The house is too quiet now that everyone has left to prepare for Davis’s arrival.
Ryder sits next to her, taking her hand into his, “It’s going to be okay.”
“Is it?” Her tone lacks confidence.
“It is,” he answers. “This is the right thing to do.”
“What if we don’t win?” Her voice feels small.
“Not an option.” Ryder shrugs.
“So do we just wait for him to get here?” She’s trying to staunch her irritation with how everyone seems to be taking things so lightly.
“No, we live.” Ryder squeezes her hand. “I want to show you something.”
“What?” She rolls her eyes at his attempt to get her mind off of the upcoming battle.
“Come with me.” Ryder takes her by the hand and turns back toward the kitchen, “Mom, we’re going out for a bit.”
“Okay, honey, take your phone,” she calls from the kitchen.
***
Ryder takes the long way to their destination. As much as he’s loved traveling, now that he’s found his mate, he’s seeing his home in a whole new light.
Riley watches out the window, marveling at the beauty all around her. She comes from mountainous terrain, but it’s different here.
They pull up to a small farm house. Ryder glances over at her smiling, “We’re home.”
“What?” she asks, looking out the windshield.
“This my house, our house,” he says with a gleam in his eye. “If you don’t like it, we can find another one that you do like. But I’ve kept a house up here since I was twenty.”
She widens her eyes, “Wow, I just never thought about…” She trails off.
“What’s going to happen next?” he finishes for her.
“Yeah,” she looks down at her hands in her lap, “I’ve been on the run for so long I never thought I’d have some place to really call home again.”
“No more running,” he says, taking her hand in his. “We can make a home together, here or wherever you wish. It doesn’t matter to me as long as I’m with you.”
The tension falls from her face, “I’m already there.”
“Do you want to see the inside?” he asks excitedly. “My mom came over after the scenting ceremony and opened everything up and stocked the kitchen.”
“That was nice of her.” Riley laughs.
“I think she probably did back flips the whole way over. She was nearly as convinced as I was that I wouldn’t find my mate.” He gets out and goes to the passenger side to open Riley’s door.
He offers his hand, “I’m capable of getting out on my own.”
Ryder smiles, “I know you’re capable of anything, but I’d still like to offer.”
She reluctantly takes his hand and gets out of the truck.
“Okay, close your eyes.”
“What?” Her tone is dubious.
“Just close your eyes.” He smiles, “Please.”
Riley covers her eyes and huffs a breath, “This feels silly.”
“Good, we all need to be able to let loose and be silly.” He leads her up the wooden steps to the modest house. He opens the door and brings her into the living room.
“Okay, open them,” he says excitedly.
Riley opens her eyes and takes in the masculine decor. She glances at Ryder then back toward the kitchen.
“Okay, now close your eyes again,” he says.
“Why?”
“Please.” He rests his hands on her shoulders.
Riley closes her eyes, “Okay.”
“Now, I want you to picture the room how you want it to look,” he instructs.
“You mean how I would decorate it?” she asks, keeping her eyes squeezed shut.
“Yes, how you want it.”
Riley presses her lips together deep in thought.
“Okay are you picturing it?” he asks.
“Yes,” she says with a quirky smile.
Ryder cups both of her cheeks in his hands and focuses on her thoughts. He lets the scene play out and is surprised that it’s not much different than it is now. There are fresh flowers and children of various ages all playing in the room. “Wow, I like how you’re thinking.”
“You can see what I’m thinking?” she says, opening her eyes and stepping back.
“Yes, but we both have to focus. I can’t just do it,” Ryder explains. “Once we’re truly mated we’ll be able to speak through a link, no matter where the other is.”
“I know that, but I didn’t know about being able to read thoughts,” she says, strolling away from him to study the pictures on the mantle.
“It’s a wolf thing.” He follows closely behind her, “So whenever you’re ready for the mark, I am.”
“Is there any real rush?” Apprehension fills her tone.
“I want us to be bonded as soon as possible,” Ryder admits. “I really see no reason for waiting.”
“What if one of us is killed by Davis, then what?” she asks in a small voice. “You’ll be alone forever?”
Ryder searches her eyes and feels her crumbling inside from fear. He tugs her close, nuzzling her head in his chest, “Nothing, and I mean nothing will ever hurt you again. You are my mate and I will protect you to the death.”
“That’s what I’m worried about.” A sob gets caught in her throat, “The thought of losing you…”
He strokes her hair to quiet her sadness, “You will never lose me.”
Riley releases a sigh as though letting go of her troubles, “I don’t know what I’d do.”
“You don’t have to think about it, it’s not going to happen.” He leans back to take in her features. He runs his finger up her cheek, catching a single tear. “We have each other now, we have our pack, the support of other very powerful packs and soon, if it’s what you want, you will take your birthright and be Alpha of your Pride.”
She ticks her head back, “You’d be okay with that?”
“Of course I would,” he says with a smile. “It’s kind of sexy, all that power.”
“Oh really? Most men would be intimidated.” She pumps her brow.
“I’m not most men.” He slides his hands behind her neck and leans down, “I’ve been waiting for you to show me your power.” He pauses, his lips a breath away from her ear, “Dominate me.”
