Damon (Raleigh Texas Wolves Book 1)

by Teagan Wilde

  “Yours,” he confirms and my stomach twists. Mine.

  We both order a rib eye, cooked rare, but mine is much smaller than his. We eat in silence, too entranced with our food. Throughout the meal he can’t stop touching me. His fingers brush the back of my hand, and he strokes my hair and caresses my cheek. It’s like he is making sure I am still there.

  “What is your main goal in life?” I find myself asking as we finish our meal.

  He sits back and ponders for a few minutes. “My goal is to have a pack, live in peace, and let everyone be who they are meant to be. I want our pack to be like a family and be happy. And I want children. I want pups running around my feet.”

  I smile. I have always wanted a family. I want to give birth to a baby, hold it in my arms, and love it. I received that love from my parents. I was lucky to experience that, but they were taken from my life too soon. “I have always wanted the same thing in life,” I confess to him and he smiles. He is truly beautiful.

  He pays for our food and, as we’re about the leave the restaurant, someone yells at him and he looks back. It’s one of the guys from the pack. Damon keeps his hand on the small of my back as the pack members talk about adding a place where everyone can get together for movies and games. Damon and I agree that it is a good idea. “Also add a playground, because we have two pups joining the pack,” Damon says. I smile at his thoughtfulness. I am looking forward to being in this pack. I rub his back slightly, feeling his bulging muscles. Not able to help myself, I lay my head against his shoulder, breathing deeply.

  All of a sudden Damon snarls loudly and turns around, and his eyes are golden. He is holding a man’s hand, right next to my ass. My wolf is pissed off that a man would dare touch me in that way without permission, especially since he is not my mate.

  Damon is growling so loudly his body is vibrating, and he is still clutching the man’s hand. The guy is crying out. “How dare you try to touch what is mine,” Damon snarls. He tightens his grip and, with a crack, he breaks the guy’s hand. The man screams, and Damon just smiles, bends down, and whispers, “You’re lucky I don’t kill you.”

  Now I know that he has a dark side. This is how you can recognize an alpha male. But I am an alpha female. “Thank you, Pha, but I can handle this.” I smile, stepping forward, and stare deeply into the man’s eyes. “You will never touch another woman, am I clear?” I tell him.

  He glares at me. That is when I get a whiff of him. “Coyote,” I snarl. These are the meanest and the dumbest of the shifters. They don't need a pack; they are just cruel. They don’t fight fair and tend to gang up on others.

  Damon growls more loudly, and the coyote gets right in my face. I let my wolf out just slightly. I growl low in my throat, and he backs off. “What did I say?” I growl, pushing my power against him. He yelps and tilts his head, submitting. I push harder and he leans to the side, holding his head. “What did I say?”

  “I will never touch a woman unless she gives permission.” He barely gets the words out, and I push harder to make sure that he gets the picture.

  Damon puts his hand on the small of my back, and I stand back up. “Now leave this town and never come back,” I say, and he runs out of the building.

  I can feel eyes on us, but I ignore them. I can feel the guys from Damon’s pack behind us, and our bodies are on full alert because coyotes are unpredictable and have no morals.

  We leave the restaurant, and five coyotes are facing us. I had a feeling this would happen.

  Damon puts his arm in front of me, pushing me behind him, and one of our packmates is already stripping off his clothes.

  “You want a fight?” Damon snarls, taking off his shirt, and I try not to gasp at the sight of his beautiful body.

  I take his cue and I start stripping down too.

  “Baby, why don’t you go back inside the restaurant?” he says. I stand right next to him, taking off my shirt. He looks at me. His eyes roam my body as I bend down, stripping off my pants.

  I jump out of the way as all five of them charge at the same time. Damon shifts and I run by his side. I collide with two of them, and they hit the ground with a thud. I grab a hold of one of them and throw him. They are small and we are the size of horses. This is nothing.

  Damon jumps into the fray and tears them to pieces instantly. My wolf is happy that her mate can protect her. I sit down, watching him fight. He is very powerful. A coyote that hasn’t been touched yet falls to the ground due to Damon’s presence.

