by Kym Grosso
Frustrated, Logan loosened his tie, took off his jacket and rolled up his sleeves. He stood at the head of the table; his fingers grasped the back of the chair. The animal in him wanted to throw the damn thing, smash it into kindling. But it was not all who he was. He closed his eyes, willing his wolf to calm.
He took a deep breath and blew it out. “I can’t do this. Either you need to accept your wolf or I…I don’t know. I just know that I’ve worked too damn hard to become Alpha. Wolves depend on me. And it isn’t just the fact that when I get angry or hurt, the pack feels it. If anyone besides Dimitri had seen what you did today, disrespecting me, blatantly denying my request to stay…it’ll lead to a challenge. I can’t have that happen. Not over us, anyway.”
“But I’d never do that on purpose. It’s not like I set out to hurt you or the pack today.” She ran her fingers through her hair, nervously twisting at it. “God, Logan can’t you see what this is doing to me?”
“The bottom line is this. If there’s another challenge, I will kill someone. And while I won’t hesitate to do it, that wolf is someone’s brother, husband, son,” he said softly, contemplating what it’d be like to kill again.
Wynter stood and crossed the kitchen, resting her hands onto the countertop. “Please just hear me out. No matter how hard I try, I don’t know what it’s like. I’m not a wolf.” She rubbed her hand over her reddening eyes. “I don’t want to cause anyone’s death. I don’t want to hurt you. I’m so afraid and confused. But there is one thing I know…I want you…like I’ve never wanted anyone.”
Logan approached Wynter, placing his hand on either side of her waist, gripping the cold stone. “And I want you too, sweetheart. But we cannot go on like this. I’m damn sorry someone did this to you, changed you to wolf. You’ve barely had time to recover from your captivity, let alone adjust to your new…situation. But I can’t put my pack in danger. Lots of lives depend on me. I cannot fail them. I get that it is not fair, but you need to decide.”
“Decide what, Logan?” She clasped onto the sides of his shirt in desperation. “I’m scared out of my mind. I don’t want to hurt anyone but I don’t know how to be wolf. I don’t know the rules. I can’t do this. I don’t know how. I’m sorry, I can’t…”
Wynter fell to her knees crying, still clawing at his clothing. She’d let her head fall against his shins. Logan wrapped his hands around her arms and brought her up into his embrace, supporting her.
“Wynter, this is not who you are, sweetheart. You can do this. You are strong, not broken. You will learn how to submit within the pack while remaining fiercely independent. You will run as wolf, but maintain your humanity. I promise you to help you shift; support you in everything you do for the rest of your life. But this decision must be yours, not mine.” Logan held her tightly. His own tears brimmed; he needed his mate. Please Goddess, do not let her give up.
Struggling to catch her breath, Wynter swore Logan was doing something to calm her. His scent, his touch, his aura, everything that was of his essence protectively encased her body and heart. Her wolf howled, begging her to run free with her mate. On the verge of collapse, Wynter steeled her resolve. A fighter. Yes, that’s who she was. Tonight, however, she was a lover, Logan’s mate. Trembling in his arms, she raised her chin to meet his eyes.
“I choose you. Us. This makes no sense to the part of my mind that demands data, evidence and all the other things that I’ve learned in my years as a scientist,” she breathed, placing her hand to his heart. “But my heart. My wolf. I need you.”
Logan sighed in relief, pressing a kiss to her head. “You sure, baby? Because I’m ready to start this right now…to teach you what it means to be wolf.”
“I’m sure.” All her senses on alert, she’d fully committed to doing whatever it took to learn how to be wolf, to be Logan’s mate.
Logan leaned in and gently kissed her. His wolf celebrated in anticipation of their union. He tenderly sucked at her lips, licking at her until she opened fully to him. Her sweet taste tempted him, beckoning the urge to make love to her right then. But he knew better of it. He’d patiently demonstrate what it meant for her to submit, to be nothing more than the wild animal that lurked beneath the surface of her skin.
Wynter gave in to his will, tasting, indulging in the warmth of her Alpha. She felt his hands leave her sides, and she pressed up further against the counter’s edge. As he ground the hard evidence of his arousal against her belly, she registered his fingertips on her skin. She went to help him, and he grabbed her wrists.
