“Thank you for finally apologizing.” It was tempting to let the matter drop since my entire body yearned for Luke, but too much damage had been done to let it all go so easily.
“Please, Adley. Tell me what I can do to make up for all of the crap I said,” she pleaded.
She sounded sincere, but I still had lots of doubts about her ability to accept me into her family after everything she had said. My gaze darted to Luke, and my heart raced when I saw the same need in his eyes as I was feeling. I couldn’t tear my gaze away from him as I said, “There’s something I need to know.”
“Anything,” he rasped.
“My question is for your sister.” I took a step forward as I asked, “Why?”
Heather didn’t try to pretend not to understand what I needed her to explain, and I respected her for not playing dumb to try to get out of answering. “Ever since I was little and a member of our pack saved my life, I had a crush on him. Then about a year and a half ago, he found his fated mate. She was human and cared about money more than love, so she rejected him. Not only were my dreams about us crushed a mere week before I turned eighteen, but then he left the pack to roam as a lone wolf.”
“Oh,” I gasped, pressing my fingers to my mouth as I thought about how difficult that must have been. Shifters normally didn’t sense who their fated mate was until they came of age—although there were some exceptions, especially with more dominant shifters. It had to have been a huge blow for Heather to have spent her childhood hoping for a specific mate only to have everything go horribly wrong so close to when she thought her dreams were going to come true.
My mom shook her head and sighed, “That’s so sad.”
“As tough as the situation was for my sister, it’s no excuse for the bad decisions she’s made since then,” Luke grumbled, earning himself an approving nod from my dad.
“True,” my mom conceded with a sigh. “But a young girl’s heart can be such a fragile thing.”
Being only a little older than Heather, I couldn’t disagree. But her story raised another possible issue. “Do other members in your pack feel the same way about humans after what happened?”
“Gosh, no,” Heather denied, shaking her head. “That’s how I ended up in so much trouble. Our beta mated a human, and then our alpha discovered her best friend was his mate. I wasn’t thinking clearly and really messed up by trying to stir up trouble in the pack by questioning how well Kace could lead the pack with a human mate at his side.”
This time, my mom and dad gasped with me. My dad was the first to recover from his shock. “You interfered with your alpha’s mating and only received a temporary exile from your pack?”
“Yes,” Luke confirmed, glaring at Heather. “And it’s only been this long because she didn’t pull her head out of her ass until now.”
“You were given a second chance, girl. Stop messing it up,” my dad advised.
Heather pressed her hand over her heart and promised, “I swear I’ve learned my lesson. Seeing how wrecked Luke was when Adley ran out was the wakeup call I needed. No more interfering in other people’s relationships.”
“And?” my mom prompted, quirking a brow.
Heather quickly caught on to what else she needed to say. “And no more being mean to people who don’t deserve it.”
“Especially those who are way more understanding than you had any right to expect,” Luke muttered.
It felt amazing to hear my fated mate stick up for me. My heart felt as though it was in my throat as I stared at him and whispered, “Luke.”
He took a couple of steps forward but didn’t get far.
“Not so fast, son.” My dad pressed his hand against Luke’s chest. “Can I trust you with my daughter?”
“Yes, absolutely,” Luke vowed, sincerity shining from his dark eyes. “Nobody will ever hurt Adley. Not on my watch.”
“Good answer.” My dad dropped his arms and stepped back.
Luke reached for me and asked, “Will you come with me, Adley?”
I put my hand in his as I gave him the answer that bubbled you from the depths of my soul. “Yes.”
10
Luke
I couldn’t get Adley back to my hotel room fast enough. Once the door was shut behind us, I flipped the lock and the deadbolt. I was tempted to shove the table and chairs in front of it, but I figured that might be taking things a little too far, even if she had run from me earlier. Adley must have caught on to my fears because she came up behind me and wrapped her arms around my body, pressing her cheek against my back. “I’m sorry I left before. I shouldn’t have done that.”
