Lunar Mates Volume Two: Books 4-6

by Loribelle Hunt

  “Gage knows this? And he just sent you here without warning us to be more vigilant?”

  Oh fuck, he was back to being bossy and impossible.

  “He left exactly how much to disclose up to me.” And she was just spilling it all to Cooper. The trust was sudden and fierce, bone deep and visceral. What the fuck was wrong with her? It had to be the mate thing. If he betrayed her it would be her own damned fault.

  “Aaron needs to know this and so do Jackson and Billy. ASAP.”

  “Who I am, I’ll agree to tell. Not what I am.”

  He stared a long minute. “You don’t trust our alpha and beta?”

  “Other than Aaron, who would you really trust with that information? Or let me put it another way. Who would you trust with your daughter’s life?”

  Because hello unprotected sex. She didn’t want to think about that danger and judging by his expression, he didn’t either. She didn’t let herself think about the secrets she was still keeping. Just as explosive. More so. But for right now…

  “Cooper? I’ve been in the middle of a pack for the last month.”

  “Where you’re safer,” he growled.

  She stared at him, struggled for the right words. “Where I couldn’t risk shifting, even in privacy.”

  He growled again. He knew what she was asking. “Not outside until Aaron and I discuss this. No runs yet.” Then he flashed that wicked grin. “But if you need to work off some aggression, sweetheart, you don’t have to worry about being gentle with me.”

  He stepped close to her, ran a hand down the back of her head, tangled his fingers in her hair. “I want to see you. I want to see the wolf side of you. And then I want to fuck your brains out because having a mate that can shift is hot as hell.”

  She gaped. That was so not the reaction she’d expected. Fingers twisted, tilted her head back so he’d have total control. “Not that I am about to compromise on your safety.” He paused. “Or our daughters, if we have them.”

  Yep, there was that obnoxious werewolf attitude she knew and hated, but son of a bitch, it made her wet. Suddenly he frowned.

  Eight

  “You’re part of the Regis family. Does that mean our sons will have that kind of power? Is it even real?”

  He didn’t look like he wanted that at all and for the first time since this conversation started, she relaxed and her smile was real. “I don’t think so. My father didn’t. I don’t. Of course, I am basically a unicorn. A female werewolf. A mythical beast,” she joked but it made her nervous as hell to speak so openly about it.

  She didn’t know him. Where was this trust coming from? Fucking instinct, which she’d always trusted, but it was so dangerous to follow it. She was like a damned yo-yo. His fingers twisted harder and she met his gaze.

  “I would—we would—never hurt you. You can trust us.”

  The wild and primitive part of her believed that absolutely. “Don’t make me regret this,” she whispered.

  “You won’t.” He kissed her, soft and fast, and stepped back. “I want to see you. My wolf side wants to see you.”

  He slid the boxers down his legs and stepped out of them. His expression was expectant, anticipatory. Damn, he was gorgeous.

  “Ready?”

  She nodded and he stepped into the middle of the room. Changed. She held her breath while she watched. One minute he stood there a man, and the next his body twisted, contorted, shifted, until he was a wolf. He padded closer to her, stopped at her knee, and sat down on his hind legs. Amazing. The only other werewolf she’d seen shift like this was her grandfather and that was so, so different.

  “My wolf,” she whispered, reaching her hand out cautiously, unsure how he’d take that possessiveness.

  He put his head on her thigh, turning his muzzle so she could scratch behind his ears. She laughed softly and tried to share the wonder she was feeling with him. For a moment he was as closed to her as they’d been last night. Then she felt relief. Overwhelming relief.

  He moved back a few feet, sat, and waited. She took a deep breath then undressed slowly. Her brain argued against it but she let her body take over. Let the need that had been making her crazy drive her actions. It hurt. She’d never gotten used to but at least it didn’t last long. Seconds later she looked at him through her wolf eyes. He was bigger than her, of course. Where his coat was that pretty silvery gray, hers was deep black, a legacy of her Regis family mother. Black was unusual in werewolves, mostly found in the king’s line.