  Damon marches over, licking his mouth, staring into the coyote’s eyes, forcing him to submit. He falls on his back, baring his stomach and whining. Damon grabs a hold of his neck and part of his shoulder. He shakes his head, knocking the coyote out. He is not dead, but he will be injured for a bit.

  I change back into myself, turn my back, and slip into my clothes. I turn around to see Damon slipping his pants on.

  Damon says to his packmate, “Drag the bodies to the woods and call some members to come help with the cleanup, Aaron.”

  I nod at Aaron in acknowledgment. He has his alpha’s back.

  Damon inclines his head to me, and I can see the respect in his eyes. He walks over to me and puts his hands on my shoulders. “You okay?” He asks me, looking down my body. I smile.

  “I am fine.” I touch either side of his stomach, feeling the warmth through his clothes.

  “Come, Moon.” He takes my hand and leads me over to his truck. Damon is on edge, staring into the woods. His eyes are gold, his wolf still on the verge of emerging.

  He opens the door, his body tilted so he can protect me. I sit down, and he shuts the door. He walks around the front of the vehicle, dragging his hand across the top. He gets inside and takes my hand. I intertwine my fingers with his, and I lean my head back against the headrest, staring at his features.

  Damon

  The moment I sensed this man’s intention, it took everything in me not to rip his throat out. In the restaurant, there were too many people watching, including children, but then he was outside—waiting.

  What I never expected was for her to fight by my side—but she knew I could handle it, and she let me do what I needed to do. She is a true alpha female. She will stand at my side when it’s needed, but will step back when it’s not.

  We arrive outside my house, and she gets out of the truck, the wind blowing through her hair. I push it out of her face. She is truly beautiful. She has this softness that makes me long to touch her all over. But she also has a backbone of steel.

  She is perfect.

  “Want to watch a movie with me?” She smiles, her dimples popping out.

  “As long as I get to spend more time with you, Moon.” Her smile widens, and she takes my hand and leads me up the steps.

  “I am going to change into some comfy clothes, I will be back.” She runs up the steps and I follow, going to do the same thing.

  Farren

  The date tonight was totally different than what I’d expected, but this is the shifters’ way of life. Stuff like this happens all the time; there are fucked-up people in this world. Most shifters are good, but there are always bad ones in the mix. The coyotes are the worst of the worst but, in a way, alpha wolves who are stuck in the old ways may be even worse.

  I slip on some sweats and a baggy T-shirt. Then I throw my hair up in a bun and take off my makeup. I can’t bear to wear makeup for more than a couple of hours.

  When I walk down the stairs, he is already sitting on the couch, in a pair of sweats and a shirt. He looks up as I reach the bottom of the stairs, and he smiles at me so beautifully. He raises his arm and motions for me to sit down beside him. “You’re beautiful, Moon.” My heart skips a beat. I will never get tired of him calling me that.

  “Thank you, Pha,” I sit down beside him, and he pulls me tightly against him. His lips touch my forehead and I smile. He turns on the TV to a wilderness show. I yawn and, not able to resist, I lay my head against his chest. I rub my face against his shirt,
smelling him and feeling him. He strokes my back and runs his fingers through my hair, his nails gently scratching the back of my head.

  I stare at the TV, thinking that my life has already changed so much because of him. “It’s hard to believe that I just met you this morning,” I say softly, and I close my eyes and just feel.

  A true mate gives you the feeling that your world is complete. You feel safe, like nothing in this world can touch you. And don’t get me started on their smell. The smell wraps you in a comforting hug, soothes you, and makes you happy.

  His hand stops in the middle of my back. “I understand. I have waited for you for so long, Moon.” He kisses the back of my head, and I close my eyes and just breathe. I snuggle more deeply into his chest, and it’s taking everything in me not to rub my whole body against his so I can have his smell all over me. I want to kiss him and, unable to resist, I tilt my head back and look at him. His hand cups my jawbone, and his eyes search my face, settling on my lips.

