“Does it matter? You’re engaged, remember,” I throw her words back at her.
I can see her anger and frustration brimming beneath her skin, but she remains calm, reigning it all in. I'm impressed. It takes practice to control emotions. I’d had years of practice honing it as a skill, a weapon, but in that moment, she has more control than me. “Just answer the question, Lautner. What do you have to lose?” she replies sadly.
I think over her words, she’s right. There’s nothing to lose between us. She is already spoken for, and even if she wasn’t, I have no intention of taking a mate.
I nod. “Fine. You are my mate, Danika Cortez.”
She closes her eyes as if the words mean more to her than she cared to admit. “Is that so hard?” She smiles sadly.
I watch as she sits there, her eyes closed. She’d no idea how hard that was for me to admit out loud. Physically I can't deny my attraction to her. Hell, I’m hard right now, but mentally, I’m broken.
“Don’t look so worried. I couldn’t mate with you even if I wanted to,” she replies sadly, opening her eyes. “I get Drake. There will never be anyone else for me.”
I can see it in her eyes; she speaks the truth. I know she wants me. Even now, I can sense how nervous she is, just the two of us. The way her tongue snakes out and wets her bottom lip gives her away too easily.
“What does your father have over you?” I ask, knowing without a doubt her father would be behind this.
She laughs, looking away, but it’s a sad laugh. I watch as she climbs to her feet, heading towards the door.
I quickly jump up. “Where do you think you’re going?” I growl, not ready for her to leave just yet.
“I shouldn’t be here, Lautner. It was a selfish moment.”
Her sad eyes turn towards me, calling forth a protectiveness inside me I’d never known before.
“If my father knew for even a second that I was here, he would kill you.”
“I’m not afraid of your father, Dani.”
“You should be,” she says. “I’m sorry. I can’t be here.”
She goes to rush past me, but I catch her forearm tightly. She gasps at the contact, no doubt feeling the same rush of desire at our connection. This is how it’s supposed to be—her and me. Together. Touching. She turns to face me, bringing her lips just inches from mine. I have no idea why the mating heat affected her so differently, but I know she can still feel it.
“You know … I thought I was going to die today when the hunters attacked. It’s the first time in my life I’d ever really feared death. I’d never had anything to live for, until yesterday, until I met you,” she whispers, her words penetrating somewhere deep inside of me.
“Make me feel again, Lautner.” She moves closer until her breasts push up against my chest, and I can smell her arousal. “Touch me. Make me feel alive again.” Her hands glide up to my face, brushing her fingers across my stubbled cheek.
My lips attack hers with ferocious need. She thought she was selfish, but I’m the selfish one. I don’t give a shit about her father, and neither should she. She would only have to say the word, and I would kill him. I would do anything for her.
Her moans turn into a desperate need as she climbs up my body. I grip her hips, lifting her up so she can wrap her legs firmly around my waist. I’m rock hard as I growl, feeling her heat and wishing there were no barriers between us. Her hands roam over my arms and chest as if she can't get enough of touching me. She feels like my lifeline at that moment. My hands gliding under her hoodie, feeling the bare skin at her back as I trail my hands up. Fuck. Her skin is all bare, and I know she isn’t wearing a bra. I feel pissed for a minute, thinking why the hell she is out with Daniel without a bra, but no, now’s not the time. I want to erase every bad memory from her mind, if only for a little while. I break the kiss just long enough to remove her top, pulling it over her head and throwing it to the floor. I bring my mouth down to her nipple, flicking my tongue over her hardened peak before sucking it hard as she arches her back.
“Tell me what you need, Dani.” I carry her over to the bed, laying her down as my body covers hers. My hand sliding down to undo the button on her jeans as I quickly push them down her thighs, desperate to feel her once more. My fingers finally brushing against her folds as she moans, shuddering beneath me.
“My mate,” she whispers.
It’s the only answer I need. My fingers slowly penetrate her as she shudders at the intrusion.
