“I might be denying it,” I grumbled. “Don’t I get a say in this?”
“Of course,” Owen said. “No one’s going to force you do anything you aren’t ready for.”
“Thank you,” I said, my fingers itching to reach out and take his hand.
“It’s customary for the Silver Shifter to be mated to the alpha of whatever clan she’s born into,” Maximus said.
“Hm.” I scrunched my lips to one side. “I wasn’t born into a clan.”
All mine…hummed my wolf.
Yes, I know you think they’re all yours, you greedy bitch.
“But…you’re a wolf,” Maximus said, looking taken aback. “Are you telling me your wolf doesn’t think she’s my mate?”
“She might,” I admitted. But she also thinks I have three others. I kept the words to myself, though they didn’t ring any less true.
Maximus smiled, and again, I noticed how gorgeous he was when he smiled. His sculpted features relaxed, and he lost that irritating habit of looking like he wanted to snap my head off.
I didn’t hold back my smile in return.
Cash cleared his throat. “So, you’re okay with us sticking around for a few days? To increase security, of course.”
“Don’t you have a job to get back to?” Maximus asked, shooting him a look.
Cash grinned. “Lucky for you, my laptop’s in the car, and I can work anywhere.”
“Lucky me,” Maximus muttered.
“Good deal,” Owen said, rising from the table. “Then it’s all settled. I’ll toss my bag in one of the guest rooms.”
“You brought a bag?” Maximus asked.
“Yeah,” Owen said, shrugging. “I was a Boy Scout. Always be prepared. And thanks for your hospitality, man. I appreciate it.”
He held out a hand, and after a slight hesitation, Maximus clasped it. When Owen and Cash went out to get their things, I stood up, too. I was itching for some fresh air. Being stuck in a cage for years did that to a girl.
“I’m going for a walk,” I said.
“Alone?”
I rolled my eyes. “Yes, Maximus. Alone.”
“I was hoping… maybe I could join you?”
“Wait, hold up,” I said. “Is the great Alpha Maximus asking my permission to do something?” I couldn’t hold back my teasing smile.
“Yeah,” he said, his shoulders slumping. “I guess I am.”
“Okay,” I said, feeling strangely shy now that he hadn’t pushed to control me. I didn’t know how to relate to him when we weren’t fighting.
Shira appeared in the doorway holding a shoe box and a package of socks. She glanced between us like she was afraid she was interrupting something. “Here are your things, Ariana.”
“Wow,” I said, taking them from her. “Does everything I need just appear in this house?”
“Not so bad having an alpha for a mate now, is it?” Maximus asked smugly.
Just when I’d thought he might stop being a dick.
Shira rolled her eyes, letting me know I wasn’t the only one who’d noticed, and I grinned back at her. As I pulled on the brand new socks, my toes wiggled in appreciation. I wasn’t used to having new things. I threw open the lid to the shoebox and pulled on the brand new pair of running shoes in just my size.
“Are these yours?” I looked at Shira for confirmation from my seat on a bench.
“No,” she said. “They’re all yours.”
“Where’d you get them?”
Her eyes flitted over my head to Maximus, and I twisted around. “You got me these?” I asked. “How’d you know my size?”
“Lucky guess.” He shrugged.
“There are more clothes for you upstairs,” Shira said. “I would have brought them down, but I thought it’d be a nice surprise for later.” She winked, and my cheeks heated.
I turned back to Maximus, a lump in my throat. I couldn’t remember the last time anyone bought me anything. “Thank you.”
“Of course. You need your own things.” He gave me a tight-lipped smile and then turned to Shira. “Will you get the other alphas set up in the guest rooms? It seems we’ll be having company for a few days.”
“Sure thing,” Shira said. “Both of them?” She could barely contain her smile, which did not go unnoticed by my wolf. I wrestled to keep her from bursting out of my human form and leaping onto Shira.
Shira must have noticed the expression on my face, because she dropped her voice and squeezed my arm. “Obviously they can’t have a wolf for a mate, but that doesn’t mean they’re not fun to look at. Am I right?”
