by Ryan Michele
“Yes, just snug.” Wiggling my hips and planting my legs a little wider, I find a comfortable place and relax, the pain ebbing.
“You were made for me. I’ll fit anywhere in your body.” His body lies on top of mine, the weight pressing me into the mattress, his heat burning me. “And I’ll be in every single hole. A lot.” More wetness seeps and my wolf whines, wanting more but still wanting to play too.
“You keep telling yourself that.” I buck my hips, not really wanting to dislodge him, but feeling the urge to do so. I blame it on my wolf.
He takes a handful of my hair and pulls so hard that I have to move my head back with it. We’re practically standing, but the pain is gone. This is different. This feeling is different. I reach behind me, trying clawing at his body, but it’s no use.
“You’re going to be fun.” He sucks on the curve of my neck and some of the fight leaves me. His touch is nothing like I’ve ever felt. I never completely understood the bond and I’m getting a front row seat. I’m loving every damn second of it.
He pushes me back down and thrusts hard. I groan. It starts. He thrusts his dick in and out of me in rapid succession, building me up quickly. Everything in my body that I thought was dead and gone springs back to life as the build gets stronger and stronger. “Come on my cock.”
He pumps harder and my clit begins to pulse. I let loose and scream, “Xavier.” I lose all sense of fighting and allow myself to enjoy the rolling tumbles as they hit me hard and ferocious. It’s miraculous, my world tilting with pleasure and desire. His grunts only make me want him more.
I scream out another release and his motions become more intense. With his hands on my hips, he tilts them a bit more, sliding even deeper inside of me. “You’re coming once more, but this time I’m biting,” he warns. “You’ll take my mark.”
Yes, I’ll take it. I want it. I need it. My wolf howls for it. His hand sifts through my hair again and he pulls me up, still thrusting up into my body, but tilting my head. His tongue licks my collarbone and he sinks his teeth deep into my flesh. I scream, releasing myself to him, giving him all I can give—me. Searing hot warmth travels up my legs, through my core, into my chest, down my arms, and to my head. I start shaking, not from the orgasm, but from something else. What’s going on?
My body convulses and I feel him. I feel Xavier in every part of my body. I feel him in every cell. The strings that were tying us together become unbreakable chains linking us forever. I need to bite him. Now. The urge is so strong.
“I need it. My wolf needs it.” My words are in a pant, but this will solidify everything. This will be the ultimate unbreakable connection and my body is shaking to do it.
“I need it too,” he groans, pulling out only to flip me over and spread my knees wide. He enters me and the build is fast, very fast. “I’m coming.” He leans down, biting the same spot he did moments ago and setting off my climax. I bare my teeth and sink them into the curve of his neck, sucking in his metallic tasting blood with vigor.
The fire inside of me radiates to my stomach, but I don’t release him and neither does he. My body jerks as does his. We release just as the same flash of light that came into the living room sprawls through the room. The wind shakes and breaks everything that isn’t nailed down, but the light doesn’t push Xavier away like it did Stella. He’s still very much attached to me.
What the hell is this?
I close my eyes and reopen them. The wind stills, and the light dissipates into sparks of fireworks above our head. “Always knew fucking my mate for the first time would be explosive, babe, but this shit is off the hook.”
I burst out laughing. I shouldn’t be. It is totally an inappropriate time, but come on. It’s funny.
“Babe,” he warns in a low tone.
“Sorry.” I regain control of myself. My sated wolf lies on her side, breathing heavy. “What was that?”
He pulls out and it doesn’t hurt like I thought it would. He tumbles to the bed and lies next to me. “No fucking clue, but gotta figure it out.”
“Sorry about the room,” I whisper, rolling to my side to face him.
“I’m sure as fuck not. That fucking blew my mind.” His eyes meet mine as he pulls me close. “Never had better.” I bite my lip, holding back a smile. Happy. At this moment, I am truly happy. Something I never thought I would be again. Sure I have no idea what my life will be like or the expectations I’ll have, but overall, I’m happy.
“Gonna fuck you again, then you try your Nana.”
