Devour

by Susan Bliler

  Evan rolled his eyes and Hillary dropped to a knee. “Let me tell you something. One day you boys are gonna find something waaaaay more interesting than this,” she held up the can of chew and smirked. “One day a girl is gonna come along.” At her words the boys perked up and looked at each other before smiling. “And you know what? That girl might be your one, your mate.” Lifting her free hand, she rapped her knuckles on the can’s tin lid. “And I guarantee that if you have this crap in your mouth, she isn’t going to kiss you. Girls. Don’t. Like. This!” Turning, she chucked the can back toward the house. “If you get addicted, the chances are that you are going to have this crap in your mouth for most of the day. You know what that means?”

  All three boys shook their heads, listening intently now.

  “It means that when your woman sees you and wants you to kiss her, you can’t. It means when she wants to feel the press of your lips or the taste of your tongue on hers, she won’t be able to. And you know why? Because you chose a disgusting, selfish, habit over kissing your mate. She’s gonna resent it and you.” Pushing up off her knees, Hillary looked down at the boys. “Men who enjoy kissing pretty ladies don’t chew.”

  One of the boys canted his head, “But…but Modess chews.”

  “Yeah,” Evan chucked him in the arm hard enough to make the other boy stumble. “But do you ever see him kissing any pretty ladies?”

  The kid rubbed his arm. “Well…no.”

  Turning, Hillary headed back to the house, tossing over her shoulder, “Don’t chew boys! Ladies don’t like it. Make your choice now. Be kissers, not chewers!”

  Hillary didn’t see it, but a grin claimed her lips as she heard all three boys start spitting profusely.

  Evan declared to his friends, “It was gross anyway.”

  “Yeah!”

  ***

  Modess had been heading home when he saw Evan, Abe, and Mateo sneaking behind the house. He’d followed and watched from a distance as they pulled out a can of snuff and passed it around. A part of him had been disappointed. He’d been mulling over how to talk the boys out of the disgusting habit without sounding hypocritical when Hillary stormed out the back door. Damn, she was beautiful when she was fired up.

  Staying in his hidden position, he listened as Hillary reamed the boys over starting the bad habit, and while he’d been proud of the way she’d handled it, he’d also been embarrassed. His embarrassment turned to outright shame when Mateo had said, “But Modess chews.” If that wasn’t humiliating enough, Evan pointed out that he didn’t kiss ladies, and while the kids had never seen him show any public display of affection of any kind, let alone an intimate gesture, the truth of Hillary’s words stung. There were other members of the pack who chewed, mostly because he did, and he realized now how few kisses he’d seen those males give their mates. When he’d been at Shadow Wolf, he found the open and frequent displays of intimacy between mates startling. Now, Modess realized it was only startling because it was so absent here.

  Dropping his head, he pulled the tin of tobacco from his back pocket and stared at it a long moment before fisting it. Hearing spitting and hacking, he looked up to see the boys spitting the tobacco out of their mouths before Evan beamed, “It was gross anyway!”

  “Yeah,” Mateo and Abe agreed in unison before Evan shoved Abe and took off running shouting, “Let’s go swim!”

  Modess watched the boys disappear into the trees and inhaled deeply. Hillary was not just good, she was good for his pack. Lifting a hand, Modess hooked his pointer finger into his lower lip and pulled the damp mound of tobacco free before dropping it onto the ground. He liked kissing pretty ladies, one in particular, and if quitting the nasty habit meant he could do it whenever he wanted in the short while that Hillary was still with them, then he’d give it up. That woman’s pleasure meant more than his own.

  Chapter 25

  Heading back home after meeting with his enforcers and his Beta, Modess grinned at the conversation he and Hillary had over lunch. As a surprise, she’d made him cupcakes because she said he talked about them so often that they had to be his favorite. He admitted they were, but it was a lie. He’d never liked cupcakes until he met Hillary. That damn chocolate cake scent of her had made the dessert his new favorite. Hell, he’d eaten a half dozen of the cream filled things, much to Hillary’s delight. She’d boasted that it was a family recipe and that they had to be the best thing he’d ever tasted. When she’d prodded incessantly, he couldn’t stop himself from clearing the dining table with one swipe of his arm and grabbing her before she could jump back. He’d shoved her short skirt up to her waist and ripped her panties from her body before laying her out on the table before him. Sure, the cupcakes were good, but there was only one cupcake whose creamy center he wanted to sink his tongue into. Honestly, it had been the best lunch he’d ever had in his entire life. He knew it had been good for Hillary, too, judging by the way she’d screamed his name as her body arched against the hard wood of the table. Her tight channel seized around his tongue, and her legs clamped tightly around his head as he lapped up every last drop of her release. The damn woman tasted like heaven.

