by Kimber White
It didn’t help. Jake gave me a sideways glance but didn’t stop me. I shook my head and turned the radio even louder. I know Mal warned me about my speed, but I couldn’t help it. I pressed my foot to the floor and pushed the Jeep to eighty miles per hour. Weres were fast, but not that fast.
We passed another mile marker. Then another. Asher’s presence finally faded. The closer I got to the Ohio border, the fainter his pull became and it gave me renewed hope. His reach wasn’t infinite. I could escape.
Finally, I felt ready to talk again.
“Tell me about Wild Lake. How’s it been since . . .” I couldn’t bring myself to say it. Since Tucker died and Mal became Alpha.
“As good as it can be under the circumstances,” Jake said. “We’ve really been focused on getting you back. It wasn’t easy to get Bas and some of the others to agree to come out here. But, Pat finally got them to come around.”
I couldn’t help but laugh. “You mean she threatened to throw them off her lands.”
Jake smiled back. “Yeah. Something like that.”
“God, I can’t wait to see her again.”
“She’s been worried sick about you. Harold too. We all have. In a lot of ways, you’re the thing that’s kept this pack together. What happened that night . . . with Tucker and Mal. You need to know how conflicted we were.”
I exhaled.
“You understand why Reed, Barrett, and I didn’t step in to stop Mal’s challenge. It would have violated pack law. I loved Tucker. You know that.”
I gripped the steering wheel hard. In the months since Tucker died, I could isolate my grief. Now, sitting next to someone who felt his loss just as keenly, I thought my heart might tear in two. But, I couldn’t think about that now. We still had miles to go.
But Jake’s words stirred me. My heart fluttered with worry for the tiny life growing inside me. Mal became Alpha by default, not victory. If the battle between them had reached a natural conclusion, Tucker may have killed him instead. It meant Reed, Barrett, and Jake’s loyalty to Mal hadn’t been earned; it was simply pack law.
“He’s marked you,” Jake said. “You know the pack felt it when it happened, right?”
Yes. I knew. It had happened like that the first time when Tucker did it. But Mal’s marking was even stronger because we’d mated. Of course the others felt the bond too.
Then, understanding shuddered through me at what Jake was trying to say. “We follow Mal anywhere, because we have to. And now, with you as his mate, we’ll follow him anywhere because we want to. He brought you back to us, Neve. You’ve made us whole again.”
The weight of his words settled over me. Tucker’s pack . . . now Mal’s pack . . . had been vulnerable in Tucker’s absence. I had been the point around which they finally rallied. Though Mal was Alpha, I had the power to hold this pack together or tear it apart. All along, I thought the pack had changed me. But, as Jake held my hand I finally understood how much I had changed them. Though I missed Tucker, Jake had just given me the gift of knowing how he could live on through me. I brought Jake’s hand to my lips and kissed him.
Chapter Fifty-Three
Just as Mal instructed, we drove through the night. Finally, my headlights fell on a road sign declaring, “Ohio, the Heart of it All.”
“I don’t sense anyone I shouldn’t,” Jake said, offering encouragement. I held my breath as I pressed the pedal to the floor again and felt a change in the pavement as I crossed the border out of Kentucky. The GPS indicated our destination was just ten more miles.
It was two a.m. and I’d taken a back road Mal programmed into the GPS. The road was empty. I made the turn off and headed down a winding country trail. Woods sprang up all around me again and it gave me comfort.
“There’s a private drive. You’ll see it just off to the right past that row of trees.”
“Thank God you’re here,” I said. The GPS didn’t say anything about the turn off. I would have driven right by it. As I made my way up the dirt drive, I hit the high beams. A small brick two story sat at the top of the hill surrounded by pine trees.
The place looked abandoned. A single porch light burned, but there was no sign of life inside. Surrounded by dense woods again, I was momentarily afraid to get out of the car. I didn’t hear Asher or any of the rest of his pack, but didn’t want to take any chances.
I nearly jumped out of my skin when Jake’s cell phone rang.
“Mal?” Jake hit the speaker button so I could hear along with him.
