The Wildflower Series

by Rachelle Mills

  Looking at the plants on the table, I should put them in the ground before they wilt and die.

  Not bothering to change, I dig up the soft earth, placing each plant where I want it to be.

  Halfway through planting, I feel the back of my hair raise as if eyes are on me.

  I turn around. A few males wolves are sitting at the forest edge, eyes of wolves looking out. I don’t really recognize them. My dealing with males from this pack was non-existent.

  “What do you want?” Standing, I wipe off the dirt from my knees.

  I wonder how long I have been watched? They tilt up their noses as the breeze catches my hair, blowing it toward them. A growl breaks out and they’re on each other, fighting with teeth that want to tear throats. They all fight one another before tumbling back into the woods, unable to be seen but heard.

  I’m slightly shaken with the sight of that.

  Heading into the house, I start to get ready for my date, locking the door behind me.

  This is a first real date. Stepping out of the shower, I take my time preparing myself. Looking over every outfit I have, I decide on something that shows off who I am, a female who’s trying to impress her date.

  The cut of the dress reveals a touch of lace if I lean over just slightly. My arms are bare, but the back is covered. My hair is worn down. I go to do my makeup, but my cheeks are already blushed, lips slightly redder, and I make a mental note to wear a hat outside because the sun is strong even this time of year.

  Pacing inside the house, waiting for five thirty, I’m hungry again. I nip at another dish inside the fridge and finish the whole thing before I hear a knock. I open the locked door for him, and his eyes go down the length of me, and before I can even say a word, he tugs me toward him, kissing me hard on the mouth.

  Hands go up my thighs, bringing the fabric of my dress up with it. I’m drowning with this kiss, only focusing on this warm sensation of our mouths clashing together.

  “Sorry, Rya.” He pulls himself away with a little gasp, ending the kiss. “You make it incredibly hard to have self-control.” His fingertip traces the tip of my nose before he places a quick kiss on it.

  He stands tall before me, letting my eyes trail over him. My cheeks are hot again with the thoughts of what I want to do in this moment. Such crippling single-minded desire pumps through my veins.

  Is this how it is to fall in love? The need to be around someone so much all you can think about is him and what you want to do with him?

  He’s tantalizingly good looking, all male, with such a hard surface.

  Taking my hand, he leads me out to his car, opening the door for me. He waits till I’m buckled in before closing the door. He holds my hand the whole way there, kissing my knuckles every now and then.

  Walking into the tiny place, the dimness balances between perfect, not too bright, not too dark. Candlelight reflects off the faces of the humans that surround us.

  We take our seats, and the waiter leaves us with menus.

  Dallas doesn’t look at his. Instead, he’s just watching me. “You look very beautiful, Rya.” I blush from his words.

  After ordering our meal, Dallas takes my hand in his, entwining our fingers.

  “I have a question to ask you.” He seems nervous to ask this question. “I was wondering, Rya, if—” He takes a deep breath. “I would like to have a mating ceremony with you in front of my entire pack. I want to say the vows with the moon looking down at us.”

  “Yes.” I have to try to keep my voice low, but I want to jump up and down in happiness.

  “Good, I’ll have my mother start working on everything. She’ll call you with all the details. Are you sure about this, Rya?”

  “I’ve never been surer of anything in my whole entire life, Dallas.” He leans over the table, kissing my lips.

  The food is not enough as we both finish our plates, but at these fancy places, they really never give you enough, so I’m told. Talking throughout the meal, he even shares his cake with me because mine wasn’t enough.

  The drive back, I let my senses indulge in the male sitting beside me. His spicy smell—my tiny receptors of pleasure are on overdrive. Embers spark with excitement as his hand rests on my inner thigh, moving upward slightly. A sigh escapes, and I widen my legs for him. I clench the inside of me with the feeling of a deep hunger for him.

  Needful scents rise off my wanting body.

