by Kyle, Celia
“I know,” she blurted without hesitation, not the slightest bit embarrassed by her reaction to him.
With his gaze still trained on her, she tugged her shirt over her head, revealing the curve of her breasts in a lacy red bra. Unzipping her skirt, she shimmied just enough for it to skim down her curves and puddle around her feet. Gavin’s rumbling growl of appreciation warmed her from the inside out.
“You’re going to distract me,” he complained, his gaze roaming her body freely.
“You’ll survive.”
They stood facing each other in their underwear, a light afternoon breeze washing over their skin. It would have been so easy to rip off the rest of their clothes and consummate their unorthodox relationship, but Gavin apparently had other things in mind…first.
“I’ll show you mine if you show me yours,” he teased.
Giving him her most seductive look—which probably looked more like a grimace—she reached behind her back and shrugged the straps of her bra from her shoulders. She held the cups in place to torture him a little, and only when he moaned in frustration did she let it fall.
Before he had a chance to properly ogle her breasts, she hooked her thumbs in her matching panties and slid them down her legs, bending deeply at the waist for full effect.
There. He could see all of her now. Instead of feeling afraid or ashamed, she felt strangely liberated for the first time in her life. And that was due, in no small part, to the way Gavin looked at her—like he wanted to drag her into the forest and have his wicked way with her.
But he had more self-control than she gave him credit for. With one quick flick of his wrists, his boxer briefs dropped, allowing his massive length to spring free. If any doubt remained in her mind about what he wanted to do with her—to her—it would have vanished at the sight.
Staring openly at his cock, Rachel licked her lips and imagined running her tongue over him, taking him in her mouth, sucking him bone dry.
“Jesus, I can practically feel your lips wrapped around me,” he groaned.
“Is that such a bad thing?”
“No, it’s a very good thing, but I’m not going to let you distract me. Yet. This is important.”
Tearing his gaze away from her, he started his transformation. Black fur sprouted all over his twisting and changing body. His arms became legs as he dropped to all fours, and a few seconds later, a huge, beautiful beast stood before her.
Panting.
Yeah, her wolf was panting too. Closing her eyes, she relaxed and tried to remember how it felt to shift. What the ground under her paws felt like. The way the wind whispered across her tan fur as she ran. It didn’t take long for her wolf to realize it was finally being released, and the shift happened much faster than she expected. Every millisecond felt like heaven. Like scratching an itch she couldn’t reach before.
Gavin nuzzled her neck and pressed his side into hers. He gave her a look that asked if she was ready to have a little fun and then tore off into the woods like a rocket, bounding over stones and stumps like a pro.
Rachel followed, a little more slowly at first. She and her wolf were out of practice, so every cracking twig or fluttering bird startled them. With each flinch and wince, Gavin got farther and farther ahead of them until she could barely make out his dark form. Part of her wanted to stop and turn around, to give up. It would have been so much easier.
But life hadn’t been easy for the last six years. It had been very hard, and every day she’d fantasized about once again living a carefree life in a pack that loved her. And now she had it. She had the dream!
Yet there she stood, watching her mate dart through the forest while she considered giving it all up simply because she couldn’t match his pace. She’d changed over the last several years, that much was obvious, but that change had been forced on her. If she wanted her old life back, she’d have to work for it.
Snarling at nothing and everything, Rachel bounded after Gavin, no longer allowing small noises to distract her wolf’s focus. Find Gavin, that was their mission, and her wolf embraced it. Her claws dug deeper into the dirt and her muscles screamed from the exertion. It felt so good, so right.
It didn’t take long to catch up, mostly because he’d stopped to wait for her. Once she came into view, he yipped and led her on a chase through a forest she felt she knew bone-deep, as if she’d lived there her entire life.
Pouring on the power, she bolted straight through thickets Gavin had skirted and soon caught up with him. One minute she’d been a hundred feet behind him, and the next, she nipped him on his rump and tore off in a different direction, daring him to chase her.
