by C. D. Gorri
“I won’t let her out of my sight.”
After shifting and returning to human for Luke, Noah drove Amber home, and when he parked in the driveway, he killed the engine and turned to her. “We need to talk.”
Her stomach sank, her throat thickening as the question she’d been ignoring since they left the swamp presented itself front and center. Had his wolf claimed her? Based on his words, she’d wager that was a no. “Come inside.”
She led him up the front steps and into her home. As she closed the door, she leaned her head against the jamb. Maybe he’d changed his mind about wanting to be with her regardless. It would be selfish of her to continue their relationship if his wolf wasn’t on board, but dammit, she didn’t care.
Sucking in a deep breath, she spun around. “Noah, I…” She froze.
He stood motionless, the rise and fall of his chest the only indicator he hadn’t turned to stone. The primal look in his eyes gave her chills. Her mind flashed back to the way his wolf had looked at her when he was last here, but her soul told her she was safe. More than that…
As she stood there locked in his gaze, her core tightened, and an invisible tether formed between them. Her lips parted on a quick breath, and as he moved toward her, heat unfurled in her belly, spreading through her body like wildfire.
“My wolf never wanted to hurt you.” Noah’s gaze dropped to her mouth as he placed his hands against the wall, pinning her in.
“No?” She licked her lips. His deep, woodsy scent wrapped around her, making her head spin.
“No.” He moved in, but instead of taking her mouth, he glided his nose along her neck, inhaling deeply before pressing his lips to the dip below her earlobe. “He was trying to tell you that you are mine.”
Her skin turned to gooseflesh at his words, and she knew, in that moment, that he would move heaven and earth for her. He would be her partner, her protector…everything she would ever need for the rest of her life.
She slid her hands beneath his shirt, and his muscles contracted with her touch. A growl rumbled in his chest as he leaned into her, pressing her against the wall, and his breath warmed her skin.
Leaning back slightly, he gazed into her eyes. “I love you, Amber. Will you be my mate?”
She arched a brow. “Seeing as how your wolf has claimed me, I don’t have a choice.”
“You always have a choice.”
“I choose you, Noah. I love you.”
He crushed his mouth to hers, taking her face in his hands, cradling her like she was precious, yet kissing her with an urgency that said he would die without her. Never in her life had she felt so much emotion in a single kiss.
The man and the beast coming together to claim her was like nothing she could have imagined. Her body trembled, her knees threatening to buckle. If not for the weight of Noah’s body pressed against her, she would have crumpled to the floor beneath the intensity of the passion. She belonged to him, and she couldn’t wait to spend forever with him.
With his pelvis pressed against her, he leaned back and peeled his shirt over his head. Moonlight streaming in through the window illuminated his muscular frame, and she traced her fingers along the cuts and dips of his abs. He was the perfect combination of soft skin and hard sinew.
He tugged her shirt off and ran his fingertips along the edge of her bra before reaching behind and unhooking it with a flick of his wrist. She let the garment fall to the floor as he stepped back and raked his heated gaze over her form.
Slipping a finger into the waistband of her pants, he tugged her toward him. She came to him willingly, and as she popped the button on his jeans and jerked the zipper down, another growl rumbled in his chest. The sound sent a shiver cascading down her spine.
She worked the denim down his legs and gripped his dick, reveling in the groan emanating from his throat and the way his hands tightened on her hips with each stroke. He bent down, taking her nipple between his lips, grazing it with his teeth as he unbuttoned her pants and slid them down. Rising, he toed off his shoes before stepping out of his clothes and standing before her in all his glorious nakedness. He was built for strength and stamina. If things went well tonight, she’d get to test both.
Kneeling, he removed her shoes and the rest of her clothes. He glided his hands up her legs as he rose, and he took her mouth in a passionate kiss as he teased her folds. She moaned when he slipped a finger inside her, the response making goosebumps rise on his skin.