  He stood, approached cautiously and circled her before rubbing against her side. She would have sighed if she could. It felt good. Right. He licked her muzzle then gave himself enough space to change back. Hands stroked over her head and down her sides.

  “You’re beautiful, Lilah.” There was something like wonder in his gaze and he smiled. “Shift back so I can feed you. Then we’re going to find a bed and take our time.”

  He stood, pulled the boxers back on and checked the bacon. He returned to his seat, tilting his head to one side and studying her while she did the same. When he spoke it was a subject she didn’t expect.

  “How long have you kept that secret? Your ability to talk to animals?”

  She was suddenly cold and mentally kicked herself. Of course he would realize. At least he wasn’t spazzing out like one of her old boyfriends who had called her a freak. Of course, he’d seen her shift. What was a little communicating with animals? He rolled with the punches pretty well. Cooper waited for her to answer, and she shrugged.

  “Always. A few people have figured out I have a bond with animals, but I certainly don’t bring it up.” She forced a smile. “They think it’s weird.”

  He reached for her hand, lacing their fingers together. His expression never changed, but she felt comforted.

  “I don’t think you’re weird. No more secrets, Lilah. You’ve been alone a long time, hidden yourself for a long time” he said. “You don’t have to anymore.”

  Her chest hurt and her stomach was a tight ball. He saw it, saw it all. He pulled her into his lap. “We’ll consider that a valuable talent here, but you can see why you can’t approach any wolves you don’t know. Not until you learn to recognize who’s who.”

  She took in a long breath and tried to breathe through what was becoming a growing ache. He assumed her panic was about her mental abilities and not about keeping more secrets. She let him believe it.

  “I’m not ready for anyone to know who I am unless it’s absolutely necessary, and definitely not about the shifting.”

  Cooper’s arms tightened. “This is our pack. You’re safe here.”

  “You know better than that. There are no female werewolves. Your daughters were all born human, but that’s changing now and change is always volatile.”

  He was silent a long moment then stroked a hand down her hair, before nudging her up and going to the stove. He flipped the bacon and a long silence stretched while he seemed to consider his words.

  “You’re not used to being part of something. We’re a lot like real wolves. I’m sure you know that. We’ll keep the shifting from everyone else, but we have to tell Jackson and Billy who your family was.”

  He clenched his jaw and she saw the conflict in his eyes. Desire to protect his mate warred with his instinct to defer to his alpha and beta. God, she wished Pop was there. He’d know what to do. It was all on her now. She wondered if she could convince him and Aaron to keep her secrets a little while longer, until she was sure of Jackson and Billy at least. At least her wolf side wasn’t freaking out. It was totally relaxed.

  Cooper squeezed her hand. “You still with me, Lilah?”

  She opened her eyes and met his gaze. Was she with him? That was the question, wasn’t it? She wanted to ask about mates, what he wanted or expected from one, but was afraid of the answer. Instead, she asked about something she already knew the answer to.

  “Aaron’s an enforcer, right? What does he do?”

  He smiled, saw through her eva
sion but played along. “Someone in the pack who enforces the alpha’s rules and fights for him if necessary. He’s the enforcer and third in the hierarchy.”

  She thought that over. Together, Cooper and Aaron would be pretty damned strong.

  “And what about you?”

  His smile was small and nervous which surprised her. He lifted a hand and stroked the side of her face with his fingertips. It took all her restraint not to lean into it.

  “Yours, Lilah. I’m yours, first and last. I was a hunter until Aaron met you, then I retired. Finished my last assignment a few days ago.”

  She ignored the butterflies that took flight in her stomach, ignored the promise that wasn’t spoken but was in the air anyway. It was the perfect opening to ask what he intended with her, what they intended, what kind of relationship they wanted with a mate. She didn’t take it.

  “A hunter?”

  His eyes gleamed. Somehow he knew she was avoiding the questions she really wanted to ask.

  “You already know. We hunt rogues. Werewolves, werefelines who’ve killed humans or broken the other rules.”

