by Jinx Neale
Faith scented Zane as he entered the room, his dizzying aroma of male and forest and clean mountain air.
“Very nice, Faith. I want you on your hands and knees.”
She fell forward onto her hands, waiting. The plug was hard and heavy, stretching her bottom hole.
“How did you like your plug?” Zane asked her, his hands rubbing lightly over her bottom.
“I didn’t,” she answered shortly.
“That’s too bad.” Zane sounded amused. “You’re going to be using it quite a lot.”
Faith didn’t have the strength to protest. She heard the rasp of a zipper and Zane’s pants hit the floor, followed by his shirt and socks. The mattress sagged beneath his weight as she felt his warmth right behind her.
“I think you did like it, being spanked and plugged and put on display. I’ll bet you’re wet.” His thick fingers dabbled between her legs and Faith moaned, excited beyond reason. “Fuck, you’re drenched.”
He grabbed her waist, positioning his cock at her entrance. The head, smooth and hot, dipped just inside and then left, over and over, taunting her until she cried out, “Zane!”
He thrust into her, deeply, burying himself in her depths with one hard stroke—it felt so good. Faith softened, yielding to him as he plunged in and out. God, she needed to come. She felt the first flutter of her climax and Zane pulled out, smacking her sharply across her bottom. “No coming until I tell you.”
Faith nodded, aching for him to return, her pussy so tight with the plug still in her ass. He pressed her cheeks open and removed the plug, Faith blushing in shame at the sound of it leaving her body, the lubricant he’d used dripping down her legs. Now, would he give her what she needed? But, instead, he held her rosebud open. “Beautiful.” The blunt head of his member pressed against her bottom hole. Faith balked at the strange sensation, struggling away from him.
“Relax, baby,” Zane rumbled in her ear, as he pulled back to ease a finger into her bottom hole. “How does that feel?”
He began to thrust gently and a spark of pleasure ignited inside her. “Good. It feels good.” And it did, in a very naughty and forbidden sort of way. She loved the way he touched her, as if it was his right to do as he pleased, while he still took care of her.
Zane pressed another finger into her bottom, Faith whimpering at the pleasure-pain of it. A slow, insistent pulse thudded inside her passage, clenching around his finger. “That’s it, baby,” he murmured, “let it go.” Faith lowered her head against the mattress, raising her bottom higher. Zane accepted her mute consent, grasping her hip in an implacable hold as he pressed the tip of his cock inside. She moaned against the burn, against the unstoppable force of him entering her bottom.
The tight circle of muscle finally loosened, Zane grunting as he filled her completely. He paused, giving her time to accustom herself to his hard presence, so much bigger than the plug. She was full of him, stretched and plundered, as Zane began to move, slowly at first and then faster, until he hammered her with short, hard strokes. She clenched on his cock and he groaned above her. She wanted to come so badly. Faith whimpered and Zane’s hand finally crept down her belly to capture her clit, coaxing her little bud to hardness, rubbing and stroking until it bloomed with fire, and she came hard. Zane cried her name as he emptied himself deep inside and collapsed on her back, keeping his weight on his hands. She lay under him, conquered and satisfied.
Chapter Nine
Faith let the pulsating jets in Zane’s fancy shower soothe away the aches and pains from last night. She had never felt owned by a man before, and Zane’s claim was making her feel antsy. She needed time to think, to decide what to do with this man who had become the center of her life in just a few short days. So, she didn’t mind that Zane was pulling on his coat when she emerged from the bathroom.
“I’m headed out to meet my dad. Brock is going to come and stay with you.”
Faith flared up, her humiliation of yesterday still fresh. “I don’t need a babysitter.”
“Think of him more like a security guard.”
She huffed her frustration.
“You can tease him as much as you like.” Zane examined her face, his pale blue gaze intent. “Was that a smile teasing those lovely lips?”
Now she was biting her lip to stifle her amusement.
“You still mad at me, babe?”
Faith’s eyes narrowed. “I don’t think being mad quite covers it.”
