He took a moment to enjoy the raw need displayed in her heavy-lidded gaze. Even knowing he’d loved a male’s body before her didn’t dim it. No, she would devour him. Claim him as completely as he would her. He wanted that, for her to command him. It wouldn’t happen any time soon, though. Not until he got everything he required from her first.
She would moan for him. Whimper for him. Beg him to fuck her. And he would. He’d take her every way a male could have a woman. He’d fill her pussy, her mouth, her ass. Nothing would be off-limits. He’d have it all. She’d welcome him with open arms too. He wouldn’t have it any other way.
Maybe Noah’s little game had one positive outcome. She knew Ethan’s secret. Why hide his hungers? Why keep the beast he truly was chained? She stood in another male’s arms and reached for Ethan, half-crazed and all. The hairs hadn’t even faded from his arms. Neither had his claws. And she held her hand to him, inviting him into her embrace.
He grinned, showing off his pointed teeth. “You want me like this, Hannah? Fucking wild? A goddamn animal? Is this the male you want to kiss?”
“Yes.” She swallowed hard. “Yes. I want you.”
His cock lengthened, and his breathing deepened. He welcomed the lust, let it seep into him and push him forward. Long strides closed the distance between them.
He snatched her hand and yanked her away from Noah. Hannah collided with Ethan’s chest. Her breath rushed out, and she let out an oomph. The second her curves touched his body, his wolf calmed. Still weary but no longer enraged, it sat on its haunches and gazed at Hannah. He could swear there was love in its expression. Yes, he was reading into its reaction. The animal wouldn’t love Hannah, not in the way he did. It needed her, though.
It would fight to keep her too.
The conviction stirred his unease. Hannah’s fingertips along his jaw chased it away. He covered her hand with his. He wanted to apologize. Maybe promise her he’d never touch Noah again. Tell her he loved her.
“Hannah.” Her name was all he could manage.
She mapped his face with her gaze and settled on his lips. “Are you going to kiss me? I’ve waited so long to feel your lips on mine.”
So had he. For six months, he’d imagined what her lips would taste like. Every time, he’d fantasized about how he’d take them, then her. How he’d worship her, head to toe. All the scenarios fell to the side. In the face of her stark lust, he couldn’t think of the right way to make love to her mouth so she’d understand how special she was to him. He only knew he had to have her.
He cupped her face in his hands and bent while she stood on her tiptoes to close the distance. Her rapid breaths warmed his lips. He inhaled, taking her air into him. A rough sound escaped him. Lust, peace, affection—the emotions mixed, overloading him. He wasn’t equipped to deal with them. Males weren’t. They didn’t know what to do with their feelings half the time, only knew they needed them. Hannah understood, and she’d focus him.
Center him.
Make him into the male he was always meant to be.
He traced her lips with his tongue, first the top, then the bottom. Her sigh washed over him, warming him from the inside out. She curled her fingers around the back of his neck, exactly as he’d envisioned. More tempting heat rushed through him. He closed his eyes, and she touched her tongue to his. The hesitant contact broke something inside him. On a groan, he kissed her. No leading. No slow exploration. No back-and-forth loving.
He took from her.
Every breath. Every sound. Every beat of her heart. They belonged to him. So did she. The truth resonated within him with every stroke of his tongue along hers. She met him, dueling with him as if they’d shared a lifetime of kisses. It was good. Her taste, her response, her passion—being with her was everything he’d expected.
But it wasn’t enough. He wanted more.
He tilted his head and devoured her, eating at her mouth as if starved. He was too. He’d waited a lifetime for the kiss of his true mate, longer than any Jager male before him. The thought came and went. The oddness of it resounded within him. There was truth to the inner reflection. He didn’t know what or why. With Hannah’s lips on his, he didn’t care.
He moved his hands to her shoulders, then her back. She was small, delicate, but he felt the strength within her. She was powerful. Not physically. It was more. He’d sensed it from the moment he’d met her. The rough bite of her nails in his shoulder confirmed it. She’d match him. Be his perfect mate. His perfect lover.
