by Gwen Knight
His eyes shot wide, and his mouth parted, as though my words actually stunned him.
Celebrating my mediocre win, I skirted around him and headed back toward the center of the clearing where a group of wolves stood. Every inch of me itched to shift. I wanted nothing more than to shed this outer being of mine and become one with nature before I had to return to reality.
Screw it.
I turned and tossed my water bottle at my father, who still stood dumbfounded by my unseemly attitude. He snatched it out of the air, then stepped toward me, but I spun around and took off into the trees. I’d always loved to run. And I basked in the pure happiness that bubbled up within me as I darted through the trees.
Screw tonight.
I wrenched off my clothes as I moved, tossing the individual articles down onto the forest bed, then shifted midair. For me, shifting had always been a wondrous process. One form to the next with little more than a breath. For my pack mates, it’d always been a longer, more painful process.
I’d always tempered my shift before, slowing down the process so as not to stand out or make them feel inferior. Tonight, though, I was desperate. One moment, I’d been nothing more than a woman racing through the trees, the next a wolf. An astounding sense of freedom engulfed me. I ran with utter abandon, my legs burning as I pushed myself harder and faster than ever.
Screw everything.
The more distance I gained, the more I debated never returning. Leave all my cares with the pack. Just me, the wind, the snow, and the moon. Everything a wolf could ever want.
I’d only made it a kilometer outside of the gathering when I heard footsteps in the snow behind me. My father? I imagined the look on his face as he wondered if I’d come back. But the steps were too light for him. My father was by no means graceful.
I shifted to the left and wove through another copse of trees. Then I lifted my nose to the air and sniffed. Whoever it was, they remained downwind of me. I bluffed to the right, about to fake out my hunter when paws collided with my shoulders and spilled me to the ground. We rolled in a tumble, our fur covered in snow, twigs, and dead leaves.
The moment we landed, I caught a familiar woodsy scent. My mouth parted into a grin, and I kicked out with a leg, chuffing under my breath when Knox stumbled and slipped.
Free from his hold, I leapt to my feet and pranced around him, tail held high as I reveled in my glorious success.
Course, that success didn’t last. He leapt to his feet, eyes flashing and mouth opened as he calculated his next move. Like chess pieces on a snowy board, he feinted right. Excitement prickled my fur. It’d been ages since I’d been able to run and play without concern for proper etiquette. Growing up the only child of the alpha had certainly placed a strain on my relationships with other pups. Most of my adolescence had been spent in solitude.
I rather liked this change. And facing down Knox only sparked my blood.
Ducking low, I nipped at his paws, then turned tail, all the while laughing in my head. The thunderous sound of his approach urged me faster. We whipped through the forest, ducking and weaving through the bare branches and skidding across the frozen foliage. I knew a wolf Knox’s size would have caught me in under a minute. I was fast and wiry, but he was all bulk and muscle, his stride twice the length of mine. Still, he let me lead, the feel of his hot breath brushing against my fur as he closed the distance between us.
Even as I ran, I knew I wanted him to catch me, a dawning realization that possessed the potential to knock me sideways. This was Knox. The one pack my father would never approve. But did I care? My mother’s words echoed in my head as I ran. Her story tugged at something deep within my psyche. A need to choose the right mate, and not simply an available one. My father would tan my backside if he could have heard my thoughts at this moment.
My gait slowed until I was standing knee-deep in a snow drift. My ear twitched at the sound of Knox’s approach, his breath steaming in the chilled air. Once he caught sight of me, he paused, his head cocked.
I didn’t want to run anymore. I didn’t want to play. I didn’t want to live by anyone’s rules but mine own. My father’s included. If I was to be a dominant female, only I could decide what was right for me.
Knox strolled toward me and nudged my shoulder gently, his nose pressing into my furred cheek. The inclination of his head posed his silent question. Why had I stopped?
