by Haley Weir
Rina reached for his belt and quickly slid the leather free of the loops. She shoved her hand down his pants and into his briefs. Caleb bucked his hips but pulled back to catch his breath. Rina looked up at him with confusion and worry in the depths of her gaze. He removed his shirt and hovered over her.
Chapter Twelve
Rina felt the urge to look away. She was a coward. The hope she saw in Caleb's eyes was overwhelming. His hands pushed up the fabric of her t-shirt until it stopped beneath her breasts. Rina rolled her hips against him for encouragement and felt his tongue dance along the elastic band of her shorts. The soft curve of her belly trembled as he moved higher, dipping his tongue into her navel before he pushed her shirt high enough to free her breasts from the confines of the cotton sleep shirt. Caleb's growl caused her to squirm. She wanted him.
"Please, Caleb."
He bent forward and stole a kiss before tugging on her nipple with his teeth. She squeezed her thighs together and bit her lip to stay quiet. Large hands teased and toyed with her body. Rina loved the contrast between the calluses on his hands and the wet heat of his mouth. She arched off the floor when he nudged her legs apart and rested his weight comfortably on top of her. She felt safe and cherished beneath him. A spark lit up inside of her as his hand cupped her mound. The heel of his hand applied pressure to her clit as his fingers pushed aside her shorts.
Rina jumped a little when she felt the head of his erection slide between her folds. Her nails clawed into his shoulders as he pressed into her. Caleb had managed to bare himself just enough to push the thick, heavy length inside of her channel. Rina felt him throb as he speared into her, coaxing the clenching muscles to comply. Her mouth opened to scream, but his hand clamped over her lips to smother the sound. Rina's legs had begun to shake as she hovered on the edge of something dark and tantalizing.
Caleb's eyes flashed, and he pushed up onto his feet, causing his member to retreat from her dripping core. He bent her legs towards her chest, squatting with the head of his prick still lodged in her folds. And then he thrust so hard and so deep that there was a small burst of pain with the delicious surge of pleasure that rippled through her. Rina licked his palm and dug her nails into his shoulders.
"This is what you want, right? A mindless fuck to block out the rest of the world?" he snarled in her ear. The rough edge of his voice excited her more than it should have. "I can give you that. I can give you anything you need, Rina."
He slid his arms behind her knees and set a brutal pace that stole the air from her lungs. Without his hand over her mouth, moans burst from Rina's lips with wild abandon. "Yes!" she shouted. "Fuck me, Caleb."
He pulled out with a wet pop and flipped her onto her belly. His hands gripped her hips and lifted, causing her back to arch as her chest was pressed to the floor. Rina wiggled her hips and received a sharp spank that caused her to squeak. "Quiet," Caleb ordered. He placed his forearm in front of her face. "Bite down and try not to scream."
Rina braced herself, more than eager to see what he had in store for her body. Caleb entered her with a punishing jerk of his hips and Rina bit down on his arm. She tasted the salt of his sweat and the earthy tang of his soap. Her mind was blank, taken over by the flash of pure ecstasy that Caleb summoned within her. Each stroke against the walls of her femininity deepened her pleasure. She felt his hands on her, spreading her open to tickle her clit until her legs slammed closed. Rina was launched into an earth-shattering orgasm, but Caleb showed no mercy. He pounded into her from behind. The sounds of their bodies colliding filled the room, along with her helpless whimpers. Slick poured over his hand, and Caleb tugged on her clit, sending her spiraling into that sweet abyss once more. "Does Damien fuck you like this?" he asked possessively. "No, I don't think he would. He may be a wolf, but I'm willing to bet that prim-and-proper façade never faltered. You need me, Rina. I read your body like an open book."
"Fuck, Caleb. Harder!"