They played their wolf version of tag for a while, until they ended up running shoulder to shoulder, simply for the fun of it. Being an enforcer meant Gavin had more strength and stamina than she ever could, but he kept pace with her nonetheless and she loved him for it.
The thought just came to her, unbidden but very welcome. She’d known it for some time but had never said the words, or even let them enter her mind. Others might have considered that an “Oh shit!” moment, but not Rachel. It felt as natural as running through the woods. It had just taken some time for her to accept it.
Thankfully, her mate was the most patient, caring and fiercely protective wolf in the world. He was the real deal. On top of that, he loved Eric like he was his own son. Tears of joy wetted her muzzle as she ran, and she reveled in the pure, unadulterated happiness coursing through her veins.
Gavin jolted her out of her thoughts by bumping into her shoulder and then leading her into a clearing. A beautiful lake stretched out before them, with a small creek burbling over some boulders. It was hands down the most beautiful place she’d ever seen.
The lake had mesmerized her so deeply she hadn’t noticed Gavin shifting back into his human form until he called her name. His body glistened with moisture as his chest heaved from the grueling run. He looked like a fricking Greek god, standing next to the lake with his hand stretched out to her. A girl couldn’t resist an invitation like that!
Drawing back her wolf, she enjoyed the sensations of returning to her human form. Never again would she hide her wolf away, which gave the beast so much joy it nearly brought tears to her eyes again. But nothing could beat stepping into Gavin’s embrace. It felt like coming home.
“You were right,” she murmured against his chest. “I needed that.”
His arms squeezed her a little tighter. “I thought so.”
“It made me realize something I think I already knew.” Tipping her head back, she caught his gaze and held it. “I’m ready to take my place in the pack, Gavin. And I’m ready to take my place in your heart too.”
Chapter Fifteen
Gavin stared at his mate, searching her expression as he fought to weigh the truth in her words. He’d gladly take her at face value, but taking the next step was utterly permanent between wolves. Their kind mated forever—until death do they part. They were simply words to many humans but so much more to werewolves.
So very much more.
He must have heard her wrong. She couldn’t have said she wanted to mate him. It would make this moment too good to be true.
She’d wanted to take things slowly. To get to know the pack—and him—before she committed. Now… now she looked at him like the time for talking and waiting was over.
Gavin swallowed hard, drawing her bright scent into his lungs and savoring the hints of her desire mixed in with her natural flavors. Those tidbits of need sparked his own craving. He wanted her—his hard cock was proof of his arousal—but before he moved an inch, he had to make sure.
“Rachel,” he murmured low. “What do you want?”
“You,” she whispered in return, taking a small step to lessen the distance between them. “I want you.”
Her gaze roved over him like a physical touch, the sweeping glance followed by a seductive wave of lust. Her scent—tinged with her shifting emotions—were like a siren’s call. It p
ulled him to kiss her, touch her, explore every inch of her.
“You wanted to go slowly.” His wolf snarled at him and his body practically shouted its frustration as well. Why the hell was he fighting the next step? She’d said yes, dammit. Claim her!
Rachel eased back, her plump breasts bathed in the warm afternoon glow. Her pink nipples hardened beneath his stare and his mouth watered—desperate to taste her skin.
“I know what I said.” Rachel narrowed her eyes the tiniest bit. “And we went slowly. Now I’ve made my decision and I don’t want to wait anymore. I want to mate you, Gavin. Today. Now.”
Rachel reached for him, her small hand gripping his. Gavin’s heart skipped a beat, the new rhythm uneven and jarring, and swallowed hard as she placed his palm against the apex of her thighs. Moist heat bathed his fingers, the salty sweet of her musk consuming the air while wetness coated his flesh.
“If you’re interested.” Rachel’s lips formed a small smirk.
A growl built deep within his chest, rumbling its way through his body. “You’re going to pay for taunting me like that.”
“Yeah?” Her mouth curved into a teasing grin and she raised a single brow. “And how’s that?”
