Maddie was still full of doubts but didn’t want to disappoint Remus. She’d just be on her best behavior and concentrate on controlling her feelings while she was with everyone. She sighed.
This has got disaster written all over it. I hope he knows what he’s getting into.
“Okay, Remus, I’d be happy to come to your picnic with you. What should I bring? Although I warn you I’m not a good cook.” She laughed. “Actually, I’m not a cook at all. Being in the clinic for so many years kept me from learning traditional girly things.”
* * * *
Remus couldn’t believe she was worried about her gift. He’d already seen how well she could control it now. He couldn’t think of any reason the day would be stressful enough to set her off. He hastened to assure her that she couldn’t embarrass him if she tried, then felt his heart lighten when she agreed to come.
It wasn’t long before she had him laughing at her claims of not being able to cook. “You don’t need to bring a thing. The whole thing’s being catered by one of our own people. I arranged things weeks ago. A lot of my pack mates are unmarried males, so it seemed prudent that we have professionals feeding us.”
She laughed again at his outrageous statement, causing him to smile down at her. He watched her closely, curious about the yearning expression on her face.
Maddie picked up one of Remus’s hands and began playing with his fingers nervously. “Remus, tell me about yourself.”
“What do you want to know?” He smiled at her timid question and rested his chin on the top of her head.
“Everything. I know you already told me about Remus, now tell me about Remus the wolf. Tell me about your family, your job, and your pack. What are your dreams, your visions of the future? Tell me about your childhood, just anything that’ll make me feel like I know you as well as you seem to know me.”
“Well, that’s a really tall order, but I’ll see what I can do.” He stared down at her for a few moments, gathering his thoughts and deciding where to start. “Let’s see, I’m thirty-eight years, and I’m co-owner of a construction company with my brothers.
“Did you all start it together?
“Wolf Building has been in our family for generations. My grandfather started the company, and we’ve all dedicated our lives to making it successful.
“Okay, but is it what you always wanted to do? Was it your dream or something you felt you had to do for your family?”
Remus smiled. “I always wanted to run the business. I was so proud of my father, and I wanted to follow in his footsteps in everything, even being Alpha of the Pack.”
“You’re the Pack Alpha. What does that mean exactly? What do you do for the Pack?” Remus was startled when she suddenly leaned away from him and looked over her shoulder. “And for that matter, what’s a Pack?”
Remus sighed. He had a strong feeling he was going to be explaining for a while, when what he really wanted to do was to make love to her again. “Yes, I’m the Pack Alpha, and that means I’m in charge of everything. I’m the undisputed leader.” Remus had to grit his teeth to keep from groaning. He hadn’t meant to tell her that. If she picked up on his word she might ask him what would happen if someone disputed his leadership. He didn’t think she was ready to hear about fighting-to-the-death challenges.
Maddie relaxed back against Remus’s chest. “Okay, I get you’re the big, bad, head wolf. Now tell me what you do that makes you so big and bad.”
Remus heard Maddie let out a strange sounding cough. Is that little minx laughing at me? “I’m in charge of everything. I’m the last word in any disputes. Nobody can sign contracts, form businesses, or even mate without my approval.”
He felt Maddie’s body tense and was about to ask her what was wrong when she spoke up. “You get to tell people whether they can be together as mates?”
“No, baby, it’s not like that. I only make sure that they know what they’re getting into, kind of like a marriage counselor. If they find their mate is human, I make sure the human half of the couple knows what to expect. I’ve never turned anybody down, if that’s what’s worrying you.” He was pleased when she snuggled closer and picked up his hand to place a kiss on his palm.
“Now where was I? Oh yeah, I act as judge in criminal cases, not only for our Pack but also for others around the country. That was what my trip was about. I went to Canada to sit on a disciplinary board. Uh, I oversee our financial investments, make Pack law and enforce it. I’m responsibility for the safety of all the Pack members, and that’s a job I take very seriously. Protecting their safety includes keeping them hidden from the human population.” Remus jumped when Maddie came out of his arms like she’d been shot from a cannon.
