Even wounded, the dragon is strong. I struggle to pin his wings as he tries desperately to shake me off. When it’s clear that I’m not going anywhere, he starts to shake and phase back into his human form.
Suddenly, I’m wrestling with Sperling as we land hard thudding fists into each other’s bodies. I hit him in the cheek with a hard right hook, but he follows that up with an elbow to my jaw.
I hate to admit it, but he’s stronger. And faster.
But a shifter fighting for his mate will always have the advantage and I’m fighting for Lily.
I wrestle my way on top of him and start landing devastating blows to his ribs and face. Just when I think I’ve got him, his hand darts out and his iron fingers wrap around my throat.
I can’t breathe. He’s choking the air out of me.
I’m trying to pry his fingers loose, but they’re not moving.
“My brothers were weak,” he hisses as I start to get dizzy. “I don’t know how they got killed by a bunch of bear shifters. Pathetic.”
I hear shuffling in the snow coming up behind us and my heart drops. Why is Lily coming toward us? She should be running away. She should be hiding.
Sperling yanks me closer as I get dangerously close to losing consciousness.
“They had every advantage and they still lost,” he hisses into my face. “How?”
Suddenly a cold metal gun gets placed in my hand. I immediately raise it and point it at the only vulnerable spot Sperling has—his jade green eye.
I close my eyes and pull the trigger.
The sound is deafening, but the only thing I can focus on is the sweet air coming into my lungs as the fingers that were choking me fall down.
Sperling crumples onto the ground and stops moving as I take in one quick breath after another. He’s dead.
“They lost because they were fighting against fate,” I whisper. “Just like you.”
My mate is safe. I can breathe again. Literally and figuratively.
I turn and see Lily looking up at me with wide brown eyes.
“Are you okay?” I ask and she nods. I look down at the gun in my hand and swallow hard.
“I had dropped it in the snow,” she says as she looks at it too. “But his fire melted the snow around it.”
I look back at him to make sure he’s dead. He is.
Then, I take my mate into my arms and kiss her. When I’ve warmed her up as much as I can, I pick her up, hold her to my chest, and start the long walk home.
Chapter Twelve
Lily
“Is it just me or has a drink never tasted so good in the history of the world?” I ask as I savor the strong Vodka tonic that Blake just made me.
He smiles as he sits down at the table with me and the rest of the crew. Ethan, Rylan, Carter, Westin, Mila, Kimberly, Aubrey, and Chloe are all sitting down with us at the firehouse, waiting for the story of all stories. We would have gone to the pub for the drink, but I don’t think we’re allowed back for a while. The boys fixed the hole in the wall, but the owner Colby still isn’t happy that I pulled a gun on him. Oh well. Hopefully, he has a short memory.
After hiking back down the mountain, we called Carter and he picked us up in his truck and brought us back to Blake’s house, freezing and desperate for a hot bath.
Blake’s truck is still stuck in the top of the tree on the mountain, making a raccoon or a bunch of squirrels very happy with their new luxury home. I thought he’d be upset about it, but he hasn’t stopped smiling since the danger passed.
“So,” Ethan asks as he leans forward on the table. “What the hell happened? Polar bear vs dragon? Tell us all about it!”
“Polar bear and badass FBI agent vs dragon,” I correct and they all laugh. Kimberly and Mila give me a high-five. I’m starting to like it here.
I don’t have friends like this at home. I’ve spent the last decade or so stuck at work every night, putting in the hours, trying to move up the ranks. This is really nice too…
I’m glad that Blake has shown me a new side. A new way of looking at things.
“Wow,” Westin says when we finish telling them the story of how we defeated Reginald.
“I knew you guys would be fine,” Rylan says with a confident nod. “Bear shifters are very resilient when it comes to their mates.”
“You’re telling me,” Carter says with a grin. “I heard that one stupid bear shifter walked right into an oncoming truck while trying to get his mate and he was fine.”
Rylan frowns. “He was probably just distracted. Not stupid.”
“Nope, really stupid,” Carter continues.
“I heard he was okay because he had a really talented doctor,” Mila says with a smirk. “Apparently she was really hot too.”
“Incredibly hot,” Rylan corrects as he wraps his arm around her and gives her a loving look.
There must be a story in there that I’m missing.
“Who got hit by a truck?” I ask.
They all start laughing and then I’m laughing until my stomach hurts as they tell me the story, each jumping in to offer funny tidbits, jokes, and witty observations.
It’s the best night I’ve had in I don’t remember how long.
Several drinks and lots of laughs later, I’m back at Blake’s house and it’s just the two of us again.
We’re in the middle of a heavy make-out session when my phone rings loud and aggressive. My boss has been calling me all day.
“You better get that or he’ll be interrupting us all night,” he says.
“I’ll be one second.”
I rush over to my purse and fish it out. “Hello.”
“Burks,” he shouts into the line as I wander into Blake’s bedroom and close the door. “Where have you been?”
“I took a day off.”
There’s silence. I grin as I picture what his utterly confused face looks like right now.
“You? A day off? Are you okay?”
