by Kimber White
Tucker leaned forward, I felt his breath skittering between my shoulder blades. He licked me there. My hair fell to the side as he planted his hands flat on the floor, just outside of mine. This way, he had me pinned beneath him, both of us on all fours with his dick plowed deep.
When he moved again I felt the first shudders of my building orgasm. “Not yet,” he whispered. “Control it.”
I whimpered and willed myself still. Tucker’s teeth scraped the back of my neck and my eyes went wide. I pushed back, trying to match him thrust for thrust.
“Yes,” I whispered. “Do it. Please.”
“Are you mine?” he said, his voice low.
“Yes. Just yours. Only yours. Promise me.”
“I promise,” he answered. “Only me. No one else ever again.”
Tucker played with the edges of my mark again, teasing me, making me beg. I was near tears now, trying to control the rising tide of my orgasm. He swiped his tongue one last time along the crescent shaped scar. Then, he bared his teeth and clamped down, and his fangs rent my flesh. A stab of pain paralyzed me, but just for an instant. Then that pain became wave after wave of pleasure that blossomed out from every nerve ending, making me quake.
He bit me deeper this time than the first. I felt hot blood flow. I trembled beneath him, as I tried to contain the ecstasy. My orgasm went on and on as Tucker finally drew back his teeth. He licked the wound again, taking away the pain. Somehow, I could taste my own blood just as if it were in my mouth, not his.
And then something else took over. Tucker moved back, pulling himself out of me. I turned and put my hands flat on his chest, driving him backward. He had been in control, but now it was my turn. He laid on the ground and I straddled him. He’d fucked me well and my slick pussy gaped open for him. He went in smooth and deep. Tucker put his hands on my hips to keep me steady. His movements were erratic while his cock jerked inside me, and I knew he was so close to his own release. I bobbed up and down as Tucker finally shot his hot seed straight up into me, filling me to the brim. As he came, I raked my hands across Tucker’s chest, leaving three long lines of blood on each of his pecs, marking him as he’d marked me. He hissed and arched his back. Then a slow smile spread across his face and I knew his own pain had blossomed into pleasure.
“Are you mine?” I asked him.
Tucker’s eyes grew wide and his smile widened. “Yes. Always. No one else.”
His wolf hovered just near the surface. Tucker let out a growl that shook the walls as he hit one last wave of pleasure. When I felt him soften inside me, he brought his hands up and entwined his fingers through mine. He brought me gently against him until I laid in the curve of his shoulder. A perfect fit.
Tucker was mine and I was his. And we were stronger together.
Chapter Thirty-Two
The last days of summer faded into fall. We’d heard nothing from Mal, but no one in the pack questioned Tucker’s actions. Although we’d had no conversation about what happened, everyone knew what had to be done. When Mal tried to claim me, he betrayed Tucker. Betrayal of the Alpha was a betrayal of the pack. I felt sorry for his loss, but it brought a new peace to the pack that I’d not felt before. Pat had been right. What happened with Mal had been coming on for a long time. I just hadn’t realized it, because I’d never known the pack without him.
On one of the last warm days of fall, Tucker took me out for a picnic lunch by the lake. Soon the water would be too cold for me to swim in. I stretched out on my side over the picnic blanket, watching Tucker feed himself from a bunch of grapes with sensual delight. He reached a lazy finger over to me and tugged gently at one of my nipples, smiling as it pebbled for him. His finger trailed to my other nipple and my heart tripped.
It hadn’t been a month since Tucker marked me a third time, but already, my body had changed. Some things were subtle, others more alarming. My hair grew thicker and longer at an unnatural pace. It had darkened, too, taking on a shade almost identical to Tucker’s. My nipples went from rosy-pink to a deeper wine color and had grown in size as well.
My need to be with Tucker had grown stronger too, just like in the hours after he marked me the first time. Except now, the urge didn’t fade but grew stronger each day. We made love four or five times a day now and it never seemed like enough.
