I couldn’t breathe; I couldn’t do anything but take the pleasure that he forced onto me with rough drives and grunts. My hands had nowhere to go, and I reached out before me to touch the wall of shadows.
Their solid, freezing cold form met my palms, and I whimpered as my mate gripped my hips harder to tug me back against him, in time to his thrusts.
“D – Derek – yes-s!” The sound of pleasure rolled off my tongue, ending in a keening cry, and my eyes rolled in their sockets. Clamping down on his length, I spasmed from the force of my release, and he squeezed my hips tightly.
Bright spots of color burst behind my eyelids, and I curled my fingers into fists in the shadows.
“Linne – ” My ears twitched at Derek’s strained rasp, and I released a harsh gasp in return.
When the pulsing darkness behind my eyelids finally began to fade, my eyes fluttered wide open, and I squinted for a few seconds, my sight slowly trying to grow accustomed to the brightness of the room once again.
I barely had time to adjust my body’s position before Derek pulled out of me. Twisting at the loss of sensation, I stiffened at the sight of my mate, who was still in his half-shifted form.
These past few years, we had been focused on my magic, at the cost of his…but he deserved so much better than that.
Taking a small step towards Derek, I dug my toes into the carpet, my love for him nearly stopping my heart. Grabbing his face, I smashed my lips onto his in a hot, heavy kiss, and he swallowed my moan as his own hands tangled in my hair.
I hopped up to wrap my legs around his waist, and allowed the shift take over, returning me to my human form. He followed suit, and I shook violently with my need for him while he dropped heavily into the chair.
“Ride my fucking cock, my sweet baby.” Derek yanked on my hair, and I arched back to mewl. He reacted by letting out a deep growl, and it vibrated against my throat, as I took him inside me once again.
He sucked and nibbled the bare skin along my neck, sending shocks of ecstasy rippling through me, and I sputtered as the pleasure almost overwhelmed me.
Forcing me up and down slowly along his thick, hard shaft, he grunted and growled proudly as he heard my groaning voice rise higher and louder.
He felt so damn good.
I let out another moan, as his teeth scraped across my skin, and I clamped down on him as I flopped forward my head.
My mind was hazy with lust and pleasure, when Derek pulled himself out to the tip. Then he slammed his rod hard, back into my channel. I cried out, my nails digging into his back as I bit down on his shoulder, and he hissed from the unexpected pain.
Thrusting backwards and forwards again, his hips tried to reach as deeply inside me as he could.
“Harder – please,” I groaned out, my senses becoming stolen by mind-bending euphoria. Derek grunted and thrusted into me with greater force. He slammed into me faster, and faster, his entire body beginning to tremble. The chair we were on rattled and creaked loudly, and the pleasure continued to build into a crescendo.
“You. Are. Mine.” Derek gritted out with a snarl and a roar, and I threw my head back with a moaning cry.
His voice was carnal, possessive and my inner beast responded to him without hesitation. Yours. Yours. Yes – I am entirely yours.
My thighs slapped against Derek’s naked lap, and he continued to plunge deep inside me, the pace increasing to a break-neck speed.
The pressure inside the walls of my loins rose to a peak, and I squeezed down on him hard. Then suddenly, a loud strangled scream burst from my throat, and my body exploded into orgasm.
With my body still shaking in the aftermath of my climax, Derek’s dug his fingers into the cheeks of my ass, pulling me down against him even harder.
Once, twice, three times, he slammed into me. Then with a mighty roar, he came, spending himself entirely inside me.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Epilogue
“Muss! You dumb fucking bird – hurry up before we leave without you.” Rubbing my aching neck as irritation consumed me, my ears rang at my own shout. The last time Linne had bit me, it’d stopped hurting after a few hours.
This time, though, it still hurt like a fucking bitch after thirty-six full hours.
‘Do not take your nervousness and anxiety out on me, Derek the Lion. Remember, this was your idea.’ Scowling at Muss as he perched on the back of my sofa, I rolled my head and shoulders in irritation. ‘Where is Linne?’
“She’s saying goodbye to Chad and everyone. I have to go pick her up.” Just as I finished speaking, the front door burst open, and I whirled around, my lip curling into a snarl.
Jackson strode into my home with a scowl of his own, and the tension thrumming through my shoulders intensified as he stomped across the living room. He understood why Linne and I needed to leave, but he wasn’t happy with it, and I half-expected him to punch me.
But this wolf that had become my brother, only wrapped his arms around me in a tight hug, and I automatically did the same. We’d been through so much together – Jackson and I – and my earliest childhood memory flooded my mind’s eye.
I must’ve been four or five years old, and my skin deformity had been darker back then. School had just started, and I was sitting under a tree playing with some grass because no one else wanted to play with me. Even back then, my senses were pretty sharp, and there was never a lack of gossip, insults and judgments assaulting my ears.
Jackson just came waltzing out of nowhere and sat next to me; he didn’t try to say anything. He didn’t even really look at me – he just sat close to me and let his actions speak for him.
I was living with this old pair of mated wolves that had no one anymore, but Jackson had gone to his father and asked if I could live with them.