Gavin didn’t hesitate to pounce. He leapt for Rachel, taking her down with a rough growl and gentle roll of their bodies across the ground. He continued the tumble, not stopping until he was atop his mate, the full weight of his chest snug against the swell of her breasts. “I can think of a few ways.”
“But what if I’m a good girl from now on?” She lifted her head, those plump lips caressing his in a slow and sinful kiss. Another siren’s song, and this time, he would ignore the temptation. He sifted through her hair with one hand, fingers twisting in the strands and taking more control of their connection. He swept into her mouth, his tongue finding hers with ease.
He teased her, meeting and countering her every movement. Her familiar flavors flowed over his taste buds, ratcheting his need for her even higher than before. His craving for her thrummed through his veins, beating at him from inside out. So delicious, his mate. The sweetness gave him a sense of hope and wanting. He wanted to consume her, learn everything there was to know about his mate.
Today her body. The rest of their lives her mind.
Gavin resolved to take his time, to tease and torment her until she craved him as much as he craved her. He wanted her to feel his hardness against her soft skin as he kissed. Wanted her to be so needy in return until she begged him for his cock.
He eased his mouth from Rachel’s, taking one last taste before dropping lower. He trailed a line of gentle kisses along the curve of her neck, only pausing to nibble the hollow of her collar bone. He adjusted his position, bracing his weight while he reached for one of her plump breasts. He pinched her nipple, watching her body’s reaction to his touch. He loved the way she squirmed. The way she mewled and twisted as he tightened his grip, as if she couldn’t decide between getting away or clawing her way closer.
And it was all so glorious. His mate whimpering, her nipples hard and his cock even harder. The way she moved against him, her hips rolling, the small wiggles and jerks. He continued traveling down her body, mouthing the swell of her breasts and licking her damp skin. The saltiness of her sweat glided over his tongue but her own delicious flavors taunted him as well.
He lifted his head and met her eyes, the pupils dilated with her rising need.
“You have the most perfect body.” He scraped a fang over her silken skin, unable to stop himself from hinting at what was to come. At the truth that he’d soon bite her. “Did you know that?”
He moved on, lips capturing one hardened nipple. He sucked it deep, flicking the nub with the tip of his tongue and laving away any remaining sting from his ministrations.
Rachel let out a low growl, her chest rumbling as she arched and pressed her nipple deeper into his mouth. He rewarded her with his own sounds, adding vibration to his teasing.
“Let me touch you, too,” she whined, and he shook his head. Their position didn’t allow her to reach much of him and he wasn’t done playing yet. Tonight, the night he claimed her, would be all about her. He would make it a night she would cherish.
That thought in the forefront of his mind, he moved on from her bountiful breasts and trailed kisses down her stomach. He moved over the soft swell of her belly and then lower still to the downy patch of cropped curls that hid her pussy from view. He nuzzled the thatch, breathing in the scent of her desire and rising need.
Rachel parted her thighs, legs trembling with his touch, and he could practically feel her begging him to satisfy her growing ache. And he would. Soon.
Gavin eased to his knees, fingers wrapped around his cock, and pumped his length. He kept his eyes trained on his mate, on her silken skin and the way the sun’s dying rays danced across her naked body. The pink and orange of the sun slanted across her, her hair shining in the low light. Again, he was stabbed with the knowledge that no woman had ever been as beautiful as Rachel at that moment.
He traced her skin with his gaze, slowly sliding his hand up and down his length as he memorized every inch of her. Every curve and every valley of her tempting form. Then he reached the juncture of her thighs, her pink folds glistening with evidence of her desire. His cock throbbed in his fist, body aching to sink into her tight, wet heat over and over again. Until they both lay sated—exhausted—by their lovemaking.
His wolf howled its agreement, urging him to claim the female that belonged to them. Now. Right this instant. Before another could come near and threaten their mating. He mentally snorted, reminding the wolf that they were the Blackwood enforcer. No other wolf would get over on them.
