“I can offer you so much more. Imagine a life without struggling. Rockford is stronger than ever, and I know the luxuries human females desire. You’ll have them all.”
“Why do you want me? Is it because I have wolf blood? Am I like a dog in heat to werewolves or something?”
“Wolf blood?” His tone had changed. “Garret confirmed this?”
Shit. She shouldn’t have said anything. It seemed half the town of Climax were shifters, so she assumed they’d heard about her news.
“It was just a thought. It’s probably nothing.”
“No, that makes perfect sense. You’re a rarity. Even more the reason to fight for you.”
Before she could retort and dismiss any of his harebrained ideas, he’d hung up the phone. She listened to the dial tone, lost in thought. Would Corbin actually start another pack war to steal her away from Garret? She wanted nothing to do with him and didn’t want more trouble for the unsettled Gregor mining. The visit from the inspector could have ruined them. And if Corbin tried to kidnap her again, she wasn’t sure she could handle it. Life was too chaotic, not giving her a chance to really breathe. Was peace that elusive in Climax? Would she ever attain it?
Chapter Two
“Faster. To the right,” said Garret.
Matthew’s legs burned as he pushed his wolf to the limit. They’d come out every night since Peter threatened Cassidy. Garret was obsessed with finding him and ridding Climax of a proven threat.
He stopped dead when they reached the river. “Scent stops here.”
“He’s wolf, Matthew. No doubt about it. And he’s still here, waiting for his chance to claim our woman.”
“It’s a chance he’ll never get. There are five of us and one of him.”
Rather than cross the river and try to pick up the scent, they turned back, shifting into their human forms as they walked.
“It’s only a matter of time until he makes a mistake.”
Matthew was worried about his alpha. He was spending so much energy on revenge and unseen threats that he was losing sight of the bigger picture. “What about Cassidy, boss? It’s been a week and you haven’t initiated the mating ceremony again.”
Garret shrugged, plucking off some leaves from the tall weeds along the path in the forest. “It’s not the right time.”
“Why the fuck not? She loves us. We love her. That’s all that matters, isn’t it? Or is she right? Do you really feel differently about her knowing she could be part wolf?”
“Of course not!” Garret growled, his steps heavier as he plodded through the underbrush.
He grabbed Garret’s shoulder, forcing him to stop and face off. “Then what is it? Is there something else you’re not telling us?”
“I just need to know. A mating bond is for life. I don’t take that lightly.”
“Well, it seems our wolves are already devoted to her, love bite or not. There’s only one hold up…”
“As soon as I figure things out, I’ll solidify everything. Until then, back off!” Garret leapt forward, shifting into the black wolf again. He bound off into the forest and out of sight. Matthew didn’t bother to follow. If only he could read emotion and intentions in his alpha. He wanted to know what Garret’s hang-up was. It wasn’t like him to act so irrationally. Why not go through with the mating? Matthew loved Cassidy regardless of her heritage. She’d been there for him after he escaped captivity from the loggers, accepting him as a new lover with no reservations. She was kind, gentle, and understanding. A woman he’d be proud to call his mate.
Silence settled around him, not even the squirrels and birds daring to test him. Matthew was at a disadvantage since he didn’t make decisions for the pack. He trusted Garret with his life, but he was hiding something. What? In a fit of frustration, he slashed his claws along the trunk of a tree, leaving distinct furrows in the bark. He was pissed off and pent up, a dangerous combination for a wolf-shifter.
He returned to the truck parked off the main road and changed into his clothes. Garret was nowhere to be seen, probably running off his aggression in the deep wilderness. It would be a full moon tomorrow, the perfect night to complete the mating. He hoped Garret came to his senses by then.
Matthew drove back to the mine. It was business as usual, small shipments starting to go out each day. They’d be back to full productivity within a week if all went well and the weather behaved. It was time to think of the future, not only for Gregor mining, but for the pack as a whole. They needed a mate. They needed Cassidy.
Matthew opened the door to the office trailer, Cassidy’s sweet scent hitting him like a brick wall. His wolf stirred to life, as did his cock.
“It’s good having you back at the mine,” he said, closing the door behind him. “It wasn’t the same without you here.”
“You don’t miss the inspector? I hear she was quite the man-charmer.”
He shook his head. “There’s only one woman for me.”
“Are you sure about that, wolf?” She stood up and came around the desk, settling on the front edge. “How can I trust a man who lives off instinct rather than human emotion?”
“Who told you that?” He moved in closer, resting a hand on her thigh. “Don’t you know we mate for life? We choose you, Cassidy. Only you.” Matthew gave her leg a slight squeeze before sliding his hand higher.
“Not Garret. He’s your alpha, and apparently I’m not good enough for him.”
His claws threatened to break free as frustration built inside him again. He hated the doubts Cassidy carried around just because Garret was stalling the mating.
“He just wants to know things are safe and settled before going through with the mating bond. Garret has a lot of responsibilities on his plate, and he wants to be sure everything happens without a hitch.”
Matthew wished he could believe the bullshit coming out of his mouth. In reality, he wanted to shake some sense into his alpha. They could deal with threats after the fact. It seemed there was always trouble knocking at Gregor’s door. Would they put off their commitment forever?
