by Jade White
Edward was finished, gone was the man, now a wolf, and Edward ran. He darted out of the barn in a dash. Richard didn't chase. Outside Edwards skidded on his haunches, scrambling to turn around.
The entire pack was there, all as wolves, waiting for him. He turned and tried to go back in the barn, it was too late. Richard was in the door, his massive jaws snapped at the little wolf. Edward whimpered as he barely escaped the bite.
He had nowhere to go, he was surrounded, and left with no option but to fight.
He charged Richard.
With one dip of his head, and snap of his jaw, Edward’s life ended in a yelp. Richard cast the limp body aside, faced the moon, and howled.
* * *
Reign breathed a sigh of relief as Abby padded around the truck, her sleek black wolf growling with menace. The man holding her tensed, he squeezed her neck until she couldn't breathe.
Skye screamed, her body jerked and she was a wolf again.
"That's not possible," the man holding her said.
He threw Reign to the ground and turned to run, trying to change as he shed his clothes. Abby was on him in a heartbeat, her paws drove him to the ground, her teeth sinking deep into his shoulders. He screamed, and scrambled out from under her. He let out his own howl as the change took him. Before he could finish it, the large red wolf that was Skye was on him, her white fangs glowing in the sudden moonlight.
When it was done, there nothing left but a carcass’
The celebration was in full swing. The lodge was decorated with Christmas lights, and any other festive light they could find. They mourned for Chuck, but in a way they were sure he would want. With lots of booze.
"None for you," Indigo said, taking the red solo cup out of Reigns hands.
"That was the punch with the kick, here's the normal stuff."
"Thanks, wouldn't want to hurt the baby."
"You sure you're pregnant, you look as skinny as ever, and if I might add, hot."
"No you might not add, louse," Skye broke in, coming up behind the Spaniard and encircling her arms about his waist.
"Watch out for this one lass, he'll charm the pants off you and leave you for the next girl he finds," Skye said.
"Did I ever tell you I've a thing for gingers," Indigo replied with a smile. He turned and scooped her up, his mouth found hers and they kissed. She threw her legs around his waist, he effortlessly carried her off in the direction of his bedroom.
It was something that took getting used to. Reign wasn't a prude, but the wolves were a force of nature. They loved, and fought, and lived with a fiery passion she had never believed possible. When they went for something, they went for it.
There were new faces here as well, two men, and the lone surviving woman from East Cascade. The rest had opted to go lone, and try to start new somewhere else. She didn't know any of them, and honestly she was surprised Richard let them join after what they did.
She still didn't understand all the wolf stuff about alphas and packs. His pack seemed to love him, and they would do anything for him. Edward’s pack seemed to operate purely from fear.
She did see one face she recognized. The claw marks had mostly healed on the big giant. They left three paper thin scars down the middle of his face. He had found himself a corner to hide in and was nursing a drink.
Reign glanced around for Richard, found his face through the crowd, as if he knew she was looking at him he turned to her and smiled. It sent little bolts of electricity through her fingers. She smiled back. Her tummy ached just seeing his beautiful face.
I’ve never been into older men, why does just looking at him do the things it does?
With a deliberate effort she broke eye contact with him, she knew once she was with him, there would be no escaping, and there was someone else she needed to talk to first.
She wandered around the party, saying hi to one person or another, trying not to make it look like she was deliberately making her way to him. She didn't know his name, and the only time she ever met him was when he tried to kill her.
"Hi, I never got your name?"
He seemed shocked that she was there. Nervous even. He glanced around looking for support.
"I'm not sure you should be talking to me."
Now that he wasn't screaming obscenities he had a pleasant voice, a little higher than she expected.
"I can pretty much do what I want, so don't worry about that. I'm Reign," she held out her man.
His hand dwarfed hers, he made even Richard look small next to him.
"Timothy, most people call me TJ."
"I'm surprised you made the switch, why not lone wolf it?"
He shifted uncomfortably from one foot to the next, his eyes fell to the floor. He looked like a little boy afraid to answer.
“It's okay, were all friends here, TJ."
"That's why, I don't want to be alone. I've never done very well alone. But I'm rather good at following orders, I guess I just got lost there for a while."
"Richard’s a good man, TJ, and he has good people, if you knew nothing else about him, that should be enough. Hey, I want you to meet a friend of mine," Reign waived at Abby to come join her.
"TJ, this is Abby, neither of you talk much, so enjoy."
She left the two loners to themselves, and a smile from Abby promised that she would be friendly.
Mission accomplished, and with a self-satisfied smile on her face, she made her way to Richard.
He was talking quietly to Cara, the poor girl had still not recovered to her full self. And she wasn't at all happy with those who switched over. She couldn't even look at them without shuddering. Physically she was fine, but her wounds ran deep. Reign briefly wondered if they had a wolf psychologist they could talk to.