Human assurances weren’t enough for him, though, and the beast pushed back.
A soft whimper escaped Rachel and her legs twitched, breasts jiggling ever so slightly—drawing his attention back to his mate.
“Perfect,” he murmured. “Every damn inch of you is perfect.” A soft blush stole over her skin, the brightness settling in her cheeks. “And I bet you taste even better.”
He wanted a taste of her, dammit. His cock throbbed, his balls ached, and his mouth watered at the thought of tasting his mate. He’d risen with the intent of taking her, but seeing her pussy so flushed pink and wet…
Just one taste and then…
He lowered once more, not stopping until he lay flat on the soft grass—the ground almost as comfortable as a bed. He nuzzled her inner thigh, rubbing his cheek against her silken skin. He breathed deeply, drawing her essence deep into his lungs, and groaned as her scent overwhelmed all else. His mouth watered, and gums throbbed, the need to taste and bite overshadowing all other thoughts.
Her pussy drew him like a moth to a flame and he turned his attention to her glistening sex. With infinite care he lapped at her outer sex lips, gathering any hint of moisture that clung to her skin or the short curls that hid his prize from view. He brought his hands to her inner thighs, thumbs tugging her skin gently to part her folds and give him access to his prize.
He blew a puff of warm air across her intimate flesh and was rewarded by her squirming and a soft yip. She wanted, but not enough.
Gavin eased closer and gave in to his rising desire—the desperate need to taste her.
He lapped at her core, teasing her sensitive flesh with his tongue as he found each spot that made her sigh and every area that made her moan. Then there was that one place that made her cry out and beg for more. He teased her clit, the firm bundle of nerves that caused her to arch her back and roll her hips.
He suckled the nub, teased and flicked it with his tongue, while Rachel struggled beneath him. He nipped and nibbled, exploring every inch of her luscious pussy. He lowered to her core and teased her opening, tracing her center and lapping up each new wave of moisture. So sweet. So hot and wet and… his.
Forever.
“Gavin,” she gasped and shuddered, hips moving as he fucked her sweet pussy with his to
ngue.
And dammit he couldn’t wait to truly fuck her. To sink deep and fill her until she smelled like him.
“Please,” Rachel panted. “I need you. Want to feel you.”
“Soon,” he murmured and went back to teasing and tasting her. He suckled and licked, tongue flicking the hard bundle of nerves before returning to her center. Nothing had ever tasted as sweet as Rachel’s pussy. Nothing.
He repositioned his hands, adjusting his grip until he cradled her hips and lifted her slightly, giving him more access to what he craved—his mate. He returned to his worship of her intimate flesh, leaving no part of her untouched. None. Not even her dark entrance, the small pucker that he couldn’t wait to claim. He would mark her everywhere. Her mouth. Her pussy.
Her ass.
His wolf growled at that knowledge, pleased that they would claim her in all ways.
Gavin flicked his tongue over that hidden pucker, just a tease to gauge his mate’s reaction. Rachel hissed and bucked against him, trembling from head to toe as she threw her head back with a soundless scream. She shook with the pleasure the forbidden touch imbued and he couldn’t wait to take it further.
Later, his wolf grumbled.
He returned to tormenting her clit, his fangs lengthening and emerging the longer he denied his inner beast. The wolf howled for its mate, but Gavin’s human half kept them restrained. He just wanted her to come for him first. He’d listen to her shout his name and then…
And then Rachel fisted his hair and tugged, the slight sting going straight to his cock with a rough jolt. His balls tightened, and he gasped with the stab of pleasure he got from the rough pull.
“Gavin,” she whined.
And he was powerless to deny her. That small bite of pain was enough to make him think of the blissful pain to come when she claimed him.
Rachel tightened her grip and shuddered in his grasp. “Please. Claim me. Gavin, I need…”
Fuck, but he needed, too.
Releasing her, he changed their positions, adjusting himself on the forest floor until he rested on his back while his mate… He pulled his mate atop him.