“More,” she moans, moving against my fingers. Unable to control myself, I shimmy down the bed removing the rest of her clothing before settling between her thighs.
One taste. Just one, I promise myself.
I place my free hand over her stomach, holding her in place as I lean forward, sliding my tongue through her heat. I take my time savoring every lick and suck. Her moans the only sound in the quiet of the night.
I lower my barrier, letting the power of my wolf caress her skin as I continue to feast between her legs. This is how it's supposed to be.
“Lautner.” Her hands tangle in my hair, holding me to her as I growl against her pussy. She stiffens below me before coming hard against my mouth.
My mouth clamps down on her thigh, my wolf within demanding control. I shudder at the feel of her flesh between my teeth. Do it. I close my eyes, trying to force the barrier back into place, but it's no good. We want her. With a growl, I pull away.
“Get out.” I dare not move. I’m losing control. If she didn’t leave now, I would claim her whether she wanted it or not.
“Lautner,” her voice is timid as if she’s unsure of what's come over me.
“Get out, Dani.” I wipe my hands down my face, and I realize that I'm shaking. I need to get rid of her. If I didn’t, there would be no stopping what happened next. Marriage contract, the Council none of it mattered.
As if sensing the tension in the room, she quickly climbs off my bed. I can hear her rustling to get ready, but I don’t watch. It’s taking every ounce of my control to stay frozen and not go to her.
I can feel her eyes bore into my back as I grit my teeth. “What are you waiting for? Another rejection?” I force the words out, hating myself more than I ever thought possible—my father's words replaying on a loop in my mind. The man is stronger than the wolf. He was wrong. For the first time in my life, the words didn’t bring me comfort. They were nothing but a lie. I turn to face Dani. Her eyes shining with the unshed tears she is fighting to hold back. “If you’re so desperate for a fuck, remember, your fiancé is just next door to you.”
“I hate you, Lautner,” she replies, her voice full of conflicting emotions as she storms from the room.
Free from my wolf's hold, I finally move, slamming the door shut behind her. I want nothing more than to follow her and take back every goddamn word I said, but I know I can’t. It wouldn’t do neither of us any good. Picking up the empty bottle of whiskey, I throw it against the wall where it shatters, scattering glass all over the floor, as if it were the shards of ice breaking around my heart.
Chapter 20
Lautner
“What the …” I glance over my shoulder, finding Ryan and Daniel both standing in the kitchen doorway, looking as if they’d seen a ghost.
As soon as I woke up this morning, I’d come straight down, starting breakfast. I’d barely slept last night after she left. My mind trying to think of ways to get her out of here before we both made a mistake. But the only way to get rid of Dani is to deal with the hunters so she can go back home.
“Since when do you get up early?” Ryan starts as Daniel goes straight for the food I’d already prepared and laid out.
“Since we got hunters in our territory. And I can’t do what I do best until all you motherfuckers have eaten,” I grumble, piling bacon onto a plate.
I look over to Daniel. He looked alright, considering how hard I punched him last night. A split lip wasn’t so bad, considering it would have been a hell of a lot worse if Mi
ck and Ryan hadn’t shown up when they did.
“About last night,” he mutters as if sensing me staring. “I’m sorry.”
I hear his words, but I still can’t help the jealousy that rises within. I hated the way Dani looked happy around him.
“She doesn’t need you to take care of her; She has a fiancé for that,” I say, wondering if I’m saying it more to myself than him.
“Are we good?” he asks, finally looking over at me.
I want to say no, but I’ve no right to say that to him. Dani is nothing to me, and I need to keep it that way. “Yeah, we’re good. Just don’t do it again.” I turn back to the rest of the bacon spitting in the pan, not wanting to talk anymore.
It isn’t long before both packs are up and ready. Dani had been a no show, not that I’m bothered, or at least that’s what I keep telling myself. Considering how upset she’d been last night, I wouldn’t be surprised if I didn’t see her at all this morning, which is probably for the best. I need to keep as much distance as I can from her. The clock is ticking, and the less I saw of her from now on, the better.