As Tucker traced a circle around my nipple, I felt my rising need bubble to the surface again. It had been less than an hour since we’d fucked so I knew if I didn’t distract him soon, I wouldn’t be able to control it. And I came out here today with him both to enjoy the lake before it grew too cold to swim, but also to talk about things he’d been putting off.
Tucker spent the last few days introducing me to a few of the other packs that came to Wild Lake. Collin’s pack. He had a wife and children. Several other members of his pack had mated with human women and had families too. I also met Zeke’s pack. They were a bachelor pack with ten members. Two other bachelor packs also called Wild Lake sanctuary, and Tucker was going to take me to meet them next week. They lived furthest north, one of them over the Canadian border. Their Alphas were Sebastian and Mitchell. They too had larger packs than Tucker’s. Though no one had said anything out loud, I knew what Mal’s loss had cost us in that regard.
For now though, the day was perfect. The kind that doesn’t come along very often. I ran a hand down the rippled muscles of his bicep. My own hair fell over us like a curtain, thick and long and nearly matching his own.
“It’s happening to me, isn’t it?” I said. “The heat.”
Tucker smiled and sat up. He threw the grape stem into the lake. “I think so. I’ve never seen it happen this fast. It usually takes years. It took Marcus’s wife five years before Asher was born and that was about average.”
“And you’ve only marked me three times.”
Tucker nodded. “And those were during a new and quarter moon.”
He looked down and pulled at a blade of grass. It’s the first mention he’d made about the moon’s phases and the marking.
“What happens if you bite me again during the full moon?” I couldn’t remember when that was. Had we just had a full moon last week?
Tucker leaned over and kissed me on the forehead. “I don’t know for sure. But with the way you’ve changed already, I’m pretty sure that’s all it would take. One more bite during a full moon and I think you’ll be in full heat.”
My heart raced. I’d suspected it, but hadn’t been able to bring myself to ask. It was a final step between us and, like everything else, it brought me desire and trepidation all at once. Tucker wanted me to be absolutely sure.
“You’re sure I won’t shift, like you?” I played with the ends of my newly black hair.
He shook his head. “No one’s ever gone from human to shifter. You can only give birth to another were. It doesn’t mean it won’t change you more than I already have. I just don’t know exactly how. Everyone’s different.”
“We need it, don’t we?” I said. “The pack. There was a price to losing Mal. I can’t hear the other packs like you and ours, but I can guess what they’re thinking.”
Tucker nodded. “We have time before anything’s decided. A merge is possible. With Bas or Mitch most likely.”
I shuddered. I knew what that meant, even if Tucker wouldn’t come out and say it. There could only be one Alpha in a pack. Neither Bas nor Mitch would willingly step down. What Alpha would? It meant bloodshed and harm for people that I loved. Tucker leaned over and took my hand. He brought it to his lips and kissed me.
“I said, nothing needs to be decided now.”
I knew what that meant, too. The pack was waiting to see what would happen with me. Would I be able to give Tucker an heir? Though Tucker and I needed to mate to secure his line, our small pack left us exposed if another pack threatened us. But, even if I could, that wouldn’t solve the immediate problem. We’d still need numbers . . . adult weres . . . to fight off Asher or other threats that came our way.
&nbs
p; For now though, as Tucker stretched out beside me and folded me in his strong arms against his broad shoulders, it was hard to think about anything that wasn’t him. I leaned over and kissed him and soon that wasn’t enough. I could no longer hold my rising need at bay. As Tucker lay back, I shifted and moved to straddle him. His thick cock had already risen for me. I positioned myself, sighing deep in anticipation of how well I knew he’d fill me.
As I hovered over him, Tucker’s pulse beat strong and my own rose to match it. I opened my eyes to watch him as I sank down on him. My vision clouded as a third pulse filled us both. I swayed, nearly toppling over. Tucker shot a hand out to catch me. He bared his teeth and his wolf eyes flared. I froze. The third pounding heartbeat filled me, no longer as strong as Tucker’s but it was there, familiar and threatening.