  He parks the car. Before I get out, he tugs me over top him, moving his seat as far back as he can. His fingers slide through my hair before pulling my face toward his.

  Kissing him deeply, our feast of flesh is just beginning, our night alone just starting…

  Chapter 11

  11 Hourglass

  Rya

  Lazy Sunday morning.

  Every crevice and curve of my skin is saturated in his smell. It’s the sort of scent that’s subtle yet very powerful.

  His mouth is gloriously captivating as he kisses me slowly.

  His hand running in my hair, I feel sensations of fingers touching my skin everywhere. Laying side by side as close as we can get to each other, no space remains.

  Toes playing with toes.

  “You make me so happy, Rya.” Gentle kisses between thoughts, our tired eyes look at each other. We stayed up most of the night, talking about bits and pieces of our lives. Our words turned to moans then back to words, until we could no longer keep our eyes open.

  Running my fingers over his body, exploring every inch, leaving none without my scent.

  “I don’t want to get up.” I nip at his neck.

  “Me either.” His thick arms pull me closer to him, while the words make me smile.

  “How’s Carson? Is he okay?”

  “Carson’s upset. He thinks we won’t love him anymore, that Mom and Dad won’t love him anymore.” The constant state of anxiety he must have felt growing up must have been soul-consuming. His fears and worries must have been like fighting Goliath.

  “It must have been very hard to keep such a secret from everyone for so long.” My fingers play in his hair as we talk eye to eye.

  “He’ll be fine. At first, he was so upset, but as the day went on, he felt relief. You could see it in him; the tension inside him was disappearing. Looking back, I missed the signs. He left clues, but I just never really took the time to look. Some things can be right in front of your nose and you miss the clues.” He kisses my lips again softly before pulling away.

  “My parents will understand. It’s just hard because he will never have pups.” My body tenses, muscles tightening underneath his soft grip.

  “That’s important to your parents?” I still underneath the pressure that I can never produce offspring for this male, for this family.

  “Yes, it was important to them, but after the accident, they just want all of us to be happy.”

  “Are you sure that it’s okay that we’ll never have pups, Dallas?” My whole body stills, waiting, watching his face for an answer.

  His reply comes instantly. “Yes, I’m sure. I want you, Rya. It’s okay if we don’t have pups. I still think you can because you don’t smell like you can’t. And the inside of you feels as if you are preparing for a future. But if we can’t, we can’t. I never expected to find you. I’m so thankful just for that.” Watching him, I believe every word he says.

  “Do you have anything else to ask me?” His face makes it easy to ask him anything without fear of being laughed at.

  “I was wondering when we go back to your pack.”

  “Our pack, Rya, it’s our pack.” Another kiss is placed on the tip of my nose.

  “When we go back to our pack.” I kiss the tip of his nose now.

  “Where will we live?” I can’t live in that home he and his mate built. There is no way; it creeps me out.

  “Not there, Rya. I was thinking that we could build our own home together. I have this little spot that I always loved. It’s by the water. It would be a good place to live if you lik
ed the area. It’s close to my mom and dad’s home, not too far away. I was going to give Cash and Kennedy that house. It’s still a good house. I think that it would be good for them as a starter home. Then when they get too big for the home, my other brothers could use it.” His eyes look far away at the moment. Squeezing him close, it must be so hard for him at times.

  “I love the water, Dallas. If I could be anywhere, it would be close to the water. I always wanted to live by the water. I like the sounds of the waves hitting the shore, the way the storms look crossing the lake. I have this dream of having a big deck, just like the one you have at your house now.” My turn to have a faraway look.

  “When we go back to our pack,” his eyes look at me before he continues, “I’ll show you the spot, but for now we’ll have to live with my parents.” He laughs. “I’m a grown ass male and I’m going to be bringing you back to live with Mom and Dad.” I even giggle at that.

  “Dallas, I can help pay for the house. I have a lot of money saved up from working the last couple of years. I never had to pay for really anything, and I own my car.” He stretches himself, the length of his body tightening, muscles flexing easily.