Ryan informed me that Mick and Cortez held a private meeting last night. The plan is to split into two groups and head out to where the Ridgeway Pack were attacked yesterday.
I’m sat at a table in the far corner as Mick and Cortez divided the packs into teams.
The sound of the door opening has my heart beating faster as I turn to find out who’d joined us. But it isn’t the female I was expecting. Alianna. Shit.
Every man in the room turns around, staring at the newcomer as she strides through the room like she owns the place. Her tight-fitting red dress leaving little to the imagination as I hear the Ridgeway Pack mutter amongst themselves. Alianna is a friend of the pack and my occasional friend with benefits. She’s a lot like me in a way. She loves to fuck and never stays around the next day.
“Hey, handsome.” She immediately comes over, sitting on my lap. “Did you miss me?” she purrs, her hand roughly gripping my shoulder.
“Always,” I reply, smiling behind the searing pain her closeness inflicts. The mate bond is getting stronger.
“I hear you’re on duty?” she says, as I feel the visiting packs eyes on us as she continues unbothered by their stares
“Yeah, Seth and I are headed out now.”
“Well, how about we skip the foreplay, and I just put my bags in your room. You can welcome me back properly later?” she whispers seductively in my ear.
“I-”
The door creaks open, and this time my eyes land upon the female I’d been waiting for. Her eyes instantly seek out mine, and I see the look of confusion and hurt on her face. I want to apologize and push Alianna off me, but it’s Dani’s words that stop me. I hate you, Lautner.
“Lautner,” Alianna calls out, clasping my face between her hands and forcing me to look at her. “What’s wrong?” Her head turns around to see who or what has caught my attention. I can’t see her face, but I know Alianna well enough to know she is checking out the new female and her competition.
“How long are you staying?” I ask, trying to take her mind off Dani. Even as friends, if Alianna thought I was rejecting her for another female, all hell would break loose.
“A few days, maybe more. Shall I put my stuff in your room?” she asks, still looking at Dani.
I let out a sigh of relief as Seth comes into view, his face like thunder. “Alianna,” Seth greets unpleasantly. “I’m surprised to see you here?”
“I thought I’d drop by and see my favorite wolf.” She smiles, although it doesn’t quite reach her eyes. Seth and Alianna have never gotten along. He thought she was trouble and only visited when she needed help or a place to hide out. Usually, he’s right. “Don’t say you’re coming to steal my man now. Are you?” she replies possessively, loud enough for Dani to hear from across the room.
“Your man,” he laughs, raising his eyebrow. “That’s a new one. Thought you were the fuck them and leave them type?”
“Still so serious, I see. You need to learn to relax, Seth.” Gathering her dress that had ridden high up her thigh, she kisses my cheek. “I'm glad you text me. I’ll see you when you get back.” She smiles before making her way into the kitchen.
I can feel Seth staring daggers at me as I glance over to where Dani had been standing only moments ago. She’s gone. I search the room, only just realizing we were the last ones left.
“She stormed out of here like a bat out of hell,” he states, obviously pissed at me.
“Not my problem,” I pant, fighting to hold back the nausea overtaking my body from Alianna’s prolonged contact. “Maybe now she will leave me the fuck alone.”
“You texted Alianna. Why?”
Because I fucked up. I want to scream. I’d stupidly believed that I would never see Dani again and that maybe, just maybe, I could withstand the pain long enough to use Alianna. But I was wrong, and now she’s here, and Dani hates me. Fuck. Why can't I go back to being the emotionless bastard I was before I met her. Because right now, I’m hurting. Having Dani here under my roof is torture. I wanted her. I craved her. I needed her. No matter how many times I got myself off, it did nothing to cure the insatiable heat; there’s only Dani.
“Does it matter?” I say. I’m already pissed at myself. I didn’t need Seth to confirm it.
“Not really. If anyone knows how to fuck up a good thing, it’s you, Lautner,” he calls out before the door shuts firmly behind him.
Chapter 21
Dani
“Dani,” Daniel’s voice calls out softly, “are you in there?”
