The Mating Season

by M. L. Briers

  Why the hell had Faith put her next to him in the first place, she wondered as she tried to detach herself from the gathering in the living room after the meal and sneak off for a walk, she was feeling decidedly edgy right now and taking a walk might just put some of that to rest.

  Sebastian headed right for her and she didn’t stand a chance of either ducking out of the room before he got to her or disappearing if he followed her out.

  “So Fay- you’re one of Faith’s bridesmaids?” He towered over her with an almost imposing presence as she stood with her back to the wood panelling, her fingers tapping restlessly against her thigh as she waited for her chance to escape.

  “Yes- Hope and I and you’re Jake’s best man-“ That much she had gathered over the conversation at the dinner table. His presence became even more imposing when he leaned towards her- this whole gorgeous male thing was starting to wear thin- where were the ugly guys?

  “You know what this means don’t you-?” He left the question hanging in the air and she mentally slapped herself from the annoyance of someone not just coming out and saying what they meant rather than making a person guess- she didn’t have the brain capacity to even try right now- she sighed inwardly.

  “No but do share.” She offered giving him the opening he was hoping for and then his eyes locked onto hers and he fixed her with a drop dead gorgeous grin.

  “It means we get to dance until the sun comes up at the reception-“

  “And then he turns back into a frog and goes back to the swamp.” Abel put in from where he had suddenly taken up residence beside Fay. Her eyes shot to Abel who seemed to be standing in some sort of protective manner – his thick arms folded over his chest and a glare fixed directly at Sebastian who seemed to move his posture slightly in reciprocation and acknowledgement and she wasn’t entirely sure why- but when Adam came up on the other side of her with exactly the same stance she felt something in the air change in that short time, her eyes searching for Faith across the room.

  Faith could be relied upon to turn this kind of sudden confrontation into an easy peace, although it was true that she was usually the one who had caused it, maybe she had this time as well- after all- she had shoved her towards Adam tonight- she certainly seemed to be playing some kind of game- maybe one last hurrah before becoming a married woman?

  “Well Fay’s dance card is pretty much taken up between myself and my brother-“ Fay turned her eyes up to Adam who’s gaze was firmly fixed on poor Sebastian as his jaw tensed and release almost in rhythmic bursts she noted as he continued to glare at the newcomer.

  “And when she finds that she needs some finesse in her evening I will be there to whisk her away.” Sebastian was now playing the same game as the brothers and Fay decided that this wasn’t even about her- she was just going to become collateral damage if this turned into something more than just glares and words between them, but what could she do, she was caged in with the wall to her back, both brothers either side and Sebastian in front of her.

  “Listen-“ Adam took a step forwards and Fay swallowed hard as the testosterone level went through the roof and she was grateful to hear Faith’s voice emanating from somewhere outside the wall of muscled chests.

  “Well isn’t this nice- everyone getting to know each other?” Faith elbowed Abel aside to step into the cage and when she wrapped her fingers around Fay’s wrist and yanked her out of there- Fay gave her a look of sheer appreciation.

  “Honey, if you’re going to start world war three in here you really need to learn how to control the players.” Faith teased as she wrapped her arm around Fay’s shoulders and led her across the room to where Hope was sitting chatting to Jake.

  “So who wants brandy?”Faith announced as she practically foisted Fay into the seat beside Hope in the desperate need to know she was- for now out of the firing line before turning on her heels and glaring at the men across the room.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  Fay slipped out of the room and headed straight for the front door, she didn’t even stop long enough to grab a wrap as the freedom of the outside world called to her. Slipping down the front steps she practically raced across the grounds until she came upon the entrance to the woods, slipping into the dense overgrowth she stopped beside the nearest tree and hauled in a long deep breath of freedom.

  She listened to the sound of the woods around her- the sounds of the night time being completely different to the daytime sounds that she had noted earlier and she was aware of the need not to wander in too far for fear she would get turned around and not be able to find her way back so easily.

  She traced her fingers down the rough bark of the trunk before turning her back against the solidity of nature’s lungs so she could close her eyes and let the peace wash through.

  The crack of a twig in the near distance giving her an immediate start as her eyes flashed open and she searched the area from where the noise had emanated.

  The thought of danger hadn’t even entered her mind until now as the hairs stood to attention across her body and she felt her fingers curl against the bark behind her when the large black shadow came into view- her mind already registering what it was before her body kicked up a gear and she swallowed hard realising that she was now standing in the woods with the wolf from the night before.

  Genius move Fay- get eaten by a wolf before Faith’s big day.

  She contemplated moving but he was already edging in her direction and she didn’t want to cause him to attack, but what else was she supposed to do? Stand there and hope he was a vegetarian?

  She felt the heat rise in her body as a thin layer of sweat covered every inch of her and when the wolf moved slowly, with what seemed like purpose towards her, she noted that he didn’t have the same blue eyes as her wolf from last night that caused her heart to jumped up into her throat as she couldn’t decide if that was better or worse. Last night’s wolf hadn’t attacked- but this one might, he was certainly moving as though she were prey.