Zane grabbed her arm and jerked her closer, gripping her hair with one hand. “I’m going to do whatever it takes to keep you safe. That includes you following my orders.”
“Orders?” Her voice rose shrilly.
“Man, you are hard work.” Zane let her go. “Instructions,” he offered. “That’s as far as I’m willing to go.”
Faith folded her arms. “Mr. Alpha-in-Training.”
“Yup.”
Zane pulled her in close for a kiss that made her instantly wet, his cock hard against her mound. Faith’s mouth opened under his, his firm lips surprisingly soft against hers. Then he released her with a cocky grin and swatted her ass. “Back soon.”
Faith scowled and rubbed her bottom. The man was a brute. And you love it, her inner voice reminded her.
“I don’t want to see Brock,” she muttered. “I’m still too embarrassed. How about if I promise to stay in the cabin and lock the doors?”
Zane pursed his lips, considering her idea. “Fine.”
“Really?”
“Really.” Zane’s smile was a little twisted. “I’m not a monster.” He kissed her again and left, waiting outside until she locked the door.
* * *
Alec was already at Clint’s, sipping a coffee while he read the New York Times. “Hungry?” he asked as Zane slid into the seat opposite.
Zane grinned. “I could eat a moose.”
His dad’s eyes twinkled. “Sorry, Clint doesn’t have that on the menu today. Clint!”
The older man looked up from behind the counter.
“Two of the usual.”
Clint nodded, and Alec took another sip of coffee. “I need to talk to you, Zane. It’s about Faith.”
Zane stiffened, not liking his father’s tone. “What about her?”
“Faith is a lovely girl and your mother and I are both fond of her.”
Zane drummed his fingers on the table top. “But?”
“I know you like her, and I’ve smelt the wolf on her. Hell, I even punished her like one. But if Faith can’t shift, she is not truly wolf. You cannot claim her as your mate, she will not bear your cubs.” Alec leaned forward to grip Zane’s wrist, his face was stern. “I don’t want to hurt Faith, Zane. I like the girl. But if you don’t give her up, you will never be alpha.”
Zane jerked his arm away. “Maybe I don’t care about being alpha.”
Alec stilled. “Is that true?”
No, it wasn’t. Being alpha was Zane’s destiny—or so he had always believed. But if it meant giving up Faith… Zane shook his head.
Alec blew out a careful breath. “Good. You are the best choice. Brock and Ryder are both good men and I love them dearly, but you are the leader the pack needs. You know that I won’t be around forever, especially if something ever happens to your mother. If Janet ever decides to leave, I will follow her.”
“I know, Dad. She’s your mate.”
“She’s the love of my life,” his father acknowledged. “But we need to talk about the future, when I am no longer the alpha. I must ensure the succession. If it’s not you, I’ll have to train someone else.”
“Give me some time to figure things out, Dad. I don’t want to let you down.”
“And you won’t, Zane. That’s the one thing I’m sure of.”
Zane stared down at his hands, the instruments he used to create and to destroy. “I care about Faith, Dad.”
“I know you do. But sometimes that’s not enough.”
Zane looked up. “You married Mom because you loved
her.”
“True,” Alec nodded. “But I would never have loved her if she wasn’t a wolf.”
“Biology isn’t everything,” Zane muttered.
“Not everything. But when you are a member of a small community like ours, it is important.” Alec leaned forward, lowering his voice. “It’s about survival, son. If we don’t breed with other wolves, we won’t survive. We’ll dwindle into legend. I don’t want that happening on my watch.”
His dad wasn’t wrong. It just wasn’t as simple as Alec made it out to be.
“Look, I can’t tell you what to do.”
Zane smiled bitterly. “Sure, you can, you do it all the time.”
“But not about this. If you choose Faith, you won’t be putting the good of the pack above your own needs and desires. She will never be strong enough to help defend the pack. You will have to care for her, rather than the pack. It’s not how I raised you, son.”
