by Lacey Thorn
“You’re making me dizzy. Put me down. Please.” I tacked on the last word, hoping it would sway him.
“If I slide you down my body, I’m going to hold you so your only option is to wrap your legs around my waist. Once we get to that point, clothes will come off quickly, and I’ll be balls deep in your tight, little pussy. Though the outcome’s inevitable, I’d rather not put on a show for anyone else to enjoy.”
I bit back the moan ready to spill from my lips. His words shouldn’t make me hot, but they did. It was going to take every bit of my self-control to fight both him and the desire he brought to life inside me.
“No comment to that?” Cyan questioned, but I kept my lips firmly sealed. After that comment, there was nothing I could say that wouldn’t come across as a challenge. At least, that was my assumption. I’d made a point of finding out as much as I could about the James pack as soon as I knew the Rigton elders planned to approach them. I made it a point to know anything that might impact me and my baby sister, Jasmine. Now, I tried to remind myself of several valid points.
A—I was consorting with the enemy right now. After the bullshit my best friend, Raina, had shared with me, this man and his alpha were enemies. It seemed the elders approach to obtaining new leadership for our pack had been to offer Raina on the marriage block, without consulting the woman first. Once upon a time, things like that had happened. Planned matings to form alliances. But not anymore. Not in a long fucking time. And it wasn’t happening this time, either. Raina had come to me for help, and I’d do everything I could to give it to her.
B—Though I knew things about the James pack in general, I knew nothing personal about Cyan. My sex drive was revving high, urging me to lie back, bend over, or fall to my knees, but that was sex. If my mother had taught me anything in life, it was the difference between sex and love. Cyan had mentioned the “m” word. Mate? Me? What the ever-loving hell? Who took one look at another person and decided they were the one? Not a normal person; that was for sure.
C—No matter what my body urged and he desired, I had more than myself to think of. I had Jasmine. My baby sister hadn’t had the best beginning in life, and God knew she’d turned my world upside down from the moment she’d arrived. I wouldn’t have it any other way. From the moment, I’d cradled her in my arms, I’d discovered what true love was, the kind that was unbreakable. From the moment her little hand had wrapped around my finger and held tight, Jasmine had been mine.
I’d been just shy of seventeen when Jasmine had been born, and I’d had no clue how to take care of a baby. Our mother had left shortly after bringing Jasmine home, and my baby sister had needed me. So I’d stepped up, and our alpha, Raina’s brother Rowan, and Raina had been there for me every step of the way. They’d kept me sane at a time when my life had been in complete chaos.
A year later, when Raina had gone off to college, Rowan and I had gotten even closer, mostly out of our misery over missing Raina. Though many had suspected there was more to our relationship, we’d never been anything but friends. No, that’s not true. We’d been family. He’d taken Jasmine and me into his life as if he were our big brother. He’d watched over and protected us. I hadn’t realized just how much until he was no longer there to do so.
Rowan. God, I missed him. We’d lost him far too soon in a freak accident. He’d been checking on some of our elder members when his truck’s back tires had blown. Those who’d been there said it had rolled five times before landing on the roof. Then it had caught fire. It gave me nightmares to think of him dying in such a horrific way. Those thoughts sobered me up, draining the booze and the lust out of me.
“Cyan, I—”
I stopped talking, angling my head as best I could when Raina darted across the lot, stopping at the edge of the grass and stripping. I noticed all the men who’d come with Cyan and Bastion turning their backs and making sure everyone else did, as well. I saw the smile on Raina’s face and didn’t worry when Bastion followed her.
“Doesn’t look like Raina needs you to save her.”
No, she didn’t. It looked as if Raina would be just fine. That made me smile. She deserved to be happy. She deserved a man who’d appreciate her. One who’d value her strengths. If that wasn’t Bastion, I’d help her hide the body when she killed him.
“I’m getting lightheaded here,” I mumbled when Cyan remained stationary.
