Sought

by Aline Hunter

  She pressed her forehead against his shoulder, coming so hard she couldn't keep a steady rhythm. He took charge as soon as he noticed, using his free hand to pull her up and down his cock, thrumming her clit all the while. The intensity of his thrusts increased, the headboard banging against the wall.

  "Hell yes," he snarled.

  The heavy pulses inside her made her orgasm all the richer, the two of them finding the same ecstasy and riding it out together. She felt the imprint of the mark she'd placed on his neck and rubbed her lips over it. Everyone woman that saw the scar would know what it meant. A part of her wanted to bite him there again. Instead of doing so, she kissed the raised tissue and ran her nose up and down the curve of his shoulder.

  "We've had a long day," he said softly, drawing her to him, stroking her back. "Do you want to shower before bed? Or do you want to curl up now?"

  "No shower. I want your scent on me."

  His heavy growl of pleasure sent a shiver up her spine. "I've already told you this, but I'll say it again. You please me, mate."

  "You please me, too." In so many ways.

  He was able to move from the bed and bring her along with him. His strength reminded her of how impressive he was. She felt him pull the covers down, remaining inside her even as he did. He kept his hand on her ass, holding her in place until he brought her to the bed. As he pulled back, and she felt him slide free, she instantly wanted him right back where he belonged.

  The possessiveness she'd experienced since she'd accepted the mating only grew stronger. Along with it came the drive to offer him shelter and protection. There wasn't anything she wouldn't do for him. He slid in beside her, grasped her leg, and draped it over his hip as he pulled her close. She angled her head so it rested against his chest.

  "I have some plans to make tomorrow, but I'd like to take you for a run. We didn't have a proper chance to play the last time you shifted. I want to spend more time with you like that." He combed his fingers through her hair, sending prickles along her scalp. "We can take an hour for ourselves after breakfast."

  "If you'll show me where things are and keep them there, I can make the food." He'd handled her like a fragile thing, but she wasn't worried that something could break her. Not anymore. "I'm more than capable."

  "Are you saying I'm a bad cook?"

  She scraped her nails over his chest. "I'm saying I want to feed you."

  "What if I want to pamper you?"

  "You do that anyway. As soon as I settle in, you'll be kicked out of my kitchen." She'd busted her ass to master complicated dishes. She wasn't letting all that time and energy go to waste. "If you want me to bake for you, I suggest you leave chow time to me."

  "You bake?" he asked, his voice and smell revealing he truly hadn't anticipated such a thing.

  "Of course I bake. I can't see, but that doesn't mean I'm unable to do everything you do." He wasn't being intentionally obtuse, but it was time he learned. "When we find a place, I'll have Maisy come over. She knows how to set things up the way I like them. I'll make you food that'll blow your mind."

  He didn't stop stroking her back, but she felt his slight pause. "You mean your aid?"

  "Yes. My vampire aid," she said for him. "She's also a friend. Is that going to be a problem for you?"

  He took his time before he answered. "No."

  "She's important to me."

  That had to be clear. She'd take on any obstacles thrown at her. She'd accepted his mating and agreed to his future plans, but that didn't mean she would toss aside the only friend she had. She'd never understood why werewolves avoided vampires, especially since she'd gotten to know one so well when she moved to Atrum Hill.

  "She's a big part of the reason I was able to adjust when I got here." He needed to know and understand that. "Gramma and Papaw couldn't stay with me on full moons, and there was no way a human would watch over an unstable werewolf. They might have hired her, but the friendship between us is a real thing."

  "It's not a problem." There was no hesitation this time. "If you want to see your friend, I will never tell you no."

  "If you're worried about the wolves in Wade's pack, I could give her a call. There's a chance she can figure out which ones have bad intentions."

  He rested his chin on top of her head. "How so?"

  "She can measure it in their auras."

  He absorbed the information. "Let me talk to my people first. We've got a few weeks before everything's decided and I make things official. If I think we need the help, I'll let you know."

