“What is it, Anton? Is something wrong?” Laurel asked.
Anton knew she could feel the rising of his wolf. But how could he explain that until they mated physically, his wolf would be on edge. Even after, he would be a possessive male.
“This is difficult for me. Let us get you into the lodge, where I know you are safe,” Anton suggested.
“Isn’t it safe out here surrounded by your pack?” Laurel asked.
“It is his wolf, Laurel,” Alena explained. “Your bond is not cemented into place. Until it is, Anton will have problems with other males around you. Come on. That large building over there is the lodge. Let us get you inside, so Anton can relax.”
Laurel looked around in amazement. The village looked like something out of a Christmas shop. All the buildings had carvings on the trim. Wolves were wandering around as well as men and women. The lodge looked like a large log building with a huge front porch. As they moved forward, a huge silver-and-gray wolf bounded up. Alena knelt down and gave the huge beast a big hug, while he licked her face. The rainbow lights coalesced around the wolf, and when the lights cleared, Kolya stood with Alena, giggling, wrapped in his arms.
Laurel noticed two couples come out of the lodge, waiting for them to arrive. The first couple must be Anton’s parents with their silver hair, while the second couple must be Anton’s brother and his wife. What do you say to the leader of a werewolf pack? Everyone smiled and patted each other on the shoulder or arm. Anton’s father picked up Alena in a bear hug, while her mother hugged Kolya. Laurel felt glad Anton kept her close to his side. She was uncomfortable with all these people around her.
Feeling her distress, Anton moved her over to the side and slightly back from all the commotion. He grinned at his family, but kept her sheltered with his body. Laurel watched Anton’s brother and sister-in-law greet Alena and Kolya and then turn to her.
Everyone stared at Laurel. She blushed and moved farther into Anton’s embrace.
“This is my mate, Laurel,” Anton said. “She is uncomfortable with all of you. Please forgive us. Can we move into the house and then continue the introductions inside?”
Oh God, Anton. I am so sorry I’ve embarrassed you in front of your family, Laurel sent, mortified by her shyness.
Nonsense. It took Violet a while to be comfortable with all of us. They will understand. Anton tried to reassure her.
“Of course, we can move inside,” Anton’s mother said. “Let us go into the kitchen. I have a cake waiting to be eaten.”
Anton picked up Laurel and walked into the house and into the kitchen. He placed her in the corner chair, then sat beside her, holding her hand.
“This is my mother Yelena and my father Vikenti.” Anton introduced them as Vikenti took a chair across the table and Yelena moved to cut a cake on the counter. Alena got plates out of the cupboard, while Kolya stood talking to Anton’s brother. Laurel wondered if they were talking about her. But then Anton’s sister-in-law walked up beside her.
“This is Violet, our Alpha female. Her better half—my brother Dmitry, Alpha of the Volkov pack—is speaking to Kolya.”
“Welcome to the family, Laurel,” Violet said. “Don’t worry about being shy. I felt the same way when I arrived here with Dmitry. Alena says you are an American. Where are you from?”
“I was born in Virginia. My grandmother still lives there,” Laurel answered quietly.
“I have friends that live in the Washington, D.C., area. What are you doing here in Siberia? Not that we aren’t glad Anton found you.”
“My stepfather brought my mother and me here around six years ago. He works at various mines. My mother passed away three years ago. After her death, I stayed the first year in Virginia with my grandmother. But my stepfather insisted I return to Siberia with him. And I have spent the last two years here with him.”
The last two years her stepfather abused her physically and starved her, Anton sent on the family telepathic link. She is very skittish and needs care.
“Well, we are very glad to have you as a member of our family,” Dmitry said, walking over and placing his hand on Violet’s shoulder. “Anton is lucky to have found you. There are many single males who have not been as fortunate. You are a gift to us.”
“Thank you,” Laurel said. “I’m sorry to be so shy. I’ve been alone a long time.”
“Not to worry,” Yelena said, placing a piece of cake in front of Laurel. “Now that you are here, we’ll take care of things. You eat and feel better. Anton will teach you about the pack.”