  He’s my glimpse of morning bliss.

  “I appreciate your offer Rya, but I want to pay for it. How about you buy what you want for the inside. Is that fair?”

  “Yes, it is.” He grabs my ass, twisting my body on top of his.

  “We should get up.” That’s the third time he’s told me this, but every time we try to get off the mattress, it turns into…

  Grasping.

  Grinding.

  Groaning.

  This time he means it. He sits on the edge, looking through his overnight bag. He laughed when he pulled it out from his backseat; he came prepared.

  Up on my elbows, chin resting on my hand, I ogle him without the least bit of restraint.

  “You make a male feel good about themselves, Rya.” His eyebrow arches, slapping my bare ass before pulling his gym clothes out.

  “Let’s run to the gym after I’ll make us some food.” Flopping down on the mattress, I don’t want to go anywhere but here in this room. It’s private, closed off from the rest of the house. It’s even cooler as a big shade tree blocks out the sun’s rays all day long over the top of this spot. I feel the need to stay in this place all day.

  “Let’s go. Caleb will be there. You can school me in some of the moves you’ve learned.” Now he’s got my wolf’s ears perked up.

  “I really don’t want to go anywhere today,” I protest as he takes my hand and helps me off the bed.

  “How about this: we go train for just an hour, come back, eat, then go out on the lake? I’ll take you to that little island, but this time I’m going to do things to you that I wanted to the first time I brought you there.” His proposition is tempting me.

  “Let’s shower, then we’ll go and come right back.” He leads me into the shower where he scrubs me clean and I scrub him, not missing any inch of his skin.

  The shower was a lot longer than expected, startling us when the hot water ran out.

  “Do we have to go?” I try to do a pouty lip like I’ve seen girls on TV do.

  “I need to get a workout in. I missed yesterday. Beating my father is not going to be easy. I need to get stronger to even stand a chance with him.”

  “Have you ever fought him before?”

  “Once, he destroyed me completely, but that was a long time ago when I thought I was a king. He had to humble me for my own good.” His brows furrow with some unknown thoughts. When we mark each other, I’ll be able to tell what he’s thinking all the time instead of just feeling his strongest emotions.

  “How long do you think it will take you to beat him?” As quick as a flash, his emotions change from some long lost memory to hard determination.

  “A long time. It took him five years to beat his father, so I’m thinking I have a long road ahead of me. It’s not just fighting, Rya, it how to deal with wolves, how to solve conflicts. How to manage money, support and defend the pack. There is so much learning to do, things I never really thought about, things I took for granted. It’s more of an apprenticeship I’m going through. Yet in the end, I’m going to have to beat that wolf somehow. And if he thinks I can’t lead well, he’ll open it up to someone he thinks can lead the pack. Because only the strongest mentally and physically can lead.” He’s in the fridge taking out a dish, opening the lid, giving it a sniff before getting a fork and eating it down.

  “Hey, I thought you said you’re going to make me breakfast.”

  “Sorry, Rya. I just need a little bite.” Except his bites are huge. I open my own mouth so he can give me a fork full as well. We stand by the fridge eating the cold food from the container, only stopping once it’s finished. I never realized how being intimate is so taxing on the body and how your body needs replenishment often.

  We let the meal settle slightly before our run. It feels good running with him. I know that I’m slowing him down, but he doesn’t seem to mind.

  Going to the gym, there are multiple male wolves in various stages of working out or sparring with one another. It sets my senses off slightly. I inhale deeply, giving a shiver of delight, that makes me feel sick with myself.

  Dallas takes my hand, which is much bigger than mine. I love the feeling of it. A squeeze, reassuring me that everything is good.

  Seeing Clayton sparring with Caleb, he’s going blow for blow with him until he notices me. That’s when Caleb takes the advantage and puts him in a submission choke hold. I can’t help feeling slightly sorry for Clayton, but at least he’s trying.