She gave me a wink, and I forced a smile, even as my wolf growled her usual mine, mine, mine, chant. I joined Maximus at the door, and just as we stepped outside, the other two arrived with their things.
“We’re going out for a while,” Maximus said to them. “Shira will show you to your rooms.”
“If you want to wait a minute, we’ll join you,” Cash said.
I opened my mouth to invite them both to come, but Maximus spoke before I could.
“Maybe next time.” His hand closed around my arm in a possessive but gentle hold. “You don’t want to keep the lady waiting, do you?”
He led me from the porch, frowning when he noticed me glancing over my shoulder at the two men we were leaving. “Let me show you around the property,” he said, his hand sliding down my arm. He surprised me by linking his hand with mine. “With all the excitement, I’ve hardly had a moment alone with you.”
I considered this. Everything had happened so fast, I hadn’t even realized it. Maximus was supposed to be my mate, and yet we hadn’t spent a second without someone else hovering. I twisted my lip between my teeth as I thought about his fingers linked with mine and what it meant.
“What about Shira?” I asked. “She’s not…I mean, was she your mate before I got here?”
“No,” he said with a frown. “Wolves only have one mate. It’s customary for a second to live with the alpha if they’re both unmated, but we aren’t involved in that way.”
Mine, all mine, my wolf said with approval.
“Good,” I said, my fingers tightening around his. When we stepped into the woods, the heat of the sun on my shoulders disappeared as the leaves overhead shaded the path. The trail I’d followed before my encounter with Cash was narrow but well worn, dappled with sunlight in the daytime.
“Is it?” Maximus asked, his eyes searching mine. “Good that I’m single, I mean. It seems like we got off on the wrong foot somewhere. I get the feeling you don’t like me very much.”
I narrowed my eyes. “You locked me in a cage.”
His jaw tightened. “And I apologized.”
“Did you?”
He sighed and raked a hand through his hair. “If I didn’t, I’m sorry. This is all new to me, too. I had to make a split second decision that would be best for the whole pack. Obviously it wasn’t the best thing for me.”
Best thing for him?
I scoffed. “You weren’t the one locked in the basement.”
“I’m the one dealing with the consequences,” he countered.
We came out at the spot where I’d climbed the cliffs and fallen. The afternoon sun cast a warm glow over the exposed bluffs.
“I’m only human,” Maximus said, tugging my hand so I had to stop and face him. “Well, not only human. But I’m equally fallible. Do you think you can forgive me?”
My heart softened at the glimpse of vulnerability in him that I hadn’t seen before. “I think I can do that,” I said, my voice a little breathless.
“I want you to have your freedom,” Maximus said, his voice dropping. He stepped closer and reached for me, his fingers sliding across my cheek and slowly winding a strand of silver hair behind my ear. “I don’t mean to be impatient. But I’ve been waiting my whole life for my mate.”
Something between us shifted in that moment. I knew that my wolf wanted Maximus, and I knew he wanted me for his mate. Now that I knew what thi
s meant, warmth spread through me, and my legs threatened to give way. It was a lot of pressure.
“Just don’t rush me into this, okay, Maximus?”
He swallowed before nodding. “You’re right,” he said. “I’m not thinking of what life was like for you. There’s no rush. I hope you know that.”
“Good,” I said with a little gulp. I’d never experienced anything close to intimacy, and the thought of it was daunting, though I couldn’t deny that both my wolf and my human body were excited by the prospect. It was my human mind that balked.
“But you’re still my mate,” he said, sliding his hand to the back of my neck. The scent of pine trees and crisp air surrounded me—the smell of Maximus.
“You just don’t know when to stop, do you?” I whispered, letting him pull me even closer. I could see the flecks of green and gold and chestnut in his eyes, the length of his thick black lashes, the shadow of stubble on his strong jaw.
“Stop what?” he asked, his breath tickling my lips.
“Stop being an alpha.”
“No,” he said, and then his lips were on mine.