Laurel settled back in her chair and ate her cake. Yelena continued to fuss over her, bringing her a cup of tea. Yelena reminded Laurel of her grandmother. Anton kept touching her and sending her waves of reassurance and acceptance. Dmitry and Kolya discussed the truck wreck and buying a new vehicle. Alena told them how Laurel had healed her and saved the baby. They all celebrated the fact that the little boy lay safe in Alena’s womb. Soon, with a full stomach and feeling content, Laurel started to nod off.
“Come, Malyshka, let’s get you settled in bed,” Anton said, leading her from the table.
Everyone said goodnight as Laurel gave a weak wave and left the room. Picking up her backpack, she let Anton take her hand and lead her upstairs. He took her down the hall to a room on the right. She glanced around at the large bed and desk set against the long wall. Walking over to the windows, she saw the front porch below them.
“This is my room, or should I say our room,” Anton said. “There is a bathroom over here. You can put your clothes in this cabinet. I’ll have a dresser brought up for you tomorrow. Do you think you will be happy here?”
Laurel heard a thread of uncertainty in Anton’s voice. He had done so much for her. Could she be happy here? She didn’t really know. Things were happening so fast. Escaping from her stepfather had been her only thought. Now, with that accomplished, she didn’t know what she wanted. But she didn’t want to hurt Anton.
“The room is lovely, Anton,” she said.
“Laurel, I feel your confusion. Let us take it one day at a time. I promise you, I can make you happy. I will keep you safe. Just stay with me.”
“I have nowhere else to go,” Laurel sighed. “I’m not going anywhere.”
“You are tired. We will talk more in the morning,” Anton suggested.
What would tomorrow bring? Looking over at Anton, Laurel felt her heart warm. He treated her with such kindness and made her feel safe. She hadn’t thought about getting married. But then life with her stepfather had been a living hell. If she was going to get married, she wanted someone like Anton. Being a member of a pack couldn’t be too bad, could it? Would they look down on her because she couldn’t turn into a wolf? Not knowing what to think, she went into the bathroom to change. She didn’t really have any pajamas. What should she wear?
A soft knock at the door let her know Anton had already thought of that.
“Here is a T-shirt for tonight,” he said. “We will get on the computer and order some clothes for you tomorrow. Can I get you anything else?”
“You think of everything. How did you know?”
“I laid out your clothes to dry, remember? I knew you did not have any pajamas. If you do not like the T-shirt, I’m sure Alena or Violet have something you can wear.”
“The T-shirt is perfect, Anton. I’ll be out in a minute.”
Laurel took her time changing and brushing her hair. A new toothbrush sat on the counter, so she opened it up and brushed her teeth. Anton really did think of everything. He took such good care of her.
When she slipped out of the bathroom, she thought she would be embarrassed to let Anton see her in nothing but a T-shirt. But soft snores were coming from the bed. Tiptoeing over, Laurel looked down to see him sound asleep. She moved a lock of hair back that had fallen down close to his eye. He looked so peaceful. Feeling daring, she leaned down and kissed his cheek.
“Goodnight, sweet prince,” she whispered.
The bed
sat on the far wall, taking up most of the space, and had plenty of room for both of them. Laurel tiptoed around to the other side of the bed and slid under the covers. Rolling over onto her side, she snuggled down. She was almost too tired to sleep. She could still hear voices downstairs. How late did they plan to stay up? Feeling restless, Laurel rolled over on the other side. Anton reached over and started to rub her back. Had she wakened him? His breathing seemed to be the same. Did he try to soothe her, even while he slept?
Laurel sighed and let his soft rubbing relax her. Her mother had promised a protector, but Laurel never envisioned someone like Anton.
Laurel followed the path through the mist. She knew she was dreaming, but she wanted to talk to her mother. The mists parted to show a small meadow. The sun shone brightly on the grass, and in the middle was a blanket laid out with a picnic. Laurel happily moved forward and sat down on the blanket. She didn’t bother to eat anything. This was a dream after all.