She tightened her grip on him and pulled him closer. He took the hint, moved his hands to her ass and lifted her. She wrapped her legs around him. The heat from her sex pressed against his stomach. He felt her need. She’d be wet, dripping in welcome for him. His dick throbbed, eager to slip inside her. He wanted to feel her body conform around him. Mold to him. Take him to the brink.
He ran his hands over her, pulling her impossibly closer, and possessed her mouth. Her soft sounds of pleasure were muffled against his lips. So were his guttural ones. Both enflamed him. More hungers surfaced. He wanted to lick her, every inch of her, then part her legs and feast.
A bed. He needed a bed.
He took a step forward, still kissing her, then another. Resistance met him. He tore his mouth from Hannah’s, glanced behind her, and collided with Noah’s gaze. The lust displayed on his face stirred memories of loving him, feeling his hard body under him, pushing his shoulders to the floor, and yanking his ass in the air. Ethan’s dick jerked in his pants.
He flexed his fingers on Hannah’s bottom. Soft yet firm, she had a body worthy of his worship. He would deliver it and enjoy every second of it. But…but she couldn’t take the place of Noah—a dominant who’d submit to Ethan whenever he needed it, or push him against the wall and possess him, making him experience the same.
He didn’t know if that was normal. How would he? It wasn’t as if there was an association for gay wolves. He only knew it worked for them. They were equals. Partners. They shared the roles.
They…shared.
“We both fuck her. We make her your mate and our lover.” Noah’s words repeated in Ethan’s head.
Could they? Could he keep both his true mate and the mate of his heart?
“That was the fucking hottest thing I’ve ever seen.”
Noah’s statement brought a small grin to Ethan’s mouth. With Hannah in his arms, he didn’t feel the need to attack Noah, despite the tension emanating from Ethan’s wolf. Its low growl added to its building aggressiveness. He ignored the animal and focused on Noah.
“It was. Perfect.”
“Exactly as you imagined?” Curiosity bled into Noah’s eyes. “Worth the wait?”
To desire a woman. Ethan knew that was what Noah wanted to discover. At least one secret remained hidden. Ethan was glad too. He didn’t need Hannah doubting his ability to satisfy her on top of the shock she’d no doubt experienced after learning about his relationship with Noah.
Ethan shifted his gaze to her face. She watched him. Raw need darkened her eyes. He brushed his thumb over the corner of her mouth. Her lashes drifted shut, and she parted her lips on a sigh.
“Yes. Hannah’s worth the wait.”
“Is she worth your devotion? Your worship?”
“Yes.” Ethan skimmed his fingertips over her face, mapping it. Her soft skin teased the pads, sensitizing them. “She’s deserves everything.”
“Happiness? Does she deserve that?”
Noah’s question dragged Ethan’s attention back to him. “Of course.”
“She won’t be if she mates a broken male. She’ll end up feeling like a failure because no matter what she does she won’t be able to fill the role I do in your life.”
Hadn’t Ethan thought the same thing moments before? His lover had planned their encounter well. It didn’t surprise him. Not only did Noah know him, he had an
incredible mind. He was wise too, more so than most males his age. His grief and the time he’d spent mourning Mindy had changed him. At least that was what he’d said once. Ethan couldn’t relate. He’d lost friends, pack mates, and relatives, but never a lover.
The moment he mated Hannah, he would.
He shifted his focus to her and studied her for some clue as to what she thought of Noah’s prediction. Only desire showed on her face. Whatever she thought or felt remained hidden. It didn’t surprise him any more than realizing Noah had manipulated him. Despite their limited time together, Hannah read him well, never pushing for more than he would accept, physically and emotionally.
“You told me you wanted me as your mate, but that was before you learned my dirty little secret.” He held her gaze, challenging her. “What about now? Do you still want to mate me?”
“Yes.” No hesitation. Her single whispered word could’ve been a vow given in blood. The certainty of her choice radiated from her.
