Welterweight (Hallow Brothers Book 1)

by Tricia Andersen

  Meg slipped the lid back on the box. “Okay.”

  Littlefoot shook each of their hands and then turned toward Momma. “Are you ready to go, Evelyn?”

  “Of course, let me get my things.” She turned toward the door.

  Littlefoot sprinted up the deck and opened the door before she reached it. “Allow me to get your bags.”

  “My, Adam. Thank you.” She flushed again before she shuffled inside with him following.

  Meg took Caleb’s hand and tugged him toward the cabin. “I guess we better head out too.”

  “Be careful, you two. Come home safe,” Josiah told them.

  “We will.” Caleb wrapped his arm around his mate and led her to the cabin. Once they grabbed their bags, Caleb tossed them in the back and climbed inside. Meg hopped in the passenger side. She scooted across the seat until her leg was pressed against his. She smiled at him and snuggled against him. With a grin, he shifted into gear and coasted down the lane between the trees.

  Chapter Ten

  Meg watched the blazing sunset as she sat huddled on the ground, her arms wrapped around her knees. The rifle was tucked close beside her. The early summer breeze kissed her skin. She rocked herself as she searched the heavens, her heart hammering in her chest. Stars were starting to pop out. The full moon peeked up on the horizon.

  Caleb would change soon.

  The thought terrified her. No human saw these beasts and lived. There were two she knew of who did. Mama Hallow and Littlefoot. And Mama claimed only to see her mate. Meg was putting her life literally in the hands of a superstition. She sure hoped the old woman was right. Hers was the only one to attack a human when he faced that terrorist in Germany. Hers was the only werewolf to have tasted human blood.

  She felt that all-too-familiar, indescribable pull on her as she glanced back at the cabin. She remembered Caleb’s words when he told her about the change, about how aroused it made him. Her heart fluttered in her chest. It stole her breath. Her core burned deep inside her. What was he doing right now? Was he lying on his bed waiting for it? Was he getting himself off?

  She didn’t know why she stood and crossed the camp to the cabin. She was told to stay away, to keep a distance, to be ready. Instead, her feet took her to the window and left the rifle behind in the dirt. The golden light from inside beckoned. He beckoned. She couldn’t say no if she wanted to. Thing was, she wanted to go to him. She wanted him so much it hurt.

  Meg lifted herself on her tiptoes to look inside and then groaned. Caleb wasn’t sleeping. He was lying naked on the bed, the comforter the color of the twilight sky. The hard curves of his muscles were adorned with patterns of color. The hint of the tattoo they shared, the one that marked them as mates, was the only solid colored art on his body.

  She swallowed hard. His body. She never took a good look at her mate, but his body was sinfully perfect. It was powerful. It was made for fighting and sex.

  And his hand was wrapped tight around his swollen cock. He moaned as he stroked it. His hips bucked hard against his hand. He squirmed and bucked again.

  The whole scene was a siren’s song to Meg. Mindlessly, she wandered from the window to the porch steps. She weaved her way through the rooms. She didn’t stop until she was kneeling between his parted legs on the bed.

  Caleb’s voice was breathless as his hand picked up the pace. “Meg, go. You can’t be here. It’s too dangerous.”

  She cocked her head as she watched him. “Who were you thinking of to get you hard? Who are you fucking in your mind?”

  He let go a laugh as his hips arched again. “You, baby. Beneath me, on top of me, between my legs sucking me off.”

  She gripped his hand and pried it away. She caught his other hand and pinned them both to the bed. Then she laid between his legs. She ran her tongue along the tip, catching a dribble of precum. She wrapped her lips around him and slowly lowered her head. She swallowed as much of his cock as she could. She bobbed her head up and down, sucking as she did so. She tried to breathe. He was longer and thicker than before. He must be about to change.

  Caleb grabbed the sheets in his fists as he hissed. He bucked, causing her to gag. Tears burned her eyes as she kept up. She let go of his wrist to fondle his sac. He wrapped his fingers in her hair.

  “I’m gonna come,” he warned.

  Her lips popped as she let him go. “Inside me.”

  “Fuck, baby. I’m going to come more than once.”

  “How?”