He kissed her neck, working his way down to her shoulder and across her collarbone, nipping and licking along the way. Stroking his fingers in and out, he clutched the back of her neck with his other hand and brought her mouth to his once more. She clung to him, her legs trembling as he brought her closer and closer to the edge. With his thumb on her clit, he worked her in circles until she panted.
The orgasm coiled tightly in her core, and as it released, she screamed his name. Electricity shot through her body, igniting every nerve and setting her world ablaze. Before she came down, he hiked her leg over his hip and plunged inside her, sending another lightning bolt ricocheting through her core.
With one hand bracing her ass, he grabbed her other leg, lifting her from the floor and pressing her back into the wall. She clutched his shoulders as he pumped his hips, each thrust setting off a chemical reaction in her body that felt like pure ecstasy.
His rhythm increased, his thrusts growing harder until he groaned and pushed himself deeper inside, his body shuddering with his release. They stood there motionless, their breaths coming in short pants before slowing with their heartrates. Gradually, gently, he let her feet slide to the floor, and he leaned back to look into her eyes.
One corner of his mouth tugged upward in a tentative grin. “I lost myself there for a minute.”
She smiled and brushed the hair from his forehead. “I found you. I always will.”
He laughed and swept her into his arms before carrying her to the bedroom. They snuggled in the bed, Noah on his back and Amber curled against his side, and she rested her head on his shoulder, gliding her fingers over his stomach before laying her hand on his heart.
Noah let out a contented sigh, and she smiled. She’d found her fate-bound, and he was her best friend. What more could a girl ask for? After a while, her eyes began to drift shut.
But Noah stirred. “The congress has deemed me an unfit mate.”
She lifted her head and kissed his cheek. “Then we’ll prove to them just how fit you are.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
Noah sat next to Amber in the back seat of Luke’s truck, his leg pressed against hers, their fingers entwined. Ever since his wolf fused with his soul and he realized the beast had claimed her from the beginning, he felt like he couldn’t get close enough to her. It had pained him to sit in the alpha’s office and hash out the details of what they’d done, when all he’d wanted to do was get her home and make her his.
And now that he had her, the fate of their relationship lay in the hands of, as Amber called them, the old fogies of congress.
He squeezed her hand, and she leaned her shoulder against his. Last night with Amber had been nothing short of magical. He finally understood the way his mated friends changed once they found their fate-bounds. He loved Amber with every fiber of his being before, but now he felt it with twice the intensity because his wolf loved her too.
He would do whatever it took to be with her. He’d challenge every wolf on the congress if he had to. If they refused to reverse their decision, he would convince Amber to leave the pack and go rogue with him. He simply could not live without her.
“What are you grinning at?” Amber looked at her brother in the rearview mirror. Macey sat in the front seat next to him, and Nylah sat on the other side of Amber.
Luke’s smile widened. “Can’t I be happy my baby sister found her fate-bound?”
Macey turned around, her smile as big as Luke’s. “We’re all thrilled for you. You’re a perfect match.”
&
nbsp; “Mom’s going to be over the moon,” Luke said.
Amber rested her hand on Noah’s arm. “And dad?” Cynicism laced her words.
“He’ll come around.” Macey rubbed Luke’s arm. “Won’t he, hun?”
“I’m sure he will.” Luke didn’t sound convinced.
Neither was Noah. Not only had they defied congress by deciding to become mates, but Noah had made love with an old-fashioned man’s daughter after he’d forbidden it. No doubt Marcus would see it as “defiling his daughter,” despite the fact Amber was a grown woman who made her own decisions. Her palm slicked with sweat, and he wrapped his arm around her shoulders.
“Probably best if y’all don’t walk into the congress’s chambers wrapped in each other’s arms,” Nylah said.
“Why not?” Amber stiffened. “We’re going to be mates regardless of their decision. I don’t give a shit what they say.”
“Neither do I,” Noah said. “She’s my fate-bound, and I’ll fight to the death for her if I have to.”
