by Sky Corgan
“Archaic way of thinking,” Carter grunted.
“Maybe we should just get to the point.” Frank glared at him across the table. “Are you still fucking her? We've heard reports that you've practically abandoned your pack for this tainted she-wolf.”
“That's bullshit!” Carter punched the desk, flying to his feet to glare down at Frank. His wolf bristled to the surface, his eyes going golden as an animalistic snarl left his throat. Frank instantly cowered, though the disdainful expression never left his face.
“We need to know if it's true, Carter.” Elliot stood and put his hand on Carter's shoulder, attempting to calm him to no avail.
“Yes, Carter,” Frank practically spat at him. “Are you thinking of taking her as your Alpha mate?”
“Alpha mate,” Carter huffed and rolled his eyes, throwing himself back down into his chair.
“It's a serious question, pup.” Elliot looked at him warningly. “You can't take her as your Alpha mate. You can't take anyone but a pureblood as your Alpha mate. It's one of our laws, and you know it.”
Carter wanted to say that the laws needed to be changed, but he knew that would be as good as nailing himself to a cross. He needed to choose his words carefully, had to find some way out of this that would keep both him and Karen safe.
“I haven't even thought about taking an Alpha mate.” He traced a fingernail across the table, doing his best to calm down.
“It's past time that you did,” Greg commented.
“I agree.” Elliot nodded.
“Oh, so is that how it is now?” Carter's voice raised an octave in disgust. “Am I not even allowed to choose when I marry? Last time I checked, being a regional Alpha gave me at least that much power.”
“You only have power as long as you don't break our laws.” Frank smirked at Carter nastily.
“No laws have been broken here.” Carter leaned towards him and enunciated each word.
“There's really no way to tell.” Elliot drew Carter's attention back to him. “And we have to protect your integrity, even if you don't. We have to protect the bloodlines.”
“What are you trying to say?”
“We've come up with what we think would be an amicable solution to all of this.” Elliot laced his fingers on top of the table. “Either you get rid of the she-wolf by the end of the month, send her back to her pack. Or, if you're so insistent on keeping her here, then you'll be forced to take Frank's sister as your Alpha mate. It's your choice.”
Carter groaned inwardly. He loathed Frank. Always had. It was quite plain by their constant bickering. His sister was pleasant though. Almost as tall as Carter was, with long flaxen hair, pale blue eyes, and the figure of a model. What she had in looks, she lacked in personality. She was a shy thing with nary a word to say, sitting silently at the gatherings that he had seen her at, more like a statue than an actual person.
“So those are my only two options, huh?” Carter huffed lightly.
Frank's grin widened, as if he hoped that Carter would refuse the council's compromise. “Either that, or death.”
Carter sat in his office with his head in his hands. This was not a decision he'd ever wanted to have to make. Send Karen back to her family and never see her again, or marry a woman whom he didn't love. The choice seemed impossible, especially when all he really wanted was to be in Karen's arms, to feel her soft skin against his, to taste her lips. Just thinking about it made him horny, and this definitely wasn't the time to be a horny.
A knock on the door jostled him from his thoughts, and he looked up with a weary expression as Kenny entered without even waiting for his invitation. Ever since Carter's meeting with the council had concluded, he had locked himself in his office, not wanting to see or speak to anyone.
“I heard what happened.” Kenny took a few apprehensive steps. When Carter didn't immediately dismiss him, he found his seat on the other side of the desk, looking across at his friend sympathetically.
“I don't know what to do.” Carter shook his head with a sigh.
“You'll do what's right, as you've always done.”
In the past, Carter had been good at making sound decisions. This was different though. Right and wrong were getting all mixed up inside of his head. He wanted to follow his heart. Shouldn't that be the right choice? Screw bloodlines and politics.
“They want me to marry Ashley Benson,” Carter mumbled absentmindedly.
“Ashley Benson is lovely. You'd have shitty in-laws, but I wouldn't mind getting a piece of that,” Kenny quipped.