“We’re right behind you,” he said. “The rest of Bas’s pack met us about twenty miles from where we left you. We drove the rest of the way. Have Neve pull the car into the garage and sit tight.”
“Thank God,” I said. Tears I hadn’t realized I’d been holding in bubbled up.
“You did well,” Jake said as he clicked off the phone. “You’re strong, Neve.”
“I just want them to get here,” I pulled the Jeep out of sight in the garage. Jake and I got out together and headed through the back door into the house.
The safe house was clean and homey, but with décor straight out of the Seventies. Thick pile brown shag carpet, orange and gold checkered wallpaper in the kitchen, and green appliances. Jake found cans of soup in the pantry and pots and pans. I gave him a thumbs up. It wasn’t a grand meal, but my stomach growled in anticipation anyway. I had a new, wild appetite now. I downed two cans of lukewarm soup, found a place to freshen up, and waited. Jake shifted and prowled the grounds, holding sentry until the rest of the pack arrived.
With my newly heightened senses, I heard the SUVs turn down the gravel country road long before I saw them. They cut their headlights and parked behind the house side by side. I ran out the back door.
Mal, Reed, and Barrett piled out of one vehicle. Bas and the other seven members of his pack came out of the other three cars. Bas and Mal had some terse words. Bas stood shoulder to shoulder with Mal. They slapped each other on the back as they clasped hands and said their goodbyes.
“Thank you,” I said, stepping forward. “I know how much it could have cost you coming down here.”
I leaned up on my tiptoes and planted a kiss on Bas’s cheek. A shudder went through him when I did it and I felt drawn to him too; he was an Alpha after all. His silver eyes glinted in the dim light and he gave me a tight-lipped but sincere smile. His eyes flicked to Mal. Mal gave him a quick nod, confirming what Bas must have sensed. We were mated.
“Well, that changes things by a lot. Take care of yourself, Neve,” he said, his voice a warm tenor. “You stood up to Asher. That shows you’ve got real guts and brains. You make sure these assholes treat you right. If they don’t, don’t be afraid to head up north.”
He shot me a wink and a glare to Mal. I gave a nod to the rest of his pack.
“We gotta light out,” Bas said. “Be safe. We’ll let you know if we see any action on the way north. The sooner you get your asses back to Wild Lake, the better.”
Mal nodded. They said more goodbyes then Bas and his crew piled back into the SUVs and headed out.
I turned and smiled. “Aggh! I missed you!” I ran toward Reed, Barrett, and Jake. They’d been strangely reserved since getting out of the cars. But, as I launched myself into Reed’s arms, he caught me in a giant bear hug and spun me around. I reached over and tousled Jake’s hair. When Reed put me down, Barrett stepped forward to fold me into his arms next.
These men were familiar, warm, tender. Had I any doubt about their feelings, they put them all to rest as they walked with me back into the house. I had a million questions and so did they. But something brewed deep within me that went beyond words and answers.
In one moment, we were all easy with each other as Reed, Barrett, and Jake replayed the battle they’d left behind. They ribbed each other. Already the tales they told grew taller as they embellished each detail. The truth was grave enough. If the packs weren’t at war before, they were now. Mal took down one of the Kentucky pack members. I lear
ned Bas had actually been the one to kill Brennan. This knowledge tore at me as I felt a kind of split loyalty to them both.
They talked well into the night. Their laughter rose and fell and put me in a state of easy comfort and familiarity. Only Mal stayed out of the fray. He leaned against the far wall and watched us all. His eyes flicked to mine from time to time, sending a zing of heat through me. Jake found a stockpile of whiskey. He offered me a drink and I reached out to take it, then stopped. Jake gave me a questioning look but I smiled and waved him off. I caught Mal’s eye. A smirk lifted the corner of his mouth. While I waved off the whiskey, soon, a different kind of warmth flowed through me. I said nothing. I sat in a chair opposite the others, my legs drawn up, resting my chin on my knees.
Then, it was as though the air shifted all around us. Reed and the others grew quiet. Jake let out an uncomfortable cough. Mal had communicated something to them.