  Now, taking the front steps two at a time, Modess was surprised at how much his demeanor had changed. Everyone kept commenting on how much he’d been smiling. He’d tried to stifle it all day, but every time he thought of Hillary, he couldn’t seem to hold it back. Even now, he was so damn excited to see her that his palms were starting to sweat.

  Stepping into the house, he lifted his nose. He didn’t hear her in the kitchen and couldn’t pick up her scent immediately because the decadent aroma of chocolate cake still filled the air. It had memories flooding to the fore, which only served to have his balls drawing up tight.

  The shuffle of feet above him told him that Hillary was in their room and all he could think was, Good! He was already hard just thinking of all things they’d done in that room over the past week. Even now, the ache to have her was so intense that it had adrenaline suddenly dripping from the glands in his throat. He was up the stairs and storming down the hall before he even realized he’d taken a step.

  Stepping into their room with a wicked grin, it slipped. Instantly his wolf was on alert. Hillary stood facing the bed. Her back was rigid and her movements were jerky as she frantically shoved things into her open suitcase on the bed. Slowly, he scanned the room for clues before speaking and his eyes caught on a glint. There on top of the dresser was the elk ivory necklace he’d given her. Eyes tracking back to Hillary as she packed, his gut clenched. “What’s going on? What’s wrong?”

  Hillary didn’t stop working, she just kept shoving her things into her suitcase. “I-I have to go! Me and Simone both.” Her tone was strained like she was trying not to cry.

  “Why? What’s happening?”

  When Hillary sniffed, his nostril flared and he realized she was crying. He was across the room in three long strides. One hand gripped Hillary’s arm as he pulled her away from her suitcase. “What the fuck is going on?”

  “War is coming to my pack. Don’t worry, your enforcers are on their way here. My pack needs us back. Dalton texted Simone. Michael wants us back at Shadow Wolf tonight.”

  “No!” Dark brows snapping into a frown, Modess growled more firmly. “Fuck no! You’re not going back to Shadow Wolf to fight! It ain’t fucking happening, Cupcake.”

  Brows dipping, Hillary glared up at him. “It’s not up to you. It’s not up to Bull either, so you need to tell him he has to let Simone go. We’d appreciate a ride, if…”

  In a flash, Modess had Hillary up and pressed against the wall, her legs wrapped around his hips as his hand collared her throat. “You’re not listening. You. Can’t. Go.”

  “I have to go, Modess! It’s my pack! They need us!”

  “Tough shit!”

  She tried to jerk her chin from his hold and wriggle from his arms, but he only held her tighter. “You think I’m gonna let you walk out of here and into battle?”
<
br />   “It’s my pack, my duty. What do you think your enforcers were training ours for? Battle! War! Michael’s been planning it for some time. I have to go back. It’s not up to you.”

  “The hell it isn’t.”

  “Look at me, Modess!” When he blinked at her in confusion she yelled, “LOOK AT ME! I’m not yours!” There was a tremble to her voice. “There’s no mate mark. There’s been no claiming. I’m still a Shadow Wolf. And you’re trying to build an alliance with Shadow Wolf, keeping me and Simone here isn’t going to help that cause. Give Michael what he wants. Give me back. You can catch more flies with honey than vinegar. You ever heard that? Just…just try being nice. I…”

  The rest of her words were drowned out after her, “I’m still Shadow Wolf” declaration. She was right. Right now, she didn’t belong to him, she wasn’t a part of his pack. He couldn’t keep her from leaving. He had no right. Blinking, his gaze was unseeing as he realized he’d waited too long. Hillary had been summoned home for war and he had no true right to stop her from meeting that call. He hadn’t claimed her and now she had to leave. As Alpha, it’s what he’d expect of any of his wolves.

