“I’ve got to get you out of here,” he said. “They’re coming for you.” Matthew strode across the room and grabbed a handful of napkins from the coffee station and wiped off his face. Even covered in filth and blood, he was still devastatingly handsome, his nude body a work of art. She tried hard not to think about sex, not now. It wasn’t easy when Garret’s love bites still throbbed, creating an insatiable need in her core.
“Who is? What are you talking about?”
“Everyone it seems. That fucking stalker of yours tried to rip my throat out.”
Cassidy swallowed hard. “Is he close?”
“I’m not worried about him. It’s the Rockford wolves we have to watch out for. They set the fire, and they have the numbers. They’re after you, Cassidy. They’re going to try to claim you, today, under the full moon.”
“Well, they can’t have me.”
He shook his head. “This isn’t the city. We have different rules in our world. Without being marked by all the members of the pack, you’re still up for grabs in Corbin’s eyes. If he runs into Garret, he won’t think twice about fighting to the death. Survival of the fittest often comes into play when mates are involved.”
She’d been worried about Evan because of the fire, but now she was concerned about all her men. They were out there in the forest with real threats coming from every direction.
“What do we do?”
He grabbed a bottle of water from the mini fridge and downed it before speaking. “We run.”
“This is ridiculous, Matthew. I’m just a minimum-wage nobody. It makes no sense.”
When he turned his head, there was fire in his eyes. He stalked forward, all his muscles taut and lethal. “It makes perfect sense. Your blood is calling to me as we speak. Even under these circumstances, it’s taking every ounce of my strength to not rip off your clothes and fuck you right here, right now.”
“Are you saying Peter and Corbin feel the same way?”
He growled, bracing a hand on the wall behind her. “They’ll never get their hands on you. Not if I can help it.” Matthew inhaled at her neckline. “Delicious.”
Maybe they could spare a few minutes before going on the run. His proximity was distracting, her pussy demanding and achy. If he just cupped her mound where Garret had bitten her, it may relieve some of the distracting pressure. She grinded her body against his, needing stimulation more than air.
“Touch me,” she whispered, his lips still grazing the sensitive area on her neck.
She felt the swipe of his tongue along the shell of her ear. All she could hear was his rough breathing. Her reality was fracturing, her eyes lolling back in her head. What had Garret done to her?
Matthew’s cock was like steel against her stomach, and it spelled sweet relief. When she reached for him, he bolted back, his fangs displayed. “No!”
Her chest rose and fell with her heavy breaths. He had more willpower than her right now. She was ready to forget the world and give into her basest desires.
“We have to go. We can’t stay here.” A frenzied energy overtook him and he rushed around the room, going through drawers and overturning the supplies on the shelves. “Give me your shoes.”
She bent down and passed him her heels, which he immediately snapped off. “Hey…”
“Come on.” He grabbed her hand and opened the trailer door. Matthew stood completely still, testing the air before entering the yard. “It’s okay, let’s go.”
She hadn’t been afraid until witnessing Matthew’s erratic behavior. He was on guard, his calm demeanor replaced by urgency. If only the others were there, they’d have strength in numbers. What if Matthew couldn’t protect her? And who was her bigger threat—Peter or the Rockford wolves?
He dragged her along so fast, she was continually tripping over her feet.
“Can’t we take a truck?”
“No. They’ll spot us immediately.” When they reached the edge of the forest across the street from Gregor mining, he turned to her, his expression void of emotion. “Can you shift, Cassidy? You need to shift into your wolf.”
She stared at him as if he’d asked her to sprout wings and fly into the clouds. “I’m not a wolf. I don’t care what Garret thinks he knows. I’m one hundred percent human.”
“That’s no help at all. We need to move faster than your little legs can carry you.”
Cassidy crossed her arms. “You’re a wolf. Can’t you just tell Evan it wasn’t the loggers? Tell Garret to be on the lookout for Corbin?”
He shook his head. “I have to be in my fur to communicate with them and we’re too far regardless.”