He bit down on the back of her neck and quickened his thrusts. Caleb hit something inside of her that caused sparks to explode through her body. The pleasure was so intense that her vision blurred. Caleb slammed into her, and she felt his release flood her insides. The scolding hot seed dripped down her thighs as she collapsed against the pillows. Caleb kissed along her neck and down her spine. He nudged her legs apart and just stared at the glistening, swollen folds as if she was the most beautiful flower. Rina watched him over her shoulder and saw something akin to pride swell in his chest as he touched her gently. She was over-sensitive, but she allowed him to explore.
At least until panic replaced the warm afterglow of her orgasm. "We didn't use a condom!"
"I didn't bring any. Honestly, I wasn't intending for things to get this far."
"You're clean, right?" she asked as she sat up and reached for the tissue box.
"Human illnesses don't affect me, so yes. I'm clean."
Rina was relieved. She set the tissues aside after cleaning her thighs and stood up to shower. Her legs buckled the moment she was upright, and she tumbled into Caleb's arms.
"I thought you would be more concerned over getting pregnant," he laughed. Rina flinched and his smile dropped. "What is it?"
"I can't get pregnant, Caleb. When I said I couldn't give you what you wanted, I meant that." She wiggled out of his hold and tried to stand again. This time he went with her for support. They headed into the bathroom attached to the guest room to shower.
~*~
Caleb finished rinsing Rina's hair and reached for a towel as she turned off the water. He wrapped her up and helped her from the stall without a word spoken between them. In truth, Caleb wasn't sure how to comfort her. Sam's birth made him realize that he wanted children eventually. The entire situation made their mate bond a lot more complicated, and yet it made him feel as if he understood Rina more.
They climbed into the guest bed and Caleb pulled her against his chest. "You're amazing," he breathed in the darkness of the room. "All this time, I thought you didn't believe in love like Casey before she got with Giddeon. In reality, you thought you were sparing the men you dated from marrying a woman who couldn't give them children. But what you fail to realize is that it's more common than you think, Rina. Your act of selflessness has kept you from living a life filled with love and happiness."
"I don't want to talk about it." Rina blinked slowly until her eyes remained closed. Caleb kissed the top of her head and allowed himself to drift off to sleep. The long winter days swept away the hours until Caleb lost all sense of time.
Shields clashed in the pit. Giddeon whirled around and swung his sword in an arch that nearly severed his opponent's head from his shoulders as Caleb cheered from behind the iron gate. Though they were the king's sons, they had to battle in the arena for a place among the other warriors. Caleb was the youngest competitor that year, but he was just as hungry for glory as the other males. The collar around his neck kept him from shifting, a heavy reminder that he had been born with more privilege and power than others.
He saw how the fighters looked down on him. No doubt, they thought he was nothing more than a spoiled prince trying to impress his father. Caleb couldn't deny that their assumptions were somewhat true, but there was more at stake than earning his father's approval. He wanted to prove to himself that he was more than a pampered prince.
The siren screeched, and the gate opened. Caleb grabbed his bow and quiver, heading into the arena with two other fighters. He felt a target on his back the moment he stepped onto the sand.
"You aren't from here," one of the males snarled. Caleb saw the stripes of a tiger flash beneath his skin for a moment. "Go home, little prince."
Caleb pulled an arrow from his enchanted quiver and pulled back on the bowstring. "The Spartans are at war with the Athenians. It is my duty to be here, just as it is yours."
"What business is it of King Samael's that we are at war? You do not belong in our lands! We have our own leaders. We do not need the help of foreign kings
that bring only destruction."
"We fight for all shifters!"
The siren blared once more, and Caleb forced his arrow into the tiger. He rolled to evade another attack, but a hammer came down beside his head. Giddeon threw a spear, and it sailed through the air, pinning another fighter to the wall. "Pay attention!" his brother snarled.
Caleb flipped to his feet and used an arrow to stab the shifter that grabbed him. The crowd cheered as blood sprayed along the ground. Sand was tossed into his eyes and Caleb slashed at his attacker with claws. He pinned the fighter and pounded his fists into a fleshy face until his vision cleared. The fighter bucked him off and swung his ax. Caleb ran in the other direction, slid on the ground, and turned as he fired three arrows.