“Again?” Normally wolves are very quick to get their erection back, but this has only been like a minute.
“Yep.” And he does just that.
“SHE’S NOT ANSWERING and I can’t read her.” This is so damn frustrating. I’ve called her phone four times and repeatedly tried to connect with her. Nothing. Nana has to have heard of me leaving. If she knows I’m gone, why is she not answering me?
“We’ll figure it out.” Xavier presses his nose and lips to my cheek and temple, caressing me softly. I love that he continuously marks me. We’ve been sitting in his office for the past thirty minutes, me trying to contact Nana and him talking to his guys. “Have you tried all the members of your old pack?” The word old does not go unnoticed.
“I can’t hear a damn thing. It’s radio silence.” I mean what did I expect? Of course my father would threaten anyone who hadn’t blocked me from finding out any information.
“We’ll figure it out.” Rose brought in food for me a bit ago and I was surprised that I was able to eat it. And it was good. It didn’t churn my stomach and even an hour later, it is still staying down. I’m really thrilled. I was afraid that my appetite would never come back. Not that I cared before, but I do now.
Xavier called the Council a little bit ago and set up a challenge three days from today. Three days. He could be dead in three days. Or I could be. That thought is just too painful to bear. I need to enjoy these days as much as I can, because I was not bluffing. I will kill myself before I go back to my father. There is absolutely no way in hell I could survive that again. Not after feeling this freedom, never again.
“Maybe I can call her friend Maggie. Maybe she’ll answer her phone.” I dial the number and listen to it ring.
“Hello,” a small voice from the other end flows.
“Maggie. It’s Zara. I need to talk to Nana O.” Silence. “Maggie?”
“He will kill her,” she whispers.
“Can you tell Nana O that it’s a matter of life or death?” She doesn’t wait for any more and the phone disconnects.
“Well, that went well,” I muse, knowing that Maggie isn’t lying. If Nana was killed because of me, I don’t think I could live with that.
“We have one more shot. Our pack has a set of the Oracles, the books telling of wolves’ history down in the basement,” Xavier says and I tilt my head to the side.
“Oracles?”
“Let me guess. You were never told of them.” I shake my head. “The books tell everything. Maybe we can get some help there. I’ll have Stella work on it.” He picks up his cell, dials, and holds it up to his ear. “Stella, my office, now.”
Rude. “You know you are very rude.”
His brow quirks. “So, what if I am?”
Ugh, men. “You know people will still respect you even if you give them a please and thank you sometimes.”
He chuckles and it is so damn sexy resonating from his throat. My body craves him again and his eyes lock on mine. “I’d fuck the hell out of you right here on this desk if we had time.” He nuzzles me again. “We’ll get to that very soon.”
I’m not sure where the boldness with him is coming from, but he seems to like it and I do too.
Three loud knocks come from the door.
‘I hope he’s not pissed at me,’ Stella thinks from the other side of the door.
“She thinks you’re pissed at her. Think maybe you can reassure her that you’re not?” I suggest hopefully.
/> “Probably not. Come in.” Stella opens the door, stepping through with trepidation all over her face. It reminds me a lot of how I looked at my father when I first got out of the cage and I hated those feelings.
Stella sits in the padded chair in front of the desk, her eyes moving back and forth between Xavier and myself as I sit on his lap. He insisted when we got to his office that I plant my ass in his lap and I haven’t moved since. I wonder if she can smell us. I can’t resist. “Can you smell it?”
Her eyes focus on mine and she sucks in deep. “I don’t smell the other male anymore.” My insides leap. “But all I smell now is two horny wolves.” Xavier squeezes his arm around my waist and I look over to him.
“You don’t smell Ian anymore?” I ask cautiously, feeling the band around me tighten at the question. No doubt he doesn’t like his name on my lips.
“If that was the other male, then no. I do not smell him. But I don’t smell a bond between the two of you either.” This just keeps getting more messed up.
Damn,’ Xavier thinks and my heart aches for him. Why is all of this happening? Why? Xavier nuzzles the side of my neck and breathes me in deep.