We had been inseparable ever since; this was the first time we’d be apart in our thirty-five years on this Earth.
“Promise you’ll come back every now and again, Derek.” Grumbling against my shoulder, Jackson took a huge, shaky breath that betrayed just how hard this hit him.
My heart ached for him, but Linne was right. I needed to do what was best for me. I wasn’t the man I was two years ago – or even two months ago – and I squeezed him hard.
“I will.” My leaving put Jackson in a difficult position because he wouldn’t have anyone to advise him; he would have no one to lean on. This clan might be his – his pack might be family – but he didn’t trust them in the same way most Alphas trusted their clan.
“I never thought in a million years that you’d actually leave.” Jackson’s voice cracked slightly, and my chest tightened as emotion clogged my throat. “I know it’s not going to be forever, but it feels like it.”
“I’ll be back in a couple months.” The words were sour, rolling off my tongue like tar, and my inner beast roiled and buckled under what felt almost like physical pain.
I felt like I was abandoning this wolf that had done so much for me.
Linne and I had agreed to come and go at semi-equal intervals, but my life here wouldn’t be the same afterwards.
“If you somehow find someone you’re related to…tell them that you were the best thing that happened to me.” Jerking my head in a nod, I pursed my lips tightly and clenched my jaw hard. “But you should still kick all their asses.”
Barking out a hoarse laugh, I nodded again before we released each other, and I wrapped my hands around Jackson’s neck.
My eyes stung, and I struggled to inhale a deeper breath than a low wheeze.
For a long moment, the silence stretched and became dense, and he forced himself to breathe in a huge breath before opening his mouth.
“Are you taking a car, or just the saddlebags?” Reaching to swipe my palm down my face and jaw, I glanced over at the bags in question sitting against the back of the sofa. “What are you going to do for money?”
“Linne wants to experience more about being a shifter. We’re just going to rough it up until she gets sic
k of it, I think.” A smile stretched my lips as Jackson hummed in acknowledgment, and I fished my phone out of my jean pocket to check the time. “I actually have to go get her. Do you want to see us off?”
“Yeah – yeah, I can do that.” Stepping away from my brother on stiff legs, I hoisted the massive bags over my shoulders with a grunt. “Uh – I know that Faro is having his operation in two weeks…do you want me to give you an update afterwards?”
“Sure.” Holding my arm out for Muss, I finally managed a deep breath as the weight of the conversation lifted from my shoulders. His claws carefully wrapped around my forearm as he landed and perched there, and he kept one eye on Jackson and I as we left my home. “What do you think, bird? How long do you think Linne will go before wanting some human comforts?”
‘I believe she’ll love it, to be honest… She has only ever used her half-shifted form for attacking or defending. She has yet to lounge around and properly adapt to it.’
Ducking my head in a nod, I couldn’t help but agree with Muss, and Jackson grinned saucily as he fell into step next to me.
“The shifter life is awesome, right? I remember when Dad sent us across the country after our first shift. That was easily the happiest, freest few months I’d ever had. Remember when you took down that moose all by yourself?”
Smirking broadly, I snorted out a laugh as Jackson clapped his hand against my back. “That was fucking sweet, dude. I wouldn’t have believed it if I hadn’t seen it myself. I mean, the part where he got you with his antlers and broke your ribs was shitty, but still…”
“You freaked the fuck out so bad for no reason – ” Laughing heartily at the memories, I shook my head wildly with a harsh sigh. “It hurt like a fucking bitch…and it took you forever to hunt something down by yourself. You were so bad – you couldn’t even catch a good-sized deer by yourself.”
As we continued to joke around on the way to Linne’s house, I was brought back to that time before our shift; when Jackson was just my brother, and I didn’t have to worry about his dominant beast.
Speaking of our beasts…
I felt our inner creatures consoling each other. Having spent the vast majority of their lives bonding as friends, they were filled with sadness and regret at being parted.
It was the most curious thing, but I didn’t discourage it.
Above us, the sun was bright, hot, setting the mood for my journey. This isn’t a bad thing, and we’ll be back.
Rounding the corner to the park, Jackson and I slowed to a stop as a sense of foreboding curdled my blood.
“…So…I guess I’ll be seeing you later, man…” I said awkwardly, rubbing the back of my neck.
Jackson didn’t respond, staring hard at the concrete pavement, and I blinked back the sting in my eyes before taking a single, momentous step forward.
Each jostle of my body away from my brother – my Alpha – my best friend – brought me closer to a new and unknown world.
I’d come back, but this part of my life was over, and Jackson understood why I couldn’t stay. He knew why things couldn’t be as they were before.
Linne had confronted her past and beaten it – and now, it was my turn.
***
Thank you for reading Retribution! If you enjoyed it, I would really appreciate if you could leave a review – they make a huge difference for indie authors, and helps me to reach more readers.
If you’re interested in reading more of my books, check out my other releases on Amazon.
Adieu for now, and take care!