He leaned closer, nose to nose. “Don’t be so quick to agree. You don’t know what loving me will entail.”
She narrowed her eyes, not in the least intimidated by his hard stare. “Six months I’ve waited for you to kiss me. Six months, Ethan. That might not seem like a long time for you, but it was an eternity for me. I dreamt about you. Thought about you constantly. Couldn’t get enough of you, even if it was only your hand in mine I got to enjoy. I savored it. Do you understand me? Twining our fingers was heaven and hell all wrapped in one. So”—she eased back and cocked a brow—“tell me whatever it is you think will change my mind.”
He grinned. He loved knowing she treated him as her equal.
“I couldn’t give you more. Holding your hand had made me feel guilty enough. Noah has been my partner for a long time. I love him.” He let her see the truth in his words.
A slight flinch was her only response.
It cut him, ripping open his chest. He ignored the pain seeing it brought. He’d started the conversation. He had to finish it. She needed to know everything. “I also desire him, Hannah. Being with you hasn’t changed that.”
She lowered her gaze for the briefest of moments before staring into his eyes. “What are you trying to say?”
He slid his hand to Hannah’s shoulder, the spot he’d mark in a matter of nights. “I want to mate you, but Noah’s right. Walking away from him will rip me in half.”
She opened her mouth. He laid a single finger against her lips, stopping her words. What he was about to ask wasn’t even something he was sure he’d be able to follow through on. His wolf’s growls hadn’t lessened. Hell, the animal’s angry snarls grew louder by the minute. They reverberated in his head. He blocked them out. If he didn’t at least try to keep Noah, he’d regret it for the rest of his life.
“So there’s only one question left to ask you.”
“And that is?”
“If you still want to mate me”—he glanced at Noah—“what are willing to do to heal me?”
Chapter Ten
The look in Ethan’s eyes stopped Hannah’s heart. Possession. It would’ve been a welcome sight if it had been directed at her alone. It wasn’t. Noah held the role of lover and friend. They were mates of the heart. The term usually applied to widows who went on to love again, but she’d also heard same-sex partners use it too.
Chris, a protector from her pack, still mourned the loss of his lover—the mate of his heart. Their connection had been real, even if it hadn’t been the mystical one that linked souls. It had been based on love. Noah and Ethan shared the same powerful union. The truth was stamped on Ethan’s face.
How was she supposed to compete with the relationship they’d formed? She couldn’t. The only thing she’d accomplish by mating Ethan was the scenario Noah had given. She’d come between them. They’d end up resenting her for it. No way did she want that. She’d rather live her life alone.
Noah had offered her another option. She glanced between the two larger-than-life males. Both beautiful, strong and sexy—they could be hers. Did she want that? More importantly, could she be what they needed?
Could she bridge them?
What exactly did that mean? Sure, Noah had given her a crude visual. The three of them tangled in passion tempted her. She wouldn’t deny that, but it wasn’t natural. The aggressiveness radiating from Ethan confirmed how difficult it’d be to form the union Noah suggested.
Of course, Ethan might not be asking for the same arrangement. There was another scenario; one she refused to allow. If he thought to keep Noah as a lover on the side, going to him for sex or comfort, he could forget it. She would not be treated as a means to secure Ethan’s role as alpha or worse yet, a breeding partner, only being touched on the night of full moon when she was fertile.
She fought her jealousy. The emotion would destroy her. Shame her. She’d grow resentful. No. She would not give in to it.
She had to be sure.
She focused on Ethan’s face and asked the question that would set her path. “And what will heal you?”
Ethan tore his gaze from Noah and stared at her, studying her as intently as she had him. The tendons in his neck stood out, and while he held her with care, tension radiated from his body. The conflict between his wants and his wolf’s was clear. He opened his mouth. No words came out. He snapped it closed on a groan.
Her heart beat harder. She shoved her anxiety deep, along with her self-doubt. A true mate bridged both halves of a shifter, healing them. From the moment she met Ethan, she’d sensed their connection. The same sense of rightness had gripped her in Noah’s arms. It wasn’t simply lust. It was more. Unconventional or not, they were mates. The three of them. She couldn’t be wrong.