I want to ignore him, to remain alone in my misery, but right now, Daniel’s the only friend I have here, and I need him. “Just a minute.” I bring Lautner’s hoodie up to my face inhaling his scent one last time, letting it soothe me. It’s stupid and childish, but a girl can pretend. In my haste to leave his room last night, I’d accidentally picked up his instead of my own. Hell, maybe it wasn’t an accident. No matter how much Lautner hated me, I still wanted him. I quickly go over to the dresser, hiding it inside. I stop by the mirror on my way to the door, checking out my reflection. My eyes are a little red, but nothing too bad.
I open the door, hating the look of pity evident on Daniel’s face.
“Nope. Forget it. You’re not coming in here with that look.”
“What look?” he feigns innocence.
“You know exactly what look,” I scold him. “I don’t need your pity, Daniel.”
“It's not pity. Now, let me in?”
I move back a couple of steps as he walks in, going to sit on the bed.
“Has everyone left?” I ask, going over to the window.
“Yeah, I got left behind, as usual,” he mutters, shaking his head, and I notice his split lip.
“I’m sorry, Daniel. I wish things had turned out differently. I just seem to keep getting you into trouble.”
“Nothing to say,” he shrugs his shoulders, although his face still holds a hint of sadness that I know I’d caused involuntarily. “It wasn’t meant to be,” he states more to himself than me. “You’re Fated to be with Lautner, and despite what people say about him, he’s a good man deep down.”
“I-I was talking about Lautner hitting you last night,” I reply, shocked at his words. I knew that Daniel liked me. I just hadn’t realized it was in that way.
“Sorry,” he blushes, “I thought you meant … it's fine, really.”
“No, it isn't. I should never have gone the wrong way. I can't believe he hit you?” I gesture towards his bust lip
“My own fault. I should have known better. I would do it all again though.” He smiles. “It was nice to see you happy if only for a short while.”
“Yeah, up until this morning, and I come down to find Lautner's girlfriend here. I mean, how many does he have? She isn’t the same one from the Warehouse.” I hate how jealous I sounded. I never thought I would be the jealous type, but I guess I’d never had so
meone to be jealous over.
“Don’t take it personally. That’s just Alianna, being Alianna. They’re not together.”
His words do little to calm the raging storm I feel within. “She was on his lap, stroking his face, practically riding him in front of the entire room. If that isn’t a claim, then I don’t know what is.”
“That was all for show. Trust me, I was there. I saw his face when she entered. He’d been watching the door all morning, waiting for you.”
“Yeah, in case you haven’t noticed, Lautner hates me. Oh, and this,” I lift up my left hand, displaying the god-awful diamond ring. “I’m already taken. I shouldn’t care, really; he’s a free man, he can do what he wants,” I sigh deeply, hating this unfamiliar feeling.
“Lautner’s just pissed because of the mating heat, and he’s too stubborn to give in and be happy. He thinks because his father was so shitty that his life will follow the same path. It’s sad really, he can’t see that he is nothing like his father. Don’t get me wrong, I never met the man, but I’ve heard stories about him, and Lautner is nothing like that.”
“Seth mentioned yesterday that Lautner’s father took him away after his mate died.”
“Yeah, he should have done the decent thing and handed Lautner over to the pack. Instead, he raised him among the strays to be a cold-blooded killer.”
“So, what is the mating heat?” I ask, finally ready to gain some useful information.
“Well,” Daniel begins, leaning back against the bed, “from what I’ve heard, it’s an intense heat that overtakes the body. Nothing can take it away. It continues to burn until the mating is complete or severed.”
“And how long does that take?”
“A mating bond generally lasts for seventy-two hours, give or take, depending on how strong the bond is. It generally intensifies over time. If the bond is not complete, the ties begin to sever, and the mating heat subsides. Which is particularly bad for males as it only happens once. Females, however, can go on to mate again.”
“Why is that?” I ask, curious.
Lautner: A Dark Fated Mates Romance Page 9