  I lick my lips, and he lowers his head and presses his lips against mine. My stomach flips all the way up to my chest. His lips are soft, so soft and full. He opens his mouth and I follow his lead, nerves and excitement making me shake. His thumb strokes my cheekbone as he moves his mouth, oh so gently and tenderly, against mine. My fingers find their way to his, and my other hand strokes his face, loving the feel of his jawbone moving. I get closer and deepen the kiss. He takes my cue and kisses me harder, our tongues meet, and lightning shoots through my whole body as I think of his tongue touching other parts of me.

  A few minutes later, we break apart before it goes too far. I want nothing more than to have sex with him, but I want to know my mate better first. I want that connection that goes deeper than the physical level. Yes, I can sense how he feels, but I want to connect with him more as a person; the human side of me needs that.

  He stretches out on the couch, with me lying against his chest. I close my eyes and savor the warmth coming off of him. “You’re so warm.” I try not to moan. He chuckles, his chest vibrating, and I smile before opening my eyes to stare at the TV.

  We fall into a comfortable silence, just enjoying each other’s company. He never stops touching me, and his fingers run through my hair and down my arm. Touching is very important to shifters. I run my finger along his side, where his shirt has ridden up enough to reveal a small patch of skin. Then I yawn and snuggle more deeply into his chest. I don’t want to get up, and my wolf doesn't want to be separated from her mate.

  “Want to sleep in my bed? Just sleep, Moon. I am not sure I can close my eyes with you in another room.”

  “I agree.”

  He sits up with me in his arms, smiles, and stands up, lifting me with ease. I laugh as he all but runs with me up the stairs. I feel the same way. I want nothing more than to fall asleep in his arms, to be held. I have never even cuddled with a man before; he is going to be my first in every way, and I will be his. This is the main thing I love about being a shifter: we are made for one and only one person.

  He steps into a large room. The bed is huge and made out of beautiful red wood, and it’s covered with a black blanket and a bunch of very comfortable-looking pillows. He sets me down gently on the bed, and I smile at his sweetness. He pulls back the blanket and I crawl into bed. “Other side, baby.” He motions to the side of the bed closest to the wall and furthest from the door. I smile at his protectiveness, and I scoot over and lie down on a soft pillow. His bed is to die for. He turns off the light, and I feel the bed dip slightly as he settles in next to me. My stomach turns because this is more intimate than lying on the couch.

  “Come, Moon.” His large hands pull me to him until my head is lying on his chest.

  “I feel so safe,” I whisper, barely making out his frame in the dark room.

  “You are safe with me, Moon. I would die to protect you. I would do anything for you, mate.”

  My poor heart. I smile widely and run my hand over his abs. “I will stand by your side, I will protect you as you would me. I will let you take the lead, as you are my apha, but I will stand by your side, as you are my mate, Pha,” I say softly, and I feel extreme happiness rolling off of him.

  This is happiness.

  “Good night, Moon.” He kisses the top of my head, breathing deeply.

  “Good night, Damon.” I press a kiss to his chest.

  I wake up the next morning with the best feeling ever: waking up in his arms, with his smell and his warmth. I stare at his sleeping face; he looks so peaceful. I softly touch his jawbone, feeling the tight skin over hard muscles.

  There is a knock at the front door, and his eyes open—they are gold. His wolf didn't like waking up suddenly. I rub my thumb across his jawbone, and his eyes slowly lose the bright glow. “Good morning, mate.” He smiles. “I thought I dreamt of you, Moon—that you weren’t really here,” he says softly, leaning forward and kissing my forehead.

  “I am here, in your bed.” I wink.

  He laughs, wrapping his hand around my neck. “Not fully in my bed yet, mate,” he teases, and I laugh as someone knocks on the door again. I follow him to the front door, where I see my brother through the glass. Damon opens the door, stepping back to let my brother into the house. Maverick looks me up and down; then he gives us a nod of approval, knowing that I am fine. If I were being treated poorly, alpha or not, my brother would kick Damon’s ass. I would do the same thing if he had a mate who was being a bitch to him.