I nipped at his muzzle, then turned toward him and sat. He held my gaze, then slowly, tipped his head back and released one of the most beautiful howls I’d ever heard. Such a sorrowful sound, one that drew a similar response from my own lips. I threw my head back and stared at the moon before adding to his song. For me, it was a song of change. No longer would I allow my father to use me as he had my mother. No longer would I kowtow to his every order. He was my alpha, yes. And I would always respect that. But my father’s demands of me had long since surpassed that relationship. Mating me off to another pack wasn’t necessary. There were other ways to seal treaties. I would not be used as his leverage.
My song shifted and grew mournful, for the family I was sure I would lose. The Mystic Ash Pack had been my home my entire life. But I knew my father. And I knew how he would react. If he couldn’t bully me into agreeing, he would resort to exile, I was sure of it. He might regret it, but it wouldn’t stop him.
With the last note, I stood and started back toward our clothes. From the scent of it, we’d run a few kilometers. We walked in silence, his steps equal to mine, but his paws massive in comparison. Now and then he’d brush against me, as though reassuring himself I was in fact here, before turning his attention on the path ahead.
Eventually, the sounds of our packs grew louder. And there within the trees, I spotted our clothing, strewn about and likely damp from the snow. Knox broke away from me and headed toward his own pile, the sounds of his shift audible enough to make me wince, even while undergoing my own.
Once clothed and standing on two feet, I turned and met his gaze through the trees. The playfulness had long since left us, and now, it was with quiet contemplation that we regarded one another.
“I don’t want to be my father’s bargaining chip.”
Sympathy softened his countenance. “Only you can make that call.”
I nodded. The words were easy to speak, but actions were stronger. Walking into that gathering and telling him that I was done playing by his rules terrified me.
He strode toward me. “What do you want, Rumor?”
No one had ever deigned to ask me that before. There wasn’t much I could think of, except, “Freedom.”
A sad smile chased across Knox’s face. “That’s not something werewolves tend to have.”
No, it wasn’t. As a whole, we were entirely dedicated to our packs. Everything we did was for its betterment. “I don’t mean freedom from my family. I mean the freedom to make my own decisions. Everyone else gets to choose their own mate, why can’t I?”
“Because you’re an alpha’s daughter,” he whispered, voicing the words I knew my father would spout at me.
“Then I should lead by example, shouldn’t I? Show that we can strengthen the bonds between our packs without selling one of our children?” I raised my chin. “What about you? What is it that you want?”
“Me?” He released a long, steaming breath. “I want the dream. I want a pack to call my own, a mate who I love and loves me in return, a couple of kids, everything I’ve been denied.”
“Denied?” I shivered at the sounds of our voices lingering in the darkness.
“My brother is hardly a wise alpha. But he took control when our father grew ill. I was young then, a teenager. And my brother was older and stronger and faster.”
“Now?”
Knox threw me a sly glance. “Don’t tell me you haven’t noticed.”
I nodded. “You’re stronger than he is now.”
“Not now. Always. There’s a five year age difference between us. As the eldest, he matured first. And
when he matured, my father’s health began to decline. By the time I’d matured, it was too late. Eli was in control.”
“But you’re stronger.”
“Everyone knows I’m the true alpha of the pack. He has more brawn than me, but I would still destroy him in a fight. Except, doing so means…”
“Destroying your brother,” I finished for him.
“Neither you or I are in the best situations. By all rights, the pack should be mine. Eli continues to deny me it. If he would just step down, this would be an easy transition. But he’s alpha. And no alpha worth spit would step down from his throne.”
“I’m sorry,” I whispered.
“As am I. We all have to make a choice, right?”
I nodded. Both our choices sucked. Hard.
“So, I suggest we head back to the gathering and have one hell of a night before the shit hits the fan.”
A smile spread across my face and chased away any lingering melancholy. “Now, that I like.”
He took my hand and led me through the last bit of trees. It wasn’t until we stood on the edge of the clearing that I realized I hadn’t balked at his touch. This wolf was growing on me, as much as I loathed to admit it.