I turned as Tucker gripped my hips and flipped me, putting his body between me and danger. We saw Mal together, standing in silhouette against the setting sun on the high bluff west of the lake. His howl filled me and Tucker shifted before me. He turned back to me, his ears pressed flat against his head. He used one more power that had grown between us since he’d marked me a second time. Telepathy.
Stay here. Don’t move no matter what you hear.
Then Tucker ran toward the bluff to meet Mal’s challenge.
Chapter Thirty-Three
I moved fast, scrambling to find my clothes. I threw my t-shirt over my head and found my underwear. My jeans were nowhere to be found. I cast the blanket aside. My Alpha faced a deadly threat and I was going to have to sit on the sidelines in my underwear if I couldn’t pull it together.
Reed, Barrett, and Jake’s wolves tore through the woods and stopped before me. I couldn’t put words to their thoughts like I could Tucker’s but I didn’t have to.
“The bluff,” I said. “Mal’s called Tucker out. Go!”
Reed and Barrett tore off like a shot. Jake hesitated. As omega, I knew he’d been charged with keeping me safe in case of a crisis like this one. “Go!” I shouted. “I’ll head back to the house. I don’t know if Mal is alone. Tucker will need numbers.”
Jake whined and pawed the ground. But he looked toward the bluff. The pull of the rest of the pack was too strong. He chuffed once and ran after them.
I still couldn’t find my damn pants. I moved to gather the blanket to cover myself when white heat speared through my chest. I screamed and put my hands over my ears. Tucker’s cry of pain nearly deafened me.
Tucker was hurt. Badly. His heart beat at a wild, uneven pace, then settled. Whatever blow he’d taken, he seemed to recover from it and I could breathe easier myself. I took a shaky step forward. I should stay. I should go back to the house. I tried to sort out my own feelings from the waves I felt from Tucker. They were one and the same now. The urge to run to him was so strong. I sat down and focused on making my breathing more even. I couldn’t let my rising panic take over. If I could feel Tucker, he could feel me.
When I felt more in control. I stood slowly and turned toward the house. A sharp chill cut through the air as the last rays of the sun began to fade. I saw my jeans wadded against one of the tall pines and I went for them. Then, a second stab of pain tore through my abdomen and brought me to my knees.
When I rose again, although Tucker’s parting words burned inside me, my body compelled me forward. If it was some other change from the third mark I’d never know, but when I felt pain blossoming across my back, I ran toward the bluff. My head told me one thing but my heart, Tucker’s heart, had taken control.
For the rest of my life, I think I might dream of tearing through those woods. Branches snared in my hair. Rocks cut my feet, but still I kept running. If Tucker was mortally wounded, it was worth my life to be at his side. He was my Alpha, and I was his mate. We were stronger together than we were apart no matter what.
Finally, I reached the clearing. The sight before me brought me to my knees once more. Reed, Barrett, and Jake stood with their backs to me. Though I hadn’t heard it, Tucker must have commanded them to stay rooted where they were.
Mal and Tucker circled each other near the edge of the bluff. Mal’s snout was torn; the skin hung loose and bloody foam poured from his mouth. Tucker’s beautiful silver back ran red with blood from a deep gash across his shoulders. As they circled toward my hiding spot, I covered my mouth with my hand. Tucker had a wide gash across his chest.
I bit my hand and tasted my own blood. I couldn’t call out. I couldn’t do anything that would make him lose focus. They’d reached some sort of stalemate, and any movement from me could turn things.
Mal faced the rest of the pack. I heard his thoughts as clearly as Tucker’s.
He’s finished. Tucker can’t lead you anymore. All of you know it, but none of you have been willing to face it. I understand it. I love Tucker too. But he’s weakened this pack. Decimated it. He couldn’t hold Hidden Forest. And he can’t sire an heir. Magda was telling the truth. You’ll all die alone waiting for him to fail and fail again. He should have stepped down and he knows it.
What was he saying? It was a lie. It had to be a lie.
Join me and you’ll be stronger for it. Defy me and you’ll die.
The pack froze. Mal’s words meant something to Reed, Barret and Jake. They hesitated.