“Hands to your sides, Wynter. Don’t move,” he growled.
She gasped, complying with his demand. Fingers grazed her belly once again. A tear of the fabric sent her shirt buttons flying. The loud sound of the plastic studs hitting the floor sounded like hail pelting a roof. Cool air brushed her chest as he ripped off her shirt, yanking hard at the sleeves and throwing it across the room. A hand around her back deftly released her bra, leaving her bare to him. Panting with need, she struggled to catch her breath. She never lost eye contact as he tore his lips from hers.
“An Alpha,” he began in a tense, sexy tone that wrapped around her soul. Logan trailed his lips down her throat and between her breasts. But he didn’t kiss or lick her, he merely hovered, letting her feel the heat of his body, “he’s patient. He doesn’t act impulsively. Despite the temptation, he waits until the optimal moment to strike.”
Wynter resisted the excruciating desire to move. She closed her eyes, relishing the effect of his nearness to her tight nipples. Strong hands on her hips rapidly spun her so she was facing the counter, holding her upright so she wouldn’t fall.
“Do you feel it, Wyn? Our bond, it’s growing. I’m your Alpha. Your wolf knows. I feel her,” he told her seductively. He slid a large strong hand around to her belly. Without touching his lips to her skin, he drifted them close to her shoulder. “And she…she feels me.” He pressed his burgeoning erection into her bottom.
Wynter sighed at the welcome feel of him against her. She wished he’d just take her. No, instead, he was teasing her, teaching her. She’d promised to learn. Taking a breath, she tried to relax into his hold. But as she felt his hands at her waist, her heart raced once again.
Logan deftly unzipped her skirt and jerked it down, exposing the creamy skin underneath. He smiled at her hot pink lace thong, the one he’d selected earlier. Slowly, he glided his hands over her hips and hooked his thumbs into the flimsy fabric. He bent at his knees, teasing it off of her legs and feet until she was bare. With a flick, he sent it flying across the floor. Much better.
“Do you see how a wolf restrains his own needs, all in an effort to take care of his wolves?”
His hands grazed over the globes of her bottom, barely touching her. The heat between his skin and hers threatened to combust, but he never gave in to the need. Denying her his touch, he reached upward into her hair, wrapping the long strands around his fist. Gently tugging, he pulled her head to the side, revealing her neck. He growled at the sight but still only brought his lips within an inch of the skin and spoke to her.
“I will teach you what it’s like to be wolf, to submit. Are you ready for that, sweetheart?”
Wynter moaned, breathing hard. Was she ready? Naked, she felt both emotionally and physically exposed, while he stood fully clothed.
Logan gently tugged again at her hair, until her eyes met his.
“Answer me,” he demanded softly.
“Yes,” she cried. The torment of him not touching her was nearly unbearable. But before she had time to think about it, he turned her once again so that she was facing him. She watched nervously as he removed his tie.
“Your senses. They are all that a wolf has. As humans, we rely too much on our sight to tell us what we know. We ignore what our heart tells us because our eyes can’t see it. Up,” he directed, lifting her up onto the large granite island. “Lay back, Wyn.”
Wynter struggled to understand what he was doing. He wanted
her on this cold countertop? What the hell?
“Don’t question. Just do it. Go on now. You’re okay, now. I promise you’ll enjoy it.” He winked, helping her to scoot backwards. He took her head into his hands, tenderly placing it on the hard surface. “You okay?”
She nodded, unsure of where this was going. Despite her apprehension, the ache between her legs throbbed in anticipation. The heat of her skin cooled against the sleek stone. Logan held up his tie, and she almost choked. What did he plan to do with that?
“It’s all right, sweetheart. Just removing one of your senses. Educational purposes, I assure you,” he laughed.
“Yeah right,” she giggled in response. Why was she so aroused? At least he wasn’t tying her up, but still she’d been laid out naked on a platter for him to do what he wished, and she grew wetter and wetter by the second.
“Seriously, this is not just about trusting me, which you very much need to learn how to do. Nor is it about submission, which you seem to be doing nicely right now,” he encouraged.
His dick was so hard he thought his balls would be blue for the rest of his natural life. The sight of his mate splayed out was more than he could take. He wanted so badly to plunge into her, but he reminded himself that there was more at stake besides him getting his rocks off.
