by J. E. Cluney
“None of us have been the same without you. Jaye hasn’t been drawing or painting as much, Nathan spends some afternoons off alone in the horse fields, and I can’t stand to be around the other couples and mates at the communal gatherings,” he sighed as he stroked my face.
I reached over him to rest the wolf back down on the bedside table, and Scott took the chance to flick his tongue out and run it over my bare nipple as I leaned over him. I giggled and swatted him as I lay back down in his arms, but he’d sent the heat down between my legs.
“I’m sorry, you must be tired. Coming home, after we’ve all only been able to see you over the phone, only experience phone sex and our hands, it’s hard to not think about it,” he sighed.
“It’s okay, I’ve missed all of you, I’ve missed being with you,” I purred as I ran a hand down his rock-hard chest, my fingers tracing the patch of blond hair on his chest.
He rumbled with a soft growl as my fingers explored his chest, missing the feel of his strong, powerful body. I could feel his excitement at my return pressed against my inner thigh through the material of his boxers, and I smiled seductively as I leaned up to kiss him.
Scott sighed as I kissed him, his beard tickling my chin as he deepened the tender kiss, gently kissing me as a heavy hand ran down my back to cup my ass. I moaned as his other hand reached up to caress my breast, giving my left nipple a soft pinch. The sweet spot between my legs ignited at this, and I ground against him, enjoying how all he wore was a pair of boxers. Someone had been frisky when he’d climbed into my bed, even if he didn’t make it clear right away.
He kneaded my breast in his hand as he kissed me, passionate and hungry, but gentle. The hand cupping my ass cheek squeezed, and I let out a sweet moan as I held his face in place as I gave in to my growing lust. I kissed him hard, the deep growl inside him rumbling through my body as he yanked his boxers down.
The feel of his thick, long length against my thigh made me quiver in anticipation.
“Tell me, Tay, did you miss fucking us?” he growled as he nibbled my earlobe, his deep voice making my inside squirm in joy.
“God yes,” I moaned as his hand swept down from my breast to dive between my legs. He flipped us over so that I lay beneath him, and I gasped as his thick finger slid inside me. I tightened around his finger involuntarily, drawing a deep, animalistic growl of lust from his throat as he nuzzled my breast.
He showered them in kisses and suckled my nipples, nipping them as he stroked my clit with his thumb.
I rocked against him, thrusting against his hand in sheer delight as the lust and desire built inside me.
And then I was left wanting as he moved away, and I whimpered when he stood up beside the bed and cocked his head at me.
“Run with me, dawn has only just come, I want to take you down by the river,” his deep, rumbling voice rocked me, and my body twinged at his words.
No sooner had he said the words then I was after him. He barreled out of my room and into the hall, not caring as he laughed and dashed past one of the other pack she-wolves who was tidying up the mansion.
I darted after him, twirling to wave at the she-wolf, Bianca, who grinned and shook her head at our behavior before I continued after him.
Once we burst through the side doors in the kitchen, Scott shifted, his body morphing and sprouting fur as his nose elongated into a snout.
The large grey-brown wolf shot towards the woods and I tore after him, flinging myself forward as my body underwent the same change. The wave of heat and gentle pain as my body cracked and shifted, the red-brown fur exploding forth from my skin, my legs changing and paws replacing my feet and hands.
I yipped as I bolted after the grey wolf, quickly catching up on all four legs and shooting past him like an arrow. He howled after me in delight, and we weaved back and forth, snapping playfully with our tails held high. I knew that in this state he could smell my desire for him, my need, and more than once he barreled into me and jammed his snout into my butt, drawing in my scent as we dashed down to the river.
Scott and I had mated more than once in wolf state, not something our kind often did, but I loved it. Today though, he had other plans it seemed as we came upon the river in a sloped clearing. A soft fog was sitting over the water, and the sounds of early morning birds and insects filled the air.
I spun around as Scott leaped after me, his body shifting back to that of a man as we reached the riverside.
I followed suite, morphing back into a woman as he pulled me into his arms, lifting me high off the ground as he kissed me.