  "You better." She rubbed her nose against his chest. "Honesty goes both ways, right?"

  "With us? Absolutely."

  "So you're calling your family tomorrow?" Sensing his hurt at the subject made her want to shield him. Since such a thing wasn't possible, she'd make sure he knew he could turn to her if he needed to. There was also something else she could do that would tempt some members he wanted back to return.

  "It'll probably be the first call I make. I won't challenge Wade until the full moon, but if they come here and are with me when it happens, I'll probably be able to avoid a fight. If I can get Quentin back, it'll be like taking candy from a baby."

  "Quentin?"

  "My former Beta."

  "Let's take the house." This time, his pause was evident. Before he could say anything, she said, "Merrick's putting it on the market anyway. It's big enough to shelter them until they find a place of their own. It might also tempt them to come here."

  Merrick mentioned the home he and his pack had built in passing, indicating he'd be contacting someone to put it on the market as soon as they'd gotten their things out. It had been large enough to house Merrick's crew, complete with nine bedrooms and four and a half bathrooms. It wasn't unusual for a newly established pack to house together. She was certain that was one of the reasons Shane and Merrick had come to an understanding so quickly.

  Both men knew what it was like to be in the other's shoes.

  "You'd do that?" The question was so quiet, she barely heard him.

  "Do what?" she answered immediately. "Put everything on the line for you? Isn't that what you did for me?" When his breath caught she inched up, searching for the heat of his breath, stopping when her lips brushed his chin. "I'm yours and you're mine. What's important to you is important to me. You obviously love them, so I'll love them too."

  With werewolves, the word love wasn't essential. It didn't even scratch the surface when it came to matings. Still, she was half-human, and it might help him to hear it.

  "I love you, Shane. If you want them here, call Merrick about the house. Tell him we are interested and figure out how quickly he can get things moved. Then call them, ask them to join you, and see what they say."

  "I more than love you, Luna. You mean everything to me." He moved, shifting so his mouth hovered over hers. "What did I do to deserve you?"

  "I sought you out, but you were the one that found me," she answered with ease. "You showed me there can be light in the dark."

  When he kissed her again, she hoped he knew they wouldn't be going to sleep just yet. Given time to rest and recover, feeling the hard and warm shape of him beside her, she wanted him all over again. She used his body as the map that showed her the way, climbing on top of him, sliding a hand around each side of his head.

  Their tongues touched, and she felt his erection against her thigh.

  They'd face whatever came their way when they had to.

  At that moment, the future seemed bright as the sun.

  Epilogue

  Gunner approached the last house on the outskirts of town. He'd managed to have direct contact with every single member of the pack except for one individual. For that introduction, he had to venture a decent distance from the diner. He tried not to be cranky about the trip, reminding himself things had gone smoother than expected.

  Merrick had come to an agreement with Shane, one that would change things for everyone in Rhodes and Atrum Hill. The pack would
be joining Shane on the full moon to get Wade's ass out of everyone's fucking life. The male could leave without a fuss and live, or he could try to stay, fight for his place, and die.

  Once either event happened, everything would be gravy.

  Shane had an alliance with Jackson, and he offered to bring Merrick into the mix. The three of them would be too formidable to fuck with. Things were about to get a helluva lot simpler.

  He turned up the long driveway leading to the house he needed to visit.

  The home rested on the border of Rhodes and Millian, meaning it straddled werewolf and human territory. When he'd worked to create a list of names and addresses of pack members, the wolves seemed hesitant to offer this particular member's information, sharing odd looks with each other. When he'd put his foot down, telling them this shit had to be sorted before they could move on with their lives, they'd given him what he wanted along with the name of the wolf he'd be meeting.

  Melody Walker.

  He pulled up to the house and parked his bike beside a Toyota Camry that had seen better days, glancing around as he popped the kickstand and killed the motor. The outside of the small place needed a fresh coat of paint, but the yard had been recently mowed and remained tidy. From what he'd gathered, a majority of wolves that had become his responsibility were self-sustainable. They'd learned how to stretch a dollar and conserve resources when they were being guided by a deviant fuckhead.