  She shoved at his chest and he released her. Her feet hit the floor and when she looked up at him, she looked so damn scared. Worse, the scent of her fear was starting to fill the room.

  Tearing her eyes from his, she crossed back to the bed and slammed her suitcase closed. Without looking at him she muttered, “Thank you for…everything. I wish… I wish that…” Almost inaudibly she breathed, “Fuck!” Then more loudly, “Never mind. It doesn’t matter now.” Her tiny hand closed around the handle of her suitcase and she pulled it off the bed and headed for the door.

  Inside, Modess’ wolf was howling. When he didn’t move, his wolf thrashed inside of him while his mind raced.

  Hillary’s hand closed around the door knob and as she pulled the bedroom door open, his lip peeled back in a snarl. Fuck this!

  He moved so fast he blurred. One second Hillary was walking out on him, and the next he had her whipped around. The movement was so quick that Hillary only had time to gasp. Her suitcase clattered to the floor before he reached up and fisted her shirt, ripping it to the side before his incisors punched through his gums. In a blink, his teeth pierced the soft flesh of her shoulder.

  Hillary cried screamed and struggled against him, but he used both arms to hold her tight to him. He didn’t want her ripping her skin more than necessary. No, he wanted his claiming mark to be definitive so he bit harder.

  She cried out, “Aaaaaah!” Her hands curled into his shoulders, the sharp bite of her nails scoring his flesh.

  Satisfied that his mark was deep and defined enough, Modess pulled back. He felt blood drip from lips that he knew were set into a grim line. Michael had tried to call his mate into battle. Wasn’t fucking happening!

  Eyes flooded with tears, Hillary lifted a shaking hand to her bleeding shoulder and she breathed, “Wh-what did you do?” Her voice broke and her face crumpled when she asked again, “Modess! What did you do?”

  “Kept you safe,” he snarled.

  “But my pack! Michael…”

  “Fuck Michael! And fuck Shadow Wolf! He isn’t worthy of you or any of the shifters beneath him if he’d chance risking them like that. He should have issued a personal challenge, an Alpha challenge, that way it’d be one-on-one. He’s a coward and right now he’s a vulnerable one. Shadow Wolf will be distracted. That territory is prime for the taking.”

  She jerked back as if she’d been slapped and it was the last straw for him.

  “As for you, you’re mine!” he declared, picking her up and carrying her downstairs. She didn’t fight, didn’t struggle, but her eyes shot around frantically as she tried to figure out his intent.

  It wasn’t until he stormed into the kitchen and was halfway to the food pantry that Hillary cried, “NO!”

  Too late. Stepping into the pantry, he set her down and stepped back, gripping the door.

  “Modess, don’t you do this!”

  Without a word, he slammed the door just as Hillary lunged at him. Engaging the outside lock, he listened a moment as his mate pounded against the inside of the door, screaming for him to let her out.

  My mate!

  Michael had a lot to learn about calling females into battle when he’d been the egotistical moron who’d bit off more than he could chew. He’d pay for the slight.

  Modess took the stairs two at a time back up to his room. Hillary’s necklace still sat there on the dresser. He snagged it off the smooth surface and shoved it into his pocket before crossing to the bed where he ripped off the comforter and two pillows. He didn’t know how long he’d be gone, but he wanted Hillary comfortable. The pantry was stocked with food and drinks, thanks to her and Wanda, so Hillary just needed something to keep her warm should the need arise.

  Pounding back down the stairs, he made his way back to the kitchen where Hillary was still beating on the pantry door. He unlocked it and had it open so fast, Hillary only had the chance to open her mouth to yell at him. He shoved the blanket and pillows into her chest before the door was slammed and locked again.

  “You’d attack my pack!” she hurled through the door. “While they’re already under attack?”

  He didn’t answer. Exiting his house, he heard Hillary screaming some more, but he’d deal with her ire later. Right now he had two missions. First, he had to find Michael and punish him for calling Hillary to war. Then he had to get home and put his necklace right back where it belonged, on his mate.