“Then you marry her.” Anger flared in Carter's eyes, but it quickly died down. “I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you. This is all just so sudden.”
“It's not sudden, Carter. You've been bedding this woman for weeks. Surely, you figured you'd get caught eventually.”
“We've been careful,” his voice trailed off.
“Oh yes, careful. Ignoring the other females in the pack. Very careful, being exclusive when you're supposed to be boning a different woman every night of the week.”
Carter deflated. “Fine, fine. I get it. Enough of the mockery.” He waved his hand dismissively. “I could have crossed my t's a bit better. The point is that I don't want to marry Ashley Benson. I don't even know her. And I fucking hate her brother. I'd rather kill the son of a bitch than marry into his family.”
“And I'm sure he'd rather kill you than see you with his sister, but this is politics.” Kenny leaned forward and grabbed Carter's stress ball off his desk, giving it a few squeezes before tossing it back down. It rolled to the end of the desk, and Carter had to catch it to keep it from falling over.
“I never asked for this, you know, to be regional Alpha. I'd give it away if I could.”
“No one ever asks for it.” Kenny shook his head. “The wolf chooses who leads. The wolf wouldn't have chosen you if it didn't think you were capable of making the right decision.”
“Do you really think that?” Carter's eyes shot up to meet Kenny's.
“I trust your judgment, Carter.” He stood, rounding the table to place a hand on the regional Alpha's shoulder. “You'll do what's right for the pack. Not because you want to, but because you have to.”
It wasn't the answer Carter had hoped for. In a few words, Kenny was telling him that he should abandon Karen completely. Just as it had been his duty to sleep with her in the first place, it was now his duty to let her go, to return her to her pack where she belonged. There was no place for her beside him.
What about what I want though? It wasn't worth saying aloud. The truth was that what Carter wanted didn't matter. The council would have their way, would make him choose, and he and Karen would both be on the losing end of that decision.
CHAPTER NINE
Sky High Ranch was alive with strange scents. Even confined to her room, Karen could smell the purebloods nearby. It was like being next to Carter times ten. The intimidation of it overwhelmed her, and it made her want to keep out of sight due to the shame from her own lack of wolf blood.
That wasn't possible though. She needed to leave her room to have breakfast, which meant walking through the halls and common areas. Thankfully, the regional Alphas were in the meeting room. That explained why Carter hadn't come to visit her. He was probably busy preparing for their arrival.
During breakfast, it felt like all eyes were upon her. Karen could hear the other lycans whispering to one another as they threw hateful glances in her direction. While she was used to it, the conversation seemed more intense today, more secretive and focused. It made her uncomfortable, so she finished her eggs and bacon as quickly as possible before retreating to her room.
By lunchtime, the council had left. The chatter in the lunchroom was every bit as intense though. She caught bits and pieces of conversation on the wind. Something about Carter being in trouble. Something about scandal. Karen could only hope it didn't involve her, but she had a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach that it did.
Dinner was
no better, and Karen's stress was compounded by the fact that Carter wasn't present for any of the meals that day. Even if he ignored her, she would be happy just knowing he was alright. There was no sign of him anywhere though, and when he didn't show up at the nightly bonfire, that's when Karen really began to worry.
She sat alone with her thoughts, watching the night play out as so many had before it. Yet this time, Carter wasn't there. It was a sure sign that something was wrong. From what she had been told, he never missed the nightly bonfire, unless he was out of town—and he wasn't out of town.
What ifs nagged at her through the night as she stared at the flames in a trance, watching them dance in deep hues of red and orange, licking at the sky like devilish tongues. The night seemed colder somehow, her solitude far more lonely than before.
Finally, it was time to retire to her room for the night. Karen wrapped her arms around herself as she trailed behind the rest of the werewolves. Her eyes drifted to the door to Carter's office, but it was closed, as normal. Of course, it was. It was late. If he was anywhere on the premises, he was in his own room. God how she hoped he was in his own room—safe and sound.