A breath hitches in her throat. Apprehension and excitement send an electric impulse directly between her legs, “Really?”
Ryder nods, “Yes, really. I see your power.” He presses his erection against her, “Do you feel what it does to me?”
Riley reaches down between them, stroking his hard cock, “How could I not?”
She rakes her fingers down the tight muscles on his arms. She struggles against her beast, her panther wanting at him. Arousal spreads through her like liquid heat soaking her panties. Her body is ready for him.
Riley pushes him backward down the hallway to the bedroom. The back of Ryder’s knees bump into the bed and with one slight push, he falls back on the bed.
“Strip,” she commands, quirking her brow, waiting to see if his wolf can be subservient to her.
He slides his jeans off and pulls his shirt over his head. Riley sucks her bottom lip into her mouth at the sight of his hard body.
Ryder waits impatiently for her next command. His jaw pops as he tries to maintain control of himself. He wants to reach out and bury himself inside her.
“Now, take off my clothes,” she says, cocking her head to the side. She’s feeling playful and sassy, she wants to know how far he’s willing take this. Which one of them will break first.
He slides her skirt down to the floor and rubs his nose against her panties, taking in her scent. She watches as his skin twitches, he inhales the aroma of her arousal and stands in front of her, his lips less than a breath from hers.
“Kiss me,” she demands.
“No,” he says, lifting her shirt over her head and throwing it on the floor.
“I said, ki
ss me,” she says, half in shock at his refusal.
“I said no,” he says, running a finger over her nipple.
Riley takes his cheeks into her hands and brings his lips to hers. He allows his lips to come nearly in contact with hers, “You will wait.”
His finger slides underneath her panties. All bets are off, he wants her to dominate him, but his wolf wouldn’t allow it. He couldn’t keep all of him at bay.
Riley’s knees buckle while his fingers slide over the hard nub, her pussy slick and ready for him.
Ryder’s wicked smile sends another shot of heat straight to her core. “I want you to kiss me,” she growls.
“I want you to beg.” Ryder’s glowing eyes captivate her, she’s helpless against his charm. Her panther wants out, to take charge.
Her claws elongate slightly and she trails them down the rippling muscles in his back and sinks them into his shoulder, “I don’t beg. Kiss me.”
The pleasure coursing through him takes over his movements, he crashes his lips against hers, his tongue swirling and lapping against hers. The fire in their connection creates visions of their beasts frolicking together in their minds.
Riley releases a moan as she’s forgotten to breathe. Ryder strokes the outside of her panties, his movements growing more urgent as their kiss sends shockwaves of desire to his cock.
His deep voice rumbles in her mouth, “I need to taste you.”
Ryder slides his finger between their tongues, sharing her essence in their kiss. It’s not enough, “I need more.”
He scoops Riley up and spins her around, putting her on the edge of the bed. He drops to his knees in front of her. In one quick movement he tears her panties off and puts his hands under her ass. He lifts her slick core to his lips and slowly pushes his tongue inside her folds. He lets out a long grumbling approval at the flavor of her nectar.
His tongue teases and presses against her clit in measured movements, bringing her to the brink of orgasm. She’s lost control and has no idea where she begins and her panther ends. She throws her head back, calling out his name uncontrollably.
He slides one finger inside her, finding the bundle of nerves that will push her right over the edge. He’s rewarded as the walls of her pussy pulse around his finger and she bucks and strains against him. Her body fills with an electric pleasure that speeds through veins to her core, culminating in a mind-blowing orgasm. Her panther purrs as her body stills, the orgasm takes control.
Ryder slows the pace of his tongue against her clit, listening to the hum of her orgasm. He pushed her over the edge and now he’ll bring her down. Her walls clench around his fingers in spasms he controls with every pass of his tongue.
When her body relaxes, nearly done with her climax, he climbs on her, rubbing the tip of his cock gently on her hard nub. “You want this?”
She answers by tipping her hips upward, taking all of him inside her tight pussy. She rocks her hips against him feeling the build of another orgasm. She looks into his golden eyes, glowing with the essence of his wolf as he slides his cock inside her.
A sly smile stretches across his features, “I see her, you know.”
Riley can barely speak, rendered speechless by the pleasure building.
Ryder answers her unspoken question, “Your panther, she’s in your eyes. She’s trying to come out, like my wolf.”
They lock eyes, allowing their beasts’ souls to mingle while their bodies writhe together in climax. Ryder lets out a low growl that grows into a thunderous roar that travels from deep in his core. Ryder pants as her pussy squeezes around his cock, pushing him to come hard inside her. He looks down at her glowing, shaking her head back and forth as her orgasm paralyzes her in time with his own.
Chapter Thirteen
A loud bang startles Ryder and Riley awake. “What the hell?” Ryder jumps from the bed, slides on his jeans and heads for the front door.
Ryder swings the door open, “Peyton, what’s with the banging?”
Peyton stands on the other side of the door filled with anticipation, “Jesus, Ryder, you need to answer your phone.”
Ryder hisses, “Shit, I left it in the truck.”
“We’ve got some intel,” Peyton pins him with a serious look.