Zane swore beneath his breath, knowing his father was right. Zane should do only what he had promised: get Alton Lynch and that damned cougar off Faith’s back and ensure her safety. But his heart didn’t care about doing the right thing and Zane didn’t know how to tell his father that Faith was the only thing that mattered to him. He wasn’t going to let her go, not without a fight.
“I’ll think about what you said, Dad. That’s the best I can do for now.”
His father sat back, disappointment evident on his face. “I won’t ask for more, not right now. But sometimes events have a way of overtaking us. Whatever you ultimately decide, there won’t be any turning back. If you choose Faith over the pack, they will never accept her.”
“I know, Dad.”
They finished their meal in silence. Zane had never felt further from his father and he regretted it, but he couldn’t lose Faith. He just couldn’t.
* * *
Zane was quiet after returning from meeting with his dad, declining Faith’s offer of lunch. “Clint’s breakfast was enough to keep me going until dinner.” He spent the afternoon chopping wood, while Faith snuck a peek every now and then to admire the play of muscles as he wielded the ax, his animal self lending a grace and fluidity to his movements. The man enraged her and excited her… and she was finding it increasingly more difficult to think of leaving. Faith gnawed at her lip. It was so unlike her to stick around when things got emotionally complicated. But Zane was different; her feelings about him were too intense to ignore.
She could fix dinner, at least. There was beef, left over from the disastrous stew, as well as mushrooms and onions. Faith combined them with a rich gravy, letting the mixture simmer while she whipped up a pastry crust for a savory pie. She found ingredients for a side salad, which she combined and set back in the fridge.
“Something smells good.” Zane entered the kitchen, with a rush of cold air. Autumn deepened with each day, the days growing shorter. He looked more at peace, and Faith smiled at him.
“I made a beef and mushroom pie.”
His eyes lit up. “I love pie. Let me get cleaned up.”
Faith heard the shower as she set the table, imagining Zane standing naked under the streaming water. God, she had it bad for the man. She served the pie just as Zane came back, clad in fresh jeans and a long-sleeved tee, his damp hair tucked behind his ears.
They ate, idly discussing the changing weather, until Zane set down his coffee cup. “Tell me about growing up as a foster kid, Faith. I want to understand what you went through.”
Faith frowned down at her empty plate. The pie had been delicious. “Everyone talks about the horrors of foster care, and I had some placements that I still have nightmares about, but you rarely hear about the good ones. People like Martha Delaney, who opened her home to kids like me, with nowhere else to go. She wasn’t my mother, but she gave me a good, solid home. A fact I didn’t appreciate until I left. But I was young and sure I knew better than Martha. Tilney Mills was too small, too confining. I never felt like I fit in.”
“Of course, you didn’t fit. You’re a wolf, like us. How could the human world ever truly be comfortable?”
Faith shook her head wearily. “You keep saying that. Why would I believe you?”
Zane was silent for a moment. “I would ask you to trust me, but I don’t believe there’s anybody you do trust.”
The truth of his statement hit her like a blow.
“I have to get out of here,” she muttered, turning blindly toward the door.
Zane was beside her, restraining her with one large hand. Faith tried to shake him off, but it was like trying to move a mountain. But when he spoke, his voice was gentle. “You can’t run away from everything, Faith. Especially this.”
“Why not?” Faith said bitterly. “I always have before.”
He lifted her chin, forcing her to meet his ice-blue gaze. “And how’s that working out for you?”
Tears blurred her vision. “Damn you, Zane Hunter. Leave me alone.”
“That’s the one thing I can’t do for you. Wolves are pack animals. They don’t do well on their own.”
“I like my own company.”
Zane blew out a breath. “That’s not what I mean. We need to be around our own kind, to be able to smell them, to touch them. It’s as necessary as breathing to us.”
“But I’m not like you. I’m not a shifter and I’m damn sure not a wolf.”
Zane gave her a look that stopped her protest. “It’s even harder for mixed bloods,” he told her. “They’re torn between their two selves.”
“Mixed blood, half-breed. That’s what you think I am.”