Cassidy had a conspiratorial look on her face. “I got a phone call.”
“From who?”
“Corbin.” She shoved off the desk and walked across the room to the coffee station.
“Corbin Rockford?” The name made his hackles rise, especially knowing he dared to call Cassidy after everything they’d been through. Shifters knew not to mess with another man’s woman. It was an unspoken rule. But then again, Garret hadn’t given her an official pack marking. If Cassidy really was a rare breed, a female carrier of the wolf shifter gene, she’d be a hot commodity in the eyes of rival packs.
“That’s the one.” She tidied the station, sorting cups and arranging the sugar packets. “It actually sounded like he was ready to kill for me. Can you believe that? You’re not the only pack without a female…or so it seems.”
He growled, charging across the room. Matthew twirled her around and then secured both her shoulders in his hands. “What games are you playing, woman?”
“Me? It seems Garret is the one who likes to play games with my future.”
“You’re ours, Cassidy. Not after the bond is complete. Now.” His tone left no room for argument. Matthew’s wolf didn’t like the idea of facing competition for their woman. Especially not from their sworn enemies.
“Then I suggest you hurry up and prove it before someone else swoops in when you’re not looking.” The little vixen was challenging him back, daring him with her eyes and defiant tone. Jealousy was threatening to undo him, and he refused to become the bad guy. If it were up to him, he’d sink his canines into her neck right now. Just imagining the act made him salivate. He had to get away from Cassidy so he could think clearly.
“That will never happen.” It was all he said before storming out of the trailer.
* * * *
Cassidy didn’t regret what she’d said. How many mixed messages and stalling could a grown woman take? Although she knew she�
��d never trade her five miners for any other men in the world, she felt the need to put the pressure on. She wanted to be taken seriously, to feel like she was really wanted.
She’d touched a nerve with Matthew, which was exactly what she’d set out to do. Truthfully, her phone call with Corbin had unsettled her. She didn’t like living life looking over her shoulder. Some crazed wolf-shifter would likely try to drag her away to his den at the first available chance. That wasn’t a comforting thought.
Cassidy walked back to her desk. She didn’t even make it to her seat when a thunderous bang made the trailer shake. Garret was standing there, tall and menacing, a severe look on his face. He was sex on a stick, and she knew exactly how his dark goatee felt as it scraped along her pussy.
“What’s this talk I hear about the Rockfords?” He slammed the door behind him and stalked toward her…like a wolf. Her breathing picked up as she backed away, only to hit the front of her desk.
“How do you—”
“Matthew told me you were considering Corbin’s offer. Is that what you want, Cassie? You want another pack?”
She rolled her eyes. “I’m not an animal looking for a pack. I want love, Garret. I want you.”
He raked both hands through her hair, holding her head firmly in place. There was a volatile passion in his eyes, one she rarely saw these days. She wasn’t sure if she should be afraid or aroused. “You think I don’t love you? I wouldn’t think twice about killing for you, Cassie. You’re all I think about, all I want.”
“Then what is it? Why haven’t you finished the ceremony?”
His grip held true as he looked her in the eyes. “I want you like no other. You’re what I think about from the time I wake to the minute I close my eyes at night. But when I tasted your blood, I felt like I had no right over you, as if you were already the property of another pack. I’ve never known a human female to carry our blood, so I’m not sure what to think.”
“I promise no one owns me. It’s just me, Garret. It’s always been just me.”
“You’re right. I’m being stupid and paranoid. It seems to be in the job description as alpha. Or so my pack mates tell me.”
“I want to be yours. No one else’s.” She wrapped her fingers around his thick leather belt. “Make me believe that you want me back.”
“My doubts vanish when I look in your eyes. Time stands still.”
She felt the same way when looking into Garret’s dark eyes, so deep they went on forever. Cassidy craved his unconditional acceptance. And his love.
“Mark me, Garret.” Part of her was testing him. The other part craved the intimate connection, the long-term commitment of a real mating bond.
“I already have.”
She touched her neck, remembering when his teeth had penetrated her skin. The small marks had healed completely since that day. But just remembering the titillating rush of heat made her heart race. She wanted to experience the same erotic high.
“Do it again.”
“The mating bond has to include all the pack members.”
“I know. Do it anyway,” she said. Her pussy was aching now, strong and demanding. Her insecurities stemmed from Garret’s actions and inactions. He was pack alpha, but he also held a large piece of her heart. She yearned for his approval.
“I have work to do, Cassie. I have to—”
“Please.” She was on the verge of tears. Her emotional insecurity surprised her. She’d come so far, finding sexual liberation and a place to call home after coming to Climax. Now she was like a scared little girl, unsure of everything.
Did he just smirk? A wave of darkness crossed his features as he pulled away from her. “Begging? If you want my cock, all you have to do is ask.”
“That’s not what I want. I just want you to stop pushing me away. I feel like a burden, not a potential mate.”
“You will be my mate,” he said matter-of-factly. “But never lie to me.”
She remembered those words well. He’d punished her for lying before, his big hand coming down on her ass. What had she said wrong this time?