  “Coyotes tried to sneak in the back entrance of the property, and they got the shock of their lives,” my brother tells us.

  Stupid coyotes! Why can’t they mind their own business and leave everyone alone? They have always done dumb stuff like this, especially if you piss one of them off. It’s like the horde never ends.

  “Add more guys to the patrol, we need to keep a better eye on these fuckers.” Damon growls. He seems to grow larger when he’s angry. I can feel it radiating off of him. I place my hand on his back. I can feel his tension through my hands, and I smile as he relaxes.

  “Last night a coyote tried to grab your sister’s ass. I stopped him before he could touch her.” Damon becomes angry once again, but this time it’s much deeper. “Then they were out in the parking lot, waiting for us.” Damon fills him in on the rest of the details.

  “We will have to watch the borders, and no one can leave alone until the coyotes are out of the picture,” Damon tells Maverick. He leaves and we are alone once again.

  I agree 100 percent. Yeah, a coyote is not hard to take care of, but if you’re alone and there are a bunch of them, that is a different story.

  My phone is vibrating in the bedroom I was meant to sleep in. I go upstairs and take it off the counter. It’s a text from Olive. They are an hour away. Excitement flows through me. “I am going to get dressed. Olive will be here soon,” I tell Damon, knowing he can hear me from downstairs.

  I hurry and slip on some jeans and a shirt, and I run a brush through my hair. I need to make sure her house is perfect for her. I want her to be happy. I want her to have the life that she never got to have, as part of a pack, and I want her husband to be a dominant male in the pack, like he is meant to be. I want her family to enjoy being surrounded by other people. Her kids never even got to play with other children, because they were outcasts. We don’t have any pups here, but that will eventually happen.

  Damon is sitting at the bar, drinking coffee, already dressed in jeans and a black shirt. How did he beat me?

  “I am going to take the pack out to a restaurant tonight, in celebration of them joining,” he tells me, without looking back. Tingles of pure happiness run up and down my body; my wolf is proud to have him as a mate. He is a kind, protective, and considerate mate.

  “I am sure they will love that, Pha.” I run my hand over his back and kiss the side of his head.

  His hand comes around to the back of my neck, and he turns around and kisses me. I twine my fingers through his hair, letting him take over the k
iss. I shiver at the movements of his lips: the pull and the tugs and nips. He pulls me into his lap, his free hand snaking under my shirt. My whole body is shaking at this point; my mate’s touch is overwhelming. Throughout my life, I’ve barely been touched—only by family and close friends—and now, all of a sudden, I have a mate. It’s so different, and I know he feels the same way.

  I hear a car at the gate, and I pull away from him, surprised because she just told me they’d arrive in an hour, and I guess they are already here. Damon chuckles at my shocked expression. “I could get lost in you for hours, Moon.” My face gets hot from embarrassment. “Come on, let’s meet your friends.” He takes my hand and leads me to the house next to ours.

  “Is this their house?” I ask him. The house is similar to ours. Around the property, there are bigger houses for the families and smaller ones for single packmates. Grass covers the property, and it is full of beautiful trees. It’s heaven for a pack to be here—all of this land to roam in without fear of being seen. Years ago we lost many shifters, because people wanted to capture wolves and bears, so we have to be careful when leaving the property.

  The SUV pulls up in front of us, and Randall gets out first, from the passenger seat. I smile. Damon puts his hand on my back, and I can feel his happiness. Olive gets out next, her kids piling out behind her, and the children run to me. “Farren!” they scream and I laugh as they jump up and down, holding onto my legs.

  I bend down and hug both of them. “I missed you guys.” I run my hands over their heads.

  Olive and Randall walk over to us. I hug both of them, and they acknowledge Damon by tilting their heads to the side and thanking him for allowing them to join the pack.

  “Welcome to the pack and welcome home. I will show you around.” Damon starts up the front steps.