  Chapter 26

  Eight hours later and Modess was back at Blood Lust. His enforcers were all back too. They’d suffered zero losses. Thank fuck!

  Standing in his kitchen, he was weary but he needed to deal with Hillary. He could hear her breathing evenly on the other side of the door and he knew she slept. He also knew she wouldn’t have been able to break free. The door, which used to lead to the outside before Christian and Bull had built on the pantry, was made of solid oak. No shifter alone could breach it.

  Unlocking the door, he quietly pulled it open. The inside of the door was severely dented and dozens of cans littered the ground where Hillary had obviously thrown them at the door in an attempt to break free. He couldn’t help but grin. She’d fought like a little hellcat to get out.

  In the far corner of the pantry, in a nest of the blankets and pillows he’d given her, Hillary slept. Her cheeks were flushed from what he assumed was emotion and exertion. She looked beautiful. Studying her, his heart kicked up at the sooty lashes that fanned across her cheeks.

  Stepping into the pantry, Modess stopped beside her and slid down the back wall. His thigh brushed her fingertips as his legs bent and Hillary stirred. He watched as her eyes blinked open. She didn’t speak at first, she simply lay there and kept right on blinking without looking at him. He’d expected urgency from her, instead he got exhausted resignation and it tore at him. Without looking at him, Hillary’s eyes slid to the open door and she asked without any hint of emotion, “Is my Alpha dead?”

  His response was swift. “No.”

  As if unable to stop herself, she grudgingly asked, “Are you hurt?”

  He wanted to smile, relieved that she still cared enough to ask. “No, Cupcake. I’m fine.”

  “I could’ve helped them,” she hurled at him angrily without getting up. “But you locked me up. You took that away from me. You attacked my pack while they were vulnerable and you kept me caged while you did it. How am I supposed to live with that?”

  Brows spearing down, he was shocked at her assumption. He shouldn’t have been, though. He hadn’t had time to clarify himself when he’d been rushing to lock her up and to get to Shadow wolf. “I battled with Michael, not against him.”

  Shock colored her tone as she shoved up from her bed, “What? Why? Why would you do that?”

  His reply was simple. “For you.”

  “Me?”

  “Honey instead of vinega
r, right?”

  “Modess,” she breathed. When he rolled his head against the wall to stare at her, some weight lifted off his chest with the tears of relief that shone in her eyes. Reaching out, he pulled her to him and she settled against his chest as her arms wrapped tightly around his neck. Against his chest she chanted, “Thank you, thank you. Thank you!”

  They stayed that way a long time until his stomach growled and ruined the moment. Pulling back, Hillary frowned at him in concern. “You hungry?”

  “I can’t eat.”

  “Yeah,” she muttered looking away. “Me either.”

  Lifting her off him, he slowly got to his feet. “Come on.”

  But before Hillary could get to her feet, he bent and lifted her into his arms. “Let’s call it a day. A very, very, very long day.”

  His trek upstairs was slow, he meant it to be. While his muscles were sore and exhaustion tugged at him, something about having Hillary’s arms wrapped around his neck and having her tucked up safe in his arms bolstered his wolf. It helped that she now bore his mark. He’d claimed her. They’d need to discuss it, but right now he just wanted to fall asleep knowing she was with him, protected.

  In their room, he settled Hillary on the bed and paced to his cot where he dropped down and started unlacing his boots.

  “Why don’t you take the bed?” Hillary offered. “You’ve had a much rougher day than I have.”

  He stopped unlacing his boots to roll his head on his shoulders. “Nah. Cot’s fine.” His eyes snapped open when he felt a tug on his foot. Looking down, Hillary was on her hands and knees, unlacing his boot.

  “You don’t have to do that, Hill.”

  “You didn’t have to help my pack, Mo.”

  Grinning, he leaned back against the wall and watched while her small hands worked to unlace both his boots before pulling them off. Next, she peeled off his socks before looking up. “Shower or bath?”

  The question had something stirring low in his belly and he wanted to ask if she’d be joining him, but he didn’t. Her heat had passed and she didn’t need him now. Worse, he’d wounded her by letting her think he was going after her pack. Still, a warm bath and her supple body wrapped around him would be heavenly right now.