“I always love running with you,” he chuckled as he set me down on the ground again. His engorged shaft was standing to attention, jamming into my hip as we stood with our bodies pressed against one another.
“So do I,” I giggled as he twirled me around, the fresh morning air washing over my skin and causing gooseflesh to rise.
“So, how is your training coming along?” he asked as he kissed my neck.
I knew his mind was on other things, but he wanted to try to have some kind of conversation before we made love. Not that my mind was able to focus as the scent of his male arousal and musky, wild scent obscured my senses.
“Good,” I moaned as he dove to kiss and nip my nipple once more.
“Show me,” he growled as he pulled away.
I grinned stupidly at him, taking in his fighting stance, stark naked with his erection pointed out. He looked utterly ridiculous, but the smirk on his face made me raise an eyebrow as I took up a stance.
“I beat you, we do it as wolves,” he said, his low voice dripping with excitement and desire.
“I win, we do it my way,” I grinned.
He nodded with a smirk, and I shot forward.
He blocked my high kick, but I was not holding back on the strength side of things, and my Alpha blood made him stumble to the side with a shocked look. It turned to a sly grin as he shook himself and readied himself again.
My mind shot to Richard, how he wanted to claim me for his own, to steal me away from my boys and become Alpha of the two Packs when they became one. I was the daughter of the Alpha, therefore taking me as his mate would allow him to usurp my father from his position.
I would never allow that.
I launched at Scott again, determined to prove to myself that I could take on Scott, and therefore Richard, if it came to it.
I kicked and punched, knocking him off balance with my barrage of attacks, all the while his erection danced before me as he stumbled from my blows.
“Fight back!” I snarled as I launched a heavy blow at his shoulder.
His cocky grin lit up his face as he caught my wrist and used my attack to pull me forward, flipping me onto the ground and straddling me.
I snarled as I flipped us over, pinning him down and holding a hand to his throat, taking pride in his dazed and stunned expression.
“Damn, you’ve grown strong,” he murmured as I held his throat, not tight enough to cut off his breathing, but enough to make his voice raspy and strained.
“I won’t let Richard take me,” I growled, a fury filling me at the thought. Surely my father could use his diplomatic skills to make this go away.
“I can see that,” Scott coughed, and I released him as he drew in a few shaky breaths before grinning up at me. “I underestimated you.”
“Guess you won’t do that again,” I smirked as I glanced down at his hard cock that prodded my abdomen.
“No,” he agreed, but his gruff voice drew my eyes back to his heated gaze.
“I won,” I said with my chin up.
“That you did,” he sighed, but his disappointment was overcome by curiosity. “How are we doing this then?”
I chuckled at his sheepish smile, loving the way he could make me laugh, the way he joked around. It made my life more fun having him be a part of it.
I scrunched up my face in thought, pretending I was contemplating how to proceed as my body ached for him yet
again, my anger with Richard momentarily forgotten as his erection jabbed me gently.
I was already wet and needy, and this short lived spar had only made me more animalistic.
I rolled off him and got to all fours, waggling my butt at him.
“I want you to fuck me hard and fast, prove to me that you missed me,” I said slyly.
He grunted as he sat up, his nostrils flaring as he caught the scent of my arousal once more.
He didn’t hesitate as he clambered over and positioned himself behind me.
I sighed as the tip of his length prodded my wet entrance, testing my readiness for him. My walls opened up in anticipation as I arched my back, and he growled deeply as he thrust hard into me, drawing a soft yelp from me.
He didn’t stop as he filled me up, his length pounding into me as he gripped my hips, driving me back against him with ferocious force. It felt like his cock was hitting my womb, but the sensations was a mix of pleasure and pain as it built up inside me.
I moaned and gasped as he rammed into me, cursing as his thick length stroked my walls with hard and fast motions.
“Faster!” I gasped, the pleasure coiling inside me, ripples of energy pulsing through me, making my body jerk and writhe against him.
“Fuck,” he groaned as he sped up, my hands clutching at the soft grass as I glanced out over the river, the morning sun showering it in beams of beautiful sunlight.