Who was I kidding?
I didn’t loathe it in the slightest.
But from the tightening around my father’s eyes when he spotted us, he did. Without thought, I released Knox’s hand, then strolled toward the refreshment table. Perhaps I was ready to tell my father enough was enough, but I didn’t want him assuming I was doing this for Knox.
For a while, I lost myself in the merriment. The music, laughter, and howling drew me into the festivities. More than once, I caught my father’s eye, but whenever he started toward me, I broke away from the crowd and disappeared from sight.
“Playing cat and mouse, I see,” Knox teased, appearing at my side after the third vanishing act.
A low growl scraped past my lips.
“Now, now, save that attitude for the old man, Princess. So happens, I’ve brought you a gift.”
I perked up. “Are we going to run away and start our own pack?”
Knox stopped cold. “Is that an invitation?”
“What? No. It’s a joke. You know, like ha, ha? What’s my gift?”
He shook off his stupor, then with an unsure grin, slid his hand into his pocket and rummaged around.
My brow lifted. “Uh, Knox?”
“Oh, get your head out of the gutter,” he teased.
Finally, he withdrew his hand and pulled out a tuft of green and white, then lifted it until it dangled over our heads. It took a moment for my eyes to adjust, and when they did, they shot wide.
“Mistletoe? Seriously?”
“Hey, it’s Christmas,” he said with a laugh. “You have to abide by the customs.”
“Have you forgotten the last mistletoe that showed up?”
“I’m not an idiot.” He rolled his eyes. “Do you smell any magic here?”
My nostrils flared. Fur, snow, trees, and Knox—that was all I picked up.
I eyed the berries warily. “You want to kiss me here? In front of everyone?”
“I didn’t say I wanted to fuck here in front of everyone. Try not to look so disgusted.”
I was hardly disgusted. Far from it, in fact. But he didn’t need to know that.
“Look around, Princess. Everyone is doing it. Someone hung mistletoe from all the branches.”
Clearly in bad taste. Not that they’d known, of course. I’d kept the mistletoe’s involvement a secret.
“You’re the odd wolf out,” he needled. “I thought you wanted to have a little fun?”
“And kissing you is supposed to be fun?”
His arm lowered, and he pressed the mistletoe to his chest. “Ouch! Such harsh words! Come on, Rumor. Lighten up.”
He shifted his weight and dangled the mistletoe in my face. An alluring scent drifted into my nose. My eyelids fluttered, and I sank into the aroma, my body swaying toward Knox. I felt the brush of the berries against my cheek, and warmth uncurled in the pit of my stomach.
Before I knew what I was doing, I grabbed Knox by the lapels of his jacket and yanked him down. Our mouths came together in a heated clash, all teeth and tongue. Knox sucked in a sharp breath, surprised by my sudden eagerness. But rather than push me away, his arms slid around my waist and crushed me against his chest.
Magic.
6
We staggered through a door—couldn’t have said which one. I felt drunk with need, incapable of focusing on anything but him. All that mattered was the feel of Knox’s lips on my body. I didn’t much care where. The heat of his mouth on my skin was intoxicating, and it wasn’t near enough.
I plunged my fingers into his hair and wrenched his head up, bringing our mouths together. I nipped at his lips and sucked on his tongue. Distantly, I heard him growl, felt his chest rumble against mine. A chest that had too many clothes on.
I dragged my hands down the front of his body and fought with the damn belt holding up his pants.
“Fuck,” I grumbled before resorting to ripping it off of him.
His shirt went next, torn to shreds and shoved off his shoulders. I didn’t care how I got him naked, so long as it happened. And fast. Like now. I was done waiting.
And so was he, from the sounds of it.
His hands tore at my clothes. My jacket fell in a heap against a wall, my shirt thrown clear across the room. I kicked my pants off as fast as I could without falling. Something cold pressed against my back—a wall possibly. I didn’t stop to check.