“We can hide then. Keep out of sight until this all blows over.”
He appeared to be considering her suggestion. Matthew reached for her hand again, his fingers closing firmly around hers. “Try to keep up. I’ll get you settled in one of the hidden caves, and then I’ll try to round up the pack.”
She didn’t argue when he seemed so intent on his plan. Cassidy tried her best to not lag behind, ignoring the stitch in her side and burn in her legs. Matthew moved with such grace, barely disturbing a leaf as he navigated the twisting network of branches and briars with ease. Watching his muscular back and tight ass was a helpful distraction, giving her the added energy she needed to reach the isolated cave.
“This is it,” he said, stopping in front of a grassy knoll.
“What? There’s nothing here.”
“You’ll be safe inside.” He crouched low and parted the brush that blocked a low entrance. It was even more foreboding than the cave she was forced to hide out in with Patrick. It looked like the type of place nightmares were made of, and she highly expected the dark cavern to be infested with creepy crawlies.
“I’m not going in there,” she said, not budging when he urged her to enter.
“This is no time to be picky, Cassidy. It’s only temporary.”
She noted a set of yellow eyes in the dark shadows behind Matthew. He appeared to sense a presence at the same time, his back straightening and expression losing all tenderness.
“I see three,” she whispered. Cassidy swallowed hard, finding it difficult to breathe as more wolves moved in.
He never turned around or shifted his attention from her face. “You’re going to run. Keep going up the hill. Garret’s up there near the fire. He’ll find you.”
She shook her head. Matthew was already covered in blood from a vicious fight. He wouldn’t be able to handle three or more wolves converging on him.
“This isn’t a debate, sweetheart. Don’t look back. Just run.” He raised a fist, opening and closing his fingers. Within seconds, wicked looked claws emerged. “Now.”
This time she did as asked. She was terrified the wolves would chase after a moving target, but she only turned back briefly, long enough to witness Matthew shifting into his wolfen self. A snarling fight ensued, the blood-curdling growls making her blood run cold. Please don’t get hurt. She ran, leaping over downed logs and crawling when she fell to her knees. She was beyond caring about physical pain and discomfort, too much adrenaline pumping through her veins.
She could feel the heat from the fire as she climbed the slope in the forest. Where were Garret, Patrick, and Travis? Was Evan okay? There were noises everywhere—squirrels clambering in the branches above her, twigs breaking to her left, and leaves rustling to the right. Her nerves were shot.
Tears built up in her eyes as she imagined Matthew getting injured. He’d saved her, but at what cost?
“Cassidy!” Peter’s voice came from close behind her. It was as if he’d materialized out of thin air.
She panicked, unsure what he was capable of. He already knew she was there, so she didn’t hold back. “Garret! Patrick!”
Cassidy forced her way off the beaten path, the thick brushwood a blinding maze, a dozen shades of shadowed green.
“Travis!”
“Stop, Cassidy!”
When Peter’s tone took on a threateni
ng edge, she threw caution to the wind and fought her way through the forest with complete disregard. Her arms were streaked with cuts, her ankles needled with burrs. All that mattered was getting away, to avoid being the hunted. She tripped over a root, rolling on her side—down, down, down.
Her body was bumped and jostled all the way down the steep slope into the lower valley of the forest. At least she was away from the insufferable heat of the fire, but she was also lost. And according to Matthew, far from Garret and the pack.
She didn’t move, mentally assessing for any injuries. It felt like she’d been hit by a freight train, but she’d live. Nothing seemed to be broken or sprained.
The distant sound of wolves still reached her in the low valley. She looked up, the trees towering around her. If she stayed put, Peter may eventually find her. Cassidy decided to pick herself up and trudge on. She had to have faith that one of her men would find her, because she had no clue how to get back into town on her own. In fact, she couldn’t even imagine life without her miners. They were such an integral part of her existence, the family she’d never had.