“Good night,” Barrett said. He and the other rose at once. They came to me one by one and offered chaste kisses. I didn’t know how it would be with them now that Mal and I had mated. We’d taken our pleasures from each other before and I knew I still wanted them. But, I could sense the change in the pack dynamic already with Mal as Alpha. He may not want to share. The others turned and headed down into the basement, leaving Mal and me alone together.
He didn’t say a word. Mal held out his hand and I took it. This time, my own heat matched his as our skin touched. I would have let him take me right then and there, not caring who came up to watch, but Mal had other plans.
“Come on,” he said. “I think I’m still capable of spending time with you like a human, instead of taking you on the forest floor like the wild thing you are.”
He chuffed near my ear, sending a wave of heat through me, settling between my legs.
“I kind of still like the forest floor, but yeah. A nice clean bed sounds like heaven right about now.”
I let him lead me down the hall. The master bedroom was sparsely furnished with just a king-sized bed, no headboard, one tall dresser, and an oil painting of a lone wolf baying at the moon.
“Nice touch,” I said, running my hands along the painting’s wooden frame.
When I turned, Mal had already peeled off his clothes. I sank to the bed in front of him. He stood between my legs. I ran my hands up the powerful muscles of his thighs and clasped them around his firm ass. I looked up at my Alpha. His eyes shone with lust and something new.
“You felt it,” he said. “When we mated. I didn’t just imagine it.”
I let out a breath and rested my head against his hard stomach. A trail of black curls from his belly button down tickled my cheek. I felt the rise and fall of his measured breaths and knew he struggled to keep himself in check. I looked back up at him again.
“I think so. And I can’t explain it. I don’t think that’s how it happens with, you know, a regular human pregnancy.”
Mal hooked his hands under my arms and lifted me up. Though our lust grew, his movements were slow and tender as he lifted my shirt over my head and helped me wriggle out of my jeans and boots. I scooted back to the head of the bed. Mal slid in beside me. He rested his head on the pillow next to me and placed his hand over my stomach.
I felt a stirring deep inside, as though the tiny creature within knew he was there. It was just the slightest sensation. Like the smallest fish tugging on a line, but it was there. Mal looked at me, his amber eyes filled with wonder and tenderness. Neither of us had expected this.
I didn’t want to think too far ahead, but I had to be honest with myself. I didn’t love this man. Not exactly. I cared for him deeply. I craved him, yes. My body responded to his like it was built for his, but my heart still ached for Tucker. And yet, I couldn’t deny my growing affection for Mal as well. He’d risked everything to find me. He saved me. He gave me a gift I never realized I yearned for.
“I know you don’t love me like you loved Tucker,” Mal said. God, it was going to take some getting used to, having him inside my head like this. “I don’t expect you to. But, Neve, I’ll make you this promise. I’ll do anything for you. I’ll always come for you.”
I leaned down and kissed him. “I do love you in my own way. And I can promise you loyalty. And this is my pack too now. You know that more than anyone. I want to strengthen it by your side.”
Mal smiled. “I can live with that. Now come here, woman. Enough talk.”
When Mal pulled me close to him, it was my turn to growl. He grabbed me by the hips and lifted me up in one fluid, powerful motion that left me gasping. Then, he lowered me gently, impaling me on his hard, thick shaft. I moaned with delight as he filled me and I seated myself on him.
“God, you’re the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen,” Mal said. He reached up and gently grasped each of my nipples with his fingers. He tugged on them, stretching them out. A current of pleasure shot through me from the sensation of his touch straight down to the cleft between my legs. I started to move, gyrating slowly as he held me fast.
As he held my swollen nipples between his fingers, it was like he’d found some pleasure dial that he could tweak and pull, controlling the growing heat between my legs. I moaned and sighed as he stroked me. My thrusts became harder, faster. Mal let me set the pace. He kept himself still as I took my pleasure, riding him up and down, bouncing on his cock. He smiled and watched, keeping his gentle but firm grip on my nipples.
“Mal,” I gasped. With each pounding thrust, I felt the rising wave of pleasure. I could barely contain it. If Mal hadn’t kept his hands on me, I felt like I might float straight off the bed. I loved it. Loved his cock. His hands. I bucked and thrust like the wild thing he’d made of me.