My orgasm exploded forth as I cried out in pleasure, my body tingling and rippling as Scott thrust into me once more before he, too, came, filling me with his hot seed.
He sagged against me, cupping my breasts and littering groggy, sloppy kisses across my back as he savored his release.
I collapsed to the earth, sighing in contentment as the waves of euphoria lapped at me. Scott joined me, our bodies sprawled out side by side on the soft grass, the sound of the trickling water relaxing me even more.
“You really think it could come to such a thing with Richard?” Scott asked after a few moments.
“If my father can’t handle this diplomatically, then I will fight for my own rights. I will not let him have me, I won’t just roll over and give up,” I growled. I decided that right now. Even if it was dangerous. I knew he was an Alpha, but I wouldn’t let him claim me if it came down to it. I’d chosen my partners. And if I could have it my way, they’d all become my mates one day. Although I doubted our Pack would be so happy to bend the traditions just for me.
Scott and I shifted back to wolves to return to the mansion, and we snuck inside to gather our clothes from my room.
“Let me get some breakfast for you, pancakes sound good?” Scott asked as he pulled on his jeans and plaid long-sleeved shirt.
My stomach growled at the thought of his sweet pancakes. Nathan was a fabulous cook all round, but Scott sure did give him a run for his money in the sweeter department. He could make a mean cheesecake, and his brownies were heavenly.
“They sound wonderful,” I sighed as I stood up on tiptoes to give him a peck on the lips.
He chuckled as he kissed me back, his big arms wrapping around me and lifting me up.
“Won’t be too long, see if Jaye is still around, he can join us. He has an art exhibit coming up, so I’m sure he’s busy painting,” Scott said as he set me back down.
I nodded and followed him down out into the hall, breaking off when I reached Jaye’s room a few doors down. I watched after Scott with his hulking body, his broad shoulders and towering form making me smile softly.
I rasped my knuckles on Jaye’s door, and he called out for me to enter. Before I even finished opening the door, the scent of acrylic paints hit me and I wiggled my nose at the smell.
Jaye stood before his easel, his shirtless as he slowly painted, taking his sweet time.
“What are you working on?” I asked as I strode over and plopped down on his bed. I peered past him, getting an easy look at the canvas from this angle. The sight made me catch my breath.
Jaye turned to me and gave me an adoring smile as he rolled his eyes over my form. I’d changed into some denim shorts, the same ones from last night, and a forest green singlet today with spaghetti straps.
The painting was exquisite, a naked woman standing before a dark lake as she stared up at the full moon above her. The forest that rimmed the lake was still a work in progress, but the fiery red curls that tumbled down the woman’s back, the way her curves and muscles were painted so delicately, the shadows across her skin carefully thought it.
Jaye had painted me. A stunningly beautiful scene with me as the centerpiece.
“Do you like it?” he asked as he continued working on the tree line with deep browns and greens, muddled with black.
“Yes,” I breathed, amazed at his ability yet again.
“Good,” he murmured as he slowly worked, and I watched quietly as he finished off some touches on the water of the lake.
I watched him paint quietly, the only sound was his paint brush dragging over the canvas, mesmerizing me. Many times I’d watched him paint, sometimes he took the easel outside and set it up facing the river as he worked, other times I watched him paint in here, but every time I was in awe of his skill, his delicate work with the brush. It was something truly beautiful, seeing the concentration but serene look on his face as he worked on his masterpieces. Wolves were a common theme among his paintings, and I spied the soft flecks of white on the far shore of the lake, the soft forms of three wolves partially painted.
Our stallion, Camanche, had a massive painting out in our grand lounge above the fireplace, painted as he reared up, his mane floating out behind him in an unseen wind as the sun filtered through it.
It was a piece we all cherished and had taken Jaye quite some time to perfect and complete.
“Scott’s making pancakes for us if you’re interested?” I said, suddenly remembering why I’d come in.
“Does sound good,” he murmured as he cocked his head at the painting, his paintbrush poised over it.