Zane nodded. “I think that’s why you haven’t changed. But I can smell the wolf on you. Most mixed bloods never change at all. In your case, the wolf blood seems to be dominant.” His voice deepened. “The wolf scent is stronger when you’re aroused.”
Heat coursed through Faith at his words, at the thought that he could smell her desire.
“Then why can’t I change?”
“I don’t know. For most of us, the change comes naturally, as we hit puberty.” Zane hesitated for a moment. “I think I might be able to help you with that.”
“How?”
“Part of what makes an alpha wolf is their ability to call the wolf in others. It’s why my father has chosen me to succeed him.”
“Call the wolf?” Faith frowned. “I don’t know what that means.”
“I can make another wolf shift to their animal form,” Zane explained. “It’s like I can feel the shape of their wolf beneath their skin and bring it forth.”
“And you think you can do this to me?” Faith’s tone was skeptical.
“Let me try, Faith. I want to help you.”
Faith searched Zane’s face, the ice-blue eyes now warm with understanding, the firm line of his lips. It was an honest face, and she trusted him. It was herself she didn’t trust.
“All right,” she said, “let’s do it.”
* * *
Zane led her down the steps to the grassy patch beside the cabin.
“It’s not a full moon,” she objected.
“We are the children of the moon, it’s true. The call of the full moon can’t be denied, but we can shift at any time. The more powerful the wolf, the easier it is to change. An alpha or beta wolf can change within seconds.”
“Maybe it’s because I’m weak that I can’t change.”
Zane shook his head. “I don’t think you’re weak. I can feel the power in you, but it’s blocked. I think you don’t know how to use it.”
Faith retreated a few steps. “I’m scared, Zane.”
“I know, sweetheart, but I’m here. Let me help you. Let me show you how beautiful this world can be.” Zane held out his hand, and Faith felt his power summoning her. She was drawn to him, helpless to resist the call of his blood. He pulled her closer and then placed one hand on her chest.
“I can feel it,” he murmured, “the wildness beneath the skin. It’s so close.” He touched her temple. “Less he
ad, more heart. Faith, you have to let this happen, allow the wolf to surface. Can you do that?”
Faith shivered. “I don’t know.”
“I’m right here for you. I won’t let anything bad happen.”
She nodded. “Okay. I want to try it.”
Zane’s smile took her breath away. He was so beautiful. “Good.” He closed his eyes.
Faith felt a tug, though his hands didn’t move again. It was coming from inside. She felt it again, stronger, like a call that demanded an answer. A surge, almost like an electrical current, arced between them. Faith gasped. She could hear Zane’s voice in her head, commanding her to shift.
She fought against that voice, as the memory of every time she’d been ordered about bubbled to the surface, every time she had struggled against authority, and it was all for nothing. But Zane’s command was greater than anything Faith had ever experienced before, overriding every insecurity, every impulse to run. She must submit, she could do nothing else. Finally, Faith relaxed into his voice, accepting his authority, and the world was changed.
The first thing she was aware of was the pain, as her joints and bones transformed, shifting from human to wolf. She would have screamed, but she had no breath. It felt like boiling oil spilling over every inch of her body. She dropped to her knees, her skin on fire, her blood burning. Faith screamed as her fingers folded, bones crunching, transforming into huge paws, furred and clawed. Her scream became a howl, her human vocal cords transforming into wolf. Her vision blurred, losing color. Faith blinked at a new world, where sight became second to an intoxicating brew of scents and sounds.
A man crouched in front of her, and Faith snarled. He tapped her lightly on the nose in rebuke. She whined in response, her tail curling under her body, as she recognized his scent. Her wolf self accepted Zane’s higher status. She licked his jaw and he lowered his head, accepting her offering. Then, he stood and walked away, raising his arms to the sky. His eyes shone like blue fire in the moonlight, a howl escaping his throat, as Zane transformed into a huge gray wolf in the blink of an eye. He looked back at Faith, his expression daring her to follow as he ran into the night.