  “I’m a werewolf about to change. I don’t know the biology. I just know I need to come in your mouth.”

  She grinned and then wrapped her mouth around his cock again. He muttered a string of curses. His hips rocked until the tip hit the back of her throat. He roared as he released. The rush hit her before she knew it. She swallowed as much as she could. What she missed she licked away. She looked at his cock. It was still hard as a rock.

  “Get undressed, baby,” he commanded.

  Meg did as Caleb ordered, not wasting any time stripping off her shirt, shorts, and underwear. All the while, he stroked himself. She gazed into his eyes. The warm brown was now flecked with gold. She climbed on top of him and buried her lips against his. His tongue was rougher, his hands stronger. As his mouth wandered down her neck and nipped at her jugular, his teeth were sharper.

  She moaned as she wrapped her hand around him to guide him to her. She pulled it away as she impaled herself on him. She cried out at the invasion. She wasn’t dreaming things. He was bigger, thicker than when they had sex before. The way he stretched her apart drove her wild. She bounced a couple times to drive him deeper. His mouth roamed all over her, across her breasts, her neck, his mouth devouring hers. He knotted his fingers in her hair to draw her down to him. His kisses made her lightheaded. The orgasm that raged through her nearly knocked her out. Her veins coursed with molten fire. Her nerves blazed in a passion she never imagined. She felt herself fade and then come back. Her mind swirled like she was on a strong drug.

  Caleb gripped her hips and thrust deep. She whimpered as another rush, just as powerful as the last, washed over her. No man had filled her this much. The pleasure mixed with pain. And he’s still not all the way inside me.

  Another orgasm ripped through Meg as Caleb drove into her. He grunted and panted as he released. She collapsed on his chest as she felt him tremble with her.

  “More.” Caleb flipped her over onto her back. She wove her fingers in his black hair as his mouth wove patterns on her skin. She shuddered as he feasted on her breasts, his teeth scraping against the sensitive buds. When he ran his rough tongue against her nub, she screamed in pleasure.

  She stared hazily into his eyes as he raised himself over her. The flecks of gold had grown. He kissed her and then murmured against her lips. “We don’t have much more time. Once more. Fuck, do you know how beautiful you are when you come?”

  Meg couldn’t respond. She raised herself to run her tongue along the curves of the tattoos embedded into his flesh. He moaned as he buried himself inside her again. They rolled together as they gasped, groaned, whimpered in chorus. Sweat glistened on his skin. This was no longer just sex. It was primal. It always was with him. But this was more. She clung to him as the orgasms tore through her again. She was barely aware when his pace quickened. She was only aware of their union, their bodies, their breaths, their hearts beating as one. The feel of his hard body gliding against hers as they mated. The feather touch of his lips as they explored her skin. His soulful eyes as they burrowed into her. He was the most fucking beautiful man she had ever seen, and he was fighting against his own nature to stay inside her.

  He roared as he came. She cried as her body quaked in response. She dug her fingernails into his back as she bucked like a creature possessed. They collapsed together onto the bed.

  She traced the lines on his face with her fingertips. All she could get out was his name. “Caleb.”

  “Meg,” he whispered just before he wove a path of kisses alon
g her neck.

  She didn’t know how to voice how she felt. She wanted him to stay buried within her. She didn’t want him to go. The moment he did, she would feel empty. And she was certain the emptiness would kill her. He was hard, strong, and fierce. He didn’t just fill her body.

  He filled her heart. He filled her soul.

  She wrapped her arms tight around him and held him close. “Don’t go. Never go.”

  “Never.”

  She didn’t know how long they laid in each other’s arms, knotted around each other in silence. She didn’t care, as long as she held him. He started to shake uncontrollably, harder that a leaf in a hurricane. She propped herself on her elbow and stroked his face. “Baby, what’s wrong?”

  Caleb’s voice was a growl. “Meg, go. Get out. Now.”

  “Caleb.”

  He shoved her away. The forced landed her hard on the floor. “What the hell?” she protested.

  His voice was hard to understand. “Get dressed. Get out. Now, Meg. Get the rifle. Please.”