From the other side of the meadow Laurel’s mother stepped into the small space. Laurel watched her approach and felt grief swamp her. Why had her mother died? Why had she left her?
“We never truly leave our beloved. We just become unseen,” Laurel’s mother said as she knelt down to join Laurel on the blanket. “You have found your protector, but there are still dangers to face and decisions to make. Will you live or will you let what happened to you destroy your chance at happiness?”
“What do you mean?” Laurel asked. “What danger, what decisions?”
“Life is full of decisions, is it not? Finding the right path is often hard. But if you are determined and look for what is good, you will find it.”
Laurel’s head was reeling. Why didn’t her mother come out and tell her what to do?
“Because you must decide. It is your life. What will you do with it? Will you answer the call of your destiny?” her mother answered as if reading Laurel’s mind.
Chapter Seven
Laurel woke up with the sun shining across her face. She was lying on top of a hairy chest. Gasping, she jumped away from Anton, turning on her side and burying her burning face in the pillow. He murmured and put his arm around her waist. Snuggling closer, he sighed in contentment. Laurel lay as still as she could. Should she try to sneak out of bed? It actually felt nice being held so tenderly. She liked it. Knowing that Anton slept made it even nicer. Deciding to enjoy it while she could, Laurel put her arm over the one around her waist. Her mother used to hold her when she was little. They would cuddle on the bed and nap. It felt nice having Anton hold her. She could do this.
Anton woke up with Laurel’s scent surrounding him. It reminded him of sunshine and wildflowers. He buried his nose in her hair and took the scent deep into his lungs. His body had already hardened for her. But she lay stiff and pensive next to him. How was he going to get her to make love to him, when she could hardly stand his touch?
Sighing, he moved away from her, rolling over onto his back. His wolf wanted its mate. He could feel the wildness rising, the itch of hair beneath his skin. He touched Laurel’s mind and felt her fear and confusion. A punch of adrenaline hit him. His wolf wanted to hunt and destroy the unknown menace. Taking deep breaths, he forced his wolf into submission. Laurel needed him to go slow, to coax her, to overcome her fear. His wolf would have to wait.
“How did you sleep?” Anton asked. “Come here and let me hold you. Your fear is upsetting me.”
“I’m not really afraid, more like nervous. I’m sorry you are upset by it.”
“It is my wolf spirit. Your fear triggers the response to protect. My body starts to look for an enemy. It does not understand that the enemy is me.”
“Oh, Anton. You’re not my enemy,” Laurel said, rolling over and putting her head on his shoulder. “How can you say that?”
“That is how my wolf side thinks. Does my holding you make you uncomfortable?”
“Not like you think,” Laurel sighed. “I have been so afraid of doing something that would trigger my stepfather’s rage. Even when my mind knows there is no danger, my body can’t seem to stop feeling that way. I’m sorry.”
“Do not be sorry, Malyshka. As I said last night, we will take it one day at a time. I want to touch you, so you will become used to it and not fear me. If it becomes too much for you, say so and I will stop. Alright?”
“Alright. I like the feelings of safety and being cared for your touch gives me. I really am trying, Anton.”
“I know you are, Lyubov moya,” Anton said while running his hand down her silky hair.
Anton opened the link between them, letting his desire to touch her flow through the mating bond and mingle with the feelings of his touch. He rubbed her back with one hand while skimming his fingers down her cheek with the other. She felt so soft. Her skin was like velvet.
Anton grew hard with wanting her. He let his need seep into the mating bond and felt Laurel flush. But he didn’t feel her returning the need he felt. So he kept up the little caresses to her face and neck, her back and buttocks. She softened into him, rubbing her face on his shoulder. He let his hand drift farther down until he found her breast. He lightly caressed the fullness and then lightly stroked her nipple.
Laurel sighed, and Anton needed to taste her. He pressed gentle kisses to each eye and then her nose. He kissed the corner of her mouth. Then he sucked lightly on her bottom lip, rubbing his tongue along the seam of her mouth. He tickled and played at her lips, while hoping she would open to him. She tentatively opened to his tongue, like a flower opening its petals to the sun. He didn’t dive in and devour her, as much as his wolf urged him to. But he continued the playful tickles and slight brushes.