Cassidy plodded west after climbing out of the opposite side of the valley. Her pants were soaked through at the knees, her hands cold and raw. Everything looked the same, one tree no different from the next. Massive, moss-covered oaks transported her into a fairy-tale world. Now she only needed her white knights to rescue her.
“There she is!”
The sound was so beautiful, she nearly broke down in hysterics.
“Cassidy!” Travis ran up to her, scooping her into his capable arms. Patrick was beside him, his smile of relief mirroring her own.
She wrapped her arms around Travis’s neck, not ever wanting to let go. His scent and the feel of his skin against her lips were like coming home. They’d be able to protect her from the wolves, from Peter.
“Wolves are attacking Matthew. You have to help him.”
It would be so easy to close her eyes and just absorb the heavy wash of relief, but as happy as Cassidy was to have her men by her side, she couldn’t forget Matthew. He was out there alone, fighting a losing battle.
“He’s okay. Corbin’s more concerned in looking for you,” said Patrick. “We have strict orders from Garret, little one.”
“What orders?”
The light glinted off Patrick’s blue eyes, keeping her mesmerized. He made her feel safe in such uncertain times. “He said any pack member to find you is to mark you immediately. It’s the only way to keep you safe.”
Travis kissed her temple. “It ain’t exactly the moonlight-and-candles moment we planned for you, but it’s all we have to offer, baby girl.”
She was worried about surviving, finding Matthew and Evan, and getting the hell out of the forest. They were worried about sinking their fangs into her flesh? She had to admit the thought turned her on, but she had to keep a level head.
“Now?”
He winked. “It’s the way of the wolf. If you’re marked by the pack, they’ll have no right to stake a claim,” said Patrick.
“I don’t think Rockford plays by any rules, wolf or not. Matthew said Corbin’s the one who set the fire, not the loggers. Evan’s chasing ghosts out there.”
“He’s not a little pup, Cassidy. If anyone can survive out there, it’s Evan.”
Evan was the largest, most heavily muscled member of the Gregor Pack, but he was also one of the most emotionally scarred. Come back to me.
Travis started to walk, not even bothering to set her on her feet. He moved with ease, not like a man carrying well over a hundred pounds of dead weight in his arms. She adored their strength, their unique abilities, and their incomparable sex appeal. Since they’d been in their wolf forms, they wore no clothing, and they acted no different. It may be the most natural thing in the world to them, but she’d never get used to seeing such ripped, bare bodies.
“I wish we could just all go home.” Home had new meaning. It was a real place for Cassidy, not a fictional ideal she could only fantasize about. Even though her time in Climax had been riddled with drama, she still savored the good memories. She’d give anything to be nestled in front of the wood stove with all her men.
“Soon, little one. Soon.” Patrick cleared the branches for Travis to pass with her. They walked for a good ten minutes before finally stopping near a rocky outcropping.
“Another cave?”
“Not around here. This is the best we can do.” Travis set her down. Both men looked at each other briefly. “I wonder what she tastes like.”
“Apparently like a wolf,” said Patrick.
“I’m not a wolf. Taste for yourself,” she said bitterly. Garret’s theory needed to be put to rest once and for all. Once the other pack members marked her, they’d see she was all human.
“It’s not that simple,” said Patrick, tucking stray hairs behind her ear. “We have to fuck you when we mark you. Pain and pleasure complement each other well.”
She closed her eyes, suddenly consumed by the heat radiating up her body. Garret had taught her all about the fine line between pain and pleasure. It was a delicate dance of trust and complete abandon. She loved to be dominated by her men. Cassidy remembered Garret’s numerous bite marks and the throbbing need they created. Sex could offer relief from the constant ache, but new bites could also aggravate her desperate condition.
“She’s ripe,” said Travis. “I can smell her heat.”
“Yes.” Patrick slipped a hand up her shirt, his cock now jutting out, hard, and mighty. How could he be so virile under such stressful circumstances? The hollow crack of branches in the distance was an ominous reminder of the fire still raging.