‘They sure act like mates,’ Stella thinks from the chair, a small smile gracing her lips. I really like her. Too bad I threw her into a wall. I mean, how do I work that one out? Hmm…sorry I threw you into the wall, but can we be friends. Um…awkward.
“Stella, I need you to go down to the vault. Thor will let you in and get you the Oracles,” Xavier throws in, dismissing the conversation about our smells. I’m part thankful, part not. I feel the need to dwell on it a bit more.
Stella gasps. ‘He wants me to touch the books?’ Panic mirrors her thoughts, but she stays silent.
“I want you to read through them very carefully to see if it says anything about…light coming out of a wolf.”
“How about the wind and the fact that I could have hurt Stella.” I turn to her. “Sorry about that.”
“You’ve already apologized, Alpha Zara. It is forgiven.” I freeze at Stella’s words. Alpha Zara? Huh? The women think that I’m alpha now? Holy shit.
‘We will discuss this later.’ Xavier’s voice pops in my head and I answer, wondering if he will hear me.
‘Am I going to have to fight off all of the women here that challenge me?’ That would seriously suck considering my wolf hasn’t been out to practice in a very long time. I’ll need some training and quick.
Long beats pass. ‘I can hear you.’ I jump and turn to him, wide-eyed. ‘There may be one or two that will challenge you for it, but we have time.’ Wow, he can hear me! How freaking cool is that? Me being able to hear people started out as a terrible curse, but having Xavier hear me is totally freaking awesome.
‘Good. I need practice and training. I haven’t fought or even play-fought in a really long time.’
He gives me a squeeze. ‘I’ll get you there.’
Even though he is rough, demanding, and doesn’t know how to say please and thank you, I could really grow to love this guy. Unfortunately, with the bonding and mating links, love doesn’t come with it. My mom once told me that it took her a few months before love fell into place, and then everything was perfect. How she could still love that monster, I’ll never know. While I know the mating link is unbreakable and mates more than likely cannot live without each other, it’s the love that I don’t get. She’s still so devoted to him. Maybe it’s the link in play. I’ll never know, because I’ll never ask. Never.
‘Are they talking to each other?’ Stella’s question pulls my attention back to her. Sucks she can’t smell us, but maybe if she and the others see us interact they will get it.
“Stella, read them thoroughly and take notes. I haven’t read them since I was a kid and while I remember some, others I do not. I need you to be my eyes while I do other things.”
“Absolutely, Alpha X, I will get right on it.”
“Alpha X?” I question Stella. I haven’t heard anyone here call him this. True, I haven’t been around everyone much and it didn’t go so good the first time.
“Alpha Xavier was long so we shortened it.” She shrugs. “And he doesn’t mind it.”
“Understood, Stella,” Xavier dismisses her, ending our chat. I nudge him with my elbow. ‘Seriously,’ he barks in my head.
‘Yes!’
He lets out a deep sigh. “Thank you, Stella.”
She gasps and holds her chest. At first, I think she’s having a heart attack, but her breathing is steady. “You’re welcome.” The words come out as if they are foreign to her. I smile and give Xavier a small nudge.
Stella rises from the chair and leaves the room—half in awe, half freaked the hell out.
“That was nice of you. She really appreciated that.” I try to praise Xavier.
He pulls my lips to his, kissing me deep and hard. He releases way too quickly for my liking. “Don’t try to change me, mate. I am who I am.”
“I don’t want to change you. I just don’t want your pack to ever fear you. I’ve lived that.” The last few words came out quiet as the pain of what that felt like sucks me in. I shake my head, pulling myself away from it.
His thumb caresses my cheek in a touch so gentle that tears prickle the backs of my eyes. “I never want you to feel fear here. This is your home. You’re safe here.” A tear escapes and I bat it away quickly, not wanting to be a wuss.
Xavier kisses me. This time it’s in a tender and loving way, his lips caress and care for mine. I fall into him, turn, and straddle him in the chair, feeling his hard erection pressing against my heat. Fire burns and all I care about is fucking him. ‘Need you,’ I think.