“I didn’t.”
“You forget what I am. You forget there’s a wolf inside me. I can smell you, Cassie. Your arousal is like a fine perfume, filling this trailer to the point of distraction.”
She swallowed hard. “I need love more than sex.” It wasn’t a lie.
“You get both.”
* * * *
The last thing Garret wanted to do was drive Cassie away. She meant everything to him. Now that she knew their true identities, it was only a matter of him finally going through with the mating. His pack mates had never been so demanding, continually pushing him to finish what they’d started. They couldn’t understand the tug and pull inside him as alpha. Everything rested on his shoulders, every failure, and every wrong move. It would be so much easier to sit back and follow orders, but it was in his blood to lead.
When he started his own pack, he took the lives of Patrick, Travis, Matthew, and Evan into his own hands. They trusted him to protect and lead them, to make something special of the Gregor name. He couldn’t have been prouder of his men over the years, and he certainly didn’t want to do them an injustice by rushing into something as serious as a mating.
The decision made now would affect them for the rest of their lives. He had to be sure Cassie wouldn’t walk out on them again, that she was as fully committed to their relationship as they were.
Garret knew in his heart that she was the right woman, the one chosen for them by the gods. It terrified him because he knew it would destroy him should something happen to her. Cassie was a delicate human, and the Rockfords had proved time and time again that they could slip through their defenses. What if they tried again and succeeded? He couldn’t allow that to happen.
She looked up at him with those baby blue eyes, the ones capable of making him weak in the knees. It was impossible for him to refuse her, especially when he wanted her just as badly.
“Do you remember the last time I bit you?”
“Yes,” she answered.
“Tell me how it made you feel.”
She hesitated, her pupils dilating. “It–it was like a drug infused into my system. Nothing mattered but sex and blood.”
“Is that what you want to feel again?”
“I want more than that,” she said.
He stroked her hair, his affection for the little human immeasurable. “You want love.” It was a statement rather than a question. He knew what she wanted—his heart cut out on a platter. It was the ultimate loss of power for a man like him, potentially exposing his deepest emotions to the worst pain imaginable. But he couldn’t deny his feelings for Cassie, and he wouldn’t have her doubt him any longer.
“Your love.”
“Sweet girl, you have it, and tomorrow under the full moon I’ll prove it to you.”
“The ceremony?”
He nodded, reaching down to snag the hem of her shirt. Garret had her topless in one swift movement. Her bare flesh aroused his beast as did the delicate pattern of gooseflesh along her cleavage. She smelled of sex. He needed to lose himself in her body, to remember why he was risking his heart to her.
“I thought you were busy,” she murmured, her head tilting back as he trailed kisses up her neck.
Garret suddenly recalled why he’d climbed down from the tower in the first place. Matthew was pissed off that the Rockfords were still trying to court her, daring to call the mine. And Cassie thought it was one big game.
“I was busy,” he said. “Until I found out about your phone call.” He began to unzip her skirt, his lips still against her neck.
“It was nothing.”
“That’s not what Matthew told me. He wasn’t too happy.”
He slid her skirt and panties down past the curve of her ass.
“I just—”
“It’s not smart to tease a wolf, Cassie. They may bite.” He hadn’t seen Matthew so irate in ages. He was usually laid-ba
ck and in control, so his mood was a testament to his love for their mate.
“Maybe I want to be bitten.” She smoothed her hands up his arms and across the expanse of his shoulders. “Take this off,” she said, tugging at his padded jacket.
“I want to be very clear that the only love bites you’ll be getting are from Gregor wolves. No others. You’re ours, Cassie. We won’t share you.”
“I don’t want anyone else. I just need you to want me, like you did when we were alone at your cottage. Don’t you remember that?”
“I do.” His cock became impossibly hard. The intimate memories and rising heat between them acted as a catalyst to increase his desire for the little human. Or was she? It didn’t matter. He’d deal with the consequences later. Now he’d indulge himself and forget the world and its multitude of problems.
“That was the when I knew I’d never be the same. Never leave Climax.”
“Good girl. This is exactly where you’re meant to be.” He nipped her ear. “By my side.” He could hear the blood rushing through her veins, and the air filling her lungs. She was so alive, so tempting. Everything about her drove his humanity to the sidelines.
“Bite me.” Her voice was breathy, a hint of sexual desperation coloring her words.
How could he refuse her when there wasn’t anything he wanted more at the moment? He was alpha, foreman, and leader every day, every hour of his life. Now he wanted to forget it all and just be a man in love with a woman. The scent of her arousal made his fangs emerge, and he didn’t bother to fight the change. He embraced his wolf while maintaining his human form. Even his beast knew not to harm their mate.
Chapter Three
Garret’s fangs pierced her skin at the base of her neck. This time she embraced the pain because she knew what was to come. Just as before, a flood of heat and erotic satisfaction washed through her from head to toe. Every cell was awakened, a new connection forming between them. She could feel his love, his passion, his fears.
Climax for Six [Wolves of Climax 7] (Siren Publishing LoveXtreme Forever - Serialized) Page 2