Each one hit the fighter with deadly accuracy just before he was tackled into the wall. A fighter bearing his father's crest knocked Caleb unconscious. The last thing he remembered was a flash of recognition in the shifter's eyes...
Caleb sat up and glanced at the clock. He groaned when the red lights flashed the time. It was far too early, but he doubted he would have slept peacefully after his dream. Rina stirred and reached out for him. He kissed her neck and curled around her. "What did you dream about? I heard you mumbling."
"I...was back in Greece."
"Like, for work?"
Caleb snorted and shook his head. "Not exactly," he chuckled. "My brothers and I sailed to Greece after we received word that the Athenians were at war with the Spartans—”
Rina shot up out of the bed and stood over Caleb. "Did you just say Spartans? You were alive during the Peloponnesian War?"
"I was about seventeen. I told you that we come from an ancient bloodline."
"It's kind of hard to wrap my head around the fact that you're older than Christianity..." Rina brushed her hair out of her face and sat on the edge of the bed. "I'm sorry. Go on. I'm just in shock, that's all. So long as you weren't babysat by dinosaurs, I think I'll survive."
"Nah, Giddeon's the fossil."
She laughed a little and leaned against him. "What else?"
"When we arrived in Greece, we were pitted against other shifters in an arena. Like gladiator fights, but with magic," he explained. "It was a way to determine who had the skills to lead an attack. Shifter kings were allowed to choose their champions, but most of them wanted their heirs to find glory in battle. I didn't know it at the time, but...I think Madeu was my father's champion."
"Why?"
"I'm not sure. Giddeon was always my father's favorite, but maybe part of him had hope Madeu would prove worthy of his name despite having a human mother."
Chapter Thirteen
Destiny, Alaska
Rina changed into something comfortable and grabbed her keys, prepared for the long drive into town. She followed the narrow road as she tried to avoid any big patches of ice. The tastes of mint and coffee were still present on her tongue from the searing kiss she shared with Caleb before she headed out of the bedroom. It hadn't escaped her notice that she had woken up in his arms several times since they met without knowing much about him.
Sure, she knew he was a shifter and she was acquainted with his brothers, but Rina wasn't sure who Caleb was as a man. Already they had faced death together, and yet she had no clue what his favorite color was or how he liked his eggs. To her surprise, she was curious about Caleb in ways she had never been for anyone else.
Rina turned on the music to clear her head and drove to the cafe. She pulled into the parking lot and climbed out of her rental before peering into the window. Damien sat near the back with his head lowered.
Her heart hammered in her chest as she approached the door. Rina reminded herself that Damien could have harmed her long before she discovered he was a wolf. The angry outburst in the throne room aside—Damien had never even raised his voice at her. She pushed her way into the cafe and headed towards his table. Rina sat down and set her bag on the chair beside her.
“Thank you for meeting me,” he said. “I needed to know you were all right. Giddeon told me that you and Caleb had another argument.”
“We’re working on things.”
Damien laughed sadly. “God, I’ve been sleeping with you for over a year, and you never said anything about us or we. In fact, you demanded that I pretty much remove those words from my vocabulary entirely. Things must be serious between the two of you.”
“We have a date scheduled for this week.”
“Even though he’s staying at the cabin with you?”
Rina shrugged. “It used to belong to his family and Casey is his sister-in-law. There’s not much I can do about it.”
“But he’ll be sharing your bed, won’t he?”
“Look, if this is why you asked me to come here, then I’ll just leave and save myself the headache,” she hissed. “I’m an adult without any commitments, Damien. I know you love me...but I don’t feel that way towards you.”
“Do you love Caleb?”
“He interests me. We’re redoing our second date.”