“I’m good. Actually, I’m really good.”
“Are you drunk, Burks?!”
I giggle into the phone. “A little bit.”
“Well, sober up,” he barks. “We got a tip through the network that Reginald Kirk is in the area.”
“He’s in the area, but he’s no longer a threat.”
“I don’t understand.”
“He’s dead.”
“What?!”
“The local law enforcement has taken over. He was found on a mountaintop.”
“He’s dead?”
“All three of the Kirk brothers are.”
I tell him a story I concocted that the three Kirk brothers had a falling out and got at each other’s throats. I don’t want Blake or any of my new friends’ names involved in any of this. He’s not the only one who’s protective of his mate.
“That’s great, Burks,” he says, sounding relieved. “Get on a plane first thing tomorrow morning and come in for your debriefing.”
“Actually, I’m going to stay here for a bit. Take some time off.”
More silence.
“Are you sure you’re okay?”
“Very okay,” I tell him with a smile on my face. “I’ll call tomorrow and do my debriefing over the phone and then I’m taking a few weeks off.”
“A few weeks?!”
“I have a lot of vacation saved up,” I say with a grin. “And I’m using it. And then I’m going to be seeking a transfer.”
“To where?” Now, he just sounds exasperated.
“To Montana.”
He sighs. “It’s too late to deal with this shit. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”
I grin as he hangs up. I can’t wait to start my new life and it starts now.
Blake is sitting on his couch, watching me closely as I walk back into the room.
“Are we going to Miami tomorrow?” he asks.
“We?”
“I’ll go wherever you go, Lily. You want to live in Hawaii? I’ll pack my grass skirt. You choose Japan? I’ll learn h
ow to use chopsticks. You want to live in the ocean? I’ll learn to speak fish.”
I laugh as I move on top of him, straddling his strong body.
“What if I want to stay right here?” I ask as I hover my lips over his.
His hands slide onto my hips, but he’s not gripping me tightly like he normally does. He seems hesitant and unsure, like if he touches me, I might run away or take back what I just said.
“If you wanted to stay right here,” he says with a hard swallow, “then I’d be the happiest man in the world.”
“I like seeing you happy,” I say as I press my lips to his. His hands tighten around me and my pussy clenches in response. “I think I’ll stay.”
“Good,” he says with a grin. “Because I wasn’t about to let you leave.”
“I heard the girls talking about a mark,” I say as I pull up his shirt. “Is that like an engagement ring or something?”
“It’s like a permanent ring,” he says as he lifts up his arms so I can pull his shirt off.
Fuck, this man’s body is so deliciously hot.
He starts to undress me as I get a hint of disappointment. I guess he’s not ready for that kind of commitment with me. Maybe I’ve been misreading his intentions.
My shirt comes off and then my bra. We start working on each other’s pants and I just have to ask.
“Does that come later with shifters?” I ask. “Are you not ready for that?”
“I was ready to make you mine the second I saw you,” he says as he pulls out my belt with a snap. He tosses it onto the floor and then flicks open the button on my jeans. “I was waiting. For you.”
I stand off him and pull down my pants and underwear, exposing everything to this powerful man. “I don’t want you to wait any longer. I want to be yours in every way possible.”
He slides down his pants and boxer briefs as well and then grabs his thick hard cock that’s standing straight up between us.
“Come here,” he growls as he reaches for me with his free hand.
I straddle him once again and sink my wet pussy down onto his big dick. We both moan as he fills me up and stretches me out.
“It’s always a shock how good it feels,” I whisper as I rock my hips from side to side.
His hands move onto my ass and he starts guiding me up and down his pole, making a wet mess where we’re joined.
A low rumbling growl fills the room and his body begins to swell up in size. His arms and chest balloon and his shoulders grow twice their normal size.
I whimper as I feel his cock thickening inside me. It burns but it feels so good at the same time.
My mouth falls open and I gasp when I see his canine teeth growing.
I start moving up and down faster, riding my sexy beast of a man as he craves even more of me. It’s such a turn on to see how wild I drive him. He’s a primal savage beast when it comes to his mate. When it comes to me.
I run my nails down his chest, teasing the beast as I ramp up the pace of my bouncing hips.
“Do it,” I moan. “Mark me. Please.”
I turn my head to the side, exposing the flesh of my neck and he pounces on me. It’s fast and unexpected and so damn erotic.
His teeth sink into my skin, penetrating my flesh as I cry out and start cumming. My pussy pulses around his big dick as he marks my skin and completes the mating.
When his teeth slide out, there’s no more pain. Just a tingling pleasure that’s emanating from the spot and mixing with my blossoming orgasm.
Blake wraps his arms around me and lets out a savage grunt as he cums deep in my pussy.
I sink all the way down onto him and hold his cock there, feeling him deep inside of me as he unloads every drop of his seed into my body.
His arms, chest, and shoulders shrink back down to their normal size and the look in his eyes as he watches me is pure love.
The tingling in my neck tells me I’m in the right place, but that look in his eyes tells me I’m home.