  Fay saw the heckles at his neck start to rise and felt her heart slam into her chest- that was never a good sign, she had seen enough on the nature channel to know that and when he pulled back his lips to expose the two rows of sharp teeth, she practically squealed into her own mind with fear.

  “Don’t move.” Adam’s voice came at her ear in an instant as the wolf started to snarl and Fay was caught between relief that he was with her and fear that he was now in as much danger as she was.

  Fay heard a subtle click as the bright beam of the flashlight cut into the darkness of the woods, catching the wolf squarely in the eyes- she was sure the creature practically groaned as it took a step back and shook its head.

  When the light went out the wolf seemed to just stand there, almost as unsure as she was as to what to do next and when Adam flicked the light on and blinded the poor beast again it started to back away with a low growl before turning on his massive pads and disappearing into the night- she practically breathed for the first time since the wolf had started towards her.

  “You ok?” He turned his full attention towards her and she would have moved towards him but her nails were practically wedged into the bark of the tree as her fingers held on for dear life. She managed to shake her head and saw him wince as he ran his hand down her bare arms trying to bring her hands from behind her back, his fingers tracing down when he couldn’t move them until he found her nails locked against the bark.

  “Hey- it’s ok- “He released first one hand and then the other as she shook her head again.

  “It’s not ok- wolves keep growling at me?” Her voice was small and he felt a rush of guilt go through him at just how scared she was- he was supposed to do everything he could to protect his mate and yet he had let Abel talk him into this stupid idea for him to all but rescue her from the big bad wolf.

  He pulled her towards him and wrapped his arms around her with all the protectiveness that was washing through his blood- when he saw his brother he was going to pummel him for
his stupidity, he decided as she curled against his chest, her fingers gathering handfuls of his top as she held on for dear life, her body shaking with the fear that wracked through her.

  “It’s not your fault- it’s the stupid wolf’s.” He knew his brother would still be close enough to overhear that as he scooped her up into his arms, an arm around her back and one under her knees and he noted that she felt as light as a feather as he started off out of the woods.

  “Put me down Adam- I can walk.” Her voice was barely a whisper and he couldn’t help but give a soft chuckle down at her.

  “No sweetheart I don’t think you can right now- you’re shaking like a leaf in a tornado.” He made no attempt to stop and she made no attempt to ask to be released again.

  Her whole body might be shaking right now- but there was also a tingle that swept over her skin of recognition of him and she felt infinitely safe within his arms, safer than she had ever felt in her life before.

  “Why were you in the woods?” she looked up at him and was greeted with those blue eyes smiling down at her.

  “I saw you leave and thought we might continue our talk that you didn’t want to have at the dinner table.” He gave her a wicked grin and she flushed bright crimson as she suddenly found herself trying to squirm out of his arms. This wasn’t a conversation that she wanted to be having right now and it certainly wasn’t one she wanted to have when she was helplessly within his arms like this.

  Adam tightened his hold on her, making sure she couldn’t get away as he quickened his pace- coming out of the woods just as she demanded to be put down.

  “I can walk now- put me down.” She was insisting and he didn’t want to get on her bad side by ignoring her request this time so he slowly lowered her down his body, making sure that she was flush against him inch for inch as he settled her on her feet, his hands running down her spine as he casually pressed into her and he heard her catch her breath as she put her hands against his chest to steady her legs beneath her that were still a little shaky.

  “How you doing?” He asked running his hand very deliberately up her spine as his other hand came up to cup her face, drawing her eyes to his and a fresh wave of desire tore through her at lightning speed as she leaned into him.

  “I’m fine-“ She managed on an almost whisper and he smiled down at her.

  “Yes you are-“ He breathed keeping his eyes locked with hers as he dipped his head and captured her lips with the heat of his own- she practically melted against him. Her body responding instantly to him, her lips parting for his claim as he devoured her with just as much passion as she remembered from earlier.

  Her mind questioned what she was doing before dismissing it on a stroke of his hand down her back again that made her hips press against him- a groan of desire catching in his throat when she rolled against his hard shaft- that was wedged so damn awkwardly into his trousers, eager to be released.

  His wolf was practically salivating to be released as she ran her fingernails down his pecs- her nails catching on the hard buds beneath his top and he had to hold back the low growl that wanted to roll through him that had scared her earlier- he needed to remember that she might be his mate- but that she was also human by design- even though Fae by nature and her response to his beast side would be determined by her belief system- right now she had no idea of who he really was- what he really was and that his beast inside was the same as what had scared her tonight.

  He ran a hand down the bare skin of her arm causing her to shiver until he skated fingertips across the swell of her breast, his thumb catching the tight hard bud and sweeping back and forth until she moaned into his mouth, that feminine little sound almost caused him to be come undone as his beast tried to surface within him, demanding he take her- claim her for his own.