“You didn’t answer the question,” he pointed out. “You don’t love me. We don’t sleep beside one another, we don’t text, we don’t go on dates...but you wake up next to Caleb, and you’re redoing your second date. That sounds like a relationship, Rina.”
“I treated you like shit at times, and it wasn’t fair to you, but who I wake up next to is none of your business, Damien. I’m not in a relationship with Caleb or anyone. Just because you have feelings for me doesn’t mean I’m obligated to feel the same.”
He ordered another coffee and placed his hands on the table. “I’ve had my heart broken before, Rina. I don’t need you to love me for my life to be fulfilled. I had hoped to earn your affection while we were seeing each other, but I’ve sort of given up hope. Now, I just want to make sure you know what you’re getting into with Caleb.”
Rina sat up straighter and pushed aside the animosity that filled the air between them. “I'm listening," she replied impressively.
"He's married."
"M-married?" Rina felt sick to her stomach. People had their opinions about her lifestyle, but she had never been the sort of woman to help someone cheat on their spouse. "He doesn't wear a ring..."
"I'm not surprised. It's a complicated situation that he doesn't like to talk about. One that brought a lot of shame to his family and nearly ruined his career long before he was injured."
"Why wouldn't he tell me?"
"I'm sure he thought coming back here was a way to escape the life he left behind. It was a drunken Vegas wedding with his PR agent. She tried to blackmail him for money."
"...I can't believe this..."
"Giddeon asked me to look into it, and I got a judge to look into the legitimacy of the marriage," Damien said. "I'm sorry, Rina. Giddeon paid her off to keep it quiet, and there was talk of divorce. She disappeared before it was resolved."
"Wait, she disappeared?"
"Only days before Caleb got here. I looked everywhere. The authorities think she used a fake name to get close to Caleb and then made off with the money." Damien stirred a packet of sugar into his coffee.
Rina felt like a fool. "He said I was complicated, that us hooking up would be a mistake. I guess he wasn't just talking about his family." She nudged her coffee away, unable to taste anything in that moment. "What now?"
"That's up to you," he replied. "You can either give him the benefit of the doubt and go on your date or you can confront him."
"But he's married? It was legitimate?"
"He's married to a woman that never existed, and the woman who scammed him got away with enough money to stay hidden for as long as she wants."
"Why did you want to tell me this?"
"Because I care about you. And if you decide that what you have with Caleb is real, it might cause issues if you want to get married."
~*~
Olivia bounced around the kitchen and bopped along with the music. Caleb sang into the broom as Diana watched from
her chair with an amused expression on her face. The door banged open and Caleb turned off the radio. Olivia took the bacon off the stove and plated their breakfast. Rina walked into the kitchen with snow melting in her hair.
Caleb's smile dropped when he saw tears in her eyes. He wondered what had happened in town that made her cry. Rina dropped her hat and keys onto the table. Caleb pulled her into his arms and she sniffled against his chest. "You're married," she whispered. For a moment, he thought he had heard her wrong, but deep inside, he knew his past would come back to haunt him.
"I'm sorry." There was nothing else he could say. She deserved so much more, but he was at a loss for words.
Rina pulled back and reached up to tuck a strand of hair behind his ear. "I know," she replied. "I wish you would have told me about the situation. Do you have any idea how it felt to hear that from Damien of all people?"
"I tried to fix it."
"No, you didn't." Rina kissed his cheek and wrapped her arms around his shoulders, pushing up onto the tips of her toes. "You ran just like I did. We both have our problems, but you had Giddeon to clean up after you. I think it's time you set things right."
"I paid him back..."
"It's not about the money, Caleb," Rina huffed in frustration. "You spent your entire life trying to be someone you're not and your family suffered for it. I don't want to be on the list of people who walked away from you."
"I'll do whatever you want me to do."
She peered past his shoulder and stepped away from him. "Let's discuss this later. I just...want to forget what I just heard and move on."
"It'll come up again."
"No, it won't."
He frowned in confusion. "What do you mean?"