I found myself maneuvered so I was cradled against his chest. I wrapped one arm around his neck and glanced up to meet his gaze. There was something in his stare that made my heart flutter. There was promise there, and I shook my head in denial even as he traced my cheek with his fingertip.
“I want to know you, Ivy. What makes your heart speed up with excitement? What’s your favorite food? Favorite color? What music do you dance to when no one’s watching? What book do you read over and over again, imaging it’s you between the pages?” His thumb brushed over my bottom lip. “How do you like to be kissed? Caressed? When I bring you to orgasm, will you scream my name or moan it?”
“Cyan.”
“God, I love my name on your lips. I want to taste you.” His head dipped toward mine. “One taste to tide us over for now. Until we can be alone.”
He brushed my lower lip with his top, rubbing it slowly along mine. His tongue brushed the bottom curve then flicked up, sliding along the seam, seeking entrance. I opened on a gasp, and he tilted his head, his mouth taking full possession of mine. He consumed me, tasting and exploring until I clung to him, my hands buried in his hair, urging him closer. My breasts were crushed against his chest, my stiff nipples poking his muscles. I wanted to rip off our shirts just so I could feel him skin-to-skin. Who was this man that he made me want him so easily?
“Would you look at that? Rowan barely gone, and she’s already spreading herself for another. Hell, Ivy, if I’d known how desperate you were, I’d have taken you to my bed.”
I tensed against Cyan. He’d achieved the impossible. For a moment, I’d forgotten who I was in our pack. I’d thought the little group of assholes who’d eyed Raina and me at the bar had dispersed after Cyan had thrown one of them into the wall. Looked like they were outside, lying in wait instead.
The snide words were followed by snickers. Then one of the others whispered, “Apple didn’t fall far from the tree.”
I stiffened immediately. I heard the censure. Even more, I heard the meaning behind the words. I wasn’t surprised by the three assholes who stood watching Cyan and me. Or the fact it was Austin Mickel who’d spoken. He’d tormented me since my teens. And with him were the Dempsey brothers, who were rarely far from his side lately. They were troublemakers. Ones Rowan had kept firmly in place while he’d been alive.
Before I could engage my brain and come up with a pithy reply, I found myself seated on the hood of an SUV with a very pissed off Cyan towering in front of me. In the blink of an eye, he had one big hand wrapped around Austin’s throat, lifting until the other man was on his tiptoes.
“Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t rip out your fucking throat right now?” Cyan thundered.
“Cyan—” I began, but he cut me off.
“If you even think about saying anything to defend this asshole, I’ll take you over my knee and paddle your ass,” Cyan warned.
I didn’t know what was more ludicrous, the idea of me defending Austin Mickel or that of Cyan paddling my ass. Neither would ever happen. I kept silent, crossing my arms over my chest while I watched him. I’d been ready to give in. Hell, to beg Cyan to take me. The man’s kiss had rattled my brain. I almost felt as if I should thank Austin for intervening, and if that wasn’t ludicrous after the hell he’d made my life, then nothing was.
Chapter Three
~ Cyan ~
“Nothing to say?” I sneered the question at the fool dangling from my grip. No man would ever hurt my mate and walk away. Hell, they’d be lucky to crawl. Most likely, a body bag would be needed.
I’d felt Ivy stiffen, felt her hur
t as if it were my own. I’d delve into the words spoken and what they meant later. After I’d dealt with the trash, which was what these three were.
Every pack had them. Except ours. The James pack took out the trash. You didn’t follow the rules, you found somewhere else to call home or we found a permanent one for you. Six feet under. Harsh? Yes. But it was the only way to handle a wolf with a violent or mean streak. Right now, these three were idiots, but I sensed the meanness in them.
“Cyan.”
I almost groaned but managed to turn it into a growl I wasn’t sure fooled anyone. The breathy way my woman said my name turned me inside out. I couldn’t wait to hear her scream it while I pounded into her, to hear it released in a low moan while I gave her orgasm after orgasm.
“I don’t think he can breathe.”