  She nodded. As a rule, she and Pop had always avoided hunters, but she wasn’t ignorant about them. He didn’t expand on his answer, didn’t say what he was doing now, and she tried to figure out how to bring it up again. He let go of her hand, lifted her, and set her straddling his lap.

  He kissed her lightly. “Your grandfather taught you about werewolves and packs. What about twins? Did he warn you if you were mated to one you get both?”

  She pressed her lips together and shook her head, not in denial but not ready to discuss it yet. She sensed that conversation would represent a point of no return. He didn’t push her, didn’t start talking as she’d feared he would. Instead, he lifted his hands and palmed her breasts. Her nipples firmed into two hard peaks he must feel through her bra and sweater. She gasped when he squeezed them, her pussy getting wet at the roughness.

  “Do you always respond like this?” he asked softly, but she heard menace, warning, in his tone. She shook her head no, not sure if she could find her voice. He pulled the sweater up and lowered his lips to suck her nipple into his mouth for a quick nip. “Answer me, Lilah.”

  “No.” Her name in that low rough growl made her shiver. Made her answer. She forced herself to breathe when his lips closed over her nipple again, wishing he’d get rid of the bra, get rid of her jeans. Fuck her senseless. “Never.”

  He released her just as suddenly as he’d started, pulled her sweater down, and lifted her to her feet.

  “Good.”

  He nudged her back to her chair and she watched in disbelief as he went to the stove. He turned her on, turned her inside out, and then just walked away? What the hell? She could see how hard he was, yet he stood calmly at the stove filling two plates with eggs and bacon. Before she could form any protest, he returned to the table and set a plate and a fork in front of her.

  “It’s probably too crispy. I was distracted.”

  “I like it crispy,” she said just to say something.

  How could she eat when she was this sexually frustrated? Stabbing him with the fork was much more appealing than eggs. She picked it up and twirled it with her fingers. He looked over and chuckled. She wondered what was so damned funny.

  “You,” he answered before she could ask. That was getting damned freaky. “I’ll have to make sure Aaron knows not to tease you before feeding you.”

  He couldn’t make it more obvious they intended to keep her. She couldn’t ignore a niggle of doubt. She would bet her savings account that women threw themselves at the twins all the time. How long could she hold their interest compared to that?

  “Eat, Delilah.” He winked. “I’ll take care of the frustration when you’re done.”

  She narrowed her eyes. He was entirely too cocky. She took her annoyance out on the eggs, spearing a bite and lifting it to her mouth. She tried not to watch him eat, tried to ignore the sensation that still tingled in her body, the feel of his hot gaze on her. He was too arrogant by far, but she knew she wouldn’t be able to resist him. She managed to eat half the food on her plate before pushing it away. He’d obviously been waiting for that. He stood, lifted her from her chair, and tossed her over his shoulder.

  Nine

  “Hey! Put me down.”

  She thumped his back, but it didn’t faze him and she didn’t fight a grin. He carried her out of the room, up the stairs, and into one of the bedrooms she hadn’t been in yet. He kicked the door shut behind them and dropped her on the bed. She bounced, and he grinned down at her.

  “I figure Aaron got you in a bed all night. It’s my turn.”

  She sputtered, laughing and feigning outrage while beginning to wonder if this would be a pattern, passing her from one to the other. She didn’t like the thought of that.

  “I’m not some new toy you two get to fight over.”

  She glared, moving to the edge of the bed, determined to get out and nurse the sudden pang of hurt that came with the realization she might be exactly that to them. A novelty. Someone new to play with. He stopped her before she could get far, crowding her in as he reached for the edges of her sweater and pulled it over her head. Her bra joined it before the words to protest even formed on her lips. They lodged in her throat when his mouth closed over her nipple, and all that came out was a groan. Way to stand up for herself.

  She felt his hands on the waist of her jeans. Heard the snap and rasp of the zipper, registered the long slide down her legs, but she didn’t care. She was lost in sensation, in arousal. He wrapped an arm around her back and lifted her farther onto the bed without ever releasing her nipple. When he had her settled in the center, he let it pop free of his mouth, and she almost screamed in frustration when he stood up. Thankfully, it was only for a moment, just long enough to strip off the boxers. Then he was over her, surrounding her. She was hot enough to combust, and when he drove into her she came, crying out from the perfection of it as shuddering waves washed over her.