I turned and pulled her against my chest, running my palm up and down her spine. “It’s okay, baby. I don’t blame you for having doubts when you found out Heather was my sister. I’m just sorry she put you through all of that.”
“It’s not your fault. Not even a little bit.” Adley leaned her head back to stare up at me. “And I feel a lot better about what happened now that Heather has apologized and explained where she was coming from.”
“How in the hell did I get so lucky?” I whispered, blown away by my mate’s gentle spirit. I would gladly spend the rest of my days protecting her from anyone who would try to take advantage of her kindness.
“I don’t know.” She grinned up at me. “But I think we’ve tempted fate enough already today. We probably shouldn’t wait too much longer for you to fully claim me, or we might push our luck too far.”
“You won’t get any arguments from me.” I tossed her over my shoulder and strode to the bed. I wasn’t ready to let her go, so I sat on the edge of the mattress with her on my lap as I started to help my beautiful mate out of her clothes. With her help, it didn’t take long for both of us to get naked.
Flipping her onto her back, I dropped to my knees and yanked her ass to the edge of the bed. Determined to make her come before I sank my cock inside her tight pussy again, I spread her legs wide and started kissing my way up the inside of her thigh. When I got to the crease of her upper thigh, she threaded her fingers through my hair and lifted her hips off the bed. “Please.”
Gripping her hips, I licked around her pussy and chuckled. “Don’t worry, baby. I’ll give you exactly what you need.”
I finally ended my torture and flicked my tongue over her clit before making my way to her center to lick between her swollen pink lips. “I’ll never get tired of your taste,” I growled against her wet flesh.
“Feels so good,” she panted.
My tongue got to work, building my mate’s pleasure higher and higher. Her little cries spurred me on, and I buried my face in her soaked pussy since my tongue couldn’t capture enough of her slick juices to satisfy my craving. “So fucking delicious,” I growled between strokes of my tongue inside her tight channel.
“I’m getting close,” she gasped, her fingers gripped my scalp as she rode my face.
It should’ve been impossible since I felt as though I could pound nails into concrete with my dick, but knowing how much she was enjoying what I was doing to her made me harder. I was driven by a fierce need to give her pleasure before I took my own. Sliding a finger inside her pussy, I sucked her clit into my mouth and wanted to roar in triumph when her body bowed, and she flew apart while screaming my name. I kept working her pussy and clit until she came a second time, her walls pulsating around three of my fingers.
I stood while Adley was catching her breath and climbed onto the mattress, dragging her limp body over mine. With her hands pressed against my chest for balance, I settled her over my cock and pulled her down until I was seated balls deep in her tight heat.
“I want you to ride me, baby.” I slid my palms up her body to cup her full breasts. “Let me see these sway while you bounce up and down on my dick.”
She flung her head back, pressing her tits into my palms as she moaned, “Luke.”
“Show me how well you can take my cock.” Adley grabbed my shoulders, and after a few torturous wiggles of
her hips, she finally started riding my dick. She started out slow at first, but once she got the hang of it, she was bouncing on my hard cock like she’d been born to do it. Which she had because she was made for me. “Your pussy takes me so good. I love knowing I’m the only man who’ll ever feel how fucking amazing it feels to sink inside you. To taste you and feel how hard your pussy clamps down when you come.”
“You can’t talk like that, or I’m going to come,” she panted, lifting her head to stare down at me. Her blue eyes were hazy with passion, and her cheeks were flushed. She looked so fucking gorgeous. I could hardly believe she was mine.
“That’s not a good reason for me to stop. I’ve only experienced it four times so far, but I already fucking love to watch you come, baby.” Curling up, I sucked one of her nipples in my mouth and flicked the hardened peak with my tongue. Her pussy fluttered around me, pushing me closer to the edge. Her arms wrapped around the back of my head, and she held me in place as I feasted on her round tits. My hands went to her hips so I could lift her up and down my length since her wiggles and panted breaths were driving me out of my mind. As I drove her close to the edge, I had to work harder to thrust back inside.