Ivy again, sounding annoyed and maybe a little bored. I glanced back and barely suppressed a laugh at her nonchalant pose, reclined back, glancing at the nails on one of her dainty hands. Jesus, I wanted to wear the marks of those fingers on my skin.
“Fuck, dude. Put him down before you kill him.”
I turned back when one of the guy’s buddies spoke. They didn’t look so brave now that they’d been confronted by me instead of my tiny mate. The one I held really was turning a deep shade of purple. I tossed him to the ground, watching as his friends rushed to him, helping him sit up.
“You owe the lady an apology.”
I saw the meanness then. The narrowing of his eyes even as he sucked in air. The tensing of his hands and the way his gaze flicked to Ivy. I stepped over, blocking his view and freeing the rumble of displeasure from my chest.
“Apologize.”
“Ivy knows I didn’t mean anything by it. Don’t you, Ivy?”
“You don’t say her name.” I stepped in close again and almost snickered at the way the two guys with him quickly scrambled backward. “You don’t fucking speak to her.”
“Kind of hard for him to apologize to me then.”
I couldn’t help it. I grinned like a lovesick fool, which was fitting. The more I was around her, the harder I fell. And her sassy mouth. Yeah. I really liked a sassy mouth.
“He can say it to your mate.”
I heard several indrawn breaths, and though my gaze was forward, my focus was on the one behind me. My blunt statement was followed by Ivy mumbling. I heard her slide off the hood, the sound of her feet hitting the ground, then the strike of her footsteps as she walked toward me.
“For the love of God, Cyan, I’m not your mate. This.” She stopped beside me, waving one hand back and forth between us. “Isn’t happening.”
Then she turned, dismissing me as she stomped closer to the prick on the ground. My muscles tensed in preparation. One false move from the three yahoos and I would rip them apart.
“As for the three of you, go home, and sleep it off.”
“I wasn’t aware you could sleep off stupid,” I drawled, earning a snicker from my mate—and Ivy was my mate.
“I can see you don’t know the Dalton family. Daltons don’t take mates. Isn’t that right, Ivy.”
“You shut your filthy mouth, Austin Mickel, before I shut it for you.”
She vibrated with anger. So much so that I expected her to launch herself at the man still kneeling on the ground. The skin on her hands was white from how tightly they were clenched. I wanted all that pent-up emotion spent on me. Preferably while we were both naked and I was inside her. Fuck, the woman had given me a one-track mind.
“Where’s Jasmine at tonight?” the one she’d called Austin inquired. “Leaving her all alone while you go out drinking?” His gaze flicked to me. “Probably a good thing Rowan isn’t here to see how far you’ve fallen.”
“You son-of-a-bitch!”
She launched, and I barely snagged her from midair before she hit him. He’d managed to ignite her temper; so much so she’d failed to spot the glint of the blade I saw him palm. I didn’t know the history, had no clue what he alluded to, but I’d get the answers later. From the only person I consider a reliable source. Ivy. For now, blood would be shed. His. He’d sealed his fate when he’d slid a knife into his hand.
I placed Ivy carefully behind me then caught Mickel midrise with my boot. He flew across the lot, and now, the other two seemed to have found their courage. One began shifting while the other now had a blade in his palm. I could have easily called out, and any number of my pack brothers would have been there instantly. But these idiots were mine no matter the skin they were in. They’d baited my mate with words then dared to draw weapons in her presence with the intent to cause her physical harm.
I stepped forward again, my focus on them as Mickel wasn’t moving so easily this time. They attacked simultaneously, but I’d expected no less, easily engaging with them. I felt a brief burn along my right bicep but ignored it. It was a paltry injury at best and of no concern at present. I lashed out with another kick and was rewarded with a yelp of pain from the mongrel snapping at my heels. Then it was on.
I love a good fight. Revel in the adrenaline rush that takes over. I felt my wolf pressing, a merge of animal power with the strength of the man I am. I was revved to put on a display for my mate, to show her how great of a protector I’d be. It wasn’t much of demonstration though. A few punches and another well-placed kick and none of them were rising.