“I’m sure it won’t come to that.” Macey gave him a sympathetic look before turning to Luke. “It won’t be the first time someone from our pack has defied their orders.”
“And anyway,” Amber said, “it’s not like they don’t know why we’re here.”
Luke cleared his throat. “I requested an emergency meeting regarding urgent pack business. They didn’t ask for details, so I didn’t offer them.”
“This will be interesting.” Noah kissed Amber’s cheek.
“No kidding,” she said.
They pulled into the U-shaped drive, and an attendant directed them to park alongside the building. Noah gazed up at the mansion with its white columns and massive façade. It looked as foreboding as the first time he came, but he was a different man now. It was time he proved it.
He slid out of the truck and offered Amber his hand. She smiled and accepted, climbing out and then walking by his side to the front door. Luke entered first, followed by Macey and then the rest of the group.
Noah didn’t release Amber’s hand as they followed the attendant down the hall, passing the exam room and heading directly for the congress’s chambers. They paused outside the door, and Luke glanced at their entwined hands before giving Noah a nod. He nodded in return and straightened his spine as the thick double doors swung open and the attendant gestured for them to step inside.
Once the estate’s ballroom, the congress’s chambers had polished wood floors and soaring ceilings complete with nineteenth-century crystal chandeliers. Tall vertical windows lined the wall behind a raised dais, giving them a view of the pristine gardens outside. Fifteen members of the werewolf national congress, including Amber’s dad, sat behind a long, curved desk. They wore black robes, and as Noah and his pack entered the room, their gazes bore into him.
Noah tightened his grip on Amber’s hand, refusing to be intimidated.
“The Crescent City Wolf Pack is here for their emergency appointment.” The attendant bowed his head and strode out the doors, closing them behind him.
Marcus shot to his feet and glared at them, gesturing to Noah and Amber before looking at Luke. “What is the meaning of this?”
Noah understood his anger. As much as Marcus claimed the good of the pack was his top priority, his daughter’s safety came first. Now if the man would only listen to their story, he might feel differently about their relationship.
Amber opened her mouth to answer him, but her brother stepped forward and spoke, “We are here to request a reversal of the congress’s ruling on Noah L’Eveque in light of recent events.”
Noah could almost feel Amber seething next to him, but she held her tongue. She was wise enough to understand when to push her boundaries, and this wasn’t one of those times.
“The most recent event was our ruling, yet you bring them here and present them as a couple?” one of the congresswolves asked.
“Quite a bit has happened since.” Luke strode toward them and rested a hand on Noah’s shoulder. “It’s because of these two that my pack vanquished the Grunch and rescued your agent.”
The congresswolves murmured amongst themselves, while Marcus ground his teeth and stared at the back wall. After a few minutes, the man in the center rapped a gavel on the desk, silencing the congress. “Please, Luke, apprise us of these events,” he said.
“I think it’s best if you hear it from them. Noah, Amber, the floor is yours.”
“Finally,” Amber said under her breath, and Noah laughed.
Together, they recited the story as they had told it to Luke. When they got to the part where Alrick captured Amber, and Noah tore open the veil to save her, Marcus sucked in a breath, his hard expression softening as he cut his gaze between them.
“She’s my fate-bound,” Noah said. “I would do anything to protect her.”
When they finished the story, Nylah filled in the congress on all the information she’d gathered from Alrick while he held her prisoner. “And if it weren’t for Noah and Amber’s quick thinking, I wouldn’t be standing here, and the Grunch would still be a threat.”
“But how did the Thropynite find its way to this continent?” the congresswolf in the middle asked.
Nylah glanced at Noah before squaring her shoulders toward the congress. “That was the one piece of information he didn’t reveal.”
Noah held his breath, praying they would buy it, and Amber’s grip on his hand tightened.
“That’s a shame,” the congresswolf said before turning to Noah. “You are certain the stone fused your wolf to your soul?”
“One hundred percent,” he replied.