  Adam fought to remember where he was- who he was with as the desire for her swept through him like wildfire- he would lose her forever if he showed his true nature to her before she was ready- he needed to be gentle and throwing her down onto the dirt and thrusting into her with all the power of his beast wasn’t going to win her for his mate.

  He reluctantly eased against her- allowing her senses to come back to her as he slowed down his needs within him- reigning himself in- but he felt that Fay was having slightly less success with the desire flooding through her and her need swept him back up as he released her mouth and heard her pull a deep breath into her straining lungs as he traced down the line of her jaw with gentle nips against her delicate skin and soothing kisses against her heated flesh.

  When he moved down over the throbbing vein in her neck he was all too aware of her blood coursing through the vein, the beating of her heart within her and moved on quickly over her collarbone as he felt the beast within him raise its head and urge him on.

  When she ran her tongue over his own vein before nipping against his skin he nearly threw her down right there into the dirt to take her, pulling her hard against him he bent his knees until his hardness was against her mound and he rolled against her- causing her to catch her breath and in one quick movement he had lifted her against him, her legs wrapped around his hips as he moved them through the night until her back was up against the thick trunk of a tree just hidden from view of the grounds, rocking his hips into hers, his hard shaft rubbing the nub of her desire as they both groaned into the silence of the wood.

  “Damn it Fay- I want you but I can’t take you like this-“ he breathed into her neck as she tightened her grip around his hips, her feet locking behind him as she moved her hips against him and the low growl of need rolled in his chest but this time she didn’t tense, instead she just reached between them for a way to release him from his constraints.

  “I need-“ she breathed on a desperate breath caught up in her Fae awareness of what she was to him- her human instincts suppressed by her need for him to claim her.

  God he needed to be inside her- the urge- the want was so damned powerful that it was practically eating him alive as he tried to fight it for the both of them- her fingers still working to free him and she was doing a damned good job- he knew he needed to put an end to this now.

  He used his hips to hold her back against the tree and reached for her wrists, snagging both in his large hands he pulled her away from where he ached with the pain of needing to mate her, “Stop Fay- I can’t take you like this sweetheart-“ He leaned against her body, breathing into her neck, breathing in the sweet smell of her and his own beast was cursing him- growling with the need to claim her.

  He felt her squirm against his hard body and groaned into his own mind- if she didn’t stop doing that he wouldn’t be able to stay in control and he would throw her down on the earth and thrust into her until they both had their fill.

  “Adam-“ Her breath was ragged against his neck, hot bursts that sent shivers through him, he was just barely holding on here.

  Fay closed her eyes and tried to steady her breathing, she wasn’t sure what the hell had come over her- he just had to touch her and she was on fire with a need for him- this wasn’t her- a wave of embarrassment washed through her along with the desire that surged in her blood- how the hell was she ever going to look at him again?

  “I need to put you down sweetheart otherwise it’s just going to happen all over again and this time I’m not sure if I’m strong enough not to take advantage of you.” His words were whispered into her hair and he instantly felt her body shiver against his.

  Letting go of her wrists he tried to put a mental barrier up against just how good she felt against him as he reached for her hips and lowered her back to the ground, careful not to run her body down the length of his for fear that it would start all over again.

  He took a long moment to steady her on her feet- steady himself before he let her go and he noted that he had been staring at the top of her head the whole time- she hadn’t lifted her eyes to look at him. He could feel his beast slowly winding back into the background and took a long deep calming breath before he reac
hed for her chin and tipped her head up towards him.

  The crimson red in her cheeks and her swollen lips made the throbbing of his shaft inside his jeans worse- she looked so adorable and vulnerable and yet the desire was still in her eyes as she stared back up at him.

  “I don’t-“ She half shook her head and he felt his heart go out to her. He understood his attraction- he knew his heritage and what he was and she was oblivious to why she was acting so totally out of character. It wasn’t right damn it, she should at least know that when she was around him- being his mate- this was the normal reaction.

  “I think we got a little carried away-“ He offered and he could see the confusion within her- feel her need to question what had just happened to her own mind and body that she had reacted like that to him.

  Fay wanted to deny it- she wanted to say that he was the one who had been carried away- but she couldn’t not take responsibility for her own actions- she had been just as caught up in whatever that was as he had and she wasn’t sure whether to thank her lucky stars that he had been gentleman enough to stop them when he had or curse him for doing so.

  Her mind was in as much turmoil right now as her body- she still wanted to step back into his arms and do it all over and- more.

  “Now I’m getting an idea of what a black whole feels like-“ She half mumbled before chewing down on her bottom lip, easing back away from him even though her whole body screamed to take a step closer.

  He couldn’t help the gentle chuckle that came from his lips as he allowed her to move back, his hand dropping from her chin as she returned her puzzled green eyes back to the ground between them- but he wasn’t ready to let her go completely. He reached for her hand and laced his fingers in hers, “Come on I’ll walk you back.” He didn’t wait for an answer as he turned them back towards Jakes place and started off in that direction.