  She shuddered as his beautiful body began to morph. It twisted, grew, curled painfully into itself. His smooth skin sprouted hair. No, fur.

  Meg scuttled across the floor for her clothes. She tugged each piece on as fast as she could. Once she was dressed, she spun around.

  Her gaze met a pair of feral yellow eyes. The beast that hovered over her wasn’t a wolf. He was a wolf times a thousand. On all fours, he stood over six feet tall. His snout was lined with razor sharp fangs. His claws shredded the wood floor beneath it. His sinew and muscle was covered with coarse, charcoal-colored fur.

  Her nightmares couldn’t construct something like this. Her heart hammered in her chest. She could hear it thud in her ears.

  The beast snorted and tossed his head. Then it ran his rough tongue up Meg’s thigh. She nudged him away as an aftershock of their lovemaking burned through her. “Caleb, don’t.”

  The beast nuzzled at her, nudging her to stand. For all the stories that claimed these werewolves were murderous, hers was as sweet as a puppy. She stroked his fur tenderly.

  The beast huffed and tossed his head, stomping out of the bedroom. She followed him as he led her through the cabin and outside. Meg stopped dead in her tracks as he circled the rifle. He nudged it toward her.

  “I can’t,” she protested.

  He tossed his head and growled. Again, he pushed the rifle to her.

  Tears burned her eyes. It may have been just a dart in the gun, but the thought of Caleb in pain, of succumbing to the drug, tore at her heart. “No. Stop, Caleb. I won’t shoot you.”

  He snorted and pawed at the ground. He bumped his massive head into her, dropping her on her butt. He used his snout to push the rifle against her leg.

  “No!” she shouted with a sob. “Stop it!”

  He growled as he stomped the ground fiercely. She shuddered in fright and then sobbed again. “I won’t hurt you. I can’t hurt you. I love you.”

  The beast lifted his head and stared at her with golden eyes. He nuzzled her shoulder, her back, her face. He licked her cheek, letting his tongue trail across her lips. She cuddled against him and stroked his fur. “I love you, Caleb. So much it hurts.”

  She didn’t know how long she held him. Suddenly, he pulled out of her grip and stalked across the camp. Facing her, he snorted and pawed at the dirt. He took off running at her, snarling as he came. Meg quaked as the beast bore down on her. He skidded to a stop halfway across and howled, tossing his head viciously. He paced, stopping occasionally to howl. The sound broke her heart.

  He crossed the camp again and came at her. His pace wasn’t nearly as fast. This time he didn’t stop. Grunting, he charged at her.

  Meg’s heart seized in her throat. Years of target practice at the range with her dad came flooding back. Instinctively, she kicked the rifle up and caught it. She aimed and fired. The dart impaled the beast in the shoulder, bringing him to the ground. He groaned and whimpered. Meg watched as his golden eyes rolled to the back of his head and his eyelids grew heavy. She cried as she threw the gun to the ground and dropped to her knees. She hugged him tightly.

  “I am so sorry, Caleb. I am so sorry.”

  He looked up at her through barely open eyes and then curled as much of his massive frame as he could around her. His body shook violently in her arms. The fur recessed and turned back into skin. The charcoal gray faded to flesh and ink. The fangs hid behind red lips. The beast disappeared, leaving the man behind again.

  Meg stretched out beside her mate. She held his limp body in her arms. She buried his face in his shoulder as she sobbed, holding him close as the tranquilizer took a final hold of him and he drifted into unconsciousness.

  »»•««

  Every muscle ached. The hard ground under Caleb didn’t help much. The dirt and rocks beneath him scratched his naked flesh. His head throbbed relentlessly. His stomach churned, just like it did every time he resisted the change. Whatever shit was injected into him had dropped him like a load of bricks. His entire body was paying the price.

  He stretched slowly to get relief. His arm ran into something soft and warm. Instinctively, he ran his fingers along the curves. He felt her curl closer. His cock twitched to life.

  His senses suddenly woke up. Meg. If the sun was up and he was human that meant…

  His eyes flew open and he scrambled to his feet. “What the fuck are you doing here?” he demanded.

  Meg rubbed the sleep from her eyes. “Are you always hard as a rock?”