  All these males have their shirts off except Clayton. He’s kept his on. It’s saturated in sweat and sticks close to his body. His whole body is drenched with his effort.

  I can smell Clayton so distinctly that it’s hard to focus, just like the way I smell Dallas, both their smells combining into ecstasy.

  I wish I never agreed to the mating ceremony. I need to mark Dallas so the bond’s pull is broken with Clayton. Everything I have read about being moon blessed, the thing that stands out the most with all the other things is that my bond with Clayton will go away. I will never feel anything for him anymore.

  Clayton will be an hourglass thought whose sand has run out.

  Chapter 12

  Catalyst

  Clayton

  Sweat trickles down my forehead, burning my eyes.

  “All you have to do is beat me and I go away.” Caleb’s irritating voice taunts. Circling around, I have no choice but to follow his movements.

  The wolves around us are watching, expectations in their eyes. They know the struggle I’m facing day after day.

  I feel stronger, bigger, better.

  “If you beat me, I’ll stop treating you like a willing female.” He leans in close, his words low, for my ears only. He’s huffing hard himself, wiping away the blood from his split lip with the back of his hand.

  “You’re always saying the sweetest stuff, darling.” I knee him in the side, and he almost goes down with a long groan.

  “Hey easy, this is a learning experience. No need to get full out violent.” This male is something else. It’s hard to fight him when he makes me laugh all the time now.

  We’ve been at it a good thirty minutes before Rya and Dallas walk into the training center. He’s holding her hand, saying things in her ear. Her eyes look at me, and I have to hold myself still for just a second. That’s all he needs to pin me to the ground hard, forearm coming around my neck, choking my air off.

  “What have I told you about looking away from me? This is what happens when you don’t pay attention to the prettiest one in the room.” His words are whispered to me. No one else can hear his taunts. He only lets Dallas hear them, saying he doesn’t want to shame me too bad in front of these males that I need to lead.

  Her eyes don’t leave mine as I tap Caleb on the arm. He lets go and I choke on the air that’s trying to rush into
my lungs too fast.

  Shame washes inside, and I feel like I will drown, having Rya here to witness this.

  I can smell her, that nectar that’s made just for me. I should be tasting what was made for me. Her smell sends tremors into my very fiber. His sick scent saturates into her like a thick cloud. It’s encasing her, permeating out. This must be how she felt, smelling Kennedy all over me. I want to scream, throw my fists through his face. Her eyes just look at me, tingling my skin. My breath quickens in my sore chest.

  I would do anything to have just one minute with her, a chance to talk.

  Getting off the ground, my hand rubs my sore neck. I try not to let it show how bad it hurts. I walk away slightly, just trying to get away from her presence. It’s easier if she isn’t around, standing too close, looking so good.

  “Rya, you want to go a round? He was just keeping me warm for you.” I have never wanted to destroy him so bad as I do right now.

  Watching, Dallas puts a hand on Rya’s shoulder. He turns away from us, whispering words in her ear. I can see her head nodding up and down with the things he’s telling her.

  A slyness in the way Dallas looks at Caleb, who’s not smiling anymore.

  “I don’t think I can, Dallas.” He takes a little step away from her, breathing through his mouth as if a smell is offending him for some reason. All I can smell is her; that’s all that surrounds me at the moment.

  “Caleb, she beat Cash, and his mate is pregnant. It’s almost like she was fighting you.” Caleb doesn’t like that too much with his irritated look. The mention of Kennedy hurts my heart. I know we can’t be together, but she is still a big part of me, and I want her to be happy. That’s all I want for her is to be happy.

  “Cash is not me.” Caleb is now physically annoyed with Dallas’s words.

  “You’re going to be able to handle this, right?” Caleb points his finger at Dallas, his voice rising slightly, waiting for a response.

  “I think so?” That does not sit well in my stomach. How could he let her in there with him?