I drew a shaky breath as his mouth moved against mine, soft at first, then more insistent. My lips responded, following his lead instinctually. My hands fisted in his T-shirt, my body collapsing into his. His hands fell to my waist, drawing me gently but firmly against him. After a minute, his tongue touched my lip and I gasped, parting my lips. His tongue pressed into my mouth, sliding slowly and rhythmically against mine. Heat coiled in my belly, spreading downwards, filling my core with a need I’d never known.
Suddenly, my wolf sprang to life inside me, growling for more. Without thinking, my teeth sank into his tongue.
“Fuck,” Maximus said, drawing away and wiping the back of his hand across his lips. Then a smile began to spread across his face and his eyebrow quirked up. “Did you just try to claim me?”
My cheeks heated. “Isn’t that what you want?”
His smile dropped away, and his eyes fixed on my lips with such longing it made me shiver in the best way. “Very much,” he said, his voice husky.
That slightest taste of his blood lingered on my tongue, but it wasn’t enough. My wolf was practically ripping through my skin for more, and I wasn’t sure I could stop her.
“You’ll be part of the pack,” he said. “Permanently this time. But I can protect you this way. Of course it’s what I want, Ariana.”
“Me too,” I breathed, standing on my tiptoes and stretching up to him again.
He took a step forward, pushing me back against a tree that grew beside the path. This time, his kiss was deeper, more commanding. He slid a hand behind my head, cushioning it from the rough bark as his tongue swept across mine. My teeth clamped down on his tongue, and he moaned softly into my mouth. A second later, he sucked my lip between his teeth, and I drew a sharp breath, pleasure rippling through me.
My wolf shuddered her approval.
Maximus's teeth bit down gently on my lower lip, pressing harder until the skin broke. I gasped, my body arching against his, electrified. As my blood mixed with his on my tongue, dizzying pleasure swept through my body and my knees gave way. Maximus's body caught mine, his hips pinning mine against the tree. Heat throbbed between my trembling thighs as the flavor of our blood mingled on my tongue, creating something new and right. The taste of us, together.
“My god, Ari,” he whispered, breaking the kiss. His hand fisted in my hair, his forehead pressed to mine. “If you want me to be able to stop, you’d better let me do it now.”
My hand flattened on his chest. I could feel his heart hammering under my palm, pounding in rhythm with my own. “Then we should stop,” I said, though my wolf howled in protest inside me.
Maximus nodded, stepping back to separate his body from mine.
“It’s just, I’ve never even been kissed,” I whispered breathlessly.
“You don’t have to explain.”
“Is it always like that?”
He closed his eyes and exhaled. “Never.”
10
Ariana
A week later, we headed away from the wolf mountain. My heart pounded with excitement as I gazed out the window at the overcast sky and trees swaying in the wind. I was excited to see the other clans, but I’d gotten more comfortable with the wolves, too. They’d all welcomed me, and as Maximus's mate, they treated me as someone important. That took some getting used to, but I was starting to settle in. Shira had continued working with me on putting up my defenses so the wolves weren’t always in my mind. I could still hear Maximus because he was the alpha but only when he wanted me to.
Cash’s silver Lincoln led the way down the winding road, followed by Maximus's Jeep and Owen’s truck.
“You’re going to love the dragons,” Cash said, shooting me a grin. “I can’t wait for you to meet everyone.”
Much to Maximus's annoyance, I’d chosen to ride with Cash. I wanted to get the first glimpse of the place the dragon clan called home.
“Are they like the wolves?” I asked.
“Not really,” Cash said. “But I don’t want to spoil it for you. Just wait and see.”
“Do you live on a mountain like that, though? Up in the woods where humans won’t see you?”
“Not exactly,” he said, smirking as his hands tapped the steering wheel.
I sighed and turned to the window, frustrated with people keeping me in the dark. Now that I was in the same enclosed space as Cash, his scent overwhelmed me—bonfires, and cinnamon. And annoyingly distracting, considering Max was my mate.
I ran my fingers along the edge of the supple leather seat, breathing through my mouth as I tried to push out the delicious smell and focus on the car. Even on the dirt road, the Lincoln had provided a smooth ride. Now that we were on the highway, I could barely tell I was moving.