“Oh, my God, Remus. I almost forgot! Grandfather left me a warning about Dr. Constantine.”
“What did he say about him?”
“He told me that he was an evil man. The journal said that he has known about the wolf shifters for a long time and that he was just waiting to get his hands on one of us in order to experiment on us. He warned me to stay away from him any way I could.” Maddie looked at him with tears in her eyes. “He said he hadn’t known that Constantine was my doctor until I had been there a while, and then he tried everything he could to get me out. Oh, Remus, I think it broke his heart that I was stuck in that place.”
It thrilled him when she used the word “us” when talking about the wolf shifters. Remus turned her body around, put her legs across his thighs, and then brought her up against his chest to cuddle. “He loved you, Maddie. He wanted to bring you here, but your father fought against it. He didn’t want you to find out about your grandmother’s people. Victor would have done anything to save you from Constantine.” He kissed the top of her head. “Maddie, did he hurt you while you were in his clinic?” Remus held his body perfectly still while he waited for her answer. If he’d hurt Maddie, Remus would make sure that he paid.
“No, well, yes, oh, I’m not really sure how to answer that, Remus. He told my dad that I wouldn’t have the episodes where I broke things if they could stop me from getting so upset about things. He tried a series of drugs to try and suppress emotion. It was awful. They’d make me unable to feel anything. I’d forget things, and sometimes whole days would be gone where I’d have no memory of what I’d done or where I’d been. So, yes, he did hurt me emotionally, and I guess he could have physically. I wouldn’t have known what he’d done to me during those days.”
Remus tightened his arms around her. “Don’t you worry. He’s never gonna get the chance to hurt you again.”
Maddie sighed. “I don’t want to talk about this, Remus. Finish telling me about your family.”
Remus wanted to make Maddie happy more than anything, so he dropped the subject for now. “I’ve got two brothers, whom you’ve already met. Ethan’s thirty-four and definitely the clown of the family. He’s got a wicked sense of humor, and pretty much nothing bothers him. He’s responsible for our work crews, keeping them happy and productive. He does all our hiring and firing.”
“What about your other brother, Latan?”
“Latan’s the baby of the family at thirty. He’s definitely the most serious of all of us. He’s always ready to reason things out. He can be a little bit of a hothead, doesn’t let anyone walk over him or treat anyone he loves badly. He does all the bookkeeping and banking for the business. He also handles our investments and makes sure that our coffers are always full.” Idly, Remus picked up the sponge and began squeezing the rose scented water over Maddie’s back. He smiled when her heard her tiny, muffled moan.
“Our mother and father were wonderful. They were the kind of parents that were always there when we needed them. They taught us what a good relationship and mating could be like.” Remus closed his eyes in a moment of grief. “They were so much in love with each other. Our mother died when I was eight, and my father never seemed to get over it.”
“Oh, Remus, I’m so sorry. If you don’t mind me asking, how
did she die?”
Remus hesitated for just a moment before answering. “She was killed in a senseless hunting accident.” There was no way he was going to tell Maddie that she’d been shot by poachers while in her wolf form. He didn’t want Maddie to be afraid if she could find her own wolf.
“That’s so sad. What about your dad, when did he die?”
“He died just eighteen months ago. I’m not sure I can really tell you what he died from. He hadn’t been sick other than heart sick for most of his life after Mom died. It was like he waited until all of us were finally involved in the family business, and then he decided he could go and join his mate. He passed away in his sleep.”
Maddie hugged her arms around his neck really tight. “I’m so sorry you had to lose him, too. It must have been really painful.”
“Thanks, baby, that means a lot to me. It’s been a long time, though, and now I just remember the good times we shared. I’m thankful for the good memories we have of them.”
“What do you do for your company?”