Epilogue
Lily
One year later…
I drop my housecoat and grin when I see my pregnant belly in the mirror. I’m due any day now.
It’s going to be a girl and we can’t wait. I think we’re going to name her Lauren or Ashley. We can’t decide which one yet.
With my hands on my huge stomach, I waddle into the bathroom to surprise Blake. He’s taking a shower and I’m going to squeeze in and try to get this labor thing going.
My doctor said that sex can be a great way to induce labor and well, we’ve always been good at that, so I’m going to try it out.
It’s been four months since I stopped work for maternity leave and I finally feel like I have a life now. It’s like I had my head down for the past decade and I’ve finally looked up and realized that there’s a whole world around me. A world that was passing me by.
Well, it’s not passing me by anymore. Not with Blake opening my eyes to it.
My beautiful mate has his hands on the tiles and his head hanging as the water slams into the back of his neck. I lick my lips as I quietly tiptoe over and open the glass door.
“Ah, what the fuck?!” I scream as I step in to join him. The water feels like ice. I jump back and cringe as I stare at him in shock.
He turns and laughs as he watches me. The water is hitting his head and running down his muscular body. There’s no steam at all.
“It’s freezing cold!” I shout in disbelief.
“It feels good,” he answers with a grin.
“Damn polar bears,” I mutter as I shake my head. “I was going to join you, but that’s not going to happen now.”
His eyes roam up and down my naked body. He must like what he sees, because he turns the hot water on and the cold water down.
“Ah,” I say with a smile. “You do love me.”
“I love you enough to melt,” he says as the steam starts rising.
Only once I’ve made sure the water is just under scalding, do I step in and join him.
His big protective arms come around me and I can’t help but feel like I’m right where I’m supposed to be. Everything feels right in the world when Blake is holding me like this.
“So, the doctor said…” I say with a grin. Although we love each other completely, I still get a little shy around him sometimes and can’t finish the thought.
But he catches on quick. My mate is a smart one.
“Inducing the labor?” he asks as his hands slide down to my hips that have widened and thickened tremendously over the past few months.
I was worried he wasn’t going to like my new body, but he can’t get enough of it. His hands are always all over me.
I nod. “Yeah. There’s something he recommended.”
His mouth curls up in a grin.
Just as we’re about to get started, I feel a wet warmth between my legs, but it’s not the normal wet warmth.
“Oh my god!” I shout and then push him out of the shower.
“What are you doing?” he asks as I slam the door closed in his face.
I look down at the water as it goes down the drain and my heart starts pounding.
“My water just broke.”
It takes him a second to realize it, but then he’s the happiest I’ve ever seen him. He helps me out of the shower and wraps a towel around me before taking off and sprinting around the house to get everything we need.
I just focus on my breathing as I slowly get ready, knowing that my man is going to take care of me just fine.
“Let’s go meet Lauren,” he says when we’re finally ready to leave a few minutes later.
I grab the back of his neck and pull him down for a kiss.
Lauren.
It sounds perfect. It feels right.
“All right,” I say with a smile. “Let’s go meet our girl.”
He holds my hand and we leave, knowing that when we get back, nothing is ever going to be the same.
And excited for every second of it.
<
br /> Epilogue
Lily
Ten years later…
“How are you not cold?” I ask Lauren as she runs by with the sled. The freaking girl has her jacket wide open and only a t-shirt on underneath. No hat. No scarf. Meanwhile, I’m freezing with more layers than a royal wedding cake.
“It’s hot, mommy,” she says as she jumps on the sled and starts sliding down the hill in our backyard.
I look around at my four kids and my gorgeous husband as my fingers and toes freeze, and I think that I must be a different species or something, which I kind of am. They’re never bothered by the cold.
Blake is smiling as he pulls the sled with our twins, Vincent and Eric on it, up the hill toward me. “It’s their polar bear blood,” he says with a satisfied grin. “We never get cold.”
“I should have dragged you to Miami,” I say with a laugh. “I would have loved to seen the five of you sweat while I bask in total comfort in my natural habitat.”
“Great idea,” he says as he ducks down and lines up the sled. “We could have lived with four hot sweaty miserable children who are constantly complaining about the heat.”
I laugh as he pushes Vincent and Eric. They squeal on the way down.
“Actually, that sounds horrible.”
“I know, right?” he says as he stands up and turns to me. My body gets that tingly feeling as he comes over and wraps his big comforting arms around me. I’m already warming up.
Blake isn’t even wearing a jacket. He’s got a thin sweater on.
“I’m glad you wanted to stay in Montana,” he says. “Although, I would have lived on the side of an active volcano if that’s what you wanted.”
“Oh, I’d like to see that,” I say with a laugh. “It’s much too dangerous and you’re way too protective. You probably would yell at the volcano every day and threaten to kill it if the lava came near me.”
He grins as he holds me tighter. “And that volcano would listen if it knew what’s good for it.”
I smile and lean into him as I look at our family and our adorable house in the distance. I love the life we’ve made.
Pulled to the Alpha: Alphas in Heat Book Five Page 6