  He climbed off the bike, about to go to front door.

  A flash of movement in the backyard drew his attention, and he bypassed the porch. He wanted to make this is as painless as possible. Although anyone with decent ears would hear the rumble of the bike, he made sure to approach the area slowly. If the pack didn't feel comfortable sharing the address and name, there had to be a reason. He figured Dice had probably pulled something with the woman at some point in time. If so, his presence might intimidate her.

  As he came around the corner, he froze.

  Dice didn't have a Lupa, so children shouldn't have been permitted.

  For that reason, he didn't expect to see a little girl seated on a swing attached to an enormous oak tree. The red coat she'd put on was faded with rips and tears here and there. She was lost in thought, studying her teeny hands, kicking her equally worn canvas shoes on the ground. When she saw him, the blank expression on her face vanished, turned to eagerness, and she jumped up.

  There was no hesitation or fear as she came right at him.

  From the looks of it, she was four or five years old. Her knees were dirty, her long blonde hair slightly tangled around her shoulders. When her eyes met his, he noted they were so blue they appeared violet.

  "Hello," she said, acting like she'd known him all her life, stopping directly in front of him and tilting her tiny head to stare at him. Her scent came to him, full of sunshine with a hint of linen, and he got another shock.

  The child was human.

  "Hello, little bit." He decided to kneel. She still had to look up, but she didn't have to strain her neck. He reached out, offering her his hand. "I'm Gunner."

  She placed her delicate palm against his and did her best to wrap her fingers around his hand. He smiled when she grinned and told him, "I'm Bebe."

  He shook her hand gently. "It's nice to meet you, Bebe. What are you doing out here by yourself?"

  "I was looking for a four-leaf clover for luck, but I didn't find any."

  She likely wouldn't until spring, but he didn't tell her that. "They can be tricky to uncover for sure," he sighed, pretending to understand her plight. "Did you move around or stay in one place?"

  "I moved around some, but then I gave up."

  "Maybe I can help." He wasn't one to go around doing such a thing, but the way she said she'd given up tugged at his heart. "I'm pretty good at spotting them."

  Those vivid eyes of hers saucered in surprise. Her grin widened, and she looked like she wanted to jump for joy. She was an adorable little girl, full of life and vibrancy.

  "Really?"

  If she wanted a four-leaf clover, he'd find her one. "Absolutely."

  The distinct sound of a shotgun being pumped got his attention. He turned his head, noting a female with the same coloring as the child's. Her blonde hair was wet, and her shirt was damp around the neck. The yoga pants she'd tossed on were much the same, splotchy in places water had soaked through.

  She'd obviously jumped out of the shower in a hurry.

  She had the gun leveled and ready to use. "Get away from her."

  "He's gonna help me find four-leaf clovers, Momma," the little girl whined, squeezing his hand. "Can't he stay?"

  "Over here, Beatrice. Right now."

  Bebe didn't act like the sight of a firearm was anything new. She met his gaze and frowned. "It was nice to meet you."

  As she walked away, the woman that had him in her sights didn't move, staying on the porch, remaining near the door. "Who are you, and what do you want?"

  "I'm Gunner Newsom. I'm the Beta to your new Alpha."

  She didn't lower the gun when the child made it to her, merely shifting to place herself between him and the little girl. "I don't answer to an Alpha."

  "That's not what the pack indicated when they gave me your name and address. Melody Walker, right?"

  "To hell with the pack. Like I told you, I don't have an Alpha."

  "If I stand up, will you shoot?" There was enough distance between them that a shot probably wouldn't kill him, but it would hurt like a son of a bitch. "I'd ask that you not. I come in peace."

  "Bullshit," she snapped.

  "Dice Montrose is gone if that's your concern. Merrick McCormick took his place. We came from Atrum Hill when we found out what was going on here. We came to help."

  "I don't want your help. You can get up and go back where you came from."

