by Delta James
She laughed. “Not many would believe any of that... especially the submitting part.” Then she frowned. “I don’t know that I’m capable of always behaving and submitting to you.” Her voice threatened to break.
“Thank God,” Declan said teasingly. “How dull would that be? Just always remember that even when you choose not to behave or not submit, that your mate is an alpha as well and will ensure that when you don’t, your backside feels the depth of my displeasure.”
She looked up at him. “Promise?”
Declan kissed her gently and snaked his hand down her body until she parted her legs and he began to play with her clit before sliding his hand further down to penetrate her core with two fingers. Ava arched her back and rocked her pelvis up to take him further within her. She moaned in pleasured response.
“I do, my mate. Trust that I will always be there to dominate you, to discipline you, and to love you.”
“Do you always keep your promises, my mate?” she asked seductively. She trailed her fingers down his body intending to take his fully aroused cock with its impressive knot in her hand. She stopped when he growled warningly. She grinned up at him. “As I recall, you did promise to knot and tie me this morning.”
“I did indeed and do you think you’d like that?”
“Very, very much,” she purred.
“I’m glad to hear that because I can’t think of anything that would give me greater pleasure.”
“Please, Declan. I need you to claim me fully in the way of our kind.”
Declan began pumping his fingers in and out of her. As she responded, he pressed his thumb to her clit and watched as her body showed all the signs of beginning to climax.
“You are not to come until I breach you.”
“Declan,” she wailed.
“Ava, do as you’re told. If you come before I bury my knot in you, you’ll get spanked instead of knotted and we’ll start this over again tomorrow morning.”
“No... please...”
Declan rolled on top of her, parting her thighs with his. He carefully lined up his cock with the opening to her core that seemed to be pulsing in need. His cock in position, he steadied her hips within his grasp. Ava had hold of his upper arms and tried to lift her pelvis to take him within her sheath.
“Declan, now, now, please...” She arched upward a second time and he kept her from achieving her goal.
“What have I told you about who mounts who in this relationship?”
“I’m sorry,” she keened. “Please...”
Declan tightened his grip on her and thrust forward. Ava’s body bowed as she climaxed and she cried out in triumph of achieving her initial release. That cry turned to sharply inhaled breath and howl of pain as the knot forced its way past her entrance. Declan nuzzled her. He was so deep and tight within her, he couldn’t reach between their bodies with his hand to play with her clit.
“Easy, sweetheart. It’ll be all right. Try to relax and let your body accept the knot.”
Ava nuzzled the hollow of his throat and nipped his collarbone. There were tears in her eyes and Declan would have pulled out if it hadn’t been for the warning from Oliver that he could hurt her even worse.
“My beautiful, brave girl. I love you, Ava.”
She smiled as she trailed her hands up his muscular arms and wound them around his neck. Declan could feel her body relax within his hands as she intertwined her legs with his. He felt her sheath gently draw him forward until his knot found its place. He kissed her deeply as she sighed into his mouth and had to keep from grimacing as the knot swelled, sealing her to him.
“Turnabout is fair play,” she sighed with a smile.
“Naughty mate,” he chuckled. The pain was quickly subsiding and leaving him with the most incredible feeling of awe and exquisite carnality. Declan had never felt more power in being a man... not a man, he thought, a wolf. He marveled at the way he could feel the genetic memory of being a wolf shifter begin to ebb forward.
He ran his hands under her body, gently cupping her still tender backside. Instinctively he knew how to rock within her. As Oliver had predicted, her eyes rolled back in her head as she climaxed a second time, her sheath pulsing all along his cock. He continued to move within her. Her body ramped back up to climax yet again.
He could feel the precise moment when Ava gave up any and all control and completely surrendered to his dominance and the power of the knot. He was grateful for her response as he had quickly discovered that this hedonistic and primal act was something he would crave and want more than once a month.
Ava’s orgasms began to come in waves; she barely had time to catch her breath between them. Driven by instinct to complete the act, Declan rocked her harder and harder as he could feel his own release become imminent. As he did so, Declan’s canines elongated and he eyed the space between the hollow of her throat and the end of her collarbone that she was blatantly offering him to mark and complete his claiming.
As Ava began to reach another peak of ecstasy, Declan kissed the spot he meant to claim and then sank his teeth into her flesh. She wailed in distress but instead of letting go, he bit down more firmly as he rocked her harder. Her sound of pain began to recede as she climaxed once again.
Declan’s cum rushed up from his balls and down the length of his swollen cock as it started to flood her molten core. Ava grasped at his buttocks to pull him even closer. As his cock continued to gush his essence into her, Ava’s nails raked his back as she began to suck and nibble from the place she had first marked him all along his collarbone.
Declan strained to ensure the last of his seed spurted into her pussy and reveled in her response. He gently kissed the deep bite mark.
She whispered, “I’m fine, Declan. It is the way of our kind and I will bear your mark proudly.”
“Hold onto me, Ava, I want to roll over so you aren’t having to bear my weight.”