Remus was grateful for the change of subject. “Well, I’m the president officially. But it’s not a title I throw around a lot. My brothers know the business as well as I do, there just has to be a president listed on the corporation papers. I spend most of my time with the homeless shelter I set up for runaways. I told you about it, I just didn’t tell you it was a shelter for runaway young wolves.”
“What exactly do you do for them?”
“Well, when a lone wolf is spotted, several of us Alphas get together and track him. When we finally capture him, he’s taken to a shelter we built up in the mountains. We don’t question their reason for running, only give them a dry, warm place to live and food. We try to teach them what pack life is supposed to be like, and when we sense they’re ready, we offer them homes in one of our own Packs. It keeps them from becoming rogue.”
“And becoming rogue is bad?”
“Very bad. A rogue can turn feral. They sometimes stay in their wolf forms so long for survival that they lose the ability to shift back into human. It’s something we try to keep from happening.”
“How did you become an Alpha?”
“It’s a position I had to fight for,” Remus said. Damn, I hadn’t meant to let that slip
Maddie gazed at him, her eyes as big as saucers. “You had to fight for it?”
“Yeah, it’s the way of my people, or maybe I should say our people. It’s always the strongest wolf that leads the pack, and there’s no better way to see who’s stronger than to face a leadership challenge. I actually inherited the position from my dad, but I’ve been challenged for it twice. It’s my hope that someday I’ll have a pup who’ll take my place as Alpha.”
“Did you say pup?” Maddie’s voice had a shocked quality about it. She didn’t look amused when Remus laughed at her question.
Remus was pleased. He knew mentioning pups would get her mind off the leadership challenges. “Yes, I said pup, but it doesn’t mean what you think it does.”
When she glared at him, he decided to stop teasing her and explain better.
“Pup is just a wolf word for a small child. When we have children, they’ll just be babies. A shifter doesn’t come into their inherited powers until they hit puberty. Until then, they’re just regular little kids.”
He watched as Maddie took a deep breath and seemed to relax back down against his chest. He tensed when her small hands rested on his thighs and then felt his cock harden and press against her thigh.
When she spoke again, her voice was nearly a squeak. “Where do you live?”
“I have a house I share with my brothers, but you and I don’t have to live there. I know you’re attached to this house because of your grandfather. We could continue to live here, if that’s what you want, and I can still run the pack. Since the house you own sits on land I own, it can still be considered a Pack residence. Would you like for us to live here together?”
Feeling like he was beginning to pressure her, Remus was surprised when Maddie put both her arms around his neck and brought her body up close to his, nestling his growing erection right at the opening to her body.
“Are you sure we have to talk anymore, or is there something better you’d rather do?”
Although annoyed that she was avoiding his question, Remus wasn’t stupid enough to turn away from her kiss. He was amazed that his shy little mate was coming on to him so strongly.
He brought his arms up around her, bringing her even tighter against his body. Nudging his thighs forward, he pushed the head of his cock inside her body.
“Remus,” she cried out and clutched his shoulders tightly.
He slid her arms from around his neck and then placed them behind her back, securing them with one of his big hands. Holding her wrists captive, he pushed her backwards and then lowered his head to take her pink tipped breast into his mouth, biting gently on the nipple. As she squirmed on his lap, he ran his tongue up her chest and neck and then over toward her shoulder. When his mouth reached the junction of her neck and shoulder, his canines dropped, and he scrapped them over her delicate skin. The urge to bite her was almost overwhelming.
As his teeth touched her shoulder, Remus felt Maddie’s whole body tense up. He’d promised he wouldn’t mark her.
Does she really think I won’t keep my word?
“Don’t worry, love, I’m not gonna break my promise to you. I only wanted to feel your skin against my teeth. It’s very erotic to me to scrape my teeth over the place I plan to mark you.”
Remus didn’t need a mate bond to know what was going through his mate’s mind when she tensed up on him. It made him happy to see her body relax with his words, showing that she trusted him completely. He would never tell her of his struggle to overcome his wolf’s wishes or how close he’d come to losing the battle.