I watched him dapple some moonlight along the branches of the pines, his movements so careful and precise.
“Did you have fun last night?” Jaye asked, and I could hear the soft smile in his voice.
“Yes, they took care of me,” I answered.
“Good, I’m glad. We have something nice planned later, we were going to do it last night, but things didn’t go to plan,” he chuckled.
He set his paint tray down and stuck his brush in a glass of murky water as he turned to me.
I shook my head at the smears of paint on his naked chest, deep blues and greens, and fiery red.
“How long have you been working on this one?” I asked as I stood up and grabbed some tissues from his desk. I dipped them in a fresh glass of water on his desk despite his protest and began cleaning the paint off him.
“Most of the night, until I got tired. I woke up early though, I’d like to finish it by tonight, but I am hungry,” he grinned, kissing my forehead as I worked on removing the streaks of paint from him.
“It’s beautiful, Jaye,” I breathed as I wiped a splatter of white paint smeared on his cheek.
He peered at me with his bright blue eyes, alive and cheery as he smiled.
“Thanks, I’ve been having trouble being inspired lately. You fixed that,” he murmured as he took my arms and held me close.
I relaxed into his warm chest, grateful I’d removed all the paint from him.
He held me tight, drawing in the scent of my hair as he played with some of my curls on my back.
“Your hair is so beautiful, I love trying to capture it in my paintings, capturing all of you. Your body has changed in the past year, more defined and strong, you really are becoming a Huntress, aren’t you?” he pulled back to stare into my eyes with keen interest.
“That’s what I want to be. I want to protect our kind, stop our existence from being discovered. And help those who need it. If Aunt Neema hadn’t been around when my mom turned, imagine what wou
ld’ve happened,” I mumbled.
“I’d only just come into your Pack, that scene was a scary one. I’m glad Nathan and Chris got you away from there. I don’t know what would’ve happened, but people would’ve been hurt,” he agreed.
“I won’t allow that to happen again. Neema doesn’t want to come home, she still believes my father hasn’t forgiven her. He hasn’t ever reached out unless it’s to check up on me. I think, sometimes, she missed home though,” I frowned. There’d been times when I’d found my aunt sitting in her kitchen, staring wistfully at a picture of her and her brother back at the ranch. Her brown hair was lighter than my fathers, and was always kept short so it never got in the way of her work, something she thought would be good for me, but at the same time, she loved my thick, fiery curls. She’d spent some days sitting on the couch while I sat cross-legged on the floor before her, brushing my hair and braiding it. She could never have children, and I knew that at her age, she wished she could’ve sometimes. I’d see the look of sadness and despair in those normally stony blue eyes as children would walk past our small house on the way to the bus stop.
“Of course she would. We’re ‘wolves, we belong in a Pack. It’s strange your father has never reached out to her, surely he’s moved past it by now,” Jaye’s brow furrowed.
“You’d think, it’ been, what, over ten years now?” I mused as I thought back.
“Doesn’t really take long for pancakes to be made,” Jaye said sheepishly.
I groaned as I turned for the door, hating that we’d probably left Scott waiting far too long.
Jaye pinched my ass on the way out, and I scolded him half-heartedly as he laughed. Now that my boys had gotten it out of their system, we could talk properly. But the thought of spending the night with all three of them excited me. I couldn’t wait.
“When you said that you couldn’t allow that to happen again, do you mean you’ll come home once you’ve completed your training, be our very own on-site Huntress?” Jaye asked, excitement and eagerness at the prospect shining through those bright blue eyes.
“I’m not sure yet. Maybe, at least, on a part-time basis. I’m sure I’ll be needed elsewhere at times, but I think making this my home base can’t be bad. I do miss you guys,” I murmured. I’d mulled over the idea while lying by the river with Scott, about how much I’d missed being with them. And I wouldn’t lie, I missed home. I’d grown up on the ranch with my brother, and I’d not seen my baby nephew since I left. Guilt gnawed at me for that as well. He was family, a baby, and he deserved to know he had loved ones all around.