She pushed open the door to her bedroom, her head hung low. Karen was so lost in her misery that it took her a minute to realize there was someone sitting on her bed. A small gasp escaped her throat as her eyes landed on Carter, smiling weakly up at her. He stood and pressed a finger to his lips, shushing her. Karen nodded in understanding before quickly closing the door behind herself and coming to his side.
“What are you doing here?” she asked.
“I wanted to see you.” He pulled her into his arms, the strange sadness that was in his expression only moments before now completely gone, replaced by the wanton look she was so accustomed to seeing on him in the early mornings.
“I heard the council was here.” It was hard to fight back her desire for him, but there were more important things than coupling, like finding out if he was really alright.
“They were.” Carter reached up to brush a golden strand of hair away from her face, his feathery touch causing a pleasant shiver to roll down Karen's spine. Already, the scent of his wolf was making hers awaken and whine with need.
“And what did they say? You didn't take any of your meals with the pack today, so I was worried.” Her gaze fell to his lips, and all she could think about was how much she wanted him to kiss her. It was strange and a bit unnerving how much she had missed him.
“Nothing important.” He shook his head, his mouth descending on hers and stealing her breath.
Karen stood on her tiptoes to meet his eager kiss, their lips molding together perfectly and moving with fervor. He tightened his grip around her, his fingers clawing into her shirt. He held her desperately—kissed her desperately—like a man about to go to war, kissing his lover for the last time. It was intense and impassioned and needy. Oh so needy.
“I can't stay for very long tonight,” Carter whispered against her mouth before kissing a path across her cheek and nuzzling her face with his.
“Then we best make the most of what time we have.” Her hands dipped down to his belt, grabbing the buckle and roughly tugging at it until it gave way. A satisfied grin quirked Carter's lips as he watched Karen unclasp his belt before going for the button on his jeans. He held his hands up in surrender, leaning back teasingly as her lips sought to find his again while she jerked his zipper down. Her wolf perked up at the chase, and a soft snarl left her throat as she caught his bottom lip between her teeth and gave it a tug.
“Someone missed me,” he quipped, kissing her on the forehead and groaning slightly when she stuck her hand in his pants to draw out his cock.
He was already hard, so much so that she barely needed to maneuver him before his manhood sprang free, thick and veiny and pointing threateningly at her as if it intended to do damage. Her mouth watered as the scent of his sex filled her nostrils. Just seeing him so aroused made her body react, her pussy aching with need.
Karen held on to the base of Carter's shaft as she fell to her knees. Already, there was a bead of pre-seed glistening on his tip. She looked up at Carter beneath heavy lashes, making eye contact with him before her tongue flicked out to devour the little gift. He tilted his head back and growled, the sound rumbling all the way through him.
“You're so ready for me.” She grinned, giving his shaft a few leisurely strokes, keeping her mouth so close to his skin that tiny bursts of heat washed over it.
“I've been ready for you all day.” He rolled his head before meeting her gaze. One of his hands slipped into her hair, tossing it back before curling into it.
Karen turned her attention to the thick rod in front of her. Her grip tightened as she leaned forward, parting her lips to dash her tongue across the wide crest. Carter bucked his hips ever so slightly, his breathing already picking up from the small bit of stimulation. While she loved his cunnilingus, it was nice to be giving the oral stimulation for once. This was the first time she'd been face to face with his dick, and just the thought of having him in her mouth was making lust pool at her heated core.
She nuzzled her lips against his helmet, giving it a lush kiss before poking her tongue into the little groove of his slit. His hands tightened and relaxed in her hair, reminding her of a cat kneading out its contentment. He wasn't a cat though. He was a wolf. A very powerful, sexy wolf. And she very much wanted to please him.
Satisfied with his reaction, with the sheer lust she could feel rolling through him with her every touch, Karen explored his cock a bit more, brushing her lips up along his shaft before tracing back down with her tongue, following the veins and tasting the salt of his skin. When she reached his tip again, the tease was over. It was time for the main course.