She nuzzled the hollow of his throat and kissed her way up to his mouth before bringing her hands up to hold his face while she captured his mouth with hers. “No, please. I don’t want you to. There’s something... I don’t even know what to say it is. I just know I want to stay underneath you.”
Declan allowed the lower portion of his body to rest interlocked with hers and rested the upper part of his body on his forearms.
“My sweet, beautiful mate. You’re truly all right?” he asked, remembering the pain forcing his knot had caused her as well as the bite marking her as his.
She smiled and purred, “Let me put it this way... can we do it again tonight?”
He laughed out loud. “Yes, sweetheart, we most definitely can. But between now and then we need to look after our guests, much as I feel a deep need to keep you here in our bed.”
“I find it difficult to remember you weren’t shifter-born. No woman has ever had a mate knot and tie her more perfectly. Generally, when an alpha mates, he takes his woman into seclusion for a few days. I’m sure we’ll find food delivered and no one will disturb us. I wish I thought to say goodbye to Bethan. You don’t think he’s really planning to spank her, do you?”
“I think by the time I allow you out of our bed, Bethan will be lucky if she is able to sit down with some degree of comfort. I can tell you that if you were to do that to me, I’d welt you to ensure it didn’t happen again.”
Ava giggled. “Tell me again why I wanted to be mated to you? Do you know how much I dislike being spanked, not to mention welted?”
“I take it that Colum had his hands full with you? Keep in mind, my sweet girl, that whether or not you get disciplined and to what extent is entirely within your control. Think about that when you think to misbehave.”
“I was awful to him. I was such a brat. I want to make amends to all of them. Do you think we can visit at some time in the not too distant future?”
“Yea, my beloved. Besides we need to get your things as this is your home now.”
The look of joy that overtook her face clutched at
Declan’s heart. “My home. My mate. I rather like the sound of that.”
He smiled. His heart had never felt the amount of emotion, not to mention love that he felt for the amazing woman that he was tied to.
They remained in seclusion for the next few days enjoying their unbridled passion. Declan found that Ava seemed to have a bottomless well of sensuality to tap into. Each time he reached for her, she responded with a complete lack of inhibition. He knew that she still harbored a certain level of dislike for his taking her back entry, but her physical response allayed his concern that it was something she truly resented. He did feel it was an excellent tool to add to his discipline regimen and to keep her mindful of his dominance.
They had spent plenty of time tied together. And as Oliver had predicted, Declan had never experienced such a profound level of intimacy with another being. They shared the stories of their lives and found the similarities far outweighed the differences... well, except for Ava having been born a shifter and Declan being turned. Ava had promised to teach him how to shift and said he would enjoy the freedom of being a wolf and running their lands in wolf form.
They planned and dreamed, basking in the gathering strength of their emotional bond.
* * *
When they came downstairs several mornings later, they joined Bess, Oliver, and Roz. Greg had opted to return to the Hamptons estate. As he’d promised, Oliver had provided Bethan with a proper escort back to Calon Onest.
Ava had expressed some concern to Declan about seeing their guests. He had pointed out that all three had experienced the same thing with their own mates. That had reassured her somewhat. But it was Roz’s teasing that put her at ease.
“You’re walking. That’s not a good sign. You might need to step up your game, Declan,” Roz said over her coffee mug as they entered.
“Rozalyn,” scolded Oliver with a certain note of tolerance in his tone.
“If you recall, my love, you needed to help me walk to the dining room that first day.”
Oliver smiled at the memory. “Behave or we will go upstairs for a little discussion about your behavior. And I believe, my mate, you have something to say to Declan.”
“Oliver...”
“Rozalyn,” he said sharply. “Now or you can go back to needing a pillow to sit on.”
Declan looked between the two.
Oliver growled at his mate, who sighed resignedly in response.
“Fine. Declan, I apologize for punching you.”
“It’s fine, Roz. No permanent damage done.”
Ava sat down next to her.
“Really not fair, you’re up in seclusion getting your brains knotted out and I got spanked,” said Roz.
Ava giggled. “Unfortunately, so did I. And then he made me wait until the next morning to knot me.”
“That’s horrible. Want me to punch him again?”
Oliver looked at Declan. “I’m not sure this is a friendship we want to endorse.”
Roz batted her eyes at him. “Whatever do you mean, my mate? You know I’m the sweetest, most obedient mate on the planet.”
“I know you promise to be when you’re face down over my knee. Otherwise, all bets are off. At the risk of the two of you starting something, I could use some time with Declan to bring him up to speed on a few things.”
Declan nodded. “Bess, keep your eye on the two of them. And Ava? Rogue she-wolf or no, I want you to stay out of the woods.”
“Declan, that’s ridiculous. You can’t...”
“I can and I have, my mate. If you can’t behave, you can go back upstairs and I will deal with you when I’m done with Oliver.”
“Geesh, he sure got the bossy alpha wolf thing down pretty damn quick,” commented Roz.
“Yes,” replied Ava. “I think your mate is a bad influence.”
Roz nodded. “Could be. He’s an awfully bossy mate.”
Oliver shook his head and smiled at Roz. “Let me give you a free piece of advice, Declan. If one has a very naughty mate? One needs to be very bossy to keep her out of trouble.”