Cara wouldn't talk about what happened, though how she dressed, bundled up in sweaters and coats, and baggy pants, told the story well enough. Richard had made sure that each of the three wolves who joined up had nothing to do with Cara's torture, and they hadn't. All they knew was that she was being held in the barn.
Cara spied Reign and gave her a forced smile, followed by a hug.
"I'm glad you came down," Reign said, stepping in next to Richard and casually putting her arm around his waist. Cara's eyebrows raised slightly, she looked at Reign, then Richard. “My alpha," she nodded, and walked quickly away.
"What was that all about," asked Reign.
"It's complicated, you have to understand, I have a past with everyone here, and sometimes not everything is uncomplicated."
Reign nodded, she wanted to form some sort of coherent, intelligent conversation, but her mind wandered back to the cliff, and what they had done. And not done.
"Would they miss you?"
“Who?”
"Your pack, if we slipped out..." she let her voice linger. She raised an eyebrow at him. Her stomach clenched and sweat broke out on her skin. She wasn't sure if he felt this way about her, but she was sure she did.
"No, not at all. I'll follow you."
She didn't trust herself to respond, she just grabbed his hand and led him up the stairs, her head down, face burning red. People left for the rooms for only one reason.
* * *
"Wow, it's nice in here."
His room was big, a king sized bed, oak dresser, a full mirror, walk in closet, and a bathroom bigger than her room at home.
"I'm glad you like it."
He was hesitant, she could feel it. He wasn't sure what she wanted or possibly, what he wanted. She liked that, it made her feel in charge. She was wearing a blue pullover and jeans, nothing too fancy. She didn't exactly have a large wardrobe to begin with.
She turned to face him, her back against the foot of the bed.
"I know I'm not pretty like Cara or Skye, but am I pretty enough?"
She waited for the rejection, she braced herself inwardly for it to come. Richard swept forward, he took her hands in his, "Oh my dear Reign," he brushed her black hair out from her eyes. She fe
lt his lips on her forehead, his hot breath on her face, her eyes fluttered and her chest tightened.
"Pretty, doesn't even come close to describing you, and if that was all that mattered, then yes, you’re more than pretty enough."
He lowered his head to her lips and kissed, a tender, slow kiss that made Reign weak in the knee's and sent her stomach spinning.
"There is more to you than pretty, though," he said, breaking the kiss, "you're smart, creative, and oh so clever. Abby told me what you did, so let’s add brave to that list."
It was too much for her, too perfect, she threw her arms around his neck and pushed her lips to his. They parted, her tongue darted out and found him willing. Their kiss lasted forever, and when they broke this time, Reign was out of breath. Her skin crawled, and her desire to be close to him, to be with him was unbearable.
He ran his hands against her thighs, slowly pulled her shirt past her breasts and over her head. She felt a sudden wave of awkwardness, she wasn't sure what to do.
As if he sensed it, he smiled, and took her hands and guided them to his own shirt.
She pulled his t-shirt over his muscled chest. For a moment they stood there, framed in the moonlight from the large bay windows.
Her sleek body was engulfed by his massive frame. He kissed her again, pushing forward till she fell backward on the bed, each of his kisses a hot spot on her neck and shoulders.
She moaned as he unclipped her bra, freeing her pert breasts. Her vision clouded as he danced around her nipples, reflexively she put her hands in his hair, pulling, tugging, and scratching his head as each kiss drove her wild.
And just as she was about to die from frustration, he took her nipple into his mouth, and she sighed. Her whole body shuddered as he caught her nipple in his teeth, gently pulling and nibbling.
She let out a breath as he took her breast into his mouth, never had she felt so amazing. Warmth flooded through her, her skin felt alive, as each inch of it sparkled with electricity. She hadn't even felt him pull her jeans off, she only noticed she wasn't wearing them when suddenly his hot breath wasn't on her nipples, but on her panties.
With a deliberate slowness he pulled her last layer of protection down past her feet. She was exposed now, and for a brief second, doubt overcame her desire, her mind cleared and the heat in her flickered and nearly died.
Until he gently bent down, and kissed the inside of her thigh. All thoughts of anything but the sensation of his mouth, on skin no man had ever touched, left her mind, and just the burning desire remained.
He kissed her right thigh, working his way to her belly, over her center to her left thigh. She squirmed under his ministrations, there was a need, an urgent desire in her that she didn't know how to fulfil, but it was driving her insane.
His mouth found its way to her insides and she exploded. Her hands clutched his head, her back arched, and she let out a scream that lingered in the air.
"Oh GOD," she froze with her back arched high, her thighs tight around his head, she couldn't move, she could barely breath as her orgasm shook her from her core to her fingers.