“It must be even harder for you to hide, since you fly,” I said. “The others aren’t as conspicuous.”
“Must be boring to be earthbound,” he said. “But don’t worry. I’ll give you a lift any time, sweetheart.”
I started to protest the use of that word, but my wolf preened at being given a nickname. “I might take you up on that,” I said. “It must be an even better view than climbing the cliffs.”
“You have no idea,” he said. “Just don’t tell Maximus you’re riding me. He might not like that.”
“It’s not his place to tell me who I can or cannot ride.” I crossed my arms.
Cash grinned at the road ahead. “Good to know.”
We turned into the city, where metal behemoths loomed in the distance. My heartbeat quickened. I’d never seen much of the city. I’d forgotten how the skyscrapers brushed the clouds. Maximus's presence brushed across my mind, checking that I was okay. Warmth swelled inside me. We’d butted heads a few times over the past week, but things had smoothed out considerably since I joined the pack.
As we turned onto a narrow street, a black SUV surged out of an alley straight in front of us. Cash swore and slammed on the brakes. The heels of my palms slammed into the dashboard, then my body lurched back against the seat. Behind us, Maximus's tires squealed as he came to a stop just inches from our bumper. Another SUV barreled out of the alley on the other side, blocking off that lane, too. The whole road was blocked, and more SUVS were crawling out of alleyways and joining the two blocking the road in front and behind us. Blocking us in.
Adrenaline burst through me as the door to one of the vehicles opened, and a tall, impossibly pale man with jet black hair stepped out.
“Shit,” I whispered, leaning forward and gripping the dash as more men spilled from the cars ahead. “Vampires.”
“Stay here!” Cash barked.
My wolf bristled at being told what to do, but the rest of me stared at the familiar vampire in horror. Cold fear slithered through my belly and down my spine. I knew that vampire. I knew his violent hands just as well as I knew the smirk on his face. He was one of the pit guards. One
of Dante’s men.
My fists clenched around the hem of my shirt. All I could do was watch as Cash leapt out of the car and slammed the door shut. Smoke blew from his nostrils as he stepped in front of the nose of the car.
I felt Maximus's presence in my head, commanding me to stay, like some kind of dog. If I weren’t so terrified, I might have argued. But as the red eyes of the pit guard met mine, the whole world drained away. The last week didn’t exist. I’d never met the four handsome alphas or heard of the New York Clans.
I was back in the pits, the dirt coarse beneath my paws, cold air licking my fur, and fear gripping my spine as a metal baton clanged against the bars of the cage across from mine.
Clang. Clang. Clang.
The baton hit bar after bar, and I winced at each sound. I scurried back in my small cage, pinning myself to the opposite side. A sharp whistle cut through the air, and crimson eyes peered into the dark recesses of my prison.
“Hello, little doggie.” His voice sent a shiver through my entire body.
And then I was back, sitting inside Cash’s car, shaking. Vampires surrounded the alpha dragon. Where were Maximus and Owen?
Tearing myself from the vampire’s gaze, I turned in my seat. Out the rear window I could see more bloodsuckers surrounding Maximus's SUV. Maximus and Owen were already out of the car, surrounded by vampires. My wolf snarled, ready to join them.
No one harms my mates.
Before I could think about what I was doing, I thrust the car door open and leapt out.
Cash gave me with an irritated glare as I strode to his side, my fists clenched. I forced myself to take deep breaths and face down one of the many vampires to terrorize me for the last few years.
“There she is,” the vampire purred. His lips pulled back to reveal his fangs. “Dante sends his regards, little doggie.”
Anger burned through me, and my wolf fought against my skin. I just barely held her in check. “Tell him to shove his regards up his ass,” I growled.
The man’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. I’d never talked back before, but then again, I’d been a wolf for the last couple years. “My, my.” He chuckled darkly. “Doggie has more than just bite.” His gaze trailed me up and down before settling back on my face. “Come, girl. Time to go home to your master.”
Her Wolf: A Why Choose Urban Fantasy Romance (Silver Shifter Book 1) Page 6