“He shifted in my presence before we came here,” Luke said. “I can vouch that he has full control.”
The lead congresswolf inhaled deeply and glanced at Marcus, who nodded. “Your pack is dismissed. We will run another examination on Mr. L’Eveque and make our own determination. You may wait in the lobby until we’re ready for you.”
“Thank you.” Luke bowed his head. “I appreciate you seeing us on such short notice.”
As they turned to leave, the attendant met them at the door. “The lobby is that way.” He pointed to the left. “Noah, if you’ll follow me to the exam room.”
“Right.” He leaned toward her. “I’ll be back before you know it,” he whispered, and he kissed her on the cheek.
*.*.*.*
Amber trailed behind Luke, Macey, and Nylah on their way to the lobby and glanced over her shoulder as Noah disappeared around the corner. Her clammy hands trembled, so she wiped them on her pants and shoved them into her pockets.
Noah would be fine. He’d been through this before, and now he had control of his wolf. But heaven help her, if they found some other reason to uphold their decision that he was an unfit mate, they could kiss her precious uterus goodbye. Luke and Macey better have tons of kids because Amber would cut herself right out of the alpha line if the congress tried to pull any shit. She sat on a bench and fisted her hands in her lap, pressing on her thighs to keep her knees from bouncing.
“What kind of exam are they doing on him?” Nylah wrung her hands. “They’re not going to hurt him, are they?”
“If it’s anything like last time, he’ll have to drink a potion and let a witch poke around in his psyche. He didn’t say if it was painful.” And Amber hadn’t thought to ask. She took a deep breath. This would all be over soon.
“You did great in there.” Luke offered her a smile.
“I agree,” Macey said. “You were both very impressive in your delivery. Not bad for a couple of second-borns.” She playfully elbowed Luke in the ribs.
“Not bad at all,” he said. “Next time there’s a supernatural threat in New Orleans, you’ll have to help us with our plan of attack.”
She smiled. Finally, she was getting the respect she deserved…from her brother at least. Her father’s look of disdain as she’d spoken meant he still required convincing.
The half hour Noah spent in the ex
am room felt like an eternity. Nylah’s knuckles turned white from her hand-wringing, and Amber gave in to the nervous bouncing her knee insisted on doing. She stared at the floor, creating imaginary images in the wood pattern until footsteps drew her gaze toward the hall.
Noah sauntered toward them with a confident gait, and she shot to her feet, her heart leaping into her throat as she stood. She raced to him, meeting him halfway down the hall and throwing her arms around him. He hugged her tightly, lifting her from the ground and spinning in a circle.
“I take it the exam went well?”
He cupped her face in his hands and kissed her. She expected a quick brush of the lips, but he went all in, crushing his mouth to hers and putting so much passion into the kiss, she nearly melted. Butterflies flitted in her stomach, the beating of their wings sending a tingling sensation throughout her body. As the kiss slowed, her cheeks warmed, and she pulled back to look at him.
“The witch confirmed it. My wolf is fused, and I’m no longer a threat.”
She grinned. “I always knew you were fit to be my mate.”
“She’s delivering her findings to the congress now.” He slid his arm around her back, and they returned to the lobby to wait with the pack.
It took another excruciatingly long half hour before the attendant told them they’d been summoned to the chambers. Amber held her breath as they entered, avoiding her father’s gaze and instead focusing on the lead congresswolf who rose to his feet. Her hand was clammy clutched in Noah’s dry palm, and he gave her a squeeze before moving his to rest on her lower back.
The congresswolf cleared his throat and touched his fingertips to the desk. “In light of recent events and a re-examination of Mr. L’Eveque, the congress has reversed its decision regarding his viability as a mate.”
Her breath came out in a rush of relief, and she leaned into Noah’s side.
“Furthermore,” he continued, “at the request of Congresswolf Mason, the congress approves the mating union of Noah L’Eveque and Amber Mason, and plans may be made for a ceremony to occur before her thirtieth birthday.”