My fingers dug into her hips until I sensed she was about ready to come. Then I laid back and watched her as she chased her release. Her hands pushed on my chest as she worked her hips over my dick. “That’s it, baby. Take my cock and send us both over the edge,” I grunted.
“So close,” she panted, her nails digging into my chest.
I was too close to shooting off myself, so I reached between our bodies and started playing with her clit. “Come for me, Adley. Now.”
She threw her head back and screamed as her pussy clamped down on my cock. I couldn’t hold back any longer, and jets of come shot out of my cock and filled her until our mixed releases dripped down her inner thighs. Once our climaxes were over, she collapsed on my chest.
My wolf was determined to solidify the bond with Adley before anything else could stop us, and my canines pushed against my gums. “Please tell me that you’re ready for my mark.”
“Yes,” she panted, turning her head, so I had better access to her shoulder.
Inhaling our combined scents deep into my lungs, I licked over the spot that was going to hold my mark for the rest of our lives. My wolf was beyond ready to claim our mate, and fur brushed against my skin. “You’re mine,” I growled before I sank my teeth into her soft skin.
Her pussy rippled around my cock as power surged between us, leaving a sense of completeness in its wake. Now that Adley had accepted me as her mate, my soul had found its missing half. I wasn’t sure how long we stayed locked together, enjoying the closeness that came with our bond. Eventually, Adley asked, “Can we stay in the Badlands Territory for a little while? I’d feel better if I got to know your sister here, where I feel more comfortable, instead of in a new home where I’ll need to figure out my place.”
“Whatever you need,” I promised, pressing a kiss to the top of her head as I gave her a little squeeze. “When I call Kace and let him know I found my mate, he’ll give me as much time as I need.”
“Your alpha sounds kind of awesome,” she mumbled against my chest.
“He is.” When the territorial side of me won out, I added, “But not as awesome as me, even though he’s the alpha.”
I felt her lips curve up before she tilted her head back so I could see her smile. “I know. As far as I’m concerned, you’re more awesome than anyone else in the whole, wide world.”
Fate really has smiled upon me by giving me Adley for a mate. She was so damn sweet; I was already starting to fall in love with her. I had no doubt the feeling would grow each and every day for the rest of our lives.
Epilogue
Adley
“Luke,” I moaned before pressing my fist to my mouth to keep any more sound from escaping. Oops. That had been a little too loud. In the three weeks that Luke and I had been together, I’d stayed with him in his hotel room. But I’d begged him to spend Christmas Eve at my parents’ house so it would be just like all the Christmases I could remember. Except this time, a sexy as sin man was in my bed.
“Baby,” he growled in warning as he lifted his head from between my legs. “I agreed to spend the night at your parents’ house as long as I wasn’t deprived of my bedtime snack. So unless you want your parents to hear what you sound like when you come, which would make me lose my fucking mind, you need to keep those sexy moans quiet.”
Luke waited until I bobbed my head frantically and silently before returning to eating my pussy. My hips pumped up in desperation as I climbed close and closer to climax. “Fuck. You taste so good,” he groaned, his low voice further muffled from being buried in my sex. “Give me more, baby. Come all over my face so I can drink your nectar.”
Trying to keep from screaming, I bit down on my bottom lips so hard it drew blood. Luke’s filthy mouth was like gasoline on a fire. Mere thoughts of him turned me on, but I became a quivering mass of need when he said dirty things.
Luke’s hands slid up my sides until he was cupping my breasts. I gasped when the hard tips scraped his palms. Ever since he’d smelled his pup in my belly, they’d been more and more sensitive. He gave the globes a solid squeeze before pinching my nipples just as he sucked hard on my clit. My climax barreled through me, and I grabbed a pillow and shoved it down on my face as a scream ripped from my chest.
“Fuck, yes,” he growled, the vibrations from his voice fluttering over my clit and making me come even harder.