It had been a sad show of strength and made me understand why the Rigton pack had come looking for a new alpha. I wasn’t sure what type of force Rowan Byrd had had while he’d been in command, but I knew the majority of the group had left in the aftermath of his death. Grief did many things to people, and though I strived not to judge, leaving your pack unprotected in such a time seemed unforgivable to me.
I caught my breath and realized I awaited a pithy remark from Ivy, something filled with sarcasm and sass. Actually, I anticipated it, but one glance around told me she wasn’t there. Had there been more than these three? Had I been so focused on the battle I’d missed another enemy in hiding?
“She left.” Simon’s voice, off to my left. “While you were fighting. She said something about getting out of the cesspool of testosterone. Any idea what she meant by that?”
The laughter in his voice was hard to miss. I snorted. There was the comment I’d awaited, though the delivery left much to be desired.
“Grab a few of the others, and confine these three until I’m ready to deal with them again.”
Simon didn’t question. He merely nodded then moved to follow my order. I turned back to my SUV then paused. I wasn’t sure where Ivy had headed. Home, maybe, but I didn’t know where that was. I glanced at Mickel and his buddies, thinking I could demand the information from one of them, but they were all out cold. It appeared I’d been too efficient.
“She probably headed home.” The voice was soft, shaky, and feminine.
It took me a moment to locate the woman it belonged to. She seemed to cling to the shadows, almost as if she wanted to be absorbed by them.
“Step out, so I can see who I’m talking to,” I commanded.
Hesitantly, cautiously, she eased forward, appearing like a frightened mouse. I noticed her eyes first, mostly due to the black swelling around one of them. Still, the light blue of her irises shone bright. She had one arm wrapped around her middle. The other flat along her side, fist tightly clenched. Someone had hurt her. That was easy to see and filled me with a different type of rage.
“Who did this to you?” I only realized I’d taken a few steps toward her when she pulled back, seeming to shrink into herself. I held out my hands, palms up. “I’m not going to hurt you. I’m Cyan Richards. I’m with the James Pack.”
“I know who you are.”
“Then you have me at a disadvantage.” I tried to keep her engaged with me as I heard Simon return. I was happy to see he had Taylor, another pack mate with him. I was Bas’ right hand, and Taylor was mine. He was a massive motherfucker, scarier even than me, but he was a good man and an exce
llent shifter. When shit got real, he was who you wanted to watch your back. He also had a heart of gold. Many of the pack referred to him as the gentle giant, a name he hated but was very accurate.
“Cy, you good?” Taylor’s voice, sounding like a rusted blade.
“We’re good.” I waved him off for now, staying focused on the woman. She knew something. I sensed it, and though I wanted nothing more than to find my reluctant bride-to-be, obligation as Bastion’s beta kept me where I was. Ensuring the safety of our pack was one of my main duties, and this woman was now part of our pack. “What’s your name?”
“Rebel, but most people call me Rebbie.”
I was close enough now that I could gingerly touch her chin and turn her face so I could better see what damage had been done. My anger burned anew. “Who did this to you?”
She shrugged, displacing my touch but standing her ground this time. “It doesn’t matter. I heard you… Is Ivy really your mate?”
I nodded. It was only a matter of time.
“Good.” She bobbed her head as if satisfying some unspoken question. “Ivy deserves something good in her life. She deserves…happiness. It’s been hell since Rowan died.”
“What do you mean?”
Rebbie sighed wearily. “Rowan watched out for us, and everyone knew it. Ivy more so than me. They were always together. Them and Jasmine.”
“Jasmine?”
“Ivy’s…sister.” A slight hesitation. Why?
“Rowan took them under his wing when their mother left shortly after Jasmine was born,” Rebbie continued.
“What about their father?” And why the hell would a mother leave her children?
Rebbie shrugged again. “Who knows. Some women aren’t built to be mothers. They’re unable to form attachments.”
“Ivy’s?”
A nod.
“Yours?”
Another nod.
“It’s not easy being the daughter of a pack whore.”
I saw red. “Your mothers were forced—”