“Take off your pants,” he orders, lifting me to my feet. I make quick work of the task as he opens his fly and his dick springs free. Heavens, he is so unbelievably long, hard, and thick. And mine. I climb back onto the chair and straddle him, his cock poised at my entrance, and lower myself hard onto his shaft, screaming out as I do.
I ride him hard, moving up and down and grinding my hips. I set off again and again, cries falling from my mouth. His fingers dig into my hips, guiding my movements. After a few more strokes, he is squirting his seed inside of me, hot and sexy as hell.
I wrap my arms around his neck and fall into him, sweat glistening on my forehead. Our ragged breathing is in tune with one another as we start to fall down from the high.
“That’s enough today. It’s been a shit day,” Xavier says. “Let me take you back to our room so I can fuck you all night, and we can get some sleep in there somewhere.” I smile, nodding my head. I’d love nothing better.
LYING ON XAVIER’S chest, I enjoy the rise and fall of his breathing as it lulls me to a very happy place. A place where there is no hurt, no pain, just peace and happiness. I want to be in that space forever. I never imagined I’d find it and in the course of twenty-four hours, my entire life has been uprooted and changed. For the better. No, scratch that, for the best.
This right here, this is what I envisioned my life being. The warmth that fills me is nothing I’ve ever experienced before and I have to say, I love it.
“I’m glad you love it, babe, get used to it.” His chest rumbles with his words and I run my fingers through the small amount of black hair on his chest, smiling.
“It’s going to be an adjustment for me.” That is the understatement of the year.
“Zara.” He moves down the bed and lies on his side. Our eyes lock, intensity pouring out of his. “I know this is an adjustment. But this is serious shit here. I need you to listen.”
I suck in a deep breath. Nothing is ever good when it’s serious. “Okay,” I say softly, hoping whatever words come out of his mouth won’t crush me.
“You have to be strong. You can’t let any of the females think you are weak. Yes, you’ve been dealt some serious shit. Yes, you deserve time to deal with that shit and find your path. Babe, you do that shit here, in bed with me. You do not do that shit out there with them. Eve
n the males.”
I blow out deep. He’s right, so right. If the any of the pack see me as weak, all they have to do is challenge me. Shit.
“I’ve seen your spark, Zara. When you’re pissed off, I see it in your eyes. You need to tap into that. You may be feeling totally different on the inside, and we will deal with that shit just you and me, but on the outside, you are strong, sure, and you know your shit.”
I suck in all of his words like a sponge knowing he’s right. Knowing that any sign of weakness is bad. Weakness could get me killed.
“I’ll try.”
His hand cups my chin and fire breathes from his eyes. “You try damn hard, Zara. You pull from whatever strength that got you through all that time locked up. You tap into that because, baby, that shit made you stronger than you think.” Did it? I never thought of it like that. Hell, never thought I’d be here thinking about this scenario.
All I can do is nod.
“I know this shit is a lot to take in, but you’re going to see the rest of the pack tomorrow and you gotta get your shit together before we do. Got me?” Do I got him. That’s the question of the year right there. I do. I got him more than he thinks.
“I’ll take care of it.” My chest draws tight, my stomach clenching. I’ve gotta do this shit. I have no choice. And then I smile, I can really be myself here. I can be the me that I was meant to be, even though the load I carry with me is rough, I can do this. I can. I will.
“I know you will. Get some sleep, Zara.” He pulls my head back to his chest, wrapping his arm around me.
“Yeah, Xavier. Night.” I find sleep difficult because my mind plays out tons of different scenarios, trying to figure out how I’ll handle the next day. Some scare the shit out of me, while others bring a smile to my face. Xavier is right. A weaker female would have given in that first week, hell the first day. I am stronger than I thought. I fall asleep with that dancing in my head.
MY TITS LAY PRESSED against Xavier’s hardwood desk, my hips up, and legs spread wide. Xavier thrusts into my body as I moan, clamping my hands onto the desk to ground me to the earth. He grunts out his release and collapses half on me, half on the desk, panting from his workout.