He pushed his tongue in a little deeper, brushing against her tongue, her lips and the inside of her mouth. She tasted so sweet. His wolf surged to the surface, and his canines lengthened. He wanted to bite her, marking her as his mate. But no answering desire filled Laurel’s thoughts. She enjoyed his kisses. But that was all. She wasn’t carried away with need, like he was experiencing. Knowing he must stop now while he still could, Anton groaned and pulled away from her.
He looked down at Laurel’s drowsy face and smiled. It was a start. She had enjoyed his touch and lost the fear that lay so close to her thoughts. His kissed her on the nose.
“Let us get up and get you some breakfast. I think I heard your stomach growl.”
“Really? All I heard was your groan.”
“I groaned because I found it hard for me to stop kissing you. You taste so sweet, like honey,” Anton said, slipping from the bed. He didn’t try to hide the evidence of his desire. Laurel would see it often. It did his ego good to see her studying him.
“You are so big,” Laurel said, glancing up at him. “Are you really going to stick that in me? I don’t think it will fit.”
Anton’s smirk fell from his face. Maybe she wasn’t admiring him. “When the time comes for us to mate, you will want me to stick it inside you. I will give you so much pleasure, Laurel. You will enjoy it, I promise you.”
“Are you sure?” she asked hesitantly.
“Yes, I am sure,” Anton said. “But do not worry about it now. We will not mate until you are ready. I am going to take a shower. Would you like to join me? I will wash your back.”
He wasn’t sure he really wanted Laurel to join him. He felt so hard and heavy, he needed a cold shower. She glanced at his erection again, then blushed before answering. “I think I’ll wait for you here.”
“Alright, I will make it fast,” Anton said as he walked into the bathroom and shut the door. Leaning his forehead against the door, he realized Laurel was completely innocent. Did she even know how sex worked? Nudity was so common in the pack with shifting. He would have to ask his mother what to do. Anton reached over and turned the cold water on for the shower. He wanted Laurel so badly it hurt. He had a feeling there was going to be a lot more pain in his future.
Laurel enjoyed looking at Anton’s tight buttocks as he walked into
the bathroom. She wanted to pet him there, like he did her. She pressed her fingers to her lips. They felt full and sensitive. All of this was new to her. She wasn’t sure what to think.
She knew that she had enjoyed Anton’s caresses. The fear that always sat so close to the surface had completely disappeared, leaving her feeling drowsy and relaxed. She liked that. It felt good to be so relaxed. Anton seemed to need something else from her. Through the mating bond, she felt his regret that something was missing. But she didn’t know what. Biting her lip, she wondered if she had done something wrong. Was he disappointed with her?
You are being silly, Malyshka. I could never be disappointed with you. Stop worrying and get dressed. I am almost done with my shower. Anton’s voice came flooding into her mind.
How did he do that? He always seemed to know when she felt uneasy. Looking down at her T-shirt, she jumped out of bed. She needed to hurry up and get some clothes on. Rushing over to her backpack, she pulled out her last clean shirt and the jeans from last night. She would need to do some laundry or buy some clothes as Anton had suggested. She had a little bit of money. Another pair of jeans and some pajamas were a must. She’d have to find a job somewhere before winter hit. She didn’t even own a coat.
“Are you ready?” Anton asked, entering the room.
Laurel glanced over at Anton’s slicked-back hair and admired the blue T-shirt that showed off his broad shoulders. She blushed, holding her clothes to her chest, and rushed past him and into the bathroom.
“I’ll be a second. I need to brush my teeth.”
Anton chuckled as the door closed. Everything about his mate made him happy. She looked so cute, standing there in his T-shirt, which reached down to her hips, showing off her slender legs. She looked so uncertain, as she bit her lower lip. Her blue eyes widened as she took in his T-shirt and jeans. He wanted to grab her and kiss her senseless. But instead, he let her escape to the bathroom.
My Mate's Embrace Page 6