Tucker growled low behind him. I wanted desperately to go to him. The wounds on his back and chest were so grave, his fur seemed like it had turned to rust. He took a staggering step forward. While Mal’s back was turned, I saw the look in Tucker’s eye and knew what he was about to do. I willed my mind and my body still.
A third pulsation filled my ears and me with fresh terror. It meant another Alpha was near.
Asher.
Something moved in the trees behind me. Out of nowhere A hand clamped over my mouth, choking the air from me, and dragged me backward. I saw the face of a man I’d never met, although I knew on instinct I’d faced his wolf before. He’d been with Asher that day on the country road, trying to tear me from my car before Tucker saved me.
He heaved me over his shoulder as if I weighed nothing. I scratched and clawed at his back, but it was like trying to tear through a stone wall with my bare hands. I twisted until I was facing the clearing. Just as Tucker leapt to strike, he saw me. He came down hard on Mal’s back. The two of them twisted and rolled in a pile of fur and claws.
When they rose again, Tucker started toward the woods in my direction. I screamed once but the third heartbeat rose strong. Asher darted into the clearing, charging for Tucker. Tucker didn’t see him. His eyes were focused on me as I struggled against my captor. More wolves came at us from all sides. Were they Asher’s pack, or Wild Lake’s?
Mal froze next to Tucker, their battle forgotten as they focused on me. I tried to scream out to them with my voice and mind, but Asher’s man kept his hand over my mouth as he ran with me. Tucker never saw Asher. It was too late. Asher charged Tucker and rammed into his side at full speed. The force of Asher’s blow sent Tucker reeling to the edge of the bluff and over.
I screamed one last time as I felt Tucker’s heartbeat slow. I felt every crunching bone as he tumbled down the walls of the ravine. My head seemed to split in two as he landed hard at last on the solid rock floor. Then when his heart stopped for good, my own felt like it had been ripped from my chest.
Tucker. My heart. My blood. My Alpha. When I reached out for him one last time, there was nothing left but a black, desperate void. The mournful howls of my pack, even Mal’s, rose together and cut through the air and my soul along with it.
And then Asher’s heartbeat rose and drowned out everything else as he ran toward me and his man carried me away.
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Book Four
Pack Wars
Chapter Thirty-Four
This is death. Cold, black, damp space. No sound. No odor. Hardness. People talk of thick darkness. This wasn’t that, but it was absolute. I blinked. Or at least, I think I did. I felt cold, wet ground beneath me so I knew I s
till had hands. And I knew maybe I wasn’t dead. But, when I lifted them, I couldn’t see even the outline of fingers in shadow. There was no source of light anywhere.
So when every other sense seemed to fail me, I reached out with the only other one I thought I could trust. I stilled my mind and listened within myself. My heartbeat, my pulse, my blood coursing through my veins. I could sense and feel it all. But, there was nothing else. Tucker was gone. Mal was gone. My pack was gone. I felt pain like a phantom limb. When I reached for them, I felt agony, like my heart might explode, and the air left my lungs. A cry ripped from my throat more primal than anything I’d ever heard from any of my wolves except this time it was coming from me. Each time I reached out for them, the pain returned stronger. I knew if I kept trying, it might kill me for real. At the moment, that may still be the better choice.
I could still see Tucker’s limp body sliding over the side of the cliff. I felt the crunching of bones and stilling of his heartbeat for that final time. Pain like a thousand knives entered my body all at once and made me double over and hold myself in a fetal position. It came wave after wave leaving me gasping for air and in a cold sweat.
Finally, I shut out every other thought except to focus on breathing in and out. In and out. After a few minutes, the pain became bearable. Instead of searing agony, I just felt a cold, dull ache.
I moved carefully, reaching out across the ground. The walls were rigid, rocky and very cold. There was dirt beneath me but it didn’t go down very deep. When I clawed at the ground, I soon found rock just like the walls that surrounded me. I stretched out. I found a long ledge. Fearing the depth of the drop off, I backed against the wall, drawing my legs to my chest.