“What?” Ryder hushes his tone and glances back toward the bedroom.
“The Harsh Moon Coven, they’ve encountered a group of panther shifters.” Peyton pulls his lips into a tight line. “They suffered some pretty heavy casualties, they thought they were ready…” Peyton looks downward. “They weren’t.”
“I thought we had enforcers there?” Ryder leans in closer, trying to remain quiet.
Peyton widens his eyes, “We did.”
“Shit.” Ryder runs his hands through his hair. “How long before they’re here?”
“No idea.” Peyton shakes his head, “Corey said they’ve never seen anything like this. Their magic, what they can do. They just disappeared.”
“What do you mean disappeared?” Ryder asks.
“Like, vanished. Corey said he doesn’t know if they’re coming here next or not, but to be ready for a hell of a fight.” Peyton takes a step closer. “We need to get ready. Fisk already has all the children and elderly moving further up the mountain, but all able-bodied wolves are staying to fight.”
Riley comes up behind Ryder, “How many were hurt?”
Peyton shakes his head, “We don’t have exact numbers yet, but it was a pretty heinous attack. Just like you said, they were able to drain the magic from the witches.”
Riley nods with certainty, “I can’t let them come here, I have to stop this.” She heads back toward the bedroom.
“Riley, what are you going to do?” Ryder follows her down the hall.
“I’m going to face him alone, no one else needs to get hurt.” Riley pulls her boots onto her feet, grabs her bag and heads back toward the living room.
“No, you’re not facing anything alone,” Ryder says as though it’s not an option.
“How can you say that? How can you put your entire pack at risk?” Riley’s anger is boiling over. “I won’t let anyone else get hurt for my sake.”
“You can’t decide that for us, we’ve already made up our mind.” Ryder puts his hands on her shoulders to calm her, “One thing you will learn about wolves, we believe in the impossible and we believe in true love in its purest form and will fight for that to the very end. So please, don’t argue with me on this.”
“Okay,” Riley agrees but there’s something more going on in her mind.
Peyton interrupts, “Everyone’s gathering at the meeting hall, we should go.”
Chapter Fourteen
The Alphas hover over a map of the area with circles of red, yellow and green marking the battle points.
Fisk points at the map, “This is where they’ll enter.” He points to another spot, “Or they could come in through here, but if they’re smart, they won’t, it’s too much of a bottleneck with the mountain pass.”
Riley studies the map, “But wouldn’t that be where we wanted them enter?” She points to the area with the bottleneck.
“Yes, but if they are using any strategy at all, they won’t,” Tristan says, looking up at Riley.
“If we want them to enter there, I can make that happen,” she says, still studying the map.
“How?” Fisk takes a new interest in what she has to say.
“All the children and elderly are gone, right?” she asks.
“Yes,” Fisk affirms.
Riley points, “If they come through here and find nothing, they’ll press forward to the bottleneck.”
“Yes, but we want them to come in that way,” Tristan answers.
Riley smiles, “First, you have to know that Davis thinks he’s invincible, and he’s damn near close depending on how much power he gained from the coven. He tends to be careless and cocky. He’ll come through the empty town thinking we all just took off, headed for the hills. But we leave him a trail an
d lead him to the bottleneck.” She looks at the map again, “I wait for him here, alone.”
“No, out of the question,” Ryder says, shaking his head.
“I won’t be alone, you all will be waiting on the opposite side of the pass. We take the fight out of the town, get him into the position we want him in and take him there.”
Fisk exchanges a glance with Trina, his mate, then Tristan, “That sounds pretty solid to me.”
“Agreed, but I don’t want you at all alone, I’ll be standing with you.” Ryder isn’t taking no for an answer.
“No,” Riley says and glances upward to Tristan, “I can’t have any distractions.”
“Distractions?” Ryder laughs, “I can take care of myself.”
“Yes, I’m sure, but it’s me he wants. If I can get him to spend a good amount of the magic he drained from the coven, he’ll be much easier to fight when it comes to the battle.” She pins him with a pleading look, “Please, let me face him first.”
“If you think that's the best way to go about this, then I think it’s a good plan,” Tristan says without hesitation. “He’s traveling in a small group, they won’t be any match for our numbers.”
“It’s his magic we have to be concerned with, along with his disregard for life. He won’t think twice about sacrificing a member of the Pride for what he wants.”
“Understood.” Fisk addresses the crowd, “Okay, everyone, we’re going to head out and get into position. Group leaders will brief you all on the way.”
Ryder loops his hand around Riley’s waist, “I’m not really comfortable with you facing him alone.”
Riley puts her hand on his, “I won’t be. You’ll be there, just not next to me.”
Ryder shakes his head and tries to calm his wolf. The thought of anyone hurting his woman is driving him insane. He’s having a hard time hiding his frustration.
“I believe in us and this is all going to be okay.” Riley’s heart is full of emotion and joy, a content smile spreads across her lips.
“All I have to see is that smile to know that I’m heaven,” Ryder says, putting his finger under her chin. “You’re amazing.”
Sassy Ever After: Sass Got Your Tongue (Kindle Worlds Novella) Page 7