Declan laughed and the two alphas headed for Declan’s study.
Chapter Nineteen
Once the door closed behind them, Declan directed Oliver to the sitting area of his office.
“I take it this is the part you tell me about the trouble that’s coming?”
Oliver smiled. “Not coming, already here. It hasn’t been able to get a good foothold in America, but there have been some inroads in both Canada and Mexico. In fact we fear that Mexico may become a staging ground for these bastards. The worst part is none of the Ruling Councils seem inclined to accept that there is a problem.”
“What’s going on? I don’t know if you know much about me...”
“Army Ranger, Sniper Class. One of the best. And a man who defied all the rules, regulations, and protocols to save a bunch of innocent women and children.”
“Ah,” said Declan, smiling, “you have done your research.”
“Yes, we have a communications and computer expert in Griffin’s young, but growing pack. Her name is Anna. Finding your information was easy. It was your Ava’s that was far more interesting. She is, according to Anna, a black-hat hacker of the first order.”
“Ava? I know she does a lot of consulting and computer programming for folks.”
“That’s the legitimate side of her business. Anna says that your Ava makes her look like a rank amateur. With what we think is coming, the combination of the two may become critical.”
“So what is coming?”
“You hear Ioan allude to the fact Ava being a shifter-born female is rare?”
Declan nodded.
“They’re becoming more and more rare, although Gautier had one born to his pack and DeMedici’s mate presented him with a girl as well. Perhaps reintroducing human DNA into our lines will increase the number of females born. But for now, there are packs that are doing whatever they believe they must to remain viable.”
“All over the world?” Declan questioned.
“At this point still mostly centered in Eastern Europe. We thought we had broken them with a two-pronged attack over there and then down in Mexico. But both forces found evidence that the problem is far more widespread and insidious than we imagined. Women, humans, are being kidnapped and turned without their consent.”
“Jesus, don’t they know someone is bound to notice and do something about it?”
“Why would they think that? Human trafficking especially of women and children is nothing new. Just new players. We think they’re all connected but we haven’t been able to run that down yet. Anna is hoping that your Ava with her knowledge of the dark net will be better equipped to ferret them out. And what’s worse...”
“There’s a worse?” asked Declan.
“Indeed there is. We’ve discovered breeding farms all over the world, but mostly in Europe where women are being kidnapped, turned, and bred before being sold to the highest bidder.”
“And the Ruling Council?”
“Doesn’t want to know. So an inner circle, the one Ioan made reference to, has formed amongst packs mostly here in America but with the DeMedici pack in Italy and Calon Onest in Wales leading up the European contingent. I know it’s a lot to ask on top of everything else...”
“I’m in,” said Declan. “And as long as Ava can do what we need in a protected place, I’m sure she’ll want to help.”
“I’m glad to hear it. I’ll speak with Griffin about having Anna come up to work with Ava about getting you on our inter-web and start looking.”
“Is that it?”
“No, some of the packs we attacked weren’t eradicated. They’ll be looking for revenge and now there’s some rogue female traipsing about Europe playing masked avenger.”
“Please tell me you don’t think it’s Ava.”
“No, the timing is all off. But several of us believe that if they aren’t already doing so our mates will be trying to supply her both with infor
mation and other means of support. You’ll need to keep a sharp eye out on Ava. This would be, I fear, right up her alley.”
“Do you think it’s only our alpha females?”
Oliver smiled. “It pleases me no end to hear you already referring to them as ‘our.’ But no. As I said, my Roz isn’t an alpha nor is Gautier’s... but they are probably two of the best fighters. I’m beginning to think the women that were formerly Bae Diogel...”
“That’s the all-female pack that was disbanded?”
Oliver nodded. “Yes, they are a close-knit bunch and I’m fairly sure my Roz will pull Ava into whatever they’re up to. We think it started with just training the women of our packs. So far out of bounds with how we have traditionally operated, but I can’t say I’d be upset to find it’s true. I don’t want them going out to fight, but if trouble comes to my estate, I know I’ll be glad they can acquit themselves and hopefully help to repel any attack.”
“But I’m an unknown and have no territory.”
“Yes, but your being unknown may work in our favor. We may call on you to house and protect various groups of females. Until you have a pack of your own, we would send men to help keep them safe. But we may also want to use this as a training ground and have your help with weaponry.”
“That shouldn’t be a problem.”
“And then there’s the issue of territory...”
“I’m assuming you aren’t inclined to consider my estate part of yours.”
Oliver laughed. “Oh, hell, no! I’m five hundred miles away. My pack only took over this region as there was no one else. We can talk about actual boundaries, but unless you make strenuous objections, my plan is for you to take over this upper part of New England. As I said, you’ll need to build a pack but Griffin hasn’t found it hard and both Marco and Ioan have large packs from whom I think you’ll be able to draw good men.”
“I guess I’d better hire some construction crews to get started rehabbing a lot of these buildings around the estate.”
“Yes. Most of us have the ranked members and their mates up at the main house. Then we set up a house or houses for other mated couples and separate dormitories for unmated members.”