After what seemed like an eternity she collapsed, her head rolled to one side, her eyes half closed. She twitched from every movement, from every touch. The pleasure lingered in her.
She felt him sliding up her, his skin against hers. His hard muscles were circling her body as his arms slid under her and cradled her. She was weak from the intensity of her pleasure, she lay their like a doll as he wrapped her up.
His mouth found hers and she kissed him, he tasted sweet, and wonderful, and his smell burned itself in her brain. She found the strength to open her legs, to wrap her thighs around his waist. He needed no urging. His hard erection pushed against her, seeking an entrance. She needed him inside her, to feel his very being. Her desire ran true again, her skin and her body ached to be touched.
"Please," she whispered.
He pushed, slow at first, entering her slowly, she exhaled with a deep sigh of contentment as his massive penis penetrated her virgin sex.
"Oh god, please don't ever stop."
Once fully lodged within her, Richard pushed up, looked deeply at her. She could see the moonlight reflecting off of his yellow wolf eyes.
"I love you," he whispered to her. Then, with the utmost care, he made love to her.
She came with the first thrust, her body turning to jelly, she couldn't think, couldn’t breathe, all there could be was him inside her, filling her, she screamed again and again. She lost track of time as the night wore on.
Richard stopped, found her mouth with his and kissed her deeply, then in the midst of their kiss, pushed himself deep into her, his body went rock still as he let loose his seed inside her. The sudden flood of warmth and the spasm of his body in her, sent her over the edge, her body responded, her hips bucked and she cried out with one last rush of pleasure. They collapsed together, entwined in arms and legs, as the sun rose over the mountains.
CHAPTER SIX
In the deep, snow covered woods of the Cascade Mountains, the sound of a violin echoed off the mountains. Vivaldi Concerto No. 1 rang throughout the hills and trees, through the rivers and streams. The deer and rabbits grazing this part of the forest migrated toward the sound of the strings to listen to its beauty and passion.
In a small clearing, near a little brook, was Reign. She was bundled in a large white coat with fur trim, and a knit cap to keep the cold off her ears. She cradled a dark wood violin between her neck and hands as she played with all her heart.
Her audience consisted of any woodland animal that was brave enough to close the distance. Her biggest fan, though, was the large salt and peppered timber wolf that lay at her feet, lazily soaking in the early winter sun and the sounds of the violin. Reign swayed with the music as she played the piece’s difficult parts, her eyes closed, and the music filled her soul, telling her where to go next. She followed it to the ultimate conclusion, finally bringing the violin down to rest on her swollen belly.
The last nine months had brought so many changes to her life. She practically lived in exile at Richard’s lodge, the home for his werewolf pack. After two wars with other packs in the area, and one of their own being kidnapped and tortured in a desperate effort to destroy the pack, Richard wouldn’t let her leave.
While she had seen first-hand how vicious and cruel others were capable of being, she was only nineteen, pregnant, and she wanted her mom. The last person who could be with her. Richard was courting disaster just having her there, it would be impossible for him to defend his actions if her mother was there as well.
As the echoes of the violin faded and Reign placed it with gentle care back in the case, the normal sounds of the forest returned. The violin, a gift from Richard, had an exquisite spruce body with a dark maple top, and fit snugly into the case. She gave it one last look before closing the lid. She turned to watch the object of her affection.
Richard had been every inch the loving man and protector these last nine months. She could not fault anything he did, but she was just nineteen. Her whole life was ahead of her, and now that she knew him, and would come to know their daughter, she didn’t think that she could just walk away to pursue a career in music, even if it meant giving up the dream she'd longed for since she was a little girl.
Richard’s wolf lay in the snow; his large yellow eyes followed her every move, his tongue hung out to shed the excess heat his body generated. It was still awkward for her; all the things she believed about the world needed to be questioned. All her personal beliefs, too. Werewolves and vampires, she knew of, but what else existed in her world that was just a myth and legend? The wolf before her sprang to its strong legs and gently padded behind without a sound. His fur was coarse, but inviting and warm. She dropped a hand to his ears, which were about at her waist, and scratched them in the place she knew he liked.
Together they walked through the snowy woods. The air was cold, the sky clear, a mild breeze carried with it the sme
ll of burning pine. The lodge was only a half-mile distant and its hearth burned near constantly. They spent a good part of the summer building up enough wood to make it through the long mountain winters. They also spent a good amount of time replanting trees to keep their woods populated and full.
“That was beautiful, Reign.”
Richard's voice startled her, she dropped the violin, and in a blur of motion, he was there, one hand on her back, the other on the violin.
“I’m sorry,” he said.
She smiled and took a breath. “I didn’t hear you change.”
He held her close, a smile on his face, his brown eyes gazing down at her. She suddenly became aware of his nakedness, and how close he was.