He broke from the kiss and trailed his mouth along my jaw, nipping as he went. Eyes shut, I tilted my head, then sank into the embrace when his teeth caught the edge of my earlobe. My knees melted, incapable of holding me up the moment his tongue caressed my neck.
“Knox,” I growled, my fingers gripping his shoulders.
“I know.”
I couldn’t think of anything beyond him, even though something niggled at the back of my mind. Something important. Like a forgotten thought I needed to remember.
A small sliver of me knew this wasn’t right. Or at least, not entirely right. But it felt so damn good. As though every nerve ending in my body had been desperate for this. All I wanted was to climb him like a frickin’ tree. Nothing in this world could have convinced me to stop. Not with his mouth latched around one of my nipples while his thumb brushed the other.
I cried out the moment his teeth grazed the tender flesh. I was on fire, delirious with desire. “Knox, please,” I whimpered.
“Please, what?” he whispered, his breath warm against my breasts.
I groaned when his hand slid between my thighs.
“Please, this?”
I nodded, then fisted his hair again and wrenched him toward me. Before our mouths met, I grunted the two words every man probably longed to hear at some point in his life. “Fuck me.”
Gold swelled in his eyes, maddeningly bright in the near blackness of the room.
He kissed me. A drugging kiss that burned away every last thought in my head. I fed at his mouth, nipping at his bottom lip as I reached down and gripped what I most desired. His hips bucked against me, and he released a low groan that elicited a very pleased grin from me. There was nothing like that sound or the knowledge that I’d roused it from him.
He hoisted me up onto his hips and swung me around. In a tangle of limbs, we spilled onto a mattress, his body draped over mine. He settled my legs around him, and I nearly wept with relief. I couldn’t wait any longer. Needed to feel my body stretch around him.
Seated between my legs, he thrust, and I cried out, my head thrown back against a pair of pillows. I shuddered around him, my legs tightening as I gripped his shoulders. With mindless abandon, he moved within me, his body settling into a hard and unforgiving rhythm. My body felt as though it was about to detonate, so overwhelmed with need and pleasure.
When I felt the first stirrings in the pit of
my stomach, I tightened around him. My fingers dug into his sides, and I closed my eyes as an orgasm slammed into me. I cried out, unable to control myself as waves of pleasure crested into me. I reached above me and gripped the wall, still overcome with aftershocks as Knox finished with his own grunt.
Panting for breath, he lifted his head and met my startled gaze. The realization of what we’d just done came upon us both simultaneously, but, before I could utter a single word, he started to move within me again, his pace slow and purposeful this time.
What was the saying?
Once was never enough.
No rest for the wicked—wasn’t that what people said? And Knox was the epitome of wicked. I’d barely come down off my sixth or seventh orgasm when his tongue started me on the next. My back arched off the bed, my hands clutching the blankets as I held on for dear life.
“Knox,” I gasped, my voice breathy.
A deep growl rumbled between my thighs, his eyes flashing open and finding me in the darkness. Responding likewise, I gripped his shoulders and hauled him up my body. My knees gripped his sides, and I rolled us across the bed until he sprawled beneath me. I grasped his hands, then lifted them over his head and pinned them to the bed. I wouldn’t be able to hold him there. He was larger, stronger, faster. And I didn’t want to. It was all a game. A game I wanted to end.
My lips curled back as I panted for air, claws sprouting out of the same fingers encircling his wrists. I leaned down and captured his mouth, plunging my tongue between his teeth. I felt it then. His fangs, long and sharp in his mouth. The feel of them against my tongue startled me. I rose back and gazed down at him, awareness creeping into my head.
His eyes. They blazed with heat.
I lifted my tongue, my eyes shooting wide when they touched my own fangs. I felt the burn then, the claw marks cut into my sides.
“Shit.” I forced myself to roll off him. My weight crashed to the floor in an ungraceful heap, but I didn’t care. Holy hell. Just like that, I’d figured it all out. “Knox!”