  Jesus, female. "I'm afraid it's not that simple. Merrick wants the pack to meet tomorrow at the diner. He expects everyone to be there when he lays some ground rules and opens the floor for discussion. The hunt schedule and location is going to change this full moon."

  "Are you hard of hearing? I don't have an Alpha, and I don't have anything to do with the pack."

  He drew a deep breath, making sure he hadn't been sent on a fool's errand. The child was human, so it begged to reason the female might be as well. If so, he would sit the pack down and tell them what they could expect if and when they lied to him.

  When her scent hit him, he felt like he'd been sucker punched.

  She was definitely werewolf, but she wasn't one that had been born. Somewhere down the line, she'd been bitten. There was something else that came with her scent, a trigger snapping inside of him. The man and wolf came together, recognizing her in unison.

  Ours. Mine. Mate.

  Holy shit.

  He rose to his full height, taking his mate in, but didn't approach the porch.

  Too many emotions and desires were flooding him.

  The animal within him wanted to storm over and trap her against the wall, getting a sense of how she'd feel when he placed her in a bed beneath him. The man wanted to claim her lips and find out what she tasted like. He saw a flicker of apprehension in her gaze, no doubt from his eyes changing color. Since they were so dark, any deviation showed immediately.

  He got a handle on himself and told her an absolute truth, "I mean you no harm, Melody."

  "Get off my property." Her voice revealed she was shaken, but he didn't know if it was because she'd felt the same thing he had, or she was frightened of him. "Leave before I pull this trigger."

  "I'm not going anywhere." He didn't want to influence her, but he wasn't going to walk away from fate. This was a once in a lifetime thing for werewolves. There was no way he'd turn his back on what was intended for him. He settled the fuck down, aware his emotions could impact hers, desperate to calm her. "Take a minute and breathe. I'm only here to talk to you. Put the gun down."

  "Get inside, Bebe." This time, he knew why her voice
was trembling.

  Fear was etched in her features, her violet-blue irises brightening a shade. When the little girl didn't comply right away, Melody attempted to push her indoors with her legs, shifting her weight awkwardly. The hem of her pants had gotten caught under one of her bare feet, making her uncoordinated.

  In other circumstances he might have stayed where he was and given her time. His mate was caught off guard and afraid. But the sight of the large firearm in her shaking arms combined with child at her wobbly legs had him taking control. He let the wolf rise even more than it already had, knowing his voice would change. As a bitten werewolf, the compulsion would be too much for her to deny.

  "Put the gun down," he ordered.

  She quaked as she tried to fight the command, her arms twitching violently.

  That had him moving.

  He took long strides, making it to her in no time. He took the shotgun from her, and she snatched up the child at her feet. She wrapped one arm around Bebe's rump and the other around her torso, lifting the girl and holding her close. He towered over the pair. Seeing the terror in her eyes as she peered up at him made him wish he wasn't built so big. Her gaze darted around before she fled into the house. He allowed her to go inside, but he didn't let her close the door in his face when she tried to do so.

  She was going to talk to him and explain what in the hell was going on. He knew by scenting them that the child was hers and human. That meant she'd been bitten after she'd given birth to her daughter. He tried not to let jealousy consume him, mindful that he didn't know her history.

  She swept through the kitchen area and spun around in the living room on the other side. "I'll come to the meeting, okay?" Her mannerisms and voice conveyed despair and desperation. She was afraid of him and what he represented. "When is it?"

  Not so fast or easy. Not yet. "When did you come to Dice's pack?"

  "I didn't come to anything."

  The way she answered had him switching gears. "When were you bitten?"

  "Does it matter?"

  It does to me.

  He checked himself before he said that very thing aloud. He inspected the weapon and flicked on the safety. Once that was done, he carefully placed it on the counter and pointed the barrel at the wall. He'd never cared for guns himself, but he understood why she'd use that method of defense. She was born human and had been changed in her early twenties. She also was alone with a young one to defend.