  “You’re supposed to be with Momma. She’s probably flipping shit right now. Fuck.”

  “I shot you and you collapsed. You changed back to your human self. I was so scared so I held you. I guess I cried myself to sleep.”

  “You need to get up and call her. Now. Get the fuck up. You’ve probably given her a heart attack.”

  Meg glared at him as she slowly rose to her feet. “Fine. I’ll call her and then I’m out of here. I am such an idiot to believe I could love an asshole like you.”

  “Meg, just…”

  Meg snarled at him and then spun on her toe toward the cabin. He stared at her as she stormed off. His mind flew to the night before, as his beast stared down his sobbing mate, refusing to shoot him. She said she loved him. Twice. And he had yet to tell her that he felt the same way.

  He shook himself back to the situation at hand. He sprinted across the small cabin and hopped up the steps. Searching each room, he found them empty. He stopped as he heard her voice outside.

  “Yeah, Momma. I’m sorry. I just couldn’t leave him. It was horrible seeing him like that.”

  He strode to the bedroom and tugged on his jeans, being careful to avoid his erection. He scooped up his own cell and dialed.

  “What the fuck happened, Caleb?” Josiah demanded. “Momma called. Meg never arrived. What did you do?”

  “Nothing, big brother.” Caleb ran his free hand through his rumpled hair as he slumped on his bed. “She fell asleep here with me. She cuddled with the beast all night.”

  “You mean the dart worked? Did you change back to human?”

  “Like a fucking charm. There better be a crate of ibuprofen at home when I get there. It gave me a fucking migraine. And I need to fucking vomit.”

  “Make sure you or Meg call Momma and let her know you’re both safe. You know how she worries.”

  “Meg’s on the phone with her right now.”

  “Good. I’m on my way to get you. I’ll have a bottle of water and some pain killers with me.”

  “Great. See you soon.”

  Caleb ended the call as he glanced out the window. He watched Meg rush past with her backpack slung over her shoulder. He glanced around the bedroom. Yep, her things were gone. There wasn’t a trace left. He searched the bedside table where he left his personal items. The truck keys were gone also.

  He sprinted out of the cabin after her, catching her by the wrist before she reached the truck. She spun at him as she ripped her arm
away.

  “Leave me alone. I’m out of here,” she snapped.

  He didn’t reply. Instead he drew her to him and kissed her. He figured she would pull out of his arms and slap him. Instead, she melted against him and parted his lips to deepen the kiss. He knotted his hand in her long hair. His whole body reacted to her embrace. He wanted to bury himself in her body, her soul, her heart. In a short amount of time, this woman possessed him in a way no one ever had. She was his entire existence. His hunt for the title no longer mattered. Only she did.

  He loosened his hold on her hair as they parted. “Meg, baby,” he whispered.

  She pulled free and shoved him away. Without a word, she climbed into the cab of the truck. The truck roared to life. She sped off, leaving Caleb standing alone, watching her go. He shook his head as his heart sunk in his chest. “I love you, Meg.”

  »»•««

  Meg was still cursing under her breath as she stepped into Aunt Edith and Aunt Edna’s little house. The betrayal was strong. She told Caleb she loved him. She stayed with him to make sure he was safe. And what did he do? He ripped into her. He treated her like shit, like he always did.

  Why, why did it have to be him? Why did he have to be her mate? Why did she have to fall in love with him?

  Momma scuttled around the corner into the foyer. She wrapped her pudgy arms around Meg. “Oh, I’m so glad you’re safe.”

  Meg hugged her back. “Me too.”

  “And Caleb is all right? The drug didn’t harm him?”

  Meg swallowed hard. The thought of the beast slumped on the ground, painfully turning back to human, turned her stomach. “He’s fine, Momma.”

  “Oh, good. Come and sit. Edith and Edna are at service. I wanted to be here when you got here. Tell me all about North Camp. I’ll pour us some coffee and we’ll talk.”

  Meg watched as the older woman disappeared into the kitchen. Meg dropped her backpack next to the sofa and then settled down on it. She looked up as Momma hurried into the kitchen with two mugs in her hand. She handed one to Meg and sat next to her. Meg took a sip of the brew and moaned. It was wonderful.