Logan wrapped the tie around her eyes until he was certain she couldn’t see. “No peeking. You okay?”
“Yes,” she breathed. The anticipation of what he’d do to her was maddening. “Please Logan, hold my hand.”
“You look beautiful, baby. So gorgeous.” Logan briefly kissed her lips and took her hand in his, sending calming waves to her body. The self-control of a saint was all that kept him from taking her right then. “Breathe in and out, Wyn. That’s it. I can’t hold your hand the whole time but we’ll start with something easy. Smell. Wolves, we rely on scent to give us all kinds of information. To hunt prey. To track enemies. To seek out our lovers,” He kissed her shoulder. “Scent, it is essential. Tell me what you smell.”
Wynter inhaled deeply. Food. Well that made sense, they were in the kitchen. A faint odor of bleach. Maybe another scent, a comforting scent. Logan. “I smell you.” She smiled. “Not cologne. It’s something else. It smells so good. It’s woodsy and fresh and…my wolf, she likes it.”
Logan smiled. It was a start. Releasing her hand, he moved to her head and kissed her again. Then he turned and cracked open the window above the sink.
“And now?”
Unable to see, she knew immediately he’d introduced another variable. “Grass? And roses. That could be cheating because I did see them when I came in as well as the mulch. But there’s something else…it’s musky. Earthy.”
“The bayou,” he confirmed. “Anything else?”
Wynter’s face registered surprise. “It’s crazy,” she said in disbelief. “We’re alone?”
“Are we? You tell me?”
“I think I smell…do I smell Dimitri? Oh God,” Wynter exclaimed in embarrassment, wondering how she knew that.
“It’s okay, he’s not here.” Logan smoothed her hair back with his hand. “But he told me that he planned on a run tonight. See how amazing you are?”
“But how do I know..?”
“Instincts. Forget your human self for the moment. Just close your eyes, and look for your wolf. Let her help you. Okay, let’s move on,” he suggested, brushing his fingertips over her belly. “Hearing. It’s the single most acute sense we’ve got. Rustling of prey. Danger approaching. What do you hear?”
A hot coil built within the pool of her womb as Logan grazed over her stomach. If he’d just move his hand down further. The minute his petting edged her closer to orgasm, he stopped. She squeezed her thighs tightly but no relief came.
“Wyn?” Logan’s voice jarred her back to her erotic lesson.
“Yes, um, hearing,” she stammered. “Crickets. No, it’s louder than that. Cicadas maybe? Frogs…yes, a bullfrog. A splash. Something in the water.”
“When you shift, you’ll be able to identify all of nature’s sounds. To be able to discriminate so discretely you can tell whether a fox is matin’ or fightin’ a mile away,” Logan whispered in her ear.
Wynter sucked air as his warm breath touched her neck. “Please,” she begged. Her full heavy breasts tingled in hopes they’d be touched.
“Patience, little wolf. Perhaps the next two should be combined. Touch and taste. No longer having hands, your paws and claws will grip at the dirt, protected by your toughened pads. But as wolf, touch is mostly felt with the tongue.” Logan traced the tip of his tongue around one of her areola, until she moaned. Resisting, he retreated and opened a cabinet, extracting his next surprise.
“Open your mouth, Wynter,” he ordered, cupping her chin.
“What?” she gasped. Her pulse quickened.
Logan drew his finger across her lower lip, and then dipped it inside. Fuck yeah, it felt too good. He’d meant to open her mouth, but she’d latched onto his finger sucking it as if she was giving him a blow job. Her warm tongue swirled around the pad of his finger, and for a few glorious seconds, he indulged. Carefully taking back control, he pulled his digit out enough to skim along her bottom teeth. Her natural reaction was to open. He smiled in response to hers; she’d clearly known what she’d been doing to him.
“You taste so good, Logan. Like you belong to me,” she sighed.
“Our taste, our smell…as mates, we’re attracted to one another like magnets to iron,” Logan said as he positioned the small plastic bear at her lips. “Mouth open. That’s it, baby. Now taste.”
He squeezed the honey onto her lips, watching as her tongue darted forward to lap up the nectar.