Taking a deep breath, she drew a circle around his glans with her tongue before sucking him into her mouth, feeling the fullness of his arousal stretch her jaw and take up all the space within her. It never ceased to amaze her how big he was—and he seemed to grow even more as she began sucking. Back and forth, she slid on his cock, tasting and savoring.
His fingers moved in her hair, lacing into it for a better grip, though he didn't force her. This was all Karen, pleasuring him to her liking. He certainly seemed to be enjoying it too. The deep moans and hisses that fell from his lips told her that—told her she was doing a good job.
It wasn't long before his cock was drooling pre-come, and she was lapping it all up. Carter slowly began bucking his hips in time with her sucking, though it was never too overwhelming. Tiny pleasure sounds vibrated through Karen's throat as she upped the tempo. Her lips hugged around him, her hand following the strokes. His breathing was beginning to grow ragged, so she applied a bit more pressure, sucking hard.
“Fucking shit. You're going to make me...” Carter's voice trailed off only seconds before Karen felt a sharp yank to her hair. His cock fell from her wet lips with a popping sound, and she winced from the small bite of pain to the back of her head before looking up at Carter and gasping.
His eyes were full amber. Wolf eyes. Dangerous eyes.
Within seconds, he was pulling her up off the floor and digging his hand into the side of her jeans—hands with long, sharp nails—somewhere between wolf and man. Instead of being frightened though, her wolf responded with a surge of lust. Pheromones filled the air, making Karen's thighs tremble and her pussy moisten with want as the sound of fabric ripping sang off the walls.
Carter shredded her jeans in his attempt to get them off, destroying her underwear with them. Before Karen could even count to three, she was naked from the waist down, pushed over the side of her bed, her ass up in the air, her breaths falling heavily from her chest as she glanced at Carter over her shoulder, inviting him to take her.
“I can't handle this anymore,” he panted, sounding almost desperate. “I need this more than anything.”
“I need it too.” She fought the desire to turn and kiss him. The pull they had to one another was undenia
ble, like magnets and metal. And Karen couldn't wait until their bodies clashed.
Carter grabbed the base of his shaft and guided his swollen glans to her hole. Karen pressed back against him as she felt the delicious skin to skin contact. She looked up at him, licking her lips seductively, as if to tell him her body was hungry for more.
“Fuck. You're so hot. I have to be inside of you.” He placed a hand on the small of her back and then bucked forward, filling her completely with one rough thrust.
Karen whimpered as the familiar stretching sensation burned through her. No matter how many times they had sex, Carter always felt so impossibly big. He didn't give her time to adjust either. His hands gripped her hips, and he pressed so deeply into her that she was almost certain she felt his cock inside her stomach. Then he pulled all the way out before thrusting in again.
Karen's eyes widened in panic from the loudness of the noise, and she covered her mouth with her hand. Was he trying to get them caught? He was sure being rough enough.
“You feel so good around my cock,” he growled, the wolf peaking to the surface for a moment before receding back and allowing the man to have his fun.
Carter held on to Karen's hips and pumped into her hard and fast. His fucking was every bit as desperate as his kissing had been. There was no gentility to it. This was all carnal, animalistic sex. Mating to the tenth degree.
Karen dug her fingers into the bed and held on as Carter ravaged her cunt, his thick cock pistoning in and out, drawing friction that had Karen panting with anticipation for the coming orgasm. She squeezed her body around him, trying to hold it off so that they could climax together, but he was being too intense. Her orgasm hit her with the force of a freight train, making her cover her mouth again to groan into her palm, the contractions completely wrecking her as Carter continued to thrust.
“Like that. Just like that. I love it when you come all over my dick,” he breathed, not slowing until his rough fucking had drained her body completely. Then he pulled out, standing over her to stroke himself. “On the bed.” He pointed.