I am not a fool. What I feel is real. She wrapped the words around her vulnerable heart and laid her palm on Ethan’s cheek. “I want to be the mate you need. Tell me what will heal you.”
“I’m not sure anything can, but I know I need Noah. I want to touch him. Love him.” He covered her hand. “I also want you. I want both of you.”
“So you want to share me with him?” She couldn’t allow any misunderstandings.
“I want to try, if you’re willing.” He tugged the collar of her shirt, exposing her shoulder and the spot where his bite would mark her as a mated female. Her pulse raced more. The expression on his face matched the one he’d worn for Noah moments before. “I can’t promise it’ll work. I feel possessive of you. No matter how much I love Noah, the sight of you in his arms enraged me.”
She curled her fingers around Ethan’s waistband. “But you like having me in your arms, don’t you?”
“Yes.”
The hunger in the single word brought a smile to her lips. She yanked his dress shirt from his black pants. He sucked in a breath, and the muscles under her palms flexed. She popped a button, then another and another until the cotton parted, revealing the chest she’d longed to see. Lean yet strong, exactly as she’d imagined.
She ran her hand down the center of his body and paused with her fingers at his zipper. “Then let me give you what you need.”
His breathing deepened. “And what do I need?”
She pulled the zipper and slipped her hand inside his pants. Silk boxers hid his cock. She covered the hard length and stroked him, base to head. He groaned, and she grinned. “You need us. Let us share you tonight.”
“Hannah. My perfect Hannah.” He cupped the back of her head and drew her in for another kiss.
As wicked as their first, Ethan dominated her mouth. A thrust of his tongue against hers, and her thoughts scattered. Her lusts gripped her, leaving her crazed and needy. She wanted to push him to the bed and ride him, fucking him until he lost control.
The image became a necessity. She needed his cock inside her, thrusting and filling her up. The hot rush of his release would send her over. She’d scream for him. Beg
him for more. And he’d give it to her, all night long.
She whimpered. The sound enflamed him. He growled and kissed her harder, devouring her mouth as he would her body. The caress of his hands on her ass roughened. He fisted the material of her skirt and yanked it up, then grabbed her bottom a moment later. A squeeze to each butt cheek and another sound slipped free, a guttural moan she’d never heard come out of her throat before. He swallowed the muffled noise and fed her his. She savored it but wanted more.
She released his cock and shoved at his pants, pushing his dress slacks down but leaving his boxers. The silkiness teased her fingertips. She splayed her fingers over his tight ass, marveling at his body. Hard and firm, he was perfect. Hers.
The desire to explore him took hold. She skimmed a finger down the crack of his ass. He thrust against her and offered up a pleased sound. Liking it, she reversed the stroke, pushing deeper and teasing his asshole with circling strokes.
Ethan rocked against her. The cock pressed against her stomach jerked. She would’ve grinned if given the chance. He didn’t offer her any. He kept kissing her and running his hands over her back as if memorizing every inch.
She reached between his legs, as far as she could, and traced the crease where his thigh met his groin. Noah’s hand brushed hers on her upward stroke. She stilled, but he covered her fingers with his and directed her hand to the waistband of Ethan’s boxers. Together, they pulled them down. The smoothness of his ass greeted her. Her fingertips tingled, and her body hummed.
Noah abandoned her hand and yanked hard on Ethan’s clothes, jerking his body. Ethan tightened his hold on her ass and nipped at her lips while Noah finished undressing him. Ethan kicked his pants away but didn’t let her go. He slid his fingers up her sides, dragging her top with him. At the edge of her breast, he tore his mouth from hers.
The look in his eyes stopped her heart. Wild and a little crazed, it was one she’d never seen a lover wear, but she liked it. Liked it a lot. Welcoming arousal flooded her core, soaking her panties.
Shared for Love: Kagan Wolves, Book 2 Page 10