“Honey,” she moaned with a smile.
Logan leaned forward and brushed his lips against hers, pressing his tongue into her mouth. They gently sucked and licked at each other until the sticky sweetness was gone. Logan pulled away, leaving Wynter breathless and moaning. With great speed, he walked to her feet. He parted her legs revealing her wet center.
“As wolf, we eat meat and even small berries now and then. But it is the taste of your arousal that drives me mad, sweetheart.” Logan paused. He leaned forward and dragged his tongue along the inside of her thigh, but stopped short of her core. He stroked her pussy softly then drove two fingers deep within her. Plunging in and out, he watched as her juices coated his hands, then pulled out of her and brought his fingers to her lips, painting them. With ease, he slipped them into her mouth. “You taste delicious. Better than any meal I’ve ever had. Better than any wine I’ve ever known.”
Wynter shook with excitement. At his hand she almost came, but he’d withdrawn leaving her empty. She sucked and lapped at his fingers, tasting the evidence of her own arousal on them. Moaning and undulating her hips upward, she sought the friction that never came.
“Please,” she managed to say. “I can’t take it. Please, Logan.”
The sight of Wynter so open and the feel of her sucking him broke his restraint. Logan unbuckled his belt and freed his cock. He retrieved his fingers from her mouth and once again sunk them back into her pussy; his thumb gently applied pressure to her clit. As he continued to bring her toward orgasm, he walked around the island so his hips were near her face.
Wynter cried Logan’s name. His fingers stroked the tender strip inside her channel, and she almost flew off the countertop. Writhing her mound up into his hand, she struggled to hold back her climax. Unable to see, she felt the heat of his body radiate close to her, a kiss to her neck.
“Suck me,” Logan told her, guiding his pulsing shaft toward her mouth. The silken head of him brushed her lips.
In the darkness, Wynter rolled onto her side, blindly searching for the hardness of his sex. With Logan’s assistance, she wrapped her small hand around him. Bringing his swollen flesh to her lips, she licked at his seam, taking in his salty essence. Trembling, Wynter took the length of him all the way into her mouth, allowing the tip of her
tongue to play along the underside of his swollen flesh. She rocked her head back and forth, relishing the taste of her mate. Using her hands and lips, she gripped him tightly as she sucked.
Logan dragged in a breath. Her hot mouth suctioned him, pistoning up and down. Drenched in her wetness, he felt her core tighten around his fingers. Unrelenting, he swept the pad of his thumb across her swollen hood once again. As she began to lose the thread of control that held her together, he withdrew his cock, allowing her to fall over the cliff of ecstasy.
Wynter moaned at the loss of him. She wasn’t sure of the exact moment she’d embraced the submission, nor did she understand why her body responded to his touch with terrific exuberance. All thought went, lost with the last graze of his fingers. A wall of energy slammed her, driving her into climax, and leaving her shuddering in release. Wynter’s chest heaved, trying to recover from the high.
Logan leaned forward to remove his tie from her eyes. Like Wynter’s presuppositions about what she thought was wolf, the silk blindfold fell to the floor. Logan smiled as she moaned and gazed up at him. He cupped her face, admiring his spectacular mate. Captivated by her honesty and reckless abandon, his chest tightened with an overwhelming yet unfamiliar passion. Had he fallen in love? Rationally, he’d always known that he could find his mate, but after a hundred years, he’d happily remained single. Now everything was changed forever. A single chance meeting in an alley had resulted in a life-altering experience he could have never anticipated or understood. Only in this moment was he cognizant of the ramifications. Life would never be the same and he didn’t want it to be.
With the ache building again, Wynter wiggled her hips in an effort to reach him. She opened her eyes, drinking in the sight of him. His hair was wild; the look in his eyes wild with desire.
“Logan, please,” she cried.
“I’ll give you everything you need, baby. Every day, every minute, every second.”
Tugging her by her hips, he lifted her bottom until it reached the edge of the counter. Logan lifted her legs up over his shoulders, wrapping his hands around her thighs. He pressed against her entrance, thrusting into her pussy in one smooth stroke. As he penetrated her tight heat, his cock slid back and forth into his mate. Groaning, Logan built a slow rhythm, resisting the urge to pound into her relentlessly.