As she melted back into his hold, Remus continued to run his tongue over her shoulder and then back up to her ear lobe where he nibbled. With his lips touching her ear, he whispered to her.
“I’m gonna fuck you so many ways, you’re gonna be lucky to remember your own name. After tonight, you’ll know that you belong to me, and only me.”
Raising his hand to cup her breast, he continued to run his tongue down her cheek and across to her mouth while slowly rubbing his thumb back and forth across her nipple. Capturing her lips in a sensuous kiss, Remus sucked her tongue into his mouth, letting her taste him the way he tasted her earlier. When he heard her groan, he pulled away and lowered his head to take her nipple back into his mouth.
As he sucked and bit on her nipple, he let his hand drift down her body, continuing on below the water level, stopping when he reached her wet curls. He probed with one finger, searching for the bundle of nerves at the top of her slit.
When he raked his finger over her clit, she moaned and arched her back, thrusting herself further onto his erection. Needing to feel his hard cock buried completely inside her heat, he released her wrists and put both his hands on her waist. Quickly, he raised her up slightly and then lowered her down as he thrust up inside her. Remus groaned as he felt himself surrounded by her slick heat.
“Hang on, my mate, it’s gonna be a rough ride.”
Remus began raising and lowering her on his shaft, tilting her slightly forward so that every time he brought her down her clit rubbed against his erection. With her shallow breathing and soft little cries, he knew he was hitting the right place. Remus felt his balls tightening, signaling that he was close to coming. He wanted Maddie to come with him, so he increased his rhythm to speed up her own release. “Come on, baby, you can feel the tingles. You can feel my hard cock pounding in and out of your heat. Come for me, Maddie, come with me.”
Remus could feel Maddie’s legs trembling and her pussy contracting around his pulsating cock. He knew she was getting ready to come. Suddenly, she threw her arms around his neck and cried out.
“Remus, oh God…Remus.”
He plunged his tong
ue deep into her mouth and felt her body grip him tighter with her release. Remus roared, “Maddie, my Maddie,” and then felt his seed shooting hotly inside her body. He hung onto her tightly as they both rode out the wave.
As their bodies began to cool from their passion, Remus lifted her and set her between his legs once more. Grabbing the sponge from the side of the tub, he washed her body, paying special attention to her breasts and pussy, knowing that she’d be sore and tender now. After rinsing her in the rose scented water, he ran the soaped sponge over his own body and rinsed, praying that the scent of roses would fade by morning.
Remus stood when he finished with their bathing and lifted her out of the tub onto the floor mat. Grabbing a towel from the wall rack, he patted her dry and then briskly ran the towel over his own body. He picked her up and carried her out to the large brass bed. Bending, he pulled back the covers, then lowered her to the mattress and climbed in behind her. He pulled her close to his body and then covered them both with the blankets. Maddie snuggled closer to his body.
“Remus, I told you that Grandfather wrote that it might be possible for me to shift into a wolf after you claim me. Do you think it’s true?”
“Well, I don’t honestly know for sure. I’ve not known of anyone else in our situation. If your grandfather told you that, then he must have researched it. I guess it makes sense. If you already have the DNA in your body, then maybe it would only need activated by my enzyme to make it work. Does that scare you? Don’t you think you’d like being able to turn into a wolf?”
He looked at her a little fearfully, almost afraid to hear her answer. “It scares me a little, but not for the reasons you think.”
“Then why, baby?” Remus began rubbing his hand up and down her back in an attempt to comfort her.
“Being able to shift into a wolf would only be something else weird that I’d be able to do. I’m not saying anything bad about wolf shifters, only myself. I already have to avoid people and be careful to not show my telekinesis. Becoming a wolf would be something else I’d have to hide from people, something else to isolate me from the world. Can you understand that?”
Discovering Their Wolfen Heritage Page 11