“Say it,” Mal growled and I knew what he meant.
“Yours,” I gasped. “All yours.”
“Say my name,” he commanded.
He would not deny my love or grief for Tucker. But, he wouldn’t let me forget who commanded my body now. Oh, I didn’t want to. Tucker may still have my heart, but Mal had this. I knew I would do anything for him. To sate my lust, I would submit to him over and over again.
“Mal!” I screamed. “Oh, Mal. Yes! I’m yours. Fuck me.”
“Say it again!” He pinched my nipples. I wanted that too. The harder the better. I wanted him to own me. Use me. Fuck me.
“Mal. Fuck me. Please . . . all . . . yours.”
His wolf eyes flashed and that’s the last thing I saw. I threw my head up and arched my back. Mal let go of my nipples and gripped my hips. My orgasm tore through me. I bucked and swayed. I would have fallen over if Mal hadn’t kept me well seated. He came with me, shooting his hot seed straight up into me again. He dug his fingers into my buttocks and I had the urge to let him mark me again. I wanted the world to know it.
He was my Alpha. I was his mate. I would fuck him and service him over and over. It was everything. Nothing else mattered.
When we finally crested down together, Mal brought his hands up and guided me down, gathering me close to his breast. He cradled me as if I would break. I wouldn’t though. And he knew it.
I reached up and caressed his cheek. I brought him down to kiss me. And for the first time since I lost Tucker, I started to believe I could find perhaps a different kind of happiness.
Chapter Fifty-Four
Mal took me again and again that night and straight into dawn. Every time I started to fall asleep, Mal would coax me awake for another round. I ached, felt stretched raw. And yet, every time he wanted me, I rose to it. I lost count of how many times he fucked me. I came hard each and every time. Though he pushed me to the point of exhaustion and beyond, my lust grew just as much as his did. He made me prove over and over that my body belonged to his. But his belonged to me just as much.
He finally did let me doze off just after the sun came up. It didn’t last long though. Mal jumped on the bed, sending me straight into the air.
“Break time’s over,” he said, practically growling it. “Tha
t is if you want to make good time. We can be at Wild Lake by tonight if we hurry.”
I bolted upright, and my heart raced. “Do you mean it? Seriously?”
Mal smiled and thumped the bed with an open palm. “That’s the plan. Just got word from Bas. They made it without a hitch. No sign of Asher or the Kentucky packs. I’m guessing old Ash has got himself in deep shit for endangering the packs over a scrawny little girl like you.”
He reached out and tweaked my nipple. Last night, that felt like heaven. This morning, I was sore as hell. I slapped his hand away.
“Careful. I’m going to need those later,” I said. Mal raised and lowered his brow in a comical gesture that made me laugh.
He held his hand out and I took it. He pulled me to my feet and I nearly fell over again. Every muscle in my body ached. I hissed from the pain. Mal’s face fell. “Are you all right?”
I flapped a hand at him. “Just a little saddle sore. No thanks to you.”
He laughed and pulled me close. His cock stirred against my stomach and I pushed him away. “Oh no you don’t. I said I’m yours, that doesn’t mean you don’t owe me a break, buster.”
Mal gave me a playful swat on the ass as I gathered my clothes. God, I couldn’t wait to get home and have a full wardrobe again. I’d been wearing nothing but jeans and cowboy boots for two months.
When I went out into the living room, the rest of the pack was already dressed and ready to go. I grew shy for a moment. A look passed between them and Mal. In the throes of passion last night, I hadn’t cared how loud we got. By the sheepish expressions on each of their faces, and bags under their eyes, I knew we must have been very loud indeed. It seemed no one in the house had slept at all last night. I bit my lip, cutting off an apology. Better just to ignore that particular elephant in the room and go about my business.
“Let’s go!” Mal said. He came behind me, kissed my neck and put a protective hand on my stomach. If the others recognized the gesture, they didn’t let it register in the looks they gave me. Of course my condition would be big news for the pack, but I didn’t trust it yet. I still wondered whether the whole thing was a mere figment of my imagination.