Other Books By Rylee Winters
War of Wings Series
Exile (Book 1)
Shadows (Book 2)
Descent (Book 3)
SNEEK PEEK: BLOOD CONTRACT
(DRAGONLORDS: BOOK ONE)
Available on Amazon in October!
The trouble began at midday. It had been a slow morning spent answering a few email enquiries from prospective clients: a case about a missing family heirloom, a cheating husband, stolen jewelry – nothing extremely interesting, but small jobs that would help pay the bills.
I sat back in my chair, and propped my feet up on my cherry oak desk. Scattered across its surface was organized chaos – towers of paperwork piled high, waiting for me to complete and finish filing away.
I moaned, covering my face in my hands.
I hated paperwork.
I hated it more than almost anything.
My brain just seemed to automatically shut down and stop working whenever it came to admin and filing. I’m sure there was some legitimate clinical medical condition for this - they just had to find a name for it.
I was contemplating how I should tackle this undesirable task, when there was a knock at my office door.
A happy distraction.
I plopped my feet off the desk, and sat up properly so I could reach my laptop and turn on the video feed from the secret camera I had outside. It was installed inside one of the two ironcast lanterns secured on the wall on either side of the door.
The camera revealed a man with short dark hair and wearing sleek black glasses, standing outside. He seemed out of place in the plain white hallway in his posh clothes.
Wearing a dark grayy fitted suit, with his hair parted off-centre and fringing his forehead on one side, and carrying a slim black leather suitcase in one hand, he looked like he’d stepped out of a cover of GQ magazine.
I wondered if he’d gotten lost.
The stranger seemed to be gazing curiously at the large lion statue guarding the door, an amused smile playing on his lips.
He ran his fingertip across its marble fangs, appreciating the artistry. Little did he know, hidden inside was a smoke bomb, powerful enough to fill the entire hallway if released.
It was a safety precaution I’d built in case I was ever cornered inside my office and needed a way to escape. The trigger for the bomb was built into the underside of my desk. I’d only ever had to use it twice in my life. Both times, the bomb had proved to be highly effective.
Mister GQ knocked again and I pressed one of the buttons under my desk, unlocking the door with a buzz.
“Come in!” I hollered.
I watched as the mysterious man entered, and looked around the room critically.
Dark brown eyes took in the sparse interior – a long lounge with two matching single chairs and standing lamps on one side – the lounge often acting as a second bed for me when work got busy – and a few vases filled with pink cherry blossom branches, adorned the back half of the room. At the front half, I sat at my desk with gray steel filing cabinets standing up against the wall behind me.
The man walked towards me, his eyes sweeping over the messy piles of papers and folders threatening to completely overtake the desk space in front of me.
As I studied him, I pretended not to notice the look of judgement that passed over his handsome features, and acted as if my office wasn’t the complete mess it was in. If he had a problem with it, he’d just have to deal with it.
I gestured for him to take a seat.
“Please, sit down, Mr…?” I trailed off, raising an inquisitive eyebrow.
“Payne…Ethan Payne.” He looked up from my desk to smile at me crookedly. Unable to help himself, it wasn’t long before he glanced down again, eyes continuing to take measure of the various heaps of paper strewn across the top of my table – perhaps trying to determine what I was working on.
I shrugged, not bothering to apologize for the clutter.
Taking a seat in one of the two chairs occupying the space in front of my desk, he placed his suitcase down on the floor, before straightening up and sitting back in the cushioned seat.
“How can I help you?” I asked, clasping my hands together.
“You are Miss Jasmine Wyatt, I presume?” he asked in a deep voice in an English accent.
“Yes, that’s right,” I nodded, scanning him from top to bottom.
Neatly shaven, clean manicured hands, stylishly
dressed in a well ironed tailored suit with a plain black tie – trendy, but not overstated. A young professional from my guess.
And from what my nose was telling me, his metrosexual look belied a dominant masculine scent.
“I’m looking for someone with your particular skillset to help me and my team with a specific problem.”
I arched an eyebrow. “And what kind of problem would that be?”
“We need help locating an item.”
“Go on.”
“It’s an artifact of sorts. A very ancient one. It hasn’t been seen for quite a while.”
“Hmmm…” Tilting my head to one side, I gave Ethan a questioning look. “How long are we talking about? A year, two years, or maybe five?”
Ethan paused. “More like a few centuries.”
I sucked in a sharp breath, locking my gaze with Ethan’s, and stared at him in keen interest. “And what makes you think I can find it?”
Ethan leaned forward in his chair, flashing me a charming smile.
“You’ve come highly recommended, Miss Wyatt. I’ve spoken to a few of your past clients and they all say you’re amazingly skilled at finding even the most secret and well concealed objects…”
“Is that right?” I laughed dryly.
“Yes. I’ve also heard you’ve got a real talent for getting people out of sticky situations. Both these capabilities makes me feel confident you’re well equipped to help me with my situation.”
Examining Ethan carefully, I tried to work out who he’d spoken to, and whether it included any of the clients I’d pissed off to the point they hated my guts. At least a dozen people came to mind who would have less than glowing remarks to say about me – particularly the ones that had tried to cheat me by not paying.
“Tell me more about the job,” I finally said.
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