“We–we can’t do this. Not now,” she stammered. They both touched her, moving in with intent written on their faces. Their hands were rough, masculine. She was a lamb in line for the slaughter.
Travis slid his hand down the front of her pants, his fingers easily slipping between her moist folds. “You’re wet, sweet thing. Just forget everything for a few minutes and enjoy yourself. This will only happen once.” He finger-fucked her, making her weak in the knees. Every movement was strategic, hitting her in just the right places. She knew there was no turning back.
Travis walked her backward, his two fingers still impaled inside her pussy. After she hit the cool, hard wall of rock, Patrick plucked her shirt off. Although they may be just as comfortable naked as clothed, Cassidy felt dirty and sexually charged as they stripped her in the open forest.
They weren’t alone. At any minute Garret, Matthew, or Evan could show up. Not to mention Peter or Corbin.
Patrick bent over and suckled her breast. One arm was braced against the wall, the other gently caressing her body. Travis tugged her pants down her legs until they were caught around her ankles along with her panties. She was effectively naked, her entire body alive with sensation. Every slight shift of air tickled her wet pussy and sensitive nipples.
“Garret really had his way with you, didn’t he?” Travis touched the bite mark along her side. She cried out, her body greedy for more.
Chapter Five
Travis had mentally committed to Cassidy since their time alone in the forest. He’d opened up to her, given her his heart. It was new and vulnerable territory, but well worth the risk. Now he was being put to the ultimate test. Once he marked Cassidy as his, there would be no turning back. But would he even want to return to the emotionally crippled man he used to be? She’d given him a reason to face each day, a reason to be himself rather than play a role never meant for him.
His alpha had already marked her…numerous times. Garret had held back too long, his wolf taking over in moments of passion. Still, the bond wouldn’t be complete until all the members of the Gregor Pack marked their woman. Then they’d be one—body, mind, and soul. Forever.
“Tell me you want this, darlin’. I need to know this is exactly what you want.” Travis had Cassidy pinned up against the rock wall. He held the root of his cock, the he
ad poised at the entrance of her pussy. His mouth salivated as he tried to keep his fangs in check until he had his answer.
“But, the fire…the—”
“Look at me.” He stared at her until there was nothing left except the two of them. No forest, no danger, no worries. When he looked into her big blue eyes, he saw the future, acceptance, and unconditional love. Even if she wasn’t human, how could he turn his back on her? She was his, and his wolf agreed.
“Yes,” she said definitively. “I’m ready.”
He couldn’t help but smile. Travis breathed a sigh of relief, his load suddenly much lighter. Chaos and bloodshed, he could handle. Finding out his mate didn’t feel the same about him—that would destroy him.
Without delay, he impaled her sweet, little pussy. He could never get enough of her, each time like the first. Her walls tightened around his hard cock as he filled her to the hilt. She was so warm, almost hot, scorching his erection with her heat.
“Mmm, I’ve missed this, baby doll.” He licked the side of her neck as he held her against the wall, his cock deep inside her. It was important he feel connected to Cassidy when he marked her. This would be his first and last mating ceremony. It may be unorthodox due to the conditions, but it was still a monumental moment for Travis nonetheless.
Patrick’s low growl was a reminder to keep on task. Their pack mates needed help, and Cassidy needed to be escorted to a safe location until the fire could be controlled. The rumble of engines overhead signaled the fire was being battled by the water planes. It was a rarity the government sent in reinforcements to Climax, but forest fires could spread fast and become big news.
He began to fuck her, pumping in and out of her pussy. Time was a luxury, and he wouldn’t waste a minute. He kissed her, tasting, licking. Her lips were velvety soft, transporting him into her domain. The little human didn’t realize the power she wielded over him.
“You like it?” he whispered in her ear. The scent of her feminine skin and the sound of her blood just under the delicate surface of her skin was an aphrodisiac. His alpha may not be present, but he’d given his full consent to finally go through with the bond.
Climax for Six [Wolves of Climax 7] (Siren Publishing LoveXtreme Forever - Serialized) Page 4
