welled in her eyes and she squeezed Lawrence's cold, clammy hand. His dazed eyes met hers and she gave him a brilliant smile. "Mates belong together," she said softly.
"She's right," the wolf shifter confirmed as he walked down the aisle toward them. "We do belong together. And this time, I'm never letting you go."
"Bratcher," Lawrence breathed brokenly as he was engulfed in an embrace.
More shocked gasps filled the room.
Shana bounced up and down happily and cheered, "Yes!"
Cindy threw the bouquet in the air and shouted, "Jesus be praised! Thank you, thank you, thank you!"
"What the hell is going on?" Shana's father thundered from the front pew as the mates turned to face the grinning bride wearing ridiculously happy expressions.
***
Dane flung the double doors open with a bang and entered the church as wild and untamed as the wolf inside of him. The sight of his mate in the process of marrying another man pushed him past all reason. He was functioning on primal instinct alone as he stalked down the aisle toward Shana.
The shocked gasps and exclamations from the congregation, barely registered as she stared back at him in wide-eyed disbelief. What did register was the wolf shifter at the altar stepping protectively in front of the groom. He snarled and flashed fang at the other shifter in warning and scooped his mate into his arms.
"This woman is mine," the guttural roar resonated through the cavernous room. That said, he stalked back outside and headed straight for the limo parked in front of the church. Dane placed her gently into the back, threw a wad of Benjamin's to the driver and climbed in behind the wheel.
"Dane, unlock the damn door," Shana demanded from the back seat as she yanked on the door handle. "Let me out!"
"You are my mate," he growled, the sound more animal than human. Having her with him appeased his wolf somewhat, but the pain and anguish at her betrayal fed the compulsion to maim and destroy in both man and beast.
"I'm not a possession," she accused angrily. "You can't just kidnap me like this."
"Watch me," he said with a smile that bordered on feral and closed the window that separated them. Yeah, he could still hear her pleading with him to take her back but there was no way in hell that was happening. He was keeping her with him until she admitted the truth, that they belonged together.
Because he just couldn't live without her.
Throughout the long drive, his phone kept vibrating with an angry insistence that assured him the caller was his brother. Knowing that Reece wouldn't stop calling until he answered, he snatched it out of his pocket and snarled, "What?"
"What the fuck have you done?" His brother snarled right back. "Jesus, Dane, I've got the district attorney, the mayor and the governor calling me demanding your head on a platter."
"Let 'em try to take it," he bit out as he parked the car and got out.
"You kidnapped a woman in front of hundreds of witnesses," was roared into his ear.
"I claimed what's mine," he growled and crushed the phone, dropping the pieces at his feet.
"You've lost your mind," Shana said in disbelief when he opened her door.
"No. I
found my backbone," he countered and scooped her into his arms.
***
Reece tried to call his brother back and when he got an out of service message he knew the idiot had broken the phone. Son of a bitch! He put his fist through a wall to vent his fury. Of all the times for his brother to grow a set, why did it have to be like this? He was almost as proud as he was pissed.
"Reece, punching the walls won't help," his mate said gently as she slid her arms around him from behind.
He turned and held her as close as her baby bump would allow. "He's losing it, sunshine."
He was so not in the mood to deal with this right now. Not while his wife was pregnant and did not need anything to upset her. She'd almost died when she went into premature labor with their first born so you're damn right he was being overly protective of her. His mate and cubs were his whole world.
"Okay, stop and think this through," Jolie encouraged. "You know Dane better than anyone. Where would he take her?"
That was easy. Dane would want to isolate himself with his mate until he could win her over. "The cabin." It was on pack land, protected from the outside world and remote enough that he wouldn't encounter pack members. He grabbed his phone and called the head of his pack's security team. "Garret, we have a problem."
"No shit, dude," the shifter confirmed. "Dane blew in a few minutes ago with a woman. She's scared, Alpha. We tracked the scent of her fear to his cabin."
Awesome. At least he knew where they were. "Get close enough that he's aware of your presence, but stay far enough away not to present a threat," he commanded. "Dane's in a mating frenzy." Which meant that his wolf would perceive any unmated male that came near his mate as a threat and attack without provocation.
"Oh, he knows we're here," his pack mate assured him. "He's emitting some heavy duty mojo because of it."
"What kind of mojo?" Reece demanded.
"Alpha power," the other man explained solemnly. "I can feel it from a hundred yards out."