  It was several minutes before her pulse calmed, before her breathing evened and she noticed he wasn’t moving. He held still, watching her, waiting. He was hard and throbbing inside her, and she realized he wasn’t nearly done with her.

  Smiling, he lowered his head to kiss her, his hair brushing her face as he did. The contact was light, tender, and undemanding. He traced her mouth with his tongue then nibbled on her lower lip. Sensation shot through her and she gasped. When her lips opened, his tongue plunged in and his teeth nipped. Not hard enough to hurt, but forceful and commanding. Her defenses crumbled. There was no way he could kiss her like that and mean her any harm, was there?

  Then his hips were moving, his cock stroking in and out of her. Fast and faster. Hard and harder. Until the tremors started again, until her body was catapulted into another orgasm. She didn’t come back down. His fingers found her clit and he kept her coming again and again until she begged him to stop, begged him to let her come down from the ledge he kept her perched on. It was so much sensation she was afraid she’d never be able to put herself back together again.

  He withdrew, and she almost cried with relief until he flipped her over, positioning her on her hands and knees. She considered struggling. She really didn’t think she could take any more, but he entered her slowly, inch by inch. His hands stroked her back. Soft. Soothing. And she responded, her body keying up again. He leaned over, blanketing her, to nuzzle her neck. His fingers settled over her clit, and she tensed.

  “One more time, Lilah.”

  His strokes were long and slow, his fingers on her clitoris soft and gentle. It was nice, but her frustration grew. It wasn’t enough for her and she doubted it was enough for him. She rocked her hips back against his, the demand unspoken, but she knew he recognized it. His pace increased and the pressure on her clit became biting. He rolled it between two fingers, pinching as her pussy convulsed around his cock.

  “Yes,” she hissed as she came again. />
  He moved his hands to her hips and held her still as he pounded into her. Once. Twice. He came with a loud groan, collapsing against her, and they both fell flat, face first on the mattress. He rolled to his side and pulled her tight against him, his chest pressed up against her back, then buried his face in her neck again. He kissed her, sucking the skin hard enough between his teeth that she knew he would leave a mark, and she froze, afraid he’d break the skin. Afraid he wouldn’t. He seemed to catch himself and backed off.

  “Shit,” he muttered. “Not yet.”

  She was oddly disappointed. “I think I like being marked as long as there’s no exchange.”

  He growled, but she wasn’t scared. She saw the playfulness in his eyes as he rolled over on top of her. Grabbing her hands, he pinned them to the pillow next to her face and leaned down to nip her lips, leaving a trail of kisses across her face until he reached her ear. He sucked it between his teeth for a second before moving to the soft skin under it. She sucked in a breath, anticipating the bite, but was surprised and disappointed when it was only a kiss.

  “There’s playing, and then there’s biting.”

  Did she look like an idiot? She scowled. “I know the difference.”

  He stared at her neck so long she didn’t think he was going to answer.

  “We can’t go back after a bite, Lilah, and I’m too tempted right now. When we bite you, Aaron and I, we want to be damned sure you’re ready.”

  She froze as he spoke. What the hell was she doing egging him on? She freaking knew better. Instinct or not, her brain needed to be sure before she went further than sex. He let go of one of her hands and stroked the side of her face. Her heart warmed at the touch, and she tilted her face, into the caress.

  “God, you’re beautiful.” He smiled.

  She stopped breathing. Yeah, she’d heard it before. What woman happened while being pursued? She could see he really meant it though. He made her feel it.

  “Mine,” he whispered, his lips brushing hers. “Mate.”

  She wanted to ask how he could be so sure with a woman he’d just met, but his expression was so severe, so forbidding, she didn’t dare. She didn’t want to break the mood, didn’t want to start an argument, but she needed space to think and time to deal with her changing world.