Before I’d completely descended from my orgasmic high, he was blanketing me with his body and pushing his big, hard cock into my drenched pussy. He growled and dropped his head into the crook of my neck. “So fucking tight.” Once he sheathed from root to tip, he slowly withdrew almost all of the way before slamming back in. I gasped, and my hands flew to his biceps, holding on to him as waves of sensation crashed over me. On the next thrust, I bucked my hips and my legs locked around his waist. He set a fast rhythm that quickly pushed us to the edge. I felt a soft lick over the mark that proclaimed I was his, right before his teeth suck into my flesh, and I felt a brush of fur against my fingertips. My grip intensified, my nails drawing blood as I mashed my lips together in an attempt to stifle my cries of ecstasy. “Fuck, I love you,” Luke groaned as the warmth of his release spurted in my womb. I was a little dumbstruck at finally hearing the words I’d been longing for and too chicken to say first. But between that and the way he was rocking his dick against my clit, I came so hard I almost blacked out.
When Luke’s body went limp, he rolled us over so that I was sprawled over him with his semi-hard cock still snug in my pussy. My cheek rested on his chest, and I smiled when I felt the brush of his lips on the top of my head. We snuggled for a few minutes in silence, and I contemplated whether to bring up what he’d said. In the weeks since he claimed me, and even after he’d knocked me up, he’d never once mentioned love. I felt it in his touch, and in the way he looked at me, though. Still, I wanted the words.
Eventually, I pulled up my figurative big girl panties and lifted my head to look into his deep brown eyes. “Did you mean it?”
Confusion flitted across his face before it was quickly replaced with understanding. His lips curved up in a soft smile, and he gently ran a hand over my hair. “I did.”
“Are you sure it wasn’t just because you were caught up in the heat of the moment?” I pressed, terrified to hear the answer.
Luke cupped my face in his palms and stared into my eyes with sincerity shining from his dark orbs. “Adley, I’ve loved you from nearly the moment we met. I was trying to wait until I knew you felt the same because even though you know all about shifters and fated mates, I was worried you still might feel overwhelmed by how fast this was all happening.” He shook his head and smiled with a hint of sheepishness that I found completely adorable. “I’ve wanted to say the words to you so many times. This certainly wasn’t how I’d planned
to tell you, but frankly, I’m surprised it didn’t slip out long before now.”
I giggled, and my mouth spread into a dopey smile. “I lo—”
“Wait.” Luke cut off what I was going to say and grasped my hips, gliding my body up until his cock was cradled between my thighs. Then he slowly pushed my legs to the side and urged me to sit up so that I was straddling him. He lifted me up and brought me back down as he impaled me on his rigid dick. “Now tell me,” he growled as he began to work my body up and down.
“I-I…yesss.” My thoughts were scattered as my body began to tremble, and I shook my head to try to clear away the cobwebs. “What?” I asked when I still couldn’t grasp what he wanted.
“Tell me you love me, baby.” He shifted slightly, and the new angel hit everything just right.
“Oh!” I sucked in a breath and exhaled with a moan. “I love you, Luke,” I rasped. “So, so much.”
“I love you too, baby,” he responded in a gravelly voice. “Ride me hard, Adley. Then I want to hear you say it again while you come on my cock.”
There was something so dang hot about his request that I was falling over the edge in no time. “I love you!” I shouted. Despite being mid-climax, I immediately stilled, and my eyes swung to my shut—and thankfully locked—door.
But Luke didn’t give me time to worry as he began to drive in and out fast and hard. The quivers of my orgasm burst into shudders as my insides splintered apart.
“That’s it, baby. Milk my cock,” Luke grunted. “Fuck, I love these tits.” His hands cupped my breasts, and I had to bite my lip to stifle another cry. “I love the way they bounce when you’re working that tight pussy on my dick.” He raised up off the mattress far enough to lick and suck each nipple until another orgasm hit me right on the heels of the last. “Fuck,” he grunted. “I can’t last when your pussy is gripping me so damn hard.” He shoved his hips up one last time and growled my name through clenched teeth as he let go.
Her Mate: Badlands Territory/